The Voice 25

of Tanglin Trust School

25

The Power of Play Celebrating Literature Responsible Global Citizens

MCI (P) 014/07/2016

Vol 25 02/2017

Welcome I am often asked what appears to be a simple question… ‘What makes a good education?’ Unfortunately, the answer is not simple.

Bearing in mind that school education is only a small part of a person’s whole education, the judgement of a ‘good education’ can only accurately be made by the recipient after the fact. In other words, if you look back at your school education and the experience of it (what it did for you and how it made you feel), and you conclude that you were well provided for, then it was a good education for you. Therefore, to measure success a school must seek this feedback. It must also recognise that all children are different and that they have different needs at each stage of their lives. Given that, they must do all they can to rcognise and meet the range of individual needs within their organisation. To this end, they should be striving to be the best they can be in the eyes of each individual and their community.

Looking at the rich range of Tanglin experiences, challenges and opportunities displayed in this edition of The Voice, I think there is evidence that we are striving to be the best we can be. Notice as you read through the articles that academic rigour isn’t a single strand, it is a strand amongst others. Context, relevance and inspiration are key drivers at Tanglin in our efforts to nurture a passion for learning where the energy comes as much from the students as it does from the teachers.

The notion of relevance is exemplified in the feature article on page 6 about our support for the SAT admissions test for universities in the United States and also in a write-up on Tanglin’s first TEDx event organised by our students. On page 12 the growing community conscience is illustrated through the Our World 2041 group and Responsible Global Citizens.

Inspiration begins to spark the day our children walk into the school and I found the report of our award of the Gold Primary Science Quality Mark fascinating (I obviously wasn’t listening when I was in primary school!). I was fortunate enough to attend both the Senior Ensembles event and the atmospheric and eerie performance of A Christmas Carol on pages 24 and 25. Both were full of passion, energy and talent.

Editor Louise Colbridge Design Jay Valentine

However, I mustn’t spoil the surprise element of reading this edition by telling you all about it on the first page. I do hope you enjoy looking through this window into just some of the many activities that contribute to a good education at our school (according to our students!).

Contributors Students, Staff and PTA Photography The Communications Team & other contributors ‘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.

Peter Derby-Crook Chief Executive Officer

Contents

News from our Three Schools

Responsible Global Citizens ‘Our World 2041’

Infant School

20

Showcase

Alumni

Alumni coming Full Circle at Tanglin

The Power of Play

10

Senior School Celebrating Literature

18

Sports & Activities Beyond the Sporting Classroom

Art/ Dance/ Drama/ Music

Round Up

Creative Writing

34

Spotlight on Admissions

16

14

22

Reflecting on a Busy Term 1

Spotlight

9

Junior School

Exploring Science in the Infant School

12

Year 12 PSHCE Carousel

PTA

6

Demonstrating Independence in the Senior School

4

Our World

Sixth Form

Feature

A Selection of Infant, Junior and Senior Writing

World Scholar’s Cup

27

Book Reviews

35

Infant, Junior, and Senior Reviews

32

The Last Word

37

Monster Mayhem Holiday Camp

39

Tanglin Talk

News from our Three Schools

Last year’s Car Free Friday saw staff, parents and students travel to work using public transport or by walking.

Thank you to everyone who joined in and donated $2 to WWF Singapore.

We raised enough money to plant 115 trees in Indonesia and now have our own Tanglin Trust School forest. photo: © WWF-Singapore/XCalibrephoto

Many children in Year 2 learnt to ride a bike or improve their cycling skills last term as part of the TTS Foundation Pedal Power Programme. This is just one of the projects which was enabled by this year’s TTS Foundation fundraising campaign.

The Nixon Building was officially opened on 17 November by Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr S. Iswaran.

Aside from the state of the art Media Technology space, fully fitted gymnasium and a performance theatre, the building also features new spaces for parents including The Forest Café and children’s soft play area which is open Monday – Friday from 7.00am5.00pm. Scan the code to read about The Nixon Building.

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Sodexo, the school’s catering supplier, has announced that it is using 100% physical certified sustainable palm oil for all its cooking at Tanglin.

Congratulations to the Junior School who recently received the History Quality Mark from the Historical Association in the UK. The award recognises the excellence of History provision within the Junior School.

We are delighted to have also achieved our Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) Gold Award, an award scheme run across the UK to evaluate, strengthen and celebrate science provision in schools.

The TTS staff group ‘Singing for Smiles’ have been visiting patients in the National University Hospital. Their repertoire includes songs in English, Chinese and Malay!

Congratulations to Reception teacher, Charlotte White, who has recently qualified as a children’s yoga teacher. Charlotte uses yoga and mindfulness in her classroom and has had a really positive response from the children. She is now sharing her yoga training as part of a project across the Infant School.

Tech Tips Making homescreen icons on the iPad/iPhone The iPad’s built-in Safari web browser can save your favourite TTS Portal pages in its bookmarks folder for easy access, just as any desktop computer’s browser does. When you tap this icon (you will need to log in), Safari will automatically launch and navigate straight to the bookmarked TTS Portal page rather than bringing you to the homepage of the TTS Portal.

Congratulations to Tanglin students Thomas Read, Siddhi Charan, Amelia Green, Gauri Kumar and Yasmin Izadi who were the winning entries in the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore celebrating diversity photo competition.

Scan the code to see the winning entries.

Instructions : Step 1 Launch the Safari web browser application on your iPad/ iPhone by tapping its icon on the home screen.

Step 2 Login to the TTS Portal and navigate to the portal page you want to bookmark.

Step 3 Tap the ‘Export’ button in the menu across the bottom of the screen -- it’s shaped like a box with an arrow pointing to the right.

Step 4 Tap the ‘Add to Home Screen’ button and enter a name for the button in the text box. A preview of the button will be displayed next to the title box.

Step 5 Tap the ‘Add’ button in the upper right corner to add the bookmark to your home screen

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@tanglintrust

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Feature

Demonstrating Independence in the Senior School

by David Roberts, Head of Ceativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

Learning beyond the classroom is highly valued at TTS. Experiential learning in the field exposes students to challenges and problems that cannot be replicated in the classroom and enables students to experiment in new environments and feel empowered. In all projects there is a need to investigate where a worthwhile contribution can be made and then respond with carefully considered action. Crucially, students are also expected to reflect in depth so that they are aware not only of the success of their initiative, but can also improve their own skills and pass on their learning to future leaders. In this way, continuity and a sense of sustainability is ensured.

