NLCS Jeju Newsletter 17 November 2023

17 November 2023

Newsletter North London Collegiate School Jeju

TOP NEWS KOREAN ENRICHMENT WEEK HISTORY ENRICHMENT WEEK SONGDO 7S CHRISTMAS BAZAAR CATS THE MUSICAL

PRINCIPAL’S LETTER Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends of NLCS Jeju The half term ended with stunning performances for the House Singing and Glee Competition which was truly magnificent and showed both community spirit and the talents of our students. It has been very good to see the opportunities for our students to enrich their education and develop their leadership in so many ways and this includes the trips which took place over the half term break. We had successful visits, be they cultural or sporting to Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. The Junior School were also very successful with their boys and girls teams in the Songdo 7s football competition on the mainland and so well done to them on their clean sweep of successes. Our thanks go to the faculty staff who give up their time to organise and plan these wonderful opportunities for the students.

Staff also took advantage of the half term to engage in Professional Development courses such as the FOBISIA leadership conference, as well as lifeguard courses and National Professional Qualifications. We encourage all in our community to be lifelong learners and it is very encouraging to see levels of participation.

Well done to all the students who have been developing their skills in a variety of different ways through participating in a variety of recognised competitions, many of which involve them competing against schools across the world. We see great success and recognition of our students in a variety of fields from poetry to coding. We are also very proud of the academic societies and organisations in School who lead so many wonderful initiatives in School. Contributions during subject enrichment weeks are varied and exciting as well as their academic journals which they produce. I am delighted to see the latest edition of Lucidity which is so thought provoking. Hundreds of students are also hard at work preparing for the upcoming CATS production as well as the music concerts later. Also one of our centrepiece events - Diversity Week has been planned and arranged by the Cultural Awareness Committee and we all look forward to this next week.

Yours sincerely,

Lynne Oldfield Principal

The Main Event

Here are the biggest stories from around the School this week.

KOREAN ENRICHMENT WEEK Before half term we all enjoyed a variety of activities arranged by our Korean Department.

There were performances, displays, creative activities and a quiz. Including; the chance to write a poem, make a hangeul pouch, play traditional Korean games, take part in a Korean typing contest, watch a K-POP dance performance, enjoy a lecture about King Sejong and much more! Thank you to the Korean Department and the students for all their hard work.

The Main Event

KOREAN ENRICHMENT WEEK

KOREAN ENRICHMENT WEEK

The Main Event

The Main Event

Koh Jae-jong

A big thank you to our special guest during Korean Enrichment Week.

“Koh Jae-jong (고재종) is a renowned local poet with ten published poetry collections.

One of his poems, ‘First Love,’ is a key text in the Y10 and Y11 Korean Language textbooks.

Every Y11 student has extensively studied and analysed this poem this term. They were eager to attend Mr. Koh’s lecture and engage with him to deepen their understanding of the poem. Mr. Koh, as our academic visitor, primarily addressed KS4 and IBDP students, and he took part in the book concert during Korean Enrichment Week” - Mr. Brian Kim (Head of Korean).

HISTORY ENRICHMENT WEEK This week has been filled with interesting history related activities, hosted by our History Department. We have been treated to debates, including ‘This House regrets the rise of the British Empire’ and ‘This House regrets the dropping of the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945’. Students were also able to take part in games, such as ‘The Chase’ where students pit their knowledge against an expert historian, a chance to undertake an historical personality quiz to discover which historical figure matches their personality, as well a Hero and Villains opinion board, a photobooth and an opportunity for students to post their political question with an invitation for comment.

HISTORY ENRICHMENT WEEK

The Main Event

The highlight of every History Enrichment Week is of course the dress up Friday, this year’s theme is ‘great couples’.

Thank you to the History department for such a great week!

The Main Event

DANCE ENRICHMENT WEEK

DIVERSITY WEEK

Instead of an Enrichment Week next week we are pleased to confirm that we will be hosting another Diversity Week. Last year’s event was a great success and we are looking forward to another great week. Thank you in advance to the Cultural Awareness Committee for their preparations. Activities include: a literature voting board, a dialect activity, independence day voting board, continent of the day, trivia activities and a neurodiversity display. There will also be a food fair to raise money for the Cultural Awareness Committee charity United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Special guests include Mr Pekka Metso (Ambassador of the Embassy of Finland in Korea), Mr. Paul Duclos (Ambassador of the Embassy of Peru in Korea) and author Marie Mockett.

A great photo from a previous Diversity Week.

Don’t miss our posts!

