Rugby School Thailand | The Rugbeian Newsletter

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Rugbeian Newsletter | Term 1: 2020-21

RST Festive Cheer For Charity Read the full article: Page 80

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

PRE-PREP From butterflies and bake sales, to sensory science and dinosaur adventures, find out about the colourful and inspiring term our littlest learners have had in Pre-Prep.

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PREP Take a look at the diverse Prep School experiences we’ve had over the last 15 weeks, including the many different opportunities to win Divisional points along the way!

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SENIOR Our Senior students have enjoyed learning in new facilities this term, with the unveiling of our Senior Classroom block and the state-of-the-art M.A.D (that’s Music And Drama!) Building.

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BEHIND THE SCENES Take a look behind the scenes to see what school events and activities have been taking place both in and outside of our school campus.

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CONTENTS | 3

A Fond Farewell One of my benchmarks for the schools in which I have worked over the years has been whether or not I would want my children educated at those schools.

I would send my children to RST without hesitation.

I feel enormously proud of the school I am retiring from.

Many of you will be aware that at the beginning of the 2018 academic year, my wife, Louise, who was the Pre-Prep Librarian and an English teacher in Prep, died suddenly during the staff training week before school began. It is now time that I go home to be near my two adult children.

I am forever grateful for the support I have received since that tragic event from the Teepsuwan family, my colleagues at RST, Rugby School UK, and from many families at RST who knew Louise. It is the strength I drew from our community that made staying in Thailand possible for me.

I have great pride in the tremendous Senior School that has developed since we opened in 2018. From our temporary housing in the Veraphan Building, we have seen the Senior School campus grow into something that is truly world-class. Quite apart from the outstanding teaching facilities, our Senior School has become an excellent learning environment.

One of the most satisfying things as Head of Senior School has been being able to staff the school from scratch. I am delighted both by the calibre and initiative of our Senior teachers. They have embraced their new challenge in a new school with enthusiasm.

That enthusiasm is reflected in the respect our pupils have for them, and the nature of the classroom environment that exists at RST. Whilst it may sound cliché, our commitment to the ‘whole person’ both in our curricular and co-curricular programmes has quickly given our students a strong sense of belonging. That is founded on the mutual trust and respect I see on a daily basis at RST. Our student body gives us much to celebrate.

I know that as the Senior School continues to grow to capacity, our students will continue to thrive. The school has quickly set very high standards for itself, and these will continue to guide its development.

I have had some of the most satisfying times of my teaching career at RST, and look forward to following its enduring success in the coming years.

With sincere thanks, and my best wishes, Alan Ball Head of Senior School

AN EXCITING NEW CHAPTER AHEAD This term we announced the appointment of a new whole school Principal starting in September 2021.

Described as “one of England’s outstanding headmasters” the appointment of Principal Bruce Grindlay comes as the school enters its fifth year of operation, with continued exponential growth. We caught up with Bruce to find out more about his career background, his life and his vision for Rugby School Thailand.

What are you looking forward to the most in your new role as Principal of Rugby School Thailand?

I am really looking forward to leading the School community in the next phase of its development and enhancing the success and outcomes of every individual student in the school, whether they be in Nursery or the Upper Sixth. I believe a school, however big it is, is a family community and I look forward to meeting and getting to know all in that family: students, staff, parents and governors alike.

Can you tell us more about your career highlights and life achievements?

I moved back to England from Canada in 1988 to take up my Organ Scholarship at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After completing my undergraduate degree, I remained at Cambridge for a post-graduate degree, taught at the University, played the organ at the University Church and gave recitals throughout London and beyond.

I am very proud of my tenure as a boarding Housemaster at Bedford School where I was instrumental in embedding weekly boarding, increasing boarding numbers and creating a student body with international and local students who worked together and respected each other’s differences. I also enjoyed building strong relationships with the prep schools that fed pupils to the House.

It was a privilege to be appointed Director of Music at Christ’s Hospital in the academic year the School

celebrated its 450th Anniversary. The anniversary celebrations included putting on a concert at London’s Barbican Centre and being able to share the conducting with world-famous conductor, Sir Colin Davis. We were also honoured by a visit from the Queen and I was delighted to compose a choral piece for her visit and to have it performed in front of her by the School’s chamber choir.

Becoming Headmaster of Sutton Valence School and increasing the senior school roll by 20% and engineering a 67% improvement in A level grades have been very satisfying. Allied to this academic improvement has been the increase to 50% of the Upper Sixth cohort now accepting offers at UK’s prestigious Russell Group universities. In 2017 we opened a prep school in Tianjin, China with a senior school planned for 2023. When full, the school in Tianjin will educate 1200 pupils.

What are your short-term goals and long-term vision for Rugby School Thailand?

My short-term goals for RST are to really get to know all in the community; to listen to your thoughts and hopes for the School and to focus on what excellence looks like, in and out of the classroom. The School is moving into a very important phase in its development and we must all share the vision, that longer-term goal, to make RST the best boarding school in Asia; recognised for and delivering a 21-century, holistic education that allows all students to achieve so much more than they thought and to go on and flourish in a highly-competitive, global marketplace.

How do you feel about leading a truly international school and the diverse cultures within it?

Diversity enhances any institution, but particularly an educational institution as we can all learn so much from the differences between us. Today, more than ever before, due to the enhanced interconnectivity we enjoy, the world is shrinking and we are global citizens.

All of us will have to understand, appreciate and be sensitive to the diversity that this brings with it. To have that microcosm present in our School is exciting and stimulating and ably prepares us all for the world we now inhabit.

What will be the biggest shift when moving from Sutton Valence to the Rugby School Group?

The synergy should be quite similar I suspect. I enjoy working collaboratively and at Sutton Valence I have the senior leaders at the pre-prep, prep and senior sites to work with and the Principal of our sister school in Tianjin, China. SVS is also part of a UK foundation of five schools (three independent and two state academies) and the five associated heads work together and enjoy sharing best practice and pedagogy. I hope that this will be similar with the Rugby School Group and the talented leadership teams at RST. What have the challenges of leading a school through the COVID pandemic taught you?

Dealing with the global pandemic has been a real struggle for so many, however, every cloud has a silver lining and the experiences of last summer have taught us a lot and demonstrated some real strengths and opportunities. At Sutton Valence School we learnt how quickly we are able to adapt; how creative and innovative everyone can be; our resilience and determination; and how digital technology and new ways of working can actually enhance, complement and improve our provision and educational offering.

However, what really stood out for me is how the entire community coalesced and worked together to overcome adversity; it was truly heart-warming.

Whether it was the support all staff showed each other; the charitable and generous acts of kindness enacted by so many to those that needed it; or by the way the parent and student bodies rallied round, backed our initiatives and worked to make our remote learning a success, it was the community working together that made our provision so effective.

How are you feeling about relocating to Thailand?

What are you most looking forward to about living here?

I am very excited about this new opportunity and look forward to settling into the School. When I was a Housemaster at Bedford School, I had several Thai students in my care and they always impressed me. I enjoyed talking to them and their parents about the lifestyle, history and culture of Thailand. I look forward to learning more about the country, its customs and its people and exploring more of South East Asia.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

My wife, Dr Lilla Grindlay is currently Head of English at The King’s School, Canterbury. Our daughter, Jess, is finishing her degree in Maths and Philosophy at Oxford University and Sam, our younger son, has just started his History degree at Edinburgh University.

The whole family is delighted with this move and are excited to visit as soon as they can and get to know the RST community and explore Thailand.

Do you have a philosophy or mantra by which you live your life?

Yes: “what difference does it make if you live, if by living you don’t make a difference”. This mantra has guided me throughout my teaching career: I need to make a difference and now as Principal of RST that means making a difference to everyone involved at RST or part of its extended community. Children only have one shot at their education and it is far too precious to allow it to fail or be slightly mediocre or lack lustre.

High expectations delivered by experts in their craft allows all children to improve their outcomes and, to me, that is the definition of educational success.

We look forward to welcoming Bruce into Rugby School family next year. The passion and experience he has to offer will mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter as the Rugby School Thailand continues to grow and flourish.

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

PRE-PREP Pre-Prep Head

Mrs Sarah Shuttleworth Head of Pre-Prep

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It was so nice to be back at school and see all the children after the COVID-19 closure. The Oval came alive as the children once again filled it with laughter and excitement. Of course, settling back into school and new routines was not without its challenges and tears but it was a welcome sight to see the Pre-Prep buzzing with life; children, parents and teachers!

We welcomed several new teachers in August, who, after 15 days in quarantine found themselves immersed in their new lives, new homes and new classrooms. This was no easy task, but they all rallied around and soon got to know their classes, their colleagues and the school!

A big thank you to them for adapting so quickly and becoming part of the ever-growing Rugby School Thailand family.

Term 1 has seen much enjoyment and fun in the children’s learning.

There have been tractor and trailer rides in Pre-Nursery, caterpillars, butterflies and chickens hatching in Nursery, shopping fun and biscuit sales in Reception, Sensory Day in Year 1 and a Dinosaur Day in Year 2.

