THE PRE PREP
PRE PREP (Years 1-5)
HARROW BANGKOK
CONTENTS WELCOME 4 PRE PREP YEAR GROUP ORGANISATION 5 STRUCTURE OF THE DAY 7 HIGH PERFORMANCE LEARNING 9 OUR CURRICULUM 10 LEADERSHIP IN ACTION 20 POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR POLICY 23 OUR TEACHERS 25 UNIFORMS 28 BEYOND PRE PREP 30 KEY CONTACTS 33 CAMPUS MAP 34
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Welcome to Harrow Bangkok Pre Prep We aim to make the transition from the Early Years a smooth and seamless one. Our Pre Prep department has a committed, dynamic, talented teaching team and a curriculum that is unique to Harrow Bangkok, blending best practice from around the world. We are blessed with wonderful facilities for our students to spend this next phase of their childhood. Our modern classrooms are complemented by a beautiful ‘garden’ campus and world-class sports facilities. Equally impressive are the creative and performing arts spaces where individual interests and talents can blossom. Housed within the Pre Prep are also specialist science and computing areas, extensive playgrounds and a nature garden. All of this enables us to provide exceptional learning experiences: eco projects, robotics, music and drama performances, art exhibitions as well as intellectual stimulation with activities like chess and debating. Our school is at the forefront of the latest developments in education as the first and only school in Bangkok involved in the prestigious High Performance Learning programme. This programme ensures that the latest neurological and psychological research is applied by our teachers to develop our students’ thinking skills and
learner behaviours and deliver high levels of academic performance. Our approach to learning is through enquiry and collaboration. Our aim is to develop curious minds and a keenness to learn as well as to cultivate in our students the ability to think critically and show independent thought. ‘Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership’ is more than just a motto, it is the underlying principle in all that we do in Pre Prep. We believe that while academic performance is important, equal to this is instilling values, attitudes and leadership attributes in our young Harrovians. Given this, our Pre Prep community is acutely conscious of the importance of ‘service’, duty and care to the local and wider community and environment. Embedded within our curriculum is a focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and opportunity for students to take action. This ensures that our children discover the value and pleasure in giving something back and learn to become truly global citizens. Our knowledgeable and dedicated team of staff are passionate about what they do. We invest in a comprehensive professional development programme that attracts and retains the brightest and best teachers. Our staff are happy to answer any further questions you may have, as we know that a true education can only be gained by a partnership between teachers and parents. We seek your full cooperation in all that we do and assure you that everything we do is always in the best interests of your child.
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The Pre Prep phase offers the perfect setting for your children to flourish and develop as happy, resilient, compassionate and creative young people and I look forward to sharing the journey with you! Paul Beach Head of Lower School
Pre Prep is an extremely important phase in a child’s development. Core skills such as reading and writing are given the opportunity to flourish, building on the firm foundations which have been laid in the Early Years. Students are provided with an engaging, exciting and challenging curriculum as well as a wide variety of incredible opportunities outside the classroom in order for them to become our leaders of the future. The result of this is an astonishing rate of progress in terms of social, emotional and academic development. Our teaching teams use themes to drive learning opportunities and stimulate minds. This is completed through the asking of questions and enabling children to think critically about what it is that they are learning and focusing on our High Performance Learning thinking skills. Meaning that by the time our pupils move to Prep, they will have been introduced to and developed the skills they will need to flourish in life. 4
My role is to ensure that all (students and staff) operate in a school where we care, team up, respect, go for it, wonder, create and practise. We aim to create an environment where every person is valued and every step to success is celebrated. A place where pupils feel safe and supported and are therefore able to thrive academically. We inspire students to be the best that they can be, we encourage them to be masters of their own learning and we support them in their journey to Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership. David McKillop Head of Pre Prep
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Pre Prep Year Group Organisation On a tour of Pre Prep you will discover a happy, thriving school alive with learning. Students are given an excellent grounding in core skills interwoven into an exciting, thematic curriculum. Learning is at the centre of all that we do. Pre Prep is part of the Lower School. Students begin Lower School in the Early Years Centre and progress to our Pre Prep Phase before moving to Prep Phase when they are 10 years old. The Pre Prep Phase is divided into two sections – the Infants (Year 1 and Year 2) and the Juniors (Years 3, 4 and 5). Students in this phase of the school are aged between 5 and 10 years. 5
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The Pre Prep Phase is divided into the Infant School and Junior School
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Structure of the Day 7.50am School begins 8.00am - 11.30am lessons (e.g. English, Swimming, Mathematics) with a 20 minute playtime/snack time at 9.00am) 11.30am - 12.20pm Lunchtime and play 12.20pm - 2.40pm Lessons (e.g. Music, Physical Education, Science, ICT) 2.40pm End of the day 2.50pm - 3.50pm Co-curricular Activities
MORNING ARRIVALS Staff are on duty outside from 7.30am onwards. Children should not be left unaccompanied before this time.
