NLCS Jeju Weekly Newsletter 8 January 2021

NEWSWEEK

North London Collegiate School Jeju

WELCOME TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

08 January 2021

SURVEYS STUDENT LEADERS

PASTORAL MESSAGE STUDENTS

1

A Letter From The Principal

Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends of NLCS Jeju Happy New Year to the NLCS Jeju community!

I would like to begin by also extending a very warm welcome to the parents and 52 new students who joined this term across the whole school, 10 of whom are boarders.

Term has begun with a combination of face-to-face teaching and learning and online/distance learning for our students. It has been very apparent, though, that students have missed the interaction and life of school which makes NLCS Jeju such a vibrant community while we have been on our Winter holidays. As a school community we are working to ensure that all students receive all the pastoral support and emotional guidance they need, as well as maintaining all the usual NLCS Jeju “beyond the curriculum� experiences.

These remain very uncertain times. I thank parents, students and staff for their resilience and support as we are faced with constant changes to current practices and the ways in which our education can be delivered. We will continue to stream a range of events and also offer online parent meetings and Open Houses so that everyone is able to feel part of our community.

We have our usual Options events for students in Years 9 and 11 this term to inform both students and parents about the IGCSEs and the IB Diploma Programme. In this time of uncertainty we will also keep you informed of any changes to the examination season as they occur for students in Years 11 and 13 and of all the requirements for university submissions.

Yours sincerely, Lynne Oldfield Principal

PROTOCOL/MEASURES /GUIDELINES

North London Collegiate School Jeju

We are excited to embark on Term 2 - a term which starts in snowy January and takes us all the way to Easter and Founders Day. We acknowledge that we are still in extraordinary times and we reassure you that we are doing all we can to keep our community safe.

Measures include • • • • • • • • • •

Reduced numbers of students on campus in line with government requirements Online classes for all students who are not on campus (see table for rotation) Social distancing Masks to be worn at all times by students and teachers Thermal imaging cameras Temperature checks Emphasis on handwashing and regular sanitisation COVID-19 tests strongly recommended for anyone returning from the mainland Contact and travel surveys for parents, students, staff and and visitors Restricted access to the campus for any visitors.

CAMPUS CLASSES - W/C 11 January Please make sure you check this carefully and look out for any more updates from the Principal and Bursar.

Date

Years groups on Campus with normal class teaching

Year Groups with online/ distance learning

Monday 11 January 2021

First School: Reception, Year 1 Senior School Years 8, 11,13

First School: 2 Lower School: Years: 3,4, 5, 6 Senior School: Years 7,9,10,12

Tuesday 12 January 2021

First School: Reception, Years 1, Lower School Years 3JVA Senior School Years 10 boys,11,13

First School: Year 2 Lower School:Years 3ARE and 3LI, 4 and 5, 6 Senior School: Years 7, 8, 9, 10 girls, 12

Wednesday 13 January 2021

First School: Reception, Year 1, Lower School Year 4 Senior School Years 10 girls, 11,13

Thursday 14 January 2021

First School: Reception, 2JBR Lower School Year 5 Senior School Years 9 Boys,11,13

First School: 2 Lower School: Years 3, 5, 6 Senior School: Years 7, 8, 9,10 boys, 12 First School: Years 1, 2KTA and 2MWA Lower School: Years: 3,4 ,6 Senior School: Years 7, 8, 9 girls, 10,12

Friday 15 January 2021

First School: Reception, Lower School Year 6 Senior School Years 9 girls, 11,13

First School:1, 2 Lower School: Years 3, 4, 5, Senior School: Years 7, 8, 9 boys,10,12

SURVEYS

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Please ensure that your Travel and Contact Surveys are up to date at all times.

See Links COVID-19: Travel Survey STUDENT COVID-19: Travel Survey PARENTS

OUR NEW STUDENTS DIVERSITY WEEK

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We are delighted to welcome many new students to our community this term. NLCS Jeju is a highly competitive and sought after school throughout Korea and Asia and each of our new students will bring many gifts to the school whatever their age and stage whether they join in Reception or the Sixth Form! We held a socially distanced and safe Induction Day on Sunday January 3 where our House staff and House Captains showed new students around and welcomed them into their new homes. VP, Head of Juniors, Mr. Jeremy Freeman and his team welcomed many new Junior School students including a full Year 6 class who will receive a fantastic grounding before they move into Year 7 with their friends in August.