We have had celebrations (Loy Krathong, Father’s Day), bike weeks, trips to the Outdoor Education Centre and finally concluding with our spectacular Christmas shows - including our Year 1 and 2 show, “Lights, Camel, Action”, which put us all in the festive mood. All in all, a full and busy term that has been both productive and inspiring. I hope you will agree it has been a great Term 1 for Pre-Prep!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

The Day An Ambulance Came To Visit!

Pre-Nursery In Pre-Nursery the children have been learning all about the topic of ‘People Who Help Us’. We started off looking at who helps us at home, then at school and finally people who help us in our community.

We found it very exciting to talk about hospitals, as many of us can remember going to the hospital to see a doctor. Just as we were about to finish our topic we had a very big surprise…we could hear a siren… what could it be? We went to look out the front of our school and we found an AMBULANCE! In the ambulance was an ambulance driver, a paramedic and a nurse. They told us all about their jobs and even let us take a tour inside the ambulance. But the excitement didn’t end there, we even got to listen to the siren up close and watch the blue flashing lights!

What an amazing way to finish off our topic!

Sophie Emily Corr – Pre-Nursery Teacher

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

How Are You Feeling?

Pre-Nursery

In Pre-Nursery our first topic of the year was ‘All About Me’. We learnt all about ourselves: our features, our body parts, and how we feel. It is a very important task for little ones to identify how they are feeling and how best to express these feelings. We had lots of fun using our iPad to take photos of ourselves expressing different emotions - we were happy, sad, tired, grumpy and sometimes even a little bit silly.

Take a look at our photos. Can you guess what feelings we are trying to portray?

Sophie Emily Corr – Pre-Nursery Teacher

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Eco Explorers Nursery

The Nursery classes have been busy exploring the gardens and grounds at RST as part of their learning about living things. They have been fantastic inquirers, looking closely at flowers, leaves and the animals at our school.

The pupils were keen to help the gardeners water the plants and very excited to feed the chickens and our Tracy Greening – Nursery Teacher / Year Leader tortoise, Ruby.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Little Big Wings Visit Nursery

Little Big Wings came to visit the Nursery classes to help us learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. The children had a really hands-on day. They collected eggs from the lime trees and were so surprised how well they were stuck on the leaves! Then we watched the caterpillars eating leaves and, for those feeling brave enough, we held them carefully in our hands. The butterflies were hungry so we fed them before letting them fly away. We hope to see lots more butterflies and caterpillars around our school now!

Tracy Greening – Nursery Teacher / Year Leader

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Let’s Go Shopping Reception

Reception’s topic this term has been ‘Let’s Go Shopping’. Our core text has been ‘Supermarket Zoo’ by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves and the children have enjoyed learning about shopping through real life experiences. They made their own edible treats to sell to their parents one Friday after school and they also made crafts to sell to their friends. They have loved getting hands-on with money and have learnt lots more counting skills and new vocabulary through regular shop role play.

India Collings – Reception Teacher / Year Leader

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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Going Green

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Year 1

Year 1 children grew sunflower seedlings as part of our ‘Going Green’ topic. We were inspired by our key text: a story called the ‘Sunflower That Went FLOP!’ After growing the seedlings in pots, the children transferred them into the Eco Garden, where they can continue to watch them grow and change.

Sensory Science One of the Year 1 topics of learning is all about the 5 Senses: touch, taste, hearing, smell and sight.

We started this new topic with a ‘hook’ to get the children excited and aware of our new unit of work.

So, the children became Sensory Scientists! We encouraged them to use the 5 senses to explore the world around them in a scientific way, in a series of rotations. They tested temperate and texture.

They tried tastes and smells. They moved to music and created sound vibrations and light shows. The children designed super-hero capes and hats which brought excitement and a special sense of occasion.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

This kind of ‘hook’ activity always inspires children to make connections and see things from a new perspective.

It gives them a reference for when we delve more deeply into the topic over the following weeks. Here are some comments from the children after the activity: Rufus: “My favourite activity was the ‘sight’ activity because it was dark but colourful” Chelsea: “I loved the ‘smelling’. Some smells were delicious but some were not really nice” Alan: “I liked ‘hearing’ the music. I could feel the vibrations” Ivy: “I liked ‘touch’ because there was cold ice. I walked on things that felt funny” Arin: “I tasted a lemon – it was sour! It was my favourite ‘taste’” The RST Outdoor Education Centre (OEC) is located on our school grounds near Wisdom Valley. Sometimes we call it ‘Nature Camp’. It is a wonderful opportunity for children to explore and appreciate the natural environment whilst developing their physical, social and academic skills. Key Stage 1 classes visit OEC regularly.

Year 1 linked our learning to Maths, counting seeds in seed pods. This was very exciting – because we have been growing sunflower seeds in class and learning about plants.

We used the obstacle course equipment to balance, climb and swing. We tried to complete the obstacle course without breaking water balloons – and learned about emotional resilience when they popped!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

On another occasion, Year 1 went to OEC for a 5 Senses Field Walk.

The children searched for examples of what they could SEE, HEAR, TOUCH, SMELL and TASTE. The children were encouraged to find something lovely to draw as a way to develop an appreciation of nature.

We also completed an obstacle course where we had to balance and climb OVER, UNDER, AROUND, THROUGH which helps us develop our positional language vocabulary.

We love Mother Nature!

Margo Donaldson – Year 1 Teacher / Year Leader

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Pre-Prep School Council Year 2 As a way of expanding our pupil voice opportunities, the Pre-Prep have been working hard to establish a school council, with seven members of Year 2 being chosen to represent this part of the school. Throughout the first half of Term 1 the pupils in Year 2 were introduced to the idea of a school council by Miss Kirsty. They were encouraged to take part in elections by creating campaign posters, taking part in question and answer sessions, and giving detailed speeches to their peers. Voting then took place and seven fantastic representatives were elected. The children have already had many meetings and have started to work on their first task, looking at how they can encourage their peers to not waste as much food at lunchtimes.

Kirsty Elizabeth Burkhill – Year 2 Teacher / Year Leader

Please meet this year’s Pre-Prep School Council team… Mina, Ted, Valeria, Sunny, Aria, Coupe and Consti.

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TERM 1: 2012-21

PREP Prep School Head As I write this, RST’s Prep School has recently completed its End-of Term Assembly and Prize Giving. I was proud to present endless certificates, medals and trophies to so many talented pupils after another very busy and very successful term. After all the challenges of last year, how wonderful it has been to have a nigh-on fully-functioning school once again, abuzz with happy, enthusiastic and high-achieving children.

To pick out all the special events of the term is impossible as they have been so numerous, and happily many of them are described in the pages to come. But to mention just a few…

• the Gold medals in the International and UK Primary Maths challenges; • the moving production of ‘My African Dream’ with such impressive acting from Year 6, and • the beautiful African artwork on display outside the theatre; • the growth and range of Saturday Enrichment Activities and Saturday Sport – not least the first • RST Aquathlon and rugby, football and basketball matches a-plenty; • the Gold and Emerald certificates if the Education Perfect online Modern Languages challenges; • the show-stopping and foot-tapping Concert Band finale to the Christmas Concert; • the introduction of the Prep Leadership programme and the Year 7 Sports Leadership course; • the personal bests achieved by swimmers at the Thai National Swim Championships; • the nail-biting excitement of the Divisional General Knowledge finals; • and the record-breaking Sports Day, followed by first place for both the U9 and U11 Athletics • teams in Bangkok against 12 international schools.

The term ended fittingly with a fabulous Christmas lunch, with a suitably silly staff pantomime and with some simply glorious choral singing in our traditional end-of-term Carol Service. A restful holiday and a wonderful Christmas and New Year is richly deserved by one and all!

Nigel Westlake Head of Prep School

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Marshall House Report This term in Marshall House saw an addition of many new faces, increasing the total number of boarders considerably. All were keen to take advantage of the many evening activities and themed nights on offer. As well as using extra time in the evenings with specialist members of staff to prepare for their term 1 exams.

Highlights this term included the Halloween party down at the adventure camp. After dressing up and surviving an encounter with a snake on the walk down, everyone enjoyed marshmallows around the fire as well as breaking the pinatas to reveal enough sweets to feed an army.

Arguably the most popular event for this term was our fireworks night. Held on the 5th of November to celebrate the anniversary of the failed attempt to blow up the houses of parliament in the UK in 1605. After some face painting and floodlit games, the sky was lit up by a superb firework show which had the crowd in awe.

Glow stick creations, hot chocolate and marshmallows finished off a successful evening.

This term we have continued to award our ‘boarder of the week’ award. Where winners are taken to scrummies cafe for a drink and snack of their choice. At the time of writing, this term’s recipients have been: Emily, Charn, Namhom, Pancake, Phud, Fourth, Dragon, Guang, First, Brook, Andy and Mililin. They were awarded for a range of contributions to the house and displaying positive character traits such as kindness, courage, resilience and good humour. Congratulations to all recipients.

To continue the term’s festivities, we headed to Pizza Company and ten pin bowling for our annual Christmas party. This is always a highlight with boarders and was a fitting way to cap what has been a busy and rewarding term for all.

