The Voice 21 by Tanglin Trust School

The Voice of Tanglin Trust School

Vol 21 09/2015

MCI (P) 106/07/2015

Junior School: The Importance of Reading Sixth Form: Meet the New Head Boy and Girl Our World: TTS Foundation - Annual Fund

Welcome

Welcome to The Voice, a termly look through the TTS window to sample some of the exciting, interesting and challenging things that we do. I hope it provides you with a glimpse across the range of activities that make up the Tanglin experience and what makes it so effective. Learning and growing occur across a child’s life, not just in the ‘lesson bits’. Of course, the lessons are very important and it is the quality of these that helps the student to put everything else in some kind of order and context. TTS supports this concept by acknowledging that everyone has an important role to play in the successful and effective operation of our school. Seeing the ‘Spotlight’ article in this edition on Mrs Kim Yau (an Infant School Teaching and Learning Assistant now celebrating 40 years with us!), reminded me that there are many points of contact for our children during the school day. It is interesting that school trips feature in Mrs Yau’s fondest TTS memories, I guess that would also be the case if you asked the children too. The influence on, and nurturing of, a school child are the consequence of a complex and

Contents

Staff News

Our World

Feature

Infant School

Alumni

Junior School

Spotlight

Senior School

Caring for Cambodia Stuart Robertson Lizzie Hodges Pippa Gresham

Round-up of T90 events

The Children’s Party Dress Company

Celebrating Teaching and Learning Assistants

TTS Foundation – Annual Fund

Taking the Lead in the Infant School

The Importance of Reading Young Entrepreneurs

The Computing Games Year 10 Work Experience

carefully composed school plan. All good schools have this complex plan firmly in place.

Tanglin Mission Statement Tanglin Trust School Singapore has a long tradition of providing British-based learning with an international perspective. At Tanglin we strive to make every individual feel valued, happy and successful. Responsibility, enthusiasm and participation are actively encouraged and integrity is prized. Working together in a safe, caring yet stimulating environment, we set high expectations whilst offering strong support, resulting in a community of lifelong learners who can contribute with confidence to our world.

When I was at school, any kind of interaction in the library was banned and, where detected, miscreants dealt with severely! You may note in this edition that we now have an ‘Interactive Zone’ actually inside the Senior Library, along with a ‘Collaborative Zone’ (another banned activity in my day). Check out page 30 for an explanation of how a library can not only accommodate but actually encourage these un-library like activities.

Peter Derby-Crook Chief Executive Officer

Proud sponsors of Tanglin’s 90th Anniversary celebrations: Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Showcase

Creative Writing

Sport & Activities

Book Reviews

PTA

The Last Word

Art • Dance • Drama • Music

Spotlight on Voluntary Organisations Sporting Round-Up

Final Farewell

Senior Library Reconfiguration

A Selection Junior & Senior Writing

Infant, Junior, Senior & Parent Reviews

Ken Yuktasevi Neil Turrell

‘The Voice’ herein refers to ‘The Voice of Tanglin Trust School’ All students’ year groups referenced in this issue are accurate at time of print.

Student Services

Bringing Democracy Alive Meet the New Head Boy and Girl

Editor: Louise Colbridge Design & Layout: Jay Valentine Contributors: Students, Staff and PTA Photography: The Communications Team & other contributors Printer: Oz Print Services

Sixth Form

Staff News 04

Caring for Cambodia, Izzy Barclay, T90 Project Director Tanglin’s relationship with Caring for Cambodia (CFC) has been part of the fabric of Tanglin for a number of years. But, as I discovered over the half term break, there is so much more to it than collecting toothbrushes and fund-raising mufti days. I was very privileged to join a group of Tanglin Infant and Junior School teachers, led by Katie Sansom and Caroline Rushworth, as they visited the five CFC schools around Siem Reap. The aim was to provide intensive and focussed teacher training to dedicated local teachers (through translators). Observing our teachers sharing innovative and creative teaching strategies, and adapting them to the local needs, where there may be 50 or more students in a class and very basic resources, was absolutely inspiring. It was made possible because of the excellent relationship we have with CFC and the huge amount of preparation and planning that goes into the training programme. The trip was part of an ongoing project established eight years ago. Over 80

teachers and Teaching and Learning Assistants from across the Infant, Junior and Senior Schools have participated, always in the holidays and in most cases self-funded. At the end of the training programme, hygiene packs, collected by our Tanglin families, were handed out to the local community. Aside from the teacher training programmes, Tanglin’s relationship with CFC also includes our students. This year, several Year 12 students facilitated English language classes and handed out more hygiene packs as part of their Travel and Adventure programme. The High Commissioner Award has also established a fantastic project for Junior School students to really get involved in supporting the CFC schools. The TTS Foundation is instrumental is supporting the sustainability of the project and encouraging support staff involvement. It is through these long term, sustainable community commitments that our staff and students can really make a lasting difference to so many. The Tanglin CFC relationship is certainly worthy of recognition as part of T90 – building community and inspiring us all.

Stuart Robertson Classics Specialist, Senior School Congratulations to Stuart Robertson who successfully defended his thesis at Durham University in June after four years of study. Stuart chose to research life in the third century AD in Egypt. “It is a time of supposed economic and political collapse in the Roman Empire but I argue that this is overstated. I had to prove my thesis using numismatics (study of currency), economics and by gathering together and translating ancient Greek papyri.” Structured time-keeping and organisation was key to Stuart successfully completing the reading, research and writing necessary to finish his PhD. “During term time I would read in the week and then on Saturday or Sunday mornings I would get up at 4.30am or 5.00am and write for one to two hours. In the holidays I worked, reread and typed my notes from 9.30am12.30pm Monday to Thursday. It took so long but after graduation I will enjoy a long holiday with my family!”

Over the Labour Day weekend, Lizzie Hodges went to Bangkok to take part in the Tour of Friendship, an amateur cycling race, where she came second in the time-trial and first in the next stage. No stranger to competitive sport (Lizzie used to row for Great Britain), Lizzie spent three days racing in the soaring heat with her team and some elephants for company! Lizzie was persuaded to try a triathlon by a member of her department not long after she joined Tanglin 4 years ago. She soon caught the bug for cycling and joined a club, rode more, got faster and more confident and started road races in Batam, Bintan and Pasir Gudang. “So far I’ve only done one other stage race, over in Bintan last November” says Lizzie. “Things were going great, I’d hung in with the peloton, stayed off the front and survived the attacks, but unfortunately I clipped a wheel and had a small crash just 10km from the finish on the last stage, wiping out my overall ranking! Last

Lizzie Hodges, Science Teacher and Head of Houses, Senior School

weekend, I got a flat tyre about 8 minutes into a 4 hour race, so had a very lonely solo ride that day. I suppose it’s a bit of a rite of passage.” Lizzie says the combination of exercise and being outdoors is “a wonderful endorphin. Nothing beats a sunrise, in Kranji, Seletar, Toulouse… Although I no longer row, it’s also a way to get to be near the water again, given that Singapore is an island. I get to see places I’d never normally go to.” From Term 1, Lizzie will be Head of Houses in the Senior School and says she is looking forward to infamous House Day, “Another year, another theme, another day of laughter and fun with your House team!” Being part of a House is likened to being part of a sports team and Lizzie

says it’s important for students to know that they ‘belong’ to something. “It doesn’t matter if you are fast, strong, slow, academic, steady or quiet; that you belong is really important for growing and being happy whether you are a student or a member of the community.”

Pippa Gresham, English Teacher, Senior School of advice I found myself apprehensively, yet excitingly, signing up for an 18 month Masters in Counselling course at the Monash University campus in Singapore, and my journey began.

After many years as a Head of Year, I made the personal choice to take a step down from a job that I loved and concentrate on my new family. However, I was not yet ready to sever all ties with the pastoral field and the welfare of young people, as indeed some of my most fullfilling experiences have been the human interactions I have had within this sphere. After canvassing a myriad

The theory side of the course required night and weekend lectures and weighty assignments to boot and although intermittent self-doubt, exhaustion and juggling domestic obligations occasionally proved overwhelming, I soon learnt how to be more prudent and economical with my time. The huge advantage of the course was its predominant personcentric focus and the relatable content was therefore relevant and considerable. Indeed, at times, I felt I could have been a credible case-study! Having completed the course, I feel an enormous sense of pride and, undoubtedly, relief but I was incredibly fortunate to have the support of the

school and chiefly the Counselling Department which facilitated the completion of my 300 field placement and study hours. Under the incredibly insightful tutelage of Claire Holmes and the warm and generous company of her team, I was encouraged to participate in a variety of opportunities: from Year 6 transition to the ‘Virtues’ parenting course and from Mindfulness to sandplay training, as well as, the individual counselling sessions. The learning curve was steep and challenging but my fears and struggles were always met with reassurance and inspiration and the rewards were certainly tangible and motivating. I was also so lucky to have my support team at home rallying and cushioning the anxiety around assignment and placement deadlines. However, with this I may have been a little too blasé as I recently mooted the possibility of continuing with further study and there was a resounding silence!

Feature 06

Round-up of T90 events T90 is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our heritage, celebrate our achievements, give back to the community and also to inspire our students to make a difference. Here is a roundup of how we have celebrated T90 this term. In November of last year, I made my first visit to Tuloy. It was a very special weekend for two reasons: firstly, the ground breaking ceremony for the performing arts theatre took place amid much fanfare and ceremony; secondly, the Tuloy performing arts students, under the expert guidance of Katy Osborne, performed their own West End musical show to an ecstatic and appreciative audience at the Insular Life Theatre in Manila. I have subsequently spent more time at Tuloy, working at forging closer links with the Tuloy community. I must admit that I was blown away by the stunning work that I saw taking place in Manila during the February half-term break.

The Philippine Dream – Where it all began by Lee Mortiboys, Head of Languages, Senior School On Friday, 15 May, the Berrick Performance Hall was transported to London’s West End as students and teachers showcased their musical talent in The Philippine Dream Gala Concert. It was a fantastic evening of entertainment and fun and a wonderful collaboration between the Music and Modern Languages departments. The response from a most benevolent audience was overwhelming – the Tanglin community raised an incredible $14,000 for the Tuloy Foundation in Manila. This money will support the building of a performing arts theatre. My Tuloy journey started in July 2014 when I went to see a performance of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. At the end of the performance, Jon Jon Briones, a Filipino national who is playing the lead male role of The Engineer, made an announcement about a West End fund-raising initiative for a Manila based organisation called The Tuloy Foundation (Tuloy means ‘welcome’ and ‘to continue’ in Filipino). He explained that the foundation was set up by the inspirational Fr. Marciano Evangelista

in 1993; the aim of the foundation is to nurture and empower street children and transform the lives of children in need. Jon Jon spoke very movingly about how performing arts had transformed his own life. Coming from a humble background in The Philippines, he has risen to become a highly acclaimed West End musical star, reprising the role of The Engineer throughout the UK and in major cities in Europe, USA and Asia. The aim of this West End fund-raising event is to build a Performing Arts theatre at Tuloy in Manila. This announcement sparked an idea in my own mind; being aware of the talent and enthusiasm that exists within the Tanglin community, I thought why not produce and perform our very own West End Musical Gala Concert to raise money for the performing arts theatre? I made contact with Jon Jon immediately after the show and he put me in touch with Katy Osborne, who is starring in Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre in London. Katy is spearheading the West End’s fund-raising campaign; she was very supportive and the Tanglin community was characteristically generous, positive and prepared to ‘make it happen’.

