On 15 July 2026, the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination results were officially released. This year saw over 58,000 candidates sit the examination—a record high—with the number of private candidates increasing by 18% year on year, making competition fiercer than ever. The inaugural cohort of YWIES Tongxiang's HKDSE Ge Zhi Class—students who transitioned from public schools to the HKDSE programme during their last year of Upper Secondary —delivered an impressive set of results after nine months of intensive preparation. Chinese and Mathematics stood out with outstanding 5** and 5* distinctions, whilst the sciences—Physics, Chemistry, and Biology—also performed solidly.

In English, all students in the cohort achieved Level 3 or above, a figure that far surpasses the pass rate of day school candidates across Hong Kong—demonstrating YWIES Tongxiang's strength in English language teaching as an established international school.

50% of students have met entry requirements from Hong Kong's top three universities, and the cohort has also received offers from prestigious overseas institutions including King's College London (KCL). More heartening still is the holistic growth these students have demonstrated over the year: they have become more articulate in expressing their ideas, more willing to step forward and present themselves, and notably more confident and composed. This dual achievement—in both academic results and personal development—stands as a powerful testament to the school's strength in curriculum delivery and holistic education.

Bridging Two Educational Traditions: 

A Mature HKDSE Curriculum Framework

Behind these outstanding results lies YWIES Tongxiang's systematic approach to HKDSE curriculum implementation.

In the design of its curriculum, the school has drawn upon the Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network's educational heritage of more than ninety years, and it has effectively integrated the solid academic foundations of the Chinese mainland students with the HKDSE's advanced requirements in critical thinking, interdisciplinary application, and English expression. At YWIES Zhejiang Tongxiang, the core subjects are primarily taught in Chinese to enable the students to adapt efficiently to the curriculum. This is complemented by systematic training in English academic writing and oral communication, thereby simultaneously promoting language proficiency and academic thinking.

In teaching practice, the school adopts a small-class approach, ensuring every student receives dedicated individual attention. Lessons centre on interactive discussion, with group projects, thematic research, and English presentations among the varied formats that cultivate students' capacity for independent analysis and critical thinking. Regular full-scale mock examinations and one-on-one academic feedback enable students to refine their learning strategies through precise diagnosis. From initial assessment through to university application planning, the school's guidance team provides comprehensive support throughout the entire journey.

Notably, YWIES Tongxiang also systematically embeds Hong Kong field study into its curriculum. Drawing on the Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network's campus resources in Hong Kong, China, students travel regularly to the city for immersive learning. The "HKDSE Hong Kong Classroom" programme extends learning beyond the campus and into the city itself—students visit public housing estates, exploring social issues relevant to Liberal Studies through community walks; they step into Science Park laboratories, where textbook concepts are transformed into hands-on scientific inquiry; they ascend Victoria Peak and navigate street markets and the harbourfront, building a vivid, multi-dimensional understanding of Hong Kong's urban development through geography and history. Through collaborative seminars and project work alongside Hong Kong teachers and peers, students not only deepen their grasp of the HKDSE curriculum's context and assessment demands, but also hone their academic expression and collaboration skills through meaningful cross-cultural exchange.

YWIES Tongxiang 

HKDSE Gezhi Class in Session

Growth Stories: 

From Passive Learners to 

Academic Trailblazers

Grades are visible markers, but the deeper value of education resides in the authentic growth of each individual.

We had a conversation with two HKDSE graduates. Through their educational journeys, we saw how the HKDSE programme at YWIES Tongxiang has academic rigour as its foundation and nourishes students with genuine care to foster holistic development. This is vivid example of what the Yew Chung Yew Wah philosophy of holistic education looks like.

Mable

"Transformation"——

An Academic Leap Through Critical Thinking and Expression

"I was very reserved when I first started, anxious about the new curriculum and about boarding on campus, I relied on the reminders of others to get things done," Mable recalls. For her, the greatest challenge was the highly interactive nature of HKDSE classes. Group discussions and English presentations were the norm, but she had rarely spoken publicly in English before. Because of the breadth of the subject knowledge and the volume of the extensive reading required, she urgently needed to expand her academic perspective.

