We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Faye Cook to Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong (Senior School) as our new Head of Humanities. With a deep love for geography and a passion for outdoor learning, Ms. Cook brings a dynamic and adventurous spirit to the classroom. Her teaching philosophy encourages students to enjoy their studies while consistently pushing themselves to achieve their best.
Whether she’s leading a lesson on global landscapes or guiding students through a photography ECA, Ms. Cook is committed to helping learners connect with the world around them in meaningful ways.
Read on to discover more about her journey, teaching style, and the exciting initiatives she’s bringing to our school community.
Q&A with Ms. Faye Cook
Tell us about your role at Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong.
I teach Year 9, IGCSE and A-level geography at the secondary school. I am also always keen to take students out of the classroom to enrich and enhance their learning experiences and will be leading lots of trips for students in the coming months!
What inspired you to become a teacher?
My own geography teacher at school was truly outstanding and I can still remember some of our individual lessons and homework tasks even now. He really brought the subject to life for me and made me fall in love with geography—and I wanted to spend my life doing the same.
How would you describe your teaching style?
Hard fun! I want students to enjoy what we’re doing, but to always be pushing themselves.
What’s one thing you hope students take away from your teaching?
Hard work always pays off!
What do you love about Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong?
The small size of the school compared to other international schools I’ve worked at means you can really get to know the students well. I already know nearly the whole of the student body here!
Are you involved in any extracurricular activities, school events, or initiatives?
As a keen geographer, I’m always looking for chances to engage students with the world around them. Every Tuesday I take students out for my Geography Photography ECA and I’m currently planning a trip to Iceland for Easter 2026. We have already had an outside speaker, the adventurer Adrian Hayes, visit the school to talk to the Year 10s and 12s, arranged in association with the Royal Geographical Society, Hong Kong, that I sit on the board of.
What book, movie, or song would you recommend to your students—and why?
I love polar exploration and even though I’m in Scott House (named after the British polar explorer Robert Falcon Scott), my favourite polar explorer was Ernest Shackleton. The book Endurance, by Alfred Lansing, is about Shackleton’s absolutely incredible and heroic, but ultimately doomed, Antarctic voyage in 1914.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of school? What is a fun fact about yourself?
I love being outdoors, so I enjoy hiking and cycling at the weekends and travelling to far-flung destinations during the longer holidays. This year I’ve been to Nepal, Congo and Angola, and next summer I’ll be hiking around Norway before travelling around more of Scandinavia by boat.
What are you looking forward to most this year?
Helping my students achieve their best!
We are excited to see the impact Ms. Cook will have on our Senior School community. Her adventurous approach and commitment to student growth promise to make Humanities a truly enriching and inspiring experience for all.
Stay tuned for more introductions in our Introducing Our New Teachers Series as we continue to welcome exceptional educators to Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong.
