the
HARROVIAN
The Newsletter of Harrow International School Bangkok
Volume 24 Issue 3
27 January 2021
THIS ISSUE
KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
4-13 14-29
STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE
30-33
LATEST UPDATES
34-38
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 This magazine is printed on recycled paper
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FROM THE HEAD MASTER
Dear Parents The school has returned to online learning for a second time. We were fortunate that term 1 was as ‘near normal’ for our students as anywhere in the world. We are also fortunate that our online learning provision is superb. I am confident your sons and daughters will continue to make excellent progress. These times challenge us all. We have made further refinements to our online provision this time. Our after school clubs and activities providers have produced material to support students. We hope the situation continues to improve and we will be permitted to reopen the campus soon. With my best wishes
J P Standen Head Master
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
Head of Lower School As I sit in my office there is something which is becoming ever more profoundly noticeable. The silence. Except for the extractor fan, which I must get fixed, all there is… is quiet. This is so strange! I work in a school, I work in a place with 750 children between the ages of 2 and 10 years old, not to mention the old students of Upper School. I work in a place surrounded by incredible professionals and friends who are not here – and I miss them. I miss the noise; I miss the conversation and I am not ashamed to tell you that this is hard. For those who know me, they will tell you that I am an incredibly positive person, and this is true. I work each day with a desire to improve and I go through each day with an outlook that my actions will support all around me in a positive way. From the start of this term I am in role as Head of Lower School and I look forward to driving us forwards. What excites me is the potential, the potential for every student to achieve, the potential for every staff member to make an impact. The reason for my excitement is this. Whilst it may be quiet in school, online Lower School is buzzing, online Lower School is filled with the sounds of learning, filled with the sound of excitement and filled with the sound of potential. We are proud of the offer which each child throughout
Head of EYC
our school is receiving and whilst it can be challenging for all involved, we hope to find a balance. The balance should be struck so that learning takes place and well-being is maintained. Positivity currently is key, thinking about what is good and working is so effective in allowing us all to get through this one step at a time. What I do understand though is for some this might not be possible, and I implore you, if anyone needs support we are here. Our teachers are available, the leadership team is here, and we have a range of resources and advice which can help those in any situation. Together is how we succeed. Our learning is engaging and enables progress because we do it together. We ensure positivity is maintained because we talk together, and we will get through this period of home learning because we will do it together. I am proud to lead the Lower School and privileged to work with such an incredible team surrounded by a community who want the same as me – a world class education for children who will be enabled for life and leadership. As this term progresses, I am excited by the prospects and looking forward to the challenges which lie ahead. I always tell my team that if they need me, they know where to find me… and I say this to all of you… if you need me, you know I am there. Mike Godwin Acting Head of Lower School having learned and reflected on the previous online learning, last year. The content we are providing has been carefully planned to be broad and balanced, covering all the areas of learning and development in the Early Years. We hope the activities and suggestions we provide enable the children to have a healthy balance between time spent on screen and completing activities off screen. I have been so impressed with how well our students have adapted to the change to Online Learning. Thank you to all of the parents and families at home who are supporting the children so magnificently. We love seeing all the wonderful photographs and videos of the experiences the children are having at home. We understand that there are challenges for families at this time and we are here to support you in any way we can, so please do get in touch if you need anything at all.
A very Happy New Year and welcome back to that start of Term 2 from us all at The Little Lions Early Years Centre. This term, we welcome a number of new families to Harrow Bangkok; I wish you all well as you start your learning journey with us.
Once again, my many thanks for your continued support. We are all looking forward to welcoming you back to the campus as soon as it is safe for us to open again. Best wishes,
We have started this term with a move to online learning, using Google Classroom as our delivery platform. We start this process in a strong position,
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Ste Foster Acting Head of EYC
KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
E-
Safety
A few weeks ago was E-Safety week in Pre Prep, a topic which is more important than ever during our period of online learning. E-Safety permeates every lesson involving ICT at Harrow but it is good to have a week to really focus in on this important area of the curriculum. Students across every year group have been watching videos linked to this theme and have been extremely creative when demonstrating their learning. Take a look at these ‘Super Protectors’ from Year 2. The students created these fun images using the camera app on their iPads/parents’ phones and using the ‘mark-up’ editing tool. Emily Jones Head of LS Computing and Digital Citizenship
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
Lion Cubs
Lion Cubs have started Term 2a learning about ‘The Farm’. With the amazing support of their parents, we are having lots of fun thinking about some of the animals that live on farms and making lots of great animal noises. We’ve been learning about food that grows on farms too. It is plain to see from the photos and comments that we have received that our children are really enjoying their online learning activities and it has shown us how much can be achieved when we work together with parents. Our youngest children are adaptable ‘learning machines’ who are making the most of every opportunity. As parents and teachers, we couldn’t be any prouder of them! Julie-Anne Green Lion Cubs Teacher
Dodgeball the harmless, time-honoured game of ‘last student wins’!
