The Voice of Tanglin Trust School
Vol 12 09/2012
MICA (P) 153/07/2012
Feature: Tanglin’s Legacy Student Services: Nursing The Last Word: The New West Wing
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Welcome
good as the UK celebrations and warmer! Just some of the fun has been captured for you to share in this edition. The newly opened West Wing of the Senior School, including the relocation of the Senior School office, has provided a splendid new facility. The many green features are expected to achieve a Green Mark Gold Award from the Singapore Building Construction Authority. When you are next in school, please pop in to view the inspiring design and décor of the new West Wing.
Welcome to this ‘Best of British’ edition of The Voice, the first for this school year. You will find within some of the headline developments taking the school forward. Both the Queen’s wonderful Jubilee and the remarkably successful London 2012 Olympics are major themes for this edition. Tanglin celebrations and activities reflected the excitement felt in the UK and helped us connect with what was going on. The PTA Jubilee Fete was every bit as
We also report on the staff Swimathon which was in aid of CandleAid Lanka, in support of their swim for safety programme. Staff from every part of the school dusted off their goggles and tried to remember how to swim in order to support this very deserving charity. The PE Department was by far the most impressive team with Chris Rawlings only using one arm due to injury! The Senior Management Team was, with a few exceptions, less impressive with most of us wishing we had additional arms to propel us through the gruelling event. The combined effort by all was very successful, raising a total of S$5,000. We are pleased to include in the pages that follow an article on our Nursing Team.
Contents
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Staff News Behind the Camera Dance Fever Swimathon 2012
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Feature
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Our World
Tanglin’s Legacy
Alumni London 2012 Olympic Hopeful
CAS Projects
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Infant School Community, Friendship and Fun
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Junior School
Olympic Values
Senior School
Public Speaking Competition The Periodic Table Project
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Sixth Form Passage to India Theory of Knowledge
Generally, everyone forgets about this team until something happens to them or their children. Every day of the year our nurses care for the whole range of sickness, upsets and accidents that naturally occur in a large community such as Tanglin’s. I can only praise the dedication and commitment of the team as I see them attend with professionalism and great care to the whole range of students from 3 to 18 years old, and over 500 adults on campus. Earlier in the year we submitted one of our development strategies to the British Chamber of Commerce for consideration in this year’s Business Awards. At the time of going to press, we have been informed that we are a finalist and we are waiting with anticipation to see if we are the ultimate winner in the category of Education and Training Excellence. Here is an outline of our submission which conveys something of the way the school is developing: “School success is often measured through the headlines of its academic results. Whilst these results are clearly important to staff, students and parents, they form only a part of our core purpose. A school’s humanitarian impact on the individual (staff, student or parent), during and beyond association with the school,
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Peter Derby-Crook Chief Executive Officer
Showcase Art • Drama • Music
Sport Round up of 2011-12 Swimming Success Junior FOBISSEA Olympic Day Celebrations
PTA Diamond Jubilee Fete
Student Services Nursing Focus
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.
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Creative Writing
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Book Reviews
The Volcano The Piano Big Sea of Love
Infant, Junior, Senior and Parent Reviews
The Last Word The New Senior School West Wing
Editor: Katherine Massey Design & Layout: Jennifer Anderson Contributors: Students, Staff and PTA Photography: Jennifer Anderson and other contributors Printer: Oz Print Services
All students’ year groups referenced in this issue are accurate at time of print.
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I hope you find this wander through some of our highlights interesting and informative.
Tanglin Mission Statement
‘The Voice’ herein refers to ‘The Voice of Tanglin Trust School’
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says far more about the overall success and influence of the school. In line with our Mission, Aims and Values that can be seen around school, there has developed a deep desire to embrace all people in the community, to recognise all roles as important, and to develop caring and conscious relationships. Every member of the school community is reaping the benefits of this strategy and helping to create an effective learning community that will see and contribute to the world and humanity in a different way. This shift bears witness to the latest evolution in modern day learning and schools. We seem unable to address the issues facing our world. Given different skills and aptitudes, future generations will work differently and far more successfully on our happiness and preservation.”
Staff News 04
Behind the Camera Estelle Hood, Assistant Head of Nursery, combines her two loves of photography and travelling to take her to all corners of the world with her camera for company. “I feel fortunate and humbled to have travelled to so many interesting and diverse places,” comments Estelle. “I enjoy travelling on my own as it opens up opportunities to interact with the people in the places I visit.”
Estelle explains how she aims to capture life in her photographs and she feels it is the stories behind the camera that make the photo. “It’s the pictures that tell the stories not the camera. A great picture comes from the heart not the machine.” Where possible, Estelle likes to get to know the characters in her photographs, making sure she respects their space and that the subjects do not find her photographing intrusive. She recently revisited a Cambodian monk she had met on her previous travels, to pass on some of her photographs of him. Often Estelle will send photographs to the people she has captured.
“Photography is a very personal thing - it’s an amazing privilege to be able to interact with different people and I have had so many incredible experiences. I couldn’t pick a favourite place although, thanks to my work with Caring For Cambodia, Cambodia does have a special place in my heart.” Many of Estelle’s photographs were featured in this year’s Tanglin calendar. “Also, I feel drawn to many countries in Africa. My mum was raised in Ghana and I love the nature and diversity of the continent,” says Estelle. Other highlights include Antarctica, Tibet, Bhutan and Cuba! “Most recently I visited Easter Island - it is truly mystical, culturally compelling and scenically magical, like nowhere else on Earth.” Next year Estelle will be travelling to The Arctic on a photography expedition, “I’m looking forward to capturing polar bears in action and attending the photographic lectures, there are always new things to learn.” Estelle has shared her passion with the children at Tanglin by running photography activities. “Children from a
very young age can show their creativity through the lens. It has been wonderful to work with the children and combine my job and my hobby, both of which I love.” Estelle is currently working on a children’s photography book, which she hopes will go to print one day. Estelle’s photography has appeared in travel guides and won awards. Most recently she won a prize in a travel company competition, winning a 35 day trip to Peru, Bolivia and Chile, which she took over the summer break. Congratulations Estelle – we can’t wait to hear about your latest adventure and see more of your stunning photos.
Junior Library Assistant, Vani Chandra, talks of her love of dancing. “My passion for dancing has been with me from as early as I can remember,” explains Vani. “I came from a very strict family, I was one of eight children and my father was against my dancing.”
to learn many different styles of dance from Chinese, Malay and Indian to Western and Fusion styles. “I love to do all types of dance, classical and modern. One I haven’t yet done but would love to learn is Kathak (which originates from Northern India),” says Vani.
“I feel very happy when I dance, it is a way of unwinding, wherever I am. If I feel stressed, I shut myself in my room and dance until I’m tired. When I come out, I feel peaceful. If I’m in the kitchen and some music comes on, I start dancing while I cook! Dance is just a part of me,” Vani explains.
As well as having a natural talent for the dancing itself, Vani has also choreographed numerous performances. Most recently these have included a fusion dance for 12 teachers at her previous school, White Sands Primary, for a national roadshow; a Peacock Dance; a Suri Runaway Dance; and a Lotus Dance, which she has performed at various school assemblies.
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Dance Fever
Vani is keen to encourage members of the community to join her in her love of dancing. If anyone is interested in setting up a dance club with Vani, for children or adults, please email Vani.Chandra@tts. edu.sg. Vani managed to persuade her mother to let her dance and she originally trained in classical dance in her local community centre. Over the years she has gone on
“I want to dance as much as I can for as long as I can, and to share this joy with as many people as possible!” concludes Vani.
Swimathon 2012: Diving Dolphins to Boardroom Barracudas In addition to the 300 students who took part in the 2012 Swimathon to raise money for CandleAid Lanka, seven teams of Tanglin teachers also supported this worthy cause, swimming as many lengths as they could over 25 minutes. In total, 780 lengths were swum by 40 teachers, raising $640, which, combined with the money raised by students, resulted in an outstanding contribution of $5,000 to the charity. Highlights of the staff effort included a team of Junior School teachers swimming fully clothed (work shirts, ties, trousers, even shoes!), they managed 40 lengths in total; the Boardroom Barracudas stepping out of a board meeting to don their trunks and cozzies and swim 44 lengths before returning to their meeting; and the very professional looking PE team, who concluded an impressive 52 lengths. We hope that next year there will be even more support for the Tanglin Swimathon from students, staff and maybe even parents as well?!
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Feature Tanglin’s Legacy A Snapshot of History In this special ‘Best of British’ issue of The Voice, we have celebrated both the 2012 London Olympics and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. In keeping with the theme of recognising great achievement and heritage, it seems an opportune moment to revisit Tanglin’s history and acknowledge what it has achieved in that time and in particular the legacy left behind by Miss Anne Laugharne GriffithJones, a.k.a. Miss Griff.
Club to hold classes in the somewhat unconventional setting of the men’s bar and the ballroom during school hours.
