Head Master

Dear Parents

I reflect upon a year of two halves. Up to Christmas, school life was as near normal at Harrow Bangkok for your children as anywhere else in the world. Aside from the basic precautions such as mask wearing, with zero local COVID cases, we were able to proceed with most activities and events. I remember feeling how lucky we were! Then the virus returned during the Christmas holiday, and the second half of the year has seen us return to online learning.

I also reflect on the history of medicine: many medical advances have been spurred on by crises. Alexander Fleming discovered the antibacterial properties of penicillin in 1929, but he was not able to persuade others of the importance of his discovery at the time. It was the Second World War which spurred the government of the USA to invest in its development. Penicillin was instrumental in reducing the number of deaths caused by infected wounds in allied soldiers, and mass production swiftly followed. Whilst we understandably focus on the negative impacts of the pandemic, we can see the efforts put into vaccine development to protect us from COVID 19, including some new technologies. Within Harrow Bangkok, online learning has advanced the ICT skills of our staff, and this too includes new discoveries which will become ‘COVID Keeps’, teaching and learning strategies we will use long after this pandemic ends.

With the arrival of vaccines, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we hope for a near normal 2021/2022 school year.

Thank you for your understanding and support in these difficult times.

Jon Standen Head Master