The Voice Issue 17

The Voice of Tanglin Trust School

Vol 17 05/2014

MCI (P) 039/07/2013

Feature: Celebrating the Arts Spotlight: Book Week Senior School: Beyond Outstanding

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Welcome

As the theory becomes close to a reality, it is very hard to imagine Tanglin Trust School without Geraldine Chandran next year. Geraldine has been with Tanglin for an amazing 31 years, seeing us grow from a primary school to a thriving 3-18 school of over 2,700. Many have come and gone during this time, whilst the Infant School has developed its reputation not only for high academic standards but also as a very stimulating, caring and nurturing environment.

Long after Geraldine has left Tanglin her legacy will live on within the Infant School along with her most famous sayings.

‘Hey ho’, ‘well, my dear’ and ‘you can never assume’ are just some of her wellloved comments, as is the sound of her easily recognisable clickety-clack heels as she walks through the school at the start of each day to say a warm good morning to everyone she meets. Curriculum development and assessment will remain ‘rigorous and robust’ and meetings will still resound with ‘mindful’ thoughts as the school continues to move forward with the same passion and drive which Geraldine has sustained over the last 31 years.

Anyone who knows Geraldine will know how deeply she cares about the children

and staff in her care. When required to make difficult decisions she has been the consummate professional. However, more than anything else, Geraldine will be remembered as the ‘essence of Tanglin’, someone who lived and breathed the school’s mission, aims and values.

In my time at Tanglin, I have learned so much from Geraldine and have often turned to her for her wise counsel.

She has been a tremendous colleague who carries a lovely smile and sense of humour - particularly with regard to Leeds United football club! I will greatly miss Geraldine and would like to record my most sincere thanks for the many years she has dedicated to Tanglin and to wish her, her husband Chandran and her children Alex and James (who came all the way through Tanglin) every happiness in the next chapter of their lives.

Of course, there are a number of events planned this term to allow everyone in the community to support my sentiments and I look forward to these special occasions.

Going forward, I have every confidence that Geraldine’s successor Paula Craigie (currently Deputy Headteacher) will most effectively pick up the mantle of Headteacher of the Infant School.

Contents

04 06 09 10

Staff News

World Record Attempt Tanglin Teacher Published Taking on Adventures

Feature

Celebrating the Arts

Alumni

Contributing to Our World

Spotlight Book Week

12 14 16 18

Our World Building Community Links

Infant School A Learning Journey The New Infant House System

Junior School Tanglin in Motion

Senior School & Sixth Form Beyond Outstanding

In this edition of The Voice, we have chosen just a few highlights of the past term to share with you to illustrate the range and quality of activities and initiatives undertaken. As always, the PTA plays an important role in the life of the community and we thank them sincerely for all the events they organise and the projects they have supported.

PTA support often allows projects to be completed earlier than school financial planning allows. A prime example is the new Infant playground which is now in place to challenge and entertain our young children.

Also featured in this edition is our pilot community link programme which is supported by the TTS Foundation and which has enabled us to bring two students from Lamdon School in Ladakh, Northern India to study in our Sixth Form. This project will greatly enhance our ongoing links with Lamdon School and we look forward to seeing the mutual and enduring benefits of this relationship.

The Arts are very important to us at Tanglin and, I believe, vital to the development of the individual. Through our dedicated and talented staff, the

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I hope you enjoy reading about some of the highlights of life at Tanglin.

Peter Derby-Crook Chief Executive Officer

Senior School & Sixth Form Deidre Lew Service Awards Adventure in Gopeng

Showcase Art • Dance • Drama • Music

PTA A Look Back at Term 2

Sport & Activities Term 2 Highlights

Tanglin Trust School Singapore has a long tradition of providing British-based learning with an international perspective. At Tanglin we strive to make every individual feel valued, happy and successful. Responsibility, enthusiasm and participation are actively encouraged and integrity is prized. Working together in a safe, caring yet stimulating environment, we set high expectations whilst offering strong support, resulting in a community of lifelong learners who can contribute with confidence to our world.

30 32 35 38

Student Services Nursing in Outdoor Education

Creative Writing A Selection of Infant, Junior & Senior Writing

Book Reviews Infant, Junior, Senior & Parent Reviews

Roving Reporters & The Last Word

‘The Voice’ herein refers to ‘The Voice of Tanglin Trust School’ All students’ year groups referenced in this issue are accurate at time of print.

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Musicals performed in all three schools each year are always of a very high standard and we report on the success of two of these. The sense of pride and achievement that these performances create among the students and the audience should not be underestimated in creating and sustaining the Tanglin ethos.

Tanglin Mission Statement

Editor: Ali Fairhurst Design & Layout: Cathy Chesson Contributors: Students, Staff and PTA Photography: The Communications Team & other contributors Printer: Oz Print Services

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Arts at Tanglin have a great reputation among Asian schools as the South East Asia Student Activities Conference (SEASAC) Arts Festival we hosted recently demonstrated. Last term, we also hosted three major sports tournaments: read more about these on page 26.

Staff News 04

World Record Attempt for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research

by David Hailey, Director of Aquatics

On 1 February, I returned to the UK to join 99 other swimmers in one of the largest charity events in the swimming world - the 100 x 100m freestyle relay world record.

were several interviews with the swimmers and coverage on the BBC and ITV in the UK, and the event was featured on several swimming websites worldwide.

Lewis Coleman, a member of the Great Britain swimming team had contacted a number of past and present GB swimmers, including a number of Olympians, to help raise money and awareness for a charity close to many of us, leukemia and lymphoma research.

In July last year, after Lewis’s mother was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, he decided to raise awareness and funds for research into this form of cancer.

Having not swum competitively for around eight years, I was slightly nervous about achieving the required time. But, being set between swimming legends James Hickman and Rebecca Adlington raised my adrenaline sufficiently to beat the required time, with a swim of 54.95 seconds. The atmosphere of the whole event seemed to have a similar effect on all the swimmers, with many achieving lifetime bests. The world record was not only broken but smashed by eight minutes to 1 hour, 29 minutes, 3.78 seconds!

In order to raise maximum publicity, Lewis decided to take on the 100 x 100m freestyle relay world record, held since 2011 by the Australian swim team.

The existing record time was 1 hour, 37 minutes, 53 seconds. This meant that the average swim time required to beat the record was 58.7 seconds per swimmer.

The event, held at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, raised significant media interest. There

It was incredible to be part of such a fantastic event. A crowd of just over 1,000 in the stands cheered right from the first leg, which was swum by Lewis’ 10-yearold brother Oliver, through until Lewis’ final leg. The fastest 100m belonged to Adam Barrett, with a time of 47.76 seconds!

Some of the big names in swimming autographed a Merlions T-shirt which will be auctioned to raise additional funds at

the Tanglin Summer Fete in May. So far I am delighted to have raised over £2,000 for leukemia and lymphoma research. If you would like to make a contribution or find out more you can visit: www.justgiving.com/David-Hailey.

Tanglin Trust School will be the first international school represented in The English Review magazine, with the publication of an article by Senior School English teacher, Zoe Richardson.

Based at Oxford University, The English Review is the UK’s leading publication for students and teachers of A Level English. Zoe explains more: “Although I’ve had a handful of poems published

in anthologies in the past, this is my first submission of an academic essay. I’m thrilled The English Review has accepted it and put Tanglin on the map. I also hope it will be a useful teaching and learning resource for students as they tackle their coursework.

A key component of the current English Literature A Level is to examine the genre of comedy, with one of the texts studied being Shakespearean. The article explores how Shakespearean comedy demands a happy ending through the

provision of marriage but considers that today’s audience often sneers at the notion of marriage guaranteeing happiness. It looks at how convinced and satisfied we are by the conclusion in Much Ado About Nothing.

The idea for the article came directly from my classroom experience. As we were studying the play, I realised my students were presenting a different perspective; they had thrown out certain assumptions I had about what the idea of marriage might mean to them. I instinctively felt that this needed to be explored in more depth. As I was writing the article, I tried out some of my ideas on students and it sparked some outstanding in-depth textual debate. Pulling apart the language and taking the time to explore the implied meaning remains the most satisfying part of teaching A Level and I hope I have produced something thought-provoking for students.

I’m delighted that the editors have asked for further submissions from me this year and I am now on the lookout for new material and some willing students to challenge traditional interpretations and inspire me with their critical thinking!”

Taking on Adventures

by Stephen Honey, Year 4 teacher and Head of Singa House As a classroom teacher I have always believed that it’s important to encourage and nurture the wide interests and ambitions of the children. Educating the whole child is part of the ethos at Tanglin and it’s important to set a good example by balancing our commitments and achieving our own goals.

I have always had an adventurous outlook on life, wanting to get the most out of every possible moment and setting myself challenges along the way.

I love swimming and the first major challenge I completed was to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco in 2011. Alcatraz! The very name conjures up visions of sharks, frigid waters, Al Capone and the barren, fog-enshrouded ‘rock’. In cold 12C waters accompanied by a support boat, I swam across the bay from the imposing fortress island of Alcatraz on behalf of Bowel Cancer UK. Before moving to Singapore, I worked in Beijing which allowed me to have many unique and exciting

opportunities. Not least was running the Great Wall half-marathon, a tough adventure race that involved traversing thousands of steps along the steep ascents and descents of the Great Wall of China.

Singapore has been a dream come true and I have enjoyed several adventures already since arriving here last August. My fiancé, Katie Ashman (also a Tanglin teacher) and I both completed the Angkor Wat half-marathon in Cambodia and, closer to home, I also raced the recent Singapore Aquathlon and 2XU

Compression Run half-marathon.

