Shatin Pui Ying College (), abbreviated as SPYC or PYC, is a
Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.
The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures. In some countr ...
that was established in 1978. Located in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, SPYC is an
English medium of instruction (EMI) secondary school fully subsidised by the government with 4 classes each for Forms 1 to 5 and 5 classes for Form 6 (in the 2018/19 academic year). The school icon is an
eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
symbolising
courage
Courage (also called bravery or valor) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in battle.
Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, h ...
and
determination
Determination is a positive emotional feeling that involves persevering towards a difficult goal in spite of obstacles.Kirby, L.D., Morrow, J., & Yih, J. (2014). The challenge of challenge: Pursuing determination as an emotion. In M. M. Tugade, ...
.
School history
Rev Henry Noyes, the school founder, was a minister of the U.S. Presbyterian Church. In 1879 he founded a beginners' school called An Hwoh School in Saki,
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
, offering Mathematics and Science. With a lot of hard work, Pui Ying emerged and bloomed. A chain of schools was established in Guangzhou,
Taishan __NOTOC__
Taishan may refer to:
*Mount Tai or Taishan (), Shandong, China
*Taishan District, Tai'an (), named after the Mount Tai, a district in Tai'an, Shandong, China
*Taishan, Guangdong (), a county-level city of Jiangmen, Guangdong, China
**Gre ...
,
Jiangmen
Jiangmen (), alternately romanized in Cantonese as Kongmoon, is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong Province in southern China. As of the 2020 census, its three urban districts, plus Heshan City being conurbated, with 2,657,662 inhabitants ar ...
and Hong Kong.
In 1978, to celebrate the centennial, the Board of Directors established the 5th school; an Anglo-Chinese School named Shatin Pui Ying College, with
Wong Wai Wah as the Principal. In the first year, the school operated on the campus of
Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
at Lek Yuen Estate. In September 1979, the school could at last move into the 24-classroom premises in
Wo Che
Wo Che () is a village and an area in Sha Tin of Hong Kong. South of Fo Tan and north of proper Sha Tin, it is divided into Sheung Wo Che () and Ha Wo Che (), and the reclamation by Shing Mun River.
The hilly area above the villages of Wo Ch ...
Estate. The school
library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
was opened in September 1982.
In order to enable the promotion of all Form 3 students to Form 4 in the school, the school altered the class structure to a symmetrical one. The
Student Union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...
was set up in September 1995 and
Parent-Teacher Association in 1996. In 1996, Principal Wong retired and was succeeded by Vice Principal
Yau Oi Yuen Yau may refer to:
* Yau (surname), Hong Kong surname
* Yau language, a Finisterre language of New Guinea
* Yau language (Torricelli), a Torricelli language of Papua New Guinea
* Hodï language (ISO 639-3: yau), a language of Venezuela
* Kattiniq/Do ...
. The mixed ability classes replaced the elite system in September 1996. In September 2015, Principal Yau retired and was succeeded by Vice Principal Chan Lai Fan, while Chan Tak Nam succeeded as Vice Principal.
The new wing building of the school has been in use since July 2005. In the new wing, there are classrooms for higher form classes, a new library, and some special rooms.
On 9 September 2019, the human chain activity in the
2019–20 Hong Kong protests was launched. Students and alumni of various secondary schools in Hong Kong initiated the chain action to express their determination to fight for the ''five demands''. The students of this school participated.
The activity starts at about 7 o'clock in the morning and ends at about 8 o'clock.
Among the 18 districts in Hong Kong, apart from the island district, the remaining 17 districts have middle school students and alumni involved in this operation.
Biliteracy and trilingualism
English
Exchange students from
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
help to enhance students' English ability. To enhance students’ interest and ability in English, the school offers Script-writing Course, English Tutorial Class, English Drama Competition, Form 1 Bridging Programme, Lyrics-writing Course, English Immersion Speech Competition, Tourist Interview, English Phonetics Class, English Enhancement Course, Summer English Class, Overseas Immersion Course, Summer English Camp for senior form students, Summer English Day Camp for junior form students, and English Musicals.
