Early in the morning, the Co-Principals and Heads of Departments stood in orderly positions, warmly greeting every student with sincere smiles. At the colourful “Welcome to 2025-2026 YWIES” photo area, students posed with friends and classmates while parents captured the moment. The Co-Principals joined in the laughter and chatter, creating a family-like scene on campus filled with friendliness. There was no excessive hustle and bustle here—only mutual blessings and expectations. 

Around midday, the school held an information-sharing orientation for parents, offering a comprehensive overview of the new academic year—from faculty strength to the parent-school platform—helping parents clearly understand the educational journey ahead.  

The management team and faculty introduced key personnel: Regional Executive Principal Mr. Richard Zhang’s appointment was announced as a significant development; core members including Western Co-Principal Mr. Clayton Mullins, and Chinese Co-Principal Dr. Gary Zhou, as well as Heads of Departments from Primary to Secondary Divisions, Pastoral Care Coordinators, and School-wide Coordinators, presented the new, capable teaching team, highlighting the school’s professionalism and diversity. 

Aims for Academic  Excellence and Service 

Western and Chinese Co-Principals of school shared management and service adjustments for the new year, highlighting the 2024–2025 senior class’s achievements: in A2 Level exams, 51% of results were A*-A, and about one third of students earned 3A*/A or above; several students even sat the exams a year early with excellent outcomes. Graduates have gone on to world-class universities including University College London (UK), the University of Manchester (UK), the University of Melbourne (Australia), and the University of Toronto (Canada). This data substantiates the school’s educational strength. 

Next, Chinese and Western Heads of Secondary, Mr. Benny Zhou and Ms. Emily Colebourne, detailed teaching arrangements: core subjects are assessed every two weeks with feedback, clarifying admission standards and other academic measures. Student management priorities were emphasized as well, including unified electronic device management (ECD), dress code, and attendance reforms to ensure an orderly and efficient campus learning environment. 

Pastoral Care Service 

Chinese Vice Principal Ms. Maggie Zhou introduced new changes: a Pastoral Care team now covers all school stages—primary and secondary—and a strengthened counselling system to create a safer, more inclusive growth space on campus. YWIES’ Pastoral Care commitments use diversified educational services to safeguard students’ physical and mental health, becoming every child’s trusted harbor at YWIES. 

New Platform for  Parent-School Communication 

At the end of the explain-ahead segment, Head of School Office Ms. Jane Jiang demonstrated the new parent-school communication platform "YCYW" App. Through the "YCYW" App, parents can view the school calendar, submit leave requests, order uniforms, and book parent-teacher meetings, as well as check timetables, learning tasks, exam results, and attendance records at any time. Parents can also communicate directly with teachers via KeyChat, providing a comprehensive, real-time view of their child's learning progress. The live demonstration gave parents an intuitive sense of the convenience and efficiency brought by information technology. 

On the first day, new students from both the primary and secondary schools began a campus exploration guided by teachers. They toured core areas in an orderly sequence, using playful check-ins to become familiar with study and life spaces, turning the unfamiliar into a true “new home.” The four teaching blocks house dedicated facilities: music, visual arts, and drama classrooms; the library; the student front desk; the gymnasium; outdoor and indoor sports fields; a swimming pool; a fitness center; and STEM classroom equipped with mechanical models and 3D printers. After a brief walk-through, the students started to remember every corner, their heartbeat syncing with the growing anticipation of “I want to grow here.” 

The first day of classes set a bright tone for the year. In the primary school, the focus was on “getting to know new friends and integrating into a new group”: students introduced themselves, shared hobbies using handmade name cards, and participated in activities that drew peers closer. Teachers opened with a playful “Little Monster” animated segment to illustrate perseverance, courage, and teamwork, guiding discussions on how to tackle difficulties—an engaging and hopeful start to the year. 

In the secondary school, the emphasis shifted to “bridging into the new year and igniting learning interest.” After introductions, core subjects—Chinese, Math, English, and Science/Physics—were introduced through engaging case studies and interactive activities to spark curiosity. The updated curriculum and college guidance were clearly presented, with personalized elective choices and goal-oriented planning, giving students a clear sense of direction and anticipation for the year ahead.