HOME TIME AND ACTIVITIES The School day finishes at 2.40pm if no activities or 3.50pm if activities. Some Sport Academy activities go on until 4.50pm.
No ball games are permitted before school.
• Children are taken directly to their activity by school staff.
Parents accompany Year 1 and 2 children to their form rooms when the doors open. In Years 3,4 and 5, children line up at the front of the building where teachers greet them as they go up to their form rooms. Parents are not allowed into the Junior Building without an appointment.
• Parents must collect their child from the activity location at 3.50pm or 4.50pm.
Please be on time, this helps your child settle quicker and get used to their new routine and please encourage children to carry their own belongings.
• Activity changes must go through the Activities Office. PUNCTUALITY Lessons start promptly in the morning, so please try and get to school early or on time. In many classes the first lesson in the morning is English or Maths and even if a child is only a little bit late, they could miss the main teaching input for that session.
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The Pre Prep years should be a special time for your child that provides memories and friendships they will cherish forever
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High Performance Learning
Values, Attitudes and Attributes
With students not to them
Engagement of Parents
Feedback
Practice and Training
Expertise development
Enquiry based learning
Mindset shift
Global Citizens Advanced Performers Enterprising Learners
Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics
Truly world-class schools understand that while grades are important, producing students who are intellectually and socially confident, workplace and life-ready with a global outlook and concern for others is our true aim. With that in mind, Harrow Bangkok has recently started to work with Professor Deborah Eyre, a global education leader, on High Performance Learning.
What is High Performance Learning (HPL) High Performance Learning (HPL) is a philosophy developed following many years of research into how successful people think and learn. High Performance Learning utilises recent advances in neuroscience and cognitive psychology that show that our brains are ‘malleable’ and that we can teach students how to be ‘intelligent’ and how to succeed in school. This means that with the right opportunities and experiences at home and at school, all students are potentially high performers. Some learners may take longer to reach high performance but most are capable over time.
How HPL is taught High Performance Learning provides a framework of thinking skills and learning behaviours associated with success in school and in life. In Lower School, the HPL framework consists of: • 16 key Thinking Skills (Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics), including: strategy planning, critical thinking, seeing alternative perspectives, self-regulation and multi-step problem solving. • Values, Attitudes and Attributes (human values and behaviours), which are incorporated into our 7 iRules. These skills and behaviours are progressively introduced across our Early Years and Pre Prep. They are the DNA of our school - the language of learning used by students as well as staff all the way through from Lower School to Sixth Form. 9
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ACADEMIC
ENGLISH
Our Curriculum is rigorous, robust and built upon the very best practice from around the world. Pre Prep class teachers teach the following subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, History, ICT, Geography, Art, Design and Technology and Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE). To provide purpose and meaning to students’ learning, we link these subjects together through inspiring inspiring Units of Study which are enhanced by special events and educational visits to extend learning opportunities and to bring the curriculum to life. Specialist teachers and coaches also bring their expertise and passion to teaching our students Music, Computing, Thai, Mandarin, Physical Education and Swimming.
At Harrow Bangkok the teaching of English is at the heart of our curriculum. We understand the importance of effective communication in an increasingly globalised and changing world. Our English Curriculum is rigorous with a clear progression in teaching the basic skills such as phonics, spelling, grammar and punctuation. These expectations are woven throughout all aspects and subjects within the wider curriculum to ensure students are able to apply their skills and knowledge effectively. Our aim is to ensure high standards of language and literacy by equipping students with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. We want students to be inspired by great authors, journalists and public speakers. As such we provide them with ample opportunities to write and make their own books; develop their critical thinking skills through the in-depth study of high-quality children’s literature; present to a range of audiences in class,
Kyle Meadows Lower School Director of Studies 10
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We link the Pre Prep subjects together through exciting inspiring Units of Study and provide special events and educational visits to really help bring our Curriculum to life.
in assemblies and at special events; and take part in regular drama activities and performances across the curriculum. In addition to this, we provide after school activities such as Reading Club, Creative Writing, Storytelling Club, Drama and Public Speaking.
MATHEMATICS Mathematics underpins so much of our understanding of the world. It is the basis of science and technology, and appears in our daily lives. We have a responsibility to ensure that the teaching of Mathematics is of the highest standard and that the students within the Pre Prep understand the multiple areas of Maths – number, calculation, geometry and measure. Understanding these areas, and being fluent in them, is the base level which we deliver for our students but we strive for more than this. We believe that to truly understand Maths you must be able to apply logic, to use what you know to solve complex problems. This reasoning not only requires a determination, a willingness
to learn and adapt from mistakes and an ability to make connections but also a rich understanding of the basics: calculation, times tables, fractions.