Chinese
The Chinese Language teachers have written several teaching units for the new curriculum, which have been examined and commented on by educators from Shanghai. Various activities to upgrade students' Chinese standard include Extensive Reading Scheme, Creative Writing Class, Chinese Week, Prose Writing Class, Reading Club, Modern Poetry Writing Class, Verse-speaking Gathering, Story Writing Class, Seminar on Reading, Seminar on Modern Poetry, Intra-school and Inter-school Chinese Debate Competitions and Report and Comment on Chinese 'Words of Wisdom'.
Putonghua
To arouse students' interest in
Putonghua
Standard Chinese ()—in linguistics Standard Northern Mandarin or Standard Beijing Mandarin, in common speech simply Mandarin, better qualified as Standard Mandarin, Modern Standard Mandarin or Standard Mandarin Chinese—is a modern standar ...
, the school offers Putonghua Day, Tongue-Twisters, Putonghua Class, Singing Contest, Putonghua Broadcast and Putonghua Corner. Students participate in inter-school seminars and competitions including Verse Speaking of Classical Poetry in Putonghua and Putonghua Speaking Competitions. To promote Chinese culture, the school offers Visit to Chinese relic sites, Workshop on Chinese clipart, Chinese Tea Tao and Chinese Culture and General Studies Competition.
Academic achievements
All Form 1 newcomers from the own district of Shatin are Band 1 students. 100% of the Form 3 students gain admission to Form 4 in the school. Students achieve good academic results in public examinations. The average passing percentage for the
HKCEE
The Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE, 香港中學會考) was a standardised examination between 1974 and 2011 after most local students' five-year secondary education, conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment ...
and
HKALE
The Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE, 香港高級程度會考), or more commonly known as the A-level, conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), was taken by senior students at the end of their matricu ...
is above 90%. Most of the subjects have percentages in credits and distinctions well above the figures obtained by all HKCEE and HKALE candidates. The best individual result is 8As in 2004.
All Form 6 places in the school are filled by Form 5 students, except exchange students from other countries. Most of the Form 6 graduates gain university admission these years. The graduates perform well in universities with some being scholarship-holders.
According to the "Academic Value-added Indicator" results released by the
Education Bureau
The Education Bureau (EDB) is responsible for formulating and implementing education policies in Hong Kong.
The bureau is headed by the Secretary for Education and oversees agencies including University Grants Committee and Student Fina ...
, the school has achieved positive added value in its best six subjects as the school in
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, and
Mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
from 2000 to 2006. The added value is higher than the territory-wide average, and the average gained by similar intake schools and schools from the same district. Some subjects have reached the highest possible value-added limit.
Scholarships, Academic Awards, Flying Eagle Awards and Improvement Awards are given to students with outstanding academic achievements. The school sponsors students to take part in inter-school competitions and Courses for Gifted Students offered by educational institutions, such as
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university and ...
and
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a public university, public research university in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, New Territories, Hong Kong. Founded in 1991 by the British Hong Kong Government, it was the territory's ...
. Tutorial classes have been launched to improve junior form students' proficiency in both English and Chinese languages as well as mathematical ability. English Enhancement Courses are provided for students to enhance their English standard. The school sponsors students interested in Chinese writing to join workshops hosted by renowned writers.
Features
English musicals
* 1999–2001 The Comeback Kid
* 2001–2003 Soul for Sale
* 2003–2005 The Last Move
* 2005–2007 The Lost Face
* 2007–2009 Heart in Arms
* 2009–2011 Project Messiah
* 2011–2013 The Twelfth Night
* 2013–2015 The Merchant of Venice
* 2015–2017 Flowers for Algernon
* 2017–2019 Twinkle of the Aye
* 2019–2022 Cyrano de Bergerac
Promoting a reading culture
A Reading Time for 20 minutes every day is designated to help students cultivate a
reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
habit. The school organises Chinese and English Extensive Reading Schemes. A Reading Day is held by the school library for all students to read and take part in activities related to reading.
