Weekly Update #22, 12 March 2021

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UPrep Talk #10 - ‘Show Me the Money’

Welcome to this year’s last UPrep Talk #10. The topic will be ‘Show Me the Money’. It this session we will compare the costs of different universities, countries and systems. We will outline key terminology and talk through basic information about financial aid and scholarships procedures. Meet us in the Secondary Hall (4th floor) on Thursday 18th March at 8:15 am.

Appeal From the Art Department

The Art department needs kitchen and toilet roll tubes for a sculpture project. If you have any at home please could you kindly leave them in the art department, preferably neatly in a corner. -Ms Jody Leow

Preschool appear to enjoy swimming more and more with every class, with many children asking me every day if today is swimming day! That is definitely a positive sign that the children enjoy themselves in the pool. But it is not just fun, swimming also provides lots of health benefits which can help to keep your children healthy and happy at the same time. Not only does swimming keep your child’s heart and lungs healthy, improve strength and flexibility, increase stamina, it even improves balance and posture! And if that wasn’t enough, swimming also enables children to improve essential skills such as coordination and concentration and also greatly helps in the early development of fine and gross motor skills. Wow, so much fun and so many benefits; no wonder the children love it so much! -Ms Charlotte Myers

Last week in Reception Blue the children took part in project week with the theme ‘There is no planet B’. We focused on the endangered species; Orangutans. Did you know that over 60 percent of orangutan habitats in Indonesia and Malaysia have been destroyed in the past four decades? To begin the week we read the story ‘There’s a Rang-Tan in my Bedroom’. The children showed great interest in the story and developed a very good understanding of the meaning behind it. We then created some forest pictures. We practised our cutting skills; cutting out trees and Orangutans. Further crafts we completed included handprint Orangutans and junk modelling using a variety of recycled resources. Thank you to everyone who brought in resources for our junk modelling. The children had lots of fun getting creative with them. Throughout project week various areas of development were covered such as literacy, understanding the world, physical development and personal social and emotional development. -Ms Hayley Fry

Congratulations to our Primary Students of the Month for English: Danny, Praewa, Jasmine, Rebecca, Lincoln, Angela, Natthe, Taara and Vanessa. Well done and keep up the good work!

In Humanities Year 1 White have been trying Thai snacks. We have learnt about Thai food, clothes and the flag. Some children dressed in traditional clothes to show us. -Ms Emma Spencer (Click on photos to expand)

As part of our animals topic in Science Year 1 visited the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. We learnt about how they have rescued elephants from logging and tourism and how they care for the animals. We even saw elephants in the hydro pool! We loved feeding the elephants bananas and watermelon. We learn so much in our time with the elephants. -Ms Spencer

The children in Year 1 and 2 had a fantastic time learning all about orangutans. During one lesson, we decided to feed the hungry animals by making rainforest smoothies prepared with all the freshest ingredients for them to try. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any orangutans to give them to so we had to drink them ourselves!! A big thank you to Ms Wintersgill and Chef for helping to organise this amazing experience for the KS1 team. -Ms Lauren Rose

We would like to thank Khun Bim, mother of Brighton in Year 5 and Ben in Year 7, for taking the time to show the Year 5 students how to make ‘Krathong Tong’. This activity was a lot of fun for the students and they enjoyed cooking with their friends. -Kru Pim and Kru Way

English Department

Although not a Manchester United fan (I have taste), their last great manager Sir Alex Ferguson certainly had a way with words. One of his more enduring phrases was ‘squeaky bum time’, a reference to the part of the season where teams’ mettle was tested; which team would best hold their nerve in the run-in to emerge as champions in May? At school now for Year 11 and 13, we are very much at ‘squeaky bum time’ as well. Let’s avoid the use of the word ‘stress’ though, a biological term with psychological and physiological symptoms. Instead, I prefer to couch this time as a ‘pressurised environment’ and in the English faculty, we are doing all we can to support and prepare the students for their impending examinations. Here for example, we see a Year 11 class practising the skills they’ve been revising in controlled conditions. Not only will they benefit from the feedback they’ll receive - in terms of being able to target their revision to address areas of weakness - but they also learn vital exam skills of time management and deciphering exam rubric.

At home, I would ask parents of students studying for exams to check in with your children regularly, ask them what they’re revising and how they’re managing. Showing an interest and being supportive does, of course, go such a long way. All of this should, we hope, ensure that our students - like Ferguson’s players so often did - emerge victorious come May! -Mr. Pollicutt, Head of English

Year 10 have been learning to draw the face and figure. They have learnt to use their pencil as a measuring tool and drawn from our life model Ms Wipawee. -Ms Jody Leow

In this week’s Running ASP students worked in teams of two. Their challenge was to collect as many rubber counters in their bucket as possible; the pair with the most won house points! They got a counter for every lap they completed, so teamwork was really on point this week. Well done to Colin and Haima for winning the challenge, collecting a total of 27 laps between them! This week, we burnt 300 calories and clocked up 5.4 kilometres! If you are looking to have fun, get fit and improve your running skills, you are welcome to join us! -Ms Charlotte Myers

A big congratulations to JieJie in Year 7 who has won the Silver Medal and achieved ‘Roll Prize’ in the ‘American Mathematics Competition 8’. AMC8 is a mathematic examination for Middle School (Grade 8 or Year 9 and below)​ designed by the Mathematical Association of America. It has been going since 1950 and has grown to over 300,000 participants worldwide. Keep up the good work JieJie!