Timothy Jones – Head of Boarding (Prep)

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TERM 1: 2012-21

Prep School Art Looking at all the wonderful work the pupils have created already, it’s hard to believe that we’ve only been in school for one term! We started by opening The Micro Gallery @ Unit 2, Wisdom Valley, with our first exhibition of handcrafted collage insect frames created by year 4. Year 3 & 4 continued with collage by exploring the work of Henri Matisse and Pete Cromer to design their own quirky creatures.

Year 5 & 6 have been studying the history of art in Africa, and uplevelling their landscape painting skills with technical lessons in brush and water control. Meanwhile, Year 7 & 8 have focused on developing essential drawing skills, looking at seashells. They have also replicated the intricate textures of coral in some rather lovely clay tiles. The quality of the work in all year groups is spectacular.

Out of the classroom, we have collaborated with D&T to decorate the school’s Eco Garden and Saturday enrichment activities have proved hugely successful too. What a start to the year!

Ellen Barnes – Head of Art

Paiwann, Tomoko and Casey (6S) African silhouettes

Siku and Sun 4E

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Ivy (5W) in Advanced Art Club - creating Digital Procreate and Acrylic

Year 4 goldfish painting, inspired by Matisse.

African silhouettes

Porch 3f cat collage

Year 7 and 8 charcoal drawing

Saturday Enrichment Art

Saturday Enrichment Art

Paiwann, Tomoko and Casey (6S) African silhouettes

Prinn 3J

The Micro Gallery

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Academics At the end of August, we kicked off the year with morning refresher sessions to help ease our pupils back into school life and to ensure that their remote learning was fruitful. Although we have to keep our community safe and adhere to strict Covid protocols, it has been tremendous seeing our pupils cooperating with their peers and benefiting from being fully immersed into the school community once more.

This term, the children were welcomed back after a period of time away from school. Our classrooms were buzzing again, and we were so pleased to see such a wide range of events and learning taking place across the year groups.

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Each year we welcome new pupils into the school and this year has been no exception. We have expanded in almost all year groups to 4 classes per year, whilst maintaining our small class sizes that we value enormously.

Throughout the term, pupils have been working hard across our broad curriculum. In maths, for example, our finest mathematicians have entered some international online tournaments. In the International Maths Challenge we had Gold medals for: Kun & Pat and Silvers for: Kai Yi, Andrew, Si Eun and Xander. We also had several pupils awarded bronze medals: a tremendous effort overall.

In the Primary Mathematics Challenge, there were golds for Kun, Kai Yi, Melon and Yuxi, with Kun qualifying for the next round. We are very proud of all the achievements in maths this term.

As we approached the end of the first term, pupils from Y5-8 were reminded of the essential study skills that help them prepare for exams. In assemblies, we reflected on how to reduce the feelings of anxiety through thorough preparation and relaxation techniques. After the exams, pupils were asked to reflect on their strengths, and they were encouraged to set themselves targets for the next term.

The successes of the term were celebrated in our prizegiving on our last day of the term. So many children collected certificates for the maths challenges, certificates for the Education Perfect Championships and certificates for the so many Gold Stars that our pupils have received for working hard in their subjects. Congratulations to all our pupils for completing a jam-packed term, which has been full of excitement, wonder and discovery. They have done so with such ambition and enthusiasm too. RST is certainly a very productive and happy school, of which we are all proud.

Sara Howell – Deputy Head of Prep

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Eco Endeavours After remote learning and the long holidays, it has been great to see the school buzzing with activity again. We were delighted to have the official opening of the Eco Garden in September. It is visited by activity groups from across all 3 areas of the school and also used to support subjects such as art and science. I was particularly proud to be able to use home grown pumpkins for our seed to table cooking activity, where we made pumpkin soup and muffins one Saturday morning.

We had already been planning a Zero Waste initiative, but the recent David Attenborough documentary - A Life on Our Planet has really brought home the need for a concerted effort from all of us to live sustainably. When asked what was the most important thing we should do he said, “Don’t waste!”. The Eco Committee is taking part in the ‘Get Set Global Challenge’ based on the documentary and will be using their knowledge to help implement policies to reduce waste at RST. There has already been a major drive to reduce electricity use and we are setting up a system to store and reuse resources, as well as providing more recycling bins. We had a great response to the sustainability stall, selling unclaimed lost property at the start of term and hope to expand the project next term.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Food for Thought One of the main goals of the Eco Garden is to instil an appreciation of the time, effort and resources involved in producing food, therefore encouraging people not to waste it. If food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

Corinna Dawson – Head of Eco-Committee

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Prep Divisions It has been a great Term 1 for the divisions in the Prep School. Firstly, many congratulations to the following children for being appointed as captains: Arnold – Pair & Tanat Beauclerc – Georgia & Vincent Hardy – Ah Ra & Xander Webb Ellis – Mikki & Ryan

TERM 1: 2020-2021

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There have been a variety of fantastic events in which the children have taken part in order to see who will be crowned as divisional champions. Highlights from this term include the wonderful music competition, where the songs of the movies were performed, as well as soloists playing their very finest pieces. The chess competition was hard fought with a great deal of mental rigour shown by Andy, Alan and Jonty as the respective champions.

Sports play a key part in the divisions, and the football tournament featured every child working together to do their very best, whilst the athletics on show at Sports Day highlighted some of each division’s most talented individuals. The brains of our divisions were also tested with a superb General Knowledge

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competition, with questions ranging from Music to Mr. Bean. The children competed in their language learning, the divisional Education Perfect competition not only meant that the pupils learnt even more, they also shot Rugby towards the top of the leaderboard!

The pupils have once again learnt how to be creative with Christmas card designing and swimming logo competitions. By being part of a division, the pupils realise that they are part of something bigger than themselves; they work collaboratively, creatively and competitively to achieve their very best.

William Howell – Head of Prep Maths

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Prep Music Update After a term of online lessons, it was wonderful to hear and see the practice rooms full of smiling faces and keen instrumentalists again. Early mornings were a flurry of activity as practice for ABRSM and Trinity exams gathered pace. Regular informal concerts and assemblies enabled pupils of all ages and abilities to shine. Daily ensemble rehearsals were soon in full swing supported by our talented and dedicated team of visiting music teachers There was great excitement on Wednesdays in particular, as beginner musicians gathered to perform with their friends in the Lower School Orchestra.

It was fantastic to see each and every member of the prep school giving their all on stage.

The Divisional Music Competition took place over two weeks this term, starting with the soloists competition.

This was a fantastic showcase of some of our finest instrumentalists in the prep school, displaying their talent and skills in front of a live audience. The competition culminated in a vibrant and uplifting whole school extravaganza, with each Division performing two songs from our theme of ‘movies and TV shows’.

The Christmas Concert brought together over 130 musicians performing in Guitar, Flute and String ensembles, Choirs, Clarinet and Percussion ensembles as well as the first public outing for the Lower School Orchestra! The Concert Band, now with over 30 pupils, raised the roof with its performance of six lively and contrasting pieces, bringing together a wonderful term’s work.

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Year 6 was also privileged to take part in the new musical ‘My African Dream’, featuring an eclectic mix of African vocal, instrumental and contemporary popular music. Each cast member performed brilliantly, showcasing the tremendous emerging talent that we have in the middle school. Particular musical highlights was a rousing rendition of Christopher Tinn’s ‘Baba Yetu’, featuring live African drumming from our Year 6 percussionists.

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After a busy and wonderfully productive term, the music department hosted its traditional Carol service, full of festive spirit, with rousing congregational singing accompanied by Khun Songyos’s brilliant, vivid and colourful brass ensemble. Traditional anthems were beautifully performed by our talented prep choristers. Thank you to all parents for your dedication and support this term.

Jo Westlake – Head of Music (Prep)

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My African Dream From the moment this play started, I knew this wasn’t your average Year 6 play. For starters, the pupils were all in their characters like drama school actors and they deftly transformed into professional stage hands between each scene. The scenes slickly merged one into another; all the actors were well-rehearsed and alert. Watching it on Thursday, I could hardly believe the play was only on its second performance – it seemed more like it was on its tenth.

The village scenes with Minor (Eva) and Kusasa (Sion) used a talented cast whose mime evoked the daily peaceful routines of an African community; a stark contrast to the violence of the city shown in the later scenes of the play. Every villager convincingly played his or her part giving the audience the sense of togetherness in the various aesthetically pleasing village life tableaux. Against this peopled scenery of calm, a story began to unspool through the narratives of the charismatic grandfather played by Kai Yi (Oomkulu) and the two animated and gregarious childhood friends. Sion and Eva were well cast for their roles as they understood the depth and complexity of their characters. The director worked with their acting strengths, ensuring that they were not just effigies in a moral tale; they each had a distinct personality. Minor and Kusasa charmed the audience from the onset. The audience was immediately hooked into their youthful idealism and their journey to find Kusasa’s father.

Sion and Eva delivered their lines with maturity and authenticity. They possessed a natural stage presence and ease of dialogue which, judging by the clapping, the audience clearly appreciated. Likewise, their duet was moving and sweetly sung.

In the city prison scenes, Roberto (the father Ubaba) and exuberant fellow prisoner Andrey (Goodwill) carried off their parts as cellmates with the alacrity of seasoned drama students well beyond their actual age.