This again was a fantastic hit with our Pre Prep students. Every lunchtime in November was a showpiece of dodging, ducking, aiming and precision. House Dodgeball was back! Our Harrow Bangkok students were again in action competing as best as they could to be crowned House Champions. Each Year group had the opportunity to play each other and points were added up to find the overall Pre Prep champion. Congratulations to the winners of each year group: Year 1 - Sonakul Year 2 - Nehru Year 3 - Churchill Year 4 - Suriyothai Year 5 - Byron The overall points were added up to award Keller House with the House Champions trophy 2020. Well done to consistent results throughout the Pre Prep. Many thanks to all the PE staff who made this tournament possible. Mr Rock Head of Lower School PE
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
Year 2 Pirate Day On Tuesday 24th November Year 2 was taken over by pirates! It was Pirate Day! The children enjoyed a day of fun with pirate-related activities that included a treasure hunt and baking pirate biscuits. At the end of the day, parents came to see all of the wonderful learning that the children have done this term. The children were proud to showcase all of their work and even performed a song and a dance at the end of the day. It was a very enjoyable day! Louise Cove Year 2 Year Group Leader
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
Pre Prep House Science 2020 This year we launched our new House Science Challenge titled ‘Imagine tomorrow’ a Project Green challenge. This challenge comprised of 15 different activities that the children could choose from, all designed to make us think about our impact on the environment and lessening our carbon footprint. As well as our home challenges the children were able to attend special Science workshops within school. I lead the planting of a wildflower garden with our younger children whilst Ms Lam worked on making recycled paper with our older children. We were both so impressed with the knowledge that the children had gained as to why it is important to care for nature and recycle. As the week drew to a close, we found that over 170
Year 5 expo On Thursday 3rd of December, the Year 5 students held a River Investigation Parent Expo. Students used the High Performance Learning thinking skill of ‘Intellectual Confidence’ to confidently and articulately discuss the topic ‘Why are Rivers Important?’ with parents and guests. The critical thinking students of Year 5 had been working in small groups for several weeks during our open-ended enquiry unit which required each group to produce a case study about a famous river that was environmentally at risk. The students had a range of tasks to complete focusing of the key HPL thinking skills of Originality, Metacognition, Seeing Alternate Perspectives, Flexible Thinking and Precision. As part of the Expo, students shared 3D topographical maps of famous river basins, informative discussion texts exploring the specific issues faced by rivers around the world, biographies, infographic and digital scrapbooks. In some classes we even saw poems, short films, board games and even online quizzes to share their learning. The passion and confidence the children were able to share the investigations with parents and staff was a tremendous showcase and a fitting end of a very productive term. We can’t wait to see what the children will come up with next as we move into our Term 2 Topic World War 2. Well done Year 5. You should be very proud of what you achieved. Matthew Parker Acting Head of Pre Prep
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Harrovians took part in the challenge. They all sent in a wealth of evidence that just went to show how much our young Harrovians value the Earth that we live on. When we broke this down into which House had made the most impact on their carbon footprint (based on the evidence provided) we found that the overall winners were Sonakul House. Both Ms Lam and I were also incredibly impressed with the outstanding contributions made by the following children; Pinn Pinn in 5C, Pubpab in 3G, Alvilda in 3T, Lenny in 1D, Marine in 2M and Ryuu in 4P. Well done to everyone who took part and remember to keep looking after your Earth! Marc Mitchell Lower School teacher and Science Lead
KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL In the last week of Term 1, 470 intrepid adventurers (Pre Prep students) set out on their expedition week. Magic, sea-life conservation, beach games, a jungle safari and a historical celebration were all experienced. Year 1 had their first taste of expedition; a sleepover at school with pizza, friends and fun. Years 2 to 5 travelled to various destinations in Thailand for new experiences and outside learning. Below you will find details of these fantastic opportunities for our young Harrovians written by their expedition leader. Mike Godwin Head of Lower School
After weeks of excitement and trepidation, the last Thursday of Term 1 brought us to the highlight of Year 1: Sleepover. Everyone arrived at school with their suitcase in one hand and their favourite teddy (an integral part of Year 1 Expedition!) in the other.
YEAR
1
Sleepover
After a quick briefing, we had arrived just in time to begin with our teddy bears’ picnic outside. Sitting under the blue shade, we tucked into sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, biscuits and juice. A picnic fit for even the most important teddy! Full up, we split into groups to begin our fun packed day. Children took turns painting their own canvas, dancing and singing, playing circus games and even making our very own mouthwatering pizzas! After an exhausting afternoon, came the best treat of all – Amazing K The Magician – who wowed us with an impressive array of tricks! Next came dinner time when we got to eat our delicious homemade pizzas but we weren’t finished there! After dinner, we went on a nighttime torch walk and were lucky enough to spot geckos, frogs and bats! We enjoyed a fantastic bedtime story read by Mrs Fry and had cookies and milk to round off our action-packed day. Everyone was soon fast asleep and we woke up to find an excellent breakfast waiting for us in the dining hall. Looking forward to seeing our adults, we quickly packed our cases and were ready to go home! For Year 1 children, ‘Sleepover’ is their first Expedition and I couldn’t be more proud of the way they all developed their independence, resilience and confidence! It was a day that they will remember for many years to come! Scarlett O’Dwyer Expedition Leader
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
SATTAHIP
YEAR
2
10
Year 2 showed amazing leadership and conservation attributes throughout our expedition. Starting at the turtle sanctuary we had an informative presentation by the Navy who were impressed by the children’s knowledge and understanding of the sea turtles and their surrounding habitat. We were lucky enough to release nine baby turtles that were ready to go back into their natural habitat. We had an amazing afternoon on the beach with games, sandcastles, paper crafts on the grass and a cooling dip in the swimming pool! After a delicious buffet dinner followed by ice cream, we all enjoyed the evening activities: Lego, Jenga, turtle making, jellyfish creating and exploring books. We ended this fabulous evening with singalong, milk and cookies and story time with Mr McKillop. Everyone on the trip would agree that the behaviour of the children was impeccable and it was an experience that will stay with them forever! Our brilliant December 2020 Year Two expedition! Emily Hammond Expedition leader
KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
PETCHABURI
YEAR
3
When I asked some Year 3 children to summarise our expedition using one word, some examples were: ‘Awesome’, ‘Exciting’ and ‘Ultimate’. It seems like the children had a wonderful time… and why wouldn’t they? Two days staying in the peaceful and comfortable Fisherman’s Resort, Phetchaburi, by the beach makes this expedition one to remember! While in Phetchaburi, the children were certainly very busy. The activities included: Bollywood dancing led by Ms Rani; PE games with Mr Jeffries; ICT and Music led by Mrs Jones and Ms Luna; map challenges and wonderful painting led by Ms Gift and Ms Chom. Not only that, but the children enjoyed beach time, swimming in the resort pool, a night disco and even a night walk in which many of our pupils spotted the famous Phetchaburi parrot! While these activities were rewarding and fun, the true value of this expedition was seeing the enthusiasm of our children. They were wonderful representatives for the school, demonstrating respect for each other and their teachers. Not only that, they developed their amazing independence skills while being away from home for two nights. I’m sure the children (and staff) will have many wonderful memories to take away from this amazing trip. I would like to say a special thank you to all the staff for their hard work and support in making this expedition a great success. Furthermore, thank you to the Year 3 children for their energy and sense of fun! Mark Kaye Expedition Leader
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
KHAO YAI
All of the Year 4 children were absolutely AMAZING through the expedition to Khao Yai and had an INCREDIBLE time. On our first day, we completed a rotation of activities to help us bond with our new group mates. These included making wild water rockets, tackling mental and physical challenges and going swimming – in a pool in the shape of a PIANO! Later that night, we were lucky to take part in the Big Fat Quiz of Year 4, run by quiz host Mr Powell. There were some very IMPRESSIVE answers. Feeling a bit sleepy and cuddling our teddy bears, we all got together to listen to Mrs Larkins BEDTIME STORY – The Witches!