Her transformation was driven by two converging forces: on one side, her own sustained breakthroughs—volunteering for class presentations and English salons, compiling extended reading materials weekly, and independently organising answer frameworks; on the other, the school's structured development platform, with oral English enhancement classes and seminar-style lessons weaving critical thinking and expression into daily learning, a dedicated university guidance counsellor supporting her throughout, and stratified small-group teaching in the final sprint precisely addressing her weaker areas. Self-driven effort and school resources worked in tandem, making this growth possible.

Now, Mable is confident, articulate, clear in her goals, and strong in execution. She herself defines this experience as a transformation, "from a transfer student hesitant to speak up, to a focused candidate calmly preparing for her exams". Her trajectory is a vivid reflection of the school's effectiveness in cultivating both academic ability and holistic competencies.

Vera

"Breaking Through"—

A Decisive Shift from the Gaokao Path, Achieving Outstanding Results

Vera believes her greatest gain at YWIES Tongxiang has been a fundamental reshaping of her learning mindset. She abandoned the template-driven habits of her previous system, and embraced HKDSE's advanced demands for independent analysis and flexible expression. As a result, she was able to reignite her academic potential.

Vera abandoned rote learning methods, systematically worked through past papers to decode examination logic, accumulated authentic academic expressions by topic, and meticulously traced the gaps in her thinking question by question. The school provided a finely woven support matrix: small class sizes ensured every assignment received detailed, individualised feedback, precisely pinpointing weaknesses; regular full-scale mock exams recreated the rhythm of real examination conditions, building mental resilience; teachers were available throughout the day for one-on-one consultations, with university guidance and psychological support following her entire journey, adapting her study plan at each critical juncture.

One year of intensive preparation brought not only a new pathway to Hong Kong universities but a comprehensive maturing of mind and character. "I learned to independently review and plan, no longer letting short-term score fluctuations undermine my confidence, and to look towards the future with a longer perspective." 

She defines this experience as a breakthrough—overcoming her weaknesses and forging her own path. This is also the spirit that defines the entire inaugural cohort.

The Heart of a Teacher: 

Professional Excellence and Devotion 

That Uplift Every Dream

The outstanding performance of this first cohort would not have been possible without the team of professional and dedicated teachers. Hailing from prestigious universities worldwide, they bring profound subject expertise and extensive HKDSE teaching experience.

In the classroom, they are rigorous academic guides, helping students tackle challenges through precise instruction and detailed feedback. Outside the classroom, they are patient mentors, offering steady reassurance through the anxieties of university applications and the uncertainties of growing up. This team provided the strongest support for the growth of YWIES Tongxiang's first cohort of HKDSE students.

HKDSE Subject Teacher

Ms. Zeng

Keep the passion in your heart, and never stop moving forward

Looking back on the year, what Chemistry teacher Ms Zeng cherishes most is the academic passion that naturally emerged, both in and beyond the classroom. Students were always eager to ask questions—one wrong answer would spark a chain of follow-up questions, with layers of knowledge points unravelled along the way. During evening self-study sessions, they would spontaneously gather in groups; when faced with difficult problems, they would discuss, share approaches, and fill gaps in each other's understanding.

"Those days of studying side by side and supporting one another—may they become the most treasured memories of their youth." This atmosphere of an academic community, driven by intrinsic motivation, is precisely the educational ethos YWIES Tongxiang holds dear—knowledge constructed through questioning, colliding ideas, and collaboration, rather than received through passive instruction.

At the moment of parting, she offered her students a message: "Keep the passion in your heart, and never stop moving forward"—wishing them to continue actively seeking their direction, boldly pursuing what they love, and becoming who they aspire to be.

An Education That 

Echoes Beyond Results Day

The curtain has risen

The road ahead stretches far

The inaugural cohort, with their excellent results and well-rounded qualities, have laid a solid foundation for YWIES Tongxiang's HKDSE programme. This is both a reward for the first cohort and a tangible fulfilment of the school's commitment to HKDSE education.

We believe the true value of education is not confined to the celebration of results day—it reverberates through every future moment that calls for independent thought, careful judgement, and resilient forward movement. The academic character and spirit demonstrated by our first graduates serve as a living testament to this conviction.

With this as our starting point, YWIES Tongxiang's HKDSE programme will continue to deepen its practice, refining curriculum systems, teaching strategies, and university guidance with unwavering commitment—providing every student with systematic, professional academic support and holistic developmental guidance.