In 1934, Tanglin School embarked on the innovative route of opening a boarding offshoot of the school in the cooler and healthier climes of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, which catered for the education of children up to the age of 13. It gave parents who were based in Singapore and the Malay Peninsula the choice of sending their children to board a mere couple of days’ journey away rather than the alternative long sea passage to Europe. By 1941, the numbers had grown to 150 with a staff of 22 qualified teachers, many of whom were recruited from England. Miss Griff first opened Tanglin School in 1925 with just five students in a couple of disused attap huts in the grounds of the Tanglin Club. Her aims were simple: to provide organised primary school teaching for the growing number of expatriate children in Singapore. The day school soon became a highly popular option and numbers increased rapidly.
As the school grew, the simple huts could no longer house the numbers of students and staff and in the early 1930s, Miss Griff was given permission by the Tanglin
“The school was 5,000ft up in the jungle. The buildings consisted of long brown timber bungalows on a hillside overlooking a clearing for a games field, riding stables, a running track and a stream….The uplands climate was much cooler than ‘down below’ and well worth the 10-hour train journey from Singapore to Tapah and the 2-3 hour bus ride up the hill.” Mickey Bain c 1940.
Unfortunately, in December 1941 a major polio epidemic forced the school to close temporarily. Many of the pupils and teachers moved to Singapore where Miss Griff opened an emergency school to continue their education. This, however, was not a long-term solution, as in 1942 the Japanese invaded Malaysia and Singapore, and education came to an abrupt halt. Furthermore, during the period of Japanese occupation Miss Griff found herself interned in Changi Jail.
In 1945, following the surrender of the Japanese, life resumed much as before. Miss Griff brought the teachers back together and the school was soon back up and running again. Unfortunately, this was not to last long as an emergency period followed in 1948. The constant threat of the Communists resulted in the Government deciding it was simply too dangerous for children to go to school in the Cameron Highlands. Tanglin School had to close its doors for the second time and move to safer locations in the lower regions. It was only after the Government stationed military units in the Cameron Highlands had established a safety zone that the school reopened its doors.
The next twenty years were a period of great stability for Tanglin Preparatory School (TPS). Memories from former students and teachers reflect these carefree days, mentioning afternoon naps from the tropical heat on put-up-beds and sports days which incorporated not very politically correct (but very popular) events such as the bunny girls race! “There were lots of funny races. The funniest was a race called bunny girls where they had to carry a tray with one hand and put the other hand on their hips and wiggle their bottom!” Comment by a pupil in the 1979 TPS Yearbook. In 1961 the lease came up on an imposing black-and-white house called ‘Matheran’, on the corner of Tanglin Road and Jervois Road. It was decided to house the juniors in the main building and construct a purpose-built range of classrooms for the kindergarten children. On 12 September 1961, Tanglin Preparatory School opened with Mrs Kathleen Crowe as Head and by April 1962 the new kindergarten buildings were finished and the transfer to the spacious grounds complete with over 300 children now attending the school.
Demand for places exceeded all expectations and in 1971, Tanglin Trust Ltd opened a new school, Weyhill, to absorb the numbers on the waiting list. In 1974 Raeburn Park became a sister school to TPS and Weyhill and in 1981, when the lease expired on ‘Matheran’, the three schools merged to form Tanglin Infant School and Tanglin Junior School, on the current site in Portsdown Road. In 1987, the combined schools were put under the direction of one headteacher, Mrs Veronica Goodban.
In 2000 Tanglin celebrated its 75th Anniversary and entered the new millennium with one final part of its 3 to 18 plan to implement: the opening of a sixth form. The popularity of the Senior School had been such that there was a definite demand for students to complete their senior school education at Tanglin. In 2001, alongside the construction of a new Junior School building to replace the one which had been purpose-built 20 years previously, a Sixth Form Centre was built. Tanglin could now provide schooling for students aged 3 to 18 on the same site and in modern accommodation.
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Veronica Goodban retired in 1994 and the position of Head of School was awarded to Ronald Stones. Tanglin Infant School and Tanglin Junior School were renamed as Tanglin Trust School and not long after, the governing body decided that there was a case for extending the school’s age range upwards. The Senior School at Tanglin opened in 1996.
In 1958, Miss Griff finally sold Tanglin School to the British European Association (BEA) and retired to live in her beloved Cameron Highlands where she remained until her death in 1973. Following the sale of Tanglin School, in 1958, a new company, Tanglin Trust Ltd, was formed with the responsibility of managing the schools. One of the first concerns was to find new premises so that the Infant and Junior Schools could be on the same site.
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In 2004, Ronald Stones, MBE was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in recognition of his services to education in Singapore. One year later Tanglin Trust School celebrated its 80th Anniversary.
In 2010, Tanglin celebrated its 85th Anniversary and later that year, the current CEO, Peter Derby-Crook, took over. The last two years has seen yet more developments at the school with the launch of a revised mission statement and set of ‘learning attributes’ (The Learner Profile); the first Our World Day, when all members of the community came together in mixed groups to take part in a range of different team building activities; the graduation of the school’s first two IB cohorts alongside their A Level peers; the opening of the ‘West Wing’, a purposebuilt extension to the Senior School building; the launch of a new fitness suite for students and staff; and numerous other renovations and improvements. The school role now stands at over 2,700 with capacity to take eight classes from Reception through to Year 13. In the words of a graduating student (2012): “Tanglin has been the largest part of my life for 15 years and I am sad to see it end. The sense of community that I have come to know has never diminished.
Planning then started to expand the Senior School and build a sports and performing arts facility with underground parking and a new central administration building. In 2006, a new Chief Executive Officer, Steven Andrews, was appointed. More Senior School classes were created in the following year, along with the opening of the Berrick Building and The Point. In 2009, Tanglin Trust School introduced International Baccalaureate (IB) as an alternative option to A Levels. The school saw the opening of the new Senior School building along with a new sports track and rugby pitch at Jalan Hang Jebat.
The atmosphere here is like nothing you will ever experience anywhere else….. Whether it was becoming a super hero in the Infant School or running my own record production company in the Senior School, Tanglin has always given me the capacity to work towards my aspirations.” Miss Griff’s motives in starting her school in 1925 were to give expatriate families the option of schooling children in Singapore for as long as possible. We are proud that her vision has been well and truly realised and that her legacy will continue in Tanglin Trust School today and for many years to come.
Alumni London 2012 Olympic Hopeful by Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager
From here I was amazed to learn that Tara was an Olympic hopeful for the London 2012 Games! And, as if that wasn’t enough excitement, it turned out that her mother was a two time Olympic athlete herself! Gladys Bird (nee Taylor), represented Great Britain in the 1976 Montreal Olympics and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
was eight months old to watch her mum compete. She wasn’t really interested in taking part herself until her mum took her to watch the 2001 World Indoor Championships in Lisbon and she was so inspired by the whole atmosphere that she asked if she could do some training herself. Tara started training in early 2001 and had her first season in 2002. She had immediate success setting a European record for 300m in 39.19 seconds in the age 14 category. Prior to that, she set a UK triple jump record in the age 12 category, with no training, at a district sports competition!
Tara has been surrounded by athletics her whole life - her mother Gladys won numerous UK titles and competed at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics in the 400m and 400m hurdles. Her uncle (her mother’s brother) was UK 400m champion in 1977 and her father was a county standard middle distance runner. Tara’s first trip abroad was when she
been inspired by Kelly: “She makes me determined; having a double Olympic champion genuinely want me to do well is inspiration enough to make me never give up on my dreams.” Tara’s tough training schedule is definitely beginning to show in her results, gaining three personal bests already this year and only narrowly missing out on the London Olympics in the final stages of selection.
More recently, Tara got selected for ‘On Camp With Kelly’, an initiative set up by Dame Kelly Holmes to help young athletes learn what it takes to become world class and to achieve their aspirations. Tara has certainly Tara attended the whole of Tanglin Junior School from Years 3 to 6 (1994-98). Not surprisingly, she remembers being quite good at running cross country, representing her Beruang house team.
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On 19 September 2011, alumni Tara Bird came to campus to visit us during her short holiday in Singapore. She was joined by her parents, Gladys and Alan. As I reviewed her school visit form (which I ask all alumni to fill in when they come by) I noticed that she listed ‘track athlete’ under the ‘what do you do for a living?’ question.
Tara’s current training group under coach Ayo Falola includes successful international athletes Donna Fraser and Marilyn Okoro. We wish Tara every success in her althetic career and hope to see her at the next Olympics!
Our World CAS Service Projects 10
by David Roberts, Head of Creativity, Action and Service (CAS)
The CAS programme in the Senior School is aimed at developing students’ abilities in the areas of Creativity, Action and Service. This year we have placed particular emphasis on developing our service projects at a local level. We have sought to develop our connections with the nearby community so that students are not only enriched by the service programmes that they follow, but are also able to recognise the value of worthwhile involvement in the community in which they live. We pay particular attention to ensuring that our service programmes benefit the organisations that we work with. The aim of each initiative is to provide students with opportunities to develop the skills that are required by the CAS programme. These skills require students to look beyond academic areas and often to leave their comfort zones. This article presents some of the students’ reflections on their experiences last academic year.
