Winter 2016 / 17
Dulwich College Beijing Celebrates...
DCB Students on Film Inspirational Guest Speakers Spotlight on Modern European Languages Amazing Events by the Chinese Department The College Magazine (Beijing)
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www.dulwich-beijing.cn
C O N T E N T S News & Events ..........................................4 From the Headmaster’s Desk ....................8 Special Feature ........................................10 From the Chinese Department ................11 Sports .....................................................13
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Charity ....................................................17 Arts .........................................................18 Spotlight .................................................21 Behind the Scenes ..................................22 Student Artwork .....................................23 UC Office ................................................26 Friends ....................................................27
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Connections ............................................28 Snapshot ................................................30
Front Cover: Elisabeth H and Robert Y, SS Production - Teechers Contributors: Simon Herbert, Valiha Lucron, Stephen Hurworth, Eddie Lydall, Paul West, Tom Flanagan, John Astbury, Klaudia Tomaszun, Jenni Elliott, Arvind Bangay, Julie Pankratz, Mark Pankratz, Joseph Stewart, Sarah Guo, Friends of Dulwich, and our fantastic Dulwich students Editors: Yvette Ferrari, Kasia Baran, Joe McKee Designer: Greta Wang The College Magazine (Beijing)
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News & Events Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards The Cambridge International Examination Awards were hosted in the Wodehouse Theatre on 30 November and saw Year 12 student Jenny H pick up the ‘Best in the World’ award for her result in IGCSE Foreign Language Mandarin! Former DCB student Brooklyn H was also recognised for his ‘Best in China’ award for his IGCSE in music, which Head of Senior School, Mr Hawkins, accepted on his behalf. As the hosts of this event, DCB welcomed some of the best and brightest international school students from Qingdao, Tianjin, and Beijing. The Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) board held the event to honour the top achievers from the May 2016 exams. DCB is extremely proud of these two students and their teachers for this impressive feat!
Takes the Stage The sounds of stomps, claps, and slaps filled the Wodehouse Theatre on 24 August as Senior School students were treated to a spectacular, interactive performance by four members of theatrical percussion group STOMP, in town for the last leg of the group’s global tour. The performance saw the artists using not only their own bodies as instruments but also showcasing an innovative way of creating music! The results were absolutely mesmerising – our highly spirited students even got in on the fun, following the group as they mimicked the sounds coming from the stage. Students had the chance to ask questions before three were chosen to join the group for their own collaborative performance. The event was a true testament to both the fun and welcoming spirit of DCB as well as a reminder of music as a universal communication tool.
DCB Continues Accreditation Cycle Representatives from the premier organisations in international education, the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accompanied by a representative from the Chinese government’s National Centre for Curriculum Study and Textbook Development (NCCT), visited DCB between 25-27 May and met with teachers, staff, parents, and students. The visitors conducted a three-day investigation of the progress DCB has made since the College’s first accreditation in 2011 with the outcome being successful continuation within the accreditation cycle! Headmaster Simon Herbert, commented, “We are delighted by the confirmation from CIS and its partner agencies that we are providing a first class education
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within a happy, caring and fulfilling environment, superbly supported by our parents and wider community. Dulwich College Beijing is a wonderful place to study and work and goes from strength to strength – well done to all.” The Council of International Schools is an international, non-profit membership community committed to high quality international education. Core services include school support and evaluation, educator recruitment, and higher education. Its aim is to “work collaboratively to shape international education through professional services to schools, higher education institutions, and individuals”. The CIS community is comprised of 711 schools and 512 colleges and universities representing 112 countries. www.dulwich-beijing.cn
News & Events Shackleton Lecture: British Aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor at DCB
Olympian Susie Rodgers Inspires Greatness The College warmly welcomed Olympic gold medal winner Susie Rodgers to our Key Stage 3 assembly on 30 November. Though missing two limbs from birth, Ms Rodgers achieved gold in the Rio Paralympics as a swimmer of the butterfly stroke. The students were enthralled by the video footage, by Ms Rodgers’ anecdotes and life story, and asked mature and insightful questions. Ms Rodgers epitomizes all that is best in sport and we at Dulwich feel very fortunate to have met such an inspirational guest.
On 17 October, DCB was delighted to host British pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor, as part of the College’s annual Shackleton Lecture Series. Junior and Senior School students thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Tracey’s decision to fly solo from UK to Australia in a vintage aircraft, in honour of Amy Johnson’s flight from Britain to Australia, and how her journeys have helped her build resilience along with a sense of adventure. DCB is most grateful to Ms Curtis-Taylor for spending time with us!
New Appointments This term, DCB had the privilege of welcoming David Mumford to the DCB family as our new Head of Early Years. Mr Mumford comes to the College after teaching for nearly 30 years, 21 of those being in the international sector. Joining DCB from Malaysia, where Mr Mumford was Head of Early Years in a rapidly expanding international school in Kuala Lumpur, he was previously head of a state school in the UK though he spent most of his teaching career working at a British international school in the Netherlands. He is also a qualified BSO inspector. David graduated from Leicester University with BA degree in politics and economics and then gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education several years later. He then completed his NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headteachers) in 2005. DCB also congratulates Richard Hawkins who rose to the position of Head of Senior School this term. Mr Hawkins completed a BSc in Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, then worked in the chemicals manufacturing industry and in retail before embarking on an international teaching career. Mr Hawkins completed his PGCE in Science and Mathematics Education through the University of South Africa while teaching in the UAE and Bangladesh. He has taught ICT, mathematics, science and computer science to students from Year 5 to 13. At the International School of Dhaka Bangladesh, he became the Head of Technology and then the whole school Academic Coordinator. At DCB, Richard has been on the Senior School Leadership Team for the last five years, initially as an Assistant Head and then as the Deputy Head of Senior School (Academic).