Please say hello to all our new faces and make them feel part of the School.

WINTER STUDENTCONCERT LEADERS

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Our NLCS Jeju Head Boy, Nick Oh and Head Girl, Elysia Bae have a message for all students that inclusion is key.

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Dear Students (New & Old) And Parents A warm welcome back to returning students and greetings to our new NLCS Jeju family members! We understand that having to attend school sporadically throughout the online learning period may not be the ideal start to your journey at NLCS. Most of you would have been expecting a normal return to school but the situation with COVID isn’t as good as it could be.

But even in these uncertain times, it’s important that we look out for each other and come together (metaphorically speaking — please do keep socially distancing!) as one.You know what they say, the rough times will only make you stronger.

When you’re at NLCS Jeju, you know that the school will keep you busy from even thinking about the “Corona Blues”. If you’re our Year 11s and 13s, best of luck on your mock exams and for the rest of you guys, let’s make 2021 count.

Remember, the ‘1’ in 2021 makes all the difference!

Elysia and Nick

IMPORTANT CHRISTMAS PASTORAL Junior School Christmas Cracker MESSAGE

North London Collegiate School Jeju

In the Senior School,VP - Head of Pastoral, Mr.Toby Waterson has a message for all students - new and old - and all parents.

When I think back over the past 10 years I remember the names and faces of hundreds, if not thousands, of boys and girls who have studied at NLCS Jeju.

We are aware that children and their parents spend a good deal of time deciding on which school to attend. Every family who chooses to send their child to NLCS Jeju has made a ‘big’ decision.The vast majority of children settle and are successful here at the School but some of them find school life difficult at first. There is no doubt though that starting life in a new school is a common challenge children face all over the world. For many children, it can be one of the most daunting things that they will ever do. At NLCS Jeju there are other things that can make induction and adaptation and settling in even harder! Though our school is in Korea, it is very much an educational experience which is like that of a UK independent school and thus very different from a Korean state school (which is the system many of our new children know). For example, the teaching style is very different, classes move around rather than teachers, there is less reliance on textbooks, the language of instruction and communication is in English and this can mean a culture shock for newcomers. There are new rules. Passwords. Everything is so different. The pace and diversity of the school week is another aspect of life here which takes some getting used to.

The school takes action before, during and after a new student joins the School. We train and assign student “buddies” to help new students find their way about and understand School systems. We ensure that the child’s Tutor, Head of Year and House staff support and talk with the new child in the first few weeks at the school. There is other support in place, for example, older student “Peer mentors” and from the emotional guidance counselling team.

One of the key messages that we give to new children who join the school is that it is okay to ask for help and to express that some things are difficult. Many of the children at NLCS Jeju have recent memories of joining and are empathetic. It is also important to “get stuck in” and get involved in activities which help children build relationships and feel more confident being in their new surroundings. What newcomers must remember is that they are now a member of the school community and they are deserving of that place in it.

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES

North London Collegiate School Jeju

It has been difficult for Ms Cristyn Draper, Head of Music to deliver the Junior School Christmas Cracker as planned - as COVID Guidelines have meant that students have not been in together. But we have been innovative and each item has been recorded and shared with parents and a whole concert film produced which will be shared with parents. From beautiful ballerinas to the Grinch at Christmas to classical ensembles it has been amazing. We hope you’ve enjoyed it and you can see it HERE.

Those children who join our boarding system may find it challenging to begin with and homesickness is an additional feeling to have to conquer. However, in the long run boarders tell us that they find it easier to establish meaningful and long-lasting friendships and are more confident when they leave the school to move onto university about the challenges that lie ahead.

NLCS Jeju is a school which provides a huge amount of opportunity and challenge and support for our students. It is in this way that the girls and boys at NLCS Jeju learn to become confident, independent and capable of effective leadership.