It has been a most humbling experience and a real privilege to be involved, in a very small way, with the tremendous work that Team Tuloy is undertaking with these most amazing children. Mother’s Day at Gardens by the Bay By Delphine Hastwell, Head of Music, Infant School On Mother’s Day, the Infant Choir performed a very special repertoire at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay. The children were delighted to perform in such a beautiful venue and to a large audience of Tanglin parents and friends. The children sang all their favourites from this year including the special mother’s day song they had adapted: ‘I get by with a little help from my mum’. Their repertoire included many songs which they learnt in two parts and the special T90 song,

Pinhole Camera Community Project By Ella Magee, Art Teacher, Senior School House of Photography (HOP) is a mobile darkroom, a well equipped converted shipping container. Debbie Coulson, Assistant Head of Art (Senior School) saw the opportunity to have HOP join our school for a whole month, as she wanted to give students and staff the opportunity to experience working in a darkroom. Darkrooms are rare now in the age of digital media and photography, but there is something magical about developing and creating images in this way.

Operations staff, Nurses, Security and HR departments all creating some wonderful photography. Junior Arts Night Junior Arts Night showcased the talents of Junior students through a vibrant combination of Music, Art and Drama. The evening treated parents to an exhibition of Junior artwork, a photographic journey through this year’s Junior Drama productions and the Junior Music Ensembles in concert. Beth Sampson (Y7.4) has provided the following review of a wonderful evening: Junior Music Ensembles by Beth Sampson Junior Arts Night was a perfect showcase of different ensembles and their skills. It included everything the music ensembles had done this year, for example Gamelan, the Orchestra and the Junior Choirs.

“It’s magic indeed.” Jenny Dalgleish, Head of Learning Support If you cast your minds back to before Christmas you might remember an obscure request from the Art Department for old tins. Thank you to those who a sent tin or two into us; our talented technicians made 50 or more pinhole cameras out of them. As you can see from the images captured around school, the pinhole effect is ethereal, perhaps even ghostly, and to achieve it requires a considerable amount of perseverance. Students were transfixed as they watched the chemicals develop their photographs. Debbie also ensured that a cross-section of staff had the opportunity to take part in the project, with Heads of School,

was followed by I Can Fly which Year 6 had performance earlier in the year during Peter Pan. The amazing performances continued with Gamelan where the students managed an amazing performance, despite not having anyone to lead them! The Junior Chamber Choir started off with a heart-warming performance of Give Me Wings followed by a jazzy recital of Puttin’ on the Ritz. After the Chamber Choir, the Junior Rock Band performed Demons which matched Boys Aloud, followed by Wonderwall. It seems like the Junior Rock Band gets better each year! After two amazing performances by Junior Wind and Junior Strings everyone came together and performed a memorable finale of Jai Ho.

Hakuna Matata, from the Year 4 musical, kicked off the show with a buzzing energy. This was followed by the Beginner Strings performing Off to Paris - a very slow, deep song matched by Rumble in the Jungle. This was accompanied by Miss Hull’s amazing Ukulele ensemble. Hushabye Mountain, performed by the Year 3 and 4 Choir brought a tear to parents’ eyes, and was tailed by Pompeii, a popular song which got the audience dancing. Percussion for Fun took everyone to Jamaica with their steel pans and soft beating rhythms. Feed the Birds and Demons were two songs flawlessly performed by Boys Aloud and directed by TJ Taylor. The Recorder ensemble performed Just Hello which was a cheerful song happily performed with the help of Miss Jocelyn and Miss Newman. So far everyone had a great time even though there was more to come! The Girls Singers were stunning as they danced and sang their way through Don’t Worry Baby and Naughty. This

Shakespeare Festival by Ian Peirson, Head of Drama, Senior School To celebrate Singapore’s 50th and Tanglin’s 90th ‘birthdays’ this year, we used the concept of building communities as a starting point for an exploration of Shakespeare’s plays. Some students often see Shakespeare as having little relevance today, so we wanted to show them that various plays can mirror and reflect the community that they are in or the communities around them. Tanglin’s first Shakespeare Festival was a unique opportunity for students to work with leading theatre practitioners from ISTA, the International Schools Theatre Association, in a 3-day drama programme, specifically designed for Tanglin. The aim of the festival

especially written for Tanglin’s birthday. The children were accompanied by Mrs Linde Morgan on the piano and conducted by Mrs Delphine Hastwell and Mrs Barbie Hale. It was an amazing experience for the children to perform in such a prestigious venue, to so many people, in such beautiful surroundings. The audience included lots of the Tanglin community as well as visitors to the Gardens and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

was for young people to engage with Shakespeare through explorative workshops in a fun and engaging way.

The festival was a huge success with 60 students working together from Tanglin Trust School, Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Institution and National Junior College. Summer Art Exhibition by Debbie Coulson, Assistant Head of Art, Senior School Our summer art exhibition this year was called Mindscape, a title to highlight the diverse range of thought-provoking outcomes on show. The variety was further enriched by our first cohort of GCSE Graphic Communication students. This is a design-based course where students work to a brief and develop outcomes after extensive research, innovative idea generation and technical skill development. This professionallooking body of work complemented the rich experimentation and diversity of approaches that was seen in the rest of the show. Prior to the private view, Brenda Dwyer, owner of the Ludo Gallery in Singapore, came into school and chose prize winners from amongst the exhibiting students. Brenda spoke of bravery and risks she’d seen that the students had taken. This really struck a chord. Each student had made at least one brave decision, for example one student produced a quilt like structure by stitching together teabags working with temperamental and a unpredictable material, another worked with film using music to help define speed, movement and direction and truly saw the beauty of ink suspended and then dispersing within water. Some challenged themselves with their choice of scale or subject matter. Brave is a laudable attribute and we, as a department, very much hope that the same can be said of next year’s cohort.

The work of these students was individually recognised: GCSE Graphic Communication - Grace Burton: ‘Meticulous in her description and execution of a step-by-step journey from start to eventual execution.’ GCSE Art and Design - Alif Allgaier and Do Yeon Kim: ‘Relentless, exploratory, signs of struggle and rebellion.’ A LEVEL Art and Design - Lorcan Little and Georgia Hebdige: ‘Both students have already begun their journey of becoming an artist - and an ‘educator’ in relation to their viewing audience.’

Singapore Change Exhibition Year 9 Humanities students spent Term 3 discovering different aspects of life in Singapore. They were briefed with creating a ‘product’ that encompassed one or more aspects of change within Singapore. As well as developing a greater understanding of the geography, history and economic background of Singapore, students also took part in curriculum enrichment trips to Changi Museum, Maxwell Hawker Centre and the Urban Redevelopment Authority in Chinatown. Two key consultants were also on hand and the students benefitted greatly from their expertise and guidance: Jon Cooper, a local historian and archaeologist supported a select group on an archaeological dig and Alex Blyth, local entrepreneur, provided a useful insight into the processes involved in project management.

“Our group built a map of the past, present and future of trade and housing in Singapore. We created mini poster information sheets too.” Beth Griffiths (Y10.7)

Anyone for Cricket? On 8 May the inaugural Alumni and Parents v Staff T90 Twenty20 cricket match took place unabated despite a torrential tropical downpour earlier in the day! The staff ‘Thunder’ team (red) took on the Alumni and Parents ‘Strikers’ team (blue). Ultimately, the Strikers proved slightly too strong for the Thunder team and the trophy was presented to captain Mr Stuart Brown (Infant and Junior School parent) by Mr Turrell, Head of Senior School (MC and umpire). Over 50 of our student cricketers also enjoyed their own matches and the exhibition matches in-between innings on the big pitch - many thanks to Rex Martens Cricket Academy. Rex commented on the event, “I would like to thank Tanglin for getting us involved. We had a great time and the coaches are very appreciative of the way they are treated by all at Tanglin. We feel that we are part of the school.” Last but not least we were delighted that our school Governor, Mr John Robinson, stepped up and umpired the match alongside Mr Turrell! The sausage sizzle, music (our thanks to DJ Jacqui!) balloons and T90 decorations all added to the sense of occasion which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. It was a wonderful community event that we look forward to doing again next year. As one parent put it: “I would just like to congratulate you on the Friday cricket event at Dempsey. The grounds were lovely and the BBQ and gazebos a brainwave - it created a really good atmosphere which felt like it was really bringing a community together. I heard many parents making the same observation and applauding the fact that the event was giving cricket some recognition. I think it will have done wonders for the boys’ morale and helped encourage some of the beginners to stay the course. Long may this support continue and - apart from anything else - it was a really fun experience. Thank you for all the hard work organising and running it - very much appreciated!”

Alumni The Children’s Party Dress Company Throughout T90, staff and students have enjoyed learning more about Tanglin’s history. Over the years our school has been renamed, split, merged and amalgamated resulting in many different school names, logos and uniforms. To help bring our illustrious heritage alive we are delighted and grateful that the Children’s Party Dress Company (CPD) sponsored the re-creation of our former school uniforms. Before the uniforms went on display in the Berrick Foyer, some of our Infant students relished taking part in a photo shoot in their new adventure playground!

Tanglin and CPD share a long-standing history. In the late seventies the then High Commissioner’s wife was delighted with her daughter’s party dress and inquired if CPD might be able to provide school uniforms to her children’s school: Tanglin Preparatory School on Tanglin Road. CPD is a family business which was passed down from the current owner’s grandfather down to her mother and now to Suzanna Han. In 1981 when Tanglin, Raeburn Park and Weyhill amalgamated to create Tanglin Infant and Junior Schools, Suzanna’s mother collaborated with our Headmistress Mrs Goodban to create the distinctive red and white striped dresses and the more practical grey and red boys’ uniforms. When Tanglin was contemplating the name change to Tanglin Trust School and a new uniform was deemed desirable to rebrand the school, it was Suzanna’s turn to

collaborate with Tanglin to create our current Tanglin school uniforms. Over the years, with the extension of our Senior School up to Year 11 and with the introduction of the Sixth Form, the range of school uniform items and sizes has increased dramatically. Fortunately our Parent Year Group feedback enables regular dialogue between CPD and TTS to improve uniform comfort and to make practical adjustments. The TTS uniforms are all sown here in Singapore and are subject to strict quality checks by CPD. Did you know that the tartan fabric is especially produced for Tanglin in a Japanese-owned factory based in Thailand? Since August 2002, for the increased convenience of Tanglin parents, CPD have supplied our school shop with uniforms and related items on-site. Samsiah has ably assisted our community with a smile since the shop first opened!

by Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager

Spotlight Celebrating Teaching and Learning Assistants

by Angela Dawson, Assistant Head Teacher, Infant School and Louise Colbridge, Internal Communications Manager Teaching and Learning Assistants (TLAs) provide an enormous support to class teachers and are adored by the children who they work with. We spoke to three TLAs who are retiring from Tanglin after a collective 85 years!

I like to come to school in the morning and see all of the happy children. I like helping them with their jobs. My favourite thing is painting and doing number work with the children. Nandini: What resources or equipment do we have now that you didn’t have then? Children are very lucky now! You have lots of creative play things, iPads and computers. We had one or two in the classroom but didn’t have an ICT room. We had a small library to start with but not like the library today. The toys are very different and we didn’t have as many as we do now. Toys were passed around the classes so that everyone had a turn. Angela: How has the area around Portsdown Road changed? There used to be only one bus that travelled down Portsdown Road so if you missed it you had to wait a long time. It was very quiet and you couldn’t get a taxi very easily. There was an army camp here and part of the prison. The road was very quiet and there weren’t many cars. Ashton: Was there electricity? Yes there was but there wasn’t air con which is why the children went home early as it was so hot.