The College Magazine (Beijing)
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News & Events DCB Takes Home Expat Life Award, Shortlisted for a British International Award More than 4,500 expats voted and Dulwich College Beijing emerged as winners in the ‘Best International School’ category at this year’s Expat Life Awards! Headmaster Simon Herbert and his wife Helen were in attendance 10 September at Capital Mansion in Liangmaqiao to accept the award. The Expat Life Awards (ELAs) have been awarded annually since 2014 to the best providers of services and solutions for foreigners living in Beijing. The 2016 ELAs saw ten nominees in the International Schools Category, and 25 categories in total, with the winners decided by an online voting mechanism. It is also with great pride that the College announces that our blended maths programme has been shortlisted in the ‘Teaching Initiative of the Year’ category of the British International School Awards. The awards ceremony takes place in London on 23 January. It is a considerable honour to be nominated for this prestigious award and DCB gives many thanks to its outstanding maths team as well as all the parents and students who offered their support with this innovative programme. Stay tuned to our newsletter to find out the final result!
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Chess Master Ye Jiang Chuan Gives Year 6 Talk On 10 October, Year 6 was treated to a speech by Chinese Chess Grandmaster, Ye Jiang Chuan. The seven times national chess champion gave an inspirational speech explaining how he started playing chess in his late teens and how the skills that one needs to play chess can help in other areas of life, especially studying. Eight lucky students were then allowed to try their luck against the grandmaster but, although Ye Jiang Chuan was simultaneously playing eight different games, he nevertheless managed to beat the brave boys and girls. A lengthy game between Mr Herbert and the famous chess player ensued, but even Mr Herbert was no match for the skills and strategies of the master player.
On Friday 25 November, DCB hosted the College’s very first Tree Lighting Ceremony, and our Senior School musicians were out in full force! Highlights included the Dulwich Singers, (60 singers making a very grand sound), as well as the exceptional Chamber Choir with their rendition of Doo Wop Christmas and some traditional carols. The Sax Quartet was probably the best group to make themselves heard over the considerable and very merry crowd. And to top it all, Ben K (Year 9) made his conducting debut, conducting Christmas favourites with the DCB Chamber Orchestra.
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News & Events Students and Teachers Seek Balance IB students work extremely hard at everything they do and it is essential that they take time out to exercise and take their minds off the pressures of the IB Diploma. With this idea in mind, Term One saw the launch of DCB’s new combined Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and PE programme for Years 12 and 13 with the main aim being to emphasise the importance of physical exercise and highlight the benefits of taking a break. On Tuesdays, IB students are encouraged to participate in at least an hour of physical activity, with a full two hours available if they so choose. Some
students elect to travel to the Boys and Girls Community Gym at Shine City where they participate in boxing, kendo, and CrossFit training. Options on site at DCB include yoga, salsa, volleyball, football, and ultimate frisbee. Students who choose to exercise for just one hour are able to spend the rest of the time working on their other CAS projects in the Creativity and Service areas. Thanks to all the teachers involved and particularly to Ms Lees, DCB’s CAS coordinator, who organised the launch with so much enthusiasm.
Students weren’t the only ones focused on their health this term – teachers and administrative staff seeking balance, exercise, teamwork, and fun signed up in huge numbers to join the ‘Global Corporate Challenge’. Teams of seven competed in friendly rivalry with others from DCB and around the world in this positive, and even habit changing, initiative. It included guidance on exercise, nutrition, balance, and mindfulness. DCB led the way as the very first school in China to be involved.
The Red Arrows Visit DCB Senior School students in Years 7 to 10 were treated to an inspirational and entertaining visit from the incomparable Red Arrows flying team on 25 October. Representing the speed, agility, and precision of the RAF (the UK’s Royal Air Force), the team is the public face of the service. As a part of its Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern Tour, the flying team stopped in at Dulwich College Beijing on its first ever visit to China for the only school visit in the whole country. This year marks the 52nd for the team and China becomes the 55th country visited. The keynote speaker, Squadron Leader David Montenegro, Red 1, was educated at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich – one of the three schools in the Dulwich Foundation, back in London. He presented the students with the compelling story of his journey to becoming a Red Arrow flying ace, which wove together so many of our very own Dulwich Values. He explained the importance of trust between his team members, the confidence needed to become a fighter pilot, the collaboration needed to choreograph and execute a high-speed aerobatic performance, as well as the enthusiasm and kindness the flying team must all have in their public relations roles. He also encouraged students to consider careers in science and engineering and to become part of the next generation of technological innovators. It was a thrill to host such incredible guests. The Red Arrows’ tour is part of the UK government’s GREAT campaign to showcase the best of British innovation and industry. The College Magazine (Beijing)
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From the Headmaster’s Desk garland with all the other Year 3 parents to welcome our children back from a football trip from Suzhou. I still don’t know why we were dressed as hula dancers. There are not many jobs where you get to introduce the Red Arrows to a school, to play chess against a Chinese Grandmaster in front of 50 people (I lost), to meet the Chinese volleyball gold medallist Feng Kun, ice skating legend Chen Lu, and paralympian Susie Rodgers. I have also been privileged to be asked to judge debates, singing competitions and House drama events, as of course headmasters are ‘House neutral’. Meetings with the Board of Management, Board of Trustees, Friends’ Committee, British Ambassador, Head of the British Council, US and UK university admissions officers, international investors, leaders from the Chinese Educational Commission, Chinese university professors and a range of successful people in their fields have followed this term. I have had the opportunity to represent the College on so many fronts and it has been an honour.