The CAS Objectives
• Increase awareness of • • • • • • •
your own strengths and areas for growth Undertake new challenges Plan and initiate activities Work collaboratively with others Show perseverance and commitment in activities Engage with issues of global importance Consider the ethical implications of your actions Develop new skills
The Rainbow Centre by Alexander Hepburn, Y13.9
The Rainbow Centre is a centre for children with special needs. The support we offer in the swimming sessions is a really enjoyable part of my week. We swim for roughly an hour. We mainly just look after them and have fun with them in a smaller pool, but from time to time we take a student to the big pool and help them to learn to swim. We also work on helping to prepare the students for life after Rainbow. Soft play time is when they can run around, climb and interact with other teachers and students. I’ve found that most students find soft play the most enjoyable, and they communicate better during this activity.
Beyond Social Services (BSS) by Milly Godfrey, Y13.4 As in many new situations, I wondered about the type of people I would encounter at BSS. The students were sociable and we were instantly welcomed. Overall I feel as though I have not only learnt a great deal from helping people, but that the kids themselves have taught me something. As a group of people they have their arguments but in general they are supportive of one another, in both their own friendship group and as a whole. I have found my time at BSS very humbling, the children showed a complete openness to me, often calling me their ‘sister’ or ‘aunty’ and giving me drawings. It has allowed me to experience more of Singaporean culture and understand the country from a new perspective, not only through local eyes but through the very alert eyes of the BSS students. BSS teaches you to be patient, receptive and it also helps you to develop a sense of humour!
When I first started my National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) service I wasn’t sure what to do and on the first day I was quite nervous as I hadn’t done anything like this before and I wasn’t sure what to expect. On arriving at BSS I met one young child who would always complain about her homework but gradually she became more responsive as we taught her the bits she didn’t understand. Sometimes we were allowed to devise our own strategies to make learning fun for the children. We decided to play Pictionary with the children. They loved it and they would shout out the answers just so they could have more points! They were very enthusiastic. For the last weeks, we played cricket which the children enjoyed and it was good to teach them how to play - I felt proud when they hit the ball a long way. I loved BSS and I would recommend it to anyone.
Beyond Social Services by Joshua Li, Y11.3 BSS has consistently surprised me. I began thinking it would be easy to transform the children we were working with, however as I’ve gone along, I have found that although we cannot always reach one ultimate goal, it’s the little victories that allow us to learn and understand more about the children we deal with. It makes me proud to think that in some small way, I may actually be helping the children at BSS. I am looking forward to continuing it next year.
National Voluntary and Philanthropic Centre by Hannah Robinson, Y13.9 My group was fortunate enough to attend a six week training course that went through what service learning should be about. This was quite enlightening and the issues involved in serving others were not as clear-cut and straightforward as I thought they would be. We were also able to collaborate on projects with Hwa Chong Junior College that supported a local support centre for the elderly and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The Chinese New Year food drive was the highlight for me because it taught me how to take an overview of a situation and manage people towards a common goal under a very tight timescale. The weekly meetings that we held were essential in keeping track of our projects.
The Genesis School by Hayley Gibson, Y13.1 Genesis is a special school located on the West Coast of Singapore. We were given the chance to meet up with children between the ages of three and five, which was something I had never felt confident about doing before. This allowed me to undertake new challenges and towards the end I managed to form relationships with the students that I will never forget. I worked with two other Tanglin students, and each week we felt the bond between us and the students strengthen. The smiles widened on the children’s faces each time we arrived at the school over the weeks. It was in our hands to ensure that we were committed and responsible and showed up each week. By maintaining this dedication, it enabled us to develop skills such as patience and communication.
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Beyond Social Services by Isobel Cessford, Y11.4
Infant School
Community, Friendship and Fun 12
by Angela Dawson, Assistant Headteacher, Infant School Even though Singapore is well over 6,000 nautical miles from London, this didn’t stop the Infant School from feeling at the heart of everything that was happening across the UK during the celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this year. Inspired by a simple idea from the Eden Project, we decided to hold our very own ‘Big Jubilee Lunch day’ on Friday, 1 June. Our main aim was to gather all members of the Infant School together to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty year reign in a day of ‘community, friendship and fun’ In the lead up to the day, children from across the Infant School found out why the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was such a significant event in the history of the British monarchy and how we, as a school, could become part of the worldwide celebrations taking place. It also provided us with the perfect opportunity to recognise, appreciate and say ‘thank you’ to all those members of the Infant School team whose daily work is essential to the smooth running of the school.
VIP Guests
As children become more aware of the different ways in which they can show appreciation and respect to members of the school community, it was decided that each class would invite a member of the support staff to be their special VIP guest for the Big Jubilee Lunch. This was an opportunity for the children to find out more about the person, the work they do within the school and the support they provide us with each and every day.
The Student Council representatives were official hosts for the ‘Big Jubilee Lunch Day’ and were assigned to different classes, a role they took very seriously. Their jobs included meeting, greeting and introducing their VIP, and providing them with a special name badge. One guest in her feedback at the end of the day said: “I truly felt like a VIP. My every need was attended to and it’s a wonderful memory that I’ll never forget”.
Children from Nursery to Year 2 participated in circle time games to develop their cooperation skills and collaborate to build a sense of community, friendship and respect. These games involved children communicating in different ways, solving problems, trusting each other and most of all having fun!
Being ‘green’ in our celebrations for the Queen
As events for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee coincided with the 2012 World Environment Day’s theme of the ‘Green Economy’ we were very keen that all decorations for our ‘street party’ should be made from recycled materials. Each year group therefore set about creating environmentally friendly decorations to adorn the pillars and fencing along the covered walkway. The final results, as the photographs show (see also Royalty Recycled, page 20), were simply stunning and I think the Queen would certainly have been delighted to see such creativity and concern for the environment in our little corner of the world.
With over 200 entries into the competition, we were incredibly impressed by all the designs and the very creative way in which recycled materials were used. The task of judging was therefore not going to be an easy one and we were glad that we could call upon our Eco Monitors to help us in the process. Using strict criteria to guide their judgements the feedback from the Eco Monitors was as priceless as the Crown Jewels themselves!
The Big Jubilee Lunch Day
In true British style, our day began a little wet, but nothing could dampen the spirit. As we approached lunchtime the sky cleared, the sun shone and the bunting blew gently in the breeze as children from Reception to Year 2 gathered together to create a giant ‘street party’ along the covered walkway amidst a sea of red, white and blue decorations. In Nursery they welcomed their VIPs into their classrooms and invited them to join in with a ‘Strawberry Surprise’ which they ate on their handmade picnic blankets. With royal thrones to sit on the VIPs certainly felt very special indeed. Across the rest of the school, children sat with different year groups during the Big Jubilee Lunch to allow them to mix with children they may not usually get the chance to speak to. This enabled children to make new friends and build a sense of respect for each other. It was wonderful to see all the children helping each other with their lunches and chatting together.
Whilst the children enjoyed their home baked cakes and biscuits, as well as the quintessentially English pot of strawberries, the adults were invited to partake in our ‘Best of British’ buffet - fish and chips or pie and mash. Comments from the Year 2 judges: “Wow! This is really comfortable with all this fluff!” “That colour is lovely and just look at those jewels!” “This one is actually quite comfy, but it doesn’t look it!”
The day culminated in a whole school assembly with our special VIPs and other invited guests from across the three schools coming together to celebrate and revisit the importance of community, friendship and fun. The Infant Choir led the singing and we were also entertained by a delightful traditional country dance performed by the Year 2 dance club. As we danced our way through the six decades with a special Jubilee ‘5 a day’ Big Dance, it was evident by the buzz and excitement in the hall that everyone had enjoyed a Jubilee-tastic Day which will hopefully remain in their memories for years to come.
And from Year 1: “This one is a very sparkly one and is shaped well for the head.” “Beautiful tiara but it is not really a crown.” “This one is for someone with a giant brain; it is too big but it is comfortable!” “It has got a bit of London on it.”
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PTA Diamond Jubilee Competition
Junior School Olympic Values 14
by Year 6 Students (2011-12 School Year)
Y6 Charity Representatives by Kara Mills, Y7.3 The Year 6 Charity Reps undertook a challenge to find out about the Olympics, to raise awareness of the small Olympic team of Kiribati and to assist the two precious mascots, who were entrusted to Tanglin during their stay in Singapore, as part of their journey around the world.
competing this summer. We were also helping to organise the amazing journey of the two Olympic mascots - getting them to Sydney and then on to Kiribati Island where the Olympic team would meet them and bring them back to the UK for the Games.
Thank you to the Charity Reps for their commitment to the project and for modelling the Olympic Values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship so wonderfully.
What did we learn from our visit to YOM? by Hannah Coughlan, Y7.8
In Term 1, the Charity Reps in Year 6 took a trip to the Youth Olympics Museum (YOM) in Singapore. We took this trip because the Olympics were going to London and we wanted to find out more about this special event.
