Maths Challenge Day was a huge success with the whole school focusing on independent and collaborative maths challenges throughout the day, helping the children not only develop their mathematical skills but also their personal qualities. The Teraja/Melilas Sports Day was equally impressive, with the children exhibiting their sporting skills and whilst being cooperative and respectful at all times with their fellow competitors (the parents and teachers exhibited these qualities as well!)
Our Reception children showcased their learning withA'Brilliant Bugs Ball', which definitely lived up to its name. Our older children have been developing their ecological samping skills and learning about fluids and forces. I mentioned the fabulous Melilas 'Dream of Shakespeare' extravaganza in my last message, and in this edition, you can see some fabulous photos from each of the three performances.
A big congratulations to our Teraja students who have participated in BJSL Football and BJSL Swimming recently. Both events took place at ISB Bandar with students proudly representing the school.Almost 30 students took part in the Under 11’s boys and U11’s girls football competitions and nearly 60 students participated in the swimming competition. A huge well done to you all for your amazing efforts.
Thank you to our fabulous nurses who have been busy with not only looking after the children but also the adults! Our teachers have been getting their First Aid certifications renewed with 3 day courses and parents andAmah have also had the opportunity to be trained in basic first aid. We also had our first Panaga School Blood Drive with 20 volunteers donating blood - thank you.
Thank you to Mr. Dean for delivering a session for parents on transition as well as trip leads for our upcoming residentials. Thank you to our team of parents who came into school to discuss the running of the fabulous stalls for International Day on Friday 23rd May.
I will be running a Parent Information Meeting on Thursday 15th May; the focus will be outlining developments for the new 2025/6 academic year. The meeting will start at 8:00am and it will be on Teraja. Please sign up here (deadline: Mon 12th May) so we can arrange a suitable venue and appropriate refreshments.
We will be very sad to say goodbye to the following teachers and LSAs who have done so much to support the children and the school at the end of this academic year; Tania Mehlhopt,Amy Walters, Steven McCready, Marie McCready, Chris Samson, Job Samson, Pippa Baxter, Solma Empaling and Norain Abdullah. We will also be saying goodbye to our senior leaders, Aimee Boase (who will stay on at school as a supply teacher), Mandy Russell and Donna Bonham-Russell, who have
helped shape and develop our school and navigate us through the recent transition with such professionalism and dedication.There will be plenty of opportunities to recognise and celebrate all of our leaving staff but I know you will join me in wishing them well on their next adventures and ensuring their last few months with us are filled with wonderful memories.
We have been very fortunate to recruit some very experienced and talented teachers and leaders who will be joining us in August from a range of top class international schools from around the world: Matt Bowen - Deputy Principal KS2 + KS3; Carla Shaw -Assistant Head KS3; Sondes Khelifi - MFL Lead; Nick Ward - Music Teacher; Liza Harfield - KS2 Teacher; Lisa Dooijeweerd - KS2 Teacher; Gregg Shaw - KS2 Class/ EAL Teacher; Pranika Lama - Nepal Teacher; and Sile AriszNTCTeacher.
I will provide further information about our new staff and leadership structure in the aforementioned Parent Meeting on the 15th May.
Wishing everyone a safe and lovely weekend.
UPCOMINGEVENTS
Mendaram Maths
Challenges!
We started the morning with a problem to solve from Marjorie the Marvellous Maths Mouse. Inside the box was a reward for completing the challenges - a Marjorie sticker! The children were amazing at completing all of their challenges!
The second part of our Maths Challenge Morning, for Pre-Nursery children, was to subitise up to 3 by adding 3 sweets to a cookie and then of course to enjoy eating them!
The Nursery read ‘The Lion’s Share’ story and after we had baked our cake, we learnt all about cutting the cake into equal pieces so everyone got the same size of piece and not the lion’s share!!!