It is with pleasure that I write my first ‘From the Headmaster’s Desk’ article. I have been asked many times, by staff, students, and parents, what it is like to be Headmaster of Dulwich College Beijing, so I shall provide a couple of insights from my hectic first few months. They say that variety is the spice of life. If so, this role is very spicy indeed. On a daily basis, it is possible to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, and back again. Just last week I was asked to climb a rope in the Riviera gym during a Reception PE lesson, whilst still wearing my suit and formal shoes, then to read a story about a rhino to the Year 1s and later to have formal discussions on staff recruitment back at Legend Garden. I then chatted to the CEO of the Dulwich International Group in my office, when we were interrupted by a group of grinning Early Years children banging on the window to say hello. We both enjoyed the moment of levity and this, I think, is a key part of the role – making the most of the lighter moments when they come. I remember coming to this revelation when dressed in a Hawaiian
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Of course, like any job, it is not all plain sailing as the peaks and troughs are perhaps higher and lower than any role I have previously held however, one must take the rough with the smooth. My wife, Helen, and family provide the biggest support to me and bring a sense of reality, normality, and balance. Given that my services are no longer required in the language classroom, I try to find other ways to engage with our students. Here is another huge privilege of the role: I can link in with Early Years, Junior School, and Senior School students and teachers through meetings, assemblies, lesson observations, presentations, interviews and Headmaster’s Commendations. I even helped at this year’s Careers Day for the Junior School (‘Big Me’ Day). www.dulwich-beijing.cn
From the Headmaster’s Desk
There were pilots, actresses, entrepreneurs, dancers, scientists, and engineers. There was not a huge queue for those wanting to become a Headmaster, unsurprisingly. I asked the children if they knew what I did and they said, ‘Yes, you are Oliver’s daddy’. Fair enough. In any one day, I am able to see how teachers of Toddlers to Year 13s provide challenging, fun, and engaging lessons. The academic side of my job is to align the three schools within the College, ask the right questions, ensure that we meet the highest standards and that students are able to take risks within a safe and secure environment. I am lucky to have three excellent Heads in David Mumford, Ruth Grant, and Richard Hawkins, all running their schools with care and attention and a clear ethos which places students at the heart of decision making. The Dulwich College International motto of ‘Students Come First’ is clearly apparent at DCB and will remain the case. The business side to the role allows me work closely with our Director of Business Administration and again I have been lucky – most of this term I have worked with Ross Allan and now Shaun Barton. I also enjoy connecting with Admissions, Marketing and Communications and making the most of my former life in advertising. I now have closer links with, and understanding of, our Facilities, Operations, HR, DCP, and Finance Departments and the wonderful colleagues who work within each. And then there are the links with my colleagues in other Dulwich International Schools. It has been a pleasure to work with our sister schools, to consider group-wide intiatives and events and to be part of the overall steering group. The College Magazine (Beijing)
Finally, or almost, I would like mention the other person in the Headmaster’s office. All our staff, both academic and administrative, know that I am privileged to work with Nina Zhou. She is a trusted, tactful, and delightful person and I am grateful to Nina for her good humour and calm approach to all she does. To sum up, I think there is something really rather special about DCB. It may be the warmth of the personalities and the dynamism, which we can see each week from the sheer number of events in our newsletters. Or it may be something else – an amazing sense of community, collegial spirit, and welcome, which quite simply makes me proud to come into work every day.
Simon J Herbert Headmaster
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Special Feature
DCB Students on film
On 27 September, the College hosted a heart-rending evening of film. The Remnant, directed by bilingual Chinese-Canadian writer and composer Karmia Chan Olutade, was an incredible hit at the 2016 Portland Film Festival as an official selection out of more than 3,800 submissions and took home the most prestigious award at the festival – the Director’s Choice Award! With nearly all cast members between the ages of 8-18, the film features five students from DCB. Ms Olutade, a Beijing graduate, studied at Stanford University with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. She talked about having grown up in Beijing’s expatriate community as a privilege that gave her a strong sense of wanting to do something to give back. After Stanford, she came back to China to teach at Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA), where she once was a student. Inspired by her ninth grade students, she began developing this movie for young adults to exercise their energy and talents in a positive way. The movie was shot at an unbelievable speed, within 16 days after only five months of training and rehearsal. It follows a storyline about a group of orphans who work, cleaning out garbage out of waste water for reuse, in a land that hasn’t seen rain in seven years. The orphans resort to seeking freedom, as
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well as long-lost parental love. But, as Ms Olutade pointed out, the deeper meaning is to awaken people’s awareness of how much is actually understood about the far reaching consequences of mankind losing its dignified environment, water, and home. Ms Olutade complimented the student cast on their perseverance. They had to work at night and sleep in the daytime as well as dance under the hot desert sun. “Often we hear that people say teenagers are rebellious, and so on. But during our film shooting, they demonstrated a completely different picture. They were so hard working through repeated rehearsals while keeping a clear goal in mind, knowing why they do this (to change the world). Their parents saw positive changes from them.” Year 12 student Kayla C starred as the protagonist. She reflected on the shooting process with great pleasure, “People often say the phrase ‘mother earth’ but that didn’t really make much sense to me before I took part in the film. We went through some extreme experiences during shooting, such as fasting in order to experience the feeling of hunger and thirst. But we all enjoyed the process so much as first-time actors and actresses. The experience of working through a film
production from beginning to end was so meaningful. It gave me the interest to explore further in areas such as cinematography when I go to college.” Born in Canada and having moved to Beijing at the age of 2, Kayla said the movie also helped her to find her Chinese roots and know who she is in the world not only for now, but also for the future. Claire D, Year 11, also played a major role in the film, where she sings three solos. She commented on the shooting experience as “amazing” and said it improved her confidence. As the movie is centered on orphans, Claire credited the film for changing her perspective on family, allowing her to be “more appreciative of my family”.
Learn more about the film at http://www.theremnantmovie.com Author: Katherine Zhao This blog first appeared on the beijingkids website on 10 October 2016 www.dulwich-beijing.cn
From the Chinese Department
The First Annual International Schools’ Chinese Debating Competition Over 400 people packed the Wodehouse Theatre on 19 November to witness the very first International Schools’ Chinese Debating Competition, involving 120 candidates from 12 different schools, forming 30 debating teams, along with their teachers, parents, guests, and peers! This superb event was initiated by Ms Grace Gong, DCB’s Head of Senior School Chinese. It was carefully planned and executed with help, in particular, from Ms Jane Li, all members of our Senior
The College Magazine (Beijing)
School Chinese Department and colleagues from BIBA (Beijing International Bilingual Academy). Guests came from schools including Tsinghua International School, Dulwich College Suzhou, Dulwich College Shanghai, Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School and seven schools from Beijing. As debating is not merely a matter of one’s linguistic abilities but, more importantly, an elaborate test of the
debater’s range of knowledge, logical reasoning, and rhetorical skills, the heated exchanges made for a day of zeal and exuberance. The reactions from competitors, parents, and visitors were overwhelmingly positive and this is likely to become an annual event, even if not hosted in DCB each year. We are very proud of our Chinese Department for their dynamism and determination in their vision of this event!