Never once flagging in energy and always with clear diction, the two characters defined the hard-hitting social issues in South Africa before the end of Apartheid.

The nuanced conversations between the cellmates about both the confining and paradoxically comforting space the prison provided, gave the audience food for thought. The four prisoners on blocks (Louisa, Nadia, Lena and Rachel), known only as ‘secondary prisoners’ in the script, deserve a special mention for their Greek chorus style role - a collective voice of circumstantial tragedy. Their synchronisation, sustained alertness to the main actors in the scene, along with their unified actions undertaken at razor sharp times, is one of the many reasons this play raises the bar.

There are too many metaphorical ‘bright lights’ in the production to name them all here, but suffice to say, the leads were supported by a stellar ensemble cast with many minor characters presenting strong, and effecting cameo roles. Melon, Namo and Lily skillfully portrayed characters older than themselves as Injabulo, Izimbali and the Doctor. Audibility and sincerity were winning characteristics of the individual ensemble performances. Of the many great parts in this play, however, Trevor, the chief of police stands out as a character who delivered his lines with all the realism they required, never sinking into melodrama.

The oddly endearing villain of the play, Gunter (Harry) ensured the play never became too dark in theme. He admirably animated the part of an inebriated jailor and

lightened the stage with his performances in many scenes. For me, one of the most powerful lines in the play emerged towards the end when Mefusa, the leader of the miners, played by Leander, stood and faced the audience and matter of factly stated, ‘We are all prisoners’, summing up the problem which lies in the Apartheid system, in which both Whites and Blacks are trapped. The gumboot song symbolised unity and strength through the pupils’ commitment to stay in time and rhythm despite the unwieldy boots on their feet. It also created a dramatic visual interplay of a dynamic, surging group of people in striking contrast to the overshadowing backdrop of a static single fist of power. The slow-motion clash and the bus scenes delivered the punch that the audience, although possibly prepared for, still found disturbing at a fundamental level. Here again, the stage setting of black stools and white signs saying ‘Black only’ or ‘White only’ right at the front of the stage was a simplistic visual winner. The stage direction of the stools’ arrival on stage in a regimented order, carried by the actors, served to emphasise the theme that it is people who make artificial societal divisions.

character strength. The storyline is a testament to valuable character qualities, qualities we as teachers at RST endeavour to encourage in our pupils: G.R.I.T. Growth, Resilience, Integrity and Tenacity.

The play reminded me of all that is best about experiential learning, namely that lessons are learned and perspectives are discovered by living the story, which hopefully go on to make both the actors and audience think, and then go on to make our world into a better place. Congratulations to the playwright and director for a wonderful piece of theatre.

Congratulations to all the cast, musicians, and teacher parent helpers, especially the tireless Musical Director, Mr. Collings, also Ms Arnold, Ms Third, Mr Burkhill, Mr Stoker, Ms Falconer, Mrs Keane and Mr Maurice for an uplifting play. It successfully makes us think about the human race’s chequered past, and also encourages us to reach for the stars and to think that while we might not be able to do something ‘yet’, soon, with determination and collaboration, it might be possible.

By the end of the play, Kusasa appears wiser about his female friend’s dream to be a girl astronaut and we hear Donaldson’s message to the audience through The costumes and set were wisely chosen to evoke Kusasa’s words to Minor, ‘You’re on a spaceship…and the pathos of the situation and place humans at the you are the captain.’ centre of this drama. No fussiness of set detracted English Deptartment – Prep School from the power of the words in this play. Enriching the context of this play are the words of the South African poet Jeremy Cronin, ‘A person is a person because of other people’ which were entwined in the script along with the underlying theme of ‘overcoming’, encapsulated in Nelson Mandela’s iconic maxim expressed by Kai Yi, ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.’ It is a play about a terrible historic episode in South Africa’s race relations, and it contains an on point message for Prep school about

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Prep School Sports Days In December the pupils of the Prep School took part in their Sports Days. As with all of the sports days pupils were able to gain points for their division for finishing in any place in each of their 5 events (3 track / two field or 2 track / three field), with the top 3 places in each event being awarded a bronze, silver and gold medal in the respective assemblies. Each sport day finished with the divisional 4 x 200m relay and the team events which were the tug of war and the shuttle relay.

The first sports day was for the Yr.5 & Yr.6 where it was clear to see the morning was enjoyed by all who took part, with many smiling faces and an opportunity for all to show their competitive side in a friendly and supportive environment. Over 300 points were awarded to each division with the points very close and the end of the event.

In the afternoon the Yr.3 & Yr.4 had their opportunity to participate showing how hard they had been training in front of a large parent audience. Again all the pupils showed great determination and divisional spirit with again the points at the end of the day still very close.

The following day saw the turn of the Yr.7 and Yr.8 pupils, and showing that as the pupils move further up the school the pride and passion they have for their Division begins to show and provides the chance for pupils to watch and support each other. Each year the Sports Day records are broken with some fantastic individual performances on show, with this year being no exception.

In each sports day there was also an award for the best overall athlete ‘Victor / Victrix Ludorum’ award.

This year the results were as follows: U9 Boys & Girls Boy - Charlie / Samara U11 Boys & Girls - Seb / Arlie U13 Boys & Girls - Willie / Georgia This year’s overall results are as follows: 1st - Beauclerc 2nd - Hardy 3rd - Webb Ellis 4th - Arnold Please do visit the sports day website where you can find individual results and photos from the events.

Link below:

CLICK HERE Well done to all those that participated!

Ben Ward – Director of Sport (Prep)

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Thai National Swimming Competition A huge congratulations to Jada Festor from Year 7, Andrew Baek and Georgia Dunn from Year 8 and Andrie Oca from from F Block who competed at the rescheduled Thailand Age Group Swimming Championships 2020 (Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus) on October 11th to 13th. It was Rugby School Thailand’s first representation at this National Finals event.

being multiple seconds faster and keeping up with some of the best swimmers in their age groups). All of them swam their races extremely well, from prerace preparation, to the race itself and their post-race conclusion. They exceeded their own expectations and showed so much great energy and awareness of their experience, starting from the moment they prepared for their first day back training in August.

With limited time to prepare due to the current COVID-19 situation, the qualified swimmers for this event trained as best they could. All four of our school contenders did so well, coming away with many positives. Many of the race times were faster than the qualifying times. There were many personal best times gained in the process (some of the times

We believe these swimmers can continue to climb up the rankings to take part in faster races, as can the rest of the brilliant swim team we are building!

Another step forward was made for the RST swim team, which, from beginning until now has grown so much... and will continue to grow bigger and better with our training programmes.

Individual Times / Places CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE RESULTS Ryan Bebbington – Swimming Coach

38 | PREP

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

GBAC Athletics Tournament The GBAC Athletics Tournament was a fantastic day out. We competed against nine other schools in a range of track and field events and all students did a wonderful job representing Rugby School Thailand.

RST were the U9 and U11 champions and the overall winners. We did so well, in fact, that we were slightly concerned the bus would not make it home under the weight of all the medals!

Medals are listed below: Boys Medals: U9: Vincent – 1st relay; 1st 200m; 2nd long jump; 1st - relay Charlie – 1st 60m sprint; 1st relay; 1st triple jump Jack – 2nd 400m; 1st relay; 1st basketball push Nanon – 1st relay; 3rd high jump U11: Seb – 1st 100m sprint; 1st high jump; 3rd relay Jamie – 3rd triple jump; 3rd relay; 1st 400m Sergey – 1st 200m; 3rd relay Andrey – 3rd 600m; 3rd relay U14: Ryan – 2nd high jump

Girls Medals: U9: Lilly - 1st 600m; 2nd vortex throw; 3rd relay Imboon - 2nd 400m; 2nd high jump; 3rd relay Daova - 1st 200m; 1st 50m; 3rd relay U11: Eva - 1st relay; 3rd triple jump Arlie - 1st relay; 1st 400m; 1st high jump (joint) Paiwann - 1st relay; 1st basketball push; 2nd 100m; 2nd vortex throw Tomoko -1st relay; 1st 200m; 3rd long jump U14: Miki - 2nd 200m Chaaim - 1st Relay If you follow the link below you can view some great pictures of our triumphant day out!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTOS Sally Bowyer – PE Teacher and Sports coach

PREP | 35

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

RST Prep Aquathlon The sunrise on Saturday the 7th of November was met by the anticipation of some the finest athletes of year 3-8 as they gathered in the CGA in preparation for the first ever RST Aquathlon event.

An aquathlon is characterized by its multi-format and comprises of a swimming portion which is then followed directly by a cross-country running event.

With up-beat music coming across the field from the time-keepers tent, the athletes readied their transition stations with running shoes, shorts, a shirt and water bottles, before heading to the 25m swimming pool to begin their warm-up routines.

groups of 3, separated by a ten second interval. They were to complete a swimming distance of 150m before exiting the pool and making their way to their stations to prepare and head onto the running course where a further 1.5km run awaited them.

Next into the water were the year 6,7 and 8 competitors who got off to a blistering start as they completed a 200m swim before heading onto the course for a further 1.5km of running.

