In this month's Meet YCIS series highlighting exceptional staff at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing), we talk with Ms Hayley Edge, Head of Secondary at YCIS Beijing.

Ms Edge is from Sheffield in the North of England. She confessed that her initial plan was to use teaching as a means to travel and see the world. This is what brought her to China for a two-year stint. At least that was the idea. Little did she know she would fall in love with the country and with YCIS Beijing and its international school community. Five years on she is still very much in Beijing and with no plans to return home. “I’ll be here [in China] for many years to come,” she says, quite sure of her future directions.

Having started her own business at the age of 16, it was only natural for Ms Edge to pursue a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business and Enterprise Management in the UK, followed by a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Marketing. She then took the first steps to embark on her teaching career, completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Secondary Business Education.

A self-confessed ‘lifelong learner’, she decided to continue her education and develop hands-on skills working full-time. She is now halfway through another Master of Science Degree, this time in Educational Leadership and Management.

When asked what she enjoys most about YCIS Beijing, she said without hesitation, “The students”.

“I love the students, their passion for learning and the unique personalities they have.” She also appreciates and admires the students’ respect for the YCIS community, the faculty, and classmates.

Offering advice for students, Ms Edge said that life is not about succeeding, but rather about failing with style and grace, and then learning from these mistakes. She firmly believes that money does not buy happiness and therefore spending one’s life chasing wealth and fortune is a life wasted.

When not working she can be found at the gym, which helps relieve any stress and offers a moment of escape. She also thoroughly enjoys a good Malaysian red pepper curry or the home comforts of a shepherd's pie.

Ms Edge is one of our strong Secondary School team. As part of our Upper Secondary programme, YCIS Beijing provides IGCSE and IB education to students in Years 10-13. Students complete wide-ranging coursework, leading to IGCSE examinations at the end of Year 11. To learn more about our comprehensive IGCSE programme at YCIS Beijing, please click here, and for the IB programme, please refer to this link.