Since the 2021 BN(O) visa scheme, over 180,000 Hong Kong residents have relocated to the UK. London's established Cantonese-speaking communities are concentrated in Barnet, Harrow, Brent and Redbridge.
Hong Kong families typically value high academic achievement highly, with particular emphasis on mathematics. The UK state school system's approach to maths — especially the Mastery curriculum introduced in the 2010s — has strong parallels with Hong Kong's own highly-regarded approach. Children from Hong Kong often have strong mathematical foundations but need support with English writing in the early months. Barnet and Harrow consistently rank among the highest-performing London boroughs at KS2, with strong Chinese community networks and supplementary schools. Many Hong Kong families have found welcoming communities in these outer North London boroughs.
UK Cantonese Saturday schools · Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office London · BN(O) Welcome Hub resources