A key area that we are trying to encourage this year is independence. Through the Learner Profile Award in Years 7 and 8, the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) in Years 9, 10 and 11 and through Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) in the Sixth Form we are hoping to develop the ability to carry out tasks with rigour and develop a sense of self-management and personal organisation. The newly developed CAS Project requirement in the Sixth Form requires students to collaborate with their peers to organise and complete projects. These student-led initiatives have been diverse in nature and have involved all three strands of creativity, activity and service which are central ideas in encouraging students to learn beyond the classroom.

The 24 Hour Race

by Isabella Mansfield (Y13.2) As part of CAS I have been working as the Advocacy and Impact Director for the 24 Hour Race Singapore 2016. The 24 Hour Race is an entirely student-led initiative so you certainly learn independence! We handle every aspect of organising the race from securing sponsorship, organising finances and coordinating media engagements. The aim is to empower young people to stand up against human trafficking. It is a 24-hour long relay race that fundraises for and highlights the importance of one of the

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least spoken about but most prominent issues within society. My role within the race included vetting the various anti-trafficking charities. This year we decided to fund Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation and HOME Singapore. Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation runs comprehensive programs that aim to tackle trafficking in children by rescuing and rehabilitating the children that are trafficked. They also run programmes that go into some of the poorest provinces of Vietnam to help educate children and put them into schools, to ensure that they do not turn to the streets in order to make money. HOME works with migrant workers in Singapore that have been mistreated by their employer.

The charity provides shelter, legal protection and possible reemployment for these workers. It is important to the 24 Hour Race in Singapore that we give back to the community that has provided us with the platform to develop the race. I decided to take part in the 24 Hour Race as I have a strong passion for human rights and global affairs and having previously participated in the race before, was aware of the great work that they did. This year the Singapore race alone has raised over 70,000 SGD and it has been wonderful to play a role in achieving this.

The clothes we used for the fashion show were my mum’s clothes from her shop called Shopping at Tiffany’s. There was a range of clothing from dresses to jumpsuits to skirts and we decided that we wanted to have mothers and daughters walking together on the runway to appeal to a larger audience.

My mum, Tiffany, and I asked around for the models and found the best bunch of girls and mum’s for the fashion show. They were all lovely and bubbly and did an amazing job on the runway! We even managed to get some teachers to join in too. It was super fun and the models, as well as the audience, all enjoyed the event very much.

Rainforest Renewal Programme

by Jaz Heber Percy (Y13.7)

There was a lot of preparation and organisation that went into the event by Katrina. She made really eye-catching posters to promote the event as well as decorate the beautiful tables that surrounded the runway. She organised the layout of the event and also got many other shops to come and sell their products during the night. Furthermore, Katrina also invited Wine and Co. to come to the event and asked Sodexo to make the curry dinner for everyone. My mum organised the fashion show and runway and helped to show the models how to pose which meant the show looked really professional. Overall it was an amazing event and everyone really loved the evening.

The project and the bigger picture: Endemic seedlings are acquired from various countries in the South East Asia region, which are suffering from major deforestation, and are then brought back to Singapore. The idea is that the Singapore Botanical Gardens will eventually have a seed bank of as many of these species as possible, so when governments regret their deforestation actions, they are able to replant their forests.

When I was in Year 11, after hearing about initiatives taking place in other schools in Singapore, it made sense to set up a similar rainforest reconstruction project at Tanglin. I approached Singapore Botanic Gardens and quite rightly, they were not going to hand over critically endangered species to enthusiastic people who didn’t actually know how to properly care for them. So I started volunteering regularly at the Gardens with a couple of friends in order to receive the appropriate training.

This project has a small but committed team, and hopefully now that it has been properly set up, it will become more established over the years to come. We have got a small area, located in the Infant School that acts as a nursery, where we are raising two different species: Knema curtisii and Shorea roxburghii. We will be officially recognised by the Singapore Botanic Gardens as being a part of the programme. Once these plants have matured and need replanting, we will be working in conjunction with NParks to plant around the local one-north area too.

Charity Fashion Show

by Mackenzie Maughan (12.7) The charity fashion show was organised by Kettrina Grebe (Y13.10) to raise money for the charity Viva La Vida. Viva La Vida helps to raise awareness for cancer and so we invited Petra Sorgo (Y12.3) as a guest speaker to talk to us about her own personal experience, and how the charity helped her and gave her hope that she would recover. Viva La Vida also relies on donations for their research and so they were incredibly grateful to us for organising a successful event.

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Tanglin’s first TEDx

by Tamara Sequeira (Y13.8) Co-Chair TEDxTanglinTrustSchool Organising Committee TEDx TanglinTrustSchool is an event that we want to pass down to the years below us so that we can create a legacy. It is a fun and engaging way to spread ideas that some of us have never even considered before. It took a tremendous amount of teamwork to execute an event on such a large scale. Working with a team of 14 came with many challenges as we all had our own opinions and different work ethics. Ultimately we all had the same goal in mind so we were able to put aside our differences for the greater good of the event.

Many ideas were explored at TEDxTanglinTrustSchool. The event acted as a platform for speakers to voice these ideas. We believe that this event helped encourage debate and discussion amongst people both in the school and outside on pressing issues and ideas that are gaining ground today.

We started the initial stages of our planning in CAS time in March.

In the initial stage, we met with the appropriate teachers to ask for permission to host the event. We created a proposal and completed the license. Earlier this academic year, the co-chairs of the team had a Skype interview at 1.00am to get the final approval of the event. This was when everything kicked into full gear. We designed posters, made the final arrangements with the speakers, put up the banners, ordered the food, cut out the sign and generally made sure that all was good to go!

TTS SAT Club

by Simran Sokhi (Y12.11) With the number of students travelling to the United States for their university studies on the rise, the SAT (admissions test often required for admission to US universities) has become more than just a standardised test. In fact, excessive fear of the SAT has led it to become a sort of vicious monster with bared fangs that stands between students and their dream universities.