Mrs Kim Yau, TLA, Infant School, retiring after 40 years at Tanglin. Interview by Year 1 and 2 Student Council members and Angela Dawson, Assistant Headteacher, Infant School Ella: What was the Infant School like 40 years ago? It was very different. I started in Winchester School in 1976 (the year it opened) with Nursery age children. I helped to set it up and get everything ready. I was there for five years until the school moved to Tanglin. Winchester was a really big house with 4 or 5 classrooms, a playground and a lovely old fashioned swing. It was fun for the children. The day was shorter then too and the children went home at 12.30pm.

Ashton: How has your job changed? There have been a lot of changes. We started in an old building which was split into the north and south wing but then that was knocked down and we moved into a new building. In the old building we did a lot of artwork and painting. Everything was dried outside on the veranda and when it rained we had to quickly pick everything up and take it inside! Now we spend more time in the classroom helping with reading and writing. We had mixed feelings at the start about the changes but we got used to it. The children haven’t changed; they are still happy and like coming to school. Adam: What have you enjoyed the most about your time at Tanglin?

Angela: What stories do you remember? We found a snake one day when we were in Winchester! The children had gone home and we were tidying up. We went to move the cushion and there was the snake all curled up. It gave us quite a fright! Angela: What will be your fondest memories of Tanglin? I really enjoyed the school trips. My favourite was going to the zoo and underwater world. Angela: What will you do with your retirement? I will have a rest! I have hobbies – I like to do sewing and some planting which I want to try when I have time. I want to grow some herbs for my cooking.

Messages to Mrs Yau from previous Zebras “Thank you for being our teacher. We really enjoyed reception.” Mehar “Thank you for helping me to fit into the class when I first started.” Jessica

Margaret Lee Wee Lan, TLA, Infant School, retiring after 20 years at Tanglin. Interview by Louise Colbridge, Internal Communications Manager

Azimah Bte Sayam, TLA, Junior School, retiring after 25 years at Tanglin. Interview by Louise Colbridge, Internal Communications Manager What does a TLA do at Tanglin? As a TLA I’m teaching and helping the teacher to look after the children in different subjects, particularly Maths, English and Arts. We make lots of displays and decorations for the unit and classrooms.

How long have you been at Tanglin? After 20 years I’m retiring. I have worked in the Junior and Infant Schools and now I work in the Art department for the Infant School. I help the teachers to coordinate all of the art supplies for the classes. How has Tanglin changed since you joined? I started working at Tanglin when we were in the old Infant School building. I have moved between the Junior and Infant Schools since I’ve been here. The people have changed and the work has changed a lot. It’s much busier since the school has grown. But the children haven’t changed at all! After 20 years, what will be your fondest memories? There are lots of good teachers at Tanglin, some have left the school, who I will always remember. I will miss my friends too. I have loved working with the children and that’s been the best thing about my job. I will miss the children. What will you do with your retirement? I will rest and take a holiday. I want to join some clubs and do some courses to take up my time. I like cooking so I will have more time for that.

How has Tanglin changed in 25 years? It was a small community when I first started and I knew the children, my friends and teachers very well. We were all very close and we cared for each other a lot. School is big now and we don’t have so much time to interact with our colleagues. I started in the Infant School where I worked for 12 years with Katie Sansom who taught me the art of displays as I didn’t have the skillset before. I joined Tanglin when I was working in administration and it was the first time I had done any creative work. I juggled two jobs for a long time and worked in an orphanage in the afternoon to financially support my children who were overseas. The children are busier now than they used to be. It’s good for them as there

are so many things for them to learn and their brains are so open to learn more, especially in ICT. What will be your fondest memories of Tanglin? My fondest memories of Tanglin will be my friends, spending time with them after school and at events like the staff dinner and dance. Of course, I will miss the children. Older children still come to me for a hug sometimes and I feel so touched that they remember me! I have lots of friends at Tanglin and I will miss them. I enjoy having our lunch and break together; we laugh and joke, it’s a nice community. What will you do when you retire? I will travel. I will go to New York for a few months to look after my grandchildren there. I am going to be busy. It will be a change of environment and I cannot wait to be with them. I will definitely miss the school and I hope that one day I will be able to come back. Three words to describe Tanglin? I love Tanglin! I love to see the children growing up and coming back to see me. I started here not knowing how to do anything and I’ve had lots of training to further myself. I will miss it a lot.

“Dear Mrs Yau, I hope you have a lovely retirement.” Edward

Our World TTS Foundation – Annual Fund 12

by Cecilia Handel, Director of Development

Founded in 2012, the TTS Foundation is a separate registered charity with the mission: to fund exceptional opportunities at Tanglin and to provide our community with life changing experiences so that they can contribute with confidence to our world.

provided exceptional, and potentially lifechanging, opportunities for our students. For example: Establishing new Co-Curricular Activities High Commissioner’s Award: TTS Foundation funded the cost of tents and cooking equipment To date, the majority of the TTS Foundation’s funding has come from an allocation made available from the sale of placement rights, along with some generous donations from Tanglin Alumni. This has allowed us to fund some wonderful projects, examples of which are described below. In Tanglin’s 90th year we will be launching our first Annual Fund giving campaign. The campaign will run from 5 October to 13 November, with the objective of raising additional funds for the TTS Foundation from the Tanglin community. The Annual Fund will be used to enable a number of exciting new projects that we would like to fund in the year that the money is raised. Specific details of the projects will be available at the start of the campaign. What sort of projects does the TTS Foundation support? Teachers and students can apply for funding to support projects over and above the curriculum. These individuals or groups can bring a proposal to a

panel, which, depending upon the size of the proposal, is composed of the CEO, Director of Learning, Director of Development and senior faculty staff members. Projects are assessed under eight learning outcomes and, assuming one of these is met with a compelling rationale, the projects are eligible for funding. The students involved should have: • Increased awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth • Undertaken new challenges • Planned and initiated activities • Worked collaboratively with others • Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities • Engaged with issues of global importance • Considered the ethical implications of their actions • Developed new skills True to the mission of the TTS Foundation, the projects so far have

Year 2 Drumming CCA: TTS Foundation funded the African Djembe drums. Inspirational visitors In 2014/15 we welcomed musician Ben Waters, performance poets Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye and UK choir and early music ensemble Ex Cathedra and their Singing Playgrounds project. Grants and Awards Music Awards: several children who demonstrated potential during the Year 5 wind and brass programme have now received subsidised lessons in trumpet, saxophone and flute. Alumni Grant: this is matched funding awarded to intrepid Alumni helping support an adventure, enabling them to serve the community or learn a new skill.

13 Deirdre Lew Service Award: Students can apply for funding to support a community project. Awards to date have included local community projects but have also taken students further afield, for example GAP medics. Grants to Teachers and Teaching and Learning Assistants to help cover travel costs to Cambodia to enable them to deliver teacher training in Caring For Cambodia schools. The TTS Foundation is also developing a Community Link scholarship programme, initially focussed on strengthening ties with the Lamdon School, Ladakh. In August 2015 we will welcome our second pair of scholars from Lamdon, who will join Tanglinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Year 12. This is still a pilot project as we determine the benefits to the students and to both school communities.

Why an Annual Fund? To enable the number and scale of TTS Foundation projects to grow, a new and sustainable income stream needs to be developed. The Annual Fund model has been very successful in other international

schools and in many independent schools across the UK. The great thing about an Annual Fund is that it is really up to each individual to determine what they are able to give; whether the gift is $50, $500 or $5,000 it will have a collective impact on our community. We hope that there will be widespread participation, regardless of the amounts donated, showing support for the work of the TTS Foundation. The aim is to put the Annual Fund donations to use in the year that they are collected, so that donors will know they are making a difference to the community, whether enabling a service project, introducing a student to an new instrument, helping to improve the classroom experiences of children in the region or through exposure to an inspirational visitor. Parent Advocates The Annual Fund will be managed by Tanglinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Development office but will rely upon the support of a group of parent advocates. An advocate is essentially the point of contact for Tanglin families to find out more information about the TTS Foundation; advocates will be able to share details of how past projects have impacted individual children as well as details of the new projects that the Annual Fund will enable. If you are interested in joining this group of advocates we would be delighted to hear from you. This group

will be given practical support and training by the Development team. Soliciting contributions to the Annual Fund will be a mind shift for the Tanglin Community, in a time when, for some, wages are stagnant and families feel the burden of the increased cost of living in Singapore (which includes significant school fees). This will be challenging for members of our community. However, during a consultation about the Annual Fund at a recent Parent Year Group (PYG) meeting, John Ridley, Director of Learning, pointed out that none of the projects supported by TTS Foundation need to happen at school to enable us to deliver our curriculum. For me, this makes the introduction of an Annual Fund all the more important at this time. The financial contribution from some families will necessarily be small; however for others with capacity it can be larger, resulting in a collective benefit to our community. The focus on participation by the community is therefore a key goal of this inaugural Annual Fund. If you are reading this and are inspired by the opportunities that have already been created, I would strongly encourage you to get in touch with the Development office to find out how you might get involved. Foundation@tts.edu.sg

Infant School Taking the Lead in the Infant School by Angela Dawson, Assistant Head Teacher, Infant School

with an emphasis on children taking responsibility for the choices they make and ownership over their own actions. A focus on recycling provides an ideal vehicle through which our young children are encouraged to think about what it means to be ‘green’. Eco Monitors chosen each day wear their green tabard with pride knowing that they carry a special responsibility for reminding their peers to recycle all class paper and plastic as well as being the person who can remind their teacher to turn off class projectors, aircon and lights when not in use.

You only have to watch our youngest children race towards the trikes and scooters at the start of morning break time to appreciate that even at the age of four a child knows what it means to be in the driver’s seat. As the driver they quickly recognise that they can steer, set the speed and be as safe or as risky as they want to be. Children soon realise that as the driver you make all the decisions, while the passenger is just along for the ride! Within the Early Years and through into Key Stage 1 children take the same approach with their learning. As ‘drivers’ they are keen to take the lead and at every turn they are curious to stop, explore and discover all that is around them. Therefore, spotting a leader in an Early Years classroom isn’t hard as many have already developed leadership skills that are apparent the minute they walk through the door! Teachers therefore take every opportunity to nurture a child’s natural desire to lead and their innate curiosity in order to focus on the development of core learning, literacy and life skills; skills which all children need in order for them to successfully contribute to our world. Although well established leadership roles such as being an Eco Monitor or a member of the Student Council go from

strength to strength, with regular news updates in the last couple of years we have broadened the opportunities which exist to include Tech Leaders, Playtime Captains and Song Leaders. Eco Monitors In the Infant School, opportunities for student leadership begin in Nursery

By Year 2, children who nominate themselves to be part of the ‘Green Team’ care passionately about their world and have acquired both the knowledge and the confidence to engage in conversation with Mr Derby-Crook relating to topics such as bio diversity and waste. They are interested in understanding global issues and to learn about what is happening with people around the world and they want to help. Tech Leaders This role gives Year 1 and 2 children the opportunity to share their knowledge of technology, learn new skills and develop leadership qualities within the area of computing. The tech leaders have 4 key roles and responsibilities: 1. Help others 2. Learn together 3. Teach others 4. Be part of a team

Following each skill session the leaders feedback to their class and classroom teacher on what they have learnt and discuss how they could use the skill or tool to enhance their learning.