SCIENCE Our aim is to develop scientific skills, promote scientific knowledge and encourage an enquiring mind in all our students. We believe that Science is vital to the world’s future prosperity and so we provide an exciting range and depth of experiences and ensure that there is a progression of scientific skills as students move through Pre Prep. Science is not just taught here at Harrow International Bangkok, it is lived. Students are challenged to think about concepts, make bold predictions and - utilising our state-of-the-art Science Laboratory - plan and develop experiments which embolden their understanding of our world. Science is for the curious, Science is for thinkers, Science is for those with bold ideas – we provide the resources and expertise to allow scientific minds to flourish. 11
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Our (Secret) Nature Garden, lake and expansive school grounds allows students to experience nature first hand. HISTORY In History, we offer students the opportunity to study significant people and events from the past (in Britain, Thailand and the wider world), make comparisons across different time periods, identify why changes have occurred over time and how the past has influenced the way we live our lives today. We promote a hands-on enquiry approach to learning, through the use of artefacts, pictures, stories, photographs, written documents, eyewitness accounts and virtual reality headsets. Younger students explore history through personal experiences and stories. Older students are taught to think critically by effectively evaluating primary and secondary sources of information in order to; draw their own conclusions about life in the
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past based on evidence; identify bias and viewpoints; and to answer their own enquiry questions. We organise trips to local museums, invite in visitors to share their own personal experiences of the past and set up immersive experiences where students dress up and take on the role of people from the past to re-enact significant events such as the moon landing and the evacuation of children during World War II. GEOGRAPHY Our Geography Curriculum aims to inspire in our young Harrovians a curiosity and fascination about the world that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Students learn about diverse people and places, the world’s natural resources, physical and human environments. As students’ progress, they begin to consider our mutual dependence, and the need to conserve and protect our
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resources. Teachers focus first upon the immediate environment of school and home and then expand to draw comparisons between our environment and contrasting environments in Britain, Thailand and the wider world. Sources of information such as maps, aerial photographs, books, and the internet are used to develop the skills of interpretation and enquiry. Students are taught to think critically about the human impact on our environment, taking part in debates on issues such as deforestation and the construction of dams. ART AND DESIGN Our Art and Design Curriculum aims to engage, inspire and challenge our students as well as equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. Students make full use of our Art Studio where our teachers develop expertise in skills such as drawing, painting, printing,
collage, 3D, clay work and textiles. Our Art projects are built around crosscurricular themes and include the study of famous artists and their influence on the world of art, culture and society. To showcase students’ artwork we hold exhibitions wherever possible. DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (D&T) Design and Technology prepares our future leaders to take part in the development of a rapidly changing world. Our D&T Curriculum requires our students to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts and linked to cross-curricular topics. In Design and Technology, students explore how things work by disassembling/ deconstructing products and drawing annotated exploded diagrams, they work collaboratively to come up with new design ideas, make prototypes and
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evaluate their products. Students learn to use and select from a range of tools and techniques whilst making structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and control systems. In Food Technology, students learn where their food comes from, the principles of nutrition and healthy eating and to use a range of cooking techniques to design new drinks and dishes. PSHCE AND SPIRITUAL (WELLBEING) CURRICULUM Our Personal Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) aims to provide students with the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives. It helps them to understand how they are developing personally and socially and addresses some of the issues that are part of growing up. Through PSHCE, we teach students about how to have healthy and successful relationships with friends and family and how to look after themselves and others. As global citizens, they learn about the rights and 14
responsibilities that come with being a member of the world and how they can help to look after our planet and make the world a fairer place to live. PSHCE is taught in various ways including explicit lessons within the classroom, circle time and in Assemblies. Although we do not teach Religious Education in Pre Prep, we aim to encourage understanding about the main world religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism). We also learn about and participate in Buddhist festivals such as Loy Krathong and Songkran. It is underpinned by e-safety studies for all. COMPUTING Our Computing Curriculum is taught by specialist teachers as well as integrated across the curriculum by all teachers. It equips students to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Central to our curriculum is Computer Science, in which students are taught the principles of information and computation, how
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digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. With rapid global developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), our School makes pioneering and innovative use of our Robotics resources to ensure that our students gain a good understanding in this area. Robotics is not only fun and exciting, but addresses the growing demand for teaching the skills of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The Harrow Bangkok Pre Prep Curriculum also ensures that students become ‘digitally literate’ — able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology at a suitable level for our future leaders to be active participants in a digital world. We have advanced ICT facilities comprising Computer Labs, iPads, 3D printers, wireless networks, and interactive smartboards in classrooms. Other resources such as a range of robots and programmable devices, virtual reality headsets, digital cameras, MP3 recorders, data logging/sensing equipment and software are used to teach ICT skills and to
support the Harrow Bangkok Curriculum. THAI HOME LANGUAGE STUDENTS Students who are of Thai nationality study Thai as a Home Language and Thai Studies. Students develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, according to their ability level. Students read Thai literature, stories, poetry, proverbs, folktales and idioms for a variety of purposes with understanding and enjoyment. Students also learn about and take pride in Thai culture, society and local wisdom. Thai Home Language students begin to learn a foreign language once they reach Year 6. Mandarin is also usually available as an after-school activity in Pre Prep. MANDARIN AND TFL (EXPATRIATE STUDENTS ONLY) As an international school, we believe it is important that our students learn foreign languages as an opening to other cultures. We therefore ensure that all non-native students study Thai Language and Thai Studies and begin 15
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to learn Mandarin. In both Mandarin and TFL (Thai as a Foreign Language) our curriculum starts students on their journey to be able to express their ideas and thoughts in another language, and to understand and respond in the corresponding language both in speech and in writing. In Mandarin and Thai, our teachers provide opportunities for students to communicate for practical purposes and begin to read literature in the original language. Students also learn songs and activities connected to special festivals throughout the year. Our Mandarin curriculum gives our students an introduction to this language, paving the way for later study in Prep Phase. Through TFL lessons, students also learn to express appreciation and show respect for the unique culture and ways of life in Thailand.