The TTS SAT Club aims to prove these beliefs wrong. I set up the SAT Club in the hopes that it would make the SAT less formidable, and benefit the English and mathematics skills of students of Years 10 to 12. The response has been fantastic: the very first session attracted fifteen students with different levels of knowledge about the SAT. It is encouraging to see that there are so many students in TTS who are hardworking and ready to pave their path to university.

I conduct the SAT sessions every Wednesday during my lunchtime.

Apart from discussing tricky questions in the simplest possible way, I also provide students with some general advice and tips for the sections of the SAT. In my first session in December, I gave the students a basic overview of the SAT and an idea of the scores they should strive to achieve.

The group discussion during the sessions is certainly central to the ethos of the club. I believe that by making such lively and productive discussions a core part of the SAT Club’s atmosphere, students will benefit tremendously. After all, quoting Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”

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On the day of the event everything ran successfully due to the diligent hard work of the team. Both the audience and the speakers were truly impressed by the calibre of the event we delivered. It gave us a huge sense of satisfaction to have instigated and coordinated the project so successfully.

Alumni

Alumni coming full circle at Tanglin

by Reynard Conradie (Y12.9)

It goes without saying that Tanglin is a special place. This is particularly evident when you consider that some of our Alumni students actively strive to come back to work at Tanglin. We touched base with three Alumni who just returned to Tanglin to find out more about their school days and what encouraged them to come back.

Cameron Davidson (Class Teacher, Junior School) Cameron grew up in Singapore and this school year he started as a Year 4 teacher at Tanglin where both his parents taught for almost 10 years. “I started Reception at Tanglin in 1994. Sports days, swimming galas and scoring a goal against Year 6s are some of my fondest memories. My parents without doubt, are the greatest inspiration to me. Their experiences, opportunities and stories made me want to teach. If you have had any affiliation with Tanglin (pupil, parent or staff member) you realise what a special place this is and that there truly is a sense of community here. Tanglin will always strive to be the best it can be and will continue to look to the future, providing more than just an education or place of work for so many, and so many more to come.”

Kimberley Duff (Computing and ICT Specialist, Senior School) Kimberley attended Tanglin in the early 1990’s before returning to England and gaining a post-graduate teaching degree at Canterbury. “One of my fondest memories of Tanglin is the Year 6 trip to Sarawak. Leaving Tanglin probably had the biggest impact on my life, because often I don’t think as a young child, you understand exactly how many opportunities are available to you. The outstanding reputation of Tanglin meant that I was keen to come back. Tanglin provides so much more than just excellent results – it develops mature and well-rounded adults.”

Chris Babbage (Educational and Business Technology Director) For Chris, the prospect of working at a fantastic school like Tanglin meant that a return to Singapore was something he couldn’t pass up. “I am passionate about Technology in Education and Tanglin certainly provides the opportunity to be at the forefront of this field. I was a student at Tanglin for two years, in 1988 and 1989. Bake sales and running against teachers on inter House days are some of my greatest memories. Both my parents were teachers at Tanglin during the 1990s. A return to Tanglin meant that the family connection with the school was going to continue. For me, Tanglin’s tagline ‘Generations of Excellence’ is a true representation of the desire of previous students, parents and staff to continue that connection with the school.”

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Spotlight

Spotlight on Admissions

by Julia Pearson, Admissions Director

Whole School Open Morning Thursday, 16 February 8.45-11.30am Nursery Open Morning Wednesday, 1 March 9.00-11.00am To visit one of our Open House events, please log onto www.tts.edu.sg, email admissions@tts.edu.sg or call +65 6770 3583 / +65 6770 3480.

Introduction to Admissions

Creating Generations of Excellence

Working in Admissions is one of the most challenging but rewarding roles at Tanglin. Often referred to as the ‘accidental profession’, the role of Admissions is wide reaching. Having an extensive knowledge of the school is crucial for the role. This enables us to offer personalised tours of the school that are tailored to our potential families’ needs. We also conduct Open House events each term for prospective families to find out more about Tanglin, tour the school and meet teachers and students.

Singapore now has an amazing choice of excellent international schools. We have welcomed these new schools and the positive effective they have had on relieving the pressure on our waitlists.

Understanding the landscape of Singapore and the changes in the economic and employment market is key. This enables us to identify trends and provide the Management Team and Board of Governors with the supporting data analysis they need to feed into the school’s strategic plan, ensuring Tanglin maintains its enviable status as a debt free, not-forprofit school.

“We all thought you were great. You didn’t just explain everything, but also put us at ease and made us feel very welcome indeed.’”

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Tanglin’s reputation for long waitlists is a historic one and I’m delighted to be able to bust that myth! With the exception of a few year groups, we now have manageable waitlists of one to two terms in most year groups and available places in the Senior School.

Established in 1925, Tanglin’s long history of excellence in education, and its amazing reputation, makes us a stand-out school in Singapore. We have the whole package; dedicated faculty and business support staff, committed and enthusiastic students and an inclusive and active community.

Our brand statement, ‘Generations of Excellence’ clearly defines the environment which encourages every student to be the best that they can be, resulting in an excellent academic track record for a mixed ability cohort of students.

This is reflected in our membership to the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS). A prestigious kitemark of quality awarded to schools who continue to meet strict standards and offer excellence in

education. We also voluntarily subscribe to the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection scheme. The scheme is offered by the UK Government to ensure overseas schools are providing students with the skills and qualifications they need to reenter the British education system. The Infant, Junior and Senior Schools have all been recognised and accredited as ‘Outstanding’. Each school is rigorously inspected every three years.

Changing Demographics The face of Tanglin has also changed.

We’ve gone from a predominately British student base to a much more diverse and international student body. We celebrate diversity and the rich cultural opportunities that affords our students. We currently have 57 different nationalities studying at the school. Whilst 55% of our students are

21% 2%

Other (52 Nationalities)

American

6%

Singaporean

8% Indian 9%

Australian

57

54% British

Nationalities in the whole school

Student nationalities

British, that percentage is based on their passports and does not reflect the many different ethnicities and cultures among British passport holding students.

What are the challenges of working in Admissions?

