Harrovian 13 November 2020

the

HARROVIAN

The Newsletter of Harrow International School Bangkok

Volume 24 Issue 2

13 November 2020

THIS ISSUE

KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

4-11 12-23

STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE

24-27

LATEST UPDATES

28-47

CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY

48-54

Thank you to everyone from the Harrow Bangkok community who contributed Designer Nitipun Sorat Editor Richard Green Advertising Queries Richard Green richard_gr@harrowschool.ac.th @harrowbangkok

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This magazine is printed on recycled paper

FROM THE HEAD MASTER

Dear Parents I feel sure that you are as delighted as we all are, with how the term is progressing.

Our ‘new normal’ this term continues to prioritise health and safety during the pandemic. We are so fortunate in Thailand that the new normal currently allows our students to enjoy school, to enjoy the breadth of the curriculum and the extracurricular opportunities we provide too. As I write this morning, there is news of a potential vaccine which appears to be effective, offering us the twin hope that this new normal will continue, and further that in time, perhaps next academic year, we may be able to take part in the broader regional events we used to be able to enjoy as well.

This term two of our senior leaders depart Harrow Bangkok. Nick Prockter has led our Lower School exceptionally well for seven years, and we thank him and his wife Alex for their devotion and service to the school. Tim Jefferis also returns to the UK after three years with Harrow Bangkok, having also made many significant contributions, and we thank him and his wife Jo also. We wish both families the very best for the next stage in their careers.

With my best wishes

J P Standen Head Master

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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Computational Thinking and HPL in Pre Prep Computing

Students across Pre Prep have been learning to use computational thinking to solve problems logically.

Computational thinking can be broken down into five parts: Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, Algorithm Design and Debugging. Each of these elements are strongly linked to many of the thinking skills involved in high performance learning.

For example, decomposition involves complex and multi-step problem solving which is part of the analysing strand of the HPL thinking skills.

In the example below, you can see some of our youngest learners in Pre Prep, adeptly demonstrating their ability to apply computational thinking to the problem of teaching the Edison robots to paint a picture of a flower.

Emily Jones Head of LS Computing and Digital Citizenship

KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Growth Mindset in

Early Years

Neuroscience tells us that the first five years of life are when the brain is developing at its most rapid and the habits, attitudes and beliefs we develop from a very young age have a huge impact on our future learning and successes in life.

A ‘growth mindset’ is the belief that, through effort and practice, success can be achieved. Instilling this notion and belief in our very youngest children, in Early Years, is therefore vital in laying the foundations for future achievement. Central to the Early Years curriculum are ‘The Characteristics of Effective Learning’. These attributes such as ‘having a go’ and ‘keeping on trying’ run through all aspects of our curriculum and are supported through the positive relationships our staff develop and the learning environment we provide.

A constant focus in Early Years is the development of children’s independence – this may be something as simple as putting on their own shoes for our very youngest to having a go at writing a sentence in Reception.

Ultimately by promoting a Growth Mindset and attitude, we are supporting our children in the aim to Build a Better Brain!

Ste Foster Assistant Head of Early Years

Why we Sleep and How it Affects Brain Development Sleep is something we all do daily yet we take it for granted. So many of our pupils are not getting enough sleep which can negatively affect our brain’s capacity to function properly. In short, good sleep means your child will retain knowledge and learn better.

Sleep is divided into different stages - non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages 1 - 3 which are the deeper stages of sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) which is our dream sleep when our brain activity is closest to when we are awake. REM sleep is important as it stimulates the areas of your brain essential to support learning and memory retention. More REM sleep occurs towards the end of a full sleep cycle and so, if you are going to bed later but still waking up early, you cut short this critical period to help develop the brain.

Scientific studies have been conducted to prove the positive side effects of good sleep. These include: • • • •

Better memory and ability to learn Improved levels of happiness Better physical and mental health More energy throughout the day

So how do we ensure our children are getting enough

sleep to enable these positive effects? Firstly, we need to understand how much sleep children need.

The table below outlines the recommended sleep duration periods for different ages, as published by the National Sleep Foundation, 2015: Age GroupToddler (1-2 years)

Recommended Number of Hours

Toddler (1-2 years)

11 - 14 hours

Preschool (3-5 years)

10 - 13 hours

School Age (6-13 years)

9 - 11 hours

Teen (14 - 17 years)

8 - 10 hours

Young Adult (18 - 25 years)

7 - 9 hours

When looking at this table, consider the time your child wakes and so the time they need to go to bed in order to achieve the recommended number of hours of sleep. This will ensure they are well-rested, experience more REM sleep which, in turn, will help improve their ability to learn and retain information.

Mark Kaye Lower School Class Teacher

KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Building Better Brains At Harrow International School Bangkok we are consistently striving to be at the forefront of educational developments so that we can implement these into best practice and continue to ensure that our school is at the cutting edge of excellence.

Within Lower School, one way in which we are doing this is through our teacher study groups one of which has been tasked with researching and developing pedagogy in line with the best educational thinking about how the brain can be used to its full potential. This group has looked at memory, sleep, exercise, cognitive load and brain plasticity and developed ways to ensure teachers are utilizing the most effective methods to get the best out of their students.

We know that the brain is incredible and in order to make sure that it is in the best possible state for learning to happen we must ensure that it is healthy and stimulated.

Sleep enables the brain to solidify connections and make lasting memories. Exercise enlivens the brain and makes all areas of it more accepting of information. The brain works best when pupils are happy, when pupils are positive about their own needs and this is why ‘Growth Mindset’ has been so high on our agenda this year. We know that all our students have the capacity to be High Performing Learners and we are ensuring that the students are getting all possible chances to succeed.

Perfect Practice High Performance Learning is made up of the way

in which we think and the way in which we behave.

The behaviours which we show allow us to develop as learners and, as it has always been, these are communicated through our school in the language of iRules. Our iRules, our values are the system by which we remind pupils day in and day out what is expected of a learner, of a Harrovian and someone who can achieve High Performance.

As you will know, we expanded our iRules from 5 to 7 this year encompassing iWonder and iPractise and I wanted to take a moment to talk about practice because this is something which can be misunderstood. Practise is the ability to prepare through repetition – that is the definition. What I want to add to this is that Practise should be perfect. What I mean by that is practice should help you to get better and accustomed to a skill and it should be perfect practice. If you keep practicing at the same level – you will not get better, if you keep practicing in the same way – you will not make the desired improvements and if you do not listen to advice on how to improve your practice – you will not achieved the desired ‘mastery’ in that particular area.

Most importantly, practice takes effort and a considerable growth mindset because above all practice takes time. Ultimately the message is… when practicing, make certain that the practice you do, is perfect.

Mike Godwin Head of Pre Prep

Digital Leaders The Digital Leaders have made a great start to the year, embracing their new roles with enthusiasm and commitment. During their initial sessions they have been responsible for testing out some new equipment we have in school called Makey Makeys. These devices are designed to connect everyday objects to computer keyboards. Using a circuit board, alligator clips, and a USB cable, the Makey Makeys use closedloop electrical signals to send the computer either a keyboard stroke or mouse click signal. The kits are ideal for teaching students about electrical circuits and now that the digital leaders have been trained to use them, they can be made available to provide demonstrations to classes when needed. The digital leaders had great fun discovering how to make a piano using this kit from a range of materials from metal spoons to marshmallows and bananas!

The digital leaders have been asking me if they

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can get to work on a big project soon as they were excited to watch previous leaders building the Mechanoid robot. I am therefore currently negotiating with a local company who sell kits which will allow the students to build and program their own mini computers!

The role of the digital leaders will continue to develop as the year progresses. Their key responsibilities are outlined below: -Testing out, and becoming experts in, new resources - Providing a role model to students in lessons and year groups - Supporting teachers with lessons and equipment - Reviewing, maintaining and contributing to the digital leaders’ website Mike Godwin Head of Pre Prep

KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Student Council

The Pre Prep Student Council has made a flying start to the academic year, with three meetings already under its belt. The early focus has been on helping the children to understand the purpose of School Council – they have learnt about the role they each play in making Harrow Bangkok a better place by harnessing students’ ideas.

Every School Council member has created an elaborate suggestion box for their classroom and, at the time of going to press, over 200 suggestions had been submitted.

Being a School Council member is also an invaluable experience for those who have been elected by their peers. It teaches them vital leadership skills - representing others, being persuasive and public speaking, to name just some. They are also learning about the importance of civic participation and are getting a taste of organisational decision-making.

As the school year progresses, participants will be asked to reflect on how they are using HPL thinking skills in their role as student councillors. In particular, they will think about: Connection finding; Seeing alternative perspectives; fluent thinking; and flexible thinking.

Andrew McCargow Lower School Teacher

Global Leaders

Year 1 and 2 Eco leaders has got off to a fantastic start. We have completed a review of the school and explored what we think we do well and most importantly what are the next steps we need to take to improve. We are currently making a video to inform everyone in our Harrow Bangkok community about how they can help us in our mission to make our school and community a more eco-friendly environment. We are excited to work closely with the Year 3- 5 Eco Leaders to help improve our school specifically on marine life, healthy living and biodiversity. Furthermore, we look forward to displaying our Green Flag Award in school.

Play Leaders The Play Leaders have made a great start to their new roles, embracing their leadership skills with enthusiasm and commitment. Over the course of this term, I have had the pleasure of listening to our future leaders through their fantastic contribution to Physical Education and playtimes. Their confidence and self-esteem have continued to thrive as they continuously try out different things. The Play Leader course itself develops the skills to become a confident leader and helps to make playtimes and lunchtimes a more enjoyable experience for all.

Observing my team in action has given them a genuine sense of responsibility in helping others, as well as improving the equipment and structure of team games at lunchtime. Through continued dialogue, our Playleaders are continually improving and discussing issues which arise, and which are new to them. I have seen them go that extra step when offered responsibility and it bears well for the future.

They are now looking forward to supporting their first House Competition next week in our new roles at the House Pre Prep Dodgeball. Good luck everyone!

Mr Rock Head of Lower School PE Our Year 3-5 Global Leaders have also had a brilliant start. We began by conducting a detailed environmental review of the school and, from this, we identified three areas of focus for this year: marine life, healthy living, and biodiversity. At the end of October, we held a joint meeting with the Year 1 and 2 Global Leaders, and we used our fluent thinking to brainstorm for ideas on how to improve the three areas of focus. We are currently putting together an action plan by cherry-picking the creative ideas, so that we can make some changes to make Harrow Bangkok a more eco-friendly school.

Following our successful visit from Eco-Schools, we are thrilled to have achieved the Green Flag award.

We shall continue the initiatives from previous years to ensure that we are previous efforts are sustained.

Jessica Lam Assistant Lower School Science Lead

Rebecca Campbell Year 5 Class Teacher

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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Lower School

Loy Krathong celebrations

Last week Lower School looked spectacular with beautiful Thai traditional costumes worn by our students, staff and parents. The venue was beautifully decorated with colourful Tung, crafts that students made by themselves.