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MUSIC Our Music Curriculum, taught by specialist music teachers, inspires our students to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians. Our stunning range of practice rooms, studios, classrooms and recital rooms inspire students to participate in a range of musical activities, which include singing, composing, listening and performing. As they progress higher up the Pre Prep Phase, all students participate in our instrumental programme ensuring that every child learns to play various instruments and specialise in at least one. There are opportunities for students to join music clubs, choirs and orchestras and our music performances are legendary. In addition to the regular curriculum, Pre Prep parents can also choose to pay for one-to-one tuition in
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an instrument of their child’s choice. PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) The Harrow Bangkok Pre Prep Sports Department provides an extensive and exciting Physical Education and Sports Programme in line with our school’s tradition of providing a broad, holistic education. All students are given ample opportunity to experience a range of sporting activities that they enjoy. The Pre Prep iRules (Teamwork, Care, Determination, Creativity and Respect) form the core of our sporting philosophy. These five values are reflected throughout our Physical Education Curriculum, our comprehensive sports training activities and the Harrow Bangkok Competitive Sports Team Programme. In weekly PE lessons, our team of specialist teachers and academy directors deliver a curriculum of games,
gymnastics, dance, outdoor activities, athletics and swimming. Through this programme, students develop their physical skills, analytical and creative thinking, and consider the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle. Our highly qualified coaches and advanced facilities provide the optimum environment to nurture athletic talent and inspire our students to succeed and excel incompetitive sport and other physically demanding activities.
LIBRARY Our Pre Prep Library is an exciting and awe-inspiring place of learning for our students. In the Pre Prep Phase, we believe that the development of literacy skills and the acquisition of knowledge are paramount to progress in education. To those ends, the Library has built an
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extensive collection of books, learning resources and audio/visual materials. The Library currently has over 30 educational databases, such as Encyclopaedia Britannica, ERIC and National Geographic installed in our state-of-the-art integrated library management system. A wealth of reliable information is available at our students’ fingertips 24/7 anywhere in the world, just by logging into our library system. Our teacher librarian constantly strives to make the Library a welcoming place where our students will develop a love of literature and she is always on hand giving advice, reading stories or developing the next library competition for our children. Parents are encouraged to congregate in our Library, before or after school with their children. We actively encourage you to use our services and share with us your passion for lifelong learning. EDUCATIONAL VISITS/CURRICULUM DAYS At Harrow Bangkok Pre Prep, we believe young children learn even more when they are away from the form room! We therefore include a wide range of educational visits to enrich the curriculum. Trips include a Geography field trip to the Chao Praya River, a historical study at Kanchanaburi, a Science trip to an aquarium and even a visit to a chocolate factory! We regularly hold curriculum days or weeks such as Book Week, Maths Day or International Day. These events really help to bring our curriculum to life and sometimes require costumes and dressing up… so be prepared! Whenever possible we also make use of visitors to the school to make learning more relevant and purposeful for our students. OUR INCLUSION TEAM We have a highly experienced Team 18
made up of Language Support Teachers, Learning Support Teachers, Therapists and Lead Teaching Assistants. These staff have all been trained to provide support for those students still learning the English language and/or students who may need help accessing the curriculum for a variety of reasons. Support available includes language, reading and phonics, maths, movement, speech and language therapy. ASSESSING AND REPORTING ON YOUR CHILD’S PROGRESS Assessment is a continuous process throughout the Pre Prep Phase. Through ongoing assessment, we build a complete picture of your child’s development. Progress is assessed in lessons, at the end of Units of Study and at the end of each year. In most subjects we predominantly use teacher judgement to assess students rather than tests, although tests are sometimes used to help with this process. Students are given weekly quizzes for spelling and mental maths , and periodic assessments in reading, writing and maths. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s progress with the class teacher at any time during the year. We also provide three formal opportunities to do this at Parent Consultation meetings (one each term). Each term your child’s form teacher will also provide a summary report outlining your child’s progress and attainment. All this information is used to plan appropriate learning and set targets for improvement.
