Ruby Seet

10A*/A

2020 was an unconventional year. Whether it was as amazing as the world had hoped is certainly debatable but personally, 2020 was a good year for me. I will always be incredibly grateful for the growth I had that year.

I would like to thank my family for loving and supporting me unconditionally. I would like to thank all my teachers for teaching and believing in me. It is always nice to learn while being surrounded by people who genuinely want you to excel and succeed. I would also like to thank my classmates 😀 and teachers 👩🏻‍🏫 for being a part of the wonderful and supportive environment I learned and grew up in 2020.

I never took a day for granted when going to Heads Up because I knew that my time there would not last forever. I had a lot of fun and made the most of every day. At Heads Up, I was able to meet awesome people who I will be calling my friends for a long time. ❤️

I received quality education and was taught by experienced, efficient and knowledgeable teachers who I could always ask for help from if I needed it. Although 2020 had its ups and downs, my high school year still ended with a bang.

So a big thank you to everyone 😊

Ryan Tan Zhi Han

9A*

It was early January, 2019 that I entered Year 10 at Heads Up International. Looking back on the two years I spent in this school, it is without a doubt that I have improved in academics and grown in confidence.

In terms of academics, Year 10 was not an easy year for me. The subjects I thought I was comfortable with, suddenly became new and unfamiliar, with new topics being introduced constantly. On top of this, I had to deal with entirely new subjects, Accounting and Economics. Over time, with the help of teachers who explained topics effectively, I was able to understand the overall concepts of each subject well.

As 2019 came to a close, the Coronavirus pandemic turned the whole world upside down, with schools having to resort to online learning from the middle of March 2020 – our exam year! In spite of the unfortunate turn of events, Ms Tan and all my other teachers managed to smoothly and quickly transition to an online class setting, tackling the pandemic situation with very commendable proficiency.

Although my class and I were able to go back to normal lessons by the middle of July, time was still of the essence for all of us as we continued to prepare for our IGCSE. Thankfully, my teachers were always open to any questions I had, and their guidance on how to approach exam papers helped me very much to overcome the issues that came with the pandemic.

Considering the challenging two years at Heads Up, I am extremely thankful for all the immense support my teachers gave me throughout my time at Heads Up. They had the utmost confidence that I would be able to perform well in my IGCSE – even when I, quite frankly, did not even believe in myself. All my teachers are, well and truly, second to none.

Tan Soon Kang

6A/A*

First of all, I would like to thank my parents for supporting me financially and spiritually. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to make it this far. Next, I would like to thank my enthusiastic and caring teachers. They have helped me a lot throughout the year, especially before the exam. I continuously threw questions at my teachers whenever they came to mind. So, I have to give them credit for their patience.

My journey at Heads Up was like climbing a mountain, spending approximately 2 years of it at the bottom. I started climbing 4 months before the exams and through relentless hard work and discipline, I finally made it to the top.
To be honest, I regret not studying seriously during the MCO period because I believe I could have done better if I had used that time wisely. Online classes were not easy. It was quite challenging for us to stay focused, so, I want to thank all the teachers for staying by our side throughout.

Our teachers at Heads Up are very experienced. However, please do not take this for granted as good teachers don’t guarantee good students. I believe that true work must come from the students themselves.

I remember getting 4C’s and 2B’s for my mock exam, 2 months before the IGCSE. I finally achieved 6A*’s, 2A’s and 1B. So, to my juniors out there, do not worry or pressure yourself too much if you do not do well at the start. Stay focused, work hard and prepare yourself and you will be ready to shine when the time comes.

Last but not least, Heads Up, thank you for the past two and a half years. I wish you all the best.

Sean Lee

8A*

Every Heads Up teacher is different and unique in his or her own way. Teaching style, sternness, humour, or personality may differ, but the common trait shared among the entire school staff is that they get the job done, and they do it exceptionally well. The admins are also fun and friendly. They were always great to have conversations with, whether it was for keeping us in line or joking around between classes.

Oftentimes, I found that the only limitation was myself – my laziness, plus my lack of effort, seriousness and focus. The school, however, provided me with all the building blocks needed to further myself. So I managed to overcome my flaws to achieve my desired grades and more.

I am glad that I made the right choice to study at Heads Up. Not only have I been taught under the guidance of great teachers who excelled at their work, but I have made wonderful friends along the way too.

Iris Low Kai En

7A/A*

As I was homeschooled before joining Heads Up, I was worried that I would not be able to catch up with all the syllabus. However, the guidance and advice from experienced and devoted teachers have definitely helped me achieve remarkable results.

My Heads Up journey was like a roller coaster— my grades were going up and down. Not to mention, my result slips were really colourful as I had grades ranging from A’s to D’s. Moreover, MCO happened, which meant everything moved online. I began to doubt myself, wondering whether I was ready to sit for the big exam if bad results kept coming my way. But because of my supportive teachers, I was able to push on and work hard. I am eternally grateful for my teachers who never gave up on me even when I was at my end-point. I want to thank ALL the teachers who have gone through thick and thin to teach us, especially Ms Chin, for having so much confidence in me and telling me I was able to excel my Chemistry paper.

Being in Heads Up has been an extraordinary experience – from loving teachers to fun and reliable friends. I appreciate all the friends I have made – you made my experience in Heads Up so much better. I will never forget the memories, like the time when we planned to stay back in school to study together, but ended up turning it into a party session after 10 minutes of work.

So, Heads Up, thank you for the unforgettable memories. I have surely spent one of the best two years of my life during my time here.

Sarah Tan

6A/A*

Having to take IGs in the middle of a pandemic was not easy but thanks to the teachers at Heads Up, I was able to pull through and get decent results. It was a shame I did not get to spend as much time with my classmates due to being stuck at home, but still, I have formed unbreakable bonds with some of them.

Many thanks to my Year 11 teachers, especially Ms Tan, who helped me get an A* in Economics, and an A in Business Studies despite only learning it for less than 6 months; and Ms Chin, even though I had thought I was hopeless in Chemistry. Also, not forgetting the teachers who taught me during my earlier years in Heads Up, especially, Ms Michelle, my all-time favorite teacher who taught me English in Y8 and 9.

BMy time at Heads Up was nothing short of interesting, and I’m glad I had the chance to spend my high school years there.