The Loy Krathong assembly started with a live Thai music ensemble which was performed beautifully by our students. For some, it was the first time they performed in public; well done to our young Thai musicians. This year the celebrations started with role play about Loy Krathong which included splendid Thai outfits fashion show by our students; beautiful Thai dances performed by our Thai Dance activities students; Rum Wong Loy Krathong by our students and VIP guests and professional Thai Dance instructors. Toby 5S, Deputy Head Boy stated, “Loy Krathong is fabulous, especially the role play because there were many performances. I enjoy every part of the day. Loy Krathong at Harrow Bangkok is brilliant and I would like to do it again”.

learned about the Thai culture. I really enjoy making the Krathong because it is really beautiful”.

I would like to give a massive thank you to everyone involved in our Loy Krathong celebration, with a special thanks to the Royal Forest Department for arranging activities for kids.

A fabulous day was had by all our pupils and staff. “Loy Krathong was a fabulous, inspiring experience. My opinion on Loy Krathong is amazing! Everyone made beautiful Krathongs. They dressed up perfectly”. By Mina 5M We can’t wait to do it all again next time!

Kitima Tanskul Head of Lower School Thai

Throughout the morning students enjoyed taking part in all activities and happily took their self-made Krathong home. Hero 5S said, “We made the spider web Tung and

House Football

2020 8

Another fantastic day of football saw nearly 300 Harrow Bangkok athletes battle it out for the coveted House trophy. The standard of football and team camaraderie was excellent and all Houses ‘iTeamed up’ in preparation for their matches.

The Houses were evenly spread with winners across the board from all groups.

Champions of each year group were: Year 3 Churchill; Year 4 Byron; Year 5 Sonakul.

With the final points in and some really close scores the champions of the entire Pre Prep were Keller! A huge congratulations to the players in yellow!

A great Tournament all round and with the fantastic turn out from parents it made the tournament a real spectacle.

Mr Rock Head of Lower School PE

KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

Music Performance in the Lower School

iPractise is one of our newest iRules and effective practice is the cornerstone of preparing for musical performance. Effective practice is clearly bearing fruit here at Harrow Bangkok, and I am so impressed with the standard of musical performance in the Lower School.

I have heard some beautiful singing from the choirs in our three weekly singing assemblies and in the House Karaoke competition. Our Junior Choir is now leading the singing in our Junior Singing assemblies, giving this ensemble valuable performance experience.

There will be more opportunities for our vocalists in all the Christmas shows (including our very youngest children), and the lower school production will also feature many of our singers next term.

such as Mozart and Bach as well as pieces by popular composers such as Scott Joplin and Leonard Cohen.

The Year 5 Thai instrument group played delightfully at Loy Krathong, and I have been encouraged to hear the Junior Orchestra go from strength to strength - over 40 strong with nearly all the instruments of the symphony orchestra represented. Underpinning this is our extensive Instrumental Programme led

by Mrs Luna, and we look forward to hearing all our instrumental ensembles across the course of the year.

I anticipate many amazing performances to come as the children continue to hone their performing skills, demonstrating iPractise so effectively.

Luke Roberts Head of Lower School Music

The Mini Concerts are another fantastic opportunity for performers – or, our ‘Mini Mozarts’, as we like to call them. Year 5s successfully performed the first Mini Concert of the year with songs from musicals.

Their ensemble singing was spinetingling, and I was delighted to hear so many children perform solos. Year 1 and 4 will both perform later in November.

The weekly Pre Prep Friday assemblies are another excellent opportunity for instrumentalists to perform, and we have been privileged to hear over 30 children this term performing classical music by great composers

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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL

e m o s r a o r A or Year 3! term f

As part of Year 3’s dinosaur topic in Term 1a, they were lucky enough to be immersed in the world of dinosaurs with a ‘Dig it Up’ excavation day. The children enjoyed a variety of activities including creating their very own cast fossils and excavating their own dinosaur fossil with chisels and hammers.

The day was a real success, giving Year 3 children the opportunity to feel like real palaeontologists, using equipment to unearth the past and discover new information, an experience we are sure that they will remember.

This is not the only activity the children of Year 3 were lucky to experience last term. On Wednesday 16th September, they arrived at school to an eggciting discovery beyond their wildest imaginations.

Perched upon a nest of leaves, was an enormous, speckled dinosaur egg! The children spent the day hypothesising how the egg could have arrived in the corridor and collecting evidence which was later used to create newspaper reports on the event. Just as the children thought the surprises were over for the day, they were paid a visit from Sir Richard Owen, the famous scientist who discovered the first fossilised dinosaur footprint. He examined the egg, answered the children’s questions and even took the egg to his lab for further investigations. To the children’s

surprise, three days later, they received a lab report which confirmed that this unidentifiable egg was in fact laid by a T-Rex! Year 3 had an incredible term learning about dinosaurs in their Topic lessons, creating some amazing junk model dinosaurs as part of their Art and DT curriculum. They should be incredibly proud of their depth of knowledge of the prehistoric times and the mighty reptiles that ruled the land.

Alice Thornbery-Walker Year 3 Year Group Leader

Pirate Visit

On Tuesday 27th October, Year 2 had a visit from a real-life pirate! Captain Archibald Jeffries surprised the children in the Year 2 corridor. He told stories and some very funny jokes, as well as giving lots of facts all about pirates. At the end, the children got to ask lots of questions before he boarded his pirate ship to return home. What a brilliant visit it was for Year 2!

Louise Cove Year 2 Year Group Leader

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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL came to life with wonderful emotive language that captured the beauty and significance of the temple.

This trip was the centrepiece of a critical thinking enquiry unit ‘How does tourism impact Thailand?’.

?

How does tourism impact Thailand In short, dramatically.

On Friday 18th of September, Year 5 set off to explore the majestic and religiously significant Wat Pho. Upon arrival, it was very clear to all in attendance that this was avery different Wat Pho than that visited in previous years. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions on travel, this once-bustling tourist hot spot was all but empty. The students we able to wander and explore this significant religious sight and really appreciate its beauty in relative privacy. The children were in awe when they experienced the crowning jewel of Wat Pho, the reclining buddha. The students were also taken inside Phra Ubosot and explained the prayer ritual and shown the main features of this glistening hall. As a result of the trip, the children’s writing

During this unit, the student began asking relevant questions the help investigate the key concepts presented in the question. They then had to conduct an investigation into the geography and anthropology of Thailand to understand where and why tourist come to Thailand. As each investigation was finished, the children then had to discuss and reflect on what they had found before asking the next set of relevant questions to explore the topic in greater depth.

Linking in with the English unit, where students were learning to write persuasive travel guides centred around Wat Pho. Concluding the enquiry unit, students were asked to formulate an answer to the initial question focusing on the cultural, economic and environmental impacts of tourism on Thailand. The students showed wonderful maturity, creativity and critical thinking skills to write well structure, informative and interesting discussions while being able to formulate and support their ideas with key evidence from their research. Well done Year 5.

Matthew Parker Lower School Teacher

Year 5 Community Project During the 2019/20 academic year, Year 5 continued to build the community connection with the local Wat Laksi School. The year began with our students, once again, making connections with students from the local school through a pen pal activity. We then visited the local school on a Community Day where the children met their ‘buddies’ and participated in a shared DT project. Throughout the year, continued fundraising activities and charity events were run to further develop the local school’s reading resources, providing a fully stocked reading corner for all Year 4 and 5 classrooms.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued projects between the school were put on hold, however, fundraising and charity events were still possible. After consolation with the Head of Wat Laksi School, it became apparent that the immediate priorities and needs of the school had changed.

With help from the Operations Team, we were able

to provide a site visit and advise about reopening strategies and at the very end of the school year, we were able to provide the school with, not only the promised book corner provision, but also much needed PPE, handwashing stations and digital thermometers to aid with the safe opening of their school. With the tireless support of Miss Noi (Year 5 TA) over the summer break, it was with great pleasure that at the end of Term 1a, we were able to deliver Wat Laksi School with over 600 reusable masks for students and staff for this coming term.

This term, Year 5 will once again renew their pen pal program with the local school with plans in place for students to meet their ‘buddies’ in January. This term, we are also excited to be able to provide CPD opportunities for teachers from the local school to visit us and speak with EYC and infant teachers and observe best practice to help with Wat Laksi School’s English provision and teaching.

We look forward to continuing this wonderful community program in the coming year.

Matthew Parker Lower School Teacher

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Why Studying English Literature A Level Will Enhance Your Child’s Employability

Deciding on A Level options is arguably one of the most important decisions your child will have to make in their lives. We want to choose courses for them that will set them up with the skills to tackle many different responsibilities head on and provide them with a way to collaborate and communicate with other professionals in their field. These criteria highlight English Literature A Level as a great course choice, one that will make any students’ applications for studying in the UK and other institutions abroad stronger.

The study of English Literature aims to provide a varied understanding of the world around us. Through it, students learn of past and present events, and of different people and places all over the world. In this sense, English Literature goes hand in hand with, or can provide an even more in-depth understanding of, subjects such as History, Law, Art, Politics, Marketing, Philosophy, and Theoretical Science. The many ways that English Literature A Level allows students to understand society is very valuable for careers associated with the subjects mentioned above.

English Literature is the second most chosen A Level

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in the United Kingdom because it provides students with skills that are not found in other courses. Unlike teaching methods in Mathematics and Sciences, English Literature students are encouraged to learn and interact with the course in a way that is more realistic and useful in a professional environment. In English Literature lessons, students learn how to express their ideas convincingly both verbally and in writing; a skill needed for university papers and exams, as well as writing-based professions.

This is where many without this experience, and who haven’t studied English are unsuccessful. English Literature teaches students how to structure arguments, how to explain and give evidence to their work as well as other important parts of work-based communication. These are very important for business deals and negotiations, job interviews, speaking at conferences, giving presentations and more.

By studying English Literature, students’ English speaking skills will improve; leading to higher IELTS scores and more of a chance of gaining entrance to top universities and companies throughout the English speaking world.

Maths and Science are incredibly important, we all know this, but you must ask yourself as a parent: how can I expect my child to succeed in the career they choose, in the world’s largest economies, if they cannot write, speak nor understand the language which these places use, to a professional level?

Tyla Arabas Head of English

UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Cambridge University

presentation

On Tuesday 22nd September, Silke Mentchen, Director of Outreach and Senior Language Teaching Officer at the University of Cambridge, recorded a remote presentation for Harrow Bangkok students and parents about the benefits of obtaining a good grade in IGCSE Thai as a Home Language, and the advantages of studying a foreign language at IGCSE and A Level. In her presentation, Silke acknowledged that qualifications in languages can make students’ applications to Cambridge University stand out and there was also a Q&A session in which the students in attendance asked a series of pertinent questions.

The informative presentation was designed to support Harrow Bangkok students in Year 9 and above as they select their subjects for the next phase of their education. It can be accessed in full through the QR code.

Simon Small Head of Languages

Careers and University Guidance US University Applications: We have been working hard to support all of the Year 13 students who are applying to the US with Early Action and Early Decision. The Careers and University Guidance office has been a hive of activity as students have been working tirelessly to meet the November 1st deadline. They completed superb essays that showcase their interest and suitability for their chosen majors, and worked hard to ensure they demonstrated how they could contribute to the community of their chosen institutions.