As to the next adventure, I’ve got several triathlons on the horizon followed by our wedding this July.

After that, I’ve got my heart set on one day realising my boyhood dream to swim the English Channel.

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Tanglin Teacher Featured in Leading Publication

Feature

Celebrating the Arts 06

by Rob Le Grice, Head of Arts Faculty, Senior School

In February, we were delighted to host this year’s SEASAC Arts Festival which saw professional artists, students and staff from several schools in the region collaborate, over three days, to learn, experience and experiment in art, music, dance, film and drama.

The premise of this year’s festival was to find inspiration in a building site something readily available in the dynamic, fast-growing metropolis of Singapore.

The building site offers a moment frozen in time: is the structure disintegrating or materialising? Are we witness to destruction and devastation or the blooming of a concrete jungle? The notion of building our house, of mounting walls and fixing a roof is comforting - a constructive mantra for creating from the ashes, for moving forward, for building a life.

The Festival began with an ‘Artswalk’ to building sites in the area to experience first-hand some visceral stimulation for the

weekend’s activities. Splitting into groups focused on art, music, dance, film and drama, students then returned to Tanglin to review observations, share ideas and

begin to develop ideas for workshops.

The event culminated with performances and displays showcasing the highlights of the weekend.

“The SEASAC Arts Festival was a really cool experience as I got to meet people from all over and was exposed to different ideas. In the music workshop we used recorded sounds from building sites to make tracks. We also did a group performance and made rhythm and beats using PVC pipes. I was dubious about it at first but I found that I really enjoyed experimenting with the sounds.” Emily Smeds, Year 10.6

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Theatre Mark Hill, who is a performer and teacher of physical theatre from Australia, facilitated the workshop on physical theatre which focused on Butoh, a form of Japanese dance theatre that encompasses a diverse range of activities, techniques and motivations for performance or movement. Common features of the art form include playful and grotesque imagery, taboo topics and extreme or absurd environments. It is traditionally performed in white body make-up with slow hyper-controlled motion. Following the final performance Mark reflected on the process:

“Butoh done beautifully!

This amazing group of talented students embraced and devoured the avant-garde world of Butoh. To watch them so courageously transform into materials such as twisting metal, smoke, melting plastic, insects and the beating wings of a butterfly was not only memorable but truly moving. Your gift reduced many to tears. Thank you for your beauty.”

Music “Working with such a range of talents and fresh ideas was really amazing. I went into SEASAC Arts doing a workshop I had little to no experience in - music.

But, with such a great sense of community and fun, it turned out to be one of the best weekends and a really good experience that improved my confidence and opened up my mind to even more creative ideas!”

Chloe Long, Year 10.8 Dance “For SEASAC Arts, I took part in dance. I was scared at first because I didn’t know anyone but that wasn’t a problem in the end because I met some amazing, talented people from around the world. I learnt so much during the whole weekend and choreographed a few of my own dance moves which I had never done before. Although I was really outside my comfort zone, I would recommend joining SEASAC for everyone as it really was a once in a lifetime experience.” Shruti Samala, Year 10.7

recording b-roll (shots or videos that roll on in the background whilst you have voice recordings playing on top of it). I wouldn’t have had a clue about any of that before. This experience has not only given me new skills I can use in the future, it has given me the opportunity to make new friends - definitely an experience I won’t forget.” Marcus Chung, Year 10.5

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Film “I really enjoyed the SEASAC Arts Festival, and because I have never done a project about film, I thought that it would be a great experience to learn something new. Throughout the workshop, I discovered the technical difficulties behind editing and how one out of focus shot can ruin your whole piece. I also learned how to handle a video camera, a microphone and the method behind

handle a video camera, microphone and the method behind recording b-roll (shots or videos that roll on in the background All the student leaders whilst you have voice emphasis“I really enjoyedrecordings playing on top the SEASAC Arts Festival,of it). I wouldn’t have had and because I have nevera clue about any of that done a project about film,before. This experience I thought that it would has not only given me be a great experience new skills I can use in the to learn something future, it has given me new. Throughout the the opportunity to make workshop, I discovered new friends - definitely the technical difficulties an experience I won’t behind editing and how one out of focus shot can ruin your whole piece.

I also learned how to

Art For the art workshop, Tanglin Senior School teacher Ella Magee ran a session in which students used bamboo, wire and objects found on building sites to create contemplative spaces. Ella explained more about the workshop: “One of the main questions the group explored was ‘what holds what up?’ In other words, does the construction around Singapore change its culture by strengthening it or diminishing it? The students explored the tension of structures, passageways through structures, lines and cables in buildings and considered the metaphorical value of these construction features. They learnt to manipulate the materials and grew to understand its limitations quickly. The final pieces were visually striking and added to the spiritual atmosphere of the final performance. The students were a delight to work with and succeeded beyond my expectations.”

The SEASAC Arts Festival gave students a chance to explore and experience the journey of creativity. Often, the process of actually making art is overlooked yet it is equally, if not more, important than the end product. It is inspiring to see that, when given the opportunity, students can drive a project from start to finish, with teachers needing only to facilitate and guide their creative energy. The outcome may be fleeting, a mere moment in time which is a representation of something much bigger. Meg Jerram, Y10.6, sums it up perfectly, “By everybody working together (as sweaty and messy as it was!), it became more about the atmosphere created rather than the individual pieces of art. It was a fantastic opportunity to see how the journey was the main part of what this was all about, and I think that is what was important about this experience.”

Alumni

Contributing to Our World

by Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager

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At Tanglin we encourage our students to be lifelong learners who can contribute with confidence to our world.

This ethos is at the heart of our mission statement and we are always immensely proud when we hear of Alumni who are making a difference.

Chloe Hill, who graduated from Tanglin in 2008, is definitely someone who is making her mark on the world. Last year Chloe won the National Council of Women’s #SpeakOut Competition (19-30 age category). The competition sought to get to the heart of what young women and girls think about Britain and how they would influence government policy to make the country better. It aimed to provide a forum where their voices wouldn’t be drowned out by the hubbub of national debate.

Chloe’s winning entry was an essay which answered the question: If you could influence government to take action on one issue to improve the lives of women and girls, what would it be? In her essay, Chloe discussed the lack of emphasis on the contribution of women in the English National Curriculum saying that, for example, “the list [for her GCSE English reading] was depressingly maleoriented.” She noted further that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the only woman discussed in her A Level government and politics class. Chloe called for a “total overhaul” of the English National Curriculum, naming education as “the most universal human right”.

Winning the competition led to Chloe speaking at the National Council of Women’s annual conference as well as an all-expenses paid trip to present at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York in March this year.

When Chloe spoke at the National Council of Women’s annual conference she explained why she felt education was at the root of solving gender inequality.

Chloe’s proposals have since been put to the UK government, meaning that her ideas could result in initiatives that will have a direct impact on improving the lives of girls and women now and in the future.

In New York, Chloe had the fantastic experience of attending the 58th UN Commission on the Status of Women which reviewed the millennium goals set in 2000 and discussed women’s involvement in agreeing sustainable development goals for 2015-2020. The millennium goals included decreasing poverty by halving the number of people living off of $1 a day; a guaranteed primary school education for all children; a reduction in the mortality rate of children under five; a reduction in the number of women who die in childbirth; halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and making treatment accessible; and increasing access to safe drinking water.

Reflecting on her experience, Chloe said: “The legacy for me is probably that I have regained my faith in people. Being surrounded by so many people at the UN who truly believed in gender equality and shared my concerns about how far we still have to go was heartening. I want to be involved in that positive change, which I think can come from education.”

Chloe is currently studying at the University of St Andrews and is the President of the Students’ Association, the first female president since 2001 and only the fifth female president since the joining of the men’s and women’s student unions in 1989.

Spotlight Book Week 10

by Celeste Fisher, Teacher Librarian, Junior School

Book Week was a very exciting week for both the Infant and Junior Schools with the theme for the week being A Pocketful of Poems based around Quentin Blake’s rhyming text. Throughout the week students from both schools accessed QR Codes to watch poetry performances by their teachers and answered quiz questions.

In the Infants, visiting author Joyce Dunbar talked to the children about her wonderful picture books and Polly Dunbar, a renowned illustrator, worked with the children to create beautiful artwork which transformed the Infant Library Kiva into a magical environment. In addition, the Infant Library hosted mystery readers at lunchtimes throughout the week which the children found very exciting.

The Junior Library hosted the following visiting authors for Book Week: Adan and Felicia Jiminez-Low, authors of the successful Sherlock Sam series. .

Teacher Ed Hassall who re-enacted scenes from his amazing book Troy Story, written in rhyme.

Joyce Dunbar who worked with Year 3 students and talked about how to write and publish picture books. antzen Lee, author of the Dylan Kim J series who talked about how to write a historical fiction novel.

As the theme for Book Week was centred on poetry, Infant and Junior classes buddied up to share writing and reading poetry on Book Character Day. The children enjoyed meeting with their buddies on this special day and much fun (and poetry!) was had by all.

On the final day of Book Week, the Juniors celebrated poetry with open mic performances in the playground. For this session, children could volunteer to perform a poem they had written themselves or a published poem. The children thoroughly enjoyed performing their poetry and all of the terrific storybook character costumes added to the air of festivity.