During our time in the Olympic Museum, we learnt a lot of interesting things. As we walked through the museum, the guide was talking about everything there is to know about the Olympic Games. There was a lot of information! Originating in Ancient Greek times, the Olympics has changed greatly over the years. If you would like to know more, do ask our current Year 6 students - they are experts and studied the Ancient Greeks last year. The current format of the Games has been similar since 1928 and
The visit was also part of our mission to raise awareness of the small country of Kiribati whose Olympic team would be
many of the traditions remain unchanged. The Olympic Games are held every four years and each time they are held in a different country This summer, the Games were held in London.
What did we do during our visit? by Holly Kunzer, Y7.3 and Maddy Pull, Y7.2 We did lots of fun activities at the Youth Olympic Museum including; learning about the different torches, how athletes train, and the history of the Olympics. We even found out about how people cheated to win different marathons!
We knew the mascots were really important and special. We invited fellow school CHIJ – St. Theresa’s Convent to join us on the visit as we knew how keen they were to meet the mascots!
The Olympic Mascots by Ella Connors, Y7.3 and Zoe Philipps, Y7.3 The Olympic mascots are Wenlock and Mandeville. Wenlock got his name from a town in London and Mandeville represents the Paralympic Games and is named after the hospital, Stoke Mandeville, in Buckinghamshire, England.
During Tanglin’s Olympic Week, the Junior School had their own ‘Mini Olympics’ Sports Days, where the children competed as a team in their Houses and in smaller groups with children of a similar ability. They were split into groups named after the Olympic ideals of Citius, Altius and Fortius (latin for faster, higher and stronger). Competitive events included shuttle relay, sprint and 600m. Junior School children demonstrated most emphatically that they are ‘faster, higher and stronger’, breaking a series of longstanding school records and setting new standards for future students. During Olympic Week, the children not only took part in physical activities but they also learnt about the Olympics through quizzes, fact sheets and interactive programs online.
Some facts we found interesting! The five rings symbolise the five main continents. Africa and South America have never hosted an Olympic Games. Kiribati was the only team that wasn’t met by a London official when they went there for an official meeting. The United States has won more medals than anyone else in the Olympic history.
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We buddied up for our tour around the exhibition and it was interesting to chat about our different schools. We looked at the artefacts and information and during that time an actual Singaporean Olympic runner was walking around in the exact same area we were in! It was so fascinating hearing his story and how he trained for the 100m sprint. Even though he didn’t win his race, it was wonderful to meet someone so extremely dedicated to running.
Tanglin was very proud to be the school in Singapore chosen to care for the very valuable Olympic mascots who were circling the world on their Olympic journey! The mascots flew from London to Singapore with Mr Dunstan and we then looked after them beautifully during their Singapore stop off! During our visit to the Youth Olympic Museum, we shared the mascots with CHIJ, who were really pleased to take them to their school in Lower Delta Road and show them off in assembly. Our mission was to ensure the mascots were shared, cared for and sent to Sydney safely for the next leg of their journey. After Sydney, the mascots went to Kiribati and their Olympic team brought them to the London Games. Kiribati is in the Central Pacific Ocean and southwest from Hawaii. The Kiribati Islands are flat so when the water rises Kiribati will be one of the first to disappear underwater. On the journey to Kiribati the mascots stopped in Malaysia and had a photo with the King and Queen!
Senior School
Public Speaking Competition 16
by Michael Roberts, Head of English, Senior School The other exciting piece of news from the English department is that Milly Godfrey now in Year 13 won the FOBISSEA short story writing competition. We are immensely proud of Milly, whose story was exquisitely written. Author John Marsden judged the competition and commented on the maturity of Milly’s narrative voice. We are looking forward to emulating these achievements next year.
It was an extremely busy and exciting end of year for the English department. The grand final of the public speaking competition took place on Friday, 22 June. The theme of last year’s competition was ‘I Wish…’, a topic that inspired students to speak about a huge range of topics. Every student from Years 7 to 10 entered this competition when they gave a speech in English lessons. The best 100 or so went through to round two, and from these students we had the almost impossible task of choosing the best 10 for the grand final. They were: Joe Blakey – Y11.5, Nick Busuttil – Alumni 2012, Iman Faruki – Y9.1, Ramez Hanna – Y11.4, Georgia Hebdige – Y11.8, Thomas Higginson – Y11.4, Shiv-Rani Mistry – Y11.7, Ishaan Thakran – Y11.7, Dan Shailer – Y8.8, and Charles Wilson – Y11.1
with our students. If you want to find out more about their work, please take a look at their website: www.fox-west.com. After the speeches, I was able to hand over to Ed, who announced the top three in reverse order: in third place, Ramez Hanna; in second place, Thomas Higginson; and the winner was Ishaan Thakran, with his speech on why he wished he was headteacher of Tanglin. Given that Mr Turrell was one of the judges, this seemed like rather a brave topic to choose, but Ishaan’s risk-taking was rewarded with the ultimate prize. Ed remarked in his closing comments that, “having coached a number of senior people in the last fourteen years, what we have seen today has put a lot of politicians, senior business people and high flying bankers in the shade.” Praise indeed for a very committed group of students.
The shortlisted students did not disappoint. It was a magnificent final and a great showcase of student talent. This year, our panel of judges included Ed West and James Scholefield of Fox-West Communications Consultancy. FoxWest runs group communication skills workshops for businesses. This year Ed and James have devoted many hours to our students, delivering workshops to Year 9 and 10 students as well as coaching our finalists. They have done all of this for free and we are extremely grateful to them for sharing their expertise
I should also give a special mention to last year’s winner, Pranav Dhingra, Y11.2, who I asked to be involved in this year’s final, although he was not allowed to compete. He hosted the event with the confidence and good humour that won him the competition the previous year.
Ishaan Thakran, Y11.7
I chose to write a speech on why I wish I was headmaster. At first I was hesitant on selecting this as my topic because it could be seen as controversial, particularly with the headteacher listening and judging the speeches! Despite this, I went forward with this topic and began preparations. Rather than writing the speech word for word, I made some bullet points and recorded myself. I knew that my success would depend solely on my delivery on the day of the competition. What really assisted me in having a good rhythm in my speech was the confidence the crowd gave me. I found that speaking to a crowd I am familiar with made me much more comfortable. The applause and laughter from the crowd made me feel encouraged to continue to entertain the audience. During my speech, I consciously changed volume, pace and used pauses and gestures for effect. Moreover, the assistance from my mentor (Mrs Gresham) and the lessons on speaking by my English teacher (Mr Roberts) really helped me to develop these nuances. I also found the talk by public speaking expert Ed West extremely inspirational. Overall, I truly loved the competition, and winning it was a great feeling.
The Periodic Table Project The students were encouraged to research their chosen element and try to choose imagery that would convey something of the nature or history of the element.
Caroline Jelpke, Y9.2 got the science award as it was felt that her image conveyed the power of an atomic explosion and linked with the dangers of radioactive Strontium in fallout.
The overall winner was Alice Bajai, Y9.5 who demonstrated a superb combination of scientific symbolism, ICT skills and an artistic eye in her rendition of Americium.
In art lessons, the students discussed the imagery involved and some students produced photographs or paintings. Then, in ICT lessons, students were shown how to use Photoshop to combine images and text to meet the specification provided by the science faculty. The images were then combined to make a full Periodic Table of the elements. Some students were recognised for outstanding work in different categories, as follows: Cara Hodgkins, Alumni 2012 was nominated as the most artistic contribution for her Carbon symbol. She took the photograph herself.
Each element image can be reproduced at up to A3 size so there is potential to create a mural of the Periodic Table when a suitable location has been chosen. Many thanks to the Art and ICT departments, and in particular David Fourie, ICT specialist, for his efforts in putting the finished table together.
Finn Sykes, Y9.6 got the ICT award for the careful combination of digital images in his rendition of Neptunium.
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During Science Week, one of the cross-curricular activities involved Year 7 and 8 classes producing an image that would represent a chemical element symbol.
Sixth Form
Passage to India 18
By Hannah Atkinson, Alumni 2012
With exams over and six weeks to spend before summer, five ex-IB students, Sofia Hurst, Pippa Reid, Kavisa Thacker, Vayshnavee Kewada and Hannah Atkinson, embarked on a 10 day trip to India. Passing through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, the five girls braced the 46-degree heat to grasp some of the culture, history and cuisine that North India has to offer.
Through the narrow streets of Delhi, the pot-holed highways of rural Agra and the dusty maze of alleyways in the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur, the girls witnessed both the glitter and the grime of Indian society. Their diverse schedule involved a visit to the Taj Mahal, a precarious camel ride and
lessons in aggressive bartering. However, the most important aspect of the trip was a visit to some of the multiple projects of the i-India foundation. This is the first time that Tanglin students have visited i-India and the girls were able to meet the team, witness their work in action and see the effects of Tanglin’s several years of input.