Even under intense pressure, they remained calm and focused and were always smiling and supporting one another. The hard work doesn’t stop there as we prepare for the Universities of California and Regular Decision in the coming weeks.

A wide selection of UK and US universities provided lectures and seminars during the virtual CIALFO Fair at the beginning of September and this, together with the UCAS Virtual Exhibition at the end of September, gave our students (and parents) ample opportunity to browse universities and participate in the sessions provided by those of particular interest.

Together with this, students from Year 11 to Year 13 have been invited to sign up for inspiring and informative seminars each week from various universities. So far, these have included Imperial University on Space Exploration, a fascinating insight into the logistical problems associated with space travel and how Imperial are at the forefront of research into this, an engaging presentation from Warwick University, advice on writing personal statements and 3D Engineering from Bath University and several from Bristol University including Law and Engineering. In addition, Boston University provided an evening seminar and St. Andrews, a presentation for our Medics.

All of the above have provided our students with the opportunity to have a virtual personalised tour around the university, learn about specific specialisms and to ask the presenter questions about the courses, requirements, application procedures and university life in general.

We wish them all the best of luck!

Andy Brown Careers and University Guidance

University Guidance Update The University and Careers team have been busy coordinating the new format of virtual university fairs, remote university visits, UCAS applications and US applications.

In addition, the careers office has been a hive of application activity; thirty seven UCAS applications have been sent to date with offers already coming in, much to the excitement of the students. All of the Early Decision and Early Action US applications have been completed and the current focus is on Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada and the Netherlands applications.

Anna Casteja Careers and University Counselor

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Making a positive contribution to the community by

applying knowledge

with compassion

Harrow International School Bangkok has committed to a new scheme called the Equity Partnership. This involves our students working with students from government schools and encouraging them to develop their entrepreneurial spirit as well as their marketing skills. It provides a natural extension from the very well established and successful Junior Achievement as the students are in a more training and mentoring role. It is supported by the Equitable Education Fund and they have paired the school with one in Lampang.

Poon (K13), Amy (N13), Mind (K13), Anchan (B12) and Cha-ame (N12) are all pioneering this project and over the half term break Poon, Amy and Anchan met with our host schools and the training and mentoring began. I will release more details in the next Harrovian but for now, please watch this space for a new product that will come onto the internet in December. It was said to be one of the most promising products of the entire fair and it has been personally trialled by myself and members of the team. It promises to be a real beauty. Watch this space…

Richard Downs Head of Keller House

Developing world-class students for top universities and competitive careers Last week, the World Economic Forum released an article entitled “These are the top 10 jobs skills of tomorrow”, which addressed issues related to ‘double disruption’ of the economic impact of the pandemic and increased automation of jobs. They suggested that an estimated 50% of the current workforce will need to reskill by 2025.

Students today need to be prepared with the skills to enter the ever-changing workplace, and in some cases, for jobs that don’t yet exist. They will require advanced technical skills together with a range of non-subject specific transferrable skills and emotional intelligence. Top examinations results will not be enough.

At Harrow Bangkok, our High Performance Learning approach focuses on how great learners think and behave in order to secure outstanding outcomes.

The teachers systematically provide opportunities for students to deliberately practise their thinking and performing skills to ensure that they are ready to take on challenges and succeed in the future. The the World Economic Forum released a list of the 10 Top Skills for 2025, separated into four types of skill categories. The 10 Top Skills for 2025 overlap almost perfectly with the HPL Thinking and Performing Skills

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that we are teaching our students, which is why our they are experiencing a world-class dynamic learning experience at Harrow Bangkok. If you would like to find out more about 21st Centu-

UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND ry skills, I recommend that you watch the World Economic Forum’s video entitled What we need to teach our children for the jobs of tomorrow.

We will now explore the four types of skill categories in more detail: How are we developing Problem Solving skills?

Five of the Top 10 skills focus are using analytical or critical thinking, creativity and the ability to be original and use initiative. When LINKING or ANALYSING in lessons or on Challenge Days, students develop their critical or logical thinking, precision and complex and multi-step problem-solving skills. These skills are practised in lessons when linking to prior learning, building on it and applying it to new contexts. When CREATING, students get the chance to develop their flexible and fluent thinking skills, to be intellectually playful and original whilst developing revolutionary or evolutionary solutions to problems.

How do we improve student’s self management skills?

Two of the Top 10 skills focus are active learning and learning strategies, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility. Throughout Prep Phase, emphasis is placed on teaching students to develop their META-THINKING skills, or the ability ‘thinking about one’s thinking’. This is built upon in SR5 and Sixth Form where students are regularly required to reflect upon their performance and strategise for improvement. With regular practice, perseverance and a positive mindset, students develop their AGILITY and HARDWORKING skills and resilience. This is specifically taught via the GRIT programme (Growth, Relationships, Identity, Tenacity) which is our bespoke Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum with runs from Year 6 – 13.

velop the ability to lead with confidence, effect and compassion.

How have our students developed their Technological Use and Development?

The pandemic and subsequent period of online learning provided our school community with an unprecedented need to improve their technical knowhow. All members of the community were on a steep technological learning curve between March and June 2020. Few people had heard of Zoom, breakout rooms or Classkick prior to the lockdown but necessity drove innovation and technological upskilling for all Upper School staff and students. Such MASTERY developed in a very short period of time, and with our continued use of the Google Drive and Google Suite of applications, our students continue to be provided with opportunities to deliberately practise and develop strong technical skills which will be fully transferable to life after Harrow Bangkok.

High Performance Learning at Harrow Bangkok The High Performance Learning framework is driving our teaching and learning strategy and we are tracking the provision of opportunities to develop thinking and performing skills as well as progress and improved student outcomes. Over the next few Harrovians, we will have ‘Spotlight on HPL’ articles from our eight faculties to showcase the excellent, innovative and effective teaching strategies and learning opportunities being provided for our students.

In delivering Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership, High Performance Learning at Harrow Bangkok is providing the framework and vehicle to ensure that, in addition to outstanding academic outcomes, our students are equipped with world-class, versatile and flexible thinking and performing skills for the 21st century.

Kathryn Gavin Head of SR5

What opportunities will Harrow Bangkok students get to work with people?

The ability to work with others and develop EMPATHY is driven by our activities and expeditions programme outside school, as well as during tutorials, House events and in collaborative tasks in lessons.

Students are also encouraged to participate and take the lead in community outreach activities such as Harrow Ocean Warriors, Maesot initiatives, House and Sixth Form charity visits, as well as set up their own. The extensive variety of LEADERSHIP opportunities in each phase allows students to deliberately practice their leadership skills, make mistakes and de-

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND As Socrates once said, “the mind is everything, what you think you become�. With this in mind, we have been working hard in Humanities to use High Performance Learning strategies to instil a sense of intellectual curiosity in our students and equip them with both the skills and the self-confidence to fulfil their potential and more. We have adapted and developed a variety of resources and approaches including HPL homework tasks, retrieval sheets, structure supports for mastery and much more.

How we are developing our students’ thinking/performing skills?

In order to support our students in being successful we have utilised many strategies to first change and develop their thinking skills and the way they approach their learning.

One example is the development of meta-thinking planning sheets for assessments in the Prep phase.

This encourages students to take ownership of their learning, self-regulate their choices and choose the best approach to ensure their own success. Providing this opportunity has seen our students think more carefully about what each assessment task requires them to do and to critically consider the steps they can take.

HPL in Humanities

a HPL critical thinking question cards keyring. This means staff have easy access to a range of questions related to the HPL skills so they can challenge students to think more deeply about their approaches to learning, their interpretation of the evidence being explored and also the outcomes they produce.

This encourages a holistic approach to questioning and planning to broaden student engagement and thinking about a topic. Staff and students are both involved in a shared journey as HPL becomes a more prevalent feature of the lessons and resources in Humanities.

How is HPL impacting student outcomes?

As a result, we have seen greater self-awareness from the students as they are empowered and able to better reflect on how they have achieved success, and equally how to strategise for meaningful improvement.

Our students are also becoming increasingly inquisitive about their learning as they are encouraged to ask questions, be confident in sharing and justifying their views and to think both flexibly and critically about the information presented to them in their lessons.

This has not only improved the confidence to approach tasks independently but has also seen our students become more reflective about the processes involved in their learning and how they can adapt these to progress even further. This is just one of many successes as we continue to encourage students to become critical and reflective thinkers.

How are the staff involved in this?

We have also looked at the thinking skills and approaches of staff to help our students become more thoughtful and inquisitive learners.

Our Humanities classrooms are now equipped with

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The quality of the work produced in lessons also mirrors this success as the mindset of students has begun to shift, focusing on perseverance, the value of challenge and how to be resourceful in overcoming and tackling complex tasks.

We are all still learning as we embark on this HPL journey as a school, but I am confident that as the year continues it will only serve to strengthen the already inspiring and innovative approaches and provision within the Humanities Faculty.

Bryony Owen Head of Humanities

UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

ZOOM

Japanese Exchange

For the last 4 weeks, Year 11 students of Japanese have been speaking on Tuesday afternoons with Japanese students of the same age from Kaichi High School, Japan in a Zoom Breakout Room arrangement.

Prikthai, one of our Y11 students: “I have to admit that I didn’t prepare enough and I also got very nervous and shy. But this gave me a great new experience and I really appreciated talking to my partner”.

Each Y11 student is designated a partner in the Japanese school and prepares for a set of questions on one of the GCSE topic themes. We get ready to answer to one topic in Japanese and also to ask a second topic in English.

We go again with a full interview on the 10th and 17th. Pupils are boosting their oral capabilities for the up-coming GCSE mock and this is more real and engaging than practising talking on your own. Thanks go to Noriko Sakamoto at Kaichi High School in Wakayama for bring such a great partner school in setting it up.

We begin a Zoom call with both schools, which brings about 10 people into the Zoom. We then set up breakout rooms, and pupils go into each room in pairs for a 20 minute conversation session. It has been a revelation in terms of motivation building. In the words of

Languages Pop Video

Competition

75 students in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 recently participated in the 2020 Languages Pop Video Competition. The participants worked individually or in groups of up to five students to record and film themselves singing a song in Thai, Chinese, Japanese or French. The students were not allowed to sing a song in their native language. The aim of the competition was to enable students to apply their language skills in an exciting way and to enthuse them about their language learning. The participants were creative in their productions and the impressive submissions included movie soundtracks in French, Japanese versions of K-pop songs and Chang Song (Elephant Song) in Thai. Students received gold, silver and bronze awards based on the quality of their work. The following participants received gold awards. Congratulations to all of the participants.

Benjamin Stainer Lead Teacher of Japanese Upper School

Languages Pop Video Competition - Gold Awards Focus-C7 Tracy-C7 Hyeonwoo–K8 Ivan–C8 Jennie–S8 Forest–So8 Alyssa–K8 Mimi–S8 Mona–S8 Proud–S8 Eclair–B8 Kana–B8 Nikki-C8 Mild–C8 Stephanie–C8 Amy–C8

Memee–N9 Ranae-So9 Emmy–N9 Jamie–K9 Kan Plu–C9 Phoebe-B9 Wendy–So9 Sophia–C9 Lillian–So9 Maile–B9 Emma–C9 Plearn-C9 Itim–K9 Pang–K9 Katie–N9

Simon Small Head of Languages

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Prep House

Football Tuesday 3rd November

On Tuesday 3rd November the Prep Phase students were involved in the Prep House Football tournament.