Not long after the year 6,7 and 8 students began their swim, saw the arrival of the first year 3,4 and 5 competitors as they crossed the finish line The excitement of the competitors was palpable after completing the running portion of their race. as the start of the race drew nearer with final advice and well wishes given to the competitors The junior aquathlon was a hard-fought battle by parents, guardians, and fellow participants. which saw Lilly (Yr.4) take home the overall first place position as well as the first-place female Once the race officials and marshals were ready to award. Lilly was followed closely in the female start the event, it was the Year 3,4 and 5 competitors category by Imboon (Yr.4) and Nuni (Yr.4) who who were the first to enter the water, doing so in finished in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.

The male category of year 3,4 and 5 saw the podium positions taken by Nanon (Yr.4) in first position, Vincent Marko-Varga (Yr3.) in second place and Monpha (Yr.4) in third. The boys’ race was particularly close and saw a gap between 1st and 2nd place of less than one second.

during the run and was the first to cross the line, with a comfortable win. An arduous battle for 2nd place was fought between Jada and Sophie (Yr.8) which saw the silver medal go to Jada and Sophie taking the final podium position.

A wonderful medal ceremony followed shortly It was not long after the final competitor of after the final competitor crossed the line with the year 3,4 and 5 race had crossed the line, the winners being awarded their medals by that the first runners of the senior (Yr. 7,8 & the Principal of RST Prep School, Mr. Westlake.

9) group could be seen bounding across the It is not only our winners of the aquathlon lower football field as they made their way who are deserving of adoration but rather all up toward the final stretch. The crowd began participants, as every entrant completed the to cheer as Andrew (Yr.8) was seen in the race and did so competitively. Moms and Dads lead after gaining an incredible advantage and supporters of all sorts are also greatly in the swim but was now followed closely appreciated as well as the P.E and swimming

by Ryan Tuit (Yr.8) who was closing in. Max departments who facilitated the event.

(Yr8) who was now also in sight, began to A big thank you to everyone involved. We look make up ground on the two front runners as forward to seeing you at the next one. they battled for first place. It was only in the Please visit the website below for a highlights final 200metres of the race, where Ryan Tuit video and photos of the morning. managed to over-take Andrew and maintain the lead to take home the gold, followed by CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE HIGHLIGHTS Andrew in 2nd place and Max in 3rd position.

The first female out of the water was Georgia (Yr.8) who managed to extend upon her lead

Dan Cairncross – PE Teacher and Sport / Swim coach

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Sports Leaders The Sports Department has been running The Young Leader Award for twelve Year 7 pupils, which is a games-based activity (run primarily by the students) that is a great introduction into leadership, giving learners knowledge of how to organise and lead small games and activities. The Young Leader Award aims to help learners develop leadership skills such as organisation, communication and teamwork, as well as helping to build confidence and self-esteem as they take on the responsibility of leading their peers and younger children. The Young Leaders were trained for half a term and then delivered fun-based games and activities to our Year 2 students, with fantastic results all round, which can be seen in the video. This is the first step in our expanding and extensive Leadership programme. -Ryan Driver – Teacher of Mathematics

Divisional Football During term 1 all the pupils in the Prep School competed in the Divisional Football Tournament, which took place over 3 weeks. Each Division had two teams with six rounds of fixtures. Divisional tournaments always bring out the competitive side of the pupils with bragging rights at stake! Each year the level of ability and skill increases across the Prep School as and this year it was no exception. Throughout the tournament it was great to see good sportsmanship and fair play amongst all the pupils. Please view the RST Prep Divisional Football website to view the photos and video slideshow from the tournament. Click on the link below.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW Results 1st - Webb Ellis 2nd - Hardy 3rd - Arnold 4th - Beauclerc Well done to all the Divisions for a great tournament.

Ben Ward – Director of Sport (Prep)

42 | PREP

Prep School Football Fixtures During term 1 our football teams have further enhanced their learning by playing several fixtures and tournaments within the local community. Highlights include our Saturday morning fixtures with Loma Pattaya, Sanambin Sirarcha, Planet Football and Khao Mai Kaew High School. Towards the end of term our U13 boys and girls teams also competed in the BKK Prep Bulldogs Cup finishing in 5th and 4th place respectively. Both staff and pupils are looking forward to much more competition in Term 2.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW John Holland – PE Teacher

Swimming News Dagens Nyheter which translates into `Today’s News’ is one of the biggest newspapers in Sweden. They have done a fine article with Ida Marko-Varga Rugby Schools own Olympic Swim coach. If you don’t want to use Google translate we can give a brief summary of the article” Ida is talking about her choice of moving to Thailand with her family in the mits of a pandemic. She explains her motivation for building a world class swim program at Rugby School Thailand and how lucky we all are with the world class facilities. She also says that she hasn’t closed the door yet for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo 2021.

The headline of the article is: The olympic veteran faces new challenges in Thailand. “I met an Elephant during my bike ride”.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW Sebastian and Ida Marko-Varga - Head of Aquatics Swimming Coach

PREP | 43

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Co-Curricular Activities The activity programme has continued to grow this term with over 130 different options for Prep pupils to choose from, offering fun and dynamic alternatives to classroom lessons and furthering the school ethos of ‘the whole person, the whole point’. The children have enjoyed the many new activity additions this term, including: Our new Disc Golf course, Gardening in our Eco-garden, German for native speakers, Jazz and Contemporary Dance, Inventing machines, Mountain Biking, STEAM challenges, Upcycle crafts and RST Union (Debating). All this alongside perennial favourites such as Bushcraft, Sailing, Riding, Table Tennis and LAMDA.

Saturday Enrichment Programme (SEP) The Saturday Enrichment Programme has become increasingly popular this term and complements the Saturday Sports programme that runs earlier in the mornings. Children have flocked to sample the culinary delights of Baking, ‘Garden to table’, Pasta making and Thai cooking, as well as the intrigues of Among Us and Escape Room. Lasertag was a firm favourite, along with Messy Art, Urban sketching and VR worlds.

Much more to come in Term 2!

Charlie Rowe - Assistant Head of Co-Curricular (Prep)

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Term 1 Thai Events In this term, the Prep School Thai department held 3 wonderful Thai annual events. All pupils and teachers strongly participated and supported all events and made them successful.

Wai Kru Ceremony Firstly, we started with the Wai Kru Ceremony on Thursday 1st October, 2020. It was a great experience for pupils to learn and pay respect to their teachers. At the beginning of assembly, Prep representatives read teacher’s appreciation poems in 8 languages which were English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin and Thai. They did an excellent job! When the ceremony started, Year 8 led the Wai Kru chants, after that the Wai Kru representatives did the respectful ‘Wai/ Krab’ by folding their hands and giving a beautiful flower garland to teachers in front of the stage. It was a lovely moment to start a good term!

PREP | 45

The Remembrance of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej Ceremony Secondly, on Monday 12rd October 2020, we held the Remembrance of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej ceremony to remember the passing of our beloved late King. This year, we presented the greatest biography of the late King as storytelling. There were 2 main characters telling the story. Prym Year 6 was a granny who had a photo album of the late King and shared his story to her granddaughter. Risa Year 3, was a little granddaughter who was curious to learn and know why the late King was the beloved king of Thailand. They both were outstanding narrators. The King’s biography was presented explicitly and impressively. Pupils and teachers had seen the videos when the King was interviewed by a foreign journalist 60 years ago. With the questions of the granddaughter why was our King different from the kings in fairy tales. Why did he work very hard in a hot and difficult journey? Year 3 and Year 4 representatives were on stage and presented the song ‘King in fairy tales.

The song and performance was touched and delightful. The audiences learned about the late King’s talents and the key message of the ceremony was ‘to follow in his footsteps which teach us to be self-sufficient’. We ended the ceremony with the King’s song ‘Yam Yen or Love at Sundown’ by Year 6 performance. The show was brilliant. First and Prym Year 6 as the master of ceremony reminded everyone that King Bhumibol Adulyadej was remembered as the most beloved king of Thai people and as the person who invented good things in this world.

Year 7 and 8 had the Remembrance ceremony at the drama studio. Year 8 presented the late King’s biography and his projects. Year 7 Thai and expat pupils beautifully presented the King’s song ‘Yam Yen or Love at Sundown’.

Loy Krathong Celebration Lastly, on Friday 30th October 2020, it was the wonderful event of the year. Our day started by pupils and staff walking in the Prep entrance with the gorgeous and beautiful Thai traditional outfits. The weather was fresh and cool, everyone came in with a happy and smiling face.

This year we celebrated the Loy Krathong festival in the concept of eco-friendly and zero-waste.

We made an eco-friendly krathong with pink and white lotuses. Pupils and expat staff learned Thai wisdom and culture by folding the lotus petals in various styles to make a lovely krathong and floated their lotus krathong in paddling pools around the Veeraphan Building. It was a good time for children and teachers! We also learned to conserve Thai tradition and be friendly to the world, so that was a reason why we made a difference.