The girls’ interest in i-India began with their particular focus on the fledging Seeds Project. The Seeds Project aims to support young adults who are leaving i-India shelters in Jaipur to enter the working world. The venture will help these adolescents find accommodation and employment. The girls decided to support this project with the proceeds of their recent student-led money-raising
scheme, the University Survival Guide. The Guide is a collection of recipes and tips that have been submitted by the Tanglin community and compiled by the girls. It was sponsored by Tanglin as a parting gift to Year 13 in order to arm them for the years ahead. It was left by the students as a legacy project for the new Year 13s to take on over the coming years.
The trip gave the girls an opportunity to learn more about the Seeds Project and interact with the programmes, which aid street children from all over India. Visits were paid to several shelter homes and school centres, including the Ladli Vocational Centre, the Children’s Inn and
some of the ‘school on wheels’ centres based in slum areas. A highlight for the girls was seeing the ‘shower bus’ in full swing at one of the ‘school on wheels’ locations. This efficient way of providing hygiene measures to whole communities involves a truck, a giant hose and a soapy mosh-pit of children.
An important part of the project is the counselling of the husbands to obtain their permission for the wives to take part. It is a sustainable project and can potentially transform attitudes through future generations of men and women in these communities.
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Having returned from their trip to India, the girls agree that going back is a must.
Not only was this a breathtaking, sight seeing holiday, but the chance to meet with the i-India team and the families they support has added to the drive behind the University Survival Guide. The girls look forward to hearing more about the teenagers that the Seeds Project has helped and they hope it will continue to receive the proceeds of the University Survival Guide for many years to come.
The girls also met with the women taking part in the Gudri Project. The Gudri Project acts as a means of income for over forty Jaipur women through the making and selling of Gudri quilts. There was a chance to chat with the women and listen to interviews with the help of a translator.
Theory of Knowledge by Jessica Harrow, Y13.4 The International Baccalaureate (IB) ‘Theory of Knowledge’ presentations were diligently planned and organised by the Year 12 IB cohort during Term 3. This educationally significant day for the IB students took place on 19 June, the day before Year 12’s ‘Travel and Adventure’ week. Theory of Knowledge is a vital part of the IB as it encourages the students to discover ‘knowledge issues’ and apply them to real-life situations. This year’s Theory of Knowledge presentations considered real-life situations varying from Marc Quinn’s disturbing sculpture ‘Self’ legitimacy as art, the extent to which Marilyn Manson’s music was responsible for the Columbine High School Massacre, to the ethics behind telling someone your honest opinion about their outfit. The interest for these real-life situations and the knowledge issues behind them must be related to Areas of Knowledge that the students study in their school curriculum, such as history, natural and human science, mathematics, ethics and the arts. The presentations were done in groups of two or three, however, students also had the option to do their presentations solo. The students were asked to present to their own Theory of Knowledge classmates, as well as another Theory of Knowledge class, and the teachers who would be marking the presentations. After the presentations, which had a strict timing of 10 minutes per person, the floor was open to inquisitive questions about the presentations and the flaws in the argument presented. This was mostly reliant on one’s own interpretation and perception of an event, hence both the presenter and the audience argued their own viewpoint. After the presentations there was a general consensus within the IB cohort that although satisfied with their presentations, they were relieved to have finished a very vital and important part of their IB course.
Showcase: Art • Drama • Music
Art - Infant & Junior 20
Royalty Recycled! by Deirdre Dunstan, Head of Infant and Junior Art
What did we make? Red, white and blue decorations to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee.
What did we use? Ribbon, CDs, plastic table covers, egg boxes, toilet rolls, newspapers, paper plates, plastic lids, fabric, plastic pots, yoghurt pots, cereal boxes, plastic bottles, tinsel, string, sellotape, glue and paint.
How did we make them? Collaged, painted, printed and wove.
What did we enjoy doing? Sorting, selecting, designing, painting, cutting, snipping, bending, sticking, twisting, gluing, pressing, pushing, poking, pulling, stitching, fixing, hanging and CELEBRATING!
Showcase: Art • Drama • Music
Art - Senior
The final term of the year always sees the art department building towards the GCSE, AS and A2 art exhibition. Art is made to be seen, enjoyed and perhaps to provoke. It’s not only the students involved that take pride in this, but the department as well. The technicians take a crucial role in presentation and display, their quietly unassuming presence ensuring an exhibition of which all can be proud.
The work last year was perhaps the most varied yet in terms of materials used and contextual reference. At GCSE we saw the first piece of animation undertaken in the 10-hour examination. Paperback books were turned into an improbably balanced and very beautiful sculpture. Students ambitiously tackled 6’ x 4’ paintings or worked with exquisite detail on precious, jewel-like pieces constructed from wire. Projectors and lights were used to expose a play on words and sometimes materials were pared down to their minimum and used in elegant, simple ways. One of the A2 candidates printed an etching across four panels of rice paper, strung floor to ceiling, creating a piece of work that not only demonstrated excellent graphic skills but also an understanding of the value of rhythm and composition, not being afraid to leave large, restful areas of space. It is exciting that a body of students, exposed to the same group of teachers, can produce such varied outcomes. Hard work and passion is perhaps needed on both sides of this partnership.
It was a pleasure to see Junior School, and some Infant School pupils, visiting the exhibition, making a drawing and voting for their favourite piece. In some cases, proudly leading their peers to see what older siblings had produced. After all, we would hope that amongst them were inspired individuals that will make up future cohorts. The private view saw parents and students enjoying the exhibition, while listening to a varied set of music organised by the music department and some talented students. It is a pleasure to see the Arts supporting and complementing each other in this way. Indeed music had inspired some of the work exhibited and the GCSE dance group visited to gather ideas and thoughts about a piece of dance to be developed next term. Practicing artists were invited in to select prize winners. These were Elena Coates, Edwin Fung, Raushan Firaq, Catherine Jack and Samantha Devine, with Emily McDonald, Alumni 2012, taking the overall prize. All should be proud of their achievements. Votes for the visitors choice were counted after the exhibition came down and this award went to Lilith van der Hulst, Y12.3 whose work captured the eye of many. A huge congratulations to Lilith.
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Senior Art Update by Debbie Coulson, Senior Art Teacher
Drama 22
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Showcase: Art • Drama • Music
Drama Focus on Year 5 by Theresa Chapman, Drama Specialist During Term 3, Year 5 had specialist Drama lessons to support their topic work on the Greeks. Students began their lessons looking at gods and goddesses in Greek mythology and they explored their stories and traits. The students then learnt about the story of Theseus and the Minotaur which saw classes debating who should be sent to Crete and creating a real labyrinth in the drama studios. Students enjoyed moving through the labyrinth in role as Theseus and reflecting on how he might have felt. The Wooden Horse of Troy became the focus of their final lessons and students scripted and performed their own duologues in which they became citizens of Troy, discussing their opinions on whether the horse should be accepted as a gift or burnt to the ground! “It was lots of fun and I learnt more about Greek drama.” Anya “We learnt how to co-operate better and worked well together.” John “I liked the fact that we didn’t just learn about one thing – we learnt about lots of Greek things!” Lily
Senior Drama Update by Hilary Jenner, Head of Drama Term 3 was a really busy time for performance in the Drama department. There were stunning GCSE performances from the Year 11 students with pieces ranging from explorations of political issues as varied as life in North Korea under Kim Jong Il and the lives of those involved in the London Riots to a range of personal stories of people such as Marilyn Monroe’s mother and her struggle with schizophrenia. We saw a classical monologue from Pierre Corneille and a fast and frantic duologue from the farce ‘The Virtuous Burglar’ by Dario Fo. The Year 12 students performed an intensely moving piece by Naomi Wallace about the effect of the Afghan war on both the American soldiers and the local people called ‘No Such Cold Thing’. Lastly, there was the delightfully tender exploration of the lives of children surviving after a devastating war by telling each other ‘Stories in the Dark’. The set and the lighting for this piece were truly stunning and revealed the fantastic talents of the backstage crew and actors alike.
Showcase: Art • Drama • Music
Music
Junior Music Update by Fiona Knight Lucas, Head of Junior Music
Infant Music Update by Caroline Francis, Head of Infant Music Our young Infant performers were kept busy in Term 3. Week 1 saw the commitment and hard work of all ensemble members pay off during a special Infant Ensembles Concert. The Infant Choir sung demanding songs with wide pitch ranges and split parts, recorder groups displayed their new skills with some entertaining tunes, 29 strings players (28 violinists and one cellist) demonstrated their developing ensemble playing skills, dance groups livened up the day dressed in 70’s disco outfits and the ukulele ensembles strummed away to an impressed audience. There were also some impressive singing soloists and accomplished instrumental soloists who performed their Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) grade exam pieces. All acts were introduced by MC’s Hadar Weinstein and Jake Reynolds. The Term 3 ukulele group, who missed out on the Ensembles Concert, were asked to play for the Year 13 leaver’s assembly. They accompanied themselves whilst singing a goodbye song. It was a touching moment to see the youngest students of the school wishing good luck to the oldest students. They were then invited to perform the same song at the final end of year whole-school assembly with Mr Derby-Crook. Reception finally got their turn to entertain towards the end of Term 3 with the Reception Animal Concert. The theme this year was the ‘Animal Olympics’ as a little monkey embarked on a search to find which sport would be best for him. Reception children were able to show just how far they had come this year through an enchanting mix of singing, dancing, narrating, instruments and acting.