The tournament was planned and delivered by our team of Level 3 Sports Leaders. The Level 3 Sports Leaders Award is a nationally recognised qualification that enables students to independently lead purposeful and enjoyable sporting events. It is a fantastic opportunity for our older students to develop their leadership skills such as communication, organisation and motivation.

All six Houses played in two pools competing against one another to secure the coveted title of Prep Football Champions! The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze as the first games kicked off. With over 300 students involved, the atmosphere was electric with teams showing great house spirit and cheering on their teammates. There were nail-biting moments with several matches finishing with a penalty shoot-out. Despite setbacks for Byron and Nehru they persevered, showing resilience and determination. With the final scores added up, the champions of the Prep House Football 2020 were Keller, closely followed by Churchill and Sonakul in joint second place. A day filled with blue skies, big smiles and an abundance of House spirit!

Rosie Davies Prep House Leader Byron

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Prep House Music

Prep House Music is always a popular event at Harrow Bangkok and this year was no exception. It was wonderful to see so many students come to support their friends. The week started with the solo instrumentalist category and there were a variety of instruments being performed. There were only two Houses that could go through to the final though and this year it was Byron and Keller that made it through. Both Pimmie (Byron) and Kat (Keller) were outstanding in the final but the overall winner was Kat! The second category was House band. This is always a hugely popular category and the Recital Hall was full of both Prep and Senior students. Nehru and Churchill were the two Houses to

go through to the final this year, and Churchill clinched the victory with their version of ‘Break My Heart’ by Dua Lipa. The final category was solo singer. The standard was so high from all the contestants that the judges could not decide on only two performers and so three Houses went through to the final; Keller, Suriyothai and Nehru. All three students poured their heart and soul into their performances but only one could win, and the winner of this category was Angpao in Suriyothai! After all the points were added up throughout the week, the overall winning House for Prep House Music 2020 were Keller!

Lesley Scott Prep House Leader Keller

Senior House Dragonboat The beautifully revamped lakeside surroundings set the scene for this year’s highly anticipated Senior House Dragonboat competition. Perfect weather conditions on Day 1 allowed wins for Byron, Sonakul and Suriyothai in the Year 9-10 category, but it was all about fast timings to progress to the finals. Day 2 saw the Year 11-13’s battle it out with impressive wins for Churchill, Keller and Nehru. The lakeside was buzzing on Days 3 and 4 with a superb turnout for the final rounds. In the end, the purples of Suriyothai were victorious over the oranges of Sonakul and were crowned Year 9-10 champions. While in the Year 11-13 category, Churchill were out-paddled by Nehru in a hotly contested race to secure 1st place for the Reds who maintain their impressive winning streak.

Well done to all our students involved this year.

Lawrence Prunty Head of Byron House

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Upper School

Loy Krathong Day

This year the Harrow Bangkok community celebrated the Loy Krathong Festival on Friday 30th October.

Loy Krathong is an ancient Thai tradition which takes place on the evening of the full moon in the 12th lunar month (usually in November). ‘Krathong’ is a Thai term which refers to a piece of banana trunk decorated with folded banana leaves, flowers, candle and incense. The word ‘Loy’ in Thai means to float. When put together, those two words mean ‘floating krathong’ festival.

Nowadays, due to environmental concerns, people have become more creative in their craft and design the krathong from coconut shells, flowers, ice, baked bread, etc.

There are many stories regarding how the festival originated. One of the versions is that Thai people have long been closely associated with rivers as Thailand is a country based on agriculture. Rivers are regarded as blood veins. As the rice harvest season ends, it is time to thank the goddess of water for a year of abundant water supply and to show respect to the goddess of river who is called Pra Mae Kongka. Thai people make a krathong to worship and to ask for forgiveness for polluting the water. In addition to this, it is believed that krathongs will carry away the misfortunes of the past year and will make wishes come true for the coming year.

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During the Loy Krathong week at Harrow Bangkok, Year 6 – Year 10 students had a chance to practise their handicraft skills by making krathongs from natural materials during their Thai lessons to take home and float on Loy Krathong Day. It was a pleasure to see our students and staff dressed up beautifully in traditional Thai costumes to show their appreciation for the Thai festival and they looked fabulous!

The highlight of the day was the House Krathong Making Competition at lunchtime. Students in each House made krathongs from eco-friendly materials such as vegetables, fruits and flowers. By incorporating HPL thinking and performing skills, the students had a great opportunity to use their creativity, work collaboratively as a team, show awareness for society and the environment by using natural materials, and enhance their leadership attributes. The winning House was Nehru, 2nd was Suriyothai and 3rd was Sonakul. It was a wonderful week that was full of culturally enriching activities that celebrated the uniqueness of Thai culture around the school.

Jurairat Watanapongvanich Head of Upper School Thai

UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Sixth Form curriculum enrichment As dawn breaks over November skies spare a thought for Derek Bentley who 68 years ago would have been waking under darker skies in Wandsworth, South London, as he contemplated his own mortality. Don’t we all? But his intimations of death were far more imperative as he looked forward to a noose having been charged with murder. His case was to become a cause célèbre that witnessed both his execution and eventual exoneration. According to popular estimation his case hinged on the use of the term “Let him have it!” - to be interpreted either as a request to his armed partner, Christopher Craig to give up the revolver then pointing at a policeman, or as an example of gangster vernacular made famous in recent movies such as Newman’s ‘711 Ocean Drive’. Unfortunately, Craig shot the policeman and Bentley paid the price.

This case was the focus of an activity in a recent lesson where an aspiring lawyer was given a short space of time to read contemporary reportage and construct an argument for Bentley’s defence. Five minutes later

Sixth Form Committee The Student Academic Leadership Team

SALT

SALT continually works to provide as many opportunities for students to extend themselves beyond their studies in the classroom as possible. We believe that academic excellence is the byproduct of students being innately curious about the world around them, and as such we aim to assist students in developing their academic flexibility and confidence so that they can engage successfully with their chosen subject at university level and beyond.Through initiatives promoting wider reading discussions and bringing in experts

she was required to deconstruct her own points as she modelled the approach of the prosecution.

I am happy to say that Gwen(S13) performed very well under time pressure highlighting the difference between the culpability of an accomplice and a perpetrator, the concerns around the Bentley’s mental capabilities and, of course, focusing on his apparent desire for the holder of the weapon to give the gun to the policeman.

This is just one example of many areas of curriculum enrichment within Sixth Form and if in the coming weeks you find yourself looking at the options now available you will see that we are incorporating some exciting new ventures such as TEDx, Language ab initio and a Thinking Skills course.

Robert Paler Deputy Head Academic for insight in their respective fields, we hope to realise our vision of providing an abundance of opportunities to extend oneself. One such initiative is the formation of student-led societies for specific subject areas - we hope to gather like-minded students and encourage meaningful discussions on a weekly basis. We are also expanding the horizons of our students through regular guest speakers who are keen to share their knowledge and experiences with our students, inspiring them to actively engage with new ideas which ultimately helps to build academic curiosity and confidence. Parents are always welcome as guest speakers to share their experiences, knowledge and skills and we welcome your input into our programme.

Throughout the year, we will work closely with peers and teachers to develop an environment that is supportive, stimulating, and oftentimes challenging at the same time. Ultimately, we aspire to be yet another body of people working to develop critical thinking skills to prepare students to prosper in their lives beyond school.

We would also like to use this platform to invite any interested guest speakers. If you are interested in talking about your experience or knowledge to students passionate in their subjects, please contact the Chairs of this committee Keen (K13) and Focus (B13) at keen_ko@harrowschool.ac.th & focus_as@harrowschool.ac.th.

SALT Nov 2020

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

What is deep work and how can it help students achieve more in less time?

Over the half-term break, I read the book ‘Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World’ by Cal Newport. The book itself was a fascinating read, but what struck me most about this were the implications for education and how the idea of ‘deep work’ could benefit our students at Harrow Bangkok.

So what is ‘deep work’? According to Cal Newport, deep work occurs when we focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task, enabling us to move beyond ‘shallow work’ to meaningful work and learning.

In his research, Cal Newport interviewed around fifty ultra-high-achieving college undergraduates from some of the USA’s most competitive schools.

He found something quite surprising: The very best students often studied less. This was because these students understood the role intensity plays in productivity and therefore went out of their way to maximise their concentration—radically reducing the time required to prepare for tests or write essays, without diminishing the quality of their results. The below equation summarises this idea.

Work Produced = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus) This is particularly pertinent given the digital age we live and the impact of COVID-19, which has only increased the amount of time students spend online where distractions are rife. In my role as Head of Suriyothai House, I increasingly find myself having conversations with students about their workloads. Late nights completing coursework and preparing for future assessments lead to poor

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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND

Who wants to be a word millionaire?

sleep habits. This lack of sleep can then, in turn, affects wellbeing and productivity, leading to a vicious cycle of ‘shallow’ inefficient working.

This cycle can, however, be broken. By focusing on the intensity of work, students can optimise the amount of time they spend studying and as a result, live a more balanced, productive and happy life.

So what does this look like for our students? Before starting a deep work session, a student should determine how much time they should devote to the task ahead. To begin with, starting small, with as little as 15 minutes, and then gradually increasing to longer sessions. Within these sessions, students need to work in a distraction-free environment conducive to long periods of focus. This might mean working without access to social media, email or even the internet (if it is not needed for the task). Revision activities where students deliberately practice engaging with the material offer far more depth than merely reading through a set of notes. Activities such as summarising notes, quizzing, using flashcards, creating graphic organisers and completing past paper questions are all great examples of this.

As Year 11 approach their mock exams, and many other students look ahead to the rest of the year with assessments on the horizon, I encourage you to consider the importance of ‘deep work’ and how it can help our students reach their potential.

Andrew Archibald Head of Suriyothai House

It has been incredibly pleasing to welcome students back to our library reading books and quizzing on them. We all know that there is nothing more relaxing than losing yourself in a good book. But it helps us develop our language skills too.

Since the start of the academic year, our Harrow Bangkok Year 6 to 9 students have read a staggering 56 million words.

Students have been reading their books in their registrations, library lessons and at break and lunchtimes. What an achievement!

In October we were proud to announce our first Word Millionaires of 2020-21. Aran K8, Lila K6 and Sebi N8 were our top 3 millionaires of term 1A. They were, however, closely followed by Fred C6, Finlay B8, Dome C6, Shin K7, Ang Pao S7, Lillian So9 and Pun C8.

When asked why they enjoy reading, they said it was fun. They love stories that stretch beyond our imagination. Lillian commented that she loved exploring new and unknown ideas, while Fred felt his reading helped him with his work. While some find it relaxing and a good way to combat stress, others find reading takes them somewhere movies cannot.

How many more students will become word millionaires this half term?

Tyla Arabas Head of English

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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE

BOARDING HOUSE SONG

What an evening; a new Harrow Bangkok tradition is born!

