Quality Review Mechanism

QR aims to promote the continuous improvement of schools. Review teams adhere to the school-specific rationale, take the major concerns of KGs as a starting point and use the Performance Indicators (Kindergartens) (PIs) to make professional judgment on overall school performance, so as to validate KG’s SSE findings and assess if the KG has met the prescribed standards. Results of QR would be taken into account when considering KGs’ application for staying in the Kindergarten Education Scheme (Scheme).

Reference Materials

Handbook on Quality Review for Kindergartens PDF

Form for School’s Written Response to the Draft QR Report MS Word

Introduction to the Kindergarten Quality Assurance Information System

Inspection Reports

Application Details of Serving Principal External Observer Scheme in Quality Review PDF

[Appendix 2 - Nomination Form] MS Word

[Appendix 3 - Application Form] MS Word

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers concerning QR Mechanism

How would the EDB determine the time for conducting QR at individual KGs?

EDB conducts QR at individual KGs on a random basis and will adjust the dates of QR in view of KGs undergoing different types of inspection, including QR and Focus Inspection, to ensure a certain time interval between two inspections for KGs to have sufficient time to improve and develop.

Why should QR reports be uploaded onto the EDB webpage?

The Quality Assurance Framework under the Scheme aims at promoting sustainable development in schools and making it accountable to the public. Taking into account the views of KGs and parents, EDB has uploaded both Chinese and English versions of the QR reports onto the EDB webpage starting from the 2018/19 school year. It is for improving transparency and informing the public of the school development in a timely manner.

What and how many documents should KGs prepare for the QR?

As the aim of conducting QR is to validate the SSE findings of schools, KGs should make full use of the documents and information readily available in school for SSE to avoid extra preparation. KGs need not gather and keep children’s works for the purpose of QR.

Are KGs required to submit the results of Stakeholder Survey (2017 edition) for QR?

Upon receiving notification of QR, KGs should submit to EDB compiled results of the Stakeholder Survey (2017 edition) of the previous school year via the "Kindergarten Quality Assurance Information System".

What will be the consequences for KGs that are assessed as not meeting the prescribed standards in QR?

KGs joining the Scheme (Scheme-KGs) must meet the prescribed standards based on the PIs. For Scheme-KGs that do not meet the prescribed standards, EDB will contemplate termination of their status as a Scheme-KG and cease the provision of government subsidy. For details, please refer to the Handbook on Quality Review for Kindergartens.

Why do QR visits involve external observers?

To enhance the transparency of QR, EDB had involved independent members as external observers in some school visits from the 2013/14 to the 2021/22 school years. From the 2018/19 to the 2020/21 school years, a pilot scheme was implemented to invite serving KG principals to serve as external observers. Since the 2021/22 school year, EDB has regularised the Serving Principal External Observer Scheme in QR, arranging serving principal external observers (external observers) to take part in some QR visits, which yielded positive results. To further enhance the transparency of QR and foster the professional exchange among frontline principals, all schools undergoing QR will have the opportunity to be assigned with external observers by random sampling starting from the 2024/25 school year. Similar to the existing practice, external observers will share their experiences on teachers’ teaching skills and the set-up of the learning environment during the school visits, but will not assess school performance.

Do KGs need to have special preparation for the external observers?

No, they don’t. During the process of QR, external observers will follow the review team to have observation, so KGs do not need to do special preparation.