Year 4 Concert In April we were awed by the Year 4 children’s spectacular production of ‘Come Fly With Me’. Children took their audiences on a magical journey around the world and brought ten different countries to life through a combination of wonderful music, dance and poetry. The concert included a performance of Irish music by 30 violinists, the majority of whom two months prior to the concert had never played the violin before! This was a result of the PTA’s generous donation of violins to the Junior Music Department. The evening concerts were fantastic performances enjoyed by all.
Junior Ensembles Concert The talent and enthusiasm of the 150 members of our 11 Junior music ensembles shone through in their end of year performance. The large numbers of performers from beginners to advanced, recorders to euphonium, classical to rock entertained a packed audience. As Mr Derby-Crook commented, “The passion for and enjoyment of playing and singing music was very evident from the many earnest and smiling faces of the children.” Junior Lunchtime Recitals Our Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 lunchtime recitals have continued to be a popular gathering place for a lunchtime spent enjoying musical performances by peers in the Berrick Foyer. It is lovely to see the support offered by performers and audience members at these events.
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It was another busy and exciting term in the Junior Music Department.
A Year in Senior Music by Malcolm Godsman, Head of Senior Music It was another dynamic, busy and challenging year for Senior Music, in the classroom, on the stage and beyond! Three new members joined the team, Mr Godsman (Head of Senior Music), Mrs Owain and Mr Hyland, all ably joining Mr Baxter. The new team has brought fresh and exciting ideas for teaching and performing along with new opportunities for the students. Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have experienced a new curriculum as well as singing as a whole year group at two of our Senior Ensemble Concerts. Our students in Year 10 were the first cohort to study the new iGCSE music. Orchestras, choirs, jazz, rock and ceilidh bands as well as solos and ensembles performed at a wide range of events including Senior Ensembles, Kranji, St George’s Church, Assemblies, the International School’s Choral Music Society in Beijing and Our World Day, demonstrating enthusiasm and musical passion. Students were also fortunate to experience stunning performances from two large visiting groups, the Dunvant Welsh Male Voice Choir and the Desford Colliery Brass Band. Senior Music is excited to have moved into a brand new purpose-built department this term providing superb facilities in which the senior students can work, rehearse and perform. The school musical, ‘Return to the Forbidden Planet’ will also be something special for our students to look forward to. Thank you to all students who took part in music last year as well as our instrumental staff, wider school staff and parents for all your support.
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Term 3 Highlights Round Up of 2011-12 by Colin Morris, Director of Sports and Activities What a wonderful year of sport at Tanglin. Last year, we managed to field competitive teams from Year 3 all the way through to Year 13, a simply amazing achievement. Over a third of the school community was involved in sport at a competitive level last year, including over 100 different teams, in over 10 different sports. As always, the Sports Days and Mini Olympics were a great success, with school records being broken throughout the school. The sporting legacy at Tanglin is a truly outstanding one, not only here in Singapore, but all over South-East Asia. Continuing with our status as a ‘League 1’ school at FOBISSEA and SEASAC is just the start, and with sporting tours now to the Middle East and Australia to compete in international sporting events, Tanglin sport is only moving in one direction.
of season’ sport for the senior students will be a major change. This will allow students to represent Tanglin at more than one sport, whilst ensuring that they still have the same level of commitment to our sporting teams. This change will sustain a positive team ethos and allow the school to improve on our standing across all competitive sports as we move through the Senior School. These new facilities are some of the best in Singapore schools. In particular, the top of the range Fitness Centre will be used for all levels of athletes; our top sports performers, as well as recreational players and students who just wish to keep fit.
We have major plans to support our growing sports; badminton, tennis and softball, which have been earmarked for development. Golf will also take a new structure, using a new coaching system led by golf professional, Richard Harris. These are exciting times for the developing sports and I am looking forward to seeing how these sports grow over the next two years.
Ensuring that we have a balance between competitive excellence and sport for all is a key goal for my team over the next twelve months. We need a strong, well-motivated and appropriately funded pathway with a strong level of support to enable Tanglin to maintain its position as one of the strongest and most respected sporting schools in the region. However, I am also keen to ensure we have opportunities for those who might not wish to play at a top level but can still have access to a clear and supportive structure where they can get involved and have fun when participating.
During this year we have made some major changes to our sporting structure. No longer using trials in the Junior School has been a major success, giving us more flexibility with competitive and noncompetitive sport, as well as ensuring that we have a pathway for all levels of sporting ability. The introduction of ‘out
We are extremely excited about major developments to our sporting facilities; a new track is being laid at the JHJ Sports Complex, astro-turf is being laid on the Junior School roof to create new teaching spaces for our junior curriculum and competitive sport programme, and finally there is a new Fitness Centre by Gate A.
I started by saying what a wonderful year of sport at Tanglin. With our new facilities, new focuses, new structures and a fantastic student body, I can only see 2012-2013 being even bigger and better!
Swimming Success by Rebecca Richards, Director of Aquatics
We had the biggest and loudest team of swimmers and supporters, a trademark for TTS now, and in true Singapore fashion the sun was relentless. However, keeping our spirits high TTS managed to out do themselves once again! It is the only meet where swimmers from Year 3 get to compete at the same time as swimmers from Year 13. Coaches couldn’t believe that the team could swim faster than they did at SEASAC but records and personal bests fell in almost every race. Our youngsters were incredible and really carried the TTS spirit all the way through the weekend. It was a huge highlight for our junior swimmers as they were able to put all their hard work throughout the year into practice. The roof was brought down when it was announced that TTS won every age group bar one! It was a fabulous way to end our first year and the coaches could not have been more proud of each and every child.
We rounded off the year with the Swimming Awards BBQ. Thank yous were made to our coaches and support staff and awards given out to our swimmers. It was a wonderful opportunity for hundreds of swimmers to get together and celebrate everything we had accomplished throughout the year. It is with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to our leavers – they will all be sorely missed, however we are delighted to welcome new members to our team who are already making their marks! We are very excited to announce that we are officially the TTS Merlions! With a new ‘look’ and a new coach, this means there are more sessions, more opportunity and more meets! We look forward to lots of fun and excitement this year as Tanglin swimming gets bigger and better. Coach Richards, Coach Dean and Coach Jimmy look forward to getting back into the swing of things, and to even more successes. GOOD LUCK MERLIONS!
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Term 3 ended with Gold for Tanglin swimming. After competing against four other schools in the Singapore Swimming Age group Conference (SSAC) since October, it was time to head into the championships. Tanglin hosted the meet over two days at UWC East’s incredible facilities. After training there all year, it almost felt like competing at home for the TTS team.
Junior FOBISSEA Games 2012, Bangkok In June, 36 students from Years 4, 5 and 6 travelled to Bangkok to represent Tanglin in the Junior FOBISSEA Games 2012. The students, six girls and six boys from each year group, had to perform in swimming, athletics, t-ball and football. There were many outstanding team and individual performances, with numerous new personal bests. The TTS Squad won an impressive 22 Gold, 87 Silver and 37 Bronze medals across the 3-day competition. However, it was not just about winning; the students were encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities, be good sportsmen, enjoy the competition and have fun. They grew as athletes and developed as sportsmen as the following quotes demonstrate:
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“I thought FOBISSEA was great. It was a chance to show your sportsmanship and resilience. I think everyone tried to win and tried to fight back when we were losing. FOBISSEA will be something that I will never forget as I get older.” Will Meadows, Y5.2 “Training for FOBISSEA has given me more confidence and courage, and it has certainly improved my personal best in various sports. I also formed special friendships with many team members.” Laura Troth, Y5.4 “Although the whole FOBISSEA trip was amazing, my favorite part was the t-ball day because it was so competitive and everybody had a very important part. I never thought we would achieve Gold, it was such a great feeling.” Maddie O’Brien, Alumni 2012 “FOBISSEA was an amazing experience. From swimming to football, working our hardest and cheering the loudest.” Hannah McLaughlin, Y6.7 “The whole of TTS sat near the edge of the pool shouting and cheering our swimmers on. It was so nice to see all of our team supporting the others no matter whether they were in the same year or not. Everyone took pride in each others achievements.” Gemma Heber Percy, Y7.5 “The FOBISSEA tournament was an exciting and thrilling one. It was my first year and I really enjoyed it. I won three medals! It was amazing to see all my team mates show off their abilities whether in the pool, on the track and field or on the pitch.” Sean Roche Y7.3
Olympic Day Celebrations by Emma Watson, Head of Senior PE On 23 June, Olympic Day is celebrated all around the world encouraging millions of people to get moving and participate in sporting and cultural activities. The goal is to promote participation in sport and spread the Olympic ideals to every corner of the world regardless of age, gender or athletic ability. This year, with the London 2012 Olympics taking place over the summer, Tanglin celebrated Olympic Week in the penultimate week of term. The week kicked off with a flying start at the Senior Sports Day, followed by the Junior and Infant Mini Olympic Sports Days and last but not least, Nursery Sports Day. Sports Days at Tanglin are an excellent way to witness and enjoy incredible student participation alongside some outstanding athletic abilities. During the week, there were fine examples of cross-curricular links, with many lessons and subjects taking on the theme. Whether it was history, languages, library, maths or english, the Olympic fever was prevalent throughout the whole school. The week ended with a fun mufti day with the theme of Olympians and an amazing $1,094 was raised for the charity, Sport Aid.