Follow us on our social media pages to never miss out! Our recent posts include:

• FOBISIA Coding Competition • Golf Trip to Thailand • Year 10 Information Day • Cats the Musical • Jazz Workshop • Sixth Form Parent Workshop • Insect Dancing

FLICKR Did you know we add all our photos to Flickr?

With no restrictions on the number of photos we can share, you will be able to see every photo from all the events around School. Why not have a look now?

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements JUNIOR WORLD CUP Congratulations to Derek Kim, who represented South Korea in fencing at the recent Junior World Cup, El Salvador, securing a silver medal! This is Derek’s third medal this year, adding to his already won gold and bronze medals. Derek is currently ranked 110th in the world for under 22! What an amazing achievement, we are all very proud of you!

MANDARIN TRIP TO TAIWAN

Other News

This half term break a group of students and teachers visited Taiwan to enhance their language skills and cultural understanding of Taiwan. During their visit the students: • visited Taiwan Virtual Adventure at HTC Viveland • took part in VR based Chinese language courses at the Graduate Institute of Teaching Chinese as a second/foreign language of National Kaohsiung Normal University • enjoyed making pineapple cakes (a popular Taiwanese snack) • explored the Ruifong Night Market, Chi Mei Museum & Confucius temple in Tainan, Meinong Hakka village and Taipei • took part in a 3D innovation class at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University (ASHS) The trip was in collaboration with the Graduate Institute of Teaching Chinese as a second/ foreign language of National Kaohsiung Normal University. We express our sincere gratitude to all of the staff and students at the University for their support and hospitality, particularly for hosting the welcoming ceremony, and we hope this is a long and fruitful relationship.

Thank you to Ms. Jenny Liu (Head of Mandarin) for her arrangements and to Mr. Martyn Fernandes, Mr. Mark Kim and Ms. Stacey Liu for accompanying the group.

Take a look at our Instagram account where we posted daily updates of the Taiwan trip!

Other News

SPANISH TRIP TO SPAIN

Our Spanish Language Students enjoyed a trip to Spain, as well as having Spanish lessons they were able to explore historical sights and enjoy delicious Spanish food. Their trip included: • • • • •

going to Mezquita-Catedral and exploring the narrow streets of Córdoba a walk along Paseo del Muelle Uno and visiting the beautiful Mirador de Gibralfaro visiting the Alhambra in Granada exploring Malaga - including La Manquita Cathedral and Mercadona supermarket a trip to Sevilla which included visiting the Plaza de España, before walking along the river Guadalquivir to the Torre del Oro and the Mercado Lonja del Barranco.

Such trips take the student’s language skills to another level when they are given the opportunity to practice with native speakers in such an immersive environment. Thank you to Mr. Tom Perry, Ms. Alejandra Lopez and Mr. Fabián Herrera for leading the trip.

Take a look at our Instagram account where we posted daily updates of the Spain trip!

BLOOD DONATION

Other News

We are excited to confirm that the third blood donation day is taking place on Saturday 9 December. Well done to the ABO Supporters for keeping the momentum going! We hope lots of people donate and if they cannot donate, we hope they’ll volunteer as supervisors to support this wonderful event.

Who are the ABO Supporters?

“ABO stands for the 4 different blood types - A, B, AB and O. The group ‘ABO Supporters’ was established to explore ways to proliferate blood donation practices and raise awareness for blood donation. Carrying forward from our inaugural Blood Donation Drive initiated by one of our students, our team was selected as the 9th Red Campaigner by the Korean Red Cross. As one of the high school representatives to advocate for blood donation culture, we look forward to hosting further enriching events to extend accessibility and share our interests.”

ABO stands for the 4 different blood types - A, B, AB and O Who can donate?

• Students in Year 11 or above (16+) • Staff and their families (16+) Before you sign up it is important to check if you are allowed to donate - the rules in Korea are quite strict. If you are not sure, please ask.

Link to English guidelines Link to Korean guidelines

Other News Can’t donate blood? Donate time instead!

For the event to take place, we require two members of staff to be present throughout the day. If you would like to supervise for an hour (or more), please email Ms. Prichard (kprichard@nlcsjeju.kr) Did you know - not only are you saving lives all our donors receive the following: • ABO custom-designed tumbler • Snacks provided by the Korean Red Cross • One of the choices below ₩ 5,000 Cultural Gift Card Donation to the Red Cross Jeju Megabox Movie Ticket ₩ 5,000 Olive Young Coupon Starbucks Coupon McDonald’s Hamburger Exchange Coupon Nail Clipper Set ₩ 5,000 Convenience Store Coupon (CU or Emart) Gift card (Lotteria, Angelinus, Krispy Kreme, Ple:eating)

EXCHANGE TRIP TO SINGAPORE

Other News

We are delighted to confirm that our Year 9 students have the opportunity to undertake an exchange trip with NLCS Singapore in February. More details are available in Mr. Drew Thomas’ letter. Being part of a family of NLCS Schools means we have such wonderful opportunities and we hope lots of students will take part.

