Elevate Global Education Group stands out as a comprehensive educational resource, specializing in personalized support for neurodivergent students. Founded by Jon Larkin, a seasoned professional with extensive experience in IB schools and special education, Elevate offers a unique blend of academic coaching, executive functioning skills development, and specialized tutoring.

Elevate is much more than your normal tutoring center as they are made of licensed, experienced, and highly qualified teachers and educational professionals. They also specialize and are licensed to work with a wide range of neurodivergent students as the founder was K-12 Director of Student Support at an IB School.

Besides academic coaching, they offer a range of group classes such as hands-on science to teach executive functioning, writing and reading clubs, as well as have individualized tutoring classes.

Their personalized approach ensures that each student receives tailored support to meet their unique learning challenges and goals. Elevate’s focus on evidence-based practices and individualized instruction means students benefit from effective study techniques, time management skills, and organizational strategies tailored to their needs.

Moreover, the emphasis on collaboration with parents, caregivers, and educators fosters a holistic support system that enhances the student’s overall educational experience.

Another advantage is Elevate’s commitment to child safeguarding and ethical practice, underscored by stringent standards in confidentiality, professionalism, and adherence to child protection protocols. Their use of technology to enhance learning and coaching processes further demonstrates their innovative approach to education.

However, potential drawbacks of working with Elevate may include higher costs associated with their specialized services compared to more generalized tutoring centers. Budget-conscious families may need to weigh these costs against the personalized benefits and comprehensive support provided by Elevate.

In conclusion, Elevate Global Education Group is a standout choice for families seeking specialized educational support for neurodivergent students. With their experienced team of licensed professionals, evidence-based practices, and commitment to holistic development, Elevate equips students with the skills and confidence needed to thrive academically and beyond.

Provides good progress and guidance

“Jon has worked with my daughter for years as an academic coach. My daughter says the lesson with him is her highlight of the week. Furthermore, he guided us as parents as we navigated our daughter’s diagnosis with ASD.”

Parent, Elevate Review

Helps student prosper academically and mentally

“Our family calls Mr. Larkin a wizard! My son was diagnosed with ADHD, had significant behavior issues, and was falling behind in all his classes. Mr. Larkin provided skills training for our son and is an expert on ADHD. Our son can now reach his potential, is happier in school, and achieves academic success.”

Parent, Elevate Review

The ISF Academy is a non-profit private school that’s internationally accredited and an IB World School, offering a unique bilingual education in Chinese and English.

We love that their Learning Support Team is made up of clinical and educational psychologists, guidance counselors, a social worker, a student guidance officer, and school nurses. They all work together to support parents and students, making everyone feel welcome and helping them succeed.

On top of that, they offer differentiated instructional programs, walk-in chat sessions, social groups, and learning strategy workshops. The parents we’ve chatted with said that these have really helped their kids make progress.

Another great thing about them is their fantastic facilities, which are modern and spread across a 13,152-sqm site. They have amenities like libraries, a Chinese cultural center, a theater, a gymnasium, an auditorium, a music room, and more!

Just a heads up, their tuition fees and additional school costs are on the higher side, starting at HK$261,130 per year. 

Has a friendly environment 

“Great school! Encouraging teachers and peers. My daughters love it here! The environment is friendly and welcoming. Both my kids have been in the school since FY.”

Heidi Craig, ISchoolAdvisor Reviews

Great extracurricular activities 

“My child enjoys the extra curricular programmes, and hands-on activities of his grade 5 class.”

Parent, International School Database Reviews

Hong Kong Academy is a non-profit school that offers a student-centered education for kids aged 3 to 18. 

They offer support at various levels, helping students who may struggle with parts of the curriculum or have specific developmental needs, all the way to those with moderate to severe neurodevelopmental differences.

For instance, they create Individualized Learning Plans to fit each student’s unique needs, considering different paces and requirements. This ranges from neurotypical students without specific support (tier 1) to those who require direct support for 60% or more of their day (tier 8).

It’s also worth noting that the teachers here regularly get training to support their teaching in an inclusive environment. We also like that they stay in touch with parents to create a well-rounded plan for each child.

However, we recommend checking their school fees on their website as they can be on the higher side, as mentioned by some parents we surveyed. 