PTA
Diamond Jubilee Fete
At the end of last year we said a sad goodbye to a few of our members; Justin Regan, Kerry Maxwell and Lee Keenan all left Singapore for different climes. Bev Smith and Reepa Patel, who have been members of the Committee for a number of years, stepped down from their roles. We wish them the very best with their new endeavours. We are pleased to introduce some new faces to the team. A warm welcome to Pamela Hanmer, Deborah Hurd, Julia Wallace, Catherine Myers and Mairisa Andrew who have joined us this year and are a very welcome addition. Term 3 was full of activity with a Quiz Night, Junior Discos and our special Diamond Jubilee Summer Fete. The
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school looked fabulous strewn with bunting and balloons, the weather was perfect and great fun was had by all. Thank you to the wonderful Tanglin community for their support. Thank you to HE Antony Phillipson, The High Commissioner; Dominic Nixon, Chairman of the Board of Governors; and Peter Derby-Crook, CEO of Tanglin Trust School for officially opening the fete. The Gurkha Pipes and Drums made the occasion extremely memorable and were joined by the British Guides and Organisation, Expat Insurance, Minton Treharne & Davies, StarHub, The British Club, Presto Expat Motoring, Sodexo and New Zealand Natural Ice-Cream.
Scouts. Thank you to both these groups for joining us. Thank you also to Tanglin student Harry Mills, for his stunning singing of the National Anthem. Events of this scale would not be possible without the support of some very special people at Tanglin. Our sincere thanks to the Operations, EBT, Security and Maintenance teams for making this event possible. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors for their support; Audi, Eastern Carpets, AAM Advisory, Far East
Also thank you to the fabulous children who performed throughout the day, the Wessex Singers and The Blackberries. Our wonderful MC was Mr Peter Hodgson from Centre Stage and we would like to thank Peter for his support. Thanks must also go to our very own David Ingram for acting as our ‘town crier’. The Committee have some lovely events planned for this term. Our first Quiz Night of the year takes place on 12 October and is always very popular, so make sure you look out for this. Our highly anticipated Christmas Fair will be held at the end of November and is always just the thing to get you in the Christmas spirit! So as you can see, there is lots to look forward to. We always welcome extra hands, so if you are interested in helping the PTA Committee or would like to be more involved, please pop in or drop us a line on ptaoff@tts.edu.sg. We would love to hear from you. Tracy Betteridge PTA President
Student Services Nursing Focus 28
by Sarah Le Grice, Lead Nurse Student Services is made up by the Careers, Nursing, Counselling and PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Careers Education) teams, a group of staff who work hard to support students (and sometimes parents too) in so many areas of school life. In this issue, we focus on the Nursing Team.
School has an important role to play in promoting healthy lifestyles. Promoting health and wellbeing is an important part of every child’s education and is built into the curriculum as part of the PSHCE programme, which is constantly being developed to meet the needs of children and young people today. School Nurses are key professionals in providing the link between health and education. Working closely with management, teachers, counsellors and the PSHCE team, we aim to support children and young people in the developing years to have the best possible health and education outcomes. In practice this means we have a varied role as Tanglin Nurses, not only dealing with the day-to-day first aid but also being involved in the wider elements of school nursing. We have nine full and part-time nurses with several supply and trip nurses who work together as one big team. We are all registered with the Singapore Nursing Board as well as in our own home countries.
Living in a tropical climate we all seem to be exposed to illnesses that in our home countries were never an issue, such as hand, foot and mouth disease and mycoplasma. The challenges we face with the weather, humidity and the haze mean we work closely with the Ministry of Health and Environment, our own school doctor and the wider school community to ensure we are following effective and appropriate procedures. We utilise outside agencies here and in the UK, all experts in their field, to ensure all our policies and standard operating procedures are as evidence-based as possible. With the health of children and young people at the forefront of government policy worldwide, a fundamental role of the school nurse is Health Promotion. This starts with communicating as much information as we can to parents, so they are informed of concerning infectious illnesses circulating and what signs and symptoms to look out for. We are also
involved in supporting the curriculum in each school, from the delivery of assemblies on subjects such as hygiene, sun awareness and nutrition to assisting in the delivery of the PSHCE programme with sex and relationship education, dangers of alcohol and drugs and health tips for those off travelling. And let’s not forget the popular Junior First Aid CCA, where students can work towards their St John Ambulance Young First Aiders Certificate.
29 The wellbeing of students is of paramount importance to us all at Tanglin. As part of Student Services, the nursing team works closely with the counsellors, class teachers and PSHCE co-ordinators to ensure the pastoral needs of our students are met, from helping a new student settle in, to comforting those on trips who are a little homesick. When life is not going well for students, whether it’s a friendship issue, stresses of school work or just a part of growing up, emotions can often manifest in physical ways. The nurses are on hand to listen, comfort and support students, helping them to find strategies to cope and reassuring them that there is always help at hand and that they aren’t alone. The expertise and experience of the School Nurse is imperative in supporting and providing first aid in varied environments from the remote and rocky terrain of Ladakh and the Himalayas to the Malaysian jungles, Malacca and the side lines of school sporting trips. Nurses going on trips are invariably chosen or requested by staff because of their experience with various activities and locations. With International SOS on hand, along with access to a doctor, if there is a need to discuss more complicated cases, we have the best
make an appointment to discuss any concerns about their child’s health. We all have our own interest or extensive experience with a variety of topics such as diabetes, asthma, enuresis, allergies and vaccinations, so if we don’t know the answer, we know someone who will! We enjoy working in partnership with parents. This is important to help students keep themselves healthy and we truly appreciate the support parents give us. possible support and advice and can access the best treatment available.
We try above all to encourage a healthy, happy and safe environment for all our students and staff.
Tanglin staff also benefit from having nursing professionals on site with a staff clinic twice a week with the school doctor. We also arrange Health Awareness days such as breast cancer with the Mammobus and men’s cancer with Movember. Look out for the male staff sporting their moustaches again this year or us all joining in with the Breast Cancer Foundation Pink Walk.
Sarah Le Grice, Lead Nurse Students are able to drop into the Health Centre when they are feeling unwell, although we encourage them not to pop in during their least favourite lesson! We are also on hand for parents, who can drop into the Health Centre or
Creative Writing 30
The Volcano A huge sooty ash cloud hanging over the super high mountain, Loads of people looking way up high. Soon they will know it’s a volcano, It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! Woosh goes the bursting out rocks, Boom goes the fiery lava. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! Angry lava and rocks are bursting out like rockets, Loads of frightened people running like mad. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! Bang, crash go the rocks as they hit the lavary floor, People trying not to get hit. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! Smelling the sad smell of burnt houses makes me want to cry, People running so fast that I can’t see them. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! A long lavary lake flowing through the village, Cutting it in half It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! Spitting out lava and rock, Slower, slower. Boom, boom, Quieter, quieter. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! It’s stopping, it’s stopping. Hurray, hurray. It’s a volcano, it’s a volcano! By Elizabeth Holden, Y3.8
The Piano
The inky piano and magnolia keys gleamed in the dim light. He glanced down, just momentarily, and the gold ring on his finger, which once bound him to his wife, twinkled gently, almost as if it was his wife’s eyes gazing lovingly into his. Her slender hands softly caressed the keys, and he raised his eyes for a glimpse of her. Feeling a soft kiss on his cheek, he whispered, “Oh, you know that distracts me!” A low giggle sounded next to him and he was content. However, his wife’s music began to fade away and the duet melted into a solo. He stared steadfastly ahead and once again he was alone.
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His fingers glided gracefully over the ivory keyboard, tenderly pressing them down in a wistful tune. His heart sobbed and he was the only person in the world, in his world. The world of sorrow.
The melancholy melody echoed mournfully around the darkened room. He poured out his sorrow in the form of music, and he could not recall the last time his heart was this heavy with loss.