Managing the expectations of our visiting families looking to secure places at the school, particularly for a large family, is always challenging. We operate a very transparent admissions process that offers places based on the date we receive an application with the enrolment fee and the priority category in which the application falls. This can mean that we have places for one sibling but not the others and that can be exceptionally frustrating for families. However, it’s truly wonderful when places become available and we are able to celebrate with the families.

We develop close relationships with our families and we are often the first and last contact a family will have with the school.

We meet families at the start of their exciting adventure in Singapore and again when they leave us. When families leave Tanglin it can be because of an exciting new chapter and new opportunities overseas or sadly when jobs are lost and the future is uncertain. The emotions associated with both of these scenarios can be a rollercoaster ride and so we try our best to offer support and flexibility where we can.

“I wanted to thank you for your time on Friday, you really made the experience enjoyable and made my wife and children very relaxed and excited about the move. Due to my background, moves were part of my life so really do not phase me, but for my family it really is something new. Your enthusiasm not only of the school but of life in Singapore really helped settle my family and I am very appreciative of this.”

“Thank you so much for giving such an enjoyable tour of Tanglin Trust School today. I was very impressed with the facilities and loved seeing the school ‘in action’. Tanglin Trust is certainly a very special place and has a lovely feel to it.”

Meet the Team The Admissions team comprises of six full-time members of staff and six Parent Ambassadors, many of whom have children at the school, making them well placed to answer the variety of questions we receive about the school on a daily basis. Each of the full time members of the team specialises in a particular area of the admissions process such as offers, withdrawals, immigration, etc. This allows us to provide our current and prospective families with the help and advice they need.

Julia Pearson – Admissions Director Leslie Baldwin – Admissions Manager Titin Kelana – Senior Admissions Officer Diane Wah – Admissions Officer Laura Marshall – Admission Officer Michelle Allman – Admissions Support Officer

The Parent Ambassador role was introduced for the first time last year. It has been a huge success - our current parents are our best advocates! Prospective families visiting the school have enjoyed the opportunity of touring the school with a current parent and getting the ‘low down’ on the school from a parents perspective.

Our Parent Ambassadors are: Belinda Brown Cheryl Downes Natasha Carter-Clout Sadie Mills Sofia Coombe Tory Morris

“Thank you so much. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and will be submitting our application as soon as possible for our daughter to begin Nursery. I fell in love with Tanglin Trust and am truly excited for her to continue her education at such an exceptional school.”

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Our World

Responsible Global Citizens ‘Our World 2041’

by John Ridley, Director of Learning and Chair of Our World 2041 (OW2041) The OW2041 Team In 2041 the current international treaty which prevents any exploitation of Antarctica’s natural resources will be up for review. Inspired by Robert Swan’s visit to Tanglin and his passionate plea to the world, to ensure that this treaty can be renewed, we have combined our whole school ‘Eco’ and ‘Our World’ groups to form the Our World 2041 (OW2041) team.

Our mission is threefold: to ensure that the school is leading by example when promoting sustainability and responsible consumption; to raise awareness of environmental issues within the school community; to contribute to Singapore’s sustainability agenda.

The OW2041 team includes representatives from each school, as well as from the Management Team, and so is able to coordinate ‘whole-school’ action and events. However it is important to note that there are many groups across the school who are actively involved in environmental projects; we want everyone in the community to feel that they can make a difference. Whilst this article highlights some activities from Term 1, it is in no way an exhaustive list of all the great work carried out by students, staff and parents. We are delighted to report that in November Tanglin achieved the highest Lotus Award in the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) ‘School Green Award’ programme for the second year running but we are not complacent. There are often tensions between convenience, economic efficiency and environmental responsibility which mean that we need to be continually vigilant and self-critical, both as individuals and as a community.

Whole School Projects In August, Tanglin was privileged to be the first organisation anywhere in the world to screen a new film ‘A Plastic Ocean’, in the presence of the director, Craig Leeson, who took questions from the audience afterwards. This film is both disturbing and inspiring. Graphic footage showing

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Company information: TANGLIN TRUST SCHOOL FOUNDATION LIMITED Incorporated as a Public Company Limited By Guarantee in May 2012 Registered as a Charity under the Charities Act in June 2013 UEN NO. 201212078W

will make us more responsible consumers every day:

More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year.

A team of scientists and film-makers explore its effect on marine ecosystems and human health.

Documentary screening: A Plastic Ocean Tuesday, 30 August 2016 3.00pm - 5.00pm Berrick Building Performance Hall Don’t miss this thought-provoking documentary and chance for Q&A with Director, Craig Leeson.

For the comfort of audience members there is no admittance to children in cohort years below Year 5. Any unaccompanied Year 5 and Year 6 children to be collected from the Berrick Building Performance Hall at 5.00pm.

To book, please go to the TTS Portal > Keeping Informed tab under Events > Upcoming Events > A Plastic Ocean section

how plastic is getting into the food chain through fish and sea birds is coupled with a strong message that it is not too late for us to tackle the problem. The audience of students, staff and parents left the Berrick Hall with a fresh determination to change our habits and tackle the global overreliance on single-use plastic, starting by putting our own house in order!

The ‘Plastic Ocean’ message was nicely reinforced by the school-wide Our World Day in September, which focused on the UN Sustainability goal of ‘Responsible Consumption’. A wide range of activities around the school included: creating art with recycled materials; creating a marketing campaign to promote sustainability; team quizzes on pollution and recycling; creating rap music with an environmental message. All very good, but what about our daily habits? Here are three of our whole school initiatives that

1. No more small plastic water bottles at parent evenings, conferences or events.

Each school has made a commitment not to provide individual water bottles on these occasions - making use of either large water dispensers or plumbed in water fountains instead.

2. New food waste recycling bins in the canteens. Tanglin is one of the first schools to participate in the NEA Food Waste Recycling Pilot Programme, which turns food waste into biogas.

3. No more disposable plates and cutlery in the canteens. There is enough space in the new Senior School canteen in The Nixon Building for Senior students to ‘eat in’ and from this point on, we will not be serving food on disposable plates.

Other important projects in the pipeline include Tanglin reusable bags and reusable water bottles to be sold in the School Shop (the shop is now charging for plastic bags).

Individual School Projects Not every sustainability initiative has to be coordinated at whole-school level.