On Thursday 8 October our boarders represented their boarding houses with pride, commitment and passion to delight the crowd in a singing performance that will live long in the memory. Bradbeians, West Acrians and Grovites sang with full effort to deliver some striking performances that left everyone grinning and pining for more!

Bradbeians performed their very own version of ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragons. Coordinated clapping, feet stamping and solo verses from Eugene, Davy and Sun laid down a high marker and West Acre knew they had to deliver. They did just that with a beautifully sang tune incorporating Disney’s ‘Sofia the First’ and ‘For The First Time In Forever’ and wonderfully choreographed hand movements and synchronised feet stamping added to the performance. The Grove were given the final performance slot and knew the pressure was on! They stepped up well to give the judges, Miss Woollam and Mr Tneoh from our coveted Music Department, a very difficult decision.

There could be only one winner of the inaugural Boarding House Song Competition and The Grove took a very close decision with their own version of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’. A (very) early Christmas present.

The positive and inclusive atmosphere was the biggest winner of the night. Well done and thank you to the boarders for putting on the most superb evening. A Harrow Bangkok tradition is born… we are already looking forward to next year!

Richard Walter Head of Boarding

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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE

The Grove

The Grovites have continued to make tangible strides forward this term. Staff and students have been busy working to ensure leadership, independence and personal development are at the heart of life in The Grove.

Firstly, a huge congratulations must be extended out to the Sixth Form for their instrumental role in leading the Grovite mentor programme. Here, each student has worked to guide a mentee in Year ten or eleven with setting and achieving their own personal targets. It has been a flourishing success and long may it continue.

It has been excellent to see the current Grovites upholding house traditions, such as the ‘Thursday Thought’ presentations. Here, Grovites have prepared and presented a relevant topic to the rest of the house.

Following each presentation is a Q&A session and an enormous round of applause for their efforts and contributions. The students have also been pioneers in creating their own traditions. The Grove Table Tennis Championship has spurred healthy competition

Living together

throughout the year groups whilst the house eco committee have organised an energy saving project across the Boarding Village.

We have also been lucky enough to welcome Harrow alumni Khun Ton, to deliver an inspiring presentation about his experiences at Harrow on the Hill, university study and career development. The Grovites were full of enthusiasm and used the Q&A opportunity to deepen their understanding of potential career paths and later life decisions.

Finally, as gentleman of Harrow Bangkok, the Grovites have worked hard to build an identity that fosters HPL values, attitudes and attributes. SIPP has become the mantra (Smart, Inclusive, Positive, Polite) and is at the heart of all they do.

Mr Carmody The Grove Deputy House Master lot of selection. I always eat an omelette, toast and have fresh orange juice. After I finished eating my delicious breakfast, I go straight to school. It takes about 10 minutes which is great because I don’t get stuck in traffic!

At 2.40 pm, school finishes and I have activities. After this I go back to the Boarding Village. We then have free time during which I cook, play PS4, football on the field, device time, chat with my friends, play board games, and more. My favourite activity is on Wednesday because we have cooking club and I love to learn new dishes.

In our inaugural edition of ‘Living together’ we look at the life of a Year 7 boy in Bradbys House.

I am going to tell you my amazing experiences of living in a boarding house. It is amazing because we have fantastic facilities, fun staff, and the fastest wi-fi.

On top of this we have daily academic tutors who help me with my spoken and written English.

I normally wake up at 06.30am and have a nice, warm shower before going to the Hub where we eat our breakfast. Breakfast is the best meal because we have a

At 5.30 pm it’s our House meeting. The teacher shares what’s going to happen during the week or the next day. After House meeting, it is dinner time. I then play with my friends before “prep”. Prep starts at 6.30 and lasts one hour. We have tutors to help us with our homework and reading.

At 7.30pm prep is finished and I go to play in the Sports Hall. At 8.20pm, I call my parents, shower and then at 9.00 pm I am in bed, but I can chat with my friends until 9.30 pm. At 9.30 pm I go to sleep and that’s my amazing experience in Bradbys House.

Pavis

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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE

Wonderful

West Acre It has been yet another wonderful few weeks in West Acre with the usual frantic pace of school and boarding life. The girls have been absolute superstars and as more and more have arrived, old and new, the house is feeling complete again.

The happiness and joy are tangible when you walk through the West Acre doors as is the sense of purpose and collaboration. The House Song performance was particularly impressive, the girls worked extremely hard with the support of our fantastic Sixth Form prefects – well done girls you were all awesome and we are very proud of you.

We have also been busy awarding merits with Tg and Gracey receiving a Bronze Award each and Gracey has now reached Silver Award. Both girls have demonstrated kindness and maturity time and time again and continuously go above and beyond with their academic studies together with the activities and expectations in West Acre. It won’t be long before many of the other girls receive their Bronze awards as they continue to impress us all here – ‘West Acre Angels’, they certainly are.

One of the more recent highlights was Halloween (or ‘Harroween’) with the girls excitedly dressing up and enjoying all the spooky events that took place both in school and in West Acre including ‘Manhunt’, a fabulous Harroween quiz, creepy cookies and a gruesome but delicious buffet in the house, an impressive spread thanks to Epicure.

Another wonderful opportunity to dress up was Loy Krathong and as the girls went into school they looked beautiful in their outfits and took part in making Loy Krathongs adorned with colourful flowers.

We are now looking forward to the runup to Christmas with many more events planned and more fun to be had – watch this space!

Anna Casteja West Acre House Mistress

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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE

European Day of Languages

Celebration in Boarding!

Saturday 26th September 2020 marked the 17th year of the European Day of Languages. The European Day of Languages promotes awareness of the importance of language learning and protecting the linguistic heritage of European languages. The event was celebrated in the whole Upper School during tutor time with a fun quiz looking at different languages spoken around Europe. The idea was to remind students of the importance of languages but also to show them that when you learn a language, you do not just learn the language itself but also about the culture of the country where that language is spoken by widening your knowledge and discovering new things. On this occasion, in boarding, the Bradbys boys had the opportunity to experience languages and Europe at its finest: through food! The students prepared three famous and delicious dishes from around Europe. The well-known pizza from Italy, the delightful croissant from France and finally the mouth-watering Greek dipping sauce called Tzatziki. The students were supported by the graduate leaders Angelica and Georgie, Mr Downey and Mrs Ansen and her husband, new joiners of the Bradbys family. The students were working in three different groups and learnt some new cooking techniques such as rolling dough. For many students it was their first encounter with garlic and also their firsttime trying Tzatziki so - mission accomplished!

Shivaani Mahenthrarajah Upper School French Teacher

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LATEST UPDATES

Harrow

Libraries’

s w e N

Congratulations to everyone that applied for the Library Leader positions in the Pullman Library. We received over 50 applicants. We finally chose 20 young readers to issue and process books, to help with the shelving and recommend books to other students.

Well done to: Ocean 5S, Lyndy 4L, Grit 3K, Konn 3K, Anya 4L, Krit 4L, Arthur 3M, Sky 3M, Ping Pong 5S, Hana 4I, Haru 4I, Yu-ei 3G, Nita 5C, Pinn Pinn 5C, Mildy 5M, and San 5P!

row Bangkok at the end of this term to new adventures. It is Jo’s indomitable spirit that helped ensure that reading remained a priority for students and parents throughout the recent period of lockdown with the Drive Through Library initiative. We will miss Jo immensely, especially her energy and enthusiasm in the development of the Chui Library. Good luck for the future, Jo! Jennifer Bell (LS Teacher Librarian), Harshida Dave (US Teacher Librarian), Pum Thanarungruangkul (Acquisitions Officer), Pin Sobhon, Bank Khrueanakphan, Koi Yoopoom (Library Assistants)

The Harrow Libraries Annual Bookmark Competition has begun. This year we are encouraging entries from everyone in the Harrow Bangkok community so this includes teachers, admin staff, parents as well as all students. Look out for the posters around school and scan the QR code to get details and application forms. The theme this year is ‘Love’ and the closing date is Friday 20th November. The winners will receive a prize and their winning design will be professionally published.

Finally, we pass on our best wishes to Jo Jefferis the Upper School Teacher Librarian who will leave Har-

Sport Leaders Level 3 teach the Year 5 This is the second successful year of running the Playleaders course in the Pre Prep. This term the first two courses have been run by our fabulous Sixth Form Sports Leaders Level 3 students.

They are currently completing their qualification to become Level 3 Sports Leaders. On completion, they will be qualified coaches and be able to lead activities without the supervision of a teacher. As part of the course, the Sports Leaders Level 3 students have imparted their knowledge on Year 4 and 5 students on how to plan and lead activities at breaktime and lunchtime to become effective leaders, implementing the P.A.C.E. strategy (Participants, Area, Communication and Equipment) into their activities.

Congratulations to the first group of successful Playleaders who received their certificates in assembly. We look forward to seeing some exciting and fun activities being led by them in the playground.

Miss Matsushita Sports Leaders Centre Course Manager and Head of Churchill House

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Playleaders Course

LATEST UPDATES

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LATEST UPDATES

House

LATEST UPDAT

Music This year’s House Music Competition was a spectacular showcase of Harrow Bangkok’s top musicians and the Recital Hall was packed with spectators cheering on their House representatives.

The week kicked off with the unplugged category and this year the rules were changed to allow students of all ages to play in the ensemble. This change led to Sixth Form students working with Prep students to practice and perfect a song to perform. On Tuesday the solo instrumentalists left the audience spellbound with their individual talent and the results were so close that three Houses progressed to the final round. On Wednesday so many spectators showed up to support their modern group that the doors of the recital hall were left open and students were dancing in the corridors as they were unable to fit into the Recital Hall! The week ended with some breathtaking performances from the solo singers and again it was incredibly difficult for the judges to decide who would progress to the final. The final was an incredible culmination of the previous week’s excitement and the whole of Upper School were able to watch the finalists again during assembly. Nehru House were crowned the champions of the competition but every single participant in the competition had grown as a musician and should be extremely proud of what they had achieved.

Harriet Pilkington Head of Nehru House

Christmas

Camp

Did you try one of our Christmas Camp biscuits at the Farmers’ Market?

Hopefully you stopped for a quick chat too and found out a bit more about this year’s popular Christmas Programme. Just to remind you…

• Courses are 12,900 baht for the week if booked by December 4th (14,900 after) • There are courses for students aged 2-18 including English, maths, drama, baking, engineering and multi-sports • It’s open to Thai residents only • It’s a mixture of learning new things with a fun environment • Children can make new friends and have a screen break • It’ll help get students into the Christmas spirit!

Like the sound of this? Find out more here: https://bit.ly/XMAS-CAMP-2O20

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TES

LATEST UPDATES

The Power of

Words

Ever since I can remember, I have been writing. This has taken on many forms over time, from nonsensical, childish tales, to lyrical poetry, and to that of academic articles and critiquing letters. Émile de Girardin once wrote, ‘The power of words is immense. A well-chosen word has often sufficed to stop an army, to change defeat into victory and to save an empire.’ Aside from writing being an expression of thought and a mode of communication, it is also a means to make your voice heard. It is your way to speak up about the world around you. It is the tool you hold within yourself to address the issues you care about. Words are an agency for change.

