When Olivia from the Puxi campus received her IGCSE results — eleven A*/A grades — she remained characteristically composed. Looking back over her journey at YCIS, her achievements extend far beyond the transcript: the girl who didn’t know how to play volleyball when she joined in Year 7 is now captain of the school team; a conversation with a senior student two years ago sparked the creation of the student Media Club; and in planning her subject choices, she had already learned to work backwards from her future university aspirations to map out her own learning pathway.
On the same day, Caia from the Pudong campus received A*/A grades in all ten of her subjects. Though she describes herself as "essentially a humanities person", she chose Coordinated Science, a course combining Physics, Chemistry and Biology. She laughs that she "pushed herself to the limit" at the time, but what this experience left her with extends far beyond the grades on her transcript: when faced with areas outside her comfort zone, she embraced the challenge, persevered, and ultimately achieved excellence.
Those with Direction Walk with Confidence
Olivia took eleven IGCSE subjects. During the selection process, she planned backwards from her university aspirations. Whilst many students begin by asking “which subjects should I choose?”, Olivia first identified her future field of study and IB pathway, then sought advice from students who had already completed their IGCSEs: how demanding was the coursework? Was it practical or theoretical? “Their experience was far more valuable to me.”
At just over a decade old, she was already using end-state thinking to map her educational journey. This is not unhealthy competition — it is the composure that comes when one knows exactly where one is headed.
When Olivia first joined YCIS in Year 7, she had never played volleyball. Today, she is captain of the D1 team and will soon lead them to the SISAC and ACAMIS tournaments. She also coaches Year 6 and 7 girls and supports the Lower Secondary team with daily training. From beginner to captain, she describes it as “a journey of total commitment and tremendous growth”.
Two years ago at a local coffee shop, a conversation with a senior student about making student voices heard sparked the idea for the Media Club. The club has since produced documentaries on athletes and school drama productions, and covered Sports Day and Founder’s Day. Last year, it won the Puxi Excellence Award. This year, she plans to expand the club’s reach beyond Instagram “so that everyone holds on to that passion”.
From a casual chat to the Excellence Awards stage, and soon to the volleyball courts — a young student leader is steadily emerging.
Studying Economics has reshaped how she views the world. She examines how shops operate, how governments function, even the logic behind school management, drawing on economic news to connect with textbook concepts. Mr Johnson led debates on Brexit: “This not only helped me understand real-world economic events, but also deepened my grasp of the theories.”
With her teachers’ guidance, she uses AI as a thinking partner: “Is this the principle? Why? How can it be extended?” She asks questions layer by layer until she fully understands. “This is where AI’s greatest value lies — it allows me to learn at my own level and pace.”
When asked what advice she would give younger students, she reflected for a moment:
“Everyone has their own way of learning. The key is to follow your own pace. Don’t be anxious just because of what your classmates are doing. What suits you best is what matters most.”
Turning “Weakness” into Strength
When Caia received her full A*/A results, no one was surprised. But what makes her achievement remarkable is this: she took nine subjects, including Coordinated Science — equivalent to three separate sciences — despite describing herself as “essentially a humanities person”. This reframes what effort truly means.
Mathematics and Coordinated Science were her greatest challenges at IGCSE. A humanities enthusiast, she had to immerse herself in formulas, experiments and data. Her approach was straightforward and determined: topic-by-topic Biology notes, and a full set of past Maths papers. Looking back, she laughs that she “overdid it”. But what this experience taught her was not rote memorisation; it was how to confront one’s weaknesses, persist, and achieve excellence through sustained effort. This ability is far more valuable than any grade.
There was one subject — Music — that Caia nearly gave up on. She only started from scratch in Year 8, with no prior experience in composition or performance. “I wanted to quit several times. It was just too hard.” But she persevered, exploring everything from Arabic music to rock and pop in her free time, gradually mastering the requirements until she achieved an A.
“Compared to my other subjects, I gained the most from this one.” She refused to let “too hard” become an excuse to give up, or “lack of talent” an invitation to settle.
For Caia, co-curricular activities are not mere add-ons, but outlets for stress relief and training grounds for the mind. During high-pressure periods, band rehearsals were her best form of relaxation. The argumentation skills honed through Model United Nations fed back into History; the textual analysis developed through writing hundreds of notes for clubs proved perfectly suited to poetry appreciation.
Caia uses AI to organise notes, create flashcards and generate self-test questions, but her most frequent use is asking AI to break down concepts according to her own thinking. “Everyone learns differently.” She never asks AI directly for answers, and has also used it to learn about network setup and media server configuration. “In today’s world, knowing how to use AI properly is a vital skill.”
If she had to sum up her IGCSE journey in one sentence, she would say without hesitation:
“Curiosity drives everything. Without curiosity, it’s hard to stay focused. Stay curious, and you’ll be a lifelong learner.”
Closing
These two girls have very different personalities and very different paces, yet at YCIS, both have been supported to grow into their own unique selves. If you ask what a school can give its children, their stories may be the answer.
YCIS
To learn more about our approach to education, campus life, and our curriculum and university pathways, we would be glad to welcome you to YCIS Shanghai.
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