In the late morning, we celebrated Loy Krathong Festival together as a whole school at the CGA. Senior pupils presented a short play about the history of the Loy Krathong. Pre-prep pupils had cute and energetic dance shows. For Prep pupils, we had 2 excellent Thai dance performances by Year 4 and Year 7. Even though the performers had practiced in a short period of time, they did an outstanding job!

In the afternoon, we had a joyful divisional competition which was the Ramwong Loy Krathong. The Ramwong is a fun classical Thai dance. It was called Ramwong because we danced in a circle. ‘Ram’ means Thai dance and ‘Wong’ means the circle. Pupils learned how to do Ramwong and danced together in a big circle at the Veeraphan theatre. The expat teachers also joined in the dance. After that, we had the Ramwong divisional competition and Webb-Ellis was in the first place. It was our first Ramwong competition, however everyone enjoyed and had a wonderful time.

Wannaporn Pingeaw - Head of Thai Department

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 2: 2019-20

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-21

SENIOR T

Senior School Head

his is only the start of our There is a lot packed into a third year but every year is week at Pre-Prep including our The startNew of this term wasnew affected of opportunities to be theour best they different! teachers, “Wake and Shake” sessions, by the entryalways restrictions pupils andCOVID-19 new ideas visitscan to be. the Outdoor Education into Thailand that saw both bring with it new learning, new Centre, our parent workshops teachers and students affected by have of been some terrific opportunities and new friends. and There our array wonderful the settled delays these brought. performances Being at school andSome special events. by our students in a of our teachers online range of endeavours this Term. Our feeling safe and securetaught in your from their quarantine hotel, and basketball and football teams have learning some of our environment is students the key engaged focus in performed extremely well against online1 learning both by from of Term and I think the their teams from the local area and in home and then looks on countries, the children’s facesfrom Bangkok. Our musicians continue It was eachquarantine morninginasBangkok. they arrive at very to develop, and our orchestra MrsisSarah Shuttleworth muchwe a new normal that the Senior growing.

Our drama students school, have achieved that!

Head of Pre-Prep School dealt with admirably. capped off a fine term’s work with their production of ‘Girls Like That’.

Delayed examinations were held in Our Activities programme offered October as life at school reverted to an amazing range of things to normal, albeit COVID normal. Our challenge our students. enrolment numbers have continued to grow over the Term, and we are As I prepare to leave RST to return above our forecast number for the to Australia, I am reminded daily of beginning of next Term. the tremendous achievements of our Senior School since it started It comes as no surprise that in 2018. Now that we operate in students are eager to join RST. our own precict on campus, there The breadth of our academic is a discernible buzz about the and co-curricular programmes is place. Relationships are strong remarkable. It did not take long and positive between teachers for those students new to RST to and students, and the culture embrace the nature of the school. that is developing is founded on a Guided by an enthusiastic, capable, common pursuit of excellence. The and dedicated group of teachers, future is bright indeed. each of our students has a wealth Alan Ball Head of Senior School

SENIOR | 49

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Academic Challenge This term saw the return of the Senior School’s Academic Challenge. Based on the popular ‘University Challenge’ format, as presented by Jeremy Paxman in the UK, the fierce competition in the preliminary rounds saw Tudor and School House progress to the final during assembly on Wednesday, 18th November.

With 10 minutes to answer quick fire questions on a huge range of subjects, the final was a closely fought affair decided on the very last set of questions. Ultimately, School House triumphed with an exceptionally knowledgeable display, with their team captain, Boris Levashko, particularly illustrating incredible general knowledge.

Here are some examples of the questions asked. Do you think you could beat the School House team?

Topic A - Subatomic Physics

Topic B - Folk Instruments

Topic C - A Common Name

1. Which subatomic particle has a relative mass of 1 and zero charge?

1. Evolved from instruments fashioned by African slaves, which American instrument often has 5 strings with a thin membrane stretched over a frame to form a resonator?

1. Which Italian city’s name comes from the Latin for ‘flowering’?

2. In an atom, which force attracts the electrons to the nucleus?

3. Sometimes referred to as ‘the God Particle’, which boson is essential for the mechanism that gives particles mass?

2. Often associated with Scotland, which woodwind instrument comprises an air supply, a bag, a chanter and a drone?

2. Responsible for the care of wounded soldiers in the Crimean War, who is considered the founder of modern nursing?

3. In 2018, Hurricane Florence formed over which of the Earth’s Oceans, before causing catastrophic damage in the Carolinas?

3. Widely used throughout the Indian subcontinent, which string instrument can have 18, 19, 20 or 21 strings?

Answers A1 - Neutron A2 - Electromagnetic A3 - Higgs Boson B1 - Banjo B2 - Bagpipes B3 - Sitar C1 - Florence C2 - Florence Nightingale C3 - Atlantic

50 | SENIOR

Kirk Green – Deputy Head, Academic

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Girls Like That

THE PROBLEM WITH GIRLS LIKE THAT IS THEY RUIN IT FOR EVERYONE. THE PROBLEM WITH GIRLS LIKE THAT IS THEY GIVE ALL GIRLS A BAD NAME.

Our new state-of-the-art ‘black box’ hosted its inaugural production on 2nd December, 2020. The D Block and Sixth Form tackled mature themes in the play ‘Girls Like That’ by Evan Placey, which explores how feminism has changed over time and what it might mean to young people today. Gender issues are certainly central to this play, as are group dynamics, friendship, social media and bullying. The use of direct address seems to underline the theme of collective responsibility and the benefits and pitfalls of running in the pack. However, it is ultimately about learning that part of growing up is coming into your own as an individual and realising that a person is more than the group of which they are a part.

The cast were superb. It would have been easy for them to shy away from a play with such challenging themes, however, demonstrating maturity beyond their years, they fully embraced the gritty and complex script. The play was a fantastic example of ensemble theatre, making this the most physically demanding performance that RST has seen yet, as students were on stage throughout, in scenes which required a fast-pace and high energy.

To add their stamp to the performance, the cast choreographed their own TikTok style dances to transition between key scenes, further situating the play and its themes in the lives of pupils everywhere, today. The quality of acting was excellent and the standard of technical production was very impressive, showing off the very best of the new facility. These pupils deserve a great deal of credit for their commitment and sensitivity towards this project; I feel very lucky to have been able to direct them in such an important piece.

Felicity Passmore – Head of Drama

SENIOR | 51

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

House Music Competition The entire Senior School performed house songs and many varied ensembles in the third annual Senior House Music, now a regular and popular fixture in the school calendar. This year was adjudicated by Khun Pook from our music staff. The event was the first of its kind in the new Webb Ellis Centre and showcasing a great effort from all Houses. The event saw Rupert Brooke House claim best overall House, plus the House Song award with ‘We’ll Go Together’ from Grease. Tudor House received best Ensemble with ‘Someone in the Crowd’ from La La Land. The audience was also given the opportunity to vote for their favourite House Song, with School House taking the prize with ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’.

Town House’s ‘Lemon Tree’, Southfield’s ‘Rumour Has It/Someone Like You’ and Sheriff’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ all showcased great musical talent from across the school. Our Senior School Director of Music, Mr Costin, commended all the houses on their outstanding efforts.

52 | SENIOR

TERM 1: 2020-2021

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2020-2021

Recording Studio RST’s professional standard recording studio has opened its doors on the 2nd floor of the MDA building. Karma Studio sound engineers have worked with students this month, recording in the purpose built space. The department has invested in the highest quality microphones and recording interface in a dedicated Mac Logic X Pro studio.

Students wishing to record their own bands can now be trained up, and this will form a significant part of the future co-curricular programme. In addition to the pre-amp, control surface and mixing desk, our new studio also boasts dedicated sound isolation for vocals. In addition, on the ground floor there is a fully soundproof drum room with an 8 track ‘Dante’ interface to the main studio. The entire studio is fully equipped with professional monitors and headphones and a DI Box. There are also 10 iMacs in the Music Tech Suite adjoining the studio. The Pre-Prep Rap Group, Staff Choir and Band have all booked in to record their first tracks. Please contact Mr Costin or Mr Furness for more information about using this brilliant new facility!

Robert Costin – Head of Music

SENIOR | 53

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2010-21

Sickened Body

By Jesse Cooper

Sickness, like a tsunami that floods your body.

You get up your might, you always try to fight, But there is no point.

As the sickness grows, You go deeper down the hole, the hole of death.

Like a streak of dark cutting through the light, The evil darkness of the night.

Like a battle of the soul, or maybe, you never know.

But within the evil darkness, there is a light.

That light shines bright, as bright as a firefly, in the middle of the night.

If you find that light, hit it with might, and the light shall grow That light will scare the darkness, frighten it. You have a chance now, A fair fight.

If you battle hard enough, you will win.

The darkness has gone, The tsunami has cleared, The body regained.

54 32 | SENIOR

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2012-21

F BLOCK POETRY

The Sadness Behind My Smile

By Nina Sethanandha

Everyone hides something behind a smile Pretending to be someone else for awhile A sorrow, a scar, a memory, a lie Wiping my tears till my eyes are dry Behind this smile is a sigh of sorrow Living everyday like there’s no tomorrow Where all the sadness lives inside me Until maybe someone will finally see There has always been a darkness Swallowing me up into nothingness That stays within me wanting to come out ‘Cause all there is, is a heart filled with doubt Then the smile fades until it’s gone No more I say, I can’t go on Leaving my happiness far down a mile That is the sadness behind my smile.