A fantastic week culminated in all the children across the Infant and Junior Schools setting out to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of story book characters. This idea was the inspiration of Head of English in the Junior School, Peter O’Brien. On the day itself 1,601 students and staff gathered in the Berrick Sports Hall in costume aiming to beat the current record which stands at 923. Whilst we are quietly confident, we are waiting for Guinness officials to confirm the new record.

The Get Caught Reading Competition was another popular feature of Book Week.

Our winners were caught reading in a whole array of strange and exciting places including underwater, with Mr Bean and even while doing gymnastics!

The Infant and Junior Libraries would like to take this opportunity to extend their thanks

to the PTA whose generous donations to the Visiting Author Fund enable author visits which enrich our children’s learning experiences and their appreciation of literature.

11 “For our children to take part in something big like a world record will remain a wonderful memory for the rest of their lives‌my children have truly never felt so special in their entire school career, thanks for organising it!â€? Parent

Our World

Building Community Links 12

by Craig Davis, Assistant Headteacher, Senior School, Director of International Baccalaureate Our World is the term used at Tanglin to encompass the school’s focus on local, regional and global perspectives in everything that we do. This could include the curriculum, environmental awareness, cultural visits, overseas trips, fundraising, service projects and, most fundamentally, the personal development of students. Our community link programme with Lamdon School in Ladakh, Northern India is just one aspect of Our World in the Senior School.

At the beginning of this academic year, we welcomed two students, Stanzin Lzaod and Stanzin Zangmo, from Lamdon to study at Tanglin’s Sixth Form as community link students; the students are supported by an award from the TTS Foundation.

Tanglin has a long-standing relationship with Lamdon School and has supported numerous projects, from helping the Himalayan Health Project’s dental and diagnostic vision programmes to supporting the reconstruction of the school following the floods of 2010. Last year, Tanglin students worked with Singaporean ophthalmic and dental surgeons to further assist with medical intervention in the monasteries surrounding Lamdon School and in the newly built Lamdon Clinic that serves as a vital medical hub for the surrounding remote Himalayan villages.

The assembly provided Stanzin Lzaod and Stanzin Zangmo with their first formal opportunity to introduce themselves to the wider Tanglin community. They provided insights into the work of Lama Paldan and Principal Tundup and discussed how Tanglin has been helping Lamdon for the past decade.

of Ladakh’s culture is shared with Tibet in terms of religion, other influences can be seen in architecture and language.

Buddhism plays an important role in the lives of many Ladakhis by encouraging a mindful way of life that respects the environment. The session gave me a better idea of the prevalence of Buddhism in Ladakh and the influence of Buddhist philosophy, which has been extremely valuable in helping me understand the place and the people I will be visiting.

Most of all, the session made me more curious about this unique place which I am fortunate enough to be visiting soon.”

Later in the day, the girls, accompanied

by Principal Tundup and Lama Paldan, led a session with the Global Outreach group, made up of Year 12 students who, as part of their Creativity Action Service (CAS) commitment, focus on increasing understanding and awareness of existing international relationships between Tanglin and other organisations. Most of the group will be going to Ladakh in June as part of the Year 12 Travel and Adventure programme. Tamsin Saunders from Year 12.9 and a member of the Global Outreach group said “During the session, we learned that half of Ladakhis are Tibetan Buddhists and, while much

To wrap up what was a wonderful day, some philosophy students from the Sixth Form then took the opportunity to question Lama Paldan, one of the foremost Tibetan Buddhist scholars in the world, on the Ladakhi understanding of life, soul and death. Lama Paldan explained that running through the veins of all Ladakhi people is the knowledge that everything changes and nothing is permanent. The seasons, the landscape and events all shift and mutate and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy works with this reality. At the heart of Buddhism is the overriding need for compassion and putting everyone ahead of yourself. Quiet

Last term, we welcomed Principal Eshey Tundup and founding governor Lama Paldan of the Lamdon School Foundation for a visit. They addressed an assembly of Year 10, 12 and 13 students and met with parents.

As Stanzin Lzaod and Stanzin Zangmo progress towards the end of their first year at Tanglin, they reflected on their experience so far and on what the future may hold: “We feel extremely privileged. It has been a wonderful year, learning about new cultures and getting to know new people from diverse backgrounds. It was initially quite hard being in a completely new environment away from home but the love and support that we get from the school encourages us every day to do our best. Tanglin has been the best experience that has happened to us so far in our young lives. This opportunity is part of the steps that will help us to realise the dream we have for our motherland; the dream of helping our culture and the Lamdon region where we grew up. We also really hope that with our presence here in Tanglin, the bond will be strengthened between two wonderful communities so that this friendship will continue for many years to come. Jullay! - this is a universal term in Ladakh, it means hello, good-bye, please, thank you, good morning, good night. If you only learn one word, this should be the one!�

Building sustainable relationships is a key element of our community link initiatives and we are looking forward to seeing the mutual and enduring benefits of the relationship between the Tanglin and Lamdon communities.

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contemplation and working on your own karma is useless if you are not simultaneously seeking to reduce suffering everywhere.

The necessary challenge of the Tibetan way is to act, each and every day, to display compassion and service to everyone, including your enemies and those who are outsiders. It is only when we remove self-obsession and pre-occupation and put others first that we find the ultimate selfsatisfaction and peace we have been trying to seek.

Infant School

A Learning Journey 14

by Victoria Thomas, Head of Nursery and Sonya Stevens, Head of Reception

In the Infant School, we are committed to ensuring that our children experience their learning journey in a stimulating environment. Last term saw an exciting development – the opening of a fabulous new early years playground.

The anticipation was palpable at the opening ceremony in January. As we ceremoniously cut the red ribbon, the children streamed onto the playground eager to explore and experiment.

Choosing the correct play equipment was a big decision and we looked in detail at the curriculum and the needs of our children to plan a space which will maximise learning opportunities.

There are many interesting features to be found in the playground. The loud speaker system includes two speaking and listening posts and an underground tube linking the two. Designed to develop cooperative play and sensory stimulation, the children have had great fun experimenting with outdoor communication.

The large climbing frame situated in the middle is called the Orang-utan Jungle Climber. This piece of equipment is designed to be very open-ended, having no beginning or end. It promotes climbing and agility and certainly ticks the

boxes when promoting areas of physical development in our curriculum.

Following on from the climber there is a series of balance beams, cross beams, log walks and a rocking log that help promote co-ordination, balance and develop core strength.

To ensure that our outdoor learning environment meets the needs and interests of all our children, there are also other pieces of equipment to be found dotted around the playground. There are two sandpits, a water station, boards for mark-making and opportunities for the children to thread and build dens.

We offer sincere thanks to the PTA for its generous contribution towards the financing of the project; to Mrs Chandran for her clever budgeting; and to Facilities Manager Claren Chong and Assistant Facilities Manager Toh Choon Weak for advice and support with the technical and logistical elements of the project.

The New Infant House System

by Dr Harry Hope, Head of Infant PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship Education)

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Last term, with much cheering and a tangible sense of camaraderie, the Infant School proudly unveiled its new house system for Years 1 and 2. The house system is a long established tradition at British independent schools and has run for many years in Tanglin’s Junior and Senior Schools, contributing enormously to the intimate atmosphere of the school as a whole, where students feel that they belong to an integrated community.

After months of planning, launch day finally dawned! All the children from across Years 1 and 2 came together and waited with bated breath as the names of the new Infant School houses were announced.

Sher

Baloo

Rann

Bagheera

The names are based upon Rudyard Kipling’s original draft of the Jungle Book, whose animal names were rooted in the Hindi and Sanskrit oral and written languages. As the Junior School have their house names based around the Malay language, we were keen to draw upon a traditional English literary figure whose work passionately reflects another element of society for us in Singapore. Once the names of the houses were announced, the children were ‘sorted’ into the different groups. Ages and classes mixed and enjoyed a mask-making activity before they gathered together again, eager to prove their house could roar, cheer and sing the loudest.

Since the launch, the children have been issued with house bag tags and are

busy collecting house points in their classes. By trying their best in academic, sporting or school-based activities and by demonstrating the Tanglin Learner Profile values, the children earn points that are not centred on an individual’s reward but go towards a larger group of individuals across Years 1 and 2. Everyone is hoping that their points can be the crucial tipping point to help their house win the Infant School house trophy!

Whichever house holds glory at the end of the academic year, I am confident that every one of our children will have contributed, tried and enjoyed the experience that comes through cohesion, team work and co-operation.

Junior School Tanglin in Motion 16

by Linda Robinson, Head of Junior Science

“The most exciting phrase to hear in Science, the one that heralds the most discoveries is not Eureka but that’s funny…” said Isaac Asimov, author and scientist. This was the phrase ringing through the Junior School during Tanglin in Motion, a week-long celebration of Science.

Science is everywhere, from the local weather in Singapore to the food we eat; from the simple hand-held electronic devices that we use daily to the complex machines that we drive and fly in. Science involves seeing, handling, understanding and exploring real objects and materials.

Bounce Bubble Bang The Year 3 children bounced with enthusiasm as they investigated the different states of matter. Bubbling with questions about exploring solids, liquids and gases, once problems were solved they could form a conclusion - bang!

A favourite activity was the making of gloop. Who doesn’t like something messy, icky and goopy? But, was it a solid, a liquid or both?

“I liked Bounce Bubble Bang because we made solids into liquids and gases.” Ethan Fletcher Bertolet, Year 3.7 “I like Science because I like finding out new stuff!”