There are many groups across the school that are also working independently to raise awareness of issues, to improve our environment or to reduce waste. For example, this term in the Infant School, we have seen the creation of an ‘edible garden’ outside the Year 2 unit. Supported, by the TTS Foundation, this project is highly relevant to Singapore, as it is an example of a ‘high-rise’, city garden, making use of an outside walkway on level 4 of the Infant building. Infant children have also been working together to produce a wonderful

‘waterfall’ sculpture, re-using plastic bottles, which forms part of a larger display promoting the ‘6 Rs’.

In November, the Junior School ‘Global Guardian’ team wrote to the TTS Foundation, to point out that none of the Junior School water fountains had a spout for filling water bottles and asked for funds to get these fitted. Now all the water fountains in the canteens and in the Junior School have these spouts that will encourage children (and adults!) to use their re-fillable bottles. The Global Guardians have also been working on some short videos that demonstrate responsible consumption.

As part of the new Learner Profile Award, all students in Year 7 and Year 8 participated in a beach clean-up at East Coast Park in September. Students

saw first-hand how much plastic gets washed up or discarded even on Singapore’s ‘clean’ beaches. We hope that this will become an annual event.

This term also saw the establishment of our ‘Rainforest Nursery’ by a group of CAS students in Year 12 and Year 13, led by Jaz Heber-Percy (turn to page 7 to read more about this project).

A Community Effort Bringing about change in the school community is not easy in a school as large and complex as Tanglin.

Changing habits requires raising awareness, seeking creative solutions to difficulties, listening to different points of view, sometimes a few rules, persistence, and most of all cooperation across the community. It’s a clichéd phrase, but, together, we can make a difference!

Lessons from Antarctica - bringing home the ‘Why?’ Since returning from their amazing Antarctica expedition with Robert Swan, Dickon Thomas and Martin Foakes have been busy spreading the word about the importance of acting now to save our planet.

Experiencing the pristine landscape first-hand has enthused them with a passion that comes across readily, whether they are speaking in front of staff, students or parents.

Learning about the effect that climate change is already having on that landscape fills us with a necessary sense of urgency to drive our own small efforts to make a difference.

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Infant School

Exploring Science in the Infant School

by Michael Jordan, Year 2 teacher and Head of Infant Science

®

valid 2016-2019

After over a year’s preparation and development, last October Tanglin Trust School was awarded the Gold Primary Science Quality Mark which celebrates the Infant School’s commitment to excellence in Science teaching and learning.

The award scheme is UK based and allows schools to ‘evaluate, strengthen and celebrate their Science provision’ (source: www.psqm.org.uk). We are particularly proud of this achievement as not many of the schools that volunteer to take part in the scheme are awarded gold status.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” Albert Einstein The world we live in today would be a very different place if it weren’t for the amazing discoveries produced by scientists throughout time. Their ideas, research, experiments, publications and determination are an inspiration to those that follow in their footsteps. Covering a broad range of scientific field such as biology, physics, astronomy and chemistry, these brilliant people have pushed the world of science forward, allowing us to answer seemingly impossible questions whilst at the same time opening the door to new fields of research and discovery.

As soon as our youngest scientists enter Tanglin Trust School they are immersed in a world of discovery and magic. The teachers and teaching and learning assistants provide stimulating activities that fulfil expectations of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS – Nursery and Reception) right through to Key Stage 1 (KS1- Year 1 and Year 2) curriculums.

Children in Nursery and Reception work towards the following early learning goals when learning about the world around them: “Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate

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environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes.”

Infant teachers are experts at extending learning and holistically developing individual children. They understand the children in their class and they design activities best suited to the children’s developmental needs and interests.

A brilliant example of this child-centred approach is from a Nursery teacher who had put hundreds of seeds into a messy tray along with magnifying glasses, tools (such as spoons and containers) and recording devices such as pencils, paper and iPads so the children could take photographs and draw pictures. Initially this was designed to be a sensory exercise – feeling the different seeds, looking at textures, patterns, colours and shapes.

The children, however, thought it would be better if the seeds had something to grow in. So they covered the plants in soil from the playground. This opened up a fantastic learning opportunity where the children discovered what plants need to grow. The children excitedly looked for books in the library and discussed how best to care for their seedlings. Activities like this offer many opportunities for crosscurricular learning. The plants also became

an inspired part of the children’s map of Labrador Park after the year group outdoor education visit there.

The opportunities for learning in the classroom are endless, even at snack time!

Talking about food and what we put in our bodies gives the children an opportunity to express their knowledge of healthy eating and the benefits of different foods.

“My carrots are so good.

They help me see in the dark!” Sara (N.3) In Reception children begin to learn about the body and the importance of personal hygiene. A walk through Reception will reveal an array of creative and fun role play areas which can become as elaborate as the children’s imaginations. Doctor’s surgeries allow children to role play the different roles associated with this and encourage not only science discovery but Maths (adding up the number of patients, booking in patients at different time slots, Art (making signage for the surgery, drawing the body to illustrate symptoms or medical ‘problems’) and IT skills (using the telephone to call patients, inputting

Recently, as part of their Twisted Tales topic, Year 2.1 decided to investigate whether or not they could build a house strong enough to withstand the Big Bad Wolf (a hairdryer!). Again, this is good example of the children using a concept to learn across the curriculum.

patient’s details into the ‘computer’, researching the body and human skeletons on the iPad).

Activities are brought to life by real-life situations. For example, the School Nurse spoke to Reception classes about personal hygiene and the importance of hand washing. The teacher used ‘GlitterBug Powder’ to illustrate this important message. The powder, which is invisible under normal lighting, was coated onto the children’s hands. They were then encouraged to touch their faces, scratch (or pick!) their nose, wipe their mouths and generally put their hands where they shouldn’t. The teacher then used a UV light to reveal the powder which represented the germs and how easily they had spread.

Even after washing their hands, the UV light was used again to show how effective (or

“I have bacteria on my hands and if I don’t wash my hands they’ll go in my tummy and I’ll get sick”. Milo (N.6)

not!) the hand-washing had been. Activities like this give children a very visual message and lead to lots of discussion within the classroom.