PSD PROGRAMME As part of an holistic education, our students all take part in a Personal and Social Development (PSD) programme. The programme tackles difficult conversations and topics in a safe, informative and knowledgeable environment. All the skills learnt are essential for students to grow as healthy and well rounded individuals. Read the letter from Mr. Thom Carter-Stead for more information.

Other News NAPCE SHORTLIST As you know we were shortlisted for two National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2023 recently. The final announcements were made and though we did not win - we are pleased that the work we do at the School to support students pastorally has been recognised.

Well done to the whole pastoral team for their work which resulted in a shortlisting for ‘International Contribution to Pastoral Care Award’ 2023 and to Mr. Thom Carter-Stead for his shortlisting as ‘A member of staff who works in pastoral care and who always makes the extra effort to support young people to enable them to become effective learners and achieve success.’

IB WORKSHOP “Since 2013, the Japanese government has been increasing its number of IB schools, developing a dual language IB Diploma with the International Baccalaureate Organisation. In September 2019, the Offices of Education in Daegu and Jeju each announced plans to begin the process of adopting the IB curriculum in public schools. I think this is a positive move that appears to have been very successful so far. Sharing resources and best practice is something I have always enjoyed. I was delighted to visit Kyungpook National University High School in Daegu over the half-term break to run my 4th English B workshop for a small group of teachers. Thank you very much for the invitation!” - Mr. Nick Chaddock.

NEXON MUSEUM

Other News

“The Computer Science department organised a curriculum trip for Year 7 students to the Nexon Computer Museum in Jeju City. The purpose of this trip was to develop knowledge of computing fundamentals beyond the classroom. The students had enriching sessions with their teachers. They enjoyed exploring various aspects of computer Hardware and video gaming.

After an enjoyable bus ride and some snacks, teachers guided them on each floor of the museum and explained some concepts. After the trip, all students will work on a group project where they will do more research and complete a display board as a class which will be assessed later. Overall, it was great fun with them and all of them were well-behaved and eager to learn more.” - Mr. Tajvir Singh (Head of Computer Science).

Other News

TEACHER TESTIMONIALS We look forward to the weekly ‘Teacher Tuesday’ that NLCS International publishes, moreso when an NLCS Jeju teacher is featured. The most recent teacher being Ms. Alex Lea. Thanks to Alex for her contribution to the School.

If you would like to be considered for a future ‘Teacher Tuesday’ please get in touch with Ms. Helen Lock (hlock@nlcsjeju.kr).

JUNIOR SCHOOL BOOKWORMS! Thank you to Mr. James Lillywhite for sharing all the great things taking place in Junior School related to English and reading.

Other News WRITING FESTIVAL You never know what to expect when wandering around NLCS Jeju, there are always new and inventive ways to make learning even more fun and interactive.

Before half term our Junior School students headed outside into the Jeju sunshine to take part in a writing festival - the students had to create and submit work for the COBIS Poetry Competition and the FOBISIA Short Story Competition. Using the tents and various materials provided as inspiration for their writing, it was clear to see they were enjoying the festival.

There were also stories read at break and lunch for all students. Thank you to Mr. James Lillywhite for arranging and to all the teachers and support staff who assisted.

Other News

CENTURY

Junior School students in Year 3-6 are currently taking part in the annual English competition run by Century. NLCS Jeju is currently well in the lead of the Century competition - with the winners announced on Friday. If we were to win, Mr. Lillywhite said we would donate the prize money of £250 to the Junior Student Council who will decide on how to spend the money. .

READING QUESTS This year Junior School students have started their NLCS Jeju Reading Quests, reading challenges to complete outside of school, with bronze, silver and gold certificates able to be won. We are delighted to announce that Liam Kwon of 5CD was the first winner of the Reading Quests bronze certificate and will now move onto the Silver quest.

YOUTH ACTIVISTS SOCIETY On Campus, you can easily find students’ various activities to help people in need and make the world a better place. Last month, the Youth Activists Society sold cotton candy to raise money for children with disabilities.