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From the Chinese Department
Innovative Professional Learning – Using drama to teach Chinese
On 15 October, Dulwich College Beijing invited Ms Shelly Zhou, a famous actress and Professor at Peking University Opera Research Institute, to lead workshops at the College on the application of drama skills to Chinese language learning. Fifty nine teachers from 14 different international schools across the region attended the six-hour training session. Mr Herbert gave the opening speech and emphasised the importance of connection between drama and language learning. Annabel Parker, the Director of Mandarin for Dulwich College International, also attended the event. The training, led by Shelly Zhou, was interesting and inspiring. She engaged teachers in teamwork activities and set performances challenges. To finish the training session, each group put on costumes and used props to perform a scene from Thunderstorm – the result was incredible!
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During the training, groups of teachers worked on the dramatic piece Fen Ma (Horses division). This saw teachers exploring how to use drama skills in the study of expository texts. This particular exercise really brought the correlation between teaching and drama to life. This professional learning opportunity presented breakthroughs in methods of teaching Chinese and also acted as a preparation for Dulwich College Beijing’s Chinese drama performance in March. The session enabled Chinese teachers to explore the use of drama as a way to express thoughts, concepts and feelings. Most importantly, they were able to recognise that employing particular dramatic techniques could help to engage students in their learning, and enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the Chinese language.
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Sports
Havin’ A Ball Term One has seen our students compete in the regular ISAC and ACAMIS schedules while welcoming some new additions to the sports programme. The additional time and effort that has gone into the football programme at DCB this year is really beginning to pay dividends with some outstanding performances on the pitch, in Beijing and Phuket, as well as significant increases in training time and the number of students involved. The Senior volleyball season saw both boys’ teams winning the ISAC tournaments in Beijing in the lead up to the ACAMIS championships. At the championships, the Varsity Volleyball teams endured the frustrations of being house-bound during a typhoon warning in Guangzhou. The boys came out second to an excellent QSIS team. Our two girls pairs and one boys pair took ACAMIS tennis by storm, breezing though the preliminary stages. After tougher matches in the knock-out stages, last year’s winners DCB 1 (Skia and Olivia) faltered in the semis, whereas DCB 2 (Mika and Annika) continued their impressive form to complete a well deserved win. The boys team came up against a strong ISB pairing in their final. They battled hard, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to secure the title. Senior basketball has been ticking along in the background. Pre-season saw an amazing six teams accessing training on a regular basis as they begin their journeys towards next year’s The College Magazine (Beijing)
ISAC and ACAMIS championships. This is the largest number of teams the College has ever entered into ISAC and reflects the dedication put in by the basketball coaching team and the students. Junior School sports has seen some significant developments this term with the increase of sport and PE in the curriculum and also in the number of after school opportunities on offer that align with the College’s core sports. The Friday Junior Football Club has been a real success with over 100 students regularly taking part, enjoying playing football and learning some new skills at the end of the week. I look forward to writing to you again at the end of Term Two. Until then, for more regular information and updates relating to sport at the College, please remember to log on via the SOCS Sport site, a dedicated web-based platform that I hope will develop quickly into the focal point for sports communication between parents, students, and staff. Please access SOCS Sport through the school website: learning, sports, fixtures, and results. http://www.schoolssports.com/school/?id=28565&Custom=On
Eddie Lydall Director of Sport
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Sports
Junior School Football There has been a huge excitement and buzz about Junior School football this year, and with over 150 students now taking part there is every reason to feel optimistic about the future of DCB football. For the first time in DCB history the Under 9 students went on an overnight sports trip. In October, 25 Year 3 and 4 students travelled to Dulwich College Suzhou to battle it out against international schools from Suzhou and Shanghai. The students did the whole school proud and came back to Beijing with two enormous gold trophies! A special mention should also go to the girls team who valiantly performed out of their skins throughout the tournament. DCB has also had some outstanding local success at the BSB annual invitational and the U11 ISAC tournament, which DCB hosted. The U11 boys stole the show, winning every game in style and breezing to ISAC Gold! The following Junior School football teams managed to pick up silverware at the respective tournaments so far this academic year:
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DCSZ Football trip U9 Boys A – Plate Cup Winners U9 Boys B – Plate Cup Winners BSB Football Tournaments U8 Boys – Winners U8 Girls – Winners U9 Girls – Winners U11 Boys – Second U11 Girls – Second U11 ISAC Tournament U11 Girls – Division 1 – Third U11 Boys – Division 1 – Winners U11 Boys – Division 5 – Second U11 Boys – Division 5 – Third www.dulwich-beijing.cn
Sports
Senior School Football Term One is always very busy for Key Stage 3 football. It was also very successful with three teams coming out on top and winning ISAC gold! A huge well done to the U13 & U14 girls and the U14 boys on their ISAC gold success. Also in the medals were U13 boys winning bronze and the U13 boys winning the sportsmanship award.