There is a sign over the Pyong-Hwa Ro that is there to greet tourists to Jeju “We love having you here” it proclaims. This sentiment is echoed in our school when new children arrive and it is our intention that they will one day be welcoming others to their school, this School. We are all here to help at all times.

IMPORTANT PASTORAL MESSAGE

North London Collegiate School Jeju

On behalf of the Junior School, Mr. Freeman adds This January we have opened a new Year 6 class as well as welcoming a number of new students from other year groups, particularly Year 5. During the past few months we interviewed some wonderful children and we are so pleased they have been able to begin at NLCS Jeju this year. There was a lot of preparation involved in getting ready for the new students but on January 4 2021 they all eagerly arrived. The Year 6 children met their new tutors, Ms. Lai Lai Luo and Ms. Eun Mi Jeong, Assistant Head, Ms. Megan Hardy and Assistant Vice Principal, Mr. Richard Washington. Additionally, lots of important information was shared by our current Little 8 who each spoke about a different area of school life and then took the new children on a tour of the school, in small groups.

It will take time for 6IJ, as the new Year 6 class is called, and the new children from other year groups, to get used to their new school, but it was very obvious from the first day, how happy they were to be here.

We will ensure there is ongoing support in place for these new students, for the rest of this academic year - settling into a new environment does not happen in one week but takes time and commitment. This support comes from tutors, subject teachers, counsellors, our pastoral team, and of course the other students.

We look forward very much to being able to have all children in School again, and indeed welcoming parents back, too. The atmosphere of a full and busy NLCS Jeju Junior School is a wonderful one and we all can’t wait to have you all here together.

North London Collegiate School Jeju

EVENTS AND DATES

North London Collegiate School Jeju

We have started the term with reduced numbers in School and a rotation of students in-class and students having online learning. We are hoping to run as many events and performances as possible but we ask you to be patient and watch out for communications about what’s coming up. Please note the following dates Friday 15 January - Online Information Session (Senior School) Friday 22 January - Online Information Session (Junior School) Friday 5 February - Sunday 14 February - HALF TERM BREAK Tuesday 9 March and Weds 10 March - Senior School Musical Wednesday 24 March - Founders Day Thursday 25 March - Easter Break begins

UGC

What to Expect This Term Our Year 13 students have been incredibly busy as they come to the end of their time here at NLCS Jeju. The culmination of the School career is the university application process. As always we thank all our University Guidance Counselors for their hard work and patience as they help every one of our Class of 2021 through their applications to universities in the US, UK and around the world.

We are currently starting to hear about Early Decisions from US colleges and will be letting you know details very soon. We should hear about Oxbridge applications in late January (last year we had ten offers which broke Korean records). We can’t wait to hear about this year’s students!

UK offers for other universities will come in over the course of the next 5 months depending on the course and institution. In March/April we hear about the majority of US offers.

We will keep you updated throughout the next few months and we wish all our students the best of luck as they await the results!

Korean University Acceptances - Class of 2020 We are delighted to share that our Class of 2020 have done exceptionally well with applications to elite Korean universities. Most of our students choose to go to the US or UK but others wish to stay and move into the prestigious Korean system. It is difficult to achieve a place at the top universities when you have not been in the Korean system but NLCS Jeju always outperforms other international schools. Our counselling teams are completely up to speed with the requirements of the Korean system and in particular, Mr Sung Hyun Baek is an expert in the entry requirements. He is highly respected by these University Admissions departments and we are grateful to him and the whole team for their commitment and expertise.

Our class of 2020 achieved the following offers 1. Seoul National University - Dept. of Archaeology and Art History 2. Postech - undecided major 3.Yonsei University - Underwood International College 4.Yonsei University - Underwood International College 5. Kookmin University - International Business School 6. Inha University - International Trade Please talk to our team if you’d like to know more.