Beatrice Howells, Year 3.7 The Magic of Science Is it Science or is it magic? Or is Science magic? These were the questions considered in Year 4. The magic began with eight IB chemistry students from the Senior School demonstrating a series of investigations. The children looked

in awe at what was happening in front of their eyes and cries of ‘abracadabra’ rang throughout the year group. As keen scientists wanting to crack the Magician’s Code, the Year 4 children then set about completing a range of investigations, from

looking at how to make things move to why substances change colour. There were even some exciting explosions. The Science behind it all was pretty interesting and also magical!

“I enjoyed Science Week, especially the exploding lunch bag because I thought it was going to explode everywhere!”

Jade Fossick, Year 4.1

To Infinity and Beyond Don’t tell the Year 5 Tanglin students that the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon! Year 5 blasted off Science Week with Matt Halferty, who is a Tanglin parent and Director of AGI, a company which provides software for use in space.

CSI Tanglin Police sirens wailed in the Year 6 Unit when it became clear that the Murphy Cup had been stolen. But, who did it?

CCTV footage showed five suspects were in the frame. By carrying out thorough interviews with the different suspects, using chromatography and analysing finger prints, soil PH and fibres left at the scene of the crime, the Year 6 children were able to build up a case of evidence. The results from the investigations led to the finger being pointed at Mr Malcolm. But what was his motive for committing such a terrible crime? It turns out he had been

Matt told the children all about his work which involves space satellites.

It then became the children’s mission to investigate meteors and the craters they create on different planets. The children looked at different lines of inquiry, investigating whether the diameter of

blackmailed by the Head of Harimau, Mr Andrews, who was upset that Harimau did not win the Murphy Cup this year!

“CSI was certainly a highlight of my son’s week at school and he was so enthusiastic about the practical and learning components of the investigations because they were so hands on.

The project was a very real experience for them.

We also loved the twist at the end!” Year 6 parent

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“It took me by surprise when the higher you dropped the pebble into the flour and cocoa, the larger the crater was. In my prediction, I thought that a higher drop would lead to a smaller crater.”

Hussain Haider, Year 5.7

the crater is affected by the size of the meteor or the distance the meteor falls.

These investigations resulted in a lot of explosive landings!

“My favourite part was doing the analysis to work out the person who committed the crime.

It was a very thoughtprovoking week!” Georgia Blakeman, Year 6.5

Many world famous scientists conducted their first investigations in school, triggering their thirst to explore and become highly skilled and competent scientists. With the opening of the new Tanglin Trust Junior Science Laboratory, we can now provide our children with sophisticated facilities that will assist in pushing the world of Science forward in the Junior School. Many thanks to the PTA which supported the funding of the project.

Senior School & Sixth Form Beyond Outstanding 18

by Neil Turrell, Headteacher, Senior School

In January this year, the Senior School had the pleasure of a joint British Schools Overseas (BSO) and International Schools Quality Mark (ISQM) inspection, a week-long exercise in which every aspect of our operation was scrutinised. BSO inspections are based on the Independent Schools Inspection framework and, as such, are recognised by and fall under UK regulations.

UK registered inspectors conduct the process but take into account an international setting, as do ISQM evaluations. We were delighted to receive the highest possible grading for both inspections: outstanding in BSO and gold in ISQM. I used the word ‘pleasure’ in my opening sentence quite deliberately.

Although not a sentiment normally associated with the inspection process, we are confident about the quality of our educational provision and there is immense satisfaction in receiving such formal acknowledgment of the efforts of students, teachers, support staff and the leadership team.

As well as recognising achievement, inspections provide a stimulus for further growth and improvement, functioning as high-level consultancy and, along with our own evaluations, informing our development plans about how to move beyond outstanding.

To do this, the Senior School has been focusing on increasing engagement in lessons, encouraging creativity and collaboration in students, and attempting to encourage learning environments where students are more comfortable with

“The excellent teaching, underpinned by an imaginative, engaging and challenging curriculum, enables students to make excellent progress, whatever their starting points. The curriculum makes an essential and highly effective impact on students’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.”

BSO Report 2014

risk. Being willing to participate readily and ‘get things wrong’ is a necessary part of development and nurtures resilience.

As we move forward in the next two years, it is clear from the work of Professor Guy Claxton (widely acknowledged as the UK’s leading expert on building learning power) and Lynne Erickson (an expert on curriculum development in the US), that the key to genuine lifelong learning and improving the human capacity to flourish lies in moving well beyond the prescriptive boundaries of an examination course or a particular assessment target.

World-class schools today foster cross-curricular concepts, skills based approaches and the sustained stimulation of engrained ‘habits of mind’. Tanglin is fortunate to be able to draw from the best practices of the International Baccalaureate Organisation along with innovations from a number of other touch points in the UK, and elsewhere, to ensure that our initiatives are appropriate for our community and are tried, tested and effective.

The school’s central role as one of the pilot institutions for the IB based ‘Approaches to Teaching and Learning’ means there will

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“High-quality teaching across the board, together with students’ well-established learning skills, means that students make rapid progress in almost all lessons. Teachers’ deep subject knowledge, imaginative strategies and consummate classroom skills are not only evident in the four key subjects inspected but also in other subjects.” BSO Report 2014

be a whole Senior School drive on nurturing the capacity to develop the skills of selfmanagement, social interaction, research, thinking and communication from Years 7 to 13.

Running alongside this skills development, faculties will identify key concepts in all of the curriculum areas that will genuinely stimulate interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. If learning is seen through concepts such as exploration, justice, conflict, perspectives, relationships, beliefs and truth, then research suggests that the embedding of learning for students is much deeper and longer lasting than within stand-alone topics and themes of single academic subjects.

obstacles, then the limitations imposed on them by previous performances in tests become less of a hindrance and more of a challenge. The recent work completed at Harvard University on the ‘grit factor’ superseding all other indicators of success is very persuasive. Consequently, if students, along with their teachers, can become ‘co-constructors’ of their learning in lessons then their independence will surge.

In the classrooms of today students should always be aware of the generic learning ambitions of a lesson so that,

as well as focusing on the necessary detail of a particular subject area, they are also enhancing their ability to empathise, manage distraction, collaborate, persevere, distil, link together and question. These learning characteristics generally will have a lasting impact, staying with students long after they have forgotten the factual content of a GCSE, A Level or IB course.

Read the full inspection reports on the TTS Portal or the school’s website. www.tts.edu.sg

Having students exposed to and nurtured through both a skills based approach and an interdisciplinary conceptual framework will equip them for the uncertain and rapidly changing demands of work and multiple career changes after university. Moving to student characteristics and ‘habits of mind’, we have both the Tanglin Learner Profile to consider and the successful work of Professor Claxton.

Ensuring that our youngsters leave the school equipped with the general capacity to take ownership of their learning, in whatever context, is essential. Learning to learn oneself is the biggest indicator of success in life generally and making the learning process transparent to students is essential in today’s schools.

Students who are successful generic learners are more resilient and resourceful in later life and this single attribute of ‘grit’ is the key marker associated with flourishing in any capacity after school. If a person can recognise that there are endless means to work around problems or creatively hurdle

“Students are enthusiastic, motivated and positive about learning because they enjoy their lessons. Confident, stimulating and challenging teaching, which stems from expert subject knowledge and a thorough understanding of how different students learn, promotes exceptionally strong learning.” ISQM Accreditation Report 2014

Deirdre Lew Service Awards Supporting the Elderly

by Year 11 students Natalie Harris, Gaby Harrow, Aneliese Forday and Dana Beretta

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Recently, we were lucky enough to be the first recipients of a Deirdre Lew Service Award. We wanted to do something to help the community and felt that that the support for the elderly didn’t always receive the same attention as charities for animals and children.

So, we suggested painting a mural to uplift the spirits of the elderly at SASCO Senior Citizen’s Home in Choa Chu Kang.

On our first visit to the home it became clear that the multi-purpose hall was the area most in need of attention and our idea of painting a bright, fresh mural was met with great enthusiasm. We also felt that a mural would make a great gift to the elderly, who may not receive much for Christmas.

Before we set about the four days of painting, we did some research into the most appropriate scenes and colours for use in a seniors home. The underlying considerations were that the mural would last a long time, be bright and visually stimulating. As none of us are artists, or even art students, we needed to

keep a balance between simplicity and cheerfulness.

amount by shopping around between paint shops.

The project really helped our organisation and time management skills. Our communication skills were developed as we had to interact with new people and create relationships from scratch. And, we had to work within the budget provided we actually spent less than the allocated

Perhaps most importantly, giving our time and resources to a home that is focused on helping the elderly improved our awareness.

Despite the fact that not everyone in the world has the same good fortune, everyone deserves compassion and we feel lucky to have had this experience!

Project Hello!

by Tim Baark, Year 12.8 During the Easter break, funded by a Deirdre Lew Service Award, myself and four other Year 12 students went to Yunnan province in China to teach English to primary school students.

Although the overriding aim of the trip was to enrich the lives of others, the experience left us all with some unforgettable memories and experiences.

We stayed in a stunning mountainous region, hiking to villages, chopping wood for the local school and helping with the construction of a new school fence.

Without question however, the best part of the trip was the interaction with the Chinese children both inside and outside lessons. The lessons proved as much a learning experience for us as for the children!

By the end of the week, the children seemed to have gained a greater

understanding of English and we definitely had a new-found respect for our own teachers here in Singapore. Finding out that the children’s understanding of English was not as good as we had previously thought meant we quickly had to adapt our plans and keeping the students actively engaged and focused was very challenging.

From joining in with the children’s playground games to donating the $1,500 we raised prior to the trip, the whole experience was incredibly rewarding.