I wrote the piece linked below having watched a video of two Floridians trying to hand out masks to beachgoers, only to verbal assaults. It made me consider America’s standing in the world, how far it has come, and how far it still has to go. US politics in particular has far-reaching consequences for the rest of the world (as well as a rich political climate), which has always piqued my interest.

Words are a powerful force we all possess within us. They can provoke thought, encourage hope, enthuse crowds, and comfort the distraught. It is for this reason that I highly encourage all to reflect on what we use words to say. On what power they have.

And on what good they can do.

Here is a link to Rena’s opinion article which was recently published in the Bangkok Post https://www.bangkokpost.com/ opinion/postbag/1968599/not-going-to-happen Rena B12

It is so good to be

Green!

At the beginning of October our school were inspected by Eco-Schools Thailand to see how eco-friendly and sustainable we are…. I am pleased to tell you that we passed the assessment with flying colours and will from now on be flying our Green Flag with pride at the entrance to our school!

The inspectors were impressed by our drive towards sustainability, our understanding of waste and the management of it and they were bowled over by the knowledge our students showed when presenting to them. We produce incredible young people here at Harrow Bangkok and the best of us was on show that day – from the presentation skills, incredible tour guides and simple role models which everyone should be proud of.

Our journey has been successful but now what is next… we are going to work our way to be a beacon school. This involves continuing to work on all that is good at Harrow Bangkok and ensuring that we are focusing and succeeding with all areas of eco – 10 of them in total. Our vision is to have our whole community focused on making purposeful choices that are going to impact on our whole planet. As educators we owe it to this current generation of students that we give them the knowledge of what we can do to change the world and then give them the skills and opportunities to be able to do so.

Mike Godwin Head of Pre Prep

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LATEST UPDATES

HOW TRIP Over sixty Harrow Bangkok Ocean Warriors attended the first beach clean up trip of the year to Ko Larn on Saturday 24th October. The group snorkelled to shore which enabled them to see the extent of the problem, with students noticing plastic bottles, plastic rope and miscellaneous plastic lids and cutlery littered on the seabed. With a meticulous approach, the warriors picked up all the litter that they could find and collected ‘interesting’ items for use in the reflection activity in the evening. Working in groups during the evening, they produced outstanding shields to demonstrate the extent of the problem and offer advice about how to change habits and lifestyles to be more sustainable.

All the Harrow Bangkok Ocean Warriors should be congratulated for their outstanding behaviour, collaborative approach and resilience. Thanks also goes to Mr Mitchell, Mr Willis, Ms Jones, Miss Tum, Miss Aom, Mrs Pigeon and Ms Adjei who chaperoned, and were fully involved in the trip.

The next trip in on January 9-10th and letters will be circulated shortly.

Kathryn Gavin Head of SR5

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LATEST UPDATES

Rice

House

Due to the immense generosity of the Harrow Bangkok community, our whole school House Rice initiative collected well over 7000 kg (7 tonnes) of rice and over 113,000 baht. With such large number of students involved in leading the event, their enthusiasm was contagious, and we commend them for encouraging their peers to get involved. Truly Leadership in Action!

The rice donations were quickly distributed in the local community where bags of rice were delivered to over 50 families in need. People who were bedridden, elderly, suffering from terminal illnesses or were handicapped were prioritised. In addition, we delivered 500 kg to the Foundation for Better Life children’s home too, the Byron House charity. We are currently undertaking a needs assessment in our local community as we have additional funds to allocate over the coming weeks.

Thanks to Grace’s family (K13) and Harrow Bangkok, we sent 3 trucks of rice and other donations to Maesot. With the logistical help of Acorn Overseas, Arkar in Maesot and Jo in the UK, we arranged to get the rice distributed to the communities in most need. We sent over 1000 kg to Love School, Champion and Emmanuel Migrant Learning Centre each, 750 kg to New Blood School and two nights schools, Islam Boon and Sunset. We were also able to send over 1,250 kg to a rubbish dump community who were facing serious food shortages. We have further funds to allocate.

Thank you to all those students, staff and parents who took part and for the whole Harrow Bangkok community who demonstrated such compassion, empathy and a desire to help others. Churchill were the winning House, closely followed by Nehru, but the real winners were the all the hundreds of families who have benefited from all the donations in this time of uncertainty and need. Thank you to you all.

Kathryn Gavin Head of SR5

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CA A TT E CSHTI NUGP D UA P TW ITH OUR COMMUNITY L ES

Charity and Community Service in

Byron House Byron House have recently established a new link with the ‘Foundation for the Better Life of Children’, located in our local Don Muang district. On the afternoon of Thursday 29th October, we made our first visit to the organisation to meet and support our new friends. The Byronites involved in this trip were superb ambassadors for Harrow Bangkok and the impact they made on these children in such a short space of time will no doubt have a lasting effect. During the visit, the children interacted through games, conversations and selfies and formed new friendships in an instant. We look forward to welcoming our new friends to visit Harrow Bangkok in the near future.

Lawrence Prunty Head of Byron House

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LATEST UPDATES

Churchill

Charity Well done to all Churchillians who participated in the House charity event, the ‘Charity Box’. Despite the postponement of Baan Dek Rae Ron’s visit due to COVID-19, Churchill's charity team still managed to encourage empathy among the Harrow Bangkok community with the Charity Box. Donations, including toothpaste, soaps, snacks and many more have been collected from Year 6 to Year 13 Churchill members. The boxes were left for two weeks in every tutor group’s room. Not only were the results pleasing, but this event has also accomplished the goal of teaching students to share their kindness to the local community.

Carrot C12 Churchill Charity Captain

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CA AT TE CSHTI NUGP D UA P TW ITH OUR COMMUNITY L ES

Pike

Pike in N10 recently presented the Head Master with a letter from the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand certifying that he had been selected to be a national junior tennis player to represent Thailand at age 14 or under category international team events, earlier this year! If the pandemic hadn’t happened he would have represented Thailand in the 2020 World Junior Tennis qualifying event in Australia and the ITF Asian Finals in Thailand.

Well done for being selected Pike and hopefully you’ll get to play for Thailand soon!

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LATEST UPDATES

TT

Over the summer break while most of us are relaxing enjoying the holidays, Tyra Lithiby in Year 9 was busy practicing intensely on court focusing on improving different aspects of her game and working hard off court with a strength and conditioning program which has evidently seen more power in her strokes and speed around the court.

Tyra entered into six tournaments between June to October and has won three of them in the U14/U16 age categories, runner up in the U14 National Team selection event which only the top 8 players in the country can attend and qualified for two Women’s Professional Events. She was the youngest player to qualify for these Professional events.

With all the recent success, she caught the attention of the Thai Hello Magazine Special Edition who wanted to feature her in an article as a ‘gifted youngster’ to find out what it takes to achieve such accomplishments and how she approaches adversity under pressure in tennis and how it can be applied in life. She stays grounded with her parent’s constant support and close friends at Harrow Bangkok.

Read the article here Tournament results from July 2020 – October 2020 • True Arena U14 Girls 100 Plus event in Hua Hin – Champion • LTAT Lawn Tennis Association U16 Girls PTT event in Muang Thong – Champion • Thai National Women’s Open Event – won 3 qualifying rounds to make maindraw • U14 Girls (Top 8 ranked) Thai National Team Qualification Event – Runner Up • TATP Singha Women’s Professional Event – won 4 qualifying rounds to make maindraw • U15 BISAC Singles Event at Harrow Bangkok – Champion Coach Danai Tennis Coach

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ATTECSHTI NUGP D UA P TW LCA E SI T H O U R C O M M U N I T Y

Toong Toong our rising star wakeboarder Wakeboarding is a relatively novel extreme sport and Thailand has claimed its place on the map with many state-of-the-art wake parks that attract Thai and international riders from all over the world. Thailand boasts several champions including Thai/English World Champion Danial Grant, who has held this title for over six years.

Here at Harrow Bangkok we have our very own rising star wakeboarder, Liew, Lalada (Toong Toong) in So8. After only 1 year of riding including 3 months of coaching with Didi Anwar (2005 X Games Champion and Danial Grant’s coach), Toong Toong bravely entered the Thailand Wake Park World Championships 2020, hosted by Zanook Wake Park, this September.

She signed up for two categories, Under 13 girls and Amateur Women. The competition was spread over three weekends (entry - qualifier – finals) which was challenging for all the contestants and required great mastery and stamina.

Through this rigorous process, she came in 3rd in the LCQ (last chance qualifying) round for the final four in U13. So, she missed the final for the U13. Nevertheless, resilient as she is, she entered the finals for Amateur Women, a higher category, instead. In the finals, however, she took a bad fall at the beginning of her run and this knocked her confidence but still resulted in her receiving an honorable 4th place; very impressive for her first-ever competition, I’m sure you will agree.

A growing number of Harrow Bangkok students are discovering this new extreme sport, especially the current Year 8’s. Toong Toong is an inspiration to many aspiring wakeboarders and can be seen training regularly at one of the Thai Wake Park’s.

For many years it has been my dream to have a Harrow Bangkok wakeboarding team and it may, at last, be in sight…

For further information about wakeboarding please don’t hesitate to ask.

Mr Chadwick Prep House Leader Churchill

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LATEST UPDATES

1st interschool climbing competition @ Climb Central Bangkok On Saturday 3rd October, our climbers were excited to challenge themselves in 3 climbing disciplines: top rope, bouldering and speed. We were joined by Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, ISB and Denla - it was a positive opportunity to make new friends and we hope to include more schools from around Thailand in the future.

Ms Sapphira School Welfare Counsellor

Kane Lorh We are delighted to connect with Kane Lorh, our Harrow Bangkok Alumni (Class of 2009). On Sunday, 13th September, a few of our top climbers competed at Kane’s Gravity Lab bouldering championships and really had fun challenging themselves. We then invited Kane back to school to reminisce with staff and share his expertise and passion in climbing with our Sixth Form and climbing students.

Ms Sapphira School Welfare Counsellor

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L CA A TT E CSHTI NUGP D UA P TW ES ITH OUR COMMUNITY

Cross-Country Running 2020 Harrow Bangkok’s cross-country runners have run in two events: The International Virtual Cross-Country 2020 October 5-9 This is a new event created in response to COVID-19.

Races were run at Harrow Bangkok during activity time and results submitted online. We were against 30 international schools from around the world. As you can imagine, runners on tracks in Europe or the US in the Autumn cool had a massive advantage against our athletes ploughing through the heat on the sticky sweaty Harrow Bangkok fields. All teams finished in the top 20 and our Prep girls were most successful teams finishing 11th.

In this event Harrow Bangkok’s runners competed against the 10 other BISAC schools around Bangkok.

Our superstar team were the Varsity Girls who won bronze 3rd place medals! Well done to Jinny (So10), Maya (S10), Lili (So11), Jade (S12), Ung (N12), Tracy (K12) & Bua (K12). On an individual level, well done to Jinny and Bill (S12) who each won Varsity bronze.