The following Senior School football teams picked up silverware at their respective tournaments so far this academic year: ISAC
Sixty one Senior School footballers competed in Asia’s premier International School football tournament. Over 32 top international schools from across Asia entered the tournament this year, with over 1,600 students competing throughout the two days. Out of six Senior School teams, five finished in the top five! This is by far the best set of results our footballers have seen in overseas tournaments. A huge congratulations should go to Miss Sadler and her varsity girls team on winning the tournament! A special mention should go to varsity girls captain Rebecca S who picked up the Most Valued Player award. Well done girls, a marvellous achievement! Also picking up trophies were Mr Durbin’s and Ms Engels’ U15 teams. The U15 boys managed to pick up second place and the girls won the plate competition. It was an all-round wonderful trip. The students and coaches should be immensely proud of what they have done and will no doubt remember this for a long time.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Under 12 Boys – Third Under 13 Boys – Sportsmanship Under 13 Girls – Winners Under 14 Boys – Winners Under 14 Girls – Winners Phuket Under 15 Boys – Second Under 15 Girls – Plate Cup Winners O15 Boys – Fourth Place O15 Girls – Winners
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Sports
Basketball On the weekend of 12 and 13 November, the Dulwich varsity girls participated in the Beijing International Youth Basketball Tournament at WAB. This was our first opportunity to play competitively together as a team. Our first game was against the WAB varsity girls, a team we have only beaten once in the past three years. This produced only our utmost concentration and determination to give them everything we had… and it paid off as we came out on top with a comfortable 37 – 28 win. Our next game was against the WAB junior varsity girls, but in no way did we underestimate them. We started strongly but, as the game progressed, it was clear that we were the better team. We grabbed the opportunity for
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Massive Win for Varsity Girls our new players to take the lead and perfect our offensive play, leading to an impressive 37 – 9 win. This put us in a comfortable position for Sunday’s games as it ensured a spot in the final. We started Sunday with our toughest opponents yet, the ISB varsity girls – a well-structured and patient team who gave us a great game. Their defence was difficult to penetrate, and so was ours. In the end, it came down to their three extremely adept three-point shooters who just brought them in front with a 32 – 31 win. However, we took this as indicating a learning curve, as we were facing them soon again in the final.
The final started at 5.30 and this time we had quite an audience. After a thorough warm up, an inspiring pep talk, and change in kit colour, we couldn’t have felt more ready to win the championship title. The game was neck and neck throughout but, in the end, Dulwich seemed to thrive in the dynamic environment of the gym, with parents, teachers, friends and the other spectating teams cheering on avidly. We were in the lead 40 – 37 when the final buzzer sounded. It was a fantastic weekend, where everyone played to their absolute full potential. Rebecca S Year 13
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Charity The 2016 – 2017 academic year is off to a charitable start with various initiatives by each school to help raise funds for those in need.
Early Years 29 September, Roald Dahl Day, Cambodia Project, RMB 1,740 28 and 31 October, Spider & Pumpkin Dress-up Day, Year 12 Cambodia House-Building trip, RMB 2,402 8, November, Pink Day class activities, Pink Day Fun Run, Sale of pink pins, Auction of paintings at RMC, ‘Wheels For Life’ a local charity which offers free mobile breast cancer screening in Beijing, RMB 7,802
Junior School
Senior School
6 September, Back to School Bake Sale, Educating Girls of Rural China, RMB 6,626 22 September, Just a Minute sponsored activities, Cambodia House-Building Project, RMB 12,158 14 October, Big Me Day, Love and Hope Foundation, RMB 1,866 28 October, Halloween Disco, Morning Star Foundation, RMB 8,925 11 November, Year 5 Aztec Cafe, Love and Hope Foundation, RMB 5,600
Tabitha Cambodia House-Building Project: 27 September, Sports Day, RMB 3,400 30 September, Bake Sale, Cambodia House-Building Project, RMB 1,800 30 September, Orange and Brown Free Dress Day, Cambodia House-Building Project, RMB 7,964 October – Breast Cancer Awareness: All proceeds donated to Wheels for Life October: Bubble Tea Sale, Halloween Basket Sale, Ribbon Pins Sale, Free Dress, RMB 11,100
Cambodia House-Building Trip In November, we welcomed students back from the annual Cambodian House-Building trip organised by DCB’s Interact Club. The venture began with the Tabitha Foundation, an organisation dedicated to bringing grace to the Cambodian people after the devastating events of their recent history. Everyone in the Dulwich community – from the Riviera Early Years campus to the students at Legend Garden – helped fund the housebuilding, with the Interact Club organising school events to raise money for the materials needed for the houses as well as blankets for each family. The combined efforts of the community paid off in a successful trip, balancing service activities with visits to historical landmarks such as the Angkor Wat Temple. The trip, a truly humbling experience, not only provided 12 families with homes, but also 34 students with an opportunity to learn about Cambodian history and culture. Annette Y and Ming C Year 12 members of the Interact Executive Team The College Magazine (Beijing)
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Arts
Junior School Soloists’ Concerts
House Battle of the Bands
Term One saw two concerts giving our Junior School musicians the opportunity to showcase their talents, performing solo pieces to family and friends. The Year 5 and 6 concert on 14 October in the Alleyn Theatre saw over 30 performers taking part. There were too many performers to mention all of their pieces, but standouts included Eric L’s performance on the saxophone of More Than I Can Say, Yubo G’s exuberant stagecraft playing La Cinquitaine on the cello, and Max W’s exceptional Mozart, playing the first movement of the Bb Sonata K570.
After a tremendous amount of preparation, students participating in the House Battle of the Bands competition were finally able to show off their hard work on 2 November. The performances by each of the five Houses outlined the level of immense dedication, collaboration, and perseverance our students, as well as great leadership from the House music leaders. Songs were carefully chosen and choreographed to be entertaining while costumes were well matched to the song choice. Soong House brought some rocking ideas to Take Me to Church, and Alleyn proved how well they had prepared with Tears. Johnson’s performance of Rude was as notable for its choreography as it was for its fine musical elements, and Wodehouse’s performance of Black Parade was hugely entertaining – although didn’t quite do enough to give them a fourth title in a row! Instead, the accolades this year went to Owens House – who proved that song choice is king in this competition. Their performance of We Don’t Talk Anymore was perfectly matched to the strengths of the musicians in the House, and was brilliantly delivered by all on stage.