“NLCSJ Youth Activists Society is a student-led organisation with a mission to foster movements championing human rights within our society, with a primary focus on advocating for children’s rights. We collaborate closely with the Korean Council of Children’s Organisation. At the beginning of this academic year, the central focus of our project was on empowering the educational rights of children with disabilities and assessing the state of political and civic education in South Korea as part of the Child Rights Monitoring Activity “LENS” hosted by the Korea National Human Rights Commission.

Other News After distributing a survey regarding the awareness and reality of disabled children’s lives to 70 middle/high schools in South Korea and parents of children in Jeju Disabled Children’s Welfare Centre, we realised that financial support for these children is lacking in many ways. We decided to host a fundraising event using cotton candy, with the primary objective of promoting recognition of children’s rights, especially those pertaining to children with disabilities, and offering direct financial support to foundations for those children. Our fundraising event was a huge success, and we made a profit of one million won. We decided to donate the money to two foundations, Heart Heart and Snail of Love, with 500,000 won for each.

It was a meaningful experience for all of us, as some students hesitated to purchase the cotton candy due to the expensive price, but when we revealed the purpose of the fundraising, we could see most of the students buying it. We hope more fundraising events with similar purposes take place in order to raise awareness of the rights of disabled children to the wider student body.”

CATS

THE ARTS

We are all looking forward to the School musical later this month. We hope that lots of parents are able to join us in the audience for what is going to be a spectacular evening from our students. The stage looks incredible and the rehearsals we have seen and heard are of a very high standard! Register to attend before places fill up. Here are some photos of a sneak peek that we enjoyed during Dance Enrichment Week.

CATS

THE ARTS

THE ARTS

CATS

CATS

THE ARTS

THE ARTS

CATS

CATS

THE ARTS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION This half term you may have seen our daily updates from the most recent Duke of Edinburgh trip. We hope that by sharing their experiences and adventures with you that more students will consider signing up for DofE or at least wish to pursue some outdoor activities! We also hope you enjoy reading about Sophie Bryant, who is the inspiration behind our Saturday Bryant programme.

“Did you know that our Duke of Edinburgh International Award programme continued throughout the pandemic? Think about that for a second. While most of the rest of the world were not even in school, our students were out hiking on stunning mountain ridges or navigating beautiful island peaks.

As an IB school we talk about being ‘risk-takers’. I prefer to say that our teachers, students and parents demonstrated courage, trust and a belief in what we do here. They should be proud. They are all now part of our history and growth as a school. They are all now part of the success of our outdoor education programme here at NLCS, Jeju.

We finished last year with a truly incredible trip to the north-east of Japan with our Gold participants. There we used our knowledge of the 2011 tsunami from our Geography classes and explored the coastline and the communities most impacted. Our students saw the scars of the tsunami, the reconstruction of towns and talked to the people that lived through the disaster. We documented the bucolic splendour of that part of the world and tasted the fruits of its land and sea. This was the cherry on the top of a quite brilliant year of outdoor education trips.

Yet, our outdoor education programme is set to grow even stronger in 2023-24. Our goal of taking each year group out on exciting life-affirming trips gets ever closer. We have already had a busy autumn of trips and there are many more coming next year. My advice to you is to get involved. Sophie Bryant would have been involved because this is part of our heritage. This is who we are as a school. It is one of the reasons we are so very special.

Say yes. Be brave. See you on the next trip!”

Mr. Chaddock.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

CAS Joohyun (Katie) Hong, Year 12 What is your CAS activity?

My CAS activity is the ‘Islander Magazine’. We collaboratively work as one team, look through students’ creative writings on a topic, and come up with a design that fits the main issue. The current theme was ‘justice’ and we had a discussion regarding Chat GPT, whether it can be justified as a means of education. The design was done using the modern and mechanical images provided by Chat GPT in accordance with the established colour scheme.

What is your role in this CAS activity?

My role in this CAS activity is to format a design according to the given topic. Design formatting includes editing the font size, document settings, usage of images, and furthermore. To provide some guidelines to the new designers, I also created a ‘beginner guidebook’ about such processes. I work together with the design team members and after finishing the magazine design, I aim to make up for the errors as much as possible!

What are some of the benefits you get from doing this?

The main reason I joined the Islander design team last year was because I aspire to major in arts and design. For me, designing a magazine is not only interesting but also very helpful in achieving skills that can be very useful in my future career. Especially being able to use the Adobe InDesign program upgraded my ability as a designer one step further. I am already utilising such skills by helping various societies publish their own magazines or produce posters!

What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

At first, I had a hard time learning how to use the complicated InDesign program, however, I gradually mastered it thanks to the older students’ help and my own dedication. After becoming one of the leaders this year, I suggested creating a ‘beginner guidebook’ for the designers who are newly joining the CCA, recalling my past struggles. I wanted to help my fellow members learn the program in the fastest and easiest way possible to make Islander a more enjoyable experience.