Yours in the long run Mr Howe The Running Club

BISAC Cross-Country 2020 at ASB and ISB November 1st

House Cross Country

House Cross Country took place on Thursday 22nd October. All six Houses had a great turnout with runners from all ages and abilities competing. Students competed in different age categories: Prep, Year 9

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and 10 and Year 11 to 13. The competition was fierce with lots of students aiming to get PBs. The course took the students around the school field, into Hyde Park and right round to the boarding houses. The students really had to push themselves but luckily staff were on hand to give out water and point the way to our runners. It was fantastic to see the students persevering in the heat and humidity to make sure they reached the finishing line. There was great comradery along the course with students cheering each other on showing great team spirit! Some notable winners were Jade in K12 who kept her pace throughout the race and Bill in S12 who had a strong lead from the very beginning and maintained this until the finish line. Mr Prout has spent lots of time number crunching the statistics and our overall winners for the Prep Phase were Nehru House! The winner in the SR5 and Sixth Form was Suriyothai House. Thank you to all the staff who came out to support, especially the hares – be careful though, the students will be catching you up next year!

Hannah John Prep House Leader Suriyothai

LATEST UPDATES

U11

BISAC BASKETBALL It was great to back in competitive sport, as NIST hosted the annual U11 BISAC Basketball Competition.

The mighty Harrow Bangkok team had been drawn in one of three groups consisting of Ruamrudee and ISB. Both games were very close affairs as our basketballers came through with 2 fantastic wins. This sent us through to the play off finals versus Patana and the host school NIST. Both games were incredibly nerve-racking – Patana’s game ended 20-20 and the NIST game 27-19; victory to the Lions! It was a tremendous effort by our boys’ team, led by Plu to leave the tournament undefeated and with a 2nd place silver medal. A truly incredible morning of sport saw the Harrow Bangkok team shine. Well done to all players.

Mr Rock Coach

House Dodgeball The highly popular and mighty Senior House Dodgeball Competition took place over 3 days at the end of September. The Sports Hall was packed out every lunchtime with all Houses in fighting House spirit. House ties were tied around foreheads as they challenged their opposition at the start of every battle. All Houses were out in force, ready to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!

The audience cheering on in awe, oohing and ahhing at some fantastic skills (especially as the last members of teams elegantly dodged around the court trying to maintain their composure!). The PE staff had a tough job refereeing the matches and there were a few disputed decisions, but, all in all, there was great camaraderie and sportsmanship on the court. Some amazing hits saw the dodgeballs disintegrate in front of our eyes! Congratulations to Sonukal for winning the Year 9 and 10 final and Nehru for winning the Year 11 - 13 final.

Miss Matsushita Head of Churchill

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Football Academy Boys Varsity Plate Second Place Our Boys’ Varsity team began their session in September, weeks after their opponents, with a new coach, some new elements and having lost a few key players from the previous season. Immediately we began preparing for the BISAC tournament, having only a couple of weeks of training and one fixture before our first competition in the world’s current new normal.

We arrived at the venue knowing two of the opponent’s level, the remaining two teams were completely unknown to us. Understanding the strength of our first opponent, we prepared the match in a way to try our best and at the same time identify behaviours to avoid or to maintain for the rest of the tournament. We were fairly beaten by St. Andrews in a good show of collective and individual skills, this required us to make necessary changes for the second match against Bangkok Prep that we won by dominating the first half and controlling, more defensively, the second half. One of our opponents decided to abandon the tournament, leaving us with one more challenge against a reasonably strong side from ISB. Unfortunately, one of our starting players obtained a small injury, leaving us with only two subs for our final game. This added to the disadvantage of playing the third game while the remaining teams played only two fixtures due to the fourth school pulling out of the tournament. We decided to play a smart game by defending well and using counterattack as our weapon. We were rewarded with a 1-1 draw that left finishing first out of our hands, for better or for worse. The last match of the day ended with the result benefiting us so that we could bring the silver medal back home.

Our effort, intelligence and heart surpassed any disadvantage we could have had beforehand, and showed that when a team plays together, you can surprise and achieve amazing things.

Coach Pedro

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LATEST UPDATES final against NIST. The final was a strange encounter in that our girls started the game slowly whilst playing with nerves which is totally against their DNA. Against the run of play NIST scored an absolute scorcher where no goalkeeper in the world would save, not even our famous Kriti could save it. Half time couldn’t come sooner, this gave the team and I the opportunity to gather our thoughts and regroup for the second half, and what a second half it was. Straight from the start the tempo was exceptionally high, resulting in an equalizer within 3 minutes. There was no way NIST were going to be able to hold on and right on queue, Pear banged in a power header from a corner; 2-1. For the remaining time left in the game, NIST had to endure wave after wave of attacks. BISAC champions again!

Girls Varsity Cup Champions Going into the tournament I was quietly confident both teams would do reasonably well, but you never quite know when it comes to team sports…

Our teams were split at two different campuses, boys playing in the plate competition at NIST and girls playing in the cup competition at Patana. During the sequence leading up to the tournament, the girls were unable to all train together for one reason or another; the only time we did manage to get together was a friendly fixture against ISB which we won 7-0.

On the day of the tournament, I was buoyant we had a strong enough squad but wasn’t sure if we had enough time together to prepare. Due to the scheduling we were able to watch the first match of Bangkok Prep v Patana. This fixture was important to us as we could determine how many goals we needed to score against Bangkok Prep as we knew it would come down to us or Patana to reach the final.

Two out of three years the girls have been crowned BISAC Champions which is an amazing achievement in itself, what’s more amazing is that they did it with very little time spent together this season. Well done ladies!

I would like to sign off by thanking three amazing talented young ladies for whom I have had the pleasure to coach and get to know over several years. Kriti S13, Jeen-Jeen N13 and Jing-Jing N13, you have been tremendous ambassadors to our school, your parents, friends and role models to your teammates. On behalf of the football academy and PE department, I would like to wish all three of you the very best in the next chapter of our lives which I know will be vibrant, exciting and successful.

Thank You! Coach Darren

Patana finally won the match 5-0. We now knew we had to score more than 5 goals against Bangkok Prep to need only a draw against Patana to go through to the final.

With 10 minutes still remaining on the fixture we decided to stop the match as we were 10 nil up against Prep and there seemed no point in demoralizing the opposition furthermore. With a short rest period our next fixture was against Patana, knowing a draw would be good enough to see us go through we started on the front foot with a resilient goal from Pear Yr12. For some reason our girls started the second half in a more defensive manner, eventually soaking up the pressure to navigate through to the

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LATEST UPDATES

Making Harrow Bangkok the hub for providing an achievement-based gymnastics programme, we proudly would like to introduce…

BORN TO

SHINE On Saturday October 31st, the Gymnastics Academy held the first ever ‘Born to Shine’ tournament where gymnasts from every level of the Academy competed, many for the very first time! Born to Shine is an event which has been designed specifically to encourage the gymnasts’ to learn new skills, improve performance and celebrate their success. There are two different categories that gymnasts may enter; the ‘Skills’ programme, where they perform on the floor and vault apparatus only, or the ‘Skills and Fitness’ programme, which also assesses strength and flexibility. The event also gave parents the opportunity to come in and see what their children have been learning in their gymnastics lessons!

In this competition, badges and certificates are awarded to all gymnasts who manage to meet the criteria in their grade, with silver badges being awarded for gymnasts who complete the Skills programme and gold badges for the Skills and Fitness programme.

Medals are awarded for the floor and vault events based on execution scores; red for a score of 9.0 and above, silver for a score between 8.0 and 9.0, and blue for a score between 7.0 and 8.0. As medals are awarded based on scores rather than by rankings, when future Born to Shine competitions are held, gymnasts can aim to increase their scores and earn a higher medal in addition to advancing through the grades as they learn more difficult skills.

While this first edition of Born to Shine was a competition for Harrow Bangkok gymnasts only, we will be holding another edition after Christmas inviting other schools to participate.

Natalie Greenidge Head of Gymnastics Academy

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LATEST UPDATES

GOLF

ACADEMY

The Golf Academy is back in full swing‌. it has been great to see Golf Academy members from last year get back into the routine of their practice and playing in competitions. It has also been a pleasure to welcome a whole host of new students into the Academy.

It has been a busy start to the year with more students, than ever, utilising the on-course sessions to hone their skills in preparation for the multitude of competitions that came thick and fast at the start of the year. The International Golf Schools Tour (ISGT), that culminates with the tour four schools playing off for the order of merit title, kicked off with the Shrewsbury Invitational at Thai Country Club, quickly followed by the Norwich Invitational at The Vintage Club. Harrow Bangkok Golf team was well represented at both competitions by students from both the Elite and Development teams. All the students demonstrated excellent perseverance and determination throughout both competitions and by applying the skills that they have been mastering during hours and hours of practice saw some fantastic results. A special mention must go to Bun K6 who won his Flight in both tournaments - a tremendous achievement.

The Faldo series that have been created as part of the ISGT calendar are incredibly prestigious events that have a pathway through to both Asia and European finals. The events have moved to a three-day competition, this requires students to continually demonstrate mastery of their skills as well as superb concentration and practice. A huge congratulation must go to three Kellar boys Ginn, Yushi and Puh who all competed unbelievably well over the three days at Pattana Golf Club with Puh being crowned overall U11 mini series winner, by shooting a score of plus seven for three rounds!

Absolutely fantastic.

Well done boys.

Rob Kench Golf Academy SHB Tawan 2nd (Flight A) Puh 2nd (Flight C) Bun 1st (Flight D - nearest pinhole 6) Penguin 3rd (Flight B) Boys 3rd (Overall) Girls 3rd (Overall) Team Overall 2nd Norwich Tawan 2nd (Flight A) Ginn K7 (played his first competition for Harrow Bangkok) Bun 1st (Flight D - long drive hole 4) Prim C11 2nd (Net Stableford competition) Faldo Series Pattaya Puh U11 Series winner Yushi U11 Series 7th place Ginn U11 Series 9th place

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LATEST UPDATES

Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy

! s s e c c u S n o i t i t e Comp itio

Season One has seen the much-anticipated return to swimming competitions, the Harrow Swimming Academy have attained some excellent results in a range of competitions across Bangkok.

Thailand National Swimming Championships 2020 October 2020 brought the Thailand Swimming Nationals 2020 for our Harrow Bangkok performance swimmers. The championships had been re-scheduled from April 2020 which provided an excellent opportunity for the team to showcase their ability to adapt swimming training during difficult times to continue to achieve the best possible results.

The Thailand National Championship was a 6-day long event, the Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy had 10 swimmers qualify for the competition: Ajay (SO13), Joey (So 11), Sean (K11), Ray (S11), Nenie (C11), Nammon (So 9), Mario (N7), Thi (K7), Thomas (C6) and Pak (B6). A main aim for the 2020 National Team was to achieve placings in the top 3 in their events.

This was a substantial goal for the swimmers but one that they were able to attain this year, which is a truly fantastic result for the Harrow Bangkok swimmers.

The team achieved a total of 9 medals across the championships: Ajay (So13): Gold in 50 free, Silver in 100 free, Bronze in 50 fly and Bronze in 100 fly.

Joey (So 11): Silver in 50 back and Bronze in 100 back.

Thi (K7): 3 Bronze medals in 100 breaststroke, 100 back and 100 fly.