Great at nurturing children 

“HKA  has worked out well for us… Coming from a Montessori in SG my daughter was very shy and would not to talk to her teachers but being at HKA  changed all that. She now imbibes so many of the PYP learner profile attributes and with  learner support at HKA extending to the Exceptionally Able she has been extended and nurtured to grow beyond and explore her passions. The school focuses on nurturing the whole child and I have seen evidence of that with my child and her peers. 

For my mathematically minded secondary child, he has had opportunities to extend himself in Math through AP Statistics and is now doing things out of his comfort zone and challenging himself with the DP program…..”

Rupa, ISchoolAdvisor Reviews

Has a good environment for the students

“I have had two children at HKA for years. My eldest needs learner support, my youngest doesn’t. 

Firstly, HKA is the only school that showed any heart at all in the interviewing process. My son interviewed in 2019 at a time when schools were very competitive. HKA is the only school who took the time to give me any type of feedback, let alone enrol him. For me, this really showed they are the only school who cared for the children, and didn’t just see them as dollar signs. Since then, I have not ceased to be impressed by HKA. The teachers care immensely. The students are happy and well-rounded. The inclusive philosophy of the school is incredible, and a beautiful environment for the kids to grow up in. Just as importantly, academics are strong. Subjects are delivered in a way that is very engaging to children….”

Amaya, ISchoolAdvisor Reviews

What struck us the most about The Harbour School was hearing parents talk about how much their kids love going there. We even found that some kids even cry when it’s time for school holidays, which we think is a sign that the school is doing something really well.

They offer a program that includes support for students facing different challenges. This includes helping students catch up in English (whether it’s their second or even third language) and creating a great environment for students with specific learning needs.

We also appreciate how they help students access their grade-level curriculum by offering extra support in the classroom or more intensive intervention – their Push In and Pull Out services, specifically.

It’s a bit of a bummer that they’re closed on weekends, especially if you’re looking for extra classes or support. Also, their tuition and fees are on the higher side, starting at around $213,200 per year, but that’s probably because of their facilities and what they offer—totally understandable and justifiable.

A progressive school 

“How can I put this?  My wife and I wondered if there must be something wrong with this school as our kids “love” going to school so much. Even when we are on vacation they pronounce “I can’t wait to go back to school.” They do seem to be learning, and most importantly, learning the love of learning constantly. This is definitely a progressive school and takes you out of your comfort zone (forget sitting down with text books and lots of tests) but our kids have learnt to be inclusive of others with different skills and abilities, learnt to work as teams on complex multi-disciplinary projects and gained skills around real-world problems from ecology to interpersonal skills and from cultural diversity to math. Over the past two years our kids have grown immeasurably and in no small part due to Harbour and it’s great teachers.”

Morgan Davis, Google Reviews

Inclusive and friendly school

“…The Harbour School is inclusive, an experience, ambitious, friendly, innovative, unforgettable and family. Those are the words I’d choose to describe The Harbour School. I’m not even a parent but I’d definitely recommend sending your child here instead of depressing standardised schools. I wish The Harbour School the best and even though I’ve left I can’t wait to see more growth in this school because I see a lot of potential x”

Wesley Enthoven, Google Reviews

Kowloon Junior School is part of the English Schools Foundation (ESF), a group of 21 schools founded by Ordinance in 1967 to provide a modern liberal education in English. 

What immediately caught our attention were the modern facilities and equipment—all classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, laptops, and mobile devices!

Another thing that helps their students socialize is the variety of clubs they offer. From sports and art to music, technology, and more, these clubs have really helped students interact and express their creativity!

However, we found that their learning support services are a bit fewer than their competitors. Still, we can’t deny they offer quality support and assistance to students with diverse learning needs.

The parents we spoke with shared that the teachers at Kowloon are really friendly and professional. Thanks to that, they’ve noticed positive changes in their kids, like them being excited about going to school.

All in all, Kowloon Junior School is a solid choice for your kids, especially if they’re into exploring talents in sports, music, or art. We’ve seen many successes in areas like chess, gymnastics, and piano competitions, which speaks volumes.

Great extracurricular activities

“Great I say, I know kids who love it. All the teachers were nice and you actually learn stuff. Playtimes are on a fair timeframe, and the extracurricular activities are good too, there are quite a lot of options ranging from instrument learning to sports, but gotta tell you they got a uniform. You may need to do some stair climbing.”

Lucas Lui, Google Reviews

Has many facilities

“Big school with many facilities”

Pak Liu, Google Reviews