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Leadership in Action Our Leadership in Action programme allows our students opportunities to move out of their comfort zones and undertake new experiences. Whether it be rafting, jungle trekking or leading school assemblies, students are increasingly able to develop and demonstrate the leadership attributes represented through our iRules (explained on pages 26-7). LEADERSHIP IN PRE PREP The motto of Harrow International School Bangkok is: Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership! That is why within the Pre Prep, leaders are everywhere. We have: Student Council, Digital Leaders, Global Leaders, Library Leaders, House Captains, Head Boy and Girl and more. The reason for this is all students are different, have different interests and strengths and we want to ensure that they can lead in an area in which they feel comfortable and able to do so. Most importantly though, if we are going to enable leaders, we have to give them the chance to lead. AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES After-school activities further encourage a well-rounded Pre Prep student. From archery to chess, there are many choices and interests to pursue. Activities provide pupils with the chance to hone a skill or to develop a new one. They allow for the highest level of competition or a chance to be social with friends. Whatever you are looking for, we aim to provide it. We recommend that everyone from Year 1 up takes part in at least one activity a week as activities play such a vital role in ensuring that a student has a fully-rounded education.
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All information about activities will be given to parents at the start of a new season and activities are selected using our bespoke system - SchoolsBuddy. Parents can select from a wide range of activities and parents are provided with step by step guidance on how the whole process works. CHARITY AND SERVICE Charity and service is at the core of the Harrow Bangkok leadership attributes. We aim to develop leaders by enabling them to understand the world around us and know that they can help the place in which they live. Within the Pre Prep we work with a range of organisations and structure them by year group so that each new academic year brings a different set of learning, about a different group of people or organisation. In the Infants (Years 1 and 2) we focus on raising money for animal charities and we have visits and presentations for these as well as gain exposure to sanctuaries in line with the Year 2 expedition. In Years 3 and 5 we have links with local schools who we form connections with and celebrate the similarities which we have. In Year 4 we work with a local orphanage to support their needs and assist with sustaining their organisation so they can help other children for many years to come. SPORT After school each day as part of the extracurricular programme, Pre Prep students have the opportunity to take part in over 30 different sports training activities. A huge breadth of sports are on offer and range from individual activities such as taekwondo, ballet, fencing and Bollywood dancing to the more traditional sports of swimming, football, cross country running, basketball and badminton. Through these activities, students learn the value of
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Pre Prep after-school activities include: Thai Classical Dance, Art and Crafts, Swimming, Gymnastics, Football, Sing-along, Basketball and Ballet
Many school activities are House related, covering a wide and varied spectrum of interests in the Arts, Sports, Academic and Community Service fields
being physically active and are developing positive personal and social attitudes. We have five sports academies that offer sport year round to our students in football, gymnastics, swimming, tennis and golf. The academies offer an entry point into the respective sports, but they also ensure top athletes receive focused training. Our highly qualified coaches and state-of-the-art facilities provide the optimum environment to nurture athletic talent. Harrow Bangkok is proud of its ‘Lions’ sports teams who compete both within Bangkok and throughout the Region. Harrow Bangkok Pre Prep is represented by both boys’ and girls’ teams at U9 and U11. The major seasonal sports are athletics, basketball, rock climbing, sailing and tee-ball. In addition to this, swimming, tennis, golf, football academy and gymnastics squads compete all year round. Harrow Bangkok is a member of the Bangkok Schools Athletic Conference
(BISAC) and the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA). These two organisations provide our Pre Prep students opportunities to compete regularly in Bangkok as well as all the major cities in Southeast Asia. Through regular team practice and competition our ‘Harrow Lions’ learn the value of hard work and commitment and they learn to face up to challenges as individuals and team players. EXPEDITIONS Expeditions and residential trips are central to a Harrow Bangkok education. The Pre Prep Expedition Programme ensures that our students receive a wealth of stimulating, diverse and challenging experiences within Thailand. Whilst ensuring a safe yet challenging environment, students are enticed out of their comfort zones and encouraged to push themselves, question, work with others and make just choices. Independence and responsible behaviours 21
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brave Queen Suriyothai and the public service of the Sonakul family. Finally, to complete the group, we have Helen Keller, who overcame physical adversity to become a renowned author and human rights campaigner. Each of these individuals displayed qualities of leadership that we hope will inspire our young Harrovians to become the leaders of their generation. are developed as Year 1 students take part in a combined day camp and a one-night sleepover in school during our annual Expedition Week. Year 2-5 students venture further afield as they attend expeditions in Sattahip, Petchaburi, Khao Yai and Kanchanaburi ranging from one night for Year 2 students to multiple nights for Year 5. Expeditions may be cancelled or amended due to situations beyond our control. HOUSE SYSTEM True to the tradition of all the schools in the Harrow Family, the House system is at the heart of the students’ lives at Harrow Bangkok and is cherished as a means of developing our students into becoming leaders. It encourages cooperation and friendly competition within a supportive environment and instils into the students resolve, determination, co-operation, creativity, collaboration and an awareness of the importance of community. All Pre Prep Prep and Upper School students and staff are allocated to a House, all of whose names reflect leaders with courage and determination. These include the Old Harrovians and statesmen Winston Churchill and Pandit Nehru (India’s first Prime Minister) as well as the poet Lord Byron. Thailand is honoured through its 22
We believe that leadership begins at an early age. Each of our Houses are represented by a House Captain and ViceCaptain. Through an application process these students are chosen to be the figureheads, the ones who most embody the values of their House. They will captain teams, lead House events and role model expectations, displaying and cultivating their leadership characteristics throughout. Each House has an associated colour, on view each Thursday when pupils and staff wear their House shirts. Multiple House competitions take place over the year and the results of these combined with points awarded for effort and achievement through stars and Headteacher Awards add up to show who deserves to be House of the week, term and year. Being in a House gives students a sense of belonging, community and a knowledge of how to participate in competition in the best of spirit.