Infant School classrooms are designed to encourage creativity, collaboration and expression and spaces are flexible so can be used in different ways. Display boards are positioned at a height which can be accessed by our children to express themselves. The photo above shows how one Reception class created a Science story based upon a journey through space. The

“You float in space because there’s no gravity”. Aden (N.3) children talked about their experience and drew upon their knowledge of space saying “We counted 40 meteors in our meteor shower!”

In Years 1 and 2 the children build upon their learning from Nursery and Reception and continue to develop their enquiry skills.

Asking questions, developing conclusions and then asking more questions helps children to learn and understand concepts not just in Science, but across all subjects.

There are many experiences in Infant child’s day where they have the opportunity to discover Science, Maths and English. A Year 1 child illustrated this whilst walking across the playing field and said: “It’s quite windy, I think it could snow!” This is a child applying her life experiences in a new context, albeit implausible. It is an interesting comment to make that led to a variety of interesting discussion and investigation. Similarly, another Year 1 child made the observation: “Harry’s snow king will melt if he takes it inside because it is warm.” This is a child taking his first steps towards understanding the laws of thermodynamics.

In Year 2 the children use technology to record their ideas and explain their thoughts. They use Apps such as Explain Everything, ScreenChomp, EduCreations and Chatterkids. Year 2.3 have been trialling SeeSaw, a ‘blogging’ App designed for children. Through this App, the children have begun to share their learning with a wider audience, developing their presentation and inquiry skills and helping to build their confidence.

Sustainability and caring for our world are school values which are evident across the Infant School and of which children show genuine care for and concern. These values are woven into our curriculum, especially in Science. A Reception child’s Christmas wish was: “Not to cut down the trees otherwise we can’t breathe.” The screening of A Plastic Ocean documentary in Term 1, whist not watched by our Infant children, opened up discussion across the whole school.

Learning about single use plastic, Liam (N2) said: “That floating plastic bag looks like a jelly fish. A turtle is going to eat it and then he will die.” Fostering a responsible attitude is paramount to developing responsible scientists.

As Head of Science I have the privilege of visiting other classes where I can speak to the children and witness the multiple examples of the outstanding science provision provided. The children of Tanglin amaze me on a daily basis. They value, respect and love Science and the magic, wonder and awe it bring to their lives.

We are nurturing the scientists of the future; creative thinkers who will solve problems, create solutions and inspire further generations to do the same. They will achieve great and wonderful things following in the footsteps of all those pioneers before them and make the world their own.

“We had to work as a team to solve this problem.

I loved this investigation, it was really fun! The Big Bad Wolf did not blow our house down because we thought carefully about how to make it strong enough.” Senan (Y2.1) 15

Junior School

The Power of Play

by Theresa Chapman, Head of Junior Drama

In a world of increasing technology and academic demands, the use of imaginative play as a tool for learning is often sadly eased out of school curriculum once students reach junior school. However, at Tanglin we recognise the power of play for all students young and old and as a pivotal part of the process of being a lifelong learner.

We were delighted to work with Louise Clark, a children’s theatre and role play specialist to develop a permanent new role play space in Year 3. Each term, a new world is created in the space which links concretely to the work being done in the classrooms and acts as an extension of those classrooms providing an inspiring environment in which to teach through the imagination. Within the structure, there is also a myriad of possibilities for creativity and opportunities to move beyond the boundaries of the curriculum and to let the world expand organically with the students’ ideas and input.

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“It is like a really special play area with no rules.”

Willow Manifold (Y3.4) “I like the way people smile in there when they are playing and learning. When other people smile, I smile.” Curtis Liu (Y3.6)

“You don’t often get the opportunity to act out your dreams.” Eloise Hurd (Y3.4) “I love it because before it was just a room and now it is so creative!” Sharbani Udia (Y3.6) “It is packed full of imagination.” Noah Van Herk (Y3.4) The use of Drama as a tool for inviting the students into the space is a pivotal part of the process as it prepares their imaginations for the work it will do in the space and engages them in the world they will inhabit. Another key aspect of this process is the use of Teacher-in-Role. This is where the teacher takes on the role of a character from the world of the role play space and acts as a guide for the students inviting them into the world.

Once the students have been immersed in the world and have a clear understanding of what happens there it is then that a dilemma can be introduced and the power, ownership and development handed over to the students as they are required to help the teacher’s character. This a where the drama and the space becomes a really successful learning environment, when the students have ownership and control of the space. They are working, not because a teacher has asked them to, but because they have a sense of responsibility and purpose for their work within the imaginative world.

“Loompa Land has helped me expand my imagination to be more creative. I’m very excited to see what it will turn into next term!” James Gronow (Y3.1) “I like Loompa Land because I get to do fun writing inside!” Rocco Rotherham (Y3.1) Thank you to the TTS Foundation for funding Louise’s inspirational visit to Tanglin.

Louise Clark has an MA in Drama and Theatre Education and a BA in Theatre and Performance both from the University of Warwick and has specialised in Early Years arts education since her MA dissertation research into The Place of the Drama Specialist in the Early Years. She works as a performer and theatre practitioner, specialising in theatre education and children’s theatre.

She believes high quality theatre experiences can play a pivotal role in the education and development of young children.

This belief keeps her busy as an artist for Creative Partnerships and as a drama consultant for LEAs, developing drama as a whole school approach to learning and as a teaching tool within the classroom.

Louise worked as a performer in children’s theatre for several years touring with Tell Tale Hearts, for whom she is now Associate Director. She also works as an education associate for a number of well known theatre companies including Horse and Bamboo Theatre Company, Oldham Coliseum, Manchester Library Theatre, Doncaster Community Arts (darts) and RSC. Louise is also a member of staff for the International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) and works closely with Calderdale Theatre School, Halifax.

Source: www.libelluletheatre. co.uk/about.html

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Senior School

Celebrating Literature

by Chris Jones (Y13.3) and Zoish Dubash (Y13.12)

Book Week

by Chris Jones (Y13.3) At the heart of dystopian fiction lie fears one is only able to express through satire; speculations as to how the current societal issues may evolve and impact future generations. Without seeming too political, Book Week at Tanglin during Week 9 was more than just a celebration of literature - it was an opportunity for TTS students to take an unflinching look at the post-truth events of 2016, and explore how we can react to wider problems under the theme of dystopia.