The children in Reception have been learning through the IEYC unit Brilliant Bug Ball. On Thursday, 24thApril, we invited parents for our Exit Point. We started the morning looking at our Learning Journey Books, moved on to ‘Reception Runway Show’. Each child showed their dangerous bugs that were designed and then made from salt dough and talked about some of the impressive features. They also showed their creative drawings of their favourite bugs. The children were confident to share their knowledge.The children sang a personalised Rampayoh Bug Song, what an amazing show!Thank to all who came for being such an appreciative audience
“The ants on the ground go march, march, march, March, march, march, march, march, march,
Our IEYC unit ‘Once Upon A Time’ got off to a great start this week with the arrival of a mystery Reader. Miss Tessa helped us to retell a well known Traditional Tale and then we were able to consider ways we could innovate the story.
wide range of stories to act out the story with substituted settings, characters, problems or solutions.
We are excited to use our new and developing writing skills to write our own versions. So keep your eyes peeled for TheThree Majestic Whale Sharks! (or similar)!
Year 7 Geography
The children in Year 7 have been learning about the Earth’s climate in their geography lessons recently. The children identified the features of different climate zones around the world and explained why different parts of the world have a particular climate.
As their assessment task, the children were asked to create a poster showing a range of different features of their home town’s climate. These included the effects of topography, trade winds, proximity to the coast and latitude as factors affecting the climate of their chosen city. Below are a few examples of the children’s amazing work. More of the children’s work is on display in the Melilas area if you would like to learn more!
The ecologists used their maths skills to calculate means and percentages, and see the importance of sample size.
Year 8 have been learning about fluids, they planned and carried out an investigation into streamlining and the reduction of drag forces
Melilas&Teraja
In Melilas andTeraja, we had our annual Sports Day at the Panaga Club. Our students had the opportunity to represent their houses to be crowned Sports Day Champions for 2025. Activity stations with names as elaborate as Ball Hop, Numbers Game, Obstacle, Bunny Hops, Sprints, and Javelin were attempted. Well done to all!
Fibonacci sequence spiralling.
Fibonacci face Fern fractals
Symmetry
On Maths
Challenge day, pupils from years 3-8 worked together in their house teams to identify maths in nature, then create images using iPads. Amazing photography from Ella Kaile.
Incredible sets designed by Sheryl and Connie painted with helpers.
The Tempest – Class 7B
Class 7B dived deep into Shakespeare’s magical island tale of shipwreck, power, and forgiveness. They’ve explored complex characters, mysterious settings, and the emotional highs and lows of Prospero’s story with curiosity and commitment. It’s been a joy watching them grow in confidence and creativity.
Hamlette (The Princess of Denmark) – Class 7A
This highly emotional reimagining of Hamlet brought all the drama to the stage. Class 7A embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, humor, and insight. Their timing, teamwork, and bold choices shone through in every scene.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Year 7 & 8 ASA Group
The Year 8 ASA students poured their hearts into this dreamlike journey through love, magic, and mischief. With their choral masks and physical storytelling, they created a performance that was as visually striking as it was emotionally rich. This group worked with incredible maturity and creativity, and I couldn’t be prouder of the ensemble spirit they brought to the stage.
Special thanks goes to everyone involved in the music, dance, lighting, painting, and ahow assistance.
BJSL
BJSLSwimming & Friendly Football
Over the past two weeks, our Teraja students have taken part in Football and Swimming. Both events were held at ISB Bandar. These opportunities have been an amazing learning experience for all the participants.
FirstAid and CPR Training
On Wednesday April 23rd the school nurses hosted an amah and carer first aid awareness course. The first aid course was filled with enthusiastic participants eager to learn life-saving skills. From choking to CPR demonstrations, everyone jumped in with curiosity and teamwork. The hands-on practice sessions sparked lively discussions, and the shared passion for helping others. By the end of the course, participants not only gained valuable knowledge but also a sense of confidence. We look forward to hosting more courses in the
Run around Borneo!
Each week, we will add up the total distance that was run by everyone who took part in Running Club. We will then see how long it takes us to run all the way around Borneo!
The total distance all the way around Borneo is 4,971km!
Total Distance overall 2,434km
You can even buy a t-shirt if you are not in Running Club!