Deirdre Lew Sevice Awards encourage and enable students to take part in a service trip or activity outside school hours. Students in Years 10 to 13 can apply for an individual or group grant of up to SGD 500 per student funded by the TTS Foundation. The aim is to encourage students to learn more about the world they live in, make a positive contribution and exercise responsible citizenship. Find out more about Deirdre Lew Service Awards and how to apply on the TTS Portal.

Adventure in Gopeng

by Ali Fairhurst, Internal Communications Manager

The week culminates in a team version of the Amazing Race following clues, solving puzzles, running, rafting and caving before an exhilarating final white water rafting race in the rapids of the local river.

“Gopeng was a definitely an experience I won’t forget.

Every day was action packed with activities - white water rafting, mountain school, cooking our own dinners - it was just great. When doing all those activities, I found out more about myself each day.

An important lesson I learnt was that you are only as strong as your weakest team member.”

Kit Woodhouse, Y8.3, summed up the spirit of Year 8’s trip to Gopeng perfectly.

The week-long adventure programme is deliberately designed to challenge students and push them firmly, but safely and with support, out of their individual comfort zones. For some students, this means tackling the high ropes course or trusting classmates during swift water rescue training; for others, washing-up and getting used to the quirks of Earth Camp is equally testing!

Developing confidence through personal challenge and adventure activities is only

After a great week in Tioman last year with Year 7, I was delighted to be able to get the chance to experience Gopeng with the same year group. In line with the school’s ethos of actively encouraging participation, staff who work in the Business Support team can volunteer to take part in outdoor education programmes. Anyone who participates is given training and fully briefed on all aspects of the trip. As well as being great fun, going on trips has enabled me to build relationships with students (who we encourage to contribute to school publications) and is hugely beneficial for increasing mutual understanding between staff in different areas of the school.

“Gopeng was a really awesome trip! It was a very good chance to challenge ourselves and overcome many fears and mental blocks, and I think every single one of us who went on the trip learnt a lot. It was a chance to forget our differences and learn what team work really is. It was very tiring and we were usually exhausted by the end of the day, but it was definitely worth it.” Pia Tiwari, Year 8.4

“Gopeng was an amazing experience because I did things I had never done before from abseiling to white water rafting. It was also a great opportunity to meet new people and to build new relationships.

Overall, Gopeng was a truly outstanding trip and I will never forget the wonderful moments we had. Best trip yet!”

Dominic Deely, Year 8.3

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one aspect of the Gopeng programme. The programme also focuses on developing team building, leadership and decisionmaking skills. There is also a visit to Kuala Dipang School where students engages in cultural games and role play with the local children.

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music

High School Musical 22

by Grace Sandys, Year 6.7

‘We’re all in this together!’

The full extent of this was shown by Year 6 last term in their year group production of High School Musical. From September to March the main cast trained intensively and was joined by the rest of the year group in January for more rehearsals.

The cast performed the full show on four occasions to enthusiastic audiences of younger Junior School students and parents. On one night, a member of Walt Disney Corporation came to enjoy the wonderful music, dance and acting! He said he was extremely impressed at the talent on show and the scale of the performance.

A success on such a scale can only be achieved by lots of people working together. We applaud the efforts and commitment of our amazing director, Mr Stevens (Year 6 teacher), and outstanding choreographer, Mrs Chapman (Head of Junior Drama). Working hard

together with the main cast, who lit up the stage with their stunning performances, they produced a brilliant show.

The rehearsals were really enjoyable but hard work. We worked steadily through the script, having bucket loads of fun on the way. Tears were shed at the final curtain - we were all sad that it had ended, but we keep looking back on what fun we had. We know that the audience loved the show. A typical comment from parents was that they were amazed at the talent, blown away by the singing and that they loved the whole thing and were extremely proud of everyone in it.

On that happy note, we shall look ahead at what more is to come, but we won’t forget how much High School Musical changed our lives for the better. We all know now exactly how much we can achieve if we really are all in this together.

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music

Little Shop of Horrors The Senior School production of Little Shop of Horrors was an absolute delight, with rave reviews from the audience who thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Performances were of an incredibly high standard with liberal amounts of talent and energy on display. The show had been in the making since September last year and the dedicated cast members rehearsed religiously right up to the final performance.

Sixth Formers Kyle Portnoy (Y12.3) and Grace Roberts (Y13.9) took the lead roles of Seymour and Audrey, with Grace Whiskin (Y13.9) and Nathan Stone (Y11.7) as Mrs Mushnik and the Dentist respectively. The five gorgeous Ronettes sang in perfect harmony and three ensemble members, of whom I was one, took on the wacky characters involved in Seymour’s downfall.

Even members of staff took to the stage - our very own Mr Derby-Crook, CEO, took on the voice of Audrey II, his rich vocals lending just the right blend of manipulation and humour to the monster

plant. Head of Senior School Mr Turrell charismatically opened the show.

The set design was nothing short of remarkable. The Berrick Performance Hall, with the support and expertise of Mr Burgess and the technical team, was turned into urban Skid Row with three floors of scaffolding on the stage from floor to ceiling. The monster-plant Audrey II, specifically made for our show, reigned over Mrs Mushnik’s florists shop, growing ominously between set changes. Two different bands, comprising both students and instrumental teachers (led by Mrs Owain, Mr Baxter and Mr Hyland) rocked

out the show tunes, whilst the cast and Senior Chamber Choir sang. The choir also provided lush background vocals which filled the hall, making the show that bit more magical.

It was an honour to be a part of this phenomenal production and everyone involved got a real insight into the world of professional musical theatre. The production would not have been possible without the teachers, technicians and costume designers. Many thanks to Mr Peirson and Mr Lucas who directed the show and all involved. We are all excited about next year’s musical!

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by Chris Jones, Year 10.2

Showcase: Art • Dance • Drama • Music-

Collaborative Art 24

by Peter Hinckley, Head of Primary Art and Design

One of the many exciting aspects of the Tanglin school environment is the creation and development of collaborative artwork and installations. The opportunity to work as part of a team towards the creation and completion of a large scale piece of art provides a catalyst for the development of communication skills, the sharing of ideas, productivity in completing more complex practical activities and nurtures critical thinking. With the support of the art team, class teachers and the fabulous creative skills of visiting artists, the children have collaboratively created thought-provoking and dynamic art installations in the Infant School.

In Nursery, following the theme of nature and recycling, a series of hanging dreamcatcher mobiles were created. The children chose from a range of materials to tie onto a series of web-shaped frameworks, with their collaborative artwork become increasingly complex and dynamic. The end result was an art installation that engages with the surroundings and stimulates discussion and interaction. Other superb examples of collaborative artwork are seen throughout the Infant School, for example an incredible Chinese New Year horse was created through the combined work of all the children in Reception Base 5.

The beauty of art installations is seeing how they organically evolve through the creative process and how the collective contributions of the children’s input leads to an amazing end result. Visiting artist Nina Ayres worked with the Year 1 and

Year 2 children to create an amazing assortment of puppets which were used as a stimulus in the role-play areas. She also worked with our team of Teaching and Learning Assistants to create a superb Chinese dragon that will become a major part of the Infant Chinese department display area.

Last term, we were also very lucky to have illustrator Polly Dunbar visit the Infant School. She transformed the Infant Library Kiva area into an incredible art display. Throughout the week, children in Year 2 worked closely with Polly, each group working on one element of the final display: one group created birds’ tails, another eyes and wings. At the end of a busy but incredibly exciting week, the separate elements came together and became an amazing artwork that has totally transformed the Infant Library Kiva.

PTA

A Look Back at Term 2

by Caroline Bittar, PTA President

The PTA also hosted a Welcome Coffee Morning for the new families that joined Tanglin in January. Although much smaller than the start of school year event, it was great to meet the new parents and we hope they found the welcome packs useful.

Last term, the PTA Committee voted to help fund the new Junior Science Laboratory. At the grand opening of the lab, it was fantastic to see the enthusiasm for this exciting project which will help maintain the excellent learning environment and facilities at Tanglin.

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Term 2 began with the ever popular Grandparent’s Tea. It is always a delight to invite visiting or resident grandparents into school and we had a great turnout. The morning started with a tour around the school and finished with a delicious home baked spread by the PTA. New Year’s resolutions and diets were forgotten as everyone tucked into the mouthwatering buffet.

Our main fundraising event for this term was the Go Green Quiz Night. With a great curry buffet as well as competitively priced wines and beers, quiz nights are always popular. Members of the community use the opportunity to catch up with other class parents, colleagues and friends in a relaxed environment.

There is always some healthy competition between the teams and Les Quizerables triumphed at Term 1 and Term 2’s quiz nights.

sticks, plenty of pizza and the hip music, played by our energetic resident DJ Jacqui Nursey, made for some great dancing and lots of fun.

Years 3 and 5 had their second Junior Disco this term. There were lots of glow

Class Reps also play a vital role in organising and supporting the large scale events throughout the year. The school’s Operations Team is also an invaluable part of the events, often working tirelessly behind the scenes within tight timescales.

As always, many thanks to all our parent volunteers and, in particular, Class and Year Group Reps who represent parents’ views at the regular PYG Meetings across all three schools (look out for the minutes of the meetings in the PTA section of the TTS Portal).

We will be hosting an Operations Appreciation Day in Term 3, as well as the Year 4 disco and the highly anticipated Year 6 Graduation Disco.

Also in Term 3 is the spectacular Summer Fete on Saturday, 24 May which is always a hugely enjoyable occasion for all members of our community.

