The school opened in 1967 to meet increasing demand for schooling for the children of expatriates living in Hong Kong. As there were no secondary schools for English speaking children on Hong Kong Island, the Hong Kong government established the English Schools Foundation (ESF) in 1965 to provide additional schools for expatriate British children. Island School was the first ESF secondary school, adopting the Chinese name of ('''', "secondary school for British children"). It was located in a former British military hospital from 1967-72 until it permanently settled in 20 Borrett Road, Mid-Levels from 1972-2017. The first principal of Island School was the Reverend Geoffrey Speak who was appointed from St Paul's College in 1967. Rev. Speak, a graduate of
Selwyn College, Cambridge, combined the principalship with managing the ESF between 1967 and 1971, during a rather inauspicious time. In 1967 the Cultural Revolution was in its throes with bombs detonated in Central, water was rationed to four hours every fourth day and with Prime Minister Wilson's devaluation the prospect of working in Hong Kong became less financially appealing. The Rev. Speak will be remembered at Island School for his introduction of the "House System" as the basis of pastoral care and for teaching, a system which is still in place today, and as a pioneer of extracurricular activities. In 1971 C. Ronald Rivers-Moore was appointed to succeed Rev. Speak as principal. Rivers-Moore, a
Cambridge graduate, continued Rev. Speak's vision both in academic policy and through the continuation of the extracurricular program. The introduction of the Nepal Trek, the School Camp, a school zoo and the Student Union are examples of his commitment to that vision. Chris Forse, former Deputy Head and Island School Historian, referred to Rivers-Moore as a man who combined his "integrity with liberal benevolence in roughly equal proportions". Succeeding Rivers-Moore in 1978 was Charles Jonathan Driver (commonly known as "
Jonty Driver"), a graduate of
Trinity College, Oxford. Driver had been the President of the National Union of Students in South Africa and had been detained by Police in this role for his opposition to apartheid. Driver extended the Island School curriculum to include Drama, Photography and Computing and a pastoral curriculum. A believer in community education, Driver founded the Island School Evening Institute which provided adult education to parents and friends of the Island School community. It was also during Driver's tenure that Island School's lasting student periodical, "The Islet", was established, succeeding the original student newspaper "The Echo". Driver left Island School in 1983. He later published a book about his experiences, at Island School and others, under the title
Some Schools. Dr. Colin Niven, a graduate of
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and
Brasenose College, Oxford, was principal of Island School between 1983–1988. David James became the school's first internally appointed principal in 1988. Mr. James was an innovator, introducing the new British National Curriculum, vocational education and the decision to begin the International Baccalaureate at 16–18. He enhanced the responsibilities of the Sixth Form enabling "students to become surrogate teachers and leaders of the school". He broadened the profile of Island School's out-reach efforts in both Hong Kong and abroad through the encouragement of student participation in community service programs among them the Summerbridge and School After School program through which Island School students taught English and life skills to less privileged children. In 1990 Island School became the first ESF school to introduce an Interim Week during which the regular timetable was abandoned for a range of alternative challenges in Hong Kong and overseas. Mr. James retired in 2005 and was succeeded by a deputy principal Mrs. Michelle Hughes, a graduate of Open University. Mrs Hughes's tenure began in difficult circumstances with a pay dispute between the teachers and the ESF which resulted in some curtailing of the extracurricular program and support for parent-run activities like the school fair. Her tenure has been characterised by its attention to meeting the modern imperatives of quality assurance and in the increasing role of "student voice" at Island School. She also helped the School transition to the International Baccalaureate in Y12 and Y13. Mrs. Hughes left the position in June 2009, and was replaced by Mr Christopher Binge, who had been the secondary principal at the
La Châtaigneraie campus of the
International School of Geneva. Mr Chris Binge was born and grew up in England, educated at
Cambridge University (MA in Mathematics) and the Institute of Education, London (PGCE Maths Education). During his tenure, Binge played a large role in forwarding the Island School Redevelopment Project to redevelop the now quickly deteriorating Borrett Road campus. Binge was also an important driver in the School transitioning to the Middle Years Programme and the Island Futures Programme in the Middle School. In 2016, Binge left to become the head of
Markham College. Mr. Stephen Loggie left the position in December 2024 after his term ended. He was replaced by Ms. Nina Gunson who is now the current principal of Island School. ==Campus==