YEAR
4
On our second day, half of Year 4 travelled to Scenical World where we played in the water park – WHIZZING down slides and SPLASHING around. The other half of the group stayed at the resort and played outdoor team games. After a GREAT Italian lunch, we then swapped over. After dinner, we danced the night away at the DISCO led by DJ Das and MC Britton. It was great to see all the children and teachers joining and dancing all evening. Our third day was BRILLIANT! We left for Khao Yai National Park in a long convoy of minivans. We arrived at the park HQ, and after a brief introduction we then had a BEAUTIFUL Thai banquet under the canopy of the trees at the waterfall. split into different groups to do different activities in the park, including a visit to Huew Suwat Waterfall, a nature walk to the viewpoint or through the jungle and shopping at the HQ. We finished the day with the BEST night safari yet. We saw so many animals – deer, porcupines, monkeys and foxes! It was a WONDERFUL day. A FANTASTIC trip! Simon Ingram Expedition Leader
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KEEPING UP WITH THE LOWER SCHOOL
KANCHANABURI
A week full of teamwork, history, creativity and most of all…laughter. Year 5, enjoyed four glorious days at iCamp. On Tuesday morning, as we gathered on the Basketball court, anticipation filled the air. The atmosphere was electric, and this set the standard for the week.
YEAR
5
Arriving at iCamp, the children immediately fitted into camp life. Walking around iCamp on that Tuesday afternoon, the children demonstrated the superb teamwork that we know Year 5 possess. They worked together to build spaghetti towers taller than Coach Darren, carried tennis balls using only rope and even completed an obstacle course that floated on water. To top of a wonderful first day, the only thing to do was have a ‘bunk v bunk’ chant competition, followed by marshmallows toasted around the campfire. The electric atmosphere of Tuesday was replaced by a reflective mood on Wednesday. Walking through Hellfire Pass the children were immersed in the history of the war, you could hear a pin drop as they listened to Mr Godwin share his own personal experiences. As Mr Meadows and Mr Parker spoke of the hardship those who worked on Hellfire Pass faced, the children learnt about the gruelling conditions and malnutrition the workers experienced. As our last full day on iCamp arrived, we learnt a brand-new game called ‘gaga ball’ a firm favourite by all. We used recycled material to make art while also learning how to make our soap. The four days witnessed new friendships, new skills and a new understanding of the history of Thailand. Memories we will treasure forever. Rebecca Campbell Expedition Leader
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND We have been hugely impressed since the start of term with how students have engaged with online learning. They are true digital natives.
Head of
We have recently adapted the day for Upper School students to include ‘well-being breaks’ for students to stretch their legs, get away from their screens or engage in some well-being activities.
Upper
We hope that this has a significant and positive impact on them and allows them to recharge effectively for each lesson.
School
There are also now a range of activities available for students to enjoy after school which can be accessed through Google Classroom. Please look out for our weekly Parent Workshops which cover a variety of useful and relevant topics and the online Upper School Parent Forums where you can ask Upper School leaders questions and hear updates about Upper School life. Check your emails for invites and reminders. Jonny Liddell Head of Upper School
Head of
Prep
Dear Parents and Guardians I hope that you have been as impressed with your children as we have been over the past two weeks of online learning. This week we have conducted the application process and appointment of the Prep Student Leaders (PSL) for term two. The Year 8 students were asked to submit an application and their thoughts about the challenges they face during online learning and what strategies they may have to help fellow students during this time. The applications were excellent and with great difficulty we were able to select student leaders who are inspirational and have shown their dedication and commitment to their learning. I am very pleased to announce the Prep student leaders for Term 2 will be Victor in Churchill 8 and Baikaew in Sonakul 8. Congratulations to them both. During online learning we will continue with Monday tutor period, following the GRIT program which will focus on student wellbeing and social and emotional development. The topics will include Multiculturalism and Online Relationships. On the 25th of January there will be a prerecorded assembly that will go out to all students in their tutorial lesson. Tutors are continuing to meet with their tutor groups daily at 2.45pm and I would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of these sessions, as they allow time for tutors and students to have one to one conversations and establish any support students may need during this challenging time. Adam Pape Head of Prep
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
2020 EDUCATION PERFECT LANGUAGES COMPETITION
From 4th until 11th November, 467 Harrow students in the Prep Phase and Year 9 participated in the 2020 Education Perfect Languages Competition. The competition involved students earning points for completing online vocabulary and grammar tasks in Thai, French, Chinese and Japanese. Harrow Students competed against students around the world and spent a total of 904 hours answering 609,000 questions correctly. Our students performed exceptionally well. In the national competition, we finished in first place beating all of our competitor schools in Thailand. In the global contest, we finished in third place behind The ABC International School in Vietnam and The Alice Smith School in Malaysia. 54 Harrow Students achieved at least a Bronze Award for scoring over 1,000 points in the competition. Special congratulations go to the following students: Jennie S8 - highest-scoring Harrow student, 10th highest scoring student worldwide, Elite Award Autumn B8 – second highest-scoring Harrow student, 14th highest scoring student worldwide, Elite Award Katie N9 – third highest-scoring Harrow Student, Emerald Award Ni Ni K8 – Gold Award Prim B8 – Gold Award Brendan So7 – Gold Award Fergus S8 – Gold Award Palmmy C8 – Gold Award Simon Small Head of Languages Faculty
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Drop Everything and
Read!
Let us not forget the incredibly positive impact that reading has on our emotional health. Stories affect us all and can offer catharsis and an emotional release. So please, in these unprecedented times, make time to drop everything and read. Here are some ways that we can support you. If you are ready for a reading challenge, then please do take this opportunity to read the books entered into the Bangkok Book Awards 2021. You could set yourself, children and family a target of reading all the books in one of the award categories depending on your family’s age range. Talk about the books and then cast your vote for your favourite in that category before March to decide the winner of the Bangkok Book Awards for 2021. It is a great opportunity to explore some exciting contemporary books that speak directly to their targeted audience. All details are on the Bangkok Book Awards website
Bookmark Competition Winners Announced We are delighted to announce the winners of the Bookmark Competition 2021. The whole team is enthralled by the enthusiasm and energy shown in the never-ending entries from students, staff and parents. The messages conveyed as well as the detail of designs are of such a high quality that it took the team over 2 weeks to choose winners. Congratulations to everyone who took part and especially the winners in each year group and digital categories. Winners will receive a book voucher and 50 copies of their design professionally printed. All winning designs will be available as bookmarks in the Harrow Bangkok libraries when open.