A few weeks later it was the turn of the Year 3 and 4 musicians. This concert was an intimate affair on the stage of the Wodehouse Theatre; the audience was close to the action and this made for a very supportive atmosphere. Again, more than 30 students signed up to perform, and there was a great variety of music on offer, all played to an extremely high standard by such young musicians. Special mention must be made of Lenke J’s spirited song Naughty, from the musical Matilda, which had the audience in stitches, as well as Ariel G (with a little help from her brother Michael) playing a Clementi Sonatina on the marimba. The concert was wrapped up by a very assured performance at the piano by Christopher N of the Chopin Polonaise in G Minor.
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Arts
IB Music Soiree Our Year 12 and Year 13 music students presented their solo performances to an appreciative audience of friends, family, and staff at the annual IB Music Soiree on 23 November. It was an evening of very varied music, from Erin M’s Bach at the piano to Sarah C’s Saint-Saens Cello Concerto, via Tristen W’s specially arranged Sax and Jazz Band performances, Beethoven on the violin by Alex J and two very expressive Chinese pieces played by Amanda D (piano) and Nini T (flute). Isabella X’s Think of Me from Phantom went down very well with the audience, as did Flemming L’s flawless Rachmaninov and Prokofiev piano pieces. The evening was rounded off by a very quirky little trio played with precision and flair by the three Year 12 IB musicians. The atmosphere in the Wodehouse Theatre, with table seating, canapés, and wine bar, was the perfect setting for such an eclectic mix of performances, although they were uniform in their attention to detail and musical quality. Paul West Director of Performing Arts
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Teechers In no area is risk taking more evident than on the stage as part of a theatrical performance. Exposed and in the limelight, there is little escape from the gaze of the audience. It was therefore a huge pleasure for all in attendance at the Senior School production of Teechers, by John Godber. The students performed with humour and emotion through the dialogue and the physical action. Special mention to Matthew C for keeping his cool, most of the time, as the stressed and downtrodden teacher, Mr Nixon. He fended off the overt attentions of Gail (Alice H) and Hobby (Alexandra P) and dealt with the desperate Salty (Robert Y) and the scary Oggy Moxon (Rivka K) with great skill. Elisabeth H was quite superb as the scene stealing Mrs Parry. All the students involved not only took risks; they also managed to laugh at themselves, which is all the more impressive. Well done to directors Ms Harison-Denby and Mr Randall, and the whole cast!
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Arts Year 9 Students Present their Art Work at the UN
International UN Day falls at the end of October of every year. This year, a group of Year 9s, along with Mr Stewart and Ms Stevens, were given the opportunity to visit the Beijing UN offices and take part in the commemorations. During the celebrations at the offices, we were lucky enough to hear speeches, as well as some cultural performances from around the world. The invitation was established when the students made posters advocating the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which will be permanently displayed in the UN offices. We created these artworks by drawing something to symbolise each of the 17 goals, which were then scanned and overlaid onto colourful backgrounds, before being turned into one final piece, with all the posters on a large, standing canvas. While visiting the UN offices, we intended to gather information mainly on the Sustainable Development Goals, such as the action being made to accomplish
them, the progress the UN had made with them, why they were such big global issues, and what students could change about their everyday lives to help achieve them. Additionally, we were given the chance to tour the offices and be filled in on the different departments and what they do, which we found gave us much more information than we would ever be able to gather had we just been interviewing officers as planned. As an example, China has inaugurated a ‘South to South’ foundation, in which they assist and advise third-world countries on issues China has experienced in the past. Surprisingly, the UN also does a lot of work surrounding panda conservation,
as well as projects in the rural areas of China involving taking an area’s local craft, such as embroidery, and bringing it online as a way to make money for the people of the area and bring them further into the modern world. Informing us so vividly were the UN China Director Nicholas Rosellini, the UN Development Program Director Agi Veres, and the UNICEF China Representative, Rana Flowers. All in all, we felt extremely fortunate, and were fascinated by everything we learned from all the cultivated and knowledgeable people we met. The whole night was a great experience, and we hope we can aid our schoolmates in helping to make the Global Goals a reality. Ria M, Year 9
Following the student’s visit, DCB were later contacted by the United Nations who asked for a digital version of our artwork as they are now planning to use it in digital and printed communication materials. They are even including it in the United Nations’ 2017 calendar! See inner front cover to view the beautiful designs by our Year 9 students.
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Spotlight
Modern European Languages Students share their favourite language projects from this term!
French In our first unit of Year 9 French, we learned how to use le passé composé (perfect tense). To further our knowledge on this topic, we were separated into groups to collaborate, research, and then create a section of an arrondissement (district) of Paris and put it next to the map. After that, we were told to create our own journal in any style we desired. Through this activity, we learned past tense effectively as well as had fun during the process. Eugene, Year 9
In our IB French class, we studied a topic about French education. This led to a class project where we made a video in which we acted as if we had taken the Baccalauréat (the French IB equivalent). In each group there were students who pretended they had failed while some had passed. I really enjoyed this activity because it allowed us to step into the shoes of French students and develop a better understanding of their school system, along with practising our speaking skills! Allie D, Year 12
Dès que j’ai vu mes résultats, c’était u n grand soulagement!! Le Bac, à mon avis, est une perte de temps.
J’échoue d’avoir m on Bac pour la troisième a nnée consécu=ve. Maint enant ça m’est égal car il y a toujours l’année prochaine .
