Royal Mile Academy

The 'Last Mile' To Your Dream University

South Plus: As the founder of the ‘Royal Mile’ Global Elite Academy program at MIS, could you please share the original intention?

Mr. Gao: As we all know, MIS Shenzhen is the city's first international school that offers authentic British education and British boarding management. Over the past seven years, we have been committed to bringing the authentic British education to Shenzhen, so to speak, we are 'porters of authentic British education'.

However, in terms of specifics, there are subtle changes in each academic department, each educational stage, and even each academic year: we make timely adjustments based on the national conditions of Chinese education, the demands of Shenzhen parents, and the characteristics of students at different stages. This embodies the integration of international education from abroad with the local educational environment.

Three years ago, we launched the Royal Mile program, and this year we’re entering the fourth year. British education is not just about fancy uniforms, impressive campuses, and stylish foreign teachers as many people might think; its core logic lies in holistic education combined with academic achievements. Academic achievements should be the external manifestation of holistic education; when holistic education is done well, academic excellence naturally follows. Therefore, one of the goals of establishing the Royal Mile program is to make MIS a more China-suitable British school.

To put it simply, the full name of ‘Royal Mile’ is MIS ‘Royal Mile Global Elite Academy’. British schools offer a 14-year educational journey, starting from the EYFS (Early years foundation stage) to Year 13. If, in the end, students do not gain admission to their ideal universities, then from a results-oriented perspective, the "return on investment" of so much time, effort, and money would obviously be unsatisfactory.

Royal Mile students

Therefore, the first original intention of the ‘Royal Mile’ program is to help students sprint the ‘last mile’ of their academic journey in their four high school years, so that they can enter their dream universities. It should be noted that not every student can get into Oxford or Cambridge, and not everyone is suited to such universities; the right fit is the best. At the same time, we also have some students who excel academically and have comprehensive development; they have the potential to aim for Oxbridge. These students need systematic and targeted cultivation. ‘Royal Mile’ is to help such students accelerate their journey to the world's top universities, give them the last push in the ‘last mile’, achieving their goal of ‘aiming for Oxbridge, securing G5 universities’.

South Plus: The ‘Royal Mile Global Elite Academy’, an upgrade in MIS, naturally has higher requirements for students' competencies. What kind of students can get into ‘Royal Mile’? And what is the selection process like?

Mr. Gao: I have been in the international education industry for over 20 years, working in different countries and various types of international schools, nurturing diverse students into all kinds of prestigious universities worldwide. Due to my experience, or perhaps I have seen so many student, I have noticed that when Oxford and Cambridge admit "Oxbridge students" from China and those from the UK or other countries, their admission officers have different expectations.

Simply put, looking at the Oxbridge students admitted from China over the past 20 years, the majority can be summarized in a few words: excellent in math and science. In recent years, there has been an increase in students specializing in humanities and social sciences. Therefore, the profile of Royal Mile students also aligns with Oxbridge's expectations of Chinese students: excellent in math and science, proficient in liberal arts.

So, our selection process is about finding outstanding candidates to fit this profile. Firstly, like other international schools, we have initial written tests in English and mathematics. Here, we differentiate the test papers based on students' backgrounds, such as bilingual math papers for public school students and fully English papers for international students, to "tailor the exams to their abilities."

In the second round of interviews, there are two components: an "unsupervised group discussion" for English proficiency and a "mock Oxbridge interview" for subject competence, each lasting 30 minutes, totaling an hour. This is quite rare among international schools in Shenzhen and even nationwide.

It provides a comprehensive assessment of students' English proficiency, critical thinking, leadership, collaboration skills demonstrated in group discussions, as well as their passion for and potential in specific subjects.

The fundamental purpose of the selection exam is not to stump students but to better and more comprehensively understand them. Therefore, participating in our selection process is also an opportunity for students to experience our teaching philosophy, which is what I always emphasize as "learning before class", starting from the selection process.

Ivy Academy

Challenge Yourself To Unlimited Potential

South Plus: MIS is renowned for its authentic British education. Why introduce an American-oriented program within the British curriculum?