By Tara Menon, Y7.6
By Max Arambulo-Miaja, Y9.7
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Book Reviews Senior School Library Book Reviews
Top 5 Most Popular Books
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Ruta Sepetys has written an unforgettable, heart-wrenching novel set in 1941 about the terrors of Stalin’s regime. After talking to her relatives, whilst on a trip back to her hometown in Lithuania, Ruta became convinced that she had to write a story to inform people about these terrible events. Based on interviews conducted with numerous Baltic survivors, meetings with historians and family members, as well as visits to actual locations, Sepetys created this novel about hope and suffering in response to their story. Her novel follows a young Lithuanian girl, Lina Vilkas, who is taken from her home one night by the NKVD, who deport her, her 10-year old brother and mother to Siberia, where they are then forced to work. This gripping, riveting and emotional story of love, hope, suffering and survival is a must-read for all and a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend profusely. Divyani Duggal, Y10.8
A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
Sara Crewe was only seven years old when she was torn from her home in India, where she lived with her father, to be sent to a boarding school in England. In those days, the tropical climate of India was considered unsuitable for the health of the young and it was the practice for children from wealthy families to be sent abroad to be properly educated. This story left a strong impression with me; through this fictional little girl I was shown how powerful and magical the imagined could be. It also illuminated determination and persistence and demonstrated how friendship can survive through the difficulties that life can bring. I thought it was a beautiful and infinitely instructive story to read. However, many people will perhaps disagree, saying it is merely a classic children’s tale, but books such as ‘A Little Princess’ should not be dismissed so lightly. Such stories convey meaning, particularly to children, on numerous levels. As Adeline Yen Mah said: “Classic children’s tales such as the one told in ‘A Little Princess’ should be cherished and not treated lightly... Some contain kernels of truth which may play an important role in developing a child’s mind... To say [this book] changed my life would be an understatement. No other book, before or since, had such a profound effect upon me.” Emma Shleifer, Y10.6
Junior School Library Book Reviews
Top 5 Most Popular Books
Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo Introducing Kyla May Miss. Behaves by Kyla May Mr Gum and The Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton The Shooting Star by Herge Smile is a graphic novel about a true story that happened to the author, Raina Telgemeier, beginning when she was 11 and ending when she is 13. Coming back from a scout meeting, Raina trips and knocks out her front teeth. ‘Smile’ is about all the dental procedures Raina must go through to fix her teeth, which include getting braces twice, embarrassing headgear, surgery and even a retainer with plastic teeth attached to it. If this isn’t bad enough for Raina, she also has a teasing sibling, a crush on a boy, some…not so friendly friends, pierced ears and an obsession with the Little Mermaid. Smile is a funny story that many people, young and old, would enjoy. ‘Smile’ will have you in stitches with laughter at some points, and make you cringe at others. This is a hilarious novel that I recommend to everyone. Annie Pickup, Y7.5
Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School by David Mackintosh
This book is about a new boy who joins a school. The narrator of the story, ‘me’, doesn’t like the new boy because he is different to everyone else. Marshall eats ‘space food’, his ears look like sea shells and he doesn’t have a TV at home but instead reads a newspaper. ‘Me’ (the narrator) started liking Marshall when he went to Marshall’s birthday party and had a great time. I liked the way the author described Marshall Armstrong and in particular the way his house looked; especially the fireman’s pole that they can use to reach the toilet in an emergency. I would recommend this book, especially for Infants because it is an easy picture book. Abigail Collins, Y4.2
Infant School Library Book Reviews
Top 5 Most Popular Books
The Lego Book by Daniel Lipkowitz Ribbit! Flip and See Who Froggy Can Be by Bender & Bender Queen Elizabeth II by John Malam The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldon Star Wars: The Clone Wars : Character Encyclopedia I like books about different countries because I like to travel around the world. My favourite country is France. I love learning about this country. Connor Mullany, Y3.6 My favourite books to read are the ones about cooking. I like these types of books because they always have yummy food inside! Emma Gardner, Y3.7
I love books about ballerinas. I would love to be a ballerina when I am older. Sayaka Hohl, Y1.5 I like reading books about God because I like to pray. I borrow these types of books from the Infant Library because they are really nice. Kamran Din, Y3.7
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Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Parent Book Reviews from the Professional Development Centre Library
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.
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The Rough Guide to Travel with Babies and Young Children Travelling with young children can often be a challenging task, especially for those who are new to the experience! Thankfully Rough Guides have produced a comprehensive travel/guide book entitled ‘The Rough Guide to Travel with Babies and Young Children’. This wonderful resource is divided into five main sections, each providing information and tips, much like a traditional travel guide book, although not specific to any one country. To those well-travelled, the Guide may appear vague and quite obvious. However, there are still a number of tips and suggestions that I found quite useful. The checklists are particularly helpful when planning your trip, especially for young families who are yet to develop their intrepid travel skills! ‘The Rough Guide to Travel with Babies and Young Children’ is a handy resource for families who travel a lot – particularly those who are new to the travelling lifestyle. Information is provided on everything from choosing airlines to tips on travelling by different modes of transport (including handy tips on car-seats!). I found the breakdown of information (logistics, local customs, etiquette etc.) on the different continents and regions of the world particularly useful. I recommend this book as a guide for busy parents who are new to travelling with families. Nicole Price, Parent
The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease I believe that one of the most important things you can do as a parent is to read aloud to your child. The ‘Read-Aloud Handbook’, by Jim Trelease, is an inspiring read that supports this view. This book has become a classic manual on reading aloud to children, and is now in its sixth edition. Although this new edition covers many of the new technologies that didn’t exist during the early 1980s, the book’s core message has remained – that reading aloud to children is an important part of your child’s education. Trelease explains how to get children to love reading so that their imagination can be awoken and how reading aloud improves a child’s language skills. He provides easyto-read tips on how to commence a read-aloud regime at home, and also provides a list of book choices that can encourage children to love reading. The sixth edition has new advice, testimonials and quotes. He provides advice for parents about reading aloud to each age group and addresses important issues, both social and academic. Throughout the book he shares valuable lessons from celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and discusses the Harry Potter phenomenon. This book is a wonderful, informative resource for the home and library. Favourite quotes from the book: “This is not a book about teaching a child how to read; it’s about teaching a child to want to read. There’s an education adage that goes, ‘What we teach children to love and desire will always outweigh what we make them learn.’ ‘...Research shows that the seeds of reading and school success are sown in the home, long before the child ever arrives at school.’ Sadiah Hills, Parent
The Last Word
The New Senior School West Wing As the Project Director for the 5-storey new Senior School West Wing Construction, it gives me great pleasure to write this article with Assistant Project Manager, Kris Ong, and to provide an overview of the space and design intent of this latest addition on campus.
ceiling fans, which keep the canteen cool and breezy, are twice as energy efficient as the conventional ones. At the students’ request, extra power points were provided for laptop/ipad charging. The second storey is an extension of the science department, with an additional five laboratories, a chemical preparation room and a staff workroom. Stringent material selection was made to ensure the durability of the furniture and sanitary fittings in the corrosive environment. All labs have night blinds, to allow experiments to be conducted in the dark, and wall mounted LCD monitors around the lab support IT learning.
The building, which was completed in August, adds 3,600m2 comprising eating and social spaces on the first storey; learning spaces on the second, third and fourth storeys; and an examination hall on the fifth storey. The West Wing also links up to the existing Senior School Building, Old Sixth Form Centre and the Junior School Building at every floor. A new canteen on the first storey makes it possible for senior students to have a common lunch break. The unconventional design features a red theme with oval floating ceiling panels. The six Haiku
the electricity monitors installed in two of the rooms – one with light shelf and one without.
On the third floor, classrooms are specially designed for music curriculum. There are two large music classrooms, four smaller practice rooms, a Music IT suite supported by iMacs and electronic keyboards, a main rehearsal space for big performing groups and a professional recording and performance studio. The rooms are soundproofed with enhanced acoustic quality thanks to the special doors and 180mm thick insulation lining the walls, ceiling and floor. There are eight new classrooms on the fourth level, some featuring light shelves on the window frames. Light shelves are an architectural innovation bringing daylight right into the room, and reducing the need for artificial light on sunny days. Students can actively monitor the difference in electricity consumption with
The fifth storey consists of a main examination hall and two smaller tutorial rooms. The exam hall can sit up to 178 candidates at a single session. The patented Legrand raised-floor system provides power and data connection to all the desks to support computer-based examinations. During non-examination periods, the hall becomes a social space for students to mingle and collaborate. An operable wall system separates the hall into two smaller spaces allowing enhanced flexibility on the usage of the space. As a certified BCA Green Mark Facilities Manager I am delighted that the new West Wing has been certified as a Green Mark Gold building and was built with green concrete produced from recycled aggregate. Cabinets were constructed using formaldehyde-free timber and low-VOC glue. Windows are fitted with low-emissivity glass to limit heat transmission into the interior space. Creeper plants planted along the linkway to the Junior School building and potted plants along the windows of the exam hall adds greenery to the surroundings. Even the water plumbing fittings are efficient with three ticks under the PUB Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. It has been exciting to be involved in the development of another excellent facility for the school.
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by Brian Teng, Director of Operations and Project Director
95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299 www.tts.edu.sg Tel: 6778 0771 Fax: 6777 5862 Email: communications@tts.edu.sg