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Positive Behaviour Policy Teaching staff create an environment in the school that encourages and reinforces good behaviour. We seek to educate the whole child and create leaders. We give high priority to clear communication within the school and to a positive partnership with parents since these are crucial in promoting and maintaining high standards of behaviour. We expect all our students to: • follow the iRules • treat others fairly and respect the differences in others (race, culture, gender, ability, disability) • speak English within the school grounds when expected to do so • follow the school dress code (pages 34-5) Teachers manage behaviour in through teaching the iRules, through praising and rewarding students who follow the iRules and demonstrate good behaviour and where necessary ensuring that there is a quiet word or that other consequences occur when needed. In class and assembly we regularly teach students about the importance of values and good attitudes. THE iRULES The iRules are a child-friendly articulation of the Values, Attitudes and Attributes we teach through our High Performance Learning framework. iCreate l use my imagination to l use my imagination to experiment and find solutions to problems or difficult tasks. experiment and find solutions to Create problems or difficult tasks. iCare I want to help make the world a better and fairer place and I know that I can do this by caring for myself, my community and the environment.
iTeam up I work with other people to achieve good things. I listen to others and understand that difficulties and challenges can be overcome with teamwork. iGo for it I try to be positive and believe in myself. I am determined to do my best and keep going even when things are difficult. I take risks and challenge myself to succeed. iRespect I appreciate that other people have different ideas and beliefs and always try to do the right thing and treat others as I would want to be treated. iWonder I am curious about the world and ask questions about what I see, hear and read. I listen to all points of view and I use what I learn to develop my own views and solutions. iPractise I know the areas I need to improve and I like to challenge myself. I understand that to become good at something takes a lot of effort, training and practice. The iRules are developed around the following principles: • They protect the rights of students • They are positive in the way they are expressed • They are written in a clear and understandable way • They complement the school-wide student behavioural expectations • They are displayed within the classroom environment and other places in a highly visual way The school rewards system is designed to celebrate and acknowledge achievement 23
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in all aspects of the school curriculum. It recognises all levels of achievement, is goal orientated, allows all students to be successful, and promotes positive attitudes and behaviours. Students receive stars for following the iRules and good work habits. Stars are displayed on a chart in the from room. As a general guide one star may be awarded for good work; two stars for excellent work. SPECIAL COMMENDATION - 20 House Points If a student has excelled in an international competition or done something truly special outside of school we will celebrate this in our weekly awards assembly and give them a Special Commendation Medal. SEND UPS - 15 House Points Each week our From Teachers will choose one student from their form who has exemplified our Harrow Values. They will receive a Send Up in our weekly assembly. 24
SPECIAL MENTIONS - 10 House Points If a student has excelled in a national competition we will celebrate this in our weekly awards assembly. HEAD TEACHERS AWARDS - 10 House Points For truly exceptional moments our students will be sent to a member of our Lower School Leadership Team to receive a sticker and lots of praise. FORM SHOUT OUT - 1 House Point When a student achieves something they are proud of outside of school. This could be entering a local competition, taking part in a new activity or supporting a charity. HOUSE POINTS Rewarded by the Form Teacher for displaying our iRules or producing exceptional work.