Mr. Shi: Shenzhen, as an international metropolis, has witnessed rapid development in international education in recent years. However, compared to Beijing and Shanghai, there is still a gap in the admission rate to the top 30 universities in the United States. One of the reasons is that international schools in Shenzhen have not sufficiently invested in the AP Curriculum, which is the most suitable curriculum for U.S. universities.

The American AP program itself does not offer courses; it only provides exams. Therefore, schools have some flexibility in preparing their own curricula. Moreover, there is no absolute single standard for undergraduate admissions to top U.S. universities. Each applicant is evaluated on multiple aspects, including academic potential, community service, hobbies, character, leadership, emotional intelligence, and resilience. To gain admission to a top U.S. university, your life must be exceptionally unique and outstanding. Generally, we say that if you want a stable and predictable path, you should consider the British system first. But if you want to fully showcase your individuality, challenge your potential, and become more distinctive, you should consider the American universities.

MIS emphasizes the perfect combination of holistic education and academic excellence. We are more than willing to discover the hobbies and strengths of each student and help them become the best version of themselves. Therefore, introducing an American-oriented program inside the British school, in my opinion, is a combination of advantages, allowing more students to find the most suitable path for their further education.

South Plus: The first-year enrollment for IVY Academy has been completed. How are the students like?

Mr. Shi: We have admitted 15 students in the first year, and each of them has their own unique qualities. For example, there's a national champion in robotics competitions, an international gold medal winner in debate competitions, a national-level golf athlete, a computer prodigy, and so on. These children not only possess a spirit of innovation but also have a global perspective and world awareness. More importantly, they all have a restless ambition to pursue the world's top universities.

AP students

They are currently in the Year 10 of the British system, which is equivalent to the 9th grade in public schools. However, IVY Academy has already started offering them five AP courses. These students can choose to study up to 3 courses based on their own situation. So far, their learning progress has been smooth, with a mix of pain and joy.

Some people may ask, isn't studying in advance a form of ‘involution’? In my opinion, involution is effort that doesn't produce updates or progress, effort without results. On the other hand, effort that produces positive results is not involution; it's a form of self-evolution. Please note that the antonym of involution is not ‘lying down or giving up’, but evolution. So, in this sense, I am of course against involution, but I am not against endeavour. We want to see students undergo positive and beneficial changes through their efforts and endeavour. This is the fundamental goal of our education.

Although some students are happy and some are sad during the process, this sadness is actually a high-challenge sadness for the brain. They will gradually adapt, and this effort to continuously expand their comfort zone is growth. Children who want to enter world-class universities must go through such tests. When children open their hearts and minds and rely on their inner drive to ‘strive forward without needing a push from others’, our mission is to support and help them achieve their goals. As long as they have the ability and the desire, we will encourage and nurture them to move forward.

Chinese and Foreign Teachers

Teachers & students: learn & thrive together

South Plus: Excellent children have more choices whether it's in selecting schools or furthering their studies, but their parents have higher expectations for teachers. How do teachers from the two academies win their trust?

Mr. Gao: Royal Mile Academy has allocated special funds by the board to hire a team of renowned teachers and management personnel, upgrade the curriculum structure, and optimize the management model. The teachers we recruit also align very well with the school's educational philosophy and values.

Currently, in terms of educational background, our teachers are a ‘combination of Chinese and foreign teachers’, and in terms of personnel composition, they are also a combination of Chinese and foreign’. However, these two ‘combinations’ have their own specific meanings: Firstly, for our science courses, they are basically taught by bilingual Chinese teachers, while for humanities and social science courses, they are taught by foreign teachers. This is the first ‘combination of Chinese and foreign teachers’, where each excels in their own field.

The second combination refers to the learning and work backgrounds of our bilingual teachers themselves. One type of these teachers are beneficiaries of international education, having completed the entire international education, from attending an international school in China to pursuing their undergraduate and master's degrees in the UK, and then returning to China with mature teaching experience. These teachers are themselves successful examples.

Another type of teachers took the Chinese national college entrance examination, graduated from prestigious universities with strong professional skills. These bilingual teachers, who are proficient in English, have overseas study experience, and understand both Chinese and Western curriculum systems, will teach our science courses such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry. They combine the learning habits of Chinese students, explain knowledge thoroughly, clarify difficulties, and build a solid knowledge framework for the subject, which is an efficient arrangement that aligns with actual conditions.