CAS How have you felt participating in the CAS program so far?

Designing a magazine from scratch is a more time-consuming and demanding process than I had imagined. But I always have my team on my back so I am never too stressed and enjoying the overall experience. I will feel a great sense of accomplishment when the magazine is finally published - we are planning to publish the next issue by the end of the term, so stay tuned!

Jungyou (J.Y) Lee, Year 13 Please introduce your CAS Project! What is it about? Who are you working with?

Also, the title of the CAS project is ‘Creating Library informative posters’ and the aim of the project is to create information posters for students to provide them with a better experience in the library. The goal is to create a library shelving poster for the first and second floors of the library. In total, I made three posters. I work with Gloria Jung and she’s also in the class of 2024. She helped me with the making of the posters, so I did the overall planning and she kind of helped with the planning, but she mostly helped me a lot with the designing part of the posters. I also worked with Mx. Byrom. They are my supervisor and they gave me a lot of advice for the posters and things they would like to be included in the posters. I worked with a few other random students who are in younger year groups, so their job was to give me opinions about difficulties they experienced with using our school library.

How did you come up with your CAS Project idea?

I basically started to think about what’s uncomfortable for me, so everyday difficulties. I used to go to the library a lot when I was in Year 7 to 9. But as I grew older, I guess I didn’t go to the library as often. And everytime I visited from year 10 to 12, when I went to the library, its catalogue or organisation system changed a lot. So it was confusing and difficult to find books. I thought they needed to change a bit and, just in case, I have asked other students how they felt about the library as well. I have got some similar opinions. They said it is hard to find books and sometimes it’s difficult to just search for a book. And even if you search for the books, it isn’t always clear how to find the exact shelving of the book. So I got that as my starting point.

What learning outcomes have you achieved?

I chose four learning outcomes. First, demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process. Second, demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience. Third, show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences, and last, recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions. For the CAS Project, I applied my project for creativity and service.

CAS How did you plan your CAS Project? Did it go successfully as you had planned?

It took a lot of time thinking about how I would make my posters. What kind of posters would I be making, what kind of information should be included, how can I lay the information out more effectively to show it to my audience? As a result, I illustrated, drafted, and planned my posters for about a month and it actually took five months to make the posters. This was also one of my challenges is that I am not an artistic person. I worked on my project during library service time, which is about 30 minutes per week. I have always communicated with Gloria to keep editing the posters. I also talked with Mx. Byrom to consider whether my posters are well suitable for students to understand.

What was the most challenging part of your CAS Project?

Studying new stuff. So one particular aspect I remember studying was the Dewey Decimal Classification. It is basically a library classification system which allows new books to be added to the library in appropriate locations based on subjects. For example, numbers 01 to 99 are books for generalities and numbers 100 to 199 are for Philosophy. It was something new and unfamiliar and, in a sense, challenging. As I said before, I am not really an artistic person. Hence, I guess I had difficulties designing posters. The striking question was how I could make my posters look the most effective for students to understand what I mean by them. I did not want my posters to be finished in low quality. For example, I took extra care on fonts. I need to blend it with the other posters, as I had to make three.

What was one of your most memorable experiences while working on a CAS Project?

The process of making the posters was definitely memorable, but my most memorable memory is when I finished my first poster. When I showed the poster to my friends and my supervisor, I got positive responses and I guess that was the moment I felt proud of myself and empowered.

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM

MEET THE YEAR 13 TUTORS Mr. Nicholas Canning has been at NLCS Jeju for 5 years as a Philosophy and Theory of Knowledge teacher. Mr. Canning is a very experienced Sixth Form Tutor, who has taken over a new group this year. He is a great asset to the Sixth Form team.

“This is my sixth year at NLCS Jeju and as a Sixth Form tutor. It is a demanding and yet rewarding role as we support our tutees through the rigours of the IB programme.”

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM MEET THE YEAR 12 TUTORS Ms. Minsoo Cha is a fantastic maths teacher, who has been at NLCS Jeju for several years; therefore, she knows a thing or two about how the School operates. She has also built some very good relationships with her students, and tutees over the years. Ms. Cha has had a brilliant start to the academic year, and has been fully invested in the pastoral development of her tutees.

“I am thoroughly enjoying having this group as my tutees this year. As with any other group, some are louder than others, and some are much quieter than others. But they all seem to know how to include everyone when we do any group activities. I am grateful to see my tutees getting support from each other and appreciate how they are being treated.