Coming Soon‌ E-books For the first time, the Library Team is also looking to provide access to a wide range of E-books that can be browsed and read directly on a device using an app. The new collection is predominantly fiction but additional titles will be added throughout the year. We hope that the E-book option will support those students unable to use the drive-through or who simply want to extend their reading for leisure and pleasure. As always, your feedback and suggestions are very welcome. Harshida Dave Upper School Librarian
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
How to Prepare for IGCSE Mandarin lecture The Mandarin Department organised a lecture for students of First Language in SR5 on Thursday Nov 12th, 2020. Kevin You (So12), House Captain of Sonakul, was invited to deliver the inspirational lecture ‘How to Prepare for IGCSE’. The lecture was attended by 20 students of Chinese from Years 9 to 11. Kevin shared his valuable experiences, effective learning techniques, practical implementation of High Performance Learning skills, as well as useful advice for Year 11 and 10 on how to prepare for mock examinations. Here is what some of the participants said: ‘I was deeply inspired by the lecture and the enthusiasm Kevin has shown. I also learned to be optimistic under pressure and learnt to be passionate and ambitious.’ Song K10 ‘I found it useful to be able to manage my time much better after Kevin’s talk, I have also learnt how to balance my life and workload.’ Lily N11 ‘Kevin gave me lots of inspiration on how to revise more effectively for my upcoming examinations. Thanks for sharing the Feynman Technique.’ Claire K11 ‘Thanks to Kevin, I have acquired some useful planning making strategies’ Ben N11 ‘Kevin’s presentation gave me some inspirational advice on revision.’ Kevin S11 ‘Kevin’s speech taught me a lot of very practical and convenient learning software. He also shared his learning methods. He told us clearly all kinds of learning skills. All these are of great help to me.’ Oscar S11 ‘This was really helpful for me. I learned about time management and how to balance our learning with the rest of our time. I learnt how to learn to study happily and healthily’ Grace K10 Michael Downey Head of Mandarin
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
HPL in Maths The introduction of Harrow Bangkok as a centre for High Performance Learning (HPL) is an exciting time for both our pupils and the teachers. In the Mathematics and Computing Faculty, our aim is to develop mastery and fluency to enable our students to be effective problem solvers with the ability to think critically. For many, Mathematics and the art of coding can seem like very abstract concepts, indeed, it is the ability to represent these ideas in concrete terms that is at the heart of the HPL Thinking Skill, ‘Abstraction’. Jerome Bruner’s model of cognitive learning shows us that in order for students to access the higher-level, symbolic representations, they must be guided through activities that are both concrete and pictorial in nature. Without this ‘hands-on’ scaffolding, abstract concepts can feel meaningless and disconnected. This important feature of HPL is a natural way to build long-term confidence and the motivation to develop competent and technical fluency. Children are hardwired to take joy in finding connections, relationships and patterns. At Harrow Bangkok, we nurture intellectual playfulness by constructing challenges that require the union of insight and imagination. Mathematics the foundation of entire ecosystems of interconnected disciplines, each providing a rich and beautiful tapestry of ideas and concepts. Through HPL, it is our goal for all students to develop mastery in their chosen fields and to become enthusiastic, life-long learners. Mr Rothwell Head of Mathematics and Computing Faculty
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
The value of Humanities: a student perspective ‘
‘The calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word.’ J. Irwin Miller’s renowned quote is as eloquent as it is truthful. Can one really claim to have understood what it really means to be human without devoting time to seeking the large wealth of knowledge and joy that the humanities has to offer? The humanities can often be seen as a field with little value; a discipline undeserving of further exploration. While the importance of subjects such as maths and English literature has been stressed numerous times, seldom have I been told of the importance of the humanities. For many, history is a study of those who roamed and scavenged the earth hundreds of years ago. The fact that these long-lived figures are still seen as relevant today is absurd to some. To others, Geography is all about aimlessly observing coloured maps. Why should they care about faraway places with strange names? For some, Religious Studies teaches about faiths and ideologies that they have never believed in. Why should they pay attention to belief systems that have no impact on their lives? In my experience, I have never doubted my aspiration to study the humanities in my IGCSEs, A Levels and future university courses. I struggle to pinpoint the exact moment in which I became so enthralled by the humanities, yet the fact that I have always been in awe of the surrounding world leaves me unsurprised as to why I have grown so fond of this branch of study. After all, the humanities epitomize our never-ending quest to understand ourselves, our roots, and the world around us. I saw the way everything I had acquired in the respective subjects was interwoven with one another. I grasped how different countries’ wars and their supply of economic resources were influenced by their geographical location. I recognized how certain diseases were so prominent in certain places not just because of nature, but because of how the settlers of the past had brought them there. I saw how various belief systems were moulded from events and key figures in the past whilst in turn shaping the course of history itself. The humanities offered me insight into a universe that I had never discovered before.
of others around me. For the first time, daily actions such as alms giving and frequently used words such as karma finally had a greater significance than before. The subject has taught me to be aware of our differences and appreciate the different cultures around the world. In a time where we are increasingly becoming interconnected, it is essential that we do not lose touch of the many unique cultures and beliefs. Through geography, I grew in touch with the outside world. In the past, a waterfall was merely a waterfall but because of geography, I saw hundreds of years of water flowing over hard and soft rock, as well as the process of erosion that helped to form such beauty. I no longer gazed at stunning corals with superficial wonder, but realized that they formed only due to the ideal conditions of calm water, a salinity content of 30-38 parts per million, a tropical climate and many more criteria that made up a perfect jigsaw puzzle. I began to connect to my home city of Bangkok in ways I never thought I could, as I learnt of its expansion through urbanisation and reflected on things I had never once paused to think about it. Lastly, through history, I have learnt to link the events of the past with those of the present. The quote ‘Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,’ is a stark reminder of the many lessons to take from the subject. Through history, we garner countless valuable life lessons: that sometimes perhaps the harshest punishments like the treaty of Versailles may not bring about the best consequences and instead, the ability to collaborate and integrate can lead to more peaceful outcomes. Most importantly, that you, an individual have the chance to shape an outcome that may be remembered for generations to come. The humanities is unequivocally essential in tracing the routes of our past, our present and our future. The refusal to pay attention to this subject area erodes a part of our identity and our connection with the world that we live in. I urge anyone who desires to view the world in a new light and solve its most profound mysteries to delve into the humanities. Only then will you be truly human in the best sense of the word. Khow-Poon N12
Throughout my IGCSE course, I was given the most remarkable opportunity to dive deeper into an ocean of knowledge on the humanities subjects. Within Religious Studies, I wasn’t solely learning about the beliefs of others that seemed irrelevant at first glance. Belief is an integral part of our daily lives and I began to truly grasp my own beliefs and behaviours, as well as those
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Metacognition and Feedback in English to use examples of what we did in class previously to help them plan their response. We encourage them to exchange ideas with their peers to make their planning more effective. Students routinely use success criteria to help them along so they can check and assess their progress. But student’s work is never done. It is part of our policy that students improve their work once their teachers have marked it. As Prof. Hattie says ‘you have to do it again and again.’ After all, their improved piece will act as a model when they complete a similar task in the future. Educators have known for years that metacognition and feedback are the two most effective strategies in learning. The research behind High Performance Learning reinforces this long-held belief. Metacognition can be defined as thinking about thinking. It means students focus on how to approach a task, what to do in order to succeed and reflect on their work afterwards. This is a vital skill that we need to develop in our students as they progress towards adulthood independent learning.