Mr. Shi: Our planned IVY Academy will be a vibrant and diverse community. We will not only introduce the best resources from around the world through online education, but also disseminate the academy's courses to the global audience through an online platform.

Students here will not just be taught by MIS teachers; they may simultaneously engage in online discussions on the same topic with students from all five continents. Their professors could be in France, the United States, or anywhere in the world. To this end, we have specially developed a fully functional online voice classroom, leveraging the most advanced internet and artificial intelligence technologies, so that children can access a broader world within this platform.

For example, we believe that all children must learn digital learning skills, possess basic academic research abilities, and solidify their understanding of the values of Eastern civilization. Therefore, we have introduced special courses such as digital learning, research methodology, and foundational courses on Chinese and Western cultures. These courses combine online and offline teaching, as well as knowledge acquisition and thinking expansion. The teachers are masters and doctors from world-class universities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and other countries.

South Plus: The two academies are actually part of MIS. Is there any distinction in the curriculum system, resource sharing, and activity arrangements?

Mr. Gao: Royal Mile Academy adopts the IGCSE & A-level curriculum, which is consistent with the main campus of MIS. However, the academy also draws on the content and teaching philosophy of AP and IB to create a concept of ‘Grand Subjects’. For students who have extra capacity, we provide advanced arrangements in terms of the depth and breadth of subject knowledge.

In terms of teaching and student activities, I believe there is organic integration, and as for management, we can say that it is tailored to each student's needs.

Firstly, for Royal Mile Academy students, their first identities are MIS students, therefore they must abide by all the school's rules and regulations. On the other hand, each student is assigned to one of the four clans (Note: In British private schools, they are generally called "houses", but since MIS originates from Edinburgh, so we call it "clans".) upon entering the school, which becomes their second identity. We organize a large number of clans activities every year, with different types weekly, including point-based competitions. Royal Mile Academy students participate in all of them.

Clan Event ·Tug of War

In addition, Royal Mile Academy students are required to attend evening self-study sessions in the classroom from 6:15pm to 8:15pm every day. In the UK, they do not have the concept of evening study in the classroom, and non-RM students can also study in their dormitories. Therefore, at MIS, the two systems operate in parallel, with both integration and refined standards.

The initial goal of Royal Mile Academy was to ‘Guarantee G5 university admissions and aim for Oxford and Cambridge’. Now, we have achieved half of that goal, and the next step is to sprint for Oxford and Cambridge. Recently, in the 2025 application season, MIS received five interview invitations from Oxford and Cambridge universities, and four of those students came from Royal Mile Academy. If MIS is likened to a crown, then Royal Mile Academy should be the brightest diamond on that crown, and we are confident about our future development.

Mr. Shi: In most cases, the AP Academy is relatively independent from Royal Mile Academy, but we also have a few shared courses.

For example, in the AP curriculum system, we encourage students to study A-Level math as math is very important for their future growth. The AP math only includes calculus and statistics, while A-Level covers a broader range of topics.

Meanwhile, I have proposed the concept of ‘Dual mother language’, where students are expected to learn different subjects in English at a near-native level during senior school and engage in high-level thinking and debate, rather than just learning the language itself.

At IVY Academy, we don't set any time limits on learning because I hope every student at IVY Academy will become a lifelong learner. One of the most fundamental learning methods is extensive reading. We offer courses such as Chinese reading, English reading, social science reading, and natural science reading, most of which are compulsory courses. We hope that every student will have read at least 50 million words by the time they graduate here.

Although we are called IVY Academy, our students' ultimate destinations are not necessarily the Ivy League schools. The goal of IVY Academy is to help students accurately match their own needs.

Currently, the students at IVY Academy have basically met or exceeded my academic expectations. In the future, with the new teaching and admission model of ‘One school & Two Academies’ and ‘Dual Cultivation & Dual Admission", MIS will continue to steadily move forward in the direction of becoming an academically excellent with warmth, and high-quality British boarding international school, allowing more students to shine on their dream university in different countries.