GEC ACADEMY COMPETITION

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Well done to Minseo Cha, Flora Park, Hyunwoong Moon and Scott Ryou who have participated in the GEC Business Competition II and been extremely successful. There were three competitions - Online platform competition, Stock market challenge and The GEC Academy. Students from all four schools in the GEC entered these business competitions and were tested on their research abilities, business acumen and hard work and knowledge! Minseo Cha tells us “We had to create an “Academy”, a hagwon, in the GEC area with a profitable business model and one that meets the demands of the local populace. We won first place for the High School division.

I think identifying a business niche in the market by conducting extensive and in-depth market research, and creating a concrete financial plan contributed to our success.

The judges also praised our SWOT analysis, cash flow forecast, consideration of COVID-19 protection, and property research” Well done to Minseo, Flora and their advisor, Ms. Arunima Paliwal. If you’d like to know more about this then please ask Ms. Paliwal or Mr. Raymond Maher .

PUBLICATIONS We are always amazed at the quality of our student publications. It’s truly wonderful to see the ability of our students to produce such great writing and design while fulfilling their academic commitments and attending such a variety of co-curricular and other activities.

This week has seen the publication of three publications Islander - Issue 24. This is one of our longest running publications and it’s seen as the showcase of student writing.This time the theme was Evolution and pieces include Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Eugene Cho, The Evolution of the NBA by Daniel Lee and The Evolution of Advertising by Bonnie Hyun. There is also a lovely Junior School section featuring poetry by lots of the students. The magazine is a visual delight and we urge you to take a look. Let Mr. Raymond Maher (link Teacher) know your thoughts.

Read Islander 24 HERE La Musawah - Issue 2. Editor, Angelina Lee and Designer, Stella Han and their talented team have produced another fantastic magazine on all things to do with equality and feminism. Politics, current affairs and more are all explored from a feminist perspective.

The magazine is brave, bold and thought provoking.

Read La Musawah HERE

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Sustainability - Issue 6. Editor, Minseo Cha and her team in the Environmental Studies Society are committed to regular publication of Sustainability magazine.This issue includes key environmental events in the calendar and some in depth pieces on Joe Biden and his agenda, Water Pollution and on the fallout from nuclear disaster. This is a must read for all of us who are committed to preserving the future of our planet.

Read Sustainability HERE And A Teacher Writes…

Mr. Nick Chaddock has shared with us his piece for International Teacher Magazine. He explains the value of getting outside and exploring nature in his piece titled The Great Escape. As he says “will our children really help save something they are not passionate about, cannot relate to, or have not even seen?”

Read the piece HERE

BEDTIME STORIES

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Thank you again to the Junior School for their Christmas Bedtime Stories. Throughout December many of the teachers read favourite stories so all our students could listen whether in School, online learning or during the holidays. These are still available to view on the special YouTube channel HERE and include Ms. Kerrie Tamlyn reading Dot in the Snow, Ms. Justine Whitney reading Oh, Christmas Tree and Mr. Richard Washington (in a very fetching outfit) reading Peace At Last.

One highlight was Mr. Mark Eyton Jones who read his own newly published book - Flob - about an alien who tries to talk to animals. We’ll have more about this book next week!

LINK TO BEDTIME STORIES ON YOUTUBE HERE

Final Festive Fun! Thank you to Ms Hayeon Park who shared this lovely special version of “Jingle Bell Maths” sung beautifully by her Year 9 Girls in their last class of term. Thank you for cheering us up, girls!

YEAR 9 GIRLS

STUDENTS

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Jeju Equestrian Festival - Year 6 Jaewon Son

Jaewon Son has won first place in the youth group at the equestrian competition hosted by the Jeju Equestrian Federation and Let’s Run Park. Horse riding is his favorite hobby because it is full-body exercise and allows him to communicate with animals. He also would like to introduce the joy and the benefit of horseback riding and wants his friends to ride with him someday. Well done Jaewon!

STUDENTS

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Year 8 boys performing sonnets Ms. Louise Symonds shared these lovely pictures of her Year 8 boys’ class in the days just before Christmas. They performed their own sonnets by the NLCS tower. Check out the pictures below to see how perfectly prepared they were!

BABIESof the week Photo Credits to Patrick Youell and James Tuffs for great pictures!

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Photo of the week

North London Collegiate School Jeju

Photo of the week

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