Sports & Activities Term 2 Highlights 26

March Madness!

by Colin Morris, Director of Sport and Activities In March, 650 student athletes and over 100 coaches and support staff from all over South East Asia took part in three major tournaments hosted by Tanglin. The success of all three tournaments was the result of much hard work from the PE team, Facilities Assistants, the Shared Services team and Communications team working closely together. These popular events are a wonderful opportunity not only to elevate the already high standards of competition but to consolidate friendships and create lasting memories.

South East Asia Schools International This annual tournament has grown to be the biggest international netball event Netball Tournament 2014 in South East Asia with over 40 schools participating in two categories: U16 and U19. Every year, the level of coaching and play gets better and better, and this year was a true showcase for netball. Tanglin entered five teams, ranging from our U14 academy team (which played in the U16 competition) to the elite U19 squad. Our girls played magnificently all weekend.

SEASAC Badminton Tournament 2014 Badminton is very much a developing sport at Tanglin. Over the last year we have invested a lot of time and effort into improving the profile of the sport and the performance of our students, and SEASAC (South East Asia Student Activities Conference) was always going to be a good measure of our progress.

The U14 academy team made it into the Cup competition after losing only one game and our two U16 teams also did well with the B team taking home a well-deserved bronze medal.

Games in the U19 category were hard fought and saw some superb play.

Our teams reached the finals in their sections; the B team took home the silver whilst our A team were the welldeserved champions.

Our boys team finished fifth and the girls sixth in division 2, showing great improvement from last year. More importantly, the students had a truly memorable experience - only two of the 15 students on the team play another sport at school and for many, this was their first experience of a SEASAC or large sporting event.

U13 FOBISIA Games 2014 Congratulations to everyone who took part in the U13 FOBISIA Games (Federation of British International Schools in Asia). The team achieved some great successes over the three days of competition. Our students also received many compliments over the course of the games with respect to their sportsmanship, support of each other and their friendliness towards other teams.

The final standings are shown in the table on the right.

FOBISIA EVENT

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Athletics Team Event OVERALL GOLD

Athletics Individual Performances

12

22

9

29

9

5

Swimming Team Event OVERALL GOLD

Swimming Individual Performances Girls Football OVERALL SILVER

Boys Football OVERALL BRONZE

Girls Basketball Boys Basketbal

Fourth

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U13 FOBISIA Games 2014

Swimming Update - Focus on ACSIS

by David Hailey, Director of Aquatics

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Term 2 saw continuing improvements for the Merlions and the squad performed brilliantly at the ACSIS swim meets.

In February, the Merlions attended the middle school ACSIS meet at Nexus International School. The hard work and dedication leading up to the event more than paid off, with 32 personal bests achieved in the 32 individual events and medals in 17 events. The high standard of swimming was apparent not only from the fantastic amount of personal bests but also the large amount of school records broken. Eleven individual school records were set and two girls relay records. It was a fantastic day of competition that saw the girls finish in fourth position and the boys crowned ACSIS champions.

The following weekend, the Junior Merlions joined a record number of competing schools for the Junior ACSIS championships at UWC Dover. The event saw a record number of swimmers competing this year and the standard was exceptionally high.

The Merlions started off quickly with some exceptional swims. Again, a disciplined training regime, involving early morning training sessions and long hours in the pool, proved effective. By the end of the meet we had achieved no less than 38 personal bests in 28 individual events. This fixture also saw seven individual and four relay school records bettered with some fantastic swimming. The overall points saw our boys finish comfortably in third position and our girls crowned ACSIS champions.

At both the middle and junior championships, the Merlions showed some exceptional swimming. Well done to all swimmers that competed!

ACSIS stands for the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools and offers large numbers of student athletes the opportunity to gain some local competition experience. With an emphasis on students trying their best, exhibiting sportsmanship and demonstrating respect for all, ACSIS encourages a healthy attitude towards competition and is an excellent foundation for those who want to move towards the more elite SEASAC (South East Asia Student Activities Conference) competitions.

Mini-Athletics by Chris Rawlings, Head of Primary PE Athletics at Tanglin has had an injection of enthusiasm over the last few years due to the excellent facilities at the Tanglin Sports Complex. This has opened up opportunities for students in curriculum lessons, CCAs and competitions. Standards and participation have made great progress which is reflected in the outstanding results we produce at local and international athletic meets.

At grassroots level are the mini-athletic events which are part of the Junior CCA athletics programme. Every week, over 100 children from the Junior School attend the athletics CCA where they develop skills in running, jumping and throwing in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

As part of the CCA, the children take part in an athletics meet with six other schools.

They are divided into groups to compete in a series of seven events: ball throw, ball push, 60m and 100m sprints, 600m run, long jump and standing triple jump. Points and certificates are awarded for positions in each event. The top three athletes in each group are then presented with a certificate at the end of the meet. This format allows the children to take part in friendly competition, develop track and field skills and meet children from other schools.

The High Commissioner Award

by Anna Lees, Assistant Head, Year 5

Last term, the HCA Gold group of 25 students from Year 6 went to Siem Reap, Cambodia to make a difference. Working with the Caring for Cambodia charity, students took part in many strenuous and physically demanding work projects. From digging trenches and laying bricks in order to combat flooding, to building paths and paving a walkway, the group undertook every task with enthusiasm and a huge smile on their faces. Alongside the labouring work, the children formed meaningful relationships with their Cambodian friends through play, conversation and working together. It was amazing to see how a high five and a smile could break the barriers of language and bring children together.

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The High Commissioner Award (HCA) CCA gives students in Years 4, 5 and 6 opportunities to explore their potential inside and outside the classroom. Each week, the children participate in activities that encourage communication, leadership, pride, innovation, cooperation and a sense of achievement.

Student Services

Nursing in Outdoor Education 30

by Sarah Le Grice, Lead Nurse Student Services is made up of the Careers, Nursing, Counselling and PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship Education) teams, a group of staff who work hard to support students (and sometimes parents too) in so many areas of school life. In this issue, we focus on Nursing.

Outdoor education is an important part of life at Tanglin. Programmes vary in focus and length, from Singapore-based day trips in the Infant School to learn about animals in their natural habitat, to trips of over a week in the Senior School, which may involve white-water rafting, jungle survival skills or a community service project. The well-being and safety of students and staff is paramount in all outdoor education activities and it is standard practice for a Tanglin nurse to go on all curriculum programmes up to Year 10.

“During our trip, we encountered some minor injuries. Thankfully, we had a nurse with us who made us feel much better and at home.” Student

Beyond this level, each programme and group of students is assessed to determine whether additional medical and first aid support is required.

The overriding role of the registered nurses on outdoor education programmes is to keep everyone – students and staff – in good health and support with any medical concerns. We work in close partnership with parents, the trip leader and the Duty Manager before, during and after each trip to ensure the optimal physical and emotional well-being of students, enabling students to get the most out of their experience.

Whilst on the trip, the students know the nurses as a caring face and the role often encompasses a strong pastoral element.

Students may come to us with a minor issue - a mild headache or a scratch - but really want to talk to someone because they are feeling a little homesick or concerned about an activity that they find

challenging. We are there not just to deal with medical issues but to listen, support and reassure.

The nurses are very flexible and will be wherever they are needed most, which is decided after close consultation with the trip leader. Sometimes, that is back at

“Watching the children develop is really quite moving. Every time I go on a trip, I am blown away by what the children achieve over the course of a few days, sometimes physically but often emotionally. It’s a real privilege to share in their experience.” Trish McLaren, School Nurse

31 base with a student who is off colour; on other occasions it may be participating in activities to keep a close eye on a student with an allergy. Or, as happened recently in Gopeng with Year 8, it was standing underneath the high ropes course galvanising some support for a student who needed cheering on as she conquered her fear of heights. The role is a 24-hour one and, on more than one occasion, the nurse has stayed up through the night to care for a vomiting student or to monitor a fever.

Alongside the use of Nursing Protocols and Procedures, we are supported by International SOS (ISOS) which plays a

“As a TTS Nurse, it is very reassuring to know that, wherever we are in the world, ISOS is only a phone call away. ISOS is informed of all trip details well in advance and we can call for advice at any time, no problem is too small.” Jennifer Atkinson, School Nurse

“Having a nurse present is a huge support. As a trip leader, it allows me to focus on the overall organisation and management of the trip, knowing that there is an experienced first aider caring for any students with medical issues.

Throughout any trip, members of staff regularly check in with each other about the physical and emotional well-being of the students and the nurses are a key part of this process. They are very much part of the team.” Jodie Biddles, Assistant Head of Year 8 and experienced programme leader

significant part in the medical element of trips. ISOS specialises in emergency care and treatment, including evacuation if necessary. Nurses can call a doctor, who is available 24-hours a day, to discuss medical issues and ask for advice. ISOS will also assist with arranging visits to medical facilities in the area if needed.

Outdoor education at Tanglin encourages students to interact with new places, environments and cultures, and the programmes play a huge part in giving our students a sense of independence, resilience and responsibility. The Nursing Team is proud to support students in this area of their personal development.

Creative Writing Can I Write a Story?

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Mrs Armitage’s Roller Skates One snowy day Mrs Armitage and Breakspeare went outside and realised it was snowing. Mrs Armitage was an old lady, she had grey hair tied in a bun, she was very skinny, rode a bike and was fit for her age!

“Breakspeare, do you think we should set off?” questioned Mrs Armitage.

“Woof, woof!” answered Breakspeare. Mrs Armitage and Breakspeare skated off. But then Mrs Armitage got a little cold and said to Breakspeare, “What these skates need are flames.” She switched on her flames full blast and she went on her way.

