School Advisor Articles

How Alice Smith School Built Chin Wei Oh’s Confidence, Passions, and Lifelong Skills

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Jun 26, 2025

Studying at The Alice Smith School means receiving a high-quality British education right in Malaysia. The school is known not only for its academic standards but also for the warm and supportive environment created by its teachers. There are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved in sports and arts, making it a well-rounded place for learning and personal growth. For many students, it becomes more than just a school — it’s a community where they develop the skills and confidence needed for university and life beyond.

One student who experienced this firsthand is Chin Wei Oh. “Studying at KLASS formed my confidence in exploring myself, but also having a space to explore my passions.”

Learning, Support, and Lasting Memories at Alice Smith

At Alice Smith, the teachers played a major role in shaping an enriching experience, creating classrooms where learning was fun and community was a priority. Educators like Mr Rudge, Ms Carville, Mr Payne, and Mrs Handley taught enthusiastically and intentionally built a welcoming atmosphere. “The teachers' list is never exhaustive, but they all shared the intentional carving of community and memories.”

Among these teachers, Mr Rudge, Ms Carville, and Ms Handley stood out. Mr Rudge, who taught maths from Year 7 through 11, brought energy and inspiration to the classroom. His enthusiasm created a lively environment where friendly competition among students encouraged everyone to push themselves. This competitive spirit helped form a close-knit group of friends that remains connected even years later. Thanks to his clear and effective explanations, maths became a subject that was enjoyable rather than difficult.

In literature classes, the encouragement and support from Ms Carville sparked a deep love for analysing texts. The focus was not just on individual study but also on collaboration, with students sharing notes and building on each other’s ideas. This approach built both academic growth and friendship, creating a positive and engaging learning environment.

 

Alice Smith is a leading non-profit international school in Kuala Lumpur, renowned globally for outstanding education. Source: Alice Smith School (Facebook)

Music played an equally important role in Chin Wei’s experience. Ms Handley’s passion for music and her personal connection to professional musicianship inspired many students. Having a husband who was a professional French hornist, she brought a unique perspective to teaching. Chin Wei, a flautist in the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, often found herself intrigued by Ms Handley’s views and her dedication to music as a teacher. 

The healthy competitiveness within her cohort pushed Chin Wei to excel, especially in maths and sciences. “I look fondly at my high school days in Alice Smith, especially during Covid. It was hard, but I think they did their best, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

Chin Wei’s subjects included Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Language and Literature, French, Computer Science, Additional Maths, and Music. She consistently scored high marks, achieving mostly 9s and 8s, with 7s and an A* in Additional Maths. This achievement was supported by a teaching approach that offered multiple ways to understand complex topics. This flexibility helped find the best learning methods for each student.

“I believe my ability to analyse today (crucial in my theological certification and my degree in philosophy and psychology) was influentially constructed from how Alice Smith taught me to question everything that didn’t make sense to me.”

In short, the education at The Alice Smith School nurtured not only academic achievement but also the ability to think deeply and learn independently. It was a place where Chin Wei grew academically, socially, and personally, fully preparing her for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Beyond academics, from Year 9 to 11, Chin Wei was deeply involved in the orchestra as a flautist. During this time, she formed her own contemporary-classical band, “Classic at the Disco,” with a few friends. The support from the music department provided her with many opportunities to perform at various events. "This built my confidence in not just my creation of ideas, composition and leadership, but also performing and being capable of interacting with organisers and time management.'

Alongside music, Chin Wei participated in dance, both in musicals and general performances, as well as in the arts and badminton. She joined the badminton team in Year 9, a challenge that taught her discipline and perseverance. The training motivated her to improve steadily in a sport she wasn’t naturally skilled at. These activities helped her build a strong sense of discipline, balancing her academic work with her passions and commitments.

 

Chin Wei completed the IB programme at UWC South East Asia.

 

From Alice Smith to UWC 

Chin Wei chose to pursue the International Baccalaureate (IB) at UWC South East Asia after completing her early education at Alice Smith School. Her decision to take the IB instead of A Levels at Alice Smith was driven by a desire to challenge herself and apply what she had learned in a broader context. 

She saw the IB as a comprehensive programme that would stretch her abilities, requiring her to take six subjects along with the Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) components. The prestige of the school and the opportunities it offered also played a significant role in her choice. While Alice Smith had laid a strong foundation for her academic journey, Chin Wei viewed it as a platform to launch herself into the next stage of life. 

“It was a combination of the opportunity of the United World College’s network and the vast ability to support almost every CCA on top of the IB, which I strongly believe would shape me as an individual, beyond just studying the subject itself.”

After completing her IB programme, she went to the University of Leeds for tertiary studies. 

 

After completing the IB, Chin Wei is now studying philosophy at the University of Leeds.

 

The Alice Smith Impact 

Looking back, Chin Wei credits Alice Smith with helping her develop essential skills that carried her through both the IB and her university years. Discipline, perseverance, and confidence were at the core. During her time at Alice Smith, she learned how to balance academics with her passions, which prepared her to handle the demands of the IB alongside external commitments. That experience gave her the courage to say yes to new opportunities in both education and life. 

Her passion for philosophy, psychology, and scientific thought — now the focus of her degree at the University of Leeds — can be traced back to her early love for literature, nurtured in English classes at Alice Smith. That interest evolved into a deeper engagement with English Literature in IB and eventually influenced her exploration of theology during her gap year. 

Group work was another area where Alice Smith laid the necessary groundwork. It was there that Chin Wei first learned what effective collaboration looked like. She gained a clear sense of how good organisation and communication contribute to a healthy team dynamic—skills that became invaluable during projects in IB and university. 

"A side note is also acknowledging that most of the teachers were very supportive verbally and took action, which has also formed the way I can support my team members and teach others. I indeed believe that my experience with the Alice Smith teachers was foundational as my role models and what I believed the “best” teachers looked like."