皇家一英里学院 

冲刺梦校“最后一英里”

南方+：作为深圳曼校“皇家一英里”全球精英学院项目的创立人，请您介绍下当时该项目创立的初衷是什么？

高旭：大家都知道，深圳曼校是深圳第一所提供纯正英式教育和寄宿管理体系的国际学校，办学七年来，我们致力于把英式教育原汁原味无差别带到深圳，从这个角度来讲，我们在做“纯英式教育的搬运工”。

但从细节上来讲，每一个学部、每一个学段，甚至我们每一个学年的办学都会有细微的变化：结合中国教育的国情、深圳家长的诉求、学生在不同阶段的特点，做出应时而需的调整。而这体现的就是外来的国际教育与本土教育大环境的融合。

三年前，我们开始皇家一英里项目，今年是做到第四年，其本质便是让英式教育在中国还原它的真面目。英式教育并非大家印象中仅仅是华丽的校服、高大上的校园、洋气的外教，本身核心逻辑是全人教育加升学成绩。升学成绩应该是全人教育的外化，全人教育做好了，升学成绩自然会好。因此，办皇家一英里的一个定位便是让深圳曼校成为更适合中国的英式学校。

最直观的，什么叫做曼校的“皇家一英里”？其实我们的全称叫曼校“皇家一英里”全球精英学院。英式学校从EYFS早教阶段开始，到13年级毕业升入大学，学生在这期间要走完14年的学习历程。如果到最后，学生没有进入到自己理想的大学继续学习，那从结果导向看，这么多年的时间、精力、金钱的“投资回报率”显然是无法令人满意的。

皇家一英里学生

所以“皇家一英里”办学的第一个初衷，是在高中四年，以结果为导向，帮他们冲刺升学的”最后一英里“，让他们进到自己梦想中的学校；这里要说明的是，并不是每一个学生都能进牛津剑桥，也并不是每个人都适合牛津剑桥这样的学校，所以适合的才是最好的；但同时，我们也有一些学生本身学术成绩优异，发展也比较全面的，他们本身是具备冲击牛剑的实力的，这些孩子需要系统的、有针对性的培养，所以对于这样的学生，我们要做的是帮他们加速冲击世界顶级名校的“最后一英里”，实现他们“冲牛剑、保G5”的升学目标。

南方+：在深圳曼校原有基础上升级的“皇家一英里全球精英学院”，对学生素养要求自然更高，什么养的孩子能够通过选拔？选拔流程又是怎样的？

高旭：我本人在国际教育行业20多年，在不同的国家、不同类型的国际学校工作，培养了不同类型的学生进入各式各样的世界名校。因为视角的原因，或者说见过的学生类型更多的原因，我发现，牛津剑桥这样的学校，在录取中国的“牛剑生”，以及录取英国的或者其他国家的“牛剑生”的时候，他们招生官对这两种“牛剑生”所期待的画像是不太一样的。

简单来说，纵观这20年中国内地录的牛剑生，绝大部分都可以用几个字总结：理科见长。近些年来，人文社科类型的学生也开始有所上升。所以，皇家一英里的学生画像，也是对标牛剑对中国学生的画像，八个字形容吧：理科见长，文理兼修。

所以我们选拔的过程，其实也是按照这个画像寻找优秀的苗子，因此设计了一个“文理兼顾”的选拔流程。首先，我们和其他国际学校一样，会有英语、数学这两科的笔试初选。这里我们会结合学生的背景，对试卷有所区分，比如数学有针对公立学生的双语卷和国际学生的全英文试卷，做到“因材施考”；

第二轮面试，会有针对英语表达能力的“无领导小组讨论”和学科能力的“牛剑模拟面试”，两个环节，每个环节30分钟，加起来一个小时。这在深圳乃至全国的国际学校里面应该都是不多见的。

这里能比较全面的考察到学生的英语表达能力、在小组讨论里面体现出来的思辨力、领导力、协作能力以及学科热爱和学科潜力等。

选拔考试，其根本目的，不是为了考倒学生，而是为了更好的、更全面的了解学生。所以学生参加我们的选拔，本身也是一个体验我们教学理念的过程，这也是我一直强调的“教学前置”，从选拔开始。