“Golly gosh” whispered Mrs Armitage, “this is a long way to my grandchild’s house! Maybe I’ll press my unicorn button and fly instead so I don’t get so tired of rolling.” So she pressed it and off they flew soaring through the snowy sky!

While she was flying, her GPS told her a snowstorm was approaching. The GPS was right, she did see a snowstorm and it was coming right for her! She followed the GPS instructions and got through the snowstorm. Then she pressed the ice skating button, then the house button and she and Breakspeare had a little nap.

When they woke up it was morning and they set off. They skated as fast as they could and finally they reached their destination. They stayed there for two weeks. When they set off again the roller skates broke. Mrs Armitage thought to herself, “I’m going to get a motor bike!”

by Anya Patel, Year 2.4

Can I Write a Limerick?

There once was a great engineer Who said that he never had fear He built a big ship He hoped it won’t flip In the end people started to cheer

by Jesse Collins, Year 2.1

Background artwork titled Inter-Dependence is by Raushan Firaq, Year 13.7 and the sculptures titled Stacked are by Zoe Sykes, Year 13.3.

The following pieces are extracts of entries for the FOBISIA Short Story Competition 2014 which had a theme this year of ‘magic’. Current Tanglin parents and students can read the full stories on Junior and Senior Firefly.

The entries that were selected to go forward to the competition organisers to compete against the best stories from all FOBISIA schools will be published in the next edition of The Voice.

Bright sparks illuminated the gleaming white room. The doctor’s eyes flashed with concentration, as he tried to heal the unconscious man. He knew his patient had a chance of survival, but he couldn’t tell if his magic was enough.

Samuel had always wanted to be a healer, ever since he could remember. It was as if he wanted to put right what his family had done wrong – his father had forged his way into the world, committing crimes to survive. Now his father was behind bars, and there was nothing Sam could do about it…except to try to find a way to counteract against poisons. Of course, he had to become the planet’s most successful practitioner in the process. But, his most recent patient was proving a challenge – even another world’s most successful doctor found it hard to repair the magical sector of the brain.

by Hannah Griffiths, Year 5.1

The Statue For many nights I lived in a makeshift, banana leaf tent, with only wild fowl and native fruit to eat, fruit I had never seen or heard of in my life; maybe I wasn’t in the Gulf of Guinea at all. The jungle was a deathtrap, concealed in beauty - until I found the hut.

The hut was a thatched, simple looking hut with a straw roof, clay walls and a floor made of flattened dirt. That was when I first noticed the oddness in it.

The hut was the only sign of human life on the island. However, there was no sign of life in the hut. Nothing but a legion of ruthless looking statues, some the size of a fingernail, some the size of a man. Greed had won the battle. I took one.

I fly through the air; I don’t care about the jungle. I don’t care about the animals.

I forget my home. My family. How I got here. Who I am. Only the statue matters.

Out of my fingers shoot rays of light. Out of my roaring jaw shoots boiling magma. Out of my eyes shoot arrows of obsidian. Out of my mouth shoot curses and insults; enough to drive you insane. I will never be the man I was.

I am powerful.

It was so long ago, I barely remember anything about how I disappeared, nothing but the whir of charmed hands and the muffled roar of malevolent victory as I disappeared into the forever glaring statue’s hands. Into a void of darkness. Now, I sit in an obscure shack, waiting for my next victim. In he comes, eyes glowing with greed.

by Adam Ali-Hassan, Year 6.2

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The Recovery

The Painter Apprehensive, Elna approached her empty canvas. She’d bought it secretly, hidden it in the cosy little room under the stairs, which was barely bigger than a cupboard, but that was okay. She felt at home whenever she went there, safer in that small dark space than in the world outside her door. It was strangely comforting. When it was dark, no-one could see her, which was just as well. They couldn’t see it before it was finished. They’d laugh at her – but she wanted to do something that would show everybody up, show them they were wrong, she could do what she wanted. Nothing would stop her. She grabbed a tube of paint, not caring what colour it was. It wouldn’t matter, in the end. Colours didn’t. It was the feeling that counted, and that was what she wanted. To show everyone her world. As she raised her arm, Elna felt a change in the air that pirouetted around her brush, and as she touched it to the canvas, the art took her hand and danced with it, painting a world she could only imagine. As the art took her up, the world opened out, not staying in the room but exploding into life, and as the walls of the tiny place fell away as far as Elna could see was a rainbow of colours, blue skies and green fields. She felt a surge of energy as the cool breeze tugged the loose strands of her hair, as ice-cold water trickled past her feet, like she could run a thousand miles. Freedom, freedom to do what she wanted. And taking that feeling, she began.

by Charlotte Ford, Year 9.8

To Kill a Turritopsis Jellyfish* Strange things have been happening recently. Just a month ago, Ms Dover was hit by a truck. Blew her bits all over the pavement, they said. I went down there to see myself, and sure enough, it might as well have been one big red fan. ‘Well’, I thought, ‘that’s interesting’. But it didn’t stop there. They buried the poor lady and, I could swear, the same afternoon – Mr McHillock tripped and fell from the roof of his house.

He was always a quaky little man, a bit blind, some thought, but of course, he would try well to deny it – “Oh, don’t worry ‘bout me, I’ve got the pearls of a hawk!” For some reason, I used to snigger at that metaphor when I was a kid. In any case – those ‘pearls’ didn’t last him long. As he wavered on the roof, I could imagine, he gave a scream as he shot down, almost vertically, and gave himself a new vase helmet at around sixty miles an hour.

Speared the damn thing, they said. I was walking by and I went to check. Lo and behold, the vase was miraculously intact, yet the same could not be said of poor old Mr McHillock.

Curious… but of course, it did not stop there.

Mr Jones finally succumbed to his leukemia; Ms Applesdale ate the wrong muffin whilst trying to poison her cat. ‘Bloody hell’ I thought, ‘they’re dropping like fireflies’. By the end of the month, at least eight souls had ditched town, and their former vessels left to rot in the ground below. Yet the death tally weighed in at ‘eight and a half fatal casualties’. I had wondered what the ‘half’ meant, but whoever I asked didn’t seem to know. Who made that tally anyway?

One thing, however, was for certain – the tally was growing. In any case, I’d expect that by fall in the coming months, our little village may very well have lost everyone who could remember the Second World War. Oh forgive me… almost everyone. You see, living no further than across the road is one beetle of a man, but without a doubt the most extraordinary man I’ve ever seen. *The Turritopsis Nutricula is a species of jellyfish capable of never dying due to its ability to completely regenerate its cells in times of crisis.

by Christopher Soelistyo, Year 12.11

Senior School Library Book Reviews Top 5 Most Popular Books • • • • •

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Hunger by Michael Grant Class A by Robert Muchamore Gone by Michael Grant The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen This amazing and fun story is about a girl, Sophia, who does not live with her well-to-do parents. Instead, she is left in the care of her cousin Jack and their servants. She enjoys a very outdoor, free existence until her father comes back from four years in Jamaica. He is very disappointed by her unladylike behaviour and immediately sends Jack into the army and takes Sophia to Bath to live with her aunt with the idea of marrying her off. However, between parties, balls, fashion and dancing Sophia finds time to have a more adventurous life – as a highwayman. But how will all this end for Sophia?

Her adventure is full of regret, love, rebellion and robbery, which makes this historical fiction an amazing book for young teenage girls! There are other books by the same author which are equally great - make sure to check them out too!

Sophie Frapin-Beaugé, Year 8.2

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein Code Name Verity is a very beautifully written, intriguing book about the friendship between Queenie, a British spy, and Maddie, an ATA pilot during WWII. It is not a light read, being set in Nazi-occupied France at the Gestapo HQ in a fictional city called Ormaie. But, this book is really about the strength of friendship and the lengths some are willing to go to in order to be loyal to friends. In the words of Queenie, “It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend.”

Code Name Verity is one of those precious few books that is impossible to put down once you have started reading, but you cannot bear to finish it too quickly either. It can make you laugh and cry at the same time. Because of the time period it has been set in and the major theme of the book, it may not be for everyone. But, it is a very good book to read for anyone who loves historical books or enjoys deeper, heavier books.

Pia Tiwari, Year 8.4

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Book Reviews

Junior School Library Book Reviews Top Books Voted into the Reader’s Cup Competition Years 3 & 4

Years 5 & 6

• • •

•

The Queen and Mr Brown by James Francis Wilkins Charlotte’s Web by E B White Never Ever by Jo Empson

• •

The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat

by Julia Donaldson The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas by David Almond

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The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas by David Almond David Almond is a British author who has written many books for children and won lots of prizes. I loved this book because from the very first page you want to know why the main character, Stanley Potts, ended up living with his aunt and uncle instead of his mum and dad. You also want to find out why his uncle’s job is canning fish. In the story, Stan is very unhappy at home because of the way he is being treated by his uncle, so he runs away and joins a circus. I loved the way the author ends the story in such a cool way. There is a clue in the title as to what happens at the end of this fabulous story - happy reading!

Annika Kyrdalen, Year 5.1

Watership Down by Richard Adams Watership Down is a heroic story about a group of rabbits who leave their warren and go out to explore the unknown world. Hazel and Fiver are brothers. When Fiver starts seeing things predicting a terrible danger coming upon their warren, Hazel recruits a group of rabbits to go with them on their journey. The rabbits face many dangers on the way and even come upon a German seagull named Kehaar! The group is joined by several other rabbits along the way. Throughout the story, there are a few words that many will not understand. This is Lapine, the language of the rabbits. Although this book is rather old, I feel that it should still receive credit for the amazing story.

