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KSS G11 student, who transferred from a public school, has made an inspiring journey from ‘failing English’ to achieving straight A*s in IGCSE. She led the King’s Debate Team to win second place in the Global Chinese Debate Competition for International Schools, where she was also awarded ‘Best Speaker of the Tournament’. In addition, she earned a Global Gold Award in the UK Intermediate Biology Olympiad and a National Silver Award in the Mathematical Kangaroo Competition.
Watch Cynthia’s journey video
In the recent IGCSE examinations, Cynthia shone with 6 A*s, several of them just a step away from full marks. Yet few would imagine that her journey began from a point where English was only just a pass.
The turning page of her story was written the moment she stepped into KSS.
Starting Fresh in All-English
“I had a rather unusual reason for transferring — my English was terrible.”
Cynthia laughs as she recalls those early days, but behind her smile lies a sense of helplessness. Back at her public school, her English was always at the bottom of the class. When she first stepped into an international school, she says she felt “completely in the dark”: unable to follow the foreign teachers’ lessons, struggling to join in class discussions, and as if the first month had swept her into a cloud of confusion.
Yet in the eyes of Ms Becky, the newly arrived Cynthia was “bright” and “full of personality”. She had independent views on social issues, a clear sense of values, and a captivating way of expressing herself. The only thing that worried her teacher was Cynthia’s apparent lack of interest in studying.
That was until Ms Becky made a suggestion that would change everything:
Let’s hold a debate competition.
No one could have predicted that this debate competition would set off the first of many dominoes for Cynthia. She not only volunteered as team captain, but also guided her classmates in drafting speeches, practising their delivery, and anticipating tricky questions from opponents. In the end, they won the competition.
Cynthia and Her Teammates in Debate Practice
Seizing the momentum, the school established the King’s Debate Club, where Cynthia quickly demonstrated remarkable leadership. Researching topics, drafting speeches, organising practice sessions… she led the team all the way to the Global Chinese Debate Competition for International Schools, winning second place and earning the title of ‘Best Speaker of the Tournament’.
At that moment, she finally felt the glow of her own potential, brighter than she had ever imagined.
Cynthia (far right) with her debate team at the competition
The Rise of Confidence and Initiative
The impact of debate went far beyond the competition itself — it ignited Cynthia’s enthusiasm for learning. She began actively tackling what had once been her biggest challenge: English. Every day, she memorised vocabulary, read English novels, and took the initiative to converse in English with teachers and classmates.
“A year or two of rote learning can’t compare to a few months in a fully English environment.”
At the same time, she began actively participating in competitions in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, steadily achieving impressive results.
Looking back on it all, she feels deeply grateful for the support of her teachers. From Ms Becky’s daily guidance to the careful instruction of her Physics teacher Eesun, Chinese teacher Daiyue, and English teachers Mark and Lisha, she received a constant stream of support within school — almost without the need for any extra tutoring outside.
Exam Prep: Staying Positive
Preparing for the IGCSE was a marathon. Ms Becky believed that Cynthia was a child with a strong sense of self-respect; her biggest concern wasn’t academic performance, but her mindset. So the teacher often reminded her: “Stay calm — once the exam is over, let it go.”
Cynthia’s own growth, however, may have been even deeper than what her teachers saw. She naturally came to understand the difference between having a goal and being obsessed with it:
“Even if things don’t go perfectly, it’s not the end of the world. Simply keep working towards your goal — that’s what matters.”
“Owning My Growth at KSS”
At her public school, Cynthia had to follow a set pace — even if she excelled in Maths but struggled in English, she could only continue practising Maths within the fixed timetable.
At KSS, however, she had the opportunity to organise her learning according to her own needs and choose a path that suited her best.
“Here, I get to control my own pace and focus my time on what really matters.”
Here, students have full autonomy to decide how to organise their learning and activities, and in doing so, they develop essential life skills.
This is not just an adjustment in academics, but a rehearsal for life — learning how to make choices and take responsibility while completing their studies.
From “failing English” to six A*s, Cynthia’s story wasn’t built overnight — it was forged through one breakthrough after another.
Her journey reflects a different possibility at King’s School: this is not merely a factory for grades, but a place where students discover their passions, build confidence, and learn to make choices. As Cynthia herself says:
“Here, I’ve learned to let go of fixations, hold my goals close to my heart, and step forward boldly.”
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