100 Possibilities with Benenden

A happy school with personal integrity and service for others always in mind and where everyone would be given the chance to follow her own bent.

Committed to its education philosophy of ‘To Follow One’s Own Bent’, Benenden School (Benenden for short) has fostered numerous talents across various fields for society since its establishment a century ago. Benenden’s 100th anniversary album features the personal stories of 100 people in Benenden’s community, who best embody the school's educational philosophy throughout its century-long journey.

One of these distinguished alumni is Ms. Jennifer Ma, Executive Supervisor of Benenden Bilingual School Guangzhou (BBSG) and Chief Strategy Officer of CTF Education Group (CTFEG).

When she enrolled at Benenden at the age of 11, she was shy, quiet and introverted. Reflecting on this life-changing educational journey, she finds three aspects that impress her most:

• Drama reshaped her personality, making her a more open-minded, confident, and cheerful person who enjoys performing and expressing herself;
  

  
  

• Diversified enrichment programmes broadened her horizons. Participating in a seven-day canoe trip, scaling peaks in Scotland, immersing herself in a Spanish cultural tour, and organising charity bazaars – all these experiences have substantially contributed to her greater independence and evolving view of the world;

  
  

• The school’s considerate pastoral care and counselling support were vital to her, as a student studying abroad by herself. Benenden is dedicated to helping students find their own passion and unique personalities, and encourages them to pursue their own paths that best suit them through university and career counselling.

Ms. Jennifer Ma studied at Benenden School 

Nurtured by Benenden’s Complete Education, she grew into a confident and brilliant individual. She was admitted to ‘one of the most competitive university majors in the world’ – Economics and Management at Oxford, and earned first-class honours upon graduation.

Her studies at Benenden became a significant inspiration for her lifelong career as well.

Ms. Jennifer Ma currently serves as an essential link in the strong alliance of BBSG, CTEFG, and Benenden. She participated in the establishment of BBSG from scratch, overseeing the development of the pedagogies, designing the teaching and learning spaces, and integrating educational resources, to connect the classroom with the real world and empower students to be Future World Ready.

“Benenden’s ethos of ‘Complete Education’ resonates with our ethos and vision,” said Ms. Jennifer Ma. Inspired by her personal experiences, she aspires to share her educational journey across the Greater Bay Area. She continued, “Students’ well-being and happiness are at the heart of Benenden’s education, which has also influenced me most. So I wish to embed it into BBSG’s ethos and boarding system. Secondly, there are many teaching and evaluation methods worth learning throughout the century-long practice of Benenden. Finally, and most importantly, Benenden is a historical school that values innovation, and its abundant educational programmes in art, culture, technology, and other fields, providing us with a blueprint to put Future Ready Complete Education into practice.”

During the past five years of school preparation, Ms. Jennifer Ma has built a bridge between BBSG, CTEFG, and Benenden, while providing resource support and experiential guidance for pastoral care system establishment, cornerstone programme planning, teacher recruitment, and many other endeavours. She plays a key role in laying a robust foundation for the Future Ready Complete Education at BBSG.

Ms. Jennifer Ma extended a special invitation to Benenden alumni residing in the Greater Bay Area to visit BBSG. Three of them also shared their “Benenden Journey” with the BBSG community.

Ms. Kiki Wong has found her life goal in scientific forensics, as the school encourages students to find and pursue their passions;

Ms. Victoria Law vividly recalled the Principal’s words, “If you aim for the tree, then you at the bottom. If you aim for the sky, then you reach the top of the tree.” She reminisced about her time at Benenden, highlighting how her teachers helped her identify her areas of strength and how she developed her social skills and problem-solving ability in the boarding school, which has had a great impact on her career development too;

Ms. Julia Lam expressed gratitude to her teachers for their encouragement and advice during her ups and downs. They always set an example to all students and put students first, which has a huge influence on her whole education journey, including studying at Benenden, applying for universities, and eventually being enrolled on her dream school.

Ms. Clarice Hung has grown up as a curious person in Benenden’s learning environment where questions are encouraged. The school’s global alumni network has also offered her access to much enlightenment and advice on academic and career development.

Through their stories, we see four Benenden graduates with completely different personalities embracing their talents and passion through Complete Education.

They are lifelong Learners full of Talent and Courage, with Passion and Purpose. They provide us a glimpse into the future of BBSG students, with countless possibilities in their lives.

Ms. Jennifer Ma is proud of her time-honoured alma mater, and is also full of expectations for the innovative educational partnership between the three sides. She expressed, "The establishment and development of BBSG is a milestone. It is more than just a school; the education hub where it is located is expected to integrate plenty of superior resources with cutting-edge, modern facilities and equipment to provide students and their families in the school and even the entire Greater Bay Area with a diverse range of opportunities for academic research, cultural exchange, and practical experiences. Meanwhile, Benenden will also expand its worldwide alumni network, increasing opportunities for students from both schools.”