Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus vs Creative Secondary School
Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus and Creative Secondary School are both in Hong Kong, about 11 km apart. Both schools follow an IB curriculum. Published annual fees are HK$80,500 - 226,090 at Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus and HK$173,652 - 244,642 at Creative Secondary School, which puts Creative Secondary School roughly 36% higher. Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus takes pupils from 1 to 18, and Creative Secondary School from 3 to 18. Creative Secondary School is the larger school, with around 700 pupils to Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus's 350. Typical class sizes are 4 at Carmel School - Carmel Elementary Campus and 8 at Creative Secondary School.
Carmel Elementary is situated in the Mid-Levels area on Hong Kong Island, a central neighbourhood known for its residential community and convenient access to transport links and the city’s business districts. The school operates three campuses across Hong Kong Island, with the Elementary campus in Mid-Levels and the High School in Shau Kei Wan, giving families access from different parts of the city.
Location
Creative Secondary School is situated in Tseung Kwan O in Hong Kong’s New Territories. The area is well connected by MTR, bus, and minibus routes, with dedicated school bus services covering Kowloon and New Territories districts. Families relocating to Hong Kong will find the campus in a residential and educational hub that is accessible from major urban centres.
Stages
Stages
The Elementary campus serves Kindergarten to Grade 5. Students continue into the Middle Years Programme (Grades 6–10) and Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12) at Elsa High School.
Stages
CSS offers education for Forms 1–6, covering the equivalent of lower secondary to upper secondary. Forms 1–3 follow the IB Middle Years Programme framework, while senior students in Forms 4–6 may pursue either the HKDSE or the IB Diploma Programme.
School type
School type
Carmel is a co-educational day school. It does not provide boarding facilities; all students commute daily.
School type
The school is an English-medium Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) institution. It is co-educational and operates as a day school, with no boarding provision.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The Elementary campus includes a Dedicated Learning Enhancement room to provide extra support to students who need it. Beyond this, the school does not publish detailed SEN provisions or policies.
Additional learning support
CSS provides structured support for students with additional learning needs. Services include access to school-based educational psychology and speech support, small group teaching, academic counselling, and co-teaching models. The Centre for Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) also supports students requiring English language development.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school does not have a national affiliation; it is an IB Continuum School authorised for the PYP, MYP, and DP programmes.
Country affiliation
The school does not have a formal affiliation with any particular country. It is part of the Creative Schools Continuum in Hong Kong.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
Carmel School is a Jewish international school with a Modern Orthodox ethos. It welcomes students from all strands of Judaism and also accepts non-Jewish students in its High School.
Religious affiliation
The school does not have any religious affiliation.
School day structure
School day structure
The school’s public website does not disclose daily start and end times or details of breaks/lunch times.
School day structure
The school does not publish its daily timetable publicly.
Bus service details
Bus service details
Yes. Carmel contracts City School Bus Service Limited for transport. Families can arrange service directly.
Bus service details
A school bus service is available, operated by Wah Cheung Travel and Tourist Bus Co. Ltd. Routes are revised annually and currently include Tseung Kwan O, Kowloon districts such as Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay, and Tsim Sha Tsui, and New Territories areas including Shatin and Tsuen Wan. This makes the school accessible to families living in multiple parts of Hong Kong.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Tuition Fees (Per Year) Early Learning (Tzutzik & Ganeynu Afternoon Programme): HKD 84,500 Nursery & Pre-K: HKD 114,000 Kindergarten – Grade 5 (Elementary): HKD 202,600 Elsa High School Main Stream (Grades 6–12): HKD 202,600 Elsa High School International Stream (Grades 6–12): HKD 237,370
Fees are billed monthly over 10 months per year, due on the 1st of each month. Families entering mid-year are also charged from the 1st of the month.
Capital Levy Grades 6–12 students are charged an annual Capital Levy of HKD 18,520. This levy supports facility maintenance and improvements.
Transportation Fees The school provides a bus service through City School Bus Service Limited. Families make arrangements directly with the provider.
Learning Support Elementary offers a Dedicated Learning Enhancement room. Costs for additional specialist support, if required, are not detailed online.
Refund Policy The website does not disclose tuition refund terms. Financial assistance is available to families in need, but is not offered during the first year of enrolment and not for Nursery or younger. Applications are due by June 1 annually.
Payment Options The school does not specify exact payment methods (e.g., card or transfer) online but notes that the Carmel School Association acts as the agent for fee collection.
Fee details
Tuition Fees (Per Year)
Form 1 – Form 2: HK$173,652 (10 instalments) Form 3: HK$179,512 (10 instalments) Form 4: HK$191,997 (10 instalments) Form 5 (HKDSE): HK$197,127 (10 instalments) Form 5 (IBDP): HK$244,642 (10 instalments) Form 6 (HKDSE): HK$197,177 (8 instalments) Form 6 (IBDP): HK$244,632 (8 instalments)
Billing Schedule and Payment Terms Fees are billed monthly, in 8 or 10 instalments depending on the year group. For new students joining mid-month, fees are pro-rated:
* 1st–7th of the month: 100% * 8th–15th: 75% * 16th–23rd: 50% * 24th–31st: 25%
If a student withdraws mid-month, the full month’s fee remains payable.
