School Open Days: What to Look For, What to Ask, How to Compare

Every year from September to November, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong open their doors. A visit lasts an hour or two, and without preparation you'll walk out remembering only "the campus looked nice." An open day is your one chance to feel a school's atmosphere before applying — if you know what to look for, it's worth more than a dozen online reviews.

Which schools have open days coming up? Our open days calendar lists every announced event by month, with registration links where schools publish them.

Before you go: a little homework

1. Read the basics first. Fees, class structure, sponsoring body — don't waste visit time on facts you can read online. Look up the school's profile here, then arrive with questions.

2. Register early. More and more schools require online booking, and popular schools' slots fill within days. Book as soon as the date is confirmed.

3. Decide what you want to verify. "Is this school really as reading-focused as it claims?" "Is the homework load really that heavy?" Two or three specific questions beat wandering aimlessly.

On the day: what to observe

Teacher–student interaction is the most telling signal. Does the teacher presenting read from a script, or can they tell stories about actual students? Do students you pass greet you willingly or avoid eye contact? In kindergartens, watch whether teachers kneel down to speak with children at eye level.

How student work is displayed reveals the teaching approach. A display board where every piece looks identical (same bear, same twenty colours) signals highly directive teaching; visibly different work suggests the school genuinely practises child-led learning.

Facility details are where daily reality hides: are the library books pristine or worn (worn means children actually read them), are the toilets clean, is the playground equipment maintained? Nobody refurbishes these to 90% just for an open day.

Current students and parent volunteers are your best intelligence. They have no official script — ask them "what's the best and worst thing about this school?" and you'll often get surprisingly honest answers.

Questions worth asking

• How many students per class, and what's the actual teacher–student ratio? (Kindergarten ratios have a legal cap, but actual staffing is the truth.)
• What's teacher turnover like? Are there teachers who've been here many years?
• How much homework, and in what form? At what age does written homework start?
• How is the settling-in period handled for K1/P1 newcomers?
• Is there after-school care or interest classes, and what do they cost?
• Progression: are there linked schools, and where do graduates typically go? (Through-train, nominated and feeder links explained covers what the three link types actually mean.)

The point of asking isn't just the answer — it's watching how staff answer: specific or boilerplate, and whether they've genuinely thought about the question.

After the visit: record it while it's fresh

Visit two or three schools in a day and a week later they'll blur together. The moment you leave, note three things on your phone: one vivid scene, one strength, one concern.

A few days later, review your notes side by side — our compare tool puts up to four schools next to each other on fees, application dates, interview arrangements and teacher ratios, so your first-hand observations sit next to the hard data when you decide.

Good to know

• An open day is the school at its best — a staged version is normal, which is exactly why the details matter.
• Can't attend in person? Many schools post virtual tours or footage from past open days on their websites and Facebook pages — not the same as being there, but better than text alone.
• Source: our open-day data is extracted from school websites; the school's own latest notice prevails.