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Our Teachers OVER 30 UK TRAINED CLASS TEACHERS In Pre Prep our class teachers are UK trained, fully qualified and usually have many years of experience teaching in the UK. We have a rigorous selection process and insist on only recruiting candidates of the highest calibre. OVER 50 OTHER PRE PREP STAFF INCLUDING: • Specialist teachers, (including: Music, Physical Education, Computing, Swimming, Thai and Mandarin) • Learning Support teachers • Language Support teachers • Movement, Speech and Language therapist • Teaching Assistants and Lead Teaching Assistants 25
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HOME LEARNING We believe that play and free time are fundamental to a child’s growth and development. While homework is important, it should not prevent children from taking part in the wide range of out-of-school clubs and organisations that play an important part in the lives of children. Developing a child’s personal and social skills is as equally important as developing their academic knowledge.
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Children benefit greatly from the mutual support of parents and teachers in encouraging them to learn both at home and at school. Indeed, we see homework as an important way of establishing a successful dialogue between teachers and parents. One of the aims of our school is for children to develop as independent learners. We believe that home learning is another way in which students can acquire this skill.
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AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK Year 1 and 2: reading every day, spellings, learning number bonds and number facts. Years 3 to 5: reading every day, spellings, learning multiplication and division facts and occasional activities related to the current Unit of Study. Communication - You will receive a weekly email from your form teacher will all the information you will need for your child for the coming week. Any additional information will be sent in our Lower School Newsletter. PARENT REPRESENTATIVES Parents are invited to volunteer to be a form rep – this is a great way to get involved with the Harrow Bangkok community. Each form should ideally have 2 parent reps. Form reps can help in a range of ways such as helping with special events and attending information meetings with the Head of Lower School. PARENT WORKSHOPS/COFFEE MORNINGS Each term, we arrange regular coffee mornings and parent workshops which are open to all. These take place in a variety of locations depending on the focus. Workshops focus on sharing aspects of the Harrow Pre Prep curriculum and how it is delivered as well as giving parents ways in which to support their child’s learning at home. Coffee mornings are
more informal gatherings where you can come along and have a chat with Lower School staff as well as get to know other parents better. FRIENDS OF HARROW GROUP Harrow International School Bangkok has a group of parents called the Friends of Harrow (FoH). The FoH are guided by a committee who meet regularly and are involved in a variety of projects across the school such as fundraising and organising events for the Harrow Bangkok school community. A new FoH committee is elected annually. The FoH also organise the annual Harrow Fair, usually in November. ABSENCE AND HOLIDAYS If your child is absent through sickness please let us know on the day or as soon as possible either by phone or brief email. We do not permit holiday leave during term time as there are several weeks allocated holiday time when leave should be taken and we believe that absence from school can have a negative impact on a student’s education. If you require leave of absence for your child for any reason, please request this in writing giving as much advance notice as possible. HARROW BANGKOK HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY Click here for Harrow Bangkok Health and Safety Policy or scan the QR code below:
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Uniforms All students are encouraged to feel pride in being members of Harrow Bangkok and adherence to our uniform requirements is of utmost importance. Appropriate dress is expected of all students. Sensible decisions about young children’s footwear, hairstyles and jewellery can help to keep our children safe at school. With this in mind, we ask for your cooperation in adhering to the guidelines below.
Infant and Junior girls
Junior boys
Infant boys
✔ Black shoes to be
✔ Blazers and
worn with Harrow Bangkok socks
boaters to be worn by Juniors (Years 3 to 5) in assembly on Fridays
WHAT DOES MY CHILD NEED IN SCHOOL?
✔ YOUR CHILD NEEDS: • The school backpack • Book bag • A school sun hat • A water bottle
✖ THEY DO NOT NEED: • Money • Own stationery or pencil case • Toys • Food (unless an agreed special dietary requirement) • Wifi-enabled digital devices The school is not responsible for lost clothing. Parents will be contacted if the uniform worn by the student is incomplete or inappropriate.
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The uniform items are all available in the School Shop except for shoes. Shop opening hours are 7.00am-4pm, on school days and there are helpful staff on hand. All items of your child’s school clothing should be labelled with their name. Sewing the name on items is the best option.
PE Kit (unisex)
Swimming (unisex)
House shirt day (boys)
House shirt day (girls)
✔ Plain black or white trainers with easy fastenings, no sparkles, cartoon characters or bright laces
✔ If PE day is on House shirt day (Thursdays), children wear their House shirt with PE shorts
HAIR AND ACCESSORIES
✔ Hair should be clean, neat, natural colour and off the eyes. In the case of boys, hair should be cut clear off the collar and the ears.
✔ Girls with long hair must have hair securely tied back. For example in a secure plait or ponytails. Please keep hair accessories simple and navy or white in colour where possible.
✖ Please be aware that necklaces do pose a health and safety risk when worn by young, active children. We allow necklaces worn for religious reasons only. ✖ Children in Pre Prep should not wear rings or bracelets to school. ✖ Children in Pre Prep are not allowed to wear makeup, nail polish or tattoo stickers.