This book would be suitable for both Juniors and Seniors.

Hannah Coulstock, Year 5.6

Infant School Library Book Reviews Top 5 Most Popular Books

• • • • •

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson Ella Bella Ballerina by James Mayhew The Lego Book Do Not Open This Book by Michaela Muntean Shoe Baby by Joyce Dunbar

I like Roald Dahl stories because I love how he makes his stories really exciting.

My favourite Roald Dahl book is called ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’. I like this book because it’s really funny but I don’t like the horrible things George does to his grandmother!

Georgia Lovatt, Year 2.3 My favourite story is called ‘The Three Little Pigs’ because it has a nice ending. I like how the wolf doesn’t win in the end! In class we are reading many traditional stories but I like ‘The Three Little Pigs’ the best!

Lara Chataway, Year 1.2 My favourite story is one you may not know! The story is called ‘The Snow Queen’ and this story is about a girl and boy who are the best of friends. Every day they play together but one evening the boy was put under a spell by the Snow Queen who turned him into ice by breathing on him. His friend tried to save him and succeeded! I love this story and would love for my friends to read it too.

Georgia Falting, Year 2.7

Parent Book Reviews Top 5 Most Popular Books

Raising Boys: Why Boys are Different by Steve Biddulph Third Culture Kids: Growing up Among Worlds by David C Pollock and Ruth E Van Reken Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood by Jim Fay and Charles Fay Raising Girls by Steve Biddulph Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility by Foster W Cline

Raising Children in a Digital Age: Enjoying the Best and Avoiding the Worst

by Dr Bex Lewis Every day we hear a growing number of stories in the media of children being groomed on the Internet and even more reports, often with tragic outcomes, of cyber bullying. How many of us know what our children are accessing when they are on their laptops or if they are viewing websites and information we would rather they did not?

Now help is at hand with a new book by Dr Bex Lewis, a digital communications expert from the UK. Raising Children in a Digital Age promises to answer vital questions and offers guidance through the maze that is today’s social media. The book is both plain talking and thoughtfully written in a way that does not patronise. It invites us to get involved but also to trust our children by suggesting constructive ways for us to talk to and also learn from them. As a mum of five, I wish I could have read this book 10 years ago when my eldest children were heading into their teens, though at least back then social media was little more than an idea forming in Mark Zuckerberg’s brain!

As parents we are also naturally worried about the health impact on our children of sitting for hours at a computer screen rather than spending time on physical activities; the dangers of becoming increasingly reliant on virtual friends and followers rather than their actual peer group of friends, and the impact that excessive screen time has on behaviour, concentration levels and learning progress.

Given all of this, it is not surprising that many parents regard their children’s online activity with suspicion, concern, fear – and often a sense of helplessness too.

Dr Lewis is adamant, however, that parents should focus on making the Internet a positive experience for their children. “What happens online is human nature amplified — it’s not technology that is the problem but our own behaviour,” she explains. Her book puts Internet scare stories into context and encourages parents not to let their own lack of knowledge get in the way of their children’s enjoyment of new media. “The Internet is a tool, just like a brick, which you can either use to smash a window or build a house,” she says.

by Sam Blakey, Parent

The Parenting Collection of books is split between all school libraries and is rotated each term to offer variety to library visitors. If you are interested in borrowing these or any of our other parenting resources, or becoming a Tanglin Library member, please contact any of the library staff.

If you would like to write a book review for the next edition of The Voice, please email communications@tts.edu.sg

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• • • • •

Roving Reporters Preparing Expat Students for University Life

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by Olivia Morrison, Year 9.8 As expat students at Tanglin, we have a unique educational experience. When the time comes to leave school to go to university, the majority of Tanglin students are more than ready for the next stage of their education. For most, university will be an amazing experience but, naturally, there will be challenges. Tanglin parent Moira Fielding has put together a guide to help our students prepare for some of those challenges.Two of Mrs Fielding’s four children currently attend Tanglin; the other two were at Tanglin and are now at universities in the UK. I caught up with Mrs Fielding to find out more.

Why did you write this guide?

“Many expat students grow up in a very safe, privileged environment and going to university in the UK can be quite a change. What I aimed to do in the guide was to unfold some of the challenges of university, not just on the academic side but on a personal level. Families will be living on the other side of the world and the safety net of close friends is suddenly not on hand – that can be tough.”

What are some of the emotions that students typically feel?

“There’s a mixture of feelings – excitement, relief that exams are finally out of the way and anticipation about the next stage! Year 13 can be a rollercoaster and students are often tremendously emotional; there are university applications, exam results, 18th birthday parties and lots of changes and farewells.

Once the reality hits that independence is actually around the corner, it can be nerve-racking.”

What is different about life at university in the UK? “Some positives are the independence: no rules, having your own money, cooking exactly what you want to eat and deciding when you go to bed! However,

there will be challenges: being lonely until you find the right group of people, having unrealistic expectations that everything is going to be fun, and being miles away from family and friends. You may find that your fellow students from the UK are more streetwise – they may have more local knowledge, have already had a parttime job and even know how to do the laundry!”

What about the work?

“At university, students will have a tutor, but they are unlikely to be like

“As much as we all used to joke about the ‘Third Culture Kids’ talks, it can be difficult finding common ground with people who all grew up in similar places to one another and went to similar schools when your time growing up was completely different.”

Graduate, Law, Queen Mary University

the teachers most have been used to. There will be lectures – these are not compulsory, no-one is marking attendance and it can be tempting not to go. The danger is not only that students miss out on the work, they also lose motivation and start to become disconnected.”

What would be your main piece of advice for anyone going to university next year?

“You are mature, confident and ready for your new life at university! But, make sure you are prepared for the differences and challenges. If you are struggling with anything, make sure you talk to someone to get some support.”

To read the full guide by Moira Fielding, please visit the Careers and University Guidance section of the TTS Portal.

The Last Word Where Has the Last 31 Years Gone..?

When I was a young teacher, I thought I could achieve anything I put my mind to. So having flown from the UK to work in a British Forces school in northern Germany, where I soon became fed up with the long months of wintery snow and ice, I decided to seek warmer climes and new experiences. Little did I know that the flimsy blue aerogramme offering me a job at Tanglin Infant School in Singapore would change my life forever!

Driving down Portsdown Road on my first day of school was like meandering down a tropical country lane, with only the black and white houses and apartments dotted around. It looks very different today.

During my early years as a class teacher in Reception and Head of Year 1, colonial style buildings, fan cooled classrooms, milk monitors, candy pink striped dresses and shirts, the Infant School day finishing at lunchtime and no English National Curriculum were the order of the day.

Cyndi, from KAL Transport was a young slip of a thing, working for her in-laws, Mr and Mrs Yeap, who ran the bus service back then.

Tanglin was still considered a large school in comparison to most, having seven classes per year group, with Infants on a split site – the North Wing (where the Early Years playground is now) and the South Wing (now the Senior School area). The Nursery was housed in Alexandra Park until 1996, in the old Officers’ Mess, and was known as Winchester School and,

Having been at the concert in the old Outdoor Stadium to celebrate Singapore’s 20 years as an independent nation, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would still be here preparing to celebrate the nation’s 50th birthday or the school’s 90th.

I wonder where I will be and what I will be doing 31 years from now!

1990s

Joining the school in the early 80s as one of the first three overseas recruited female teachers was a very different experience to that of teachers today. Non-stop flights were still a long way off and the journey here seemed endless. My first memories of arrival in Singapore were the wall of humidity that hit me as I walked out of Terminal 1, then the only terminal in a very new Changi Airport, and being driven through the city to be shown and told about a particular hole in the ground that would, on completion, be the tallest hotel in the world, known then as the Westin Stamford.

I don’t think that accolade lasted too long!

Although a very different working environment to the one we find ourselves learning and teaching in today, Tanglin has managed to maintain that very strong ethos of a community that cares and where the children are at the heart of all we do. I have been very privileged to work with and be inspired by the many highly professional staff at Tanglin and know that the school has a very exciting future.

2000s - now

1980s

although part of the TTS family, admission to the Infant School was not automatic.

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by Geraldine Chandran, Headteacher, Infant School

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1. TEA Also English for water. 2. STONEHENGE Was it druids, greeks or aliens? Its history shrouded in mystery makes it so appealing. 3. ROYAL GUARD We dare you to make a royal guard laugh. 4. PHONE BOOTH Once used for phone calls. Now used for photoshoots. 5. RIVER THAMES All that London rain has to go somewhere! 6. DOUBLE-DECKER BUS Hop on, hop off! You have not seen London till you have been on top. 7. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Like an antique shop. Only nothing is for sale. 8. ABBEY ROAD Home of UK’s most frequently stolen street sign. 9. PUB Museums of the neighbourhood. 10. FISH & CHIPS Today’s catch in yesterday’s paper. 11. PIE The best thing to put in an English pie is your teeth. 12. OXFORD STREET You have been there in Monopoly. Now see the real thing. 13. BIG BEN The bell in the grandfather of grandfather clocks. 14. BUCKINGHAM PALACE One prince still up for grabs.

15. WEMBLEY STADIUM A cathedral of football and music. 16. THE TUBE Mind the Gap! 17. 30 ST MARY AXE Or the gherkin, as Londoners like to call it.

95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299 www.tts.edu.sg Tel: 6778 0771 Fax: 6777 5862 Email: communications@tts.edu.sg