Upon interviewing people of the community as to why they read dystopian fiction, it seemed that the notion of fantasy without limits to the imagination was a popular attraction for many. Chloë Long (Y13.2), claimed that “it gives you an escape to a different world, and makes you think more about your own life”, whilst English tutor and Head of Year 12, Mr Goodliffe, similarly expressed that “it lurks close to the reality which we all know… it’s not another world, it’s a world lurking in the shadows of the one we live in”. Yet, wider social impact was not on the minds of all students; Lachie Wood (Y13.4), told us about his love of The Walking Dead “because it’s pretty cool and I like zombies!”

Throughout the week, Years 10 and 11 and Sixth Form students spoke during assemblies about their favourite works of dystopia and why; Frances Badcock (Y13.3) relayed her love of Frank Herbert’s Dune, whilst Euan Merrilees spoke of Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End. I gave a lunchtime lecture on the Thursday of the week on John Milton’s Paradise Lost, a biblical epic that I wanted to explore through the lens of the Garden of Eden, could be seen as a dystopia or a utopia.

The week came to a fantastic, yet forbidding conclusion as people dressed up in mufti on the Friday; seas of Katniss’s and plenty of Big Brothers (including Mr

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Dahl Day

by Zoish Dubash (Y13.12) The English department was buzzing with celebrations on 13 September, marking 100 years since the birth of Roald Dahl, with the one of the largest Dahl Day events at Tanglin.

An author who has and will continue to be a great influence on young people’s attitude towards reading, Dahl has moulded the manner in which I - and many others - approach literature. He manages to spin webs of intricate ideas, challenging the very fabric of what typically constitutes children’s literature, with stories that easily transcend boundaries of age.

Although written some time ago, his pieces are timeless and contain threads of thought that manage to seduce the universal fan, captivating readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Dahl has educated generations with his pioneering style of writing, which embraces the simplicity of children’s literature, while simultaneously intertwining thought provoking

ideas that arouse curiosity. Dahl’s works all have a hint of terror which can sometimes prevail in the most unexpected of places, thrilling children and keeping us guessing.

A group of passionate A Level English students organised numerous activities for the day, hoping to ingrain an appreciation for reading which carries students beyond the boundaries of their curriculum. Activities ranged from crafting caricatures of their favourite characters, to making dream jars inspired by ‘The BFG’, and allowed students to express their enthusiasm for the exploration of English through Dahl’s imaginative novels. Meanwhile, others were able to educate the younger students further, by reading Dahl’s stories to them and organising quizzes. I can only hope that these students will retain Dahl in their memory, as I have, allowing the likes of Matilda, James, Charlie and others to evoke a fondness for the exploration of reading.

Forbes!) could be seen throughout the school, whilst others took a more ominous approach by dressing up as existing political figures including Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. Whether people were celebrating their favourite works of speculative fiction, or channelling their subversive political energies, what can be clear is that the community was united in in our love of literature, which could not have been possible without the efforts of the English department. I look forwarding to seeing what Mr Forbes dresses as next year!

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Sixth Form

Year 12 PSHCE Carousel

by Carla Randall, Assistant Head of Year 12

Year 12 students have recently embarked upon a three-month carousel of activities that focus on preparation for university, enhancing life skills and promoting wellbeing. It is a well-documented fact that equipping students with the skills and support to navigate through life’s trickier moments will help them thrive in unfamiliar situations. It’s also a welcome and refreshing change from the ongoing pressures of their academic studies.

Combining both variety and pragmatism, the programme is incorporated into the PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education) timetable and exposes students to situations they may not have experienced before and includes classes as diverse as yoga, car care and financial management.

The carousel has further developed links between the students and non-teaching staff as it draws on the expertise of professionals within their field; Sophie Harle, our Director of Human Resources,

“These sessions are a good chance to learn new skills and have provided a good start towards our life in university.” Jing Hye Park (Y12.1) 20

has delivered sessions on interview techniques and Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager, runs classes on maintaining a positive online profile. Even the Director of Teaching and Learning, John Ridley, showed us his best moves in his salsa dancing workshop, which has been a firm favourite so far.

One of the most popular sessions has been Yoga and Meditation. Year 12 can be a time of heavy workloads and academic stress so managing social and emotional health becomes a priority. It’s important, if not essential, to offer students an opportunity to reflect, focus their attention and relieve anxiety. These classes have been so wellreceived that we will be continuing with them after the conclusion of the main carousel.

Another highly-anticipated class is Self-Defence. Run by Induk Taekwondo Singapore, this exhilarating and disciplined training session aims to develop speed, stamina and flexibility alongside practical tips on how to best protect yourself should such a need arise.

The impact of technological devices on our lives is staggering and although it brings obvious and countless benefits, students could often do with a little less screen

“Learning these life skills has been so useful. I had no idea how to iron before and now I do – my mum will be happy!”

Victoria Hayes (Y12.1)

“PSHCE in Year 12 has been great this year and we’ve had so many useful and relevant sessions.” Lucas WoodOlivan (Y12.1)

time, especially as members of the social media generation. It was with this in mind that a tutor group ‘catch-up’ session was incorporated into the carousel. Over a hot chocolate in Café Vive, each form meets with the Head and Assistant Head of Year for a conversation without interruptions from laptops, iPads or phones. This has been a lovely experience for all involved and has provided both teachers and students with an opportunity to get to know each other better.

University life is less than two years away and the students need to be prepared in real and practical ways. Another session in the programme is Car Care which is split into two parts; for the first half of the lesson they learn about the theory test and the essential information they need to know in order to be successful, and the second part is a hands-on experience changing the engine oil in the car-park.

Furthermore, Washing and Ironing involves getting to grips with the instructions on the label of different garments in addition to the ironing of a shirt, a skirt and a pair of trousers. This has proved a real eye-opener to many of the students!

Financial management and a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of managing one’s money is vital as students venture into financial independence in the very near future. The Budgeting session offers real-world scenarios and runs through the basics of opening a bank account, taking out a loan and applying for a mortgage. Delivered by teachers from the Senior Maths department, students have been using technological applications to enhance the practical skills they need to develop in this area.

The feedback from the Year 12 cohort has been extremely positive and they feel they have benefitted greatly from the varied experiences offered and the practical nature of the programme. They are also looking forward to putting their new skills into practice – except, perhaps, the ironing.