I look forward to building more happy memories in the upcoming months.”

If you need a solution to your Maths problem, Ms. Cha is there to help!

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM Stephanie (Seunghye) Huh - Y12 MCH Stephanie is one of Ms. Cha’s brilliant tutees.

She is very passionate about netball, and this year she is a Beyond the Curriculum Prefect.

Watch her acting skills in full swing here.

“Transitioning to the IB programme posed challenges, which demanded my effort.

Despite difficulties in my studies, I’m committed to doing my best, as the IBDP lets me concentrate mainly on the subjects I like. Participating in extracurricular activities provided experiences outside the classroom, just like the recent Spanish trip. While the journey may be tough, the combination of academics and enjoyable activities is creating an extensive learning experience for us at NLCS Jeju.”

Stephanie always suggests wonderful ideas when we need to do any tutor group project. e.g. where to take the group photos. - Ms. Cha

Olivia (Minjae) Kim- Y12MCH Olivia is another bubbly and fun-loving student, who Ms. Cha speaks highly of.

“It has been challenging and intellectually engaging to start the IB journey with Math AA, Physics, and Chemistry as HL studies over the past few months. A comprehensive understanding of the fundamental laws controlling the physical world has been made possible by the depth and breadth of the knowledge presented in these subjects.

I found Chemistry particularly interesting; I learned more about the micro world, extending my knowledge from IGCSE. Also, I am currently participating in an inventing competition, which I passed on 1st stage last week. I will continue to both study hard and play hard!”

“Olivia always volunteers to take things to/ from teachers or find out things on behalf of other tutees.” - Ms. Cha

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM SIXTH FORM PARENT WORKSHOP We are looking forward to welcoming parents to our upcoming workshop.

Extended Essay Seminars (2 November 2023) “On Thursday 2 November, around 20 Year 13 students presented Extended Essay info sessions to Year 12. The EE seminars were a great way for Year 12 students to learn more about the EE process, and specific requirements for different subjects. All Year 12 students attended two subject seminars, and listened to advice from their peers, and they had the opportunity to ask questions. Subject teachers also supported the event in subjects where students were not able to present. Year 13 students who had just completed their essays, were able to offer their wisdom in how to select an appropriate topic, research, and manage their time. Thank you to all the teachers and Year 13 students who took part in the event!

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM The extended essay is an independent, self directed piece of research finishing with a 4,000 word paper. A supervising teaching helps guide the student during the process.

Year 12 students will submit their EE drafts in August 2024, and their final essay at the start of November 2024.” - Mr. Ben Matthews.

SPORT SONGDO 7S CHAMPIONS U11 BOYS AND GIRLS Take a look at the following articles reporting their success! Kids Donga, Gvalley and the Billiards.

“In a thrilling showcase of talent and determination, the NLCS Jeju U11 boys and girls football teams emerged victorious at the highly competitive Songdo 7 competition, featuring schools from across Korea. The NLCS Jeju teams displayed exceptional skill, teamwork, and resilience, making the school community proud.

The NLCS U11 boys’ team dominated the group stages, securing victories in all their games.

Their journey to the semi-finals was marked by outstanding performances and a strong team spirit. In the semi-final, NLCS Jeju found themselves trailing 1-0 but rallied back with incredible resilience, taking the game to a penalty shootout. In an intense battle, NLCS Jeju emerged triumphant with a 10-9 victory, with Benedict Kim making a crucial save that turned the tide in their favour.

In the final showdown against SFS, NLCS Jeju continued their impressive form. The boys delivered a stellar performance, securing a convincing 4-1 win and clinching the prestigious title of Songdo 7 Champions. The victory was a testament to their skill, determination, and the unwavering support of their coaches and parents.

The NLCS Jeju U11 girls’ team demonstrated exceptional prowess throughout the group stages, earning their spot in the final. Facing Chadwick in a closely contested match, the girls showcased remarkable teamwork and resilience. With the game deadlocked at 0-0 and only five minutes remaining, NLCS was awarded a penalty. Calm and collected, Celina Kim stepped up and converted the penalty, securing a 1-0 victory and the title of Songdo 7 Champions for the girls’ team. The achievement reflects not only the individual talents of the players but also their ability to work together as a cohesive unit. The NLCS Jeju girls exhibited grace under pressure and a commitment to success that exemplifies the spirit of NLCS Jeju.” - Ms. Sophie Perry.