Refund Policy Parents must submit a Student Withdrawal Form at least one month before the last attendance date, or one month’s fee will be charged in place of notice. For end-of-year withdrawals, notice must be given by 30 June. Library books and any borrowed equipment must be returned before departure.
Financial Assistance CSS offers a Fee Remission Scheme (need-based) and a Scholarship Scheme (merit-based, covering academics, arts, STEM, leadership, and service).
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Carmel Elementary delivers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), which focuses on inquiry-based learning across all subjects. The Programme of Learning includes core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Music, Hebrew and Jewish Studies, alongside specialist provision in STEAM, EAL (English as an Additional Language), and physical education. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 follow the PYP framework, which emphasises transdisciplinary themes to connect learning across disciplines. After Grade 5, students progress to the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at Elsa High School, followed by the IB Diploma Programme (DP) in Grades 11–12. This makes Carmel an IB Continuum School, providing all three stages of IB education from early years through high school.
Curriculum details
Creative Secondary School offers a secondary programme from Form 1 to Form 6. In Forms 1–3, students follow Hong Kong’s junior secondary curriculum taught through the framework of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), which emphasises inquiry-based learning across subjects. In Forms 4–6, most students prepare for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), the local university entrance qualification. From Form 5, students may alternatively opt for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), with a broad range of subject choices across languages, sciences, humanities, and the arts. The school also runs CLACH (Chinese Language, Arts, Culture and History) to strengthen Chinese cultural education and the CALP (Centre for Academic Language Proficiency) to support academic English. Across all years, the Personal Growth Programme (PGP) and experiential learning activities form part of the core timetable.
1. Application submission Families begin the process by completing the application form and submitting it by post, email, or in person to the relevant campus. Required documents include prior school reports and teacher recommendations, which help the admissions team evaluate readiness and fit.
2. Assessment and review The school considers a range of indicators such as school reports, teacher comments, and, if relevant, international English proficiency assessments. For some applicants, the school uses MAP testing to measure literacy, numeracy, and science skills. These assessments allow Carmel to match students with appropriate support and placement.
3. Interviews Applicants may be invited for an interview with the Principal or Head of Elementary, depending on the year group. This provides an opportunity to discuss the child’s learning style, language background, and family expectations while helping the school assess social and academic needs.
4. Priority considerations If demand exceeds available places, priority may be given to siblings of current students and certain categories within the Early Learning Centre. This helps maintain continuity for families already within the Carmel community.
5. Decision and enrolment Decisions are communicated after review of all submitted materials and assessments. Successful applicants complete enrolment and payment of tuition. Families requiring financial assistance must apply by June 1, though support is not available in the first year of enrolment or for Nursery/Pre-K students.
Admissions
1. Application Parents begin by submitting an online application form via the school’s website. Required documents include a recent student photo, copies of Hong Kong ID or passport/visa, the last two years of school reports, and any supporting certificates. If applicable, families should also submit medical or psychological assessment reports. Applications are accepted for entry into Form 1 (Secondary 1) as well as for transfer into Forms 2–5.
2. Eligibility Check The school reviews applications to ensure students meet the Education Bureau (EDB requirements and the school’s academic readiness criteria. For Form 1, completion of local Primary 6 or equivalent (such as IBPYP or an overseas system) is expected. Non-Chinese speaking students are assessed under EDB guidelines for Chinese language learning eligibility.
3. Assessment Applicants are invited to sit written assessments in subjects such as English, Chinese, and Mathematics. Shortlisted students are then called for an interview. Notifications and interview arrangements are sent directly to parents by email from the school’s admissions office.
4. Offer and Enrolment Successful candidates receive an offer of admission. Parents must confirm acceptance and complete the financial procedures, including tuition fees, according to the published fee schedule. Families interested in financial support can also apply for the Fee Remission Scheme or the Scholarship Scheme.
Scholarships
Scholarships
The school does not publicly offer merit-based or need-based scholarships.
Scholarships
CSS offers a structured Scholarship Scheme for students who demonstrate excellence across different areas. The scheme includes a Multipotential Scholarship for Forms 1–4, recognising students who show ability in multiple fields, as well as HKDSE and IBDP Scholarships for Forms 5–6, awarded to students excelling in either the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme pathways. In addition, Excellence Scholarships are available for outstanding talent in areas such as sport, music, visual arts, drama, dance, STEM, or leadership and service. All scholarships require a formal application, and recipients are expected to sign an agreement that includes leadership and service commitments.
Waitlist
Waitlist
The school does not describe a formal waitlist or pool system on its website.
Waitlist
CSS does not describe a formal waitlist or pool system on its website. Instead, the admissions page explains that if families do not hear back within about two months of applying, they should assume the application has been unsuccessful. Interview invitations and offers are issued at the discretion of the school’s admissions team.
