2019 N Level Success Stories

SUA QI EN [4N1]

Her teachers describe Qi En as a self-motivated learner who took charge of her own learning and who was an active giving member of the Swiss school community. She achieved 3 distinctions and an EMB3 of 7 points.

“I feel rather surprised because I had achieved a better result for my Chinese than my Combined Humanities. Well, I must say that on the whole, I feel very relieved. I have been working very hard for the last two years,” she reminisced.

The N levels had brought out evidently for all to see, her qualities of organization and determination. As a passionate learner, she never hesitated to clarify her doubts with her teachers. Her reflective and conscientious nature coupled with her drive to do well in everything that she undertakes brought her consistent success. For example, she was awarded the Good Progress Award in 2017 and 2018 as well the Ministry of Education Edusave Scholarship in 2019. In CCA, she was the Discipline and Physical Training Head of Swiss Show Choir, helping to lead Choir to its achievements in the biennial SYF Arts Presentation (Certificate of Distinction in 2017 and Certificate of Accomplishment in 2019 and the Be-Dazzled Show Choir Competition 2017 and 2018 where we achieved Diamond Award for best show choir. Another remarkable trait of Qi En is her strong sense of empathy and willingness to care for others. This caring nature showed up in her interactions with classmates on a daily basis. She has gone out of her way to coach classmates who needed more help in certain subjects; she has also often being the confidante for students who needed emotional support. Qi En has also the foresight and sense of responsibility to seek the advice of teachers when dealing with some of these problems to ensure that she guides her peers properly. Not surprisingly, in the same vein, she contributed actively as the Chairperson of the D’Hangout crew and also, played a big part in planning and executing the Haunted House during the Swiss Carnival 2019.

When asked how she had time for everything, Qi En said that she loved to organise her time because it in turn made her motivated to do better. “I felt that planning helped me be more ‘relaxed’ because I felt like I had everything under control.” She cited how Mr Goh, who was their Year Master for the last four years, would always reiterate that ‘if they did not wake up and start working, their future may not be as bright as they would like it to be.’

Qi En always a deep need for the approval of her family and this need also paradoxically made her dread failure, a key reason for all her anxieties. Yet she learnt that it was important to also persevere through ups and downs because school life will throw challenges at you.

“Things do not always go the way you hope they do because of your plans. For example, I’ve had my friendship problems. When that happens, I had to deal with the anxieties within myself. I remember how my anxieties got in the way once and I completely flunked my exams.”

It is times like this when teachers matter and how what they say becomes a guiding light. She also appreciates the care and concern of many other encouraging members of the school community, who had stood by her and believed in her.

Now, having achievements in various domains, Qi En has a number of options to consider, such as Pharmaceutical Science, Early Childhood Education and Psychology Studies. Besides the medical field, she has an equally deep interest in understanding the human mind as well as in working with children. All compelling choices but the world is your oyster now.