Congratulations to all the players, Ms. Sophie Perry and Ms. Geun Lee, and parents who contributed to this remarkable success. Your dedication and sportsmanship truly represent NLCS Jeju with pride. The Songdo 7 Champions title is a well-deserved accolade, highlighting the excellence that NLCS Jeju brings to football in Korea.

Girls Team Ella Choi, Steffi Im, Ivie Lee, Celina Kim, Olivia Park, Hanna Lee, Rael Jeon, Nayoon Kim, McKenzie Reddy, Michelle Kwon and Kate Washington.

Boys Team Euan Chaddock, Jay Choi, Ethan Kim, Juwon Ha, Ryan Ko, Jungsoo Sim, Eddy Kim, Benedict Kim, EJ Jeong and Thomas Lee.

SPORT

HOUSE NEWS

GLEE AND HOUSE SINGING

What an occasion! Weeks of practice all culminating in a fantastic night of music, singing and dancing! Well done to all our students who took part and thanks to our judges for their support. This is a huge undertaking and we were delighted to see such House spirit and determination.

Here is the livestream in case you missed it or if you want to watch again.

Thank you to Mr. Pete Scargill for overseeing the competition. More photos.

HOUSE NEWS

CULTURAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE

DAY OF THE DEAD - 2 NOVEMBER Dia De Los Muertos, which translates to Day of the Dead, is a Mexican Holiday celebrated annually. Families believe that the souls of their deceased loved ones return and in order to welcome them, they set up altars with pictures, candles, marigolds and offerings.

Families will also go to the cemetery to adorn and leave food at the tombs of their loved ones.

REMEMBRANCE DAY - 11 NOVEMBER Also known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day marks the armistice signed by the Allied forces and Germany on 11th November 1918. Every year on this day at the 11th hour, a minute of silence is held to commemorate soldiers who served and sacrificed their lives to defend the freedom of others.

CULTURAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE DIWALI - 12 NOVEMBER Diwali is a major Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness, symbolised by the illumination of candles and oil lamps, and new beginnings. It is celebrated through prayer, fireworks, festive meals and spending time with family.

ONLJ We are extremely proud of all our students and we love to keep in touch and find out what they are up to after graduating from NLCS Jeju.

Our ONLJ (Old North Londoners of Jeju) is an active and supportive community, guided by our Alumni and Development Manager, Ms. Shin.

Thank you to Jiwon Oh who shared their stories this week.

If you studied at NLCS Jeju and you want to share your news with us, please email Ms. Shin (alumnioffice@nclsjeju.kr). We cannot wait to hear from you.

ONLJ

ONLJ Profile Jiwon Oh Class of 2020 London Contemporary Dance School (The Place) Contemporary dance What led you to choose this particular degree?

I chose dance as my major because I fell in love with it. I’ve always had a passion for the arts, and the excitement dance gave me was incomparable to any other subject. It’s such a pure art form, allowing for creativity and expression through the body. I couldn't imagine myself pursuing a non-creative field, and even if I hadn't chosen dance as my major, I believe I would have found a way to work with or be connected to dance in some capacity.

How was your university experience?

I absolutely loved it. I was constantly surrounded by people who love dancing, moving, and creating. We had technique classes in the morning and workshops, repertory or collaborative projects in the afternoon - I was spending the whole day doing what I love, in a vibrant building full of music and sweat. I also love living in London, where it’s bustling with galleries, performances, and opportunities to collaborate with various other artists.

What are you currently engaged in? What motivated you to pursue this specific career path?

Throughout my BA course, I most enjoyed choreographing and sharing creativity with others. Currently I’m engaged in a range of positions - I am working as a dancer, choreographer, movement director, model, basically creating and collaborating with different artists. I will also be studying a Master's in Performance design and practice at Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London.

Share some cherished memories from your time at NLCS Jeju.

I remember how much I loved Arts Week, when I had the opportunity to work with visiting artists, one of whom I recently had the chance to perform for at the National Theatre! Arts Week was definitely the turning point when I realised that pursuing dance as my major was the right path for me. I also miss the basketball squad, student-led theatre performances, and even small moments like grabbing snacks at the Smiley Cafe with friends or enjoying weekend exeats.

DAEGU AND BUSAN

DAEGU AND BUSAN

ADMISSIONS NEWS

The Admissions Team had such a successful trip to Seoul that they are heading off to Daegu and Busan in December. As these events will be smaller and the number of appointments are limited, please encourage your family and friends who are considering NLCS Jeju to get in touch as soon as possible to book their one to one Admissions consultation.

Register now!