What does being a student leader mean to you? Zoe Churcher and Skye Singleton, now in Year 3, share their thoughts on leadership as well as reflecting on their role in Year 2 as Playtime Captains. Skye: “I think the role of a leader at Tanglin is what it must be like to be a king or queen of a country. As queen you are special to your country and carry a big responsibility!” Zoe: “As a ‘Playtime Captain’ it is my job to look for children who may be lonely and then help them feel happy so that they can enjoy their playtime.” Skye: “Although we use the resources which are in the playtime equipment box we do like inventing new games such as ‘Kick it’ which is a mixture of cricket and football and then sharing these ideas with other classes.”

The leaders gather together each week to learn new skills and teach each other something new. Over the course of the term the tech leaders have experienced sessions involving iMovie, Green Screening, Robotics, Safe Internet Searches, saving images to an iPad, PowerPoint skills, being a digital citizen and navigating PC menus.

Zoe: “It might be nice if next year the new playtime leaders have the opportunity to choose the games which go into the equipment box, but of course no electronics!”

“As an Infant Tech Leader we help our friends when they are using technology in our classroom. I enjoy teaching others and showing my friends new programmes. For our topic on Wild and Wonderful I have been showing my class ‘Botanical online’ so that they can find out more information about different plants.” Arki Lapping (Y2.3) New leadership opportunities ‘Ready, Steady, Off We Go...’ sing the Song Leaders If you have ever walked past the Astroturf during a Monday lunchtime you may well have heard these words being sung as a tuneful lead into one of the many songs which our Infant ‘Singing Leaders’ have been teaching their friends. Inspired by last year’s visit from UK based ExCathedra (funded by the TTS Foundation), Head of Music, Delphine Hastwell and Barbie Hale, music specialist, have continued to drive this initiative which aims to put singing at the heart of a school community. Ably assisted by trained TLA leaders the children have been provided with the opportunity to develop their skills of singing leadership, teamwork, empathy and turn taking all through putting singing back into play. Since the start of this academic year our Song Leaders have played a prominent role in helping to raise money by showcasing some of their favourite songs and dances from around the world during our mufti days, have entertained the PTA and have hosted staff and children from our neighbours United World College (UWC) in Dover Road. With each event the singing culture within the playground continues to be rejuvenated.

News reports and updates STOP PRESS …..Energy spies carry out secret mission at Tanglin Trust Infant School Eco Monitors from across the school went undercover during morning break-time to secretly obtain information about how environmentally friendly our teachers and children are being. However, as with all spies the ‘mission,’ if they chose to accept, was to visit classes during a time when the children would be out at play and the teachers would be away from their classrooms too; then we would really see who is remembering to be a PAL to our planet! Being a PAL of the planet means trying to use less energy by... P Turning off PC’s, Projectors and iPads when not in use. A Always checking that the AirCon is set no lower than 24c L Turning off Lights when there are not needed and using Low energy bulbs

Junior School

The Importance of Reading 16

by Helen Upton, Year 4 Teacher

In order to support every child to become an avid reader and nurture their love of books, we make sure that they are supported each step of the way. How do we do this? By providing children with texts that are carefully matched to their current reading ability so that their skills can develop and their confidence can sore. teachers to provide thorough training on how to accurately Book Band a wide range of texts. The scheme is already proving to be a success for Year 3 children. Benji (Y4.2) said, “I love the new colours because I used to be on gold star, so I couldn’t go any higher, but now I have so many more colours to aim for. They’re getting harder and harder which I love!” Hamish (Y4.2) equally enjoys the challenge of moving through the bands and is particularly enjoying the new collections: “The new books are really interesting; I’m never going to get bored! I know that when I move up, there are so many books to read!”

Previously, we colour banded our books by difficulty using the Cliff Moon Scheme. However, as this scheme deems an average child in Year 4 to be a free reader, we wanted a scheme that would support individual reading all the way up to Year 6 and was also current and relevant. Thus, the Junior School took the huge step of reclassifying the colour bands of all individual reading books and the guided reading collection that is used across the school. In order to ensure that the texts available were engaging and desirable, the Library staff first shared their opinions on what they loved from the existing collection, what needed to go, and what they

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” Jacqueline Kennedy

would like to see more of. After gaining these useful insights, we then reinvested another $20,000 into our collections. We now have a total of 12,000 guided readers and 3,000 Year 3 individual readers. This vast selection of reading books, with varying text styles and genres, offers a great variety of reading material for all children from early to fluent readers. With support from an independent consultant, Diane Chambers, and extensive work from a dedicated team of teachers and TLAs, these texts were then levelled into Book Bands. Like the previous Cliff Moon system, each Book Band has its own colour. These bands now cover a greater depth and extend to a National Curriculum Level 5, whereas it previously stopped at Level 3. The book consultant, Diane Chambers, has many years experience working with schools across the UK, supporting levelling and staff training so she came to us with a great wealth of knowledge to share. Diane worked closely with many

We now look forward to bringing these levelled texts into Years 4, 5 and 6 for the children to enjoy and develop their reading skills. Most importantly, we want this new scheme to continue to foster every child’s passion for reading and thirst for new knowledge and adventures. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Young Entrepreneurs by Pete Fowler and Amber Walker, Year 6 Teachers

Initially, the charity representatives visited the Gurkha Camp, in order to find out more for their fellow class mates. By identifying areas of need, they were able to make decisions about how best to distribute the money they would aim to raise through their enterprise efforts. The Process: Stage 1: To learn about the skills required for enterprise and business and allocate roles in teams based on each individual’s skillset As a starting point, the children were required to evaluate their own skills and make a decision as to how they could utilise these for the benefit of the team. Subsequently, the children had to decide on who would be allocated the following roles within their sub-company: Chief Executive Officer, Sales and Marketing Director, Design and Manufacturing Manager and Finance Manager. Stage 2: To design a product Using a whole host of craft websites, the classes carried out market research into the types of products that could be made easily within the $90 budget and the time frame available. This amount was chosen to mark the 90th anniversary celebrations of Tanglin. A class vote was held, in order to decide on the final product design, and this was then personalised to meet the needs of the target audience. Stage 3: To understand how to work to a budget in order to achieve profit During the ICT-focus day, organised by Glenn Malcolm, Head of Integrated Technologies, the Year 6 children took part in a real life game of stock market trading in teams of four. The children then took on the role of one of the

Collaboration, communication and creativity are the key skills that Year 6 focussed on in their final term in the Junior School. Young Entrepreneurs, an exciting and innovative new topic which is centred on philanthropy and enterprise, has given the students a chance to support their year group charity, Gurkha Welfare Trust, in a proactive way. following: accountant, floor trader, market analyst or team manager. Each role had a very specific objective that made the trades go smoothly or otherwise. As the day progressed, the children quickly realised that market analysis was the key component to successful money making sales. The other component was bravery. As a team, the children (mainly the accountant) had to cope with some very big numbers to trade with and calculate and to record on a paper-based ledger. As the game came to a close, there was a rundown of the round-by-round trades and the teams realised that depending on how well you read the news bulletins was how well you managed to predict the market. The final part was to turn the paper-based ledger into a working spreadsheet whereby the learning of cell formulae automated the tricky calculations performed earlier in the day. Stage 4: To manufacture their product and ensure levels of quality The manufacturing process was carried out over a period of two weeks, in order to ensure that an appropriate volume of stock was created ahead of the Enterprise Morning where they would sell their products. Strict guidelines were issued about quality control and consistency. It was crucial to organise the production line successfully, in order to maximize production and quality. Teamwork was essential to get the job done by the deadline. Stage 5: To sell the product Each Year 6 class manned their stalls, in order to sell their products to Junior School children on their Open Morning in June. Children in Years 3 to 5 had

“I loved making our product because we got to work together and have lots of fun. The end result was amazing and I am really proud of what we did – I’d love to do it again!” Eleanor Lever (Y7.8) the opportunity to visit the stalls and buy items of their choice. It was a great opportunity to practise the skills of selling which they had developed in their English lessons prior to the event. Stage 7: To review sales and calculate total profit Following the Enterprise Morning, children were required to help count the takings. This was then compared with their profit projections to see if they had met their sales targets. The final profit was calculated minus the $90 initial costs, in order to derive a final total to be given to the Gurkha Welfare Trust. The decision will be made, based on the initial visit, as to how best to allocate the funds.

Senior School

The Computing Games 18

by David Fourie, Assistant Head of Maths and ICT

As part of Tanglin’s 90th anniversary celebrations, Tanglin was proud to host the inaugural Computing Games on Thursday, 11 June; a competition devised to promote and celebrate students’ abilities in the field of Computing. Student teams competed in a variety of challenges across various disciplines, from hardware to coding, with the goal of being crowned The Computing Games Champions. Along with the challenges there were a range of inspirational speakers to give students insights into future careers, technology and the developing market of Computer Science.

“This is the funnest day I’ve had at Tanglin. I got to work with my best friend and my sister’s best friend.” Ben Wiegele (Y8.7)

The Computing Games was South East Asia’s first inter-school computer science competition. Nearly 100 students competed from 9 schools in Singapore and Malaysia. Along with the fantastic student attendance, Tanglin was lucky to have 4 multinational companies Google, HP, CodeHS and Dell, supporting the event as well as four local and international universities including James Cook University, National University Singapore, DigiPen and Staffordshire University. Through these partners, Tanglin was able to offer nearly $2,000 worth of prizes, including games consoles, site visits and vouchers.

We weren’t surprised we won because Julius finished all of the challenges.” Yu Xin Tan (11.4) “The coding was the most challenging part of the day.” Jimnish Lee (Y10.2)

Year 10 Work Experience by Zoe Williams, Head of Careers and University Guidance

Feedback from both students and employers was really positive. Some highlights include Ms Harvey and Mr Randall taking students to visit the Singapore Supreme Court and witnessing a trial in action as well as using the interactive training court. Ms Tomkins visited Disney and Guardian. Guardian this year placed 20 students across their network of pharmacies. I visited students at Croda and The British Club. I was thrilled to see how active the students were in the Croda laboratory using the equipment and contributing to analysis reports. The British Council has a very busy administration office and at first I didn’t recognise the students as they blended into the work environment as if they were full time employees, actively working on marketing strategies with their colleagues.

This year saw the introduction of an extended work experience programme for Year 10 students, increasing from one to three days in June. 186 students were placed in a range of industries including law, medicine, finance, manufacturing, education, marketing and software engineering. Students were matched to employers based on their skillset and interests.

“I really enjoyed getting to know my colleagues and having lunch with them and finding out how they got to where they are today.” Taylor Thomson (Y11.6) Once back at school, students reflected on their experiences with their fellow pupils and had the opportunity to meet up with their employers again for a celebratory networking breakfast which was hosted by the Year 10 Lead Team and Student Council. As more and more employers and degree courses place greater emphasis on work experience and internships, we are sincerely grateful to all the support we have received from the community. If you think your company would be willing to help in the future please contact us on Careers@tts.edu.sg and follow us on twitter @uniguidancetts.

