Chen Jing Yolanda

I have always believed that education goes beyond what we learn from books. It is also shaped by the people we meet, the cultures we experience and the different perspectives we gain along the way. My own career has followed this belief — from eight years with Singapore Airlines, to seven years in education and teaching, and more recently into admissions and student enrolment.

I am an international education and admissions professional with 15+ years of experience across Singapore, Malaysia and China, bringing together a distinctive combination of educational knowledge, admissions experience, marketing insight, cross-cultural communication and high-level customer service.

My seven years of experience as an IGCSE Chinese teacher and tutor-group teacher gave me a strong understanding of the British international education environment, curriculum expectations, examination pathways and the needs of students preparing for international qualifications. More importantly, working closely with students and families taught me how to understand what sits behind an educational decision. I understand what students need academically and personally, while also recognising what parents look for when choosing a school. I believe effective admissions begins with understanding needs — much like a doctor first understands the patient before providing the right treatment.

In September 2024, I entered the admissions profession with no previous admissions experience and built my knowledge from the ground up. I quickly came to understand that successful admissions is not simply about processing applications or selling a school; strong enrolment begins with strong visibility, positioning and trust in the market. At Charterhouse Malaysia, I identified significant opportunities within the Chinese market and took the initiative to develop new channels, strengthen agency relationships and establish a more consistent presence through offline recruitment events and digital platforms.

Working closely with prospective families also allowed me to identify a recurring challenge in our admissions process: English language readiness among international applicants entering from Year 9 onwards. Rather than viewing this simply as a reason for unsuccessful applications, I analysed applicant outcomes, assessment stages and English performance, and presented the findings and potential solutions to the academic team. This contributed to improvements in the admissions assessment process and supported the development of Year 9+ and A Level+ language support pathways, creating a more inclusive and sustainable route for students whose English is not their first language.

This work contributed to significant growth in Chinese enrolment — from fewer than 5% of the student population in 2024 to 15% in 2025, with 28 Chinese students enrolled in August 2025, and subsequently 46 Chinese students enrolled in August 2026, representing 44% of the total new student intake.

My previous eight years with Singapore Airlines, including my role as a Senior Grooming Trainer, also shaped the way I approach admissions. Working in a service environment where every interaction matters taught me the importance of professionalism, attention to detail, problem-solving, communication and making every individual feel genuinely valued. I see the Admissions Office as the school's front door and first point of connection. Our responsibility is not only to welcome the right students into the school, but also to ensure that every prospective family feels listened to, respected and supported throughout their journey.

I am fluent in Mandarin, English and Japanese, and bring strong public speaking, presentation, hosting, relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills. I am comfortable communicating with families, students, agents, academic teams and external partners across different cultural backgrounds.

Although I have only two years of direct experience in admissions and student enrolment, I believe my broader professional journey has given me a strong admissions instinct — the ability to understand people, identify needs, recognise opportunities, solve problems and connect educational value with the right families.

I am passionate about creating opportunities for students to access excellent education and believe that sustainable admissions should create value for both the school and the student. For me, successful enrolment is not simply about numbers; it is about finding the right fit, building trust and creating relationships that benefit the student, the family and the school in the long term.

• IGCSE Chinese as a foreign language teaching certified
• IGCSE Chinese as a second language teaching certified
• IGCSE Chinese as a First language teaching certified
• Certificate in Child Protection for Staff | International
• Top-Up Certificate in AI Safeguarding for Staff
• EAL Pupils: Overcoming Language Barriers to Safeguarding
• Safeguarding Against Deepfakes: Risks of Generative AI