CAIS began operation in September 1992 with an enrolment of 40 students from grade 7 to grade 11. Grade 12 was introduced the following year and the enrolment increased to nearly 90 students. Grades 1 to 6 joined the school in 1995 and, in 1996, a kindergarten was added.

In July 2009, the Government of Hong Kong awarded CAIS a land grant for the construction of a 1600 student school in Lai Chi Kok. The new school will be developed in several stages beginning in 2011 and should be fully operational by August 2016.   CAIS presently accommodates an enrolment of around 725 students from more than 20 different countries and is represented by a diverse mix of cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

Since Kowloon City Campus was operating at capacity enrolment, a second campus at Shek Kip Mei opened in August 2010.  

In 2012 the school moved the Preparatory - Grade 3 classes to another new campus near Lai Yiu  to house expanding student numbers. It is expected that the two campuses will facilitate the necessary student population growth for entering the new campus in 2016!