As an English Faculty, we ask our learners in lessons, what they found challenging, what they learnt and how they could do it better next time. You can help them progress even faster by looking at their work and asking them the same questions at home. Let’s help them become high performance learners together! Tyla Arabas Head of English
Professor Hattie has been a keen advocate of metacognition and feedback for decades saying that ‘feedback is received not given.’ We have taken those words to heart in English when embedding the two strategies in our lessons. When you talk to your children or look at their books, you will see that English teachers regularly ask students
Agile Assembly In Term 1B the Nehru Prep students were responsible for organising and presenting a Prep Phase assembly. The theme of the assembly was ‘Agile’, one of Harrow Bangkok’s HPL Performing Skills. All of the students that participated had volunteered to take part in presenting their ideas to the whole of the Prep Phase. N8 chose to use their recent Rangoli Challenge Day as an example of how they have performed with agility. James and Anthony from N8 took the initiative to create a fantastic video showcasing N8’s hard work. N7 explained the cases of two young female entrepreneurs who had solved problems and been resourceful in inventing their products at such a young age. N7 also mentioned the idea of flexible and inflexible thinkers and the importance of trying to be open-minded. Finally, N6 gave us a range of examples of when they had taken risks not
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just in school, but in other areas of their lives as w e l l . Lucy and Pink from N6 exhibited this by undertaking a challenge with confidence as they read and acted out a poem, they had created themselves. It was a fantastic assembly and we enjoyed performances from Lucy (N6) playing the violin and Orca (N7) on piano. All the students worked hard to prepare beforehand and exhibited fantastic communication skills to talk in front of such a large audience. I was very proud of their commitment to our Nehru House. Students involved: N6 – Anna, Lucy, Oon, Pink & Tungta N7 – BJ, Dominic, Jan, Natalie, Orca & Prem N8 – Anthony, Earnie, Gerard, Grace, Gracey, Great, Ice, James, Kla, Memee, Parn, Prim, Sebi, Silp, TJ & TT Jake Connor Nehru Prep House Leader
UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Sixth Form Debating Society The Debate Society allows students to enrich their academic interests beyond the scope of the curriculum. Reminiscent of the Oxford Union style of debate, the society facilitates discourse at a high academic standard providing students with a forum to enhance their confidence in advocacy and public speaking. The society strives for students to take agency in their academics by providing a forum to fervently express their passions and foster confidence in public speaking to instil invaluable skills needed at university level. Led by Logic and Gwen, the Society is composed of students Khow Poon, Tara and Rena. Gathering weekly to discuss prevalent issues that currently plague the world, we formulate questions which would be conducive to fruitful discussions. The team selects four speakers: two opposition and two propositions who deliver their argument to the Sixth Form. These are open to rigorous lines of thought-provoking questions by the student body which truly allows students and speakers alike, to refine their skills in argumentation and question the wider world. Our first debate explored the question of whether we place too much value in international standardized testing and curriculum. We entertained productive discussion delving into the ethics of standardized testing in assessing how accurate rote learning schemes such as IGCSEs and A Levels, measure student’s abilities. Hearing nuanced arguments from the proposition, Keen and Pam raised queries on academic colonialism, the value of education, and the diverse nature of students. This
was countered by the argument, proposed by Nithan and Tonmai, who raised the notion of state propaganda in non-standardised education, as well as equipping students with skills for an ever-changing job market. Overall, the debate was stimulating and raised necessary questions on our education system that we often overlook. For future endeavours, the Debating Society looks forward to seeing more of the Sixth Form participate in debates in order to foster a school environment where students are actively engaged in critical thinking and are challenging themselves and their peers intellectually, whilst enjoying themselves. We have many plans for the future, including the addition of exciting new aspects to our debates such as the reconfiguration of the rules. The introduction of the “forbidden-word� rule in which students will have a list of words that they are not allowed to say will hopefully encourage all to work creatively around the challenge presented and come up with new and innovative ideas to enhance debate. We endeavour to organise at least one debate per term and are aiming to host another soon, featuring a topic that may catch the attention of many, and shine a spotlight on something others might not have even considered before. The Sixth Form Debating Society
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Year 7 Thai Trip
On 27th of November 2020, the whole of Year 7 went on a Thai trip to Ayutthaya to learn about history and artistic legacy as part of the Thai history topic, The Ayutthaya Era. The buses were full of excitement along the way to Wat Rachaburana, Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre. ‘It was very perplexing to see all the ancient architectural structures on the vast expanse of the temples. We also learned about the history of Ayutthaya and its culture during the ride to the capital and learned more facts about it when we were walking around and admiring these great man-made constructions with the professional tour guide.’ Thi K7 ‘We got a chance to climb up the temple, the view from up high was breathtaking and we could see the whole area of the temple. This trip allowed for people from different classes to talk together and to enjoy themselves. This was not only to educate Thai people about their home country, but it was as interesting for the non-Thais as well.’ Mira S7 ‘The weather was very nice and we were able to take many photos. The Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre taught us about the lifestyle of the people of the olden days. It was a great experience.’ Punn N7 ‘This whole trip made me feel proud and grateful to see my own country’s ancient capital city and the ancient temples.’ In-In C7 Thank you to Khun Kru Ja for organising the trip, to our Thai teachers and to Mr Chadwick for their tireless supervision to ensure our students’ safety. The smiles on the students’ faces during the day made this Thai trip another special day! Nang Chichareon (Thai Teacher) Prep Phase Thai coordinator
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Thai programme for
the Sixth Form On 20th and 26th November 2020, the Thai programme for the Sixth Form invited Harrow Bangkok alumni, Mild, April, Ae, Pun Pun and Un Un (currently studying at Chulabhorn International College of Medicine at Thammasat University and Ramathibodi International College of Medicine at Mahidol University) to join a discussion session with the Sixth Form students. They shared many experiences as medical students and provided Sixth Form students with useful information about the course and university life. We highly appreciate them for joining us and giving useful advice to our students who want to pursue a career in medicine. Mrs Saowanee Navakijpaitoon (Kru Ja) Thai Teacher
‘It was lovely to meet P’ April, Ae, and Mild (fourth and fifth year medical students from Thammasat University) who provided useful insights on the expectations in the application process and life a medical student. I am thankful for the possible interview questions and multiple ways in which the question should be approached from. I believe these insights would strengthen my preparation for the interview processes, as well as build some relationship with our friendly alumni.’ Poon K13 ‘During the visit from medic seniors, I’ve personally gained an insight into the whole process that an undergraduate medical student must go through. This ranges from the learning experience to some key practices that a medical student undergoes. The medic seniors shared their most memorable experience with us and it made me realise how much a small act of gratitude from a patient can impact the morale of a doctor or others so much. This shone light on how kindness runs through the medical profession as a bridge between doctors and patients.’ Focus B13
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Year 8 Rangoli
Challenge Day
This year’s Year 8 Rangoli Challenge Day brought characteristic colour and pattern to the walkways in celebration of the Hindu festival of Diwali. Our Year 8 cohort performed wonderfully well on the day and we congratulate all those who took part. As an inter-House competition, we congratulate the following students on their superb final pieces.