Evangelism
The school offers activities to guide students according to
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
principles, such as Gospel Week, Gospel Camp, Evangelical Team, Evangelical Broadcast, Bible Study Groups, and Christian Fellowship.
School life
School songs
There is a school song with Chinese lyrics. Its melody is the same as the song
O Christmas Tree
"" (; "O fir tree", English: O Christmas Tree) is a German Christmas song. Based on a traditional folk song which was unrelated to Christmas, it became associated with the traditional Christmas tree.
History
The modern lyrics were written in 1824 ...
and there are two paragraphs. There is also a school hymn with English lyrics. There are three paragraphs in this school hymn.
Sports Days and Swimming Gala
There are two Sports Days every year. The Sports Days take places at the Yuen Wo Road Sports Ground. Besides the various types of sports competitions, there are competitions among the cheering teams. The Swimming Gala is held every year. It takes place at the
Ma On Shan (town)
Ma On Shan is a new town along the eastern coast of Tolo Harbour in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Although it was initially an extension of Sha Tin New Town, it has its own town centre and various government facilities, and is now classifi ...
swimming pool every year.
External competitions
Students in the school take part in many external competitions in many fields such as music, sports, debates, writings, mathematics, and other academic competitions. One of the most notable competitions is the Hang Lung Mathematics Award. The school’s HLMA team got an Honourable Mention in 2004 and a Special Commendation in 2006.
School organisations
Student Union
The Student Union was established in November 1994. Its election activity is held in November every year. It helps the school in setting new school rules and improving students’ school lives. It organises activities such as blood donation days and ball game competitions.
School library
As of the beginning of 2017, the school library has over 32000 items available, including books, multimedia items and 50 kinds of newspapers and magazines. Every year there are about 100 student librarians. An
integrated library system
An integrated library system (ILS), also known as a library management system (LMS),
is an enterprise resource planning system for a library, used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed.
An ILS usually is co ...
was installed in the library September 2001. The library currently uses the SLS Software as its digital solution. The library was relocated to the new wing of the school in 2005, allowing a physical expansion.
Notable alumni
*
Joey Yung
Joey Yung (, ; born 16 June 1980) is a Hong Kong singer and Cantopop diva signed to Emperor Entertainment Group.
Since her debut in 1996, Yung has won numerous awards, including the JSG Most Popular Female Singer and Ultimate Best Female Sin ...
(容祖兒): A very popular female Canto pop singer and actress.
*
Louise Ho
Louise Ho Pui-shan (, born 31 December 1967) is a Hong Kong civil servant and principal official, currently serving as Commissioner of Customs and Excise, the first woman to hold that post.
Early years
Ho was born on 31 December 1967, and st ...
(何璐怡): A female dubbing actress in
TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and ...
.
*
Tsoi Chi Fu (蔡智夫): A writer of a computer reference book.
A computer reference book
published by Wan Li Book Co,
* Raphel Wong (黃浩銘): Vice Chairman for League of Social Democrats
The League of Social Democrats (LSD) is a social democratic party in Hong Kong. Chaired by Chan Po-ying, wife of Leung Kwok-hung, it positions itself as the radical wing of the pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong), pro-democracy camp and stresses on ...
See also
*Education in Hong Kong
Education in Hong Kong used to be largely modelled on that of the United Kingdom, particularly the English system. Since 2012, the overhaul of secondary school diploma has introduced changes to the number of school years as well as the two-t ...
References
External links
*
Secondary School Profile
{{Sha Tin District
Protestant secondary schools in Hong Kong
Sha Tin
Wo Che
Educational institutions established in 1978