Kellett School celebrates half a century this year! We find out how they’re marking the big occasion and talk to the team about the growth of this British international school in Hong Kong from just a few dozen students in 1976.
Congrats on 50 years! Why is this milestone important?
Celebrating our half-century has provided us with a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the school’s journey from two classes in Wan Chai to a two-campus (soon to be three-campus) school with around 1,600 students. What has been most wonderful has been charting how we’ve managed to grow and develop without the safety net of a government or franchise behind us, and all the while maintaining the values and mission set by our founders.
What are some ways the school has marked 50 years so far, and what else is coming up?
We wanted a lasting memento that celebrated our place in Hong Kong, so we began work on a collective tapestry well before our 50th year started. Working with Make & Do HK, our students and staff all had a hand in stitching together a commemorative artwork that features over 100 Hong Kong and Kellett-themed motifs. Named “Noodles”, our wonderful 50th anniversary tapestry hangs in our Kowloon Bay Campus entrance. We have two other new celebratory installations, too: a classic Hong Kong neon sign for our dining hall and a British historical blue plaque for our original campus in Pok Fu Lam.
Events kicked off in January with Feeling Good at Fifty, a full day of activities for our students to drum up excitement for this milestone year, including making lots of bunting for our main community event. Our Prep students even came in dressed as 50-year-old versions of themselves.
In March, we invited our whole community to a Golden Jubilee party, with a host of fun activities on campus, The Golden Proms, a mini music festival on our rooftop and even fireworks!
March was also the month we unveiled the Kellett Tram. Tram #160 was decked out in motifs from our Noodles tapestry. Kellett families spent their weekends trying to catch the tram and see their stitches passing along the streets of Hong Kong.
The celebrations continued throughout the month of May across the globe as the school hosted “OK in May” for our alumni (known as Old Kellettonians), with events in New York, London, Sydney and Hong Kong. Over 400 former students, families and staff of all generations joined our celebrations.
Give us an insight into the early years of Kellett in HK – who opened it and why?
Seeking a school placement for her daughter when none was available, Mrs Joanne Elliott penned a letter to the editor of SCMP in September 1976. This letter led to a gathering of like-minded parents, and a tiny new school was opened with 44 students in two classrooms in Wan Chai. Over the next few years, the school moved many times, and acquired the name Kellett. Student numbers grew, until the school was awarded a plot of land in Pok Fu Lam. Serendipitously, the plot overlooks Kellett Bay. Kellett School officially moved into our Pok Fu Lam campus in 1980.
How have things progressed since then?
Continued growth over the next two decades established Kellett as The British International School in Hong Kong and the campus was extended. By the early 2000s the parent-led Board spearheaded the decision to extend into Senior and open a new campus.
Kellett Senior School was established in 2007 at the Pok Fu Lam campus before moving to a temporary space in Shau Kei Wan for four years and finally taking up its current home in Kowloon Bay, which also houses an additional Prep School.
Since 1976, Kellett has grown in demand, size and recognition. Today, the school not only has around 40 times as many students, but it achieves exceptional exam results year on year and is steadfast in its commitment to giving every child a love of learning and confidence in life.
Despite this growth, we continue to hold true to our two foundational principles. We have remained not-for-profit and parent-governed, while continuing to be forward-looking and ambitious in how we meet the needs of our community. Our students continue to receive a holistic education, strong on academics and wellbeing, rich in sport and the expressive arts. We have even expanded our reach into Hong Kong with Kellett Outreach, providing academic and enrichment sessions on Saturdays to over 120 children from low-income families.
What excites you about the future of Kellett School?
Keeping the momentum going, we look forward to the opening of our new Sixth Form Centre in August and the refurbishment of our Pok Fu Lam campus. As part of our Kellett Vision 2035 ten-year strategic plan, further developments are in the works, ensuring that we’re on course for another 50 years, and beyond, of great success, with an enduring focus on giving our students a love of learning and confidence for life. Stay tuned to Kellett for more news ahead!
Kowloon Bay Prep & Senior: 7 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay
Pok Fu Lam Prep: 2 Wah Lok Path, Wah Fu, Pok Fu Lam
3120 0700 | kellettschool.com
This article on Kellett in HK, an independent British international school in Hong Kong, first appeared in the Summer 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest mag or an annual subscription, or read the digital version for free now.