HAZIQ IKHWANDY B ARMAN [4N2]
“I was on cloud nine, completely stunned when Mr Cheng made the announcement. I certainly did not expect to get more than one distinction for my subjects.” Haziq achieved four distinctions and a total of 11 points for his EMB3. Known for being a conscientious student in his years at Swiss Cottage, Haziq had won many accolades in  school.  During the 53rd Speech Day, he received an award for coming in 3rd position in class. The following year, Haziq was awarded the Best in Malay Language Book Prize during the 54th Speech Day. He also received the Edusave Merit Bursary for the years 2016 to 2018. He would guide his peers on challenging topics and was often a member of their study groups. As a self-assured and optimistic person, he was able to influence his friends positively and enjoy great rapport with them. His diligent and affable nature was also evident as a member of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Air from 2016 to 2019. He attained the rank of Third Sergeant and assumed the position of Assistant Platoon Sergeant (Senior Cadet). He was part of the team that led the unit to attain a Distinction in the Unit Recognition Award 2018. Haziq was also a compassionate leader who showed care and concern for his fellow cadets. Haziq’s sense of discipline and perseverance played a big role in shaping his journey towards the stellar results of his N level examinations. Like everyone else, Haziq also had to confront the urge to spend his free time surfing the internet, browsing on matters unrelated to schoolwork. However, his sense of awareness helped him prioritise his commitments; he avoided such distractions, especially in the few months leading up to the examinations. This focus remained in spite of a momentary set back during the Preliminary Examinations. He merely passed all his subjects and that would simply not do to secure a place in PFP. “I did not give up. Although my borderline results were disheartening, I decided to push myself even further. I put in more work, asked questions and ensured that I cleared my doubts. I even stepped out of my comfort zone and did more than three Practice Papers per subject per week.” Clearly, Haziq had a good awareness of his personal strengths and areas for improvement. But what made Haziq so driven? He cited his desire to make his family proud of him and his gratitude for their persistent efforts at raising him through thick and thin. He recalled that his late grandmother always advised him to be courageous when there is a need to step up and perform. One should not be afraid and should not feel down when receiving criticisms or feedback. Haziq’s positive disposition and resilience have allowed him to develop his character and make a positive impact on those around him. In the next lap of his journey, Haziq is thinking of pursuing Human Resources and Psychology or perhaps something related to Business.
MOHAMMAD SUHAYL AZMIN BIN MOHAMMAD JAILANI [4T1]
Suhayl is a highly motivated and resilient student, who constantly challenges himself to excel academically. He has a clear sense of purpose and is focused on achieving his goals. He achieved an impressive number of five distinctions and a perfect score of three points for his EMB1. For his stellar results, he is offered the option of Lateral Transfer into the Normal Academic stream in 2020. “I am surprised and also super thrilled when I found out that I got five distinctions during the examinations. I was working so hard that I actually slept and rested less. So, I was not so confident,” he quipped. “The people who expected me to do well were my family and friends. I am so happy I did as they expected.” Suhayl is thankful to the constant support and help from his teachers and friends. He said that their support pushed him to study hard. He explained how their concern for him moved him. Their expectations were not a source of stress; instead their higher hopes for him encouraged him to re-examine what he was doing wrong and stop some of his negative habits. This was consistent with his Form Teachers’ view of him as a reflective and analytical individual. They commended him for the way he examined his mistakes and his courage to make changes. Even when he fell short of his targets, he was not be discouraged but made sure that he stayed the course. He did not hesitate to seek help from his peers, or consult his teachers when in doubt. He took great pride in his work, which was evident from the quality of his assignments in the Upper Secondary years. “I was a hard student to teach,” admitted Suhayl. “I always played the fool and also broke some school rules. But when I saw and understood that my parents were having a hard time financially, and was worried for me and our family, I finally knew this had to stop. I had to be a better son and brother.” Suhayl’s commitments to do better was not just evident in his academic work. He was a committed member of the Swiss Football Club from 2016 to 2019. He believed in positive role modelling, and displayed strong values, which set him as a good example for the team to follow. He worked seamlessly with the Vice-Captains, and supported their efforts to uphold discipline in the club, and maintained harmony. He showed resilience when he was faced with challenges during the games, and knew when to approach his teachers for advice. A humble and respectful student, he was often seen treating his juniors with care. The patience he displayed when guiding his teammates earned him much respect, and made him a well-liked member of the club. Suhayl trained hard during training and played passionately for the school at competitions. He was selected to represent the school in the National School Games (NSG) Championships from 2016 to 2019. His time in the Football Club was capped off with a first place finish at the NSG Football B Division Boys League 5 Championships. He has not decided what he will pursue but we know that Suhayl’s sustained effort towards his holistic development will benefit him in all his future endeavours.
NAYDEEN LIM YUTIAN [4T1]
Naydeen is a polite and pleasant student whose zeal for learning matches her strong sense of discipline. Beneath her quiet exterior is a purposeful and determined nature. She achieved one distinction and an EMB1 of 5 for the N level examinations. “I am happy and I am surprised,” Naydeen responded. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her friends and family. She cited that they had motivated her to work harder and to never give up. Sensitive to how her best friend might not want to be publicly acknowledged, she ventured to say that her most memorable experiences in her learning journey was due to the efforts of this best friend – who continually helped her and encouraged her to work hard despite setbacks. She recalled how there was a period when she had made her friend unintentionally stressed and uncomfortable because of the way she crossed some boundaries in her interaction with her friend. Afraid of losing the valued friendship, Naydeen made the mature move to negotiate expectations and sorted out the situation. She also realized that in her earnestness for her friend’s attention and acceptance, that she had made some mistakes, which she did not hesitate to correct. She felt that this experience was valuable in helping her complete her overall school experience in a positive light. Naydeen was a member of the Chinese Dance Club. She was a good team player who worked well with the instructor, teachers and other leaders. She was involved in various school performances, such as the Chinese New Year Concert in 2018. Naydeen played a supportive role when the Chinese Dance Club participated at the Singapore Youth Festival Central Arts Presentation for Chinese Dance in 2017 and 2019. The team’s effort was rewarded when they attained Certificates of Distinction in both years. An individual with a strong sense of direction, Naydeen’s motivation to excel was complemented by her future vision. “I applied for Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) to ITE (West) and I succeeded in getting into the course on Retail Services. I have plans to go on to doing Higher Nitec after this, and then to the Polytechnic. I want to have a better future and chase my other dreams in life.” Forthcoming and supportive, she has been sensitive to the needs of her classmates. Her willingness to be a team player also helped her to establish good ties with her friends and she is unfailingly respectful towards her teachers. Despite her initial difficulty in settling in an unfamiliar environment, Naydeen has shown great perseverance in school. Her positive outlook has allowed her to blossom in secondary school. We wish her all the best pursuing her course at ITE West and all other future endeavours.