SENIOR ||55 SENIOR 33

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2010-21

Forget-me-not

By Perth Limtong

Sometimes when you break your heart, The lost pieces never make it back to you.

Get lost in the folds of feelings long forgotten, Like dreams never resurfacing after years of silence.

Everything is buried, yet one thing remains; The feeling of your heart that was once so bright.

Still in love with the faded echo of a memory, As if one day it’ll fill the gap once more.

Maybe just lost and waiting to be found again, Emerged as warped shadows of the beauty of falling.

Small details carelessly lost in merciless winds, Leaving you an empty corpse of the past.

The impermanence leaving a wound never healing, Because you have forgotten most things with time.

But as you hold a bouquet of forget-me-nots, You smile through tears, because those were always his favourite.

56 | SENIOR

THE RUGBEIAN NEWSLETTER

TERM 1: 2012-21

Heart of a Solar System

By Book Chollabud

In a mysterious, gigantic darkness, A red ball shines through the emptiness, Bright light travels through the planets.

It pulls the planets like a magnet.

Gives and takes away life, It is crucial to every life.

As important as organs, It is the heart of our home.

Expands and grows everyday, Getting closer without delay.

Humans have time to prepare, We have to be aware.

It takes a lot of time, Much longer than life-times.

No-one has ever reached it, No-one got close to it.

It’s a tiny spot in the sky, But a huge star in space.

It’s a hope when it rises, A despair when it falls.

It’s what we call, The Sun.

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TERM 1: 2020-20

The Flight of Music

By Annie Forshaw

The rustling grass, It all move too fast, But everything here is still.

Gently brushing steel strings, Like notes with wings, My soul it slowly fills.

The rich vibration of wood, I’d play forever if I could, The heavy silence slowly filled.

I close my eyes, My music flies, Like cotton clouds on a torrid day.

The breeze ruffles my notes, Keeping them afloat, And I smile as to a stop the music sways.

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TERM 1: 2020-20

This Moment Will Last Forever (End)

By Endoo Chawandit

I was inside the hospital room full of despair, Holding her weak, gentle hands - fully aware, But I wasn’t prepared, I just couldn’t bear, I won’t let her go.

Memories - flashed back to me, it feels so obsolete, Maybe some of our moments - weren’t so sweet, But without it our lives would be incomplete, I don’t want to - let her go.

As her heart rate went down, I kneeled on the ground, Tears filled my eyes, inside - I felt my heart pound, Like I was falling down a hole underground, I can’t - let her go.

She comforted me, and whispered feebly “don’t worry” She smiled weakly - trying to look cheery, But instead, to me her smile looked empty, I should - let her go.

Her eyes started to close as her face turned pale and white, I know it deep down - that she will go tonight.

I know it is time - but I still hold her tight, I tried - to let her go.

Her hands trembled - I could feel that she was in deep pain, I begged her, ‘please don’t go’ again and again, I felt the grief - that I could never explain, I know I must - let her go.

The heart rate monitor alarmed me saying ‘it is time’ The tears on her face were running down a line She took her last breath, and the monitor chimed, And I finally - let her go.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

D, LXX and XX Art Trip: Sanctuary of Truth & Anek Kusala Sala The D Block, LXX and XX art students spent a day drawing on location. We visited both the Sanctuary of Truth and Anek Kusala Sala. The purpose of this trip was to provide the students with vital firsthand drawing studies for their coursework as well as the opportunity to develop skills in drawing on location and from life. At both GCSE and A-Level, evidence of drawing from direct observation and experimentation of material is expected in higher level portfolios. During the day, students were directed through a range of experimental drawing techniques using a variety of materials. The students had the opportunity to draw from the building and it’s incredible wooden carvings as well as explore its natural surroundings. In the afternoon we visited Anek Kusala Sala, where the students drew from the temple, carvings and bronze statues.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Saturday Enrichment Art Trip: Elsie Evans Art Retreat, Rayong

Art students were given the opportunity to visit Elsie Evans’ Art retreat in Rayong.

Elsie’s studio consists of a substantial workspace surrounded by beautiful landscape and stocked with art equipment. She also has an extensive art library.

Elsie directed the students through a life drawing class and explored sketchbooking techniques. All of the students returned to school with lots of beautiful pieces of work to add to their portfolios. We hope to be back to Elsie’s soon!

Anna Lister – Head of Art

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Senior Art Showcase It has been a busy term in the brand new Senior art studios! The students have been enjoying our new facilities and made a fantastic start to new projects.

The Sixth Form students have settled into their own independent working spaces and it has been exciting to watch the space quickly fill up with new pieces of art. We have installed a new gallery hanging system outside the studios to showcase student work.

Anna Lister – Head of Art

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Christmas Card Entries Well done to all the students who entered the Senior School Christmas Card competition this year.

The selected winners were: Juniors 1st place: Janjow Chotisupha (E Block) Juniors 2nd place: Tanya Kokanutaporn (E Block) Juniors 3rd place: Dee-Dee Rohazlan (E Block)

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Seniors 1st place: Grace Payne (LXX) Seniors 2nd place: Tanya Kevrukh (XX) Seniors 3rd place: Sarah Ruddell (XX)

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

REAP Students In Art It has been a pleasure to welcome our intensive English programme students into the art studios in the second half of this term.

We felt it was important for these students to be given the opportunity to apply their learnt language to different environments and also allow them to express themselves creatively.

They have just finished their first drawings, and we are all very impressed!

Anna Lister – Head of Art

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

School House, Term 1 This year started with us coming back to the boarding house and meeting a lot of new people. All the returning borders were shocked by the number of people in School House this year! There were around 60 people.

Throughout the term everyone has been getting to know each other better, which was very exciting. This term was full of different inter-house competitions and it all began with inter-house cross country running, where School House took 1st place. Everyone was very supportive, not only to their house, but also they have supported other houses with the same enthusiasm.

Later on, we had an inter-house music competition.

School House has won the audience prize (which was very well deserved). We performed at the new recently built Webb-Ellis Centre. It was a lot of fun, and everyone has truly enjoyed it. The following week, after house football, an inter-house quiz took place.

This year School House not only got in the finals, but also has won the main prize, overtaking Tudor House by 20 points. Boris, Albert, Tan and Pun C have shown amazing communication and support in their School House, Term 1 performance.

The most recent event that took place was RST sports day. This was one of the most exciting competitions to take place. The way each house supported and cheered their students was awesome; the spirit everyone has shown was incredibly strong. At the end of the term, our house celebrated Christmas together with Rupert-Brooke.

Although 2020 has not been the best year, everyone has kept spirits high. School House celebrated Christmas having lots of fun; we did a ‘Secret Santa’, which was actually secret (not like last year, when everyone knew who got who!).

Overall, this term has been very exciting and busy with the events and exams. We are very proud of the amount our house has been doing, and I think we are all ready for our well-deserved Christmas break. I can’t wait for 2021 and I am very excited to see what will happen. Have a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year! Enjoy!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Library Relocation The start of this academic year saw the relocation of the Senior School Library to its new home in the atrium of the Science Centre. It’s a beautifully light and tranquil space - quite the opposite of a traditional dark, crowded and ultra-quiet library!

Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination.

They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life.

Sidney Sheldon

Students currently use the Library during prep sessions, when off games or accompanied by their teachers or Tutors, but should be encouraged to visit the library independently when time allows, not only to take out books but to do research, study or just take a quiet moment in a busy day.

As we look to expand our collection of books and reference materials, we welcome suggestions from students and teachers on new books, periodicals or magazines to acquire for the Library. We would like to equip it with as many useful and relevant sources as possible to enhance the information obtained in the classroom. All ideas welcome!

If any students would like to loan the Library art pieces that they no longer need for display or portfolio purposes, this would help us transform it into a truly student-focused space and would be gratefully received.

Mrs McCall-Pohl – Senior School Librarian

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

If Carlsberg Did Geography Field-Work….

At the end of September the D Block geography students boarded 3 speedboats to take a 7km trip across the Gulf of Thailand, from Pattaya to Koh Lan island. Although it is a requirement of our exam syllabus, the data gathering is a highlight of many student’s geography course.

It also highlights the relevance and up-to-date nature of the subject.

Tourism is a major contributor to the Thai economy, and in Pattaya particularly so. In geography we learn that this has both advantages and disadvantages, and also that the effect of tourism on an area can be measured in stages.

Ordinarily we could simply gather data to quantify the various effects on an area, but in a year when a global pandemic has all-but cancelled international tourism, the effects on our locale were of significant interest. Simple ideas, such as the lack of tourists allowing the environment to recover, were not obvious conclusions. On three separate locations the environmental quality, number of tourists and the overall reliance on tourism was quantified. The data from 2020 and 2019 have been compared by students, and their fieldwork sheds light on a global picture which is still unfolding. Pleasant though it was to have the beaches to ourselves, the impact on this island is stark, in many cases the environment is less well maintained without tourism to boost the economy.

