In a study designed to examine differential teacher expectations towards pupils of differing ability levels, Hong Kong Secondary School teachers were asked to imagine two male pupils new to their class, who were (comparatively) high- and low-performing respectively. Teachers were asked to indicate the probability that each pupil would display each of a range of twenty characteristics. Teachers appeared to have very different expectations regarding the personal characteristics shown by the two pupils. These expectations encompassed intellect and maturity, interpersonal and work-oriented attitudes and behaviour, interests, home background and even physical appearance. In almost every case the most unfavourable expectations were towards the low-performing pupil. Teachers held broadly similar expectations towards high-performing pupils, regardless of the ability level of the school in which they taught. The same was true for low-performing pupils. Many of the differential expectations displayed towards low-and high-performers by the entire sample of teachers are also displayed by teachers in both highest-ability and lowest-ability schools.