German This project is a poster showing the lay out and plan for a class trip to Berlin. I used several resources to get ideas to complete the poster. The IGCSE Edexcel textbook was a big help with vocabulary and sentence structure. I also used a genuine budget tourism website for Berlin that gives real world examples for the contents and ideas for activities in one of Germany’s most famous cities. Erica, Year 10 The College Magazine (Beijing)
Spanish
For this Spanish project, we needed to make a video presenting our house as if it were a TV programme. We had to present each room and give some information about it. I included what furniture we can find, the colour of the furniture, whether I liked it or not and gave reasons why. Grammatically, we had to focus on things like prepositions, e.g. la cama está al lado de la ventana. (The bed is next to the window.) Adele, Year 8
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Behind the Scenes A lot of activity goes on to ensure that daily school operations run smoothly. Many of the hard-working individuals employed ‘backstage’ tend to go unnoticed in their daily efforts to ensure that teachers can concentrate on teaching and students on learning. The College finds out more about these jobs at Dulwich from two members of support staff. Tell us about your typical work day. I work in the Data Office, which is an extremely busy place. As a team, we help teachers navigate SIMS – our school information management system. We create reports cards three times a year for each student. I’m also responsible for other online study platforms like Accelerated Reader and ManageBac. Additionally, I sometimes assist Senior School teachers with interpreting for teacher and parent meetings, as well as with translation of the Dulwich Newsletter every week.
What do you normally do on weekends? Name: Chelsey Wu Job: Academic Systems Assistant Years at DCB: 2.5
I enjoy reading and watching movies. I like music and occasionally practise playing guitar, but I think I need to work harder on
Tell us about your typical work day.
Name: May Wong Job: Campus Administrator Years at DCB: 11 years +
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My daily work is quite miscellaneous – I support the Early Years team with their daily routines such as school events happening at RMC, receive parents and visitors, communicate with other staff at Legend Garden Campus, and coordinate with contract staff. I am like a bridge between parents and school, between different schools, between campuses and departments, between contract staff, and school. As RMC is separated from the main campus, I need to play different roles: receptionist, campus administrator, cashier, translator, uniform lady, DCP (Dulwich Community Programmes) liaison, etc. I am so glad to work at RMC! We are a fabulous team and everyone is happy! I love to work with the young children at Early Years and to see them learn and grow.
improving my skills. I am from Sichuan and I really love spicy food. I can cook fairly well and love to find new restaurants with spicy and exciting dishes.
In all of your time at DCB, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned? I had learned a lot during my time in Dulwich as this is my first job after graduating from college. The most important thing I’ve leared is that there is always a way to solve problems as long as you communicate with your team and people you trust. As an old Chinese Proverb says:“众人拾柴火焰高” (The fire burns high when everybody adds wood to it).
What do you normally do on weekends? Sometimes I dine out with my family or friends. I have yoga lessons almost every weekend. If the weather is good I will go for a walk in the park, my favourite parks being Olympic Forest Park and Yuan Dynasty Wall Relics Park. Both are quite big and beautiful and offer a different view depending on the season.
In all of your time at DCB, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned? In an international environment, cultural differences do exist. On some points, it is hard to say who is right or who is wrong, because every country has its own culture. People should respect each other’s cultures and strengthen communication to learn more about each other.
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Student Artwork
The College Magazine (Beijing)
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Student Artwork
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Student Artwork
The College Magazine (Beijing)
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UC Office University Representatives Visit DCB There was a terrific turn out for the visit of representatives of The University of Chicago, Cornell, Rice, and Vanderbilt Universities on October 15. Here are some comments from the students: “It was a great opportunity to meet Simon Nascimento from The University of Chicago as it consolidated my opinions about the university. Being one of the best in the world, UChicago is one of the most selective. It is well-known for its competitiveness and rigor but, more importantly, Simon shed light on the university’s unique Core Curriculum and that was what captivated me. He described UChicago as a perfect amalgamation of a research university and a liberal arts college. This core curriculum would help broaden both my perspectives and understanding and it plays a major role in presenting education as an experience, rather than an adoption of a set of skills. For this reason, I believe that UChicago is the perfect university to discover my potential and to be pushed by peers to achieve. Based on his talk, I am definitely going to apply there this year.” Greg Y, Year 13 “It was a privilege to have the opportunity to talk to Ms Julie Chapman from Vanderbilt University. I have always been fascinated by the university, located in the music center of the US in Nashville, Tennessee, and I heard about amazing student satisfaction there. I was very interested in the small class sizes at Vanderbilt as I felt that I could thrive in a smaller classroom environment where I would be encouraged to ask questions. Hoping to study business in university, I looked for universities that would give me opportunities to intern at local businesses and develop work experience. Therefore, I was delighted to find out that the headquarters of many major businesses were located in Nashville. I also learnt about the value of a student’s application as a whole instead of focusing on standardised testing scores. Having the opportunity to make enquiries to the admission officer directly has given me a new outlook on applying to universities and solidified my interest in this university.” Binyam A, Year 13 Stay up to date with announcements from our University and Careers Counselling team by subscribing to DCB’s monthly IB newsletter, IB Times. Contact Head of University and Careers Counselling Julie.Pankratz@dulwich-beijing.cn with questions on how to subscribe.
International Old Alleynians The IB students were treated to a special visit on Tuesday 29 November from Sophie Reid and Natalie Thompson, both members of our first ever DCB graduating class in 2010. Both ladies have since graduated from university and have begun their working lives. They shared good advice with DCB’s IB students, from finding top recipes for
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survival at university and coping with life without mum and dad (or ayi) to staying in touch with your graduating classmates. Sophie and Natalie agreed that the IB Diploma Programme was excellent preparation for university; in fact they felt they often were more prepared than non-IB graduates when it came to dealing with university coursework! www.dulwich-beijing.cn
Friends
Raises Funds for the Ai You Youth Project
DATE:
01.12.2016
PAY TO THE ORDER TO:
Ai You Young Heart Projects
AMOUNT:
417,052.00 RMB
Four Hundred Seventeen Thousand and Fifty Two and 00/000 FOR:
Dulwich Dinner Dance 2016
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Yuan
Saturday 19 November marked one of our biggest events of the year – the long awaited Dulwich Dinner Dance! This superb community event saw the Park Hyatt ballroom transformed into the Minguo period, complete with elegant ladies and gentlemen, refined dancing, a fashion show, a raffle, a kung fu display, and some spectacular red wine! The student Big Band and, later, the staff band provided the musical entertainment. DCB and Friends of Dulwich extend their gratitude to all of the guests in attendance who helped raise money for the Ai You Youth Project, a foundation that provides financial assistance to children affected by congenital heart disease. Friends is delighted to report that over 417,000 RMB was raised for this most worthy cause!