1st Place C8 Aimmy, Amy, Bene, Nik & Stephanie 2nd Place So8 Pong Pang, Por Por, Purse, Rada, Santi & Toong Toong 3rd Place C8 Palmmy, Peak Peak, Pete, Ivan & Risa We would also like to extend congratulations to B8’s Nadia, Pan, Finlay, Prim and Summer for winning our High Performance Learning Prize with a very well-conceived video presentation. Michael Case Second in Art
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
House Bake-off
The House Bake-off took place in December with some wonderful Christmas themed entries. There were some real whisk-takers who created exciting treats. In Prep the winners of the brownie category were Jan and Alyssa K8. Cookies were won by Daisy and August K6 with Lola K7’s muffins winning this category. In the Seniors competition, the brownies category was won by Pun Pun So13 with Sophia C9 winning the cookies category. When the points from all the entries were totalled Keller were victorious in Prep and Churchill winners in Seniors. Well done to everyone who took part – you are definitely legends in the baking! The Houses Team
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Senior House
Football
Goals flew in throughout Monday’s group games as Harrow Bangkok’s fields were lit up by some fine attacking football. Echoing alongside the celebratory screams, was the thump of thunderous block tackles as players put their bodies on the line, showing how much the competition means to all involved. The Thursday finals day was hotly contested but also the scene of great sportspersonship; Suriyothai refusing to cash in a two-player advantage after their opponents turned up with just five players. The Year 9-10 Boys competition was won by the impressive Nehru, who defeated Keller 3-1. The Girls Final was a metaphorical game of two halves, Suriyothai establishing an early lead and then resisting immense Sonakul pressure; 2-1 the final score. The Year 11-13 Girls competition culminated in a 1-0 victory for Churchill over Keller, Coach Matsushita successfully parking the bus, leaving Mr Downs devastated. The drama continued in the Boys final, Byron besting Nehru on penalties. Going into the final round of matches, four Houses could still be crowned overall Senior House Football Champions. Ultimately this was decided by another tense penalty shootout. Sonakul summoned the spirit of Netherlands legends Ruud van Nistel-Ploy and Dennis Bogie-Kamp, and lifted the cup. Jake Dodds Head of Sonakul House
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Prep House Dragon Boat
Competition
Dragon boat racing is one of the most exciting House events requiring a diverse range of skills from all our students. It is not only about the strongest, most skilful or fastest but also about the team that can best pull together – literally! The first day saw an unprecedented wind on the Harrow lake as Byron lost to a strong Nehru crew, with the help of a ferocious tailwind! The rest of the heats had to be cancelled as the wind had our students fighting to move in a straight line. Day 2 was a bumper edition with 6 races taking place. Sonakul and Churchill were victorious over Suriyothai and Keller respectively in the heats. Due to some very fast race times, Nehru faced Churchill in the final and after some frantic drum beating and rapid oar movements, Churchill paddled to the overall victory. This was once again a fantastic Dragon Boat event and I would like to thank all of the parents, staff and students that turned up to support their House and in particular, the staff that helped to helm the boats. James O’Connell Sonakul Prep House Leader
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
U p p e r Senior House Honours Shared in
Touch Rugby
Just before our Christmas break on Wednesday the 9th of December Senior House Touch Rugby took place. This event involved mixed teams of six (three boys and three girls) competing in two separate competitions, Year 9-10 and Year 11- 13. Over the past few years, the popularity and subsequently the quality of touch rugby has gone from strength to strength at Harrow Bangkok. Many of the girls who played in this year’s tournament had represented the school at Varsity and Junior Varsity level. This was evident as games were played with exceptional automaticity and speed and accuracy. Many teams also used complex skills such as three-man drives, loops and switches to great effect. In the end, it was a very close finish as Suriyothai emerged victorious over Byron in the Year 9-10 competition. In the Year 11-13 competition, Churchill narrowly beat Nehru in the final. When the results from both competitions were combined, Byron, Churchill and Sonakul could not be separated and were declared joint Senior House Touch Rugby champions. Well done to all those who took part and those who came down to support. As always the tournament was played in good spirit with plenty of sportsmanship on show. Thank you to Khun Nice for organising the pitches and referees, and the PE department for assisting. Andrew Archibald Acting Head of Suriyothai House
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UPPER SCHOOL AND BEYOND
School Sports Day in pictures
Our thanks to the PE staff, and Ms Ball in particular, for organising such a wonderful day of sport. Congratulations to Keller who were champions in Prep and Sonakul who were champions in Seniors but the biggest congratulations go to Suriyothai as overall Upper School Sports Day champions! The Houses Team
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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE
A Celebratory Evening of
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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE
CHRISTMAS SPARKLE!
Boarders and school staff celebrated and reflected on a fantastic term in our first Formal Christmas Boarding Dinner. The Hub dining area was transformed into a stunningly festive, Christmas winter wonderland under the vision and direction of our very own House Mistress of West Acre, Miss Casteja. Our boarders and staff looked stunning in their formal dress. After drinks, canapes and speeches in the boarding houses, we were treated to a traditional three course dinner courtesy of our catering partners, Epicure. Our sincere thanks to Khun Tarn and her team! Background music was provided by the ever-talented and generous Stainer family and our own Bradbeian Year 9 boarder, Sun. Their string quartet played beautifully. Each boarding house also sang their own Christmas carol expertly accompanied by Plub, a proud Year 10 Grovite and music scholar here at Harrow Bangkok.