“I gained some experience in day to day office tasks, developed my communication skills and gained more confidence talking to new people.” Monty Day (Y11.8)

Sixth Form

Bringing Democracy Alive 20

by Joseph Loader, Humanities Teacher and Assistant Head of Year 12

Two weeks before Britain went to the polls in what was predicted to be a generation defining election, the Year 13 Government and Politics class gave Tanglin a taste of ‘election fever’ by taking part in a live debate during Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE). The format was the same as the leadership debates on television; two students per party were given a brief. They knew they had to discuss policy issues ranging from immigration to the economy. The event was expertly chaired and refereed by Ishaan Thakran. The Conservatives, led by Olivia Wells and Lizzie Rees gave a passionate account of the Conservative record in office and won many admirers in the audience of Year 7-13 students in a packed Berrick Performance Hall. The Liberal Democrats, led by Jon Verlaan, Charlie Wilson and Aditya Kankipati certainly gave UKIP (represented by Tom Bagley and Jake Parker) a grilling over immigration policy. UKIP returned the favour over what they saw as reneged Liberal Democrat promises under the previous coalition government. The Greens, represented by Sean Nolan and Sam Hinge, gave an impassioned defence of the future of the planet, especially when discussing future carbon emissions and economic growth. It was difficult to argue with them. The Labour Party came alive when the issue of the European Union was discussed. Remy Brown and Oscar Phillipson won the crowd over with an enthusiastic rebuttal of UKIP and Conservative plans for an in/out referendum on the EU. This seemed to resonate with the Tanglin electorate who declared the Labour Party the winner of the debate by just a few votes. The tenacity and lucidity in which all students spoke was extremely impressive. They kept the audience fascinated and on the edge of their seats throughout. They all deserve credit for taking time out of their extremely busy examination preparation to bring democracy alive and help keep the Tanglin community informed of the key issues and dividing lines between the parties in the lead up to the election. The post debate ‘buzz’ they created is a testament to their abilities as political scientists and debators. Special thanks must also go to Luc Durrant who filmed and edited the whole debate.

Meet the New Head Boy and Girl Introducing Ella Hutton and Nathan Stone, Year 13

Ella: The role of Head Girl and Boy at Tanglin is to be role models to students and representatives of the school. We act as intermediaries to ensure that the ‘student voice’ is represented in key decisions and developments fulfilled by staff. Nathan: I have always viewed the primary role of the whole Lead Team to be a representative body which ensures that all students have a voice in the future direction of our school. One might describe our role as providing a bridge between students and faculty; this is a two-way street as we are also responsible for helping to ensure that students understand the decisions taken by the school. A further role which has been highlighted to me is assisting in ensuring the transition of our current Year 11 students into the Sixth Form goes as smoothly as possible, something I am eager to get stuck into as I know from experience how daunting this step up can be! Why did you apply? Ella: I have always had an avid desire to lead so didn’t think twice about applying for the role. Since joining Tanglin in Reception, I have watched Head Girls stand before me year after year and seen the impact and success that they are able to achieve. I was determined to share this experience, as I want to give back to the school that has had such a major part in shaping the person I am today. I’d also like to leave school with the knowledge that I have represented our community and the student body to the best of my ability. Nathan: I applied for the position because I feel passionately about what the school has given me since I joined in Year Six, and wanted to be able to give back to the school community by serving it in my own small way. I also believed that I had a lot to offer in the role and that I could really make a meaningful contribution to Tanglin. What do you think makes a successful Lead Team? Ella: I believe that a successful Lead Team requires and relies on individuals with the capability to work enthusiastically within a team and also demonstrate leadership. All of us act as ambassadors for the school, making it fundamental that our values and goals line up. I am proud to say that our

Lead Team share ambitions that I believe will lead us to success. Of course it also helps that we are all great friends too! What kind of role models do you want to be for your peers and younger students? Ella: Nathan and I hope to inspire and motivate those around us, to create an environment where individuals throughout the entire school can flourish and succeed. From the supporting guidance to the unforgettable trips, Tanglin provides students with unrivalled opportunities as we progress and mature. Our team want to encourage younger students to do things that they may not have done otherwise and take advantage of the amazing opportunities available to us, whether it be academic, sporting or social. Nathan: One thing I hope to encourage people to do in my role is to just get involved! I would be absolutely delighted if, seeing me speak at assembly or in any capacity, a younger student was inspired to try their own hand at public speaking or in a position of responsibility within the school. I would also hope to be a role model in terms of my honesty, an attribute I prize above all others in any representative position. What plans do you have for the year ahead? Nathan: Ella and I have said that we want the buzzword of our year on the Lead Team to be ‘integration’. We want to see people on all levels of the school coming together into a more cohesive, integrated community with all constituent parts of Tanglin feeling truly as one. In this spirit, we would like to interact more and more with the younger year groups to ensure they all feel like an equal part of our school. What does Tanglin mean to you? Ella: As cliché as it may sound, Tanglin has become my home away from home. I have grown up with the school and watched the school develop to become what it is today. Being here for such an extended period of time has allowed me to form so many extraordinary friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime and for that, I am forever grateful. Nathan: To me, Tanglin has been the school that made me the man you see today. The school’s values of curiosity,

Please explain your role; what does the Head Girl and Boy do?

community and humility have become important aspects of my character since I first joined at the age of eleven. It is a world-class institution full of world-class young minds, but what makes it truly stand out is its ethos of cherishing all the children of the school equally. Every student truly matters, regardless of their background, identity or ability. What do you enjoy doing outside of lessons? Ella: Outside of lessons I love taking part in sports, particularly netball. The school netball season is always a highlight of my year. I also enjoy travelling, boating and generally staying active whilst being outdoors. I am currently working towards achieving my Gold NYAA award so have experienced volunteering at the Rainbow Centre and attending cooking lessons. NYAA, through these activities, has therefore allowed me to meet and interact with new people, which is something I have always valued. Nathan: I have always been a very passionate rugby fan, and I am a devoted follower of the Munster and Ireland rugby teams. I’m also an unrepentant geek for all things historical and political, and you can usually find me reading a book or having a light hearted debate with a friend on such thrilling topics as the domestic policy of Eamon De Valera, the International Brigadiers at the Battle of Jarama or the Greek sovereign debt crisis.

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music

Year 2 Ensembles Concert 22

by Delphine Hastwell, Head of Infant Music

In May, all of the children in Year 2 took part in an end of year musical celebration in the Berrick Performance Hall. This fantastic performance allowed all the ensemble groups a chance to perform to their parents. The assembly started with the Djembe Drummers who played everyone in whilst the children sang. The programme then alternated between wonderfully talented individual soloists and instrumental groups. These groups included the Infant Strings who had been playing their violins together all year with Miss Littlewood and Mr Chu. The whole Year Group showcased their favourite songs including ‘Where There is Music’ and ‘The T90 Song’. The other ensemble groups included a very large group of Ukuleles; the children had been learning in lunchtimes with Mr Jordan and Mrs Hastwell as well as on a Friday afternoon.

Each act was introduced by a child in Year 2 to give the children a real sense of ownership. The Infant Choir sang ‘Rhythm of Life’ and their special Mother’s Day song. Three Recorder groups showcased their talents under the careful guidance of Mrs Pocklington, Miss Dooley and Mrs Hastwell. The Fun Singers group sang their ‘Pizza Angel’ song which brought a smile to everyone’s face and the performance finished with the Singing Playground children teaching the audience a new song they had learnt on a recent visit to UWCEA. It was a great musical celebration to complete the children’s musical year in the Infant School.

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music

Junior Music Update by Fiona Knight Lucas, Head of Junior Music

Junior Young Musicians in Concert In Term 2, close to 80 children from Years 3 – 6 prepared solo pieces on their musical instruments to perform to their Music teachers. The range of instruments and the quality of performances was impressive. However, what stood out above all was the children’s enthusiasm and effort. Whether the performers had been playing for months or years the sense of pride and achievement was inspiring. Following three days of auditions, 28 children from Years 3 – 6 were selected to perform in the evening performance – Junior Young Musicians in Concert 2015. This was a magical evening with exquisite solo performances on a wide variety of instruments, from violins and trumpets to drum kit and yang qin. All the children who auditioned were awarded Head Teacher’s certificates of achievement with the final performers earning a music medal. Congratulations to all those who took part!

Year 3/4 Choir Casual Concert at UWC At the beginning of Term 3 the children of the Year 3/4 Choir were delighted to receive an invitation to participate in a collaborative choral concert with the 2nd Grade Choir from UWC Dover. All 60 children travelled by bus to UWC’s performance hall where the choirs shared their favourite warm-ups. It was a treat to hear the children’s voices combine so beautifully. After a brief rehearsal, parents from both schools were invited for the short ‘Casual Concert’. The concert began with the uplifting opener, ‘On With the Show’ from combined choirs, followed by each school sharing two of their own individual choral numbers. The choirs combined again for their pensive and lyrical finale, ‘Go In Peace’. The afternoon was a delightful opportunity for the children to enrich their music making alongside the children from UWC. We are very much looking forward to returning the invitation this school year.

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music

Dance 24

Trip the Light Dance Showcase by Francesca Thomas, Assistant Head of Arts (Dance)

On 28 April, 35 Tanglin students took part in the Senior School Dance Showcase, Trip the Light. The aim of the showcase was to give members of the Tanglin community an opportunity to see some of the outstanding dance pieces that students have been working on so far this academic year. The performance included work by dance examination classes as well as Co Curricular Activity (CCA) groups, and was a collaboration of teacher-led and student-led work. having worked with the students here for a number of years. This year, he returned with two creations; ‘Body Data,’ a contemporary piece based on the theme of measuring the human body devised in collaboration with the Year 10 GCSE students and ‘Motion into Dance’, the guest piece of the evening which showcased the talents of young people from across the city including some of our very own students. More information about FiveLines can be found at www.fivelines.asia. Mr Ricky Sim from Moving Arts collaborated with the AS students on their examination work ‘Reflections’. This quartet was a re-work of two duets performed by the students in their practical Dance examinations last term, and was based on the idea of the fight between one’s true-self, and one’s outer-self. Performances covered a whole range of styles including jazz, contemporary, lyrical, commercial and hip hop, with elements of even jive and lindy hop thrown in! Praise is deserved by all dancers, who proved they can take on any style thrown at them with confidence and flair! As well as choreographing pieces for the school dance company Rhythm Addiction, and the Key Stage 4 and 5 (Years 10-13) Dance CCA groups, Olivia Stevens and Sorcha Young (Year 13) also took on the brave task of co-organising the event with my help. It proved no easy task to create, rehearse and arrange thirteen individual pieces, but with the help of their dedicated dancers, they managed to pull off an amazing show. Olivia and Sorcha chose to use the showcase as a way to raise money for a charity very close to their hearts, Young Minds. Young Minds is a charity dedicated to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children

and young people in the UK. All money raised from ticket sales and donations has gone towards supporting campaigns to raise awareness of mental health issues affecting young people. On behalf of Year 13, Olivia and Sorcha would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who bought a ticket for the showcase, for their kind donation. This year, the standard of the showcase was particularly high. Students pushed themselves to their limits with graceful elegance, fierce determination and insightful creativity, and have certainly raised the bar for the dancers who will take up the gauntlet next year! Seeking to build relationships with professional artists in Singapore, the Dance department has been involved with collaborations between two celebrated dance artists in the community this year; Ezekiel Oliveira from FiveLines, and Ricky Sim from Moving Arts. Ezekiel is no stranger to Tanglin Trust School,

Sports & Activities As part of the Sports and Recreation Club programme at Tanglin, children are able to take part in a range of activities beyond the CCA and competitive sports programmes. A selection of activities are run by voluntary organisations on site outside of school hours. The TTS Scout Group and British Guides in Foreign Countries (BGIFC) Groups offer weekly sessions for all age groups of children. Organised and facilitated by volunteers, the Scout and BGIFC units offer children the opportunity to build self-confidence, make friends and have fun! The units are always looking for volunteer leaders and sadly, many units are at risk of closing without help from the community. http://tts.scoutsites.org.uk/ http://www.bgifcsingapore.com/

Beavers Boys in Year 3 In Year 3 Beavers you won’t sit still, let alone stand still for long. By the time you’ve packed in rock climbing, Lodge Olympics, campfires, camping (don’t forget to toast your marshmallows), stargazing, zooming round the AstroTurf with a quick check of your heart rate, kite flying and pitching tents... you might just come up for air!

