Dover Court International School (DCIS) is delighted to share that nearly half of the 2022 cohort (27 students) have been recognised with a ‘Pearson Excellence Award’ following their GCSE/IGCSE examination results last June, with three students receiving the 2022 Outstanding Pearson Learner Award (OPLAs).
The OPLA achievers are awarded to students in each exam series who have achieved the highest subject mark in their country, region, or around the world.
Our award-winning students are:
• En-Li Yang for Highest Mark in Singapore for IGCSE Mathematics
• Jenna Van Der Bergh for Highest Mark in Singapore for IGCSE Science (Double)
• Manas Srinivas for Highest Mark in the World for IGCSE History
Carla Hyland, Deputy Head of Secondary - Curriculum and Learning said: “One of our key values at DCIS is ‘aspiring to excellence’ and whilst examination results are just one measure of student achievement and success, recognising the incredible accomplishments of our students demonstrates the outstanding opportunities for success provided to all our learners in our non-selective school.”
As a fully inclusive school, committed to ensuring all students experience success, the outstanding educators at DCIS are purposefully trained to personalise and adapt teaching styles and assignments to stretch and support each student. Supported by a deep understanding of our students’ abilities and aspirations, our teachers nurture every child's strengths, foster their individual talents and skills, and build resilience to help them go further than they ever thought possible, wherever they are on their educational journey.
Our heartiest congratulations to all students on their phenomenal achievements. They will be attending the Pearson Awards ceremony held at CSC@Tessensohn in February.
Manas, a Year 12 student, was really happy with his results and is pleased to be recognised by Pearson for his hard work. He humbly said: “As a group in my class, we put a lot of effort into the history exams, especially for paper 2. The support of the faculty and the material that we had access to really helped us and pushed us to do well.”
En-Li, who sat for the IGCSE maths exam a year early, and scored the highest result in Singapore said, “I just really like maths! I can’t remember not doing maths, it’s just part of my life. I would also like to thank my teacher, Mr Ciaran Mainstone. He taught me from Year 7 and now, he’s teaching me further maths. He is just very supportive and a really great teacher.”
He also shared some top tips on how to stay calm and prepare for the exams. “The number one thing is revision. Just keep working and keep practicing. It is also very important not to stress. On the day of the exams, I suggest that you come in early, so you have time to get into the right mindset.” said En-Li who enjoys playing the piano and has played for the school’s Friday lunchtime performance series, Piano Paws.
Manas also shared some tips for fellow Doverians on how to prepare for the GCSE history exams and what he did during the one-month preparation after the mocks. “I went through my errors and specifically discussed them with Mr Warren Green and my peers. I did past year’s papers and reviewed the materials one final time to make sure I was confident”, he shared.
Understanding the concept is key according to Manas. “The exams can ask you to discuss the history of an event by twisting the wording up. Hence, your interpretation and understanding help you to better understand the question. So, I would advise you to do more practice papers, get more insights from your teachers and be more open about where you went wrong.” he continued.
Manas, who has a strong interest in the mathematics and science fields, will be taking the IB exams next year. He is aiming for a place in Nanyang Technological University or National University of Singapore to pursue a degree in data science, artificial intelligence or cybersecurity.
En-Li on the other hand wants to take the IB exams in DCIS and has started to look at the subjects. “I definitely want to do high level maths.” He is looking at pursuing a degree in maths, either in Singapore or in the United Kingdom.