It was an excellent team effort from across the various groups that make boarding such a special part of our school. These formal occasions are fundamental for preparing our boarders for such events when they go on to University and beyond. It was also a wonderful way to formally thank key staff who tirelessly support our boarding community. Special thanks must go to our school photographer, Christian who captured the evening so beautifully and Anneleen Erlingen, our new Director of External Relations, whose photo booth was a fantastic way of capturing the wonderful event. It was the most enjoyable evening and a great way to celebrate a superb term in boarding. Richard Walter Head of Boarding
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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE
Bradbys
Bradbys Reading
Corner
This year in Bradbys we have made a huge effort to support our boarders with guided reading. On average we read with nine students per evening, and with twenty-four students in the house and their progress has been magnificent. Alice and I, the two Graduate Leaders working in Bradbys, began reading with all of our students at the beginning of term and have seen such great improvements in their ability and confidence. Alice came up with the idea of promoting reading through a newly renovated reading corner. It was an area of the house where the space was not being utilised; now it is an area of comfort and warmth, and often where the boys request to read with us.
Here in Bradbys we have made the most of being able to get out and about in Bangkok! We have enjoyed local trips in our city but also travelled further afield. One of the most exciting weekend activities of last term was a visit to Ramayana Water Park near Pattaya. This was a trip available to all members of the boarding community and we had many weekly boarders staying for the weekend especially for this trip! We had a brilliant time! There were a multitude of water slides, wave pools, splash zones, flumes, and a lazy river. By the end of the day, everybody was running around trying to make sure they’d been on all the rides. The boys in Bradbys particularly enjoyed the water slides which you ride together as a group on a big doughnut. Safe to say, everybody had a good long nap on the bus journey home. Overall, a great success and definitely to be repeated! Alice Kwan Graduate Leader
Reading develops a broad vocabulary and increased general knowledge whilst developing imagination and after all, words are the building blocks of life, the greater understanding the boys have, the better success they will have in school and their chosen subjects. At this new age of online learning, here in boarding, reading has become a crucial aspect of day to day life and a great way for the boys to enjoy time away from their devices. We look forward to continuing our reading programme with them throughout the rest of the year and know that excellent progress will continue to be made. Georgia Covell Graduate Leader
Leading the way! Developing student leaders is a key priority here in The Grove, as they play a significant role in shaping the aims, ambitions and work habits of all boarders. We couldn’t have been prouder of the manner in which Ming Ming (Grove House Captain) and Cho (Grove Deputy House Captain) conducted themselves as outstanding role models for all Grovites throughout term one. A standout moment was certainly the preparation and delivery of their house speeches during the Boarding Christmas Dinner. Ming Ming captivated the audience with a powerful speech centred on his journey throughout Harrow Bangkok and expressed his gratitude for the persistent guidance and support received. Cho led on a heartfelt message that voiced appreciation for all members of the boarding staff individually before turning to the younger Grovites and reaffirming their excellent start to life in The Grove. On behalf of The Grove, thank you Ming Ming and Cho for all of your efforts. Josh Carmody Deputy House Master (The Grove)
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STEP IN TO BOARDING LIFE
It felt wonderful to open the doors of West Acre for the first time in 2021. The girls were recharged, delighted to see their friends again and ready to start the new year of life in boarding. Online learning has been met with a focused and pragmatic approach and the girls have enjoyed their free time mainly outside enjoying the fabulous weather and cooler temperatures. Laughter and chatter fill the air and the boarding village as a whole is a great place to be. To kickstart the first weekend of the term, every single boarder walked to the lake within the school grounds after breakfast, kitted out and ready to try their hand at windsurfing and kayaking. The wind was perfect and even our youngest boarder, Amy in Year
4, took to the board with confidence and flair. The lake was peppered with kayaks and almost everyone got wet! After two hours on the lake, we were all ready to return to our respective houses for a shower and then for the appetite that had been built up to be satisfied with a delicious lunch. The weekend continued (interspersed with Mexican and Indian food) with numerous activities including lamp design, archery, boules, playing pool, table tennis and even an outdoor movie, projected against the wall of West Acre, which was enjoyed by all whilst lounging on beanbags. It never ceases to amaze me how well the boarders in West Acre adapt to life away from home and it has been delightful to see how our lovely new additions have been made to feel so welcome and cared for by both the girls and the superb team of staff that I have the pleasure to work with. Anna Casteja House Mistress West Acre
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CA AT TE CSHTI NUGP D UA P TW ITH OUR COMMUNITY L ES
A legendary effort
Churchill wall The Churchillians in Upper School have been adding positive memories and things they are grateful for on the Churchill gratitude wall. Any time students need a ‘pick me up’ they can look at the wall and reflect on all the Churchill family memories. Tomoko Matsushita Head of Churchill House
Support for
The Monique Allen Ward at the Teaching Hospital Ratnapura in Sri Lanka
It has been great to get the charity focus back since the lockdown. Keller pupils had stayed in touch with the Foundation, but this was our first time back at the home for nearly a year. One of Keller’s key objectives was to assist the foundation in becoming self-sufficient in generating its own income. I was delighted to see that they had been very busy over the twelve months. The foundation now has a small fruit farm, some pigs and chickens and several small gardens growing chilli and lemon grass. In addition, they have started to hold training conferences within their grounds. All these things have been assisted by the money raised by the Keller Legends over the past four years. This visit was especially rewarding as we managed to formally name three bungalows, two of which are in the picture, that the Foundation has built using our money. They again, bring in money into the trust and represent another step towards the charity becoming financially independent. Further projects that are currently being considered are the building of a petting zoo to make the accommodation more family-friendly and the building of an IT suite so that the orphans can learn to be IT literate. In all, it was superb to see the home develop so much in a short period of time and I left very proud that the money raised by the Keller legends was having such a big impact for the children at the trust in both the short and longer term. Long may it continue. A truly legendary effort thus far. More to come in 2021. Richard Downs Head of Keller House The Harrow Bangkok Houses were delighted to be able to support the children and staff of The Monique Allen Ward at the Teaching Hospital Ratnapura in Sri Lanka. This project is being led by one of our parents, Lewis Allen, whose family have recently helped to build a new Pediatric ward at the hospital. The Harrow Bangkok Houses team recently donated some funds to aid the purchase of new beds, medicine and hospital equipment for this unit. We very much look forward to offering our continued support in the future. Mr Allen wanted to add his appreciation by stating, ‘Thank you Harrow Bangkok for such a kind and generous contribution to the Monique Allen hospital extension. Harrow Bangkok is truly a special school’. Lawrence Prunty Head of Byron House
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LATEST UPDATES
Faldo Series The first (and hopefully not only) Faldo Series took place at Banyan Golf Club, Hua Hin just prior to the Christmas break. This prestigious 3-day competition saw 11 Harrow Bangkok students competing against some outstanding players from other international schools across Bangkok. Although conditions were clear, strong winds made an already difficult course very tough on the first two days however, our Harrovians showed superb resilience and determination to overcome these conditions and finish each day strongly, full of confidence and with a smile on their faces. Standing on the 10th tee box and staring down the fairway would make even the most skilful golfer slightly nervous. However, with the support of their friends and countless hours of practice under their belts our youngest team members Bun K6, Ginn K7 and Yushi K7 demonstrated their driving mastery and ripped three stunning drives down the fairway. Gracey also demonstrated her skill mastery on a difficult par 3 where she was only inches away from getting a hole in one, which resulted her winning the nearest the pin prize. As ever our Elite team of Tawan C12, Prim K11, Penguin C11 and Zuza K11 were exemplary in their leadership and performance. Meepooh C9 was back to playing some of his best golf and showing his potential as did Prim C11 and Pammy So11 who are two of the most improved players in the Golf Academy. Well done to all the students who represented Harrow Bangkok in excellent fashion. Rob Kench Assistant Director of Sport
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CA AT TE CSHTI NUGP D UA P TW ITH OUR COMMUNITY L ES
Christmas Cracker 2020 Swim Meet
The final weekend of term one was very busy for the Harrow Bangkok Swimming Academy, with 52 swimmers across the two Harrow Bangkok swimming pathways attending the Bangkok Patana Christmas Cracker Competition.