Beavers Boys in Year 1 and 2 The Beavers Year 1 and 2 colonies have all been transformed into astronauts, scientists, master cheese rollers, actors, kite makers and flyers, rock climbers, healthy eaters and fitness superstars this year.

Beavers also love to celebrate and think nothing of hosting Christmas and end of year parties for 60 or so Beaver Scouts, who make up the junior section of the Scouting community at Tanglin Trust School.

Most importantly the Beavers know what to do in an emergency, can communicate in Morse Code, can call a parent and know how to ‘Be prepared!’

You can spot them around school on a Friday afternoon, as they proudly wear their Beaver Scout uniform, hat, woggle and scarf. Beavers’ bright blue polo shirts are full to the brim with badges that have been awarded throughout the Scouting calendar. One of the highlights of the year was undoubtedly being awarded the Chief Scout’s Bronze Award (the highest badge in Beavers before they move up to Cubs in Year 4) by the British High Commissioner at Eden Hall.

We all have a lot of fun and most excitingly, we are awarded badges for it all!

There’s never a dull moment in Year 3 Beavers and remember... Be Prepared!

We even made our own Guy Fawkes and burnt it at our campfire, with the Cubs and Scouts in Pasir Ris back in November.

Cubs Boys in Year 4 and 5 Cubs at Tanglin have had an amazing year filled with essential survival skills, great team games and exciting outings. We started the year with Lego building challenges. This involved a long wooden track with a very steep gradient, a huge pile of Lego pieces and lots of wheels. An amazing variety of vehicles were created and raced down the track. Not every vehicle survived! In November, all of Scouting headed off to Pasir Ris for an afternoon of team games followed by a traditional Guy Fawkes camp fire. As the sun set, we sang our fun scouting songs and judged the best Guy Fawkes whilst munching on hot dogs. Aircraft was our theme for Term 2, so we headed to the beach to do some plane spotting. Using flowcharts we identified the Boeings from the Airbus and the A380s from the 767s. We were also lucky enough to have a behind the scenes tour of ST Aerospace where we explored a private jet that was kitted out as an air ambulance. The Cubs thought it was funny to see an emergency exit in the toilet! We ended the school year with an exciting two- night camp. We learnt some ‘Bear Grylls’ survival skills which we put to good use whilst we navigated, built rafts and made rope to help us climb a wet, slippery slope. Of course, we also had the obligatory late night camp fire with toasted marshmallows!

Spotlight on Voluntary Organisations

Scouts Boys aged 10-14 The Scouts have had a very busy and active year! The highlight of our year has been our 3 day 2 night camp on Loola Adventure Resort in Bintan where the boys kayaked, sailed, ziplined and jungle trekked. We also did some community service making a waste water garden. We took part in the Remembrance Day service at Kranji where, for the first time, the Scouts laid a wreath. We had a very interesting visit to the replica of the Bloodhound SSC (supersonic car), completed a 12K bike ride from Pasir Ris to East Coast Park and back and learnt all about bike maintenance from an Anza cyclist. Often we take part in activities with the Beavers and Cubs and this year we went on a whole group scouting camp fire in Pasir Ris.

Brownies Girls aged 7-11 years old. Would you like your girls to have the space to be themselves, to become independent resourceful young women, to gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and the lives of others? Would you like them to raise their aspirations and give them the chance to explore new challenges in a safe and exciting, all girl environment? We run a full programme of activities throughout each school term and Brownies are actively involved in planning what we do each week. Just like the other sections, we work on interest badges such as; fire safety which involved visiting a fire station followed by

Rainbows Girls aged 5-7 Rainbows is all about developing selfconfidence, building friendships, learning new things and, most of all, having fun! Girls get their hands dirty with arts and crafts, playing games, singing songs and going on some fantastic outings! We have been rock climbing, visited a Brownie Camp and shouted ‘I believe’ at some elves! We work on badges like our sisters in the other sections, and our tabards soon get filled up! This year we learnt all about ourselves and what makes us unique in an All About Me badge. We travelled around Amazing Asia learning about the culture, crafts and games of

a sausage sizzle and first aid where we learnt about the 3 P’s (Protect, Preserve & Prevent). Brownies are also encouraged to do interest badges at home for example; cook, swimmer, dance, speaker, musician and entertainer. The highlight of our year is taking the Brownies away on a 2 night residential trip. This year the theme of our camp was Girl Power and we learnt about the achievements of famous women from all around the world. We are immensely fortunate that TTS provides us with meeting venues and also supports us with access to the Masterchef kitchen, ICT suites as well as venues for sleepover parties.

Singapore, China, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea. Then we finally got stuck into some books in our Once Upon A Time badge and had a whizzpopping time with the BFG at the theatre! Our best day out was visiting the Brownies at camp. They ‘stayed calm’ while we ‘sparkled’ with Girl Power. ‘I can’t wait to be a Brownie; they have such fun!’ The girls love Rainbows. Some of the comments include: ‘It’s my best day’, ‘I love the things we make’, ‘The games are silly’, ‘I like spending time with my friends from other classes’.

Guides Girls aged 10-14 Guides kicked off their year with a Go For It! activity based around healthy eating. The girls completed a mystery food box challenge in the kitchen at school, made toffee apples and planned a dinner party. In Terms 2 and 3, the Guides took on the lights, camera, action Go For It!; the Film lover Badge and the Amazing Asia Challenge Badge. This included a movie night sleepover, tasting pineapple tarts and making paper orchids, a visit to Infinite Studios and making a K-pop video.

This year we have taken over the professional kitchen at school and baked muffins and made quesadillas, learnt how to apply make-up, made Christmas decorations and helped at the Christmas

Fair, had yoga and gym sessions, hosted a wine (for adults) and cheese evening with Mel from Indi Nyah Candles, had a sleepover where we learnt how to make a proper camp fire and went on a trip to the cinema. Next term there is an international camp in the Genting Highlands and 2016 is The Senior Section Spectacular – Celebrating 100 years and we are planning a special trip to Sydney.

The success of our long-running netball program is due wholly to parents who volunteer their time to help out with everything from coaching to being a Team Mum. If you have a First Aid qualification or want to be part of our Committee, we always need your help! netball@anza.org.sg

Sporting Round-Up ACSIS Season 3 Seniors ACSIS Season 3 is always hectic as the U19 Season is crammed in before study leave and the exam period. Our U19 Netballers once again showed their strength with the A team winning Gold and our B and C team both well placed in Division 1. For the first time at TTS we were able to field three Softball teams and the Girl’s A team were the highest placed finishes with a Bronze medal in Division 1. The Boys just missed out on a medal with a much improved 4th place. In Badminton it was a farewell season for a number of our long standing players and it was encouraging to see a number of younger players, including debutantes, in both the Boys and the Girls teams. Lower down the Senior School, we fielded four U14 Basketball teams for the first time and our Boy’s A team were rewarded for their efforts with a silver medal in Division 2. This achievement was bettered by the U12 Girl’s Football teams who ran out comprehensive winners of Division 1. The Girl’s were presented with their trophy and medals in the Season 3 Sports Assembly - a lovely way to round of yet another successful year of Senior sport.

Junior ACSIS Athletics Championships During Term 3, the Junior Athletics team took part in the ACSIS Athletics Championships at Clementi Stadium against 15 other international schools from Singapore. Fifty three Tanglin children competed in the track and field events throughout the day. They performed superbly and were a credit to the school. Many individual and relay medals were won and the Tanglin Team finished runners up overall.

The Senior Section Girls aged 14-18 This is girl-led guiding in practice as the girls plan their own activities at the beginning of each term and work on the Look Wider programme. A number of the girls are also Young Leaders in the other sections at school, a qualification that is recognised on university application forms.

ANZA Netball Whether girls have previous netball experience, or have never set foot on a court, ANZA Netball provides training to improve ball skills and game skills. The season runs from September through to March and we meet every Saturday at Tanglin. These sessions are both for practice and games, for girls born in the years 1999-2009.

Nursery Sports Day by Victoria Thomas, Head of Nursery Nursery sports day is unlike other sports days! The children enjoyed participating in twelve different physical activities on the AstroTurf. All of these activities involved skills that had been developed throughout the Nursery year, these included an obstacle course, balancing, sack race and even putting out pretend fires! Parents were able to follow their child around the activities whilst the children collected stickers for their very own rosette. It was a fantastic morning with proud parents cheering their children on.

Junior Sports Days by Chris Rawlings, Head of Junior PE The Junior children enjoyed getting ready for their sports days in lessons, during Term 3. They worked on running technique, sprint starts and finishes; also pacing and fitness for a 600m run. They developed their skills for long and high jump, learning how to take off and land safely with power and agility. Throwing was also a focus for the events of ball throw, ball push and shot putt. On the day itself, the children were enthusiastic to compete in their groups named after the Olympic ideals Altius, Citius and Fortius, with children of similar abilities. The team events are always popular! The children took part in the tug of war and shuttle relays showing great strength, speed and determination. All of the children received a ‘Well done’ pin for taking part in the 600m race. Gold, silver and bronze medals were up for grabs in the sprint and 600m races and gold, silver and bronze pins in the shuttle relay and tug of war events.

Senior School Sports Day by David Radcliffe, Head of Senior PE This year’s Senior Sports Day was special for a number of reasons. It was the final occasion on which we will have the TTS Sports Complex and its high class athletics facilities and this was Mr Turrell’s final Sports Day as Head of Senior School. As a leading advocate of Sport for All and the benefits it brings to young people I know he took great delight once again in supporting our students, handing out medals and seeing our youngsters demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship. From a large number of outstanding performances I would like to mention a few particularly impressive efforts which caught my eye. Jack Unterweger, on his first morning as a TTS student, announced his arrival with a tremendous Gold medal run in the Year 9 800m race. What a great way to introduce yourself! Well done to four students

There were lots of school records broken on the day. Well done to Harimau who finished overall winners of the Mini Olympics! With Beruang and Singa sharing joint second place and Elang in third.

Year 1 Sports Day by Maggie Derby-Crook, Head of Infant PE The Year 1 children participated brilliantly in their Sports Day. After weeks of hard work and practice, the children showed off their skills, speed and agility as they took part in a wide range of field and track events. There was stiff competition in the running races with some very close finishes and there was also great sportsmanship on display throughout the morning. Despite the heat, the children performed to the best of their abilities and were cheered on by their very appreciative parents. A big ‘Thank you’ to the PE department for organising and running such a wonderful event. After over an hour and a half of competition and skills, the children returned to their classrooms happy and excited but exhausted!

who each broke school records on the track – Daniel Coughlan in Year 10 400m, Alexandra Tomkins in Year 10 800m, Josh Bowyer in Year 8 800m and Matthew Richards also in Year 8 400m. And finally, a big thanks to Maria Moylan in the PE department who organised all the activities and logistics on the day. It’s a monumental task and the success of the day was a result of weeks and weeks of planning.