青藤书院

挑战自己的无限潜能

南方+：深圳曼校以纯正英式教育出名，为何要在英式体系中开办美式方向？

石国鹏：深圳作为国际化大都市，近年来国际教育获得迅猛发展，但放眼全国，美国Top30大学录取率仍较京、沪等地有差距。原因之一便是深圳国际学校在与美国最适配的AP国际课程上发力不足。

美系AP本身没有课程只有考试，我们需要准备它的课程，因此校与校之间具有一定的灵活度。而且，美国顶级大学的本科录取没有绝对的统一标准，每一位申请者都将面对学术潜质、社会服务、兴趣爱好、品格修养、领导力以及情商、逆商等多方面的审核。想到获得顶级大学的录取，你的生命必须精彩得与众不同。所以一般我们说，想走稳定、确定的发展道路就优先考虑英系路径，而想充分展示特性，挑战潜能，把自己变得更加特立独行的时候就优先考虑美系路径。

深圳曼校注重全人教育和学术卓越的完美结合，更乐于发掘每个同学身上的爱好和闪光点，帮助他们成为更好的自己。因此，英式体系中开办美式方向，我认为是优势叠加，让更多学生找到适合自己的升学路径。

南方+：青藤书院首届招生已经完成，首批孩子有哪些特质？

石国鹏：首批我们录取了15名学生，15名学生各有特色，比如机器人比赛全国冠军、辩论比赛国际金奖、国家级高尔夫运动员、计算机鬼才少年等……。这些孩子不仅具有创新精神，还拥有全球视野与世界意识，更为重要的是，他们都有一颗不安分的，想要冲击世界最顶级高等教育的野心。

青藤书院 AP学生

他们现在就读英系的十年级，相当于公立学校九年级，但是青藤书院已经开始为他们开设了五门AP课程。这些学生根据自身的情况选择0-3门进行学习。截止到目前，他们的学习进展顺利，痛并快乐着。

有些人会问，这样提前学习不是内卷吗？在我看来，内卷是一种不产生更新和迭代的努力，没结果的那种努力叫卷，英语叫做involution；而产生了积极结果的努力不是内卷，是一种自我进化，英语叫做evolution。请大家务必注意，内卷的反义词不是躺平摆烂，而是进化。所以按这个概念来讲，我当然反对卷，但是我绝不反对努力，我们要看到学生通过努力产生积极向善的变化。这是我们的教育的根本目标。

虽然过程中有人快乐有人难过，但这个难过实际上是一种对大脑的高挑战难过，他们会慢慢适应，而这样不断拓展舒适圈的努力，就是成长。想进入世界一流大学的孩子们都必须要经历这样考验。在孩子们打开心胸视野，依靠内驱力“无须扬鞭自奋蹄”的时候，我们的使命就是托举他们，成就他们。只要有能力也有愿望，我们就鼓励他、呵护他，往前冲。

中外教搭配

老师与学生共学习同成长

南方+：优秀的孩子无论是在择校还是升学，选择的机会都会比更多，家长对教师的要求也会更高，两个学院的老师如何让这些他们信服？

高旭：皇家一英里学院由董事局专门划拨资金，聘请名师团队、管理团队，升级课程架构、优化管理模式。我们招聘的老师也非常符合学校教育理念、价值观要求。

目前，我们老师从教育背景来看，是“中外结合”，从人员构成来看，也是“中外结合”，但这两个“中外结合”有各自意有所指：首先，我们的理科类的课程，基本上是中国的双语老师来教学，而人文社科类的，则是由外教承担，这是第一个“中外结合“、各展所长；

第二个中外结合，指的是我们双语老师本身的学习和工作背景，他们其中有一类是本身是国际教育受益者，走完了整个国际教育的闭环，从国内的国际高中，到英国读本硕，再回国有成熟的教学经验，这些老师本身就是一个成功的典范。

另一类老师则是在国内参加高考，重点大学毕业、专业能力强。有英语能力、有海归经验、懂中西方两套课程体系的双语老师来教授我们的数学、物理、化学等理科类课程，结合中国学生的学习习惯和学习背景，把知识点讲透，难点搞懂，搭建牢固的学科知识架构，这是符合教情、学情的高效安排。