In addition to the fantastic medal success, the team achieved 7 final qualifications alongside new personal best times in the majority of the events swam. A special mention goes to Ajay (So13) and Joey (So11) on also achieving qualifying times for the Southeast Asia Swimming Championships 2020 – an excellent accomplishment, well done both!

Huge congratulations to all Harrow Bangkok swimmers who competed at the 2020 Thailand Swimming Nationals.

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LATEST UPDATES

Bulldog Dash 2020 On Saturday 10th October the Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy attended the Bulldog Dash competition at Bangkok Prep.

The team of 21 swimmers, encompassed students across all of the Swimming Academy squads which provided an excellent opportunity for the swimmers

Trick or Treat 2020 Following the Bulldog Dash success, the Swimming Academy’s Performance Swimmers attended the Trick or Treat competition at Bangkok Patana. This year, the team of 33 swimmers participated with the main focus to improve their personal best times alongside striving to attain National qualifying times.

The team achieved excellent results with a total of 46

to work together in achieving the best results possible. Overall, the Harrow Bangkok Lions swim team finished 2nd out of 10 teams with 945 points. In addition to the excellent overall score success, the team also achieved an impressive medal haul of 10 Gold, 11 Silver and 8 Bronze medals which is an excellent accomplishment for the first team competition of the academic year.

medals: 20 Gold, 14 Silver, and 12 Bronze; these results marked brilliant progress for the Harrow Bangkok team as there were 11 more swimmers competing and additionally 13 medals more attained compared with 2019 competition. Furthermore, 9 swimmers attained an exceptional 26 National qualifying times across the competition, well done to these swimmers on this accomplishment.

The Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy are extremely proud of the team’s Season One success and are determined to continue this excellent momentum both in training and upcoming competitions throughout Season Two. Let’s go Lions!

David Escolar Ballesteros and Hollie Brewer Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy Head Coaches

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CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY This Christmas, we say a fond farewell to Nick Prockter, Alex Costa and Tim and Jo Jefferis. Read on for some reflections of their time at Harrow Bangkok.

Tim Jefferis What an adventure it has been. On the professional side, I’ve had my eyes opened to the international scene, to working in a group, and to a wonderfully diverse array of leadership approaches. The challenges I’ve sometimes felt at the need for consensus-building has been more than offset by the comfort of solving problems together. COVID-19, throwing its grisly shadow over nearly a third of my time in Thailand, generated a series of irreconcilable demands which I’m very glad we were able to arbitrate on as a team. Whereas three years ago I was headstrong and in a rush; I feel I’ve become more thoughtful as a leader. I have Harrow Bangkok to thank for that.

Outside work, Jo and I have enjoyed somewhat of a second honeymoon. With our kids out of school and largely self-sufficient, we’ve cycled, swum, snorkelled, run, windsurfed and even squeezed in a bit of loung-

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ing about. Thailand, and south-east Asia in general, will forever hold a place in our affections. Before COVID we were able to share our adventures with friends and family, and we have many happy memories of that time. More recently, a particular highlight has been completing the Mae Hong Song loop on our bikes. We were dragged around by the super-fit Natalie Wilson and Brian van den Berg and had a whale of a time – the perfect balance of laughs and graft.

Many will know that we had planned to turn our hobby into a lifestyle and cycle back to the UK in 2021. It now looks as though this will be impossible, so we’re lining up a series of more prosaic itineraries instead.

Whatever happens though, our time in Thailand has changed us for the better. We’re very grateful for the opportunities the school has given us, for the friends we’ve made, and for hospitability of the Thai people.

The story isn’t over yet.

Tim Jefferis Second Master

CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY

Nicholas Prockter

With only a few weeks to go before I leave the Harrow Bangkok turnstiles for the last time, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on my time here.

sions and so I am also proud that as a result of many improvements, our Lower School academic standards have increased significantly during my time here.

I am now in my seventh year at Harrow Bangkok after making the huge decision to move overseas with my wife and 2 young boys. The decision was one of the best I have made, and we head home with memories we will cherish for a lifetime.

I take back to England wonderful memories of cultural celebrations, concerts, performances and sporting events. Memories of polite and passionate young children and everlasting memories of the kind and supportive mums and dads who I have been lucky enough to work with over the years.

The Harrow Bangkok I joined 6 and a half years ago, was so different to the one we have now. We now have around 300 more Lower School pupils and facilities that are vastly improved. Constant expansion has kept me busy, and I am proud of the small part I have played in the development of such world-class facilities that our students now learn in and proud that the facilities are now safer, more secure and provide spaces for inspirational teaching and learning.

I look back with great pride at the achievements of my team such as a rich new curriculum encompassing meaningful topics, exciting themes and the nurturing of a love of reading and learning. I am also proud of the Lower School team that has been recruited here in my time - never have I worked with such hard-working, dedicated and enthusiastic professionals, all so keen to make a positive difference.

I have always tried to do what is in the best interests of children, even if that meant making difficult deci-

I know that in time, many of the students that have been in my care will go onto great success and happiness in their future lives, and I hope that as the years go by, you will stay in touch and keep me updated with your achievements.

I’d like to thank the Harrow Bangkok community for welcoming us, thank Mr Farley and Mr Standen for their support and thank the amazing teachers that have taught and cared for our 2 boys during our time here.

I leave the Lower School in very capable hands. Mr Godwin is an inspirational leader and I know that he and the LS team will now take our school to the next level and I look forward to hearing about all its success.

Nicholas Prockter Head of Lower School

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CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY

Alexandra Costa I can’t quite believe that the time has come to say goodbye to all the amazing children, staff and parents at Harrow Bangkok! I feel so proud of how the Lower School has continued to improve year after year and have loved seeing the students excel in their studies and develop a real love of learning. I must have given thousands of Headteacher awards out over the years, but no matter how many children walk through my door it always puts a huge smile on my face to see how proud they are of their achievements and how excited they are to tell me about their learning.

There are so many special memories that I will take with me back to the UK, like all the amazing dress-up days and Book Weeks, Year 1 expeditions, the grand opening of the Pullman Library, the fantastic Harrow Fairs, the Jungle Book production, mini concerts and all the class assemblies. My most treasured memories though come from the students that I have had the pleasure of teaching and getting to know, like my old Year 1 class and Ken (Pipit Ratanatam), who is sadly no longer with us. I have never stopped loving being a class teacher and believe that it is the most important job in the world!

Although I am very sad to say goodbye to everyone, I am looking forward to seeing all of my family and friends again after such a long time of being apart.

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Our family are moving back to live in the Cotswolds, which is a beautiful part of the English countryside and where I will enjoy going for long walks in the fresh air and snuggling up with my boys in front of an open fire. I am also looking forward to my new job as the Pastoral Head of a Prep School in Oxford.

I would like to say a massive thank you to all of the students for making my time at Harrow Bangkok so happy and rewarding. I would like to thank the parents and in particular the Friends of Harrow for being so welcoming, kind and supportive. Finally, I would like to thank all of my colleagues in the Lower School for being such an incredible team to work with. My time here has been one which I will never forget. Thailand has a very special place in my heart which I will cherish forever.

Alexandra Costa Deputy Head of Lower School

CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY Over the 7 years that Nick and Alex have worked at Harrow Bangkok they have transformed it. Lower School has a dynamic curriculum, an outstanding group of staff members and is at the forefront of education – this has been made possible by them.

Nick has led the school through H-Build, an expansion to 5-form entry and ensured attendance and number on role are the highest in the school’s history. His recruitment ideals, and strategic intent has meant Lower School has never stood still and has thrived in the international market.

Alex, in her role as Deputy Head has led on the curriculum – developing teaching and learning throughout Lower School which has meant results have climbed year on year. Our students make great progress and achieve highly because of the professional development which Alex has coordinated and the curriculum design which she has orchestrated.

In January I will be stepping into the role of Head of Lower School with excitement and nerves. I have big shoes to fill but I know I am taking over a school which has been placed at the pinnacle of educational excellence. Nick and Alex may not be physically at Harrow Bangkok in January, but their legacy will be, and it will be felt for many years to come.

Mike Godwin Head of Prep Prep (Acting Head of Lower School, Term 2-3 2021) Under your leadership the Lower School has been transformed, it is certainly a very different school from the one I joined a little over 5 years ago and it will not be the same without you both. Thank you so much for your support and guidance over the years, I feel that I am ready and looking forward to putting into practice all that you have taught me about both education and leadership. Good luck with your move back to the UK, stay in touch, we will miss you!

Kate Umpleby Head of Early Year (Acting Deputy Head of Lower School, Term 2-3 2021)

Nick, Alex, Tim and Jo I wish you the very best of luck in your next endeavours and thank you for your countless contributions which have made Harrow Bangkok the wonderful school it is today.

The school is being left in an extremely strong position and the acting Lower School heads, Mike and Kate, are both first-class, experienced leaders who will manage the Lower School well for the remainder of the year; the recruitment of new leaders is well underway and I will update you soon.

Best wishes Jon Standen Head Master

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CATCHING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY

Pam Pam, Class of 2014, was at Harrow Bangkok for 8 years. She studied a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Sociology Minor in Chinese at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Harrow Bangkok was like a second home for me. I spent most of my time at school participating in various activities and as a Prefect and House Captain. I got the chance to get to know so many people from all the activities that I ran or participated in. The school itself not only provides shelter and knowledge but also comfort and support, I never once wanted to leave the school early because it was the place I felt safe and I could totally be myself. I gained so many experiences from being in so many leadership roles, and these experiences helped shape who I am today as a person. So, to conclude things, I enjoyed everything I did at Harrow Bangkok and as the motto said when I was there “Be the best that you can be”.

Now I’m working at an edtech startup called ‘Snapask’. it’s a free educational app aimed at homework-aid, one-on-one tutoring sessions and outside-of-classroom learning. I’m also doing my own projects, basically doing what I have always wanted to do but had no time or money for. I’m also taking self-improvement courses to upskill myself as well as exploring other topics that I have never tried before.

I really want to give advice to those who are still Harrow Bangkok students; be brave and stay active! I was given really great opportunities while I was at school - community services trips, Peer Support Program, being a Prefect and then House Captain. All of these did not come easy but it was all worth it. They allowed me to grow and gave me chances to make new friends that have become ‘family’.

So, step out of your comfort zone, explore and try out new things. I promise that you will not regret doing it!

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TK, Class of 2010, was at Harrow Bangkok for 7 years. After graduating from us she studied a BSc in Sociology at LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) and then a Masters in Global Communications at LSE and University of Southern California (USC). Currently TK’s a PhD researcher in cultural studies (department of sociology) at City, University of London.

I loved the fact that Harrow Bangkok gave us a lot of opportunities to explore our interests and try new things whether that be through after school activities or in our classes. I felt that the school provided a safe learning space for us with very supportive teachers and quality learning experiences. It was a very eye-opening experience for me coming from a Thai educational system.

I didn’t, however, like wearing a blazer and boater in the 40-degree Celsius weather and of course losing them and having to buy new ones!

Make the best out of your experiences at Harrow!

I’ve learned a lot there! I also felt that the campus has changed a lot from our days... we didn’t have a 3D printer and such an elaborated arts building then! It was impressive when I last visited.

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