PTA

Final Farewell Every year I have a recurring nightmare about the weather on the Summer Fete day. This year my nightmare came true, it rained and blew all morning and our hearts sank as the water tripped fuses, flooded tents and seemed to wash all our hard work away... But it was NOT the case. Parents and children came and overwhelmingly supported the event. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so pleased to be able to hand over to the next committee and say in all honesty: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid of the rain!â&#x20AC;?

The President role is a two year term and mine has come to an end. I am stepping down but not away from the PTA. It has been a great pleasure to work alongside parents who have such a strong commitment to our community. I strongly believe that community is so important to our wellbeing and whether you come to every event or just need an occasional piece of advice from your Class Rep, the PTA have put everything in place to ensure that resources are available to you. I hope you all have a wonderful start to the term and thank you for your support this year. It is with great pleasure to hand over to a fabulous new committee, led by Michelle Young. I wish them every success and look forward to celebrating their achievements.

We have tried to encourage more student participation in our events. Thanks to Scouting, Beavers, Cubs and Brownies, Enterprise Group and HCA we have been able to show that children can and should get involved in PTA events. The committee would like to congratulate Class Representatives on a job well done this year. A role that is intended to be a communications link between the school and the parents can all too easily be transformed into social secretary, publisher, fundraiser and buffer for all the range of emotions parents can feel throughout the school year. We think you do an amazing job of bringing the children and parents together and are much appreciated.

by Caroline Bittar, PTA President (2014-15)

Student Services

Senior Library Reconfiguration 30

by the Senior Library Team

If you thought the advent of the internet and smart devices would make libraries obsolete, you’d be wrong! The Senior School library is continually evolving to embrace the exciting new opportunities that technology provides and to meet the changing needs of our students and community. An extension has been added this year in order to meet the growing demand for space, especially from Year 12 and 13 students, as the library has become increasingly busy. The library now has a ‘suite’ of three studentcentred learning spaces, each designed to meet different needs, in order to inspire students to be productive and successful. The Interactive Zone serves as a presentation area for classes, guest speakers and film shows. Students, parents and staff can browse the books and magazines, catch up with world and topical events via the big screen TV or watch DVDs in small groups using the multi-media pods. The Technology for Learning (TfL) faculty also has a base in this zone, where training courses for teachers and parents are held. The Study Zone is a very quiet (usually silent) space where students can work individually. With access to 50 PCs, an extensive collection of non-fiction books and the services of qualified reference librarians, this is the perfect place for focused study or research. The Collaborative Zone is the latest addition and has been developed to create a culture of collaboration, creativity and critical thinking; all skills we know students will need if they are to succeed as adults. According to leading

educational thinker, Sir Ken Robinson, we need to deliberately and systematically create spaces and processes in our schools that foster these skills. With this in mind we have furnished the space with chairs on wheels and interlinking round tables. Students can reconfigure the furniture to allow discussion and collaborative learning for groups of any size. They can make use of state-ofthe-art group work stations or the huge touch screen monitor to work collectively to build and practise presentations. Students have also discovered low-tech options such as writing on the large floor-to-ceiling windows, this has proved invaluable when knowledge sharing, brainstorming or pulling ideas together.

Inside the Collaborative Zone is a purpose built space called ‘The Hive’ which provides students with opportunities to explore hands-on, creative experiences through digital modelling and fabrication, craft, electronics, film production (through iPads) and more. Small groups of students are able to use the space during lessons and after school to become creators, innovators, problem-solvers and entrepreneurs. Some of the activities on offer include: electronics and prototyping, 3D printing, paper craft, cardboard construction, hologram and Google virtual reality. Thanks to funding provided by the PTA ‘The Hive’ is brimming with tools and

31 equipment. There’s a green screen, an amazing sewing machine programmable from an i-pad, a 3D printer, 3D digitiser, and a laser cutter as well as exciting bits and pieces such as ‘Little Bits’ and ‘Strawbees’. We are looking for continued support from amongst the parent body - hobbyists who are willing to give some of their time and skills as mentors, instructors and demonstrators to help us with our programme in 20152016. So if you’re a maker, techy or doer who would like to contribute please get in touch! To shadow the physical spaces, the Senior School library has developed an extensive virtual space giving students access to information anytime and anywhere there is an internet connection. Within this we have an extensive Reading Zone to encourage Key Stage 3 students in particular to engage with fiction. There is also a Learning Zone with an array of ‘libguides’ which are focused on specific subjects or topics in the curriculum. The libguides have been collaboratively developed by teachers and library staff and they curate relevant and appropriate information resources in multimodal formats. This is a great place for students to go to when tackling homework. The Senior School library website can be found at http://seniorlibrary.tts.edu.sg/ web/. In the Senior School library we feel it is vitally important to embrace change both in technology and learning styles so that we keep providing students with inspiring spaces and relevant services which meet their needs. We plan for our library to be far from obsolete!

Creative Writing The Artistry of Light

In frosted earth the rosebuds yearn For a fragrant summer dawn, When dew ensnares the rising rays And light laces the lawn Bejeweled upon delicate strings ‘Neath pearlescent morning skies Composing harmonies of light: Descending lullabies

They came at four o’clock, two colossal battle cruisers. As we saw them in the distance we began to either panic or pray for the best. In spite of the threat, the commander, as usual, felt no pity and immediately demanded an aerial attack on the two ships. Reluctantly, pulling on my goggles and leather aviator cap, I patted Joe on the back, tears welling up in both our eyes. “Farewell old chap!” was all I could bring myself to say. “See you later alligator!” he whispered, the usual twinkle of hope in his eyes. Climbing into my Gladiator, its guns still unused and innocent, I turned the ignition switch, the one turn that would seal my fate. It was the one turn that would make me meet my airborne demise. The ship below me, the Scharnhorst, was hardly scratched; hope was nothing but a long forgotten dream. On and on my guns chattered, my motors groaning, the aircraft cracking with every anti-aircraft shell that skimmed my sides. The sky, once a tender place to spot clouds rolling by, was living hell. Each resounding explosion was another string of life sliced, a short story of nothing more than twenty years ending. A blast sounded behind me, a fireball engulfing our ship. Joe. I could not abandon him. It wasn’t like I would be alive to endure the court martial. But I wouldn’t let Joe die alone, golden waves drowning him, without anyone to end. I was deserting. But not deserting Joe. Flinging myself out of the plane, I ran forward, scouring the blazing deck for Joe. The ship tipped and I heard a yell coming from the very edge of the runway. There, hanging metres above the churning water was Joe, his face blackened. I gripped his hand. We smiled, there, in the moment of death. It was one shell. One explosion.

by Adam Philip Ali-Hassan (Y8.4)

That light is gentle, soft and sweet; Stirs the rosebuds from their sleep, Tugs open eyes and faintly shines In tears that angels weep Upon the canvas of the sky Leaps a single vibrant stain; Soaring stream of iridescence Where sunbeams flirt with rain At dusk it sinks in honeyed shafts, The earth immersed is golden. This is the breed of light to which Dreamers are beholden Our Mother, in her later years, Slumbers in a veil of white She shimmers - such as rising heat Caressed in cold blue light And it’s gliding! - glinting - whirling Swirling - in an icy gust; Frosted flares glow with the luster Of diamonds ground to dust Spilling over slender branches; Silver sinews twisting high Poetry of the earth engraved Upon the endless sky Crimson curtains sweep upon the Partisan of night and day; A shadow in a rift in time, Light stirs - then slips away Encore! the pilgrimage of stars Drifting where the heavens be; Traversing the terrain of night In silent reverie They sail a dark ocean of dreams; A-glittering fleet of ships. Their waves of starlight break upon The shorelines of your lips.

by Sophie Tottman (Y13.11) Winner of the Senior Ladakh Poetry Competition

Background artwork by Darcie Webb

Foggy Lands Foggy lands From the sky The birds fly

I Wish I Brought You Flowers I am adopted but if you looked at me in a crowd I wouldn’t really stand out. I would just be another face in a sea of people; skins of all shades. But in my family photographs I give the game away, I don’t look like my mum and dad or my brothers. I have the same family name, but my middle name is foreign, and my face makes me the odd one out in all my family photos. But don’t get me wrong I am not sad as these people who are my forever family may have not made me, but I know they love me as if they did. Still there’s a part of me that is a part of someone else and of somewhere else. I am a teenager now and there’s a small part of me that wants to get to know that other part of my life that isn’t but could have been. It’s a scary step, but I think I am curious and brave enough to take it now, to find out who I am by understanding who I might have been. Going back to Vietnam was going to be hard, both for me and my adopted mum, but I wanted to face the things I had been avoiding about where I came from and why I was given away. I knew it was going to be hard and I might even wish I’d stayed at home but I would never stop wondering if I didn’t try. Today is the day I am arriving in Vietnam to visit where I came from but I had a gut feeling I didn’t want to know why and who my true Mum was. I felt the shiver go down my back like never before. It was time for me to see the true meaning of myself.

Three hours later I landed in my birth country. I felt excited but anxious at the same time and I felt a tear in my eye which I slowly tapped away. The weather was so humid, and the air smelt smoky, like burning lava in volcano about to explode. I noticed the giant palm trees and so many fields of rice or tea. Then I was there in what seemed like a flash in time, deep into the province where I was born after a very uncomfortable journey along road and track in a big car. The last time I had seen my birth mother was when I was only 3 years old and I don’t remember it at all. On the drive I liked how I saw the paddy fields laid out in perfect lines like soldiers on parade, and it looked more green than I thought it would. Suddenly the car stopped at my birth mum’s field where she was busy looking after the rice. Her clothes were old but clean and she looked up, her eyes unseen under her straw hat. She looked like all the pictures I had seen in the magazines and on the internet. Just a normal Vietnamese farmer. Only she was my birth mum too. She kind of smiled and walked slowly over, her body seemed very tired and her back was slightly bent. Her face was full of lines and when she took

by Imogen Haynes (Y4.2) Winner of the Junior Ladakh Poetry Competition

my hand I saw her nails were dirty and broken from all her hard work. She wiped them on her trousers and said something in Vietnamese to me I didn’t understand. I looked around at the people working, bent over like broken tree branches, working so hard, collecting for so little money. I felt tears in my eyes I tried not to cry but I couldn’t help it. We stayed holding a single hand, no words just that. As we drove away I didn’t realize how rough and pot holed the road was because I was remembering the visit. I found myself feeling light headed and surprising joyful. I was not angry anymore or puzzled, I realized now I have seen with my own eyes just how hard life is in Vietnam for my birth family and people like them. I see my life now with my forever family as a gift from my mum who loved me enough to meet me face to face now because she gave me away for good reasons. I had no reason to be angry any more as what she did was brave and from love. I was a bit sorry now, because I have realised I should have brought her flowers.

by Mollie Blakey (Y8.4)

Background artwork by Penelope Booth (Alumni) and Darcie Webb (Y13.12)

Everyday When the sun shines brightly We play

Book Reviews Senior School Library Book Reviews Most Popular Books

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Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9) • Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson • Dandelion Clocks by Rebecca Westcott • Arrival by Chris Morphew • If I Stay by Gayle Forman • She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick Key Stages 4 & 5 (Years 10 to 13) • Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf • Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick • Starry Nights by Judith Clarke • Exodus by Julie Bertagna • One Chance by Steve May