STAFF NEWS Mr. Stephen McKeogh recently had the opportunity to meet with the Irish Trade Mission, who were visiting South Korea to mark the anniversary of 40 Years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Korea. Here, Mr. McKeogh explains further “The mission was led by the Irish Prime Minister, Mr. Leo Varadkar, and included a number of Government ministers including the minister for Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Education.

At the event discussions were held around enhancing ties between Ireland and Korea through trade and education, this will be continued with the Irish Embassy. We look forward to discussing links between NLCS Jeju and Ireland, in particular around Sophie Bryant, our founding School’s second principal who hailed from Dublin.

Mr. Varadkar was also presented with an Inis Jeju Gaelic Football shirt which is the newest Gaelic Football club in the World, it was presented to him by the Chairman of the club Mr. Kevin Tobin and Fr. Micahel O Riordan from St Isidore (in Jeju) and symbolises the long links that Jeju island and Ireland share. This weekend there will be the second Fr. PJ McClinchy cup held in Hallim and will be attended by the Irish Ambassador. Fr. McClinchy came to Jeju after the Korean war and worked tirelessly to help support people and farming on the island, he is the only foreign person to ever be given Korean citizenship posthumously.”

Contact Mr. McKeogh to find out more about Inis Gaelic Football team - become a player or a spectator!

STAFF NEWS TEACHER AWARD Congratulations to Mr. Ben Matthews, who was selected for the Outstanding Educator Award by NLCS Jeju student, Kenneth Park, who was recently accepted to the University of Chicago. The University of Chicago asks incoming students to recommend outstanding educators – individuals who challenged them intellectually for the first time, opened new vistas of discovery, or channelled their private interests into paths for intellectual growth.

Kenneth noted in his recommendation that “You really are a great history teacher and you were always really passionate about history. Thanks for guiding my IB history journey, for all of your advice and feedback, and with the benefit of hindsight to reach more informed conclusions, I can say that you are an outstanding educator!”

Ms. Justine Oliver (Head of IB) added - “Mr Matthews is a truly inspiring History teacher who displays a real passion for his subject and is always ready to give of his time to discuss his specialist subjects, notably the May Fourth Movement. Through his expert teaching, our students develop the high level skills of research and critical analysis required by top universities. As teachers, uppermost in our minds is always our aim to have the most positive impact we can upon our students’ learning. This is why this student nominated award is so special.”

STAFF NEWS INSET DAY

Throughout the year we have a number of ‘In service training days’ (INSET), these are teacher and staff training days when the School is closed to students. These days are important for staff to come together and learn new skills, share best practices and ensure they are up to date on essential training such as safeguarding.

One group, who are often not visible to parents as they work hard behind the scenes supporting our teachers, boarding teams and senior leaders, ventured off campus to complete team building activities - due to the nature of their roles they often work alone and this was a great opportunity to understand each other’s duties and responsibilities supporting each other to do the best job possible.

Thank you to them all!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY Congratulations to Ms. Tylah Whitehorn (Learning Support Assistant) and Mr. David Whitehorn (English Teacher) who welcomed Rebecca Poppy Whitehorn into the world on Sunday, weighing 3.63 kgs. Momma and dad are (quite rightly) smitten!

STAFF NEWS MOVEMBER Mr. Adam Yates and a number of other staff members are once again taking part in Movember.

The annual event involves the growing of moustaches for the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, as well as mental health and suicide prevention. As well as growing moustaches, Mr. Yates arranged a charity event for staff to attend.

If you would like to donate to this great cause, you can here. Mr. Yates’ motivation to raise money and awareness each year is due to the loss of a close friend, Dan, to testicular cancer whilst at university. Dan’s mum has written a book, which you can purchase or borrow from the School Library.

Thank you to Mr. Yates and all the other MO growers, we hope to be able to share a photo of them all at the end of the month.

... AND FINALLY

NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES Please note that the email addresses for our Parent Liaison team are now centralised. The new email addresses are as follows: Ms. DongEun Lee - Junior School - jsparents@nlcsjeju.kr Ms. Mina Chang - Senior School - ssparents@nlcsjeju.kr Ms. Wei Gong - Chinese Parents - chineseparents@nlcsjeju.kr Don’t worry if you use the old email addresses, we will simply forward them to the new accounts.

UPDATED MUSIC POLICY The Music Department shares with the community and our parents how we select students for ensembles. Our policy can be found here.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR The Christmas Bazaar is back and we are sure it will be bigger and better (if that is actually possible) than last year! A number of students, parents and outside providers have already pledged to host a stall - with a variety of offerings from food, drinks, games, gifts and lots of NLCS Jeju merchandise! We hope all our parents can join us for this festive event.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

... AND FINALLY

... AND FINALLY

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

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