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Beyond Pre Prep Once students complete their final year in EYC in Reception they continue their Lower School journey into Pre Prep (Years 1 - 5). In this next phase, students begin to learn traditional subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, Art, History, Computing, Design and Technology, and Geography. The Pre Prep curriculum is rigorous, robust, and built upon the very best practice from around the world. Individual subjects are linked wherever possible through exciting half termly themes with specialist teachers encouraging a love of music, Thai culture, languages and physical activity. The curriculum also focuses on developing the skills and attributes our students need to become ‘Leaders for a better world’. The Upper School starts in Year 6 as students enter the Prep Phase (Years 6 to 8). Underpinned by the UK National Curriculum, the broad range of subjects 30
studied by Prep students allows them to explore and connect knowledge, whilst building effective Thinking and Performing skills for lifelong learning. With a huge host of enriching experiences, Prep students continue to enhance the leadership attributes first introduced in Lower School. In Years 9 to 11 or in Harrow terminology, our Shell, Remove and Fifth Form Phase (SR5), the full IGCSE range of subjects are studied. In Shell (Year 9), students broaden their foundations with Humanities and Sciences taught as discrete subjects before selecting their IGCSE optional subjects, which will be studied in the following two years in Remove (Year 10) and Fifth Form (Year 11). Many of our students earn scholarships for the Sixth Form based on their examination results at IGCSE level. In the Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13), students study A Levels, a set of gold standard internationally recognised qualifications giving students direct access
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R PE UP K KO NG BA W RO AR EH
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In 2021, 85% of our graduating class went on to study at their first choice university, with 40% of our students securing places at top 100 globally ranked universities. Harrow Bangkok students apply to universities all around the world. Within the UK, the majority secure places at Russell Group and highly reputed institutions, and in the US, our students regularly secure places at the top 50 ranked US universities.
Our Sixth Form students are accommodated in the world-class ‘Rayleigh Learning Centre’, a state-of-the-art educational building which can house up to 280 students. We aim for our Sixth Form to be a learning community, with our students developing independence, leadership attributes and maturity and leaving us with excellent academic results. As well as bespoke Sixth Form teaching rooms, the Rayleigh Learning Centre contains rooms for both independent and group study, as well as the Careers and University Guidance Centre. Regular visits are made to our school by university representatives from all over the world, as well as outside speakers. Regular visits are made to our school by university representatives from all over the world, as well as outside speakers and a number of roadshows from top universities. We offer a comprehensive choice of additional opportunities in the Sixth Form, including traditional academic courses, timetabled SAT support and popular additions such as Psychology, Media
Top universities
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JO
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to the most competitive universities worldwide, including UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore.
Sixth Form 3/4 A Levels Extension Curriculum University Preparation
Shell, Remove and Fifth (SR5) Broad Selection of IGCSEs Leadership in Action Prep ‘Leadership Curriculum’ based on UK National Curriculum
Studies and Computer Science. To satisfy the English proficiency requirements of universities in English speaking countries, students should also take IELTS and ToEFL courses. The Extended Project Qualification and Harrow Research Project encourages all students to explore a specialist area of interest, alongside a tailor-made curriculum including critical thinking, wider reading and debate, academic writing development and university preparation. The Harrow Bangkok Sixth Form encourages students to embrace and demonstrate the Harrow Values of Fellowship, Courage, Honour and Humility through their actions. These actions are recognised through the Harrow Prize which is awarded to students upon their graduation from Harrow Bangkok. Our Sixth Form students lead the whole school through their attitude, outlook and ambition — they are the leaders of the future. 31
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KEY CONTACTS Name
Position
Paul Beach
Head of Lower School
paul_be@harrowschool.ac.th
David McKillop
Head of Pre Prep
david_mc@harrowschool.ac.th
Kyle Meadows
Lower School Director of Studies
kyle_me@harrowschool.ac.th
Matthew Parker
Lower School Director of Student Wellbeing
matthew_pa@harrowschool.ac.th
version 29.11.2023 The Harrow International Schools, Harrow LiDe Schools and Harrow Little Lions (Early Years Centres) use Harrow School’s Name and Badge under a sub-licence granted by Harrow International Schools Limited (HISL), a trading subsidiary of the charity registered in England and Wales with charity number 310033 which owns Harrow School and its trademark, in return for a fee. The educational, administrative, financial and other operational responsibilities of the Harrow International Schools, Harrow LiDe Schools and Harrow Little Lions (Early Years Centres) are separate from those of Harrow School and rest with their owners and operators. The schools’ fees are paid to their owners and operators and not to Harrow School or HISL. Under the sub-licence, these schools are required to reflect Harrow School’s educational purpose, practice, strategy and philosophy and each is regularly evaluated by representatives of HISL. The schools’ Governing Boards include two representatives of HISL.
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CAMPUS MAP
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Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK 45 Soi Kosumruamchai 14, Kosumruamchai Road Don Mueang Subdistrict, Don Mueang District Bangkok 10210 Thailand
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+66 (0) 2 503 7222 harrowschool.ac.th harrowbangkok