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway Set against the dramatic, tragic backdrop of Spain’s struggle for its own soul during the devastating Civil War of 1936-39, this is, in my mind, Hemmingway’s best work by far. It is based upon the author’s own experiences during the conflict, which nowadays is known as much for the parts played by volunteers from across the world who formed “International Brigades”, usually on the Republican side. The main character in this novel, Robert Jordan, is a fictional member of one of these Brigades, and having travelled to Spain from America to defend democracy is assigned to help a Republican flying column due to his experience as a dynamiter. His mission, to blow up a key bridge in order to hinder the fascist enemies of the Republic, will almost certainly result in death, and how he and his comrades respond to being asked to lay down their lives for the cause forms a central issue in the narrative. He befriends in particular Anselmo, who initially acts as an intermediary between Jordan and the other guerillas, whilst Jordan falls in love with Maria, a remarkably strong female character whose parents had previously been murdered by

fascist forces. I should probably stop myself there before I spoil the ending! I was drawn to this book initially through my love for Spanish history, but you don’t need to be as geeky as me to thoroughly enjoy this novel. Hemmingway explores themes such as death and how we react when faced with the certainty of it, as well as love and how it can blossom most fiercely under the most terrible of circumstances. There are also a great many in-depth ruminations on the conflicting political ideologies of the day both in America and in Spain; perhaps the most memorable passage of the whole book comes when Jordan is asked whether America contains fascists and responds that “There are many who do not know that they are fascists, but will find out when the time comes.” This reflects a high degree of prescience on Hemmingway’s part as it could be said to foreshadow the rise of McCarthyism in his homeland and it is little snippets like this that make For Whom the Bell Tolls a truly magical novel. This is not just a story, it is a marvelously crafted snapshot of the nature of politics, love, war, death and many other such inextricable symptoms of the human condition as they were in the 1930s. It is up to the reader to discern how much we have moved on, or regressed, in the interim. Nathan Stone (Y13.7)

Junior School Library Book Reviews Top Books Voted into the Reader’s Cup Competition • Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: A Fable by John Boyne • Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo • Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell

Puddle the Naughtiest Puppy: Pirate Surprise by Hayley Daze

Mr Stink by David Walliams

Laura Massa (Y5.4)

Maham Khan (Y6.6)

Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child

Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon by Sarah Courtauld

Clarice Bean’s teacher, Mrs Wilburton, has assigned to her class a book project. And Clarice and Betty are set out to win the project together. Especially since the winner will get a trophy! When the trophy goes missing, Betty dons a detective hat to solve the case! A humorous, enjoyable and happy read. Clara Kelsey (Y5.8)

This is an exciting adventure book. The main character is Puddles - a naughty puppy. One day while playing in a magic puddle, he and his two friends are whisked away to a pirate ship. As the ship heads into trouble, Puddles helps to save the day! A great read for dog-lovers!

A great comic tale! Chloe has no friends at school. One day while Chloe is on her way home, she meets Mr Stink. Mr Stink, as his name suggests, is a very smelly man but that does not stop Chloe from befriending him. Read more to know why Mr.Stink is so stinky! The answer lies in his past…

This book is a belly full of laughs! It is an adventure story about two sisters who could not be more different from each other. Eliza longs to fight villains and dragons, whereas Lavender dreams of being a princess. When Lavender is kidnapped, Eliza goes off to rescue her. But then things don’t turn out so well... Adam Mekkawy (Y6.3)

Infant School Library Book Reviews Top 5 Most Popular Books • The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson • The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak • All Afloat on Noah’s Boat by Tony Miton • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle • Katie the Royal Wedding Fairy by Daisy Meadows “I love ‘Magic Ponies’ by Sue Bentley. This is a story about ponies that trot, go in races and are magical.” Stella Martin (Y2.8) “I love books about countries. My favourite country is Switzerland. I enjoy borrowing books about different places around the world.” Yash Jayaram (Y2.8) “My favourite book is ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl. I also like ‘Charlie and the chocolate factory’. I have both of these books at home. I like it when my mum reads to me.” Zoe Chapman (Y2.1) “I love books about dogs because dogs are fun to play with and I like finding facts about them. My favourite dog is the Labrador because they are cute.” Rory Read (Y2.1)

Parent Book Reviews

Mindfulness Book Club by Semira Coumis, Parent

Have you ever felt so busy, stressed and drained, that it seemed as though you were not in control of your life? As parents with young lively children and full, busy lives also outside the home, it is easy to spiral down to that place. The ‘Mindfulness Book Club’, with the expert guidance of the school counsellors, Paula Huggins and Claire Holmes, take you on a step-by-step journey of discovering ‘Mindfulness’ over 8 weeks. The course follows the textbook ‘Mindfulness, a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world’ by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. I particularly appreciated the fact that the course, based on proven scientific research, guides you through down-to-earth practical techniques, stripped of cultural, spiritual or religious aspects that most often accompany meditation practices. The course teaches you how to take a step back from it all, breathe and really take note of what is happening with yourself and your surroundings. It is effectively fitness training for the brain. Little by little you learn to observe thoughts and feelings from some distance instead of being overwhelmed or carried away by them. You learn to treat yourself – and others, including your children – with more kindness and less guilt, fear and shame. You gradually gain back a sense of calm, control and choice in everything you do, the small and the bigger things. I am very happy I attended this course over the past few weeks. It takes little effort – some weekly reading, up to 20 minutes daily practice, and participating in the weekly hourly class – yet I can already see that the benefits over time can be material. It is a marathon, not a race, so you do need to keep practising. But at the same time the new, better you is only a breath away. Try it.

The Parenting Collection of books is split between all school libraries and is rotated each term to offer variety to library visitors. If you are interested in borrowing these or any of our other parenting resources, or becoming a Tanglin Library member, please contact any of the library staff. If you would like to write a book review for the next edition of The Voice, please email communications@tts.edu.sg.

THE BRITISH CLUB Singapore’s Hilltop Retreat

Situated on the second highest peak in Singapore, The British Club commands a stunning unblocked view of the city and beyond. Members enjoy extensive facilities, a wide range of networking opportunities and a huge variety of activities for the whole family.

The Club welcomes all nationalities.

MEMBERSHIP IS AN ASSET AND HAS ITS PRIVILEGES. To make an appointment for a tour of our Club or for more information, email membership@britishclub.org.sg or call 64674311.

73, Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289761 Tel: 6467 4311 • Fax: 6468 6161 www.britishclub.org.sg www.facebook.com/thebritishclub 2 bars, 1 pub ∙ 4 restaurants ranging from fine dining to pub grub ∙ function & conference rooms and events ∙ 4 tennis courts ∙ 4 squash courts ∙ aerobics studio ∙ fully equipped gym ∙ swimming pools ∙ children’s playroom ∙ spa ∙ off-site golf, cricket, scuba, and football

The Last Word 38

Interview with Ken Yuktasevi Ken Yuktasevi from Ong & Ong Architects and Tanglin Alumni, talks to us about the inspiration behind the new Gateway Building, and in particular, how he drew on his experiences at Tanglin when shaping the designs. What are your favourite features of the Gateway building and what do you think will have the greatest impact on the community? We focused a lot of the work on the canteen and parent’s areas. We found out that really important parts of the day for a lot of the students were actually the meal and communal times, because this was when they got to just ‘be’ at Tanglin in a social way. I am so excited about the technology and design we are using to make the break and lunchtime experiences amazing. How do you think the community will benefit from this building?

When were you at Tanglin? I attended Tanglin in the 80’s from Infant School all the way through Junior School. There wasn’t a Senior School at the time, otherwise, I would definitely have gone the whole way through! How do you feel that your experience as a student at Tanglin has influenced your life, career and your input into this project?

This building will be a lot more than bricks and mortar. Everything about the way it has been programmed for staff, parents and students is designed to enable greater interaction and utility to improve the way ‘everyday things’ are done around the school. This might be dropping off and picking up the kids, purchasing things from the school shop to eating and even relaxing as a member of the Tanglin community. On practical terms, what is being done to ensure the building project has minimum disruption to the day to day running of the school?

The spirit of Tanglin is part of me. I practise design thinking and civic innovation in my studio and the basis of this inclusive approach and high regard for people comes from what was sowed in Tanglin. My aesthetic style for nature and beauty comes from growing up playing in the middle of the campus and under the banyan tree.

As with the design of the building, the users come first. We can’t stop school but what we can do is plan well. We have redirected traffic, set up temporary bus bays and car parks – which actually look better than some permanent car parks! We have involved the community as much as we can with the design and we are rolling out some really cool ideas to engage the whole school. We will always need grace for change but the dividend will be totally worth it.

Who did you consult with and what did you discover about Tanglin during this process?

How does it make you feel that your eldest child is enrolled to start at Tanglin next year?

We spoke to parents, teachers, students, stakeholders, staff, ex students and potential parents…a pretty wide spectrum. We spent a lot of time wandering the school and ‘stalking’ people to observe the life that is happening around the school so we could draw patterns. We recognised a certain spirit in the students and teachers which is just about doing excellent work, having fun and helping each other succeed.

I’m designing so he can have everything I did and more. I have skin in the game for this one!

At the beginning of this year, looking back to reflect on the splendid inspection reports the Senior School had received in 2014, and forward to savour the last of my many years at the helm in education, I ventured the following statement to my colleagues: “It’s difficult to imagine a better year and I feel enormously privileged to have spent the latter stages of my career at a school where the skill, knowledge and commitment of my colleagues is matched only by the enthusiasm, high expectations and endeavours of our students.”

Something of a hostage to fortune one might think, given that the final year had yet to unfold! So how has it been? Well, it’s very hard to pick highlights as there have been so many. One’s mind immediately turns to graduation, given that it is always such a special event. This year’s crop of students have been outstanding and we look forward to hearing great things about their exploits in the years to come. It has been an extra special year, of course, because we are celebrating the school’s 90th birthday. There has been a celebratory atmosphere about the place. One of the happiest moments was the T90 birthday party when Senior School students were able to share some time with those from the Infants and Juniors. I was able to step back and observe the seniors engaging with and leading their younger peers during the event. This was a very gratifying experience; I am always so proud of our Seniors on these occasions. Tanglin presents many opportunities to its community to take on new experiences. Even in the last year of my career, Tanglin managed to find one such opportunity for me. While accompanying Year 9 in India, I had the exhilarating experience of zip-lining across the great river Ganges. Quite simply unforgettable.

Standout memories of my last year at Tanglin also include: the first FOBISIA student leadership conference, hosted here in September; innumerable successes on the sports field and in the World Scholar’s Cup; the development of our approaches to teaching in the form of the Year 9 Humanities concept based learning programme. Through all of these examples, and the many more highlights of the year that space does not permit me to mention, I am confident that I leave a school familiar with high achievement in its activities and well placed to deal with future challenges. For me, being at Tanglin has been a great privilege and I leave with a large measure of both admiration and warmth for the people and the place. I wish you all happiness and good fortune, not least those who, like me, must make their departures. As fond as I am of Shakespeare, I must let Robert Burns have the last word, especially since I played a verse of his poem “Ae Fond Kiss” on my pipes to the graduating class of 2015. Fare thee well, thou first and fairest! Fare thee well, thou best and dearest! Thine be all the joy and treasure, Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!

Farewell to Neil Turrell, Head of Senior School (2009-2015)

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