Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions for families in Hong Kong. At Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong (WASHK), education goes beyond academics — it’s about nurturing well-rounded, future-ready students.
We sat down with the Headmaster, Mr Rob Fox, to explore what makes WASHK unique, from its bespoke iSTEAM progamme to its approach to language learning, and student wellbeing.
What is iSTEAM, and how is it different from Science lessons?
In normal science lessons, students are studying their IGCSE or A-level curriculum in the Senior School, and in the Prep School they follow the British National Curriculum. They’re developing their understanding of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics — building knowledge, skills, and understanding about the world through a tailored curriculum.
iSTEAM is a little bit different. It’s our own bespoke curriculum, and in essence it’s a skills-based, problem-solving curriculum. Each week, students are faced with a different problem focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and maths. Sometimes they’ll be coding, sometimes designing and building a bridge, or creating a real-world project.
Through this, they develop core skills like collaboration, creativity, and problem solving. They work in groups, come up with a solution, test it, and then go back to the drawing board. For us, iSTEAM is really about that second and third iteration — developing that entrepreneurial skill set. In the Senior School, it’s also closely linked to careers, whether that’s aeronautical engineering, medical sciences, or the science and tech behind a theatre production.
Is WASHK a bilingual school?
Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong is a British international school, so the main language of our school is English. The vast majority of lessons our children experience are delivered in English.
However, for us, Chinese is a core part of our curriculum. We feel it’s really important that our children develop fluency in English, but alongside that, we want them to have a really strong understanding of Chinese language and culture. So, we give equal time to English, Maths, and Chinese as our core subjects in the school.
Alongside that, we also have an intensive English programme in our Prep School. Students who show strong academic potential, but whose English may be slightly weaker at the moment, can join this programme for around six months. During that time, they develop their academic English and are then ready to move into our mainstream programme.
Do students actually get to create their own businesses in Entrepreneurship?
In short, yes, they do. Our entrepreneurship programme is part of our ECA programme in the Prep School, where students have developed their own tea business with three different product lines that they now sell. Throughout the process of setting up the business, they negotiated directly with a farmer during their trip to China. They’ve also had workshops with some of our parents on how to market and advertise their products, and they sell their three product lines at a range of school events.
In addition to that, entrepreneurship is a core curriculum area in our Senior School. Students develop their own products, hear from specialist speakers, and go out into the business community to learn in real time about the kinds of businesses they may one day be part of.
In essence, we’re not just developing business knowledge, but a true sense of entrepreneurship. We want our children to work together, to be creative in their thinking, and to be resilient — to have a go, learn from failure, and keep on achieving.
What’s the difference between PE and Core Sports?
All of our students take part in both PE lessons and our core sports curriculum. In PE lessons, they focus on developing specific skills. That might be understanding movement, working on throwing and catching, or learning about space and positioning.
Whereas in core sports, we introduce students to a wide range of team and individual sports. Through that, they apply the skills they’ve learned in PE to real competition.
For us, the real focus of core sports is developing those broader skills. We think it’s really important for all of our students to be involved in team sports, because it’s through that experience that they develop collaboration, communication, and resilience — particularly when a team goes behind in a game. Those are the skills that will see them through not just in sport, but in many areas beyond the sports curriculum as well.
What’s the difference between extra-curriculars and super-curriculars?
Extra-curricular activities are activities that our students choose to do to further develop their talents and interests outside of the normal curriculum.
Our super-curricular programme, however, is really designed to help students reach their future career aspirations. Whether that’s through iSTEAM, through business, or through our careers-focused programme, we are intentionally preparing students by giving them the experience and opportunities to develop in key areas.
It’s about preparing them not only for top universities, but also giving them a clear understanding of the different careers they may be interested in, and supporting them as they work towards those aspirations.
What do you enjoy most about being a Headmaster?
What I particularly like about being a Headmaster — and even more so at Wycombe Abbey than in other schools I’ve worked in — is the people.
For me, a school is made up of its pupils, its parents, and its teaching staff. We’re really lucky here to have the most proactive and engaging group of teachers I’ve ever worked with. But beyond that, it’s those everyday interactions with the students that really matter — whether that’s watching them in assembly in the morning, passing them in the corridor on their way to lessons, or simply having a chat with them at break or lunchtime.
We’re also very fortunate to have a highly supportive parent body. We’ve worked hard to ensure our parents are fully engaged — not just in what we do educationally, but also socially within the life of the school.
What excites you most about the future of education?
I’m encouraged by the growing focus on how students learn, not just what they learn. There’s more emphasis on thinking skills, creativity, and character, which feels very positive. When schools combine innovation with strong relationships and clear values, education becomes much more meaningful for young people.
What would you like parents to know about life at WASHK?
I think if you asked our current parents, children, and teaching staff about the school, the thing that would stand out most is the relationships we develop.
Our teachers genuinely care about each and every child in their class — the children they teach day in and day out. And because of that genuine care, we’re confident that every student makes the very best academic and personal progress.
Why Choose Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong?
For families searching for a top British international school in Hong Kong, WASHK offers a distinctive blend of:
- Academic excellence through the British curriculum
- Innovative programmes like iSTEAM
- A strong language programme (English as the main medium of instruction and Chinese as a core focus)
- Real-world learning through entrepreneurship and career pathways
- A supportive, relationship-driven community
In a city as dynamic as Hong Kong, education needs to prepare students not just for exams, but for life. At Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong, that preparation starts early — and continues every step of the way.
Ready to Discover More?
Choosing the right school is a deeply personal decision — and the best way to experience Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong is to see it for yourself.
Whether you’d like to learn more about our curriculum, explore our campus, or understand how we support each child’s journey, our Admissions Team is here to help.
Book a personalised school tour or speak with our Admissions Team today to discover if WASHK is the right fit for your family.