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Connections
Celebrity MasterChef Marco Pierre White It is not often that you are given the opportunity to have a coffee and catch-up with Marco Pierre White, but on Wednesday 24 November this is exactly what happened at Dulwich College in Singapore. The celebrity chef was in Singapore for a MasterChef event and decided to stop and visit Dulwich College Singapore’s students, parents, and staff. Mr Pierre White held a Q&A at the Clock Tower Café and was interviewed for The Dulwich Times. He ended his afternoon visit by holding a cooking demonstration for over 80 of our lucky staff. While he cooked a risotto Milanese with the help of his chosen sous-chef, one of our Year 3 teachers, and answered questions from everyone. For the record: his favourite meal to cook is roast chicken, he grates his onions instead of chopping them, and he thinks it’s more important to think about who your last meal would be with, not what you would eat.
Singapore
Students Perform with Vienna Boys’ Choir almost 500,000 people.
One hundred and sixty six Dulwich College Suzhou students ages 5 to 11, from the Piccolo, Carreras, and Domingo Choirs, performed on stage with the world famous Vienna Boys’ Choir at the Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre. The Vienna Boys’ Choir, comprised of sopranos and altos and based in Vienna, Austria, is one of the best known boys’
choirs in the world. The boys are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countries. There are approximately 100 choristers between the ages of 10 and 14, divided into four touring choirs, named after Austrian composers Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert. Together they perform about 300 concerts each year before a combined audience of
Suzhou
Dulwich College International has developed a close relationship with the Vienna Boys’ Choir, which led to the special invitation to join their rehearsal and perform three numbers with them at their evening concert in Suzhou. A big thank you to Mr Manolo Cagnin, the conductor of the Bruckner Vienna Boys’ Choir, for inviting our students to take part in this once in a lifetime experience.
Primary FOBISIA Maths The Primary Maths Squad recently took part in the FOBISIA Online Mathematics Competition, hosted by the Regents International School Bangkok, looking to explore mathematical understanding beyond numbers, equations, or algorithms. The initial task, set to ignite a spark of creativity among the participants, allowed for a wide scope of interpretation: create a three-minute film on Fibonacci. No other prompt was given and the team subsequently had to interpret the title in the best way they could. Many schools explained the Fibonacci sequence effectively and with relative clarity. However, they focused on the numbers
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and patterns rather than demonstrating deeper understanding and relevance. The Dulwich Seoul team went one step further – they linked their understanding of Fibonacci to the Golden Ratio and the power of Phi. In doing so, they explored Fibonacci as it relates to architecture, music, and the human face. Their explanation was outstanding and ultimately got them first place in this round! The second round saw the team answering 17 out of 20 complex mathematical problems in just two hours and finishing first place for this round as well!
For the final round, the team had to take part in a live online test. This was the only challenge where the children were tested individually. Each team member had to independently solve a range of complex mathematical questions and submit their answers in a set time. While not topping the individual scores, after combining the scores of each team member we again finished in first place. At the next FOBISIA Maths competition, to be held in Malaysia March 16-18, all eyes will be on the team from Dulwich College Seoul!
Seoul
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Connections
Dulwich Talks The first Dulwich Talks event recently took place at Dulwich College Shanghai. Students from Years 10-13 engaged in presentations on topics as varied as resilience in city planning, elite sport, and the One Child Policy. Ann Daniels, from the UK, spoke about her experiences being the only woman to have walked to both the North and South Poles. Her stories were enthralling. Students also participated in seminars and workshops, spanning a wide range of disciplines but all relating to the common theme of resilience. Groups engaged in gathering clues and solving puzzles to break out of a locked room, considered a literary perspective on the short-lived nation of Biafra, discussed the financial crisis with a top Wall Street economist, and looked at similarities and differences in the resilience shown by birds and humans. With 25 seminars for students to choose from, there was certainly something for everyone!
Shanghai
London
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day on 11 November is always a solemn and poignant occasion in the College calendar in London. This year was no exception. On a bright, crisp autumn day the entire College – 1,575 boys and over 300 staff – gathered around the College’s war memorial to remember the 865 Old Alleynians (alumni) and five staff who were killed in the two world wars and subsequent military operations. This is the only time in the year when all members of the College community gather together in one place. The short ceremony is timed precisely so that the chimes of the College clock ring out from its tower at 11 o’clock to mark the start of two minutes silence. It was especially sobering this year to look around at the gathered rows of students and to reflect that, 100 years ago, as the Battle of the Somme raged as part of World War 1 hostilities, many young Alleynians only a little older than our Year 13 students would have been fighting, some losing their lives. More than 50 OAs were killed in that one battle alone. The College Magazine (Beijing)
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Snapshot
Year 6 Production – Disaster Strikes
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27 September, 2016
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Snapshot
Year 5 Production –
D Inspiration Awards 10 November, 2016
The College Magazine (Beijing)
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Snapshot Senior School Production 30 November, 2016
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Snapshot Year 3 Fantastic Finish – A Night At The Museum 25 November, 2016
Early Years – Teddy Bear Gymnastics 13 December, 2016
The College Magazine (Beijing)
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Snapshot A Dulwich Christmas 13 December, 2016
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Snapshot
SUMMER FUN PHOTO COMPETITION 2016 STUDENT
1st Place Flemming Li, Year 13 Boston Downtown, Massachusettes
2nd Place Susha/Xenia Edwards, Year 8 Nantucket Island
3rd Place Kaleo Zhu, Year 8 Seaside, OR, USA
PARENT
1st Place Nick Low the Beach in Guam
2nd Place Heuijong Lee Moliest, France
3rd Place Huo Xin Deschutes River in Central Oregon
STAFF
1st Place Mark Pankratz Venice, Italy The College Magazine (Beijing)
2nd Place Kasia Baran Zoo in Poland
3rd Place Michael Zhang Kyoto, Japan
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