“These PSHCE sessions have been really useful, especially the ironing and the interview techniques. Hopefully my life skills have improved as a result and this will help me when I go to university.” Charlotte Bell (Y12.1) 21

Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Elvis and the Shoe Maker Year 2, December 2016

Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Elf the Musical

Year 6, November 2016 Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Senior Ensembles

Senior School, October 2016 Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

A Christmas Carol

Senior School, December 2016 Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Bali Art Trip

by Katherina Naesheim (Y12.10)

I found the Art trip to Bali to be truly inspiring in the way in which it managed to open our creative subconscious. The days were catered towards furthering us all as individual artists in a multitude of artistic fields; we looked at symbolism, photography, colour, unconscious mark making, aspects of drawing, experimenting with various medium, and exploring other kinds of arts.

The trip started with our first session in the studio that consisted of assembling a spiritual offering called a ‘canang’ and discovering its ritualistic symbolism from a Balinese lady who makes these offerings every day. I was extremely fascinated to listen to her explain the aspects of the canang in detail; every colour, every petal, every material all had its own purpose as well as the position each piece was allocated, encompassing all aspects of the religion. Different colours were used to emulate various aspects of life; blue was for the environment, yellow to represent the Gods, and pink for humanity. Confectionaries were also placed inside showcasing the three sugars of life, representing the three fundamental relationships between humans and God, humans to each other, and humans to the environment.

Amongst the activities in the following days, we visited a local artist, Suklu, known for his willingness to let go and to let the creativity flow from his subconscious. After a tour of his studio, and a quick view of his art works, he explained to us his encounter with symbolism. Suklu also produced and gave us all a quick drawing as certificates for having met him. His drawings were based on our personal encounter with him; in ‘reading’ our aura as we spoke about

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our background. Suklu drew wings, spread apart to symbolise the subject’s creative freedom to a journey of an independent balanced life. Old novels were also used as a trigger to draw us out of our comfort zones, enabling us to loosely express our subconscious, as we created a diary of charcoal on paper.

This trip to Bali was emotionally charged with creativity and inspiration. Activities were invigoratingly exciting, with lots of things to do and reflect upon. Putting on traditional attires, visiting the water temples, wrestling in mud for an interpretive showcase of dance and music, discovering the artistry in the traditional shadow puppets, had been an exploration of heritage, culture, and art.

Sports & Activities

Sporting Round Up

by Junior and Senior Staff and Students

SEASAC Football, UWC (Dover), 4-6 November U19 Boys by Harry Blakey (Y13.6) & Jamie Mowle (Y13.4) Throughout the whole weekend the team played with passion, desire and commitment. There were some very special moments from the weekend including a hat-trick from the Captain, Jamie Mowle, who scored two exquisite free kicks that nestled into both top corners. A moment of pure class also came from Tanglin’s keeper Harry Blakey who saved a penalty and scored a goal from his own box. The whole squad fought throughout the weekend and just losing out to UWCSEA East in the semi-final by one goal did not reflect Tanglin’s efforts. The squad stepped up in the 3rd/4th play off by comfortably beating UWCSEA Dover 5-2 with a master class of a finish coming from Andrew Thorn to secure the Bronze medal which couldn’t have been achieved without the tactical genius, James Robinson, guiding us through the weekend.

“The TTS Boys had an excellent tournament and continued the run of recent success at SEASAC Football. With 20 goals scored and only 12 conceded, the team managed to combine attacking flair with dogged defensive performances. Good enough to beat any team on their day, they should be proud of how they played and their eventual Bronze medals.” James Robinson

U19 Girls by Celine Almond (Y13.8) Going into the tournament we were definitely feeling the pressure, having won the competition two years in a row there was an underlying expectation for the team to perform. After losing five Seniors from last year’s team (four of them on the starting seven) we knew that SEASAC would most certainly be a challenge this year.

Throughout the pool stage we won all our games, beating teams comfortably in most cases, but our game against UWCSEA Dover was a tough 2-1 win. Finishing top of the group was a boost to our confidence and carried us to the semi-finals, where we beat GIS comfortably. On the final day of the tournament, we played an incredible final, beating UWCSEA Dover 3-1.

Outstanding performances must go to our youngest member Laura Troth who scored the majority of free kicks in either top corner. As well as top scorers Olivia and Emma. MVPs were Lara Drewes, Laura Troth, Emily Whitehouse and Celine Almond.

After scoring 37 goals and only conceding three, we were without doubt deserved winners for the third year running.

It will be sad to say goodbye to two Seniors this year, however this young team is very much looking forward to the tournament next year.

“It really is a fantastic achievement that the TTS Girls have played in the last five SEASAC football finals, now winning three in a row.

Many of this current team were playing in their first SEASAC so I was very proud to see them play a quality of football which was on a different level to most of our opponents. This was in part reflected by the stats, scoring 37 goals in just seven games, conceding only three, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In the final against UWCSEA Dover it was hard not to be impressed with how the TTS Girls passed the ball with such skill and composure, under pressure, and a 3-1 was just reward for their efforts over the three days.” David Radcliffe, Head of Senior Sport and PE

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Girls Volleyball by Frances Badcock (Y13.3) Certainly the most promising Volleyball SEASAC to date. With each match, we stepped up the quality of our game play and every single member of the team had their standout moment on the court. It truly demonstrated all the progress we have made this season. Even though the 4th place finish was disappointing, it was exciting to be a part of such a young team. Even though this is my last year at Tanglin, I know that the Girl’s team has a bright future ahead of it and I am certain TTS Volleyball will continue to flourish.

SEASAC Volleyball, International School Kuala Lumpur, 3-6 November Boys Volleyball by Kai Goerg (Y13.3) Both Girls and Boys teams played exceptionally well. It was a vast improvement from last year’s SEASAC and also a great improvement from this year’s league games. The most memorable moment for me was definitely when we won the game for the Bronze medal. However, the whole trip was an unforgettable experience as the team bonded really well. Although a few of our players will be graduating, we have many young, talented players and with enough training, I believe the team will be able to win SEASAC next year.

“The Girls have worked extremely hard at developing and improving their skills and, despite some unfortunate