So, despite having a field-trip in an enviable location, the social, economic and environmental realities of this current crisis are now clearly reflected in the conclusions of the 2020 cohort. Powerful lessons indeed.

Acknowledgements: Thanks have to go to Mr J Carmody, who master-minded this field trip, also to the staff members Mrs C Pearce, Mr S Forrester and Dr. Pop Vistikul who guided and accompanied the pupils.

Andrew Fellows – Head of Geography

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Trip To Turtle Hatchery Senior Students visited the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Centre for their Saturday Afternoon Programme on 21st November, where they were able to learn about the conservation of sea turtles.

One of the most fascinating things to see was the nursery ponds, filled with adorable hatchlings and juvenile turtles of various ages. Separate ponds are provided for sea turtles injured by human activities (such as getting struck by a boat’s propeller or cut by trawls), and those infected by diseases; these turtles receive treatment before being released back to the sea after making a full recovery. Swimming is forbidden in the beach area, but it is still a relaxing spot where visitors can enjoy beautiful sea view, a place where sea turtles lay their eggs during nesting season and where healthy sea turtles are released back to nature after their recovery.

The conservation of sea turtles began here in 1950 with a specialisation in turtle hatching and nursery for releases to nature at Kram Island, Sattahip District, Chonburi. Sea turtles face a real risk of extinction and their survival is not guaranteed in the wild. Thus, the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre educates people on the life cycle of sea turtles and how to help preserve their natural habitat. The simplest action, one that is within everyone’s reach, is to cut back on the use of plastic, particularly plastic bags, straws and bottles.

These items invariably end up in the ocean and cause untold, irreversible harm to marine life.

The students learnt a lot and really enjoyed their visit!

Pakanatt Thadruk – Thai Principal

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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Rupert Brooke: Term 1 The longest term of the academic year is grinding to a halt after an extremely busy four months of academic, social and sporting activity. In this regard, despite being the smallest house in the senior school, Rupert Brooke can hold its head extremely high, having started the school year with aplomb. In all three major inter-house events this term - cross country, House Music and Senior sports - the staff team at Rupert Brooke have been amazed to witness the enthusiasm, passion, pride and camaraderie demonstrated by our girls. They have not in any way been deterred by the bigger houses and perhaps it is this factor that continues to make us stronger and more unified.

It was wonderful to see the RB girls chant our adopted Shakespearean quote “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” as we headed towards the cross-country race.

One of the big highlights of the year was the House Music competition. From the get-go, the house came alive in the evenings during rehearsal time, gradually improving and perfecting their performances under the guidance of our Head of House, Milly Hitchmough, Rew Jitkanaekarn and her more than able assistant, Nina Sethanandha. The fast paced, fun rendition of “We go together” from the musical, Grease, received an explosive reaction from the audience. All the girls who took part in the ensembles, Nina, Rew, Zaia, Jessica, Polina Helen and Grace also made an equally impressive impact on the judge and the hard work, extra time and effort from all these girls certainly paid off making us clear overall prize winners of the competition.

More recently, the senior sports day event proved to be another firm example of excellent house spirit with the girls supporting each other in every event regardless of ability or position. Once again, Rupert Brooke girls have shown themselves to be great ambassadors of house spirit and seem to further bond with every event.

I think it would be fair to say that the current global pandemic has affected our lives in one way or another, bringing with it personal and emotional challenges that we are still fighting to overcome. Therefore, perhaps now more than ever, coming together during adverse times is key. From my perspective (and I am sure that all the Rupert Brooke staff share the same view) we can be very proud to say that our boarding house is a vibrant, caring, fun and loving community which continues to blossom.

Richard Devesa - House Dean of Rupert Brooke

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Basketball At RST our sports are centered around three main ideals: reflection, resilience and rigor. This past term, our basketball team has trained zealously with these concepts in mind, whilst also having fun. One of my favorite things about being on the RST basketball squad is the fantastic dynamic that has been nurtured between us girls, both in and out of training sessions. Well... that, and winning matches against other schools!

Over the term we’ve had one major tournament and a few local games. Our friendly matches with ISC and BCIS in Bangkok were definitely one of the events all members of the team anticipated the most out of the entire first term, especially because of the recent caution surrounding social interactions like these. Personally, I remember being so excited for it that the week leading up to it felt comically slow. When we finally played the U18s won a match, and then lost one. I felt that this was a real eye-opener to both the U15 and U18 teams, in terms of our skill level. Prior to our next tournament, we will be sure to train harder than ever and bring victory to Rugby School Thailand.

Zia - Senior Student

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Football Our first match was against a Thai academy and it was one of our first times playing on the bigger pitch with 11 a side. The game was split into thirds; we were losing 1-0 in the first two thirds but made a 2-1 comeback in the final third of the match. It was a great game.

Our next match was against another Thai academy and we played a lot better this time, winning 4-0.

Our final match at RST was against a Thai school in our district. This time we were playing 7 a side and we didn’t play well in the first half, finishing 1-1 at the end of it. However, we made an amazing comeback in the second half and managed to make the score 4-1! This was our first game playing 7 a side, it was a challenge to get used to the different formation and play style from 11 a side, but after the first half, we got used to it and played well.

Our final set of games before the end of term was at Bangkok Prep, where we had a tournament. We lost the first few games, including a narrow 1-0 defeat against Harrow, but managed to beat Bangkok Prep (the top team in our group) 2-0. During the tournament we played very well together and put up a good fight despite there being tough opposition.

Having matches back to back nearly every week was very exciting and was a good opportunity to sharpen up our football skills! Every match ended with match tea, where we bonded with our opposition and made new friends.

TinTin and Kei - Senior Students

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

#RSTMakeADifference

As part of our co-curricular programme this year we’ve been running a popular activity called ‘Make A Difference’, where students help with charitable action in the local community. Here are some pieces of artwork by the students, documenting the different initiatives they’ve worked on during Term 1.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

BEHIND THE SCENES Ajahn JAYASARO blesses the Webb Ellis This term we unveiled our fantastic new sporting facility, the Webb Ellis Centre, and to honour traditional Thai Buddhist culture the school invited the revered monk, Ajahn JAYASARO, to bless the building. This blessing tradition is thought to bring prosperity and good fortune to new buildings and all those using them.

Ajahn JAYASARO began his visit with a tour of the school with the Heads, including our beautiful Eco Garden.

He then performed a short anointing ceremony at the entrance of the Webb Ellis before giving staff and students a Dhamma talk on the meaning of ‘resilience’. It was a very special occasion.

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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Christmas Fair After weeks of planning and prepping under the guidance of Frances Mayall, the Christmas Fair came and went in a whirlwind of festive cheer. For the second year in a row, the fair not only delivered a spectacular event for the RST and wider community but also raised lots of money for charity.

This year our selected charity partner was Take Care Kids, a foundation set up in 2006 by Giorgio Lusuardi and one that is officially recognized by the Thai Ministry of Social Welfare. The core part of their work is the TCK foster home, which welcomes children (and in some cases single mothers) who have experienced abuse, torture, or been the victim of human trafficking. The charity also supports mothers outside the shelter and visits slums and construction camps to provide migrant workers with food, clothes, nappiess, toys and other essential items. The charity does some really wonderful work and we are delighted to have raised 120k THB for them... something we couldn’t have done without your support!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

We were also happy to be able to support our friends up at Wisdom Valley, who have put a lot of time and effort into creating a beautiful community and event space. It made a perfect venue for the fair this year with artisan vendors lining the walkways; exciting new rides; games and craft stalls run by our Sixth Form business students; global food and drink stalls, including a delicious chicken dish by our Masterchef club; photo opportunities by our 25 foot tree and views out to Pattaya; the bandstand for our talented performers and the much-anticipated raffle draw! A big thanks to our volunteer MCs, Miss Pearce and Mrs Keane, who did a brilliant job of highlighting the entertainment schedule to ensure no one missed the staff and student choir’s mellifluous carol singing, festive student duets or heady sounds of the staff band, Landing Lights.

It really was a magnificent event and a great way to kick-start the festive season. Thank you to everyone involved!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Fireworks Night

Our boarding staff work hard to make a really diverse and interesting schedule for the boarders - and this year they included fireworks display to acknowledge Guy Fawkes night 5th November.

Mr Jones and Mr Forshaw lit the fireworks in the middle of the sports pitches, while Prep and Senior boarders watched on in wonder from the far sides of the pitches. As a British international school, it’s always nice to bring British traditions into the mix here at RST; this was a great example of the cultural melange we get to enjoy!

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TERM 1: 2020-2021

Sixth Form Open Evening Just before the end of term, we invited internal and external prospective Sixth Formers (and their parents) to join us for an open evening. In addition to student-led tours, for those not already at the school, the attendees were able to meet our Heads of Department to talk about A Level subject choices, before hearing short talks from Mr Ball, Mr May and the Senior School Deputy Heads. It was an insightful evening that highlighted many of our unique offerings in Sixth Form here - such as the dedicated ‘university preparation’ course, ‘RST Make a Difference’ charity work and self-defence classes (to name a few!).

Thank you to everyone who joined us! For those who couldn’t make, you can still catch the Livestream recording of the event on our Facebook page.