Overall, the Harrow Lions Swim team achieved 2nd place in the Top Visiting School rankings with an impressive medal haul of 72 medals across both the individual and relay events. In addition to the excellent overall team achievement, two Harrow Bangkok swimmers attained an individual trophy for top points in their age group:
Harrow Bangkok’s team was the largest visiting team at the competition which truly reflects our swimmers’ dedication to their sport as the Christmas holidays had already begun! It was excellent to see so many of our team demonstrating such high levels of commitment to the Harrow Lions Swimming Team and their own competitive achievement.
Finally, a special mention to those swimmers who also accomplished new qualifying times for Thailand Swimming Nationals – excellent work!
The swimmers raced hard across the two-day competition whilst also creating an incredible team atmosphere on poolside. Particularly, during the tough final sessions where the swimmers were able to draw upon their team’s encouragement to achieve their best results!
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Pak (B6) - 3rd Girls 10 and under Joey (So11) - 3rd Boys 15 and over
The Harrow Lions Swimming Team finished 2020 working together to achieve their best possible results. All of the swimmers, parents and coaches in the swimming team have worked incredibly hard throughout 2020 and are ready to continue this drive in 2021! Deeply proud of our Team, David Escolar Ballesteros and Hollie Brewer Heads of Swimming Academy
LATEST UPDATES
Lower School
Music
Music in the Air In a year full of change, challenges and restrictions it was a fitting end to be able to come together and see the very best of our Harrovian musicians singing, playing, dancing and reciting at the Upper School Christmas concert. The atmosphere was magical and at times very comical thanks to our two Christmas visitors, Grumpy Grinchbert and the big-hearted, rollerblading Elf. The blend of music, song, poetry and dance gave the audience and performers time to reflect, laugh and simply enjoy. It was just the tonic we all needed at the end of a long term. The music that the orchestra chose presented challenges for all and it was clear that students worked hard in rehearsals and also in their own private practice. In the concert, everyone gave a confident and committed performance and the sound was impressive, filling the QEII with its sound. In addition to acknowledging the students’ dedication and hard work, I would like to take the opportunity to thank a wonderful team of teachers, musical leaders and support staff including Ms Scott and Mr Tneoh for the beautiful choir numbers, Mr Tasker, Mr Stainer and our visiting teachers for the impressive orchestral numbers, Mrs Pederzoli for her choreography, Khun Teelek and Khun Mac for their collaboration with me, the steel bands and the Mamma Mia! pit orchestra and, last but not least, the wonderful Khun Nat for the logistics.
The last few weeks of Term 1 were very busy and exciting times for music in the Lower School. In November, Year 1 and Year 4 performed fantastically at their Mini Concerts and Pinn Pinn and Faye from Year 5 gave highly professional recitals to introduce the Pre Prep Open Day. I am very proud to say that every one of our children in the Lower School had the opportunity to perform in one of our 10 Christmas shows. This season of shows began with our very youngest children singing, dancing and signing festive songs with their parents at the Parent Toddler Christmas Songs performance. Pre Nursery and Nursery sang a lovely selection of Christmas songs in which each class was given the spotlight on the stage to shine. Reception performed a heart-warming Nativity and it was amazing to see how confident they performed for the first time in the Steinway Theatre.
My sincere congratulations to all who made the end of Term 1 such a special occasion.
Pre Prep put on a real extravaganza of shows the following week. All the children had their moment to shine on the stage singing a wide variety of Christmas songs from Feliz Navidad to Little Drummer Boy which they had been learning hard in our music classes. The music was set alongside a reading of The Night Before Christmas which was read so ably by a member of each of the Pre Prep classes. I was particularly impressed with the playing and singing from the Junior Orchestra, Singalong and Junior Choir. They performed in all three concerts in one day and kept up their enthusiasm and energy right up to the final chord!
Amanda Woollam Acting Director of Music
Luke Roberts Head of Lower School Music
I’m sure you’ll agree, the images in this article perfectly capture the sheer joy that pervaded the atmosphere in the QE2.
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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
Countdown to Christmas Holiday Camp 2020
ek of During the first we lidays, the Christmas ho ek of students had a we s to fun, festive activitie o the truly get them int yuletide spirit!
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LATEST UPDATES
Well-being Lead, Dr Kelly Adjei, held a recent Parent Workshop ‘Well-being: How are you doing?’ During this session, Kelly shared some useful strategies and tips to help parents to prioritise and ensure that they and their family stay as happy and healthy as possible during times of school closure. If you weren’t able to join, here are some of Kelly’s tips: Self-care isn’t selfish. Prioritise some time for you, switch off and recharge. Find some happy distractions for yourself. Half an hour here or there can do miracles for your body and mind - read a magazine, have a relaxing soak in the bath, whatever it is that you enjoy - then you’ll feel energized to re-enter family life with a renewed sense of control. Stay connected with family and friends. Send them a voice message, a video or organise an online quiz! Keep on moving and pay attention to your physical health. Break away from your office desk, join an online yoga session or go for a walk. Try to get enough sleep and eat to nourish your body. You’re not going to be able to get everything done and that is OK. Try to prioritise with the 4 D’s; Delete, Delegate, Delay, Do Accept it is OK not to feel OK! We all find it tricky sometimes and we are in this together. It is ok to need help; please ask if you do. You can email Kelly, kelly_ad@harrowcshool.ac.th, if you have any well-being questions. Look out for emails and Line messages about upcoming Parent Workshops. 39
Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership
