Academic Excellence Shining through IB Achievements

Academic excellence continues to be the cornerstone of the Dulwich family of schools. Over the years our students have consistently demonstrated great academic achievements and this year’s graduating cohort is no exception. Last week we announced the DCSZ IB result. This week we broadcast more details about the specific IB subjects.

We cannot talk about the fantastic academic successes of our students without highlighting the exceptional commitment and efforts from our teachers who have been so dedicated to teach, guide and support our students. We have interviewed several of our IB teachers and they share their thoughts below. We will continue sharing the experience from our IB teachers over coming weeks.  

Mr Aidan Jones, IB Coordinator -  

We are thrilled with the outstanding achievements of everyone in the class of 2021; rising through the challenges of COVID-19, they have shown themselves to be a model of resilience. Even more, it speaks to them as caring and motivated individuals who supported each other with kindness and understanding. They will remain an inspiration to our younger students at DCSZ. It is also a testament to the collective efforts of our Senior School teachers, Pastoral team and the University guidance counsellors whose tireless commitment encouraged the students to thrive.

Congratulations to the DCSZ class of 2021. We can't wait to see what they do next. 

Ms Ellena Lin, Chemistry Teacher - 

COVID-19 caused the teaching speed slower than the previous year. Online learning also raised students’ anxiety levels. Therefore, the chemistry course last year cared about students’ mental health more than before. Sometimes I would adjust the difficulty level of the lecture and teaching pace to reduce the unnecessary anxiety and build students’ confidence in the subject. At the same time we focused on the connection between the chapters and helping students to understand the big picture of the outline of the course. This is the key to success this year.

Mr Thomas Byrne, English A Teacher -

English A students faced genuine challenges this year: a new specification is demanding at the best of times, but the cancellation of the literature paper narrowed the focus of the subject. Thorough preparation for the new Individual Oral paid off and students were rewarded for their detailed revision of non-literary texts and a new essay technique.

Mr Jacob Huckle, English B Teacher -

This class demonstrated great resilience and determination to overcome the challenges they faced during their IB English B studies. Communication, creativity, and collaboration are essential components of language learning so Mrs Garnhum worked hard to ensure that activities like group work and project-based learning continued throughout the course, even when students were separated during the period of online learning. This enabled students to build a strong foundation for success in their English B Oral examinations.

Our unique English B curriculum approach focuses on building students' deep conceptual understanding about how texts work, and this approach, coupled with students’ hard work, has enabled them to succeed in their examinations.

Ms Chonga Hong, Korean Literature Teacher - 

According to the trends and needs of the time, IB updates its guidelines every 5 years. This year was the year of the new changes. Students are supposed to challenge themselves with Global Issues. They need to build up not only their knowledge but also empathy towards their local and global issues. That is how they can play a great role in the world with their balanced ability. I share my deepest gratitude to all students who have put in a great effort this year and wish you all the best. 

Ms Zhiying Hu, Mandarin Language -

The main challenges this year for Mandarin exams are writing and speaking. To help the students, during the whole study period, I always ask them to treat regular practice as exams, or at least mock exams. In that way, students find out their issues quickly during the process. They also become less nervous when they do actual exams because they have got used to the method.

What we would like to emphasise is the resilience, personal strength and commitment from both teachers and students, which shone clear and bright given the challenges they faced due to the coronavirus pandemic. Congratulations and thank you to everyone again!