石国鹏：我们计划中的青藤书院未来将会是一个十分丰富的社区，我们不仅会把全球的好资源用线上教育的方式引进，也会将书院的课程以线上学院的方式传播到全世界。

这里的学生不只是在学校听曼校的老师讲课，他可能同时会在线上与五大洲的学生一起讨论同一个话题，他们的教授可能在法国，也可能在美国或者世界上的任何一个地方。为此，我们特别打造了全功能线上语音教室，依托最先进的互联网技术和人工智能技术，孩子们可以在这里面去接触到更广阔的世界。

比如，我们认为所有的孩子必须学会数码学习技能，要具备基础的学术研究能力，要夯实对东方文明价值的理解，因此我们开设了数码学习、研究方法论以及中西文化基础课等特色课程。这些课程实行线上线下教学相结合，同步异步学习相结合，知识学习与思维拓展相结合。任课教师则是来自美国、德国、英国、法国、加拿大等世界一流大学的硕士、博士。

南方+：两所学院实际上也属于深圳曼校的一部分，课程体系、资源共享、活动安排上会有区分吗？

高旭：皇家一英里学院采用的是IGCSE & A-level课程，同深圳曼校本部是一致的，但学院也会借鉴AP和IB的内容和教学理念，打造“大学科”的概念，在学科知识的深度和广度上，为于学有余力的孩子，进行超前安排。

在教学、学生活动上，我认为是有机结合，管理方面可以说因材施管。

首先皇家一英里学院学生他的第一身份是深圳曼校学生，学校所有的规章制度都要遵守，另一方面我们每个学生进校后会被分到四大部落（备注：英国私校，在一般称为“学院”，但曼校源于爱丁堡，我们的“学院”按照苏格兰的称呼“部落”），部落则是他们第二个身份。部落每年有大量的活动，每一周都会有不同类型，有积分有竞赛，皇家一英里学院学生都会参与。

部落活动 · 拔河

在此之外，每天6:15-8:15两个小时的晚自习皇家一英里学院学生是必须要参加的，并且是在教室里。英国的学校是没有到教室晚自习的概念，非学院的学生也可以在寝室自习，因此在深圳曼校两套系统并行，既有融合，也有精细化的标准。

皇家一英里学院创立之初的目标是“保G5，冲牛剑”，现在目标已经实现了一半，接下来就是冲刺牛剑。在不久前，2025年申请季中，深圳曼校拿下牛津大学、剑桥大学5个面试邀请，其中4名同学来自皇家一英里学院。如果把深圳曼校比喻成一个皇冠，那么皇家一英里学院应该是皇冠上最闪亮的钻石。对于未来发展，我们有信心。

石国鹏：多数情况下我们与皇家一英里学院授课是相对独立的，但有些课程也会开展交流。

比如在AP课程体系中，我们会鼓励学生去学A-Level数学，因为数学对于孩子未来的成长很重要，而AP的数学只有微积分与统计两个分支，A-Level的覆盖面更广泛。

同时，我提出了双母语概念，让孩子在高中要以准母语的标准用英语去学习学科知识，并进行高水准的思考和辩论，而不是一味地学语言。

在青藤书院，我们没有给学习设定任何的时间界限，因为我希望每一个青藤书院的孩子都成为终身学习者。这其中，最根本的一个学习方法就是大阅读。我们会提供中文阅读、英文阅读、社会科学阅读和自然科学阅读等课程，基本都是必修课。我们希望每一个孩子能够在高中毕业时阅读量至少达到5000万字。

虽然我们叫青藤书院，但学生最终去向也并不是非常春藤名校不可，青藤书院的目标是帮学生精准匹配他们自己的需求。

目前，青藤书院就读的孩子基本达到或超越了我对青藤书院学术的预期，未来，在“一校两院”“双培双升”的全新教学和升学新模式，深圳曼校将继续朝着建设成为学术卓越，最有温暖的高品质寄宿制国际学校的办学方向稳步前进，让更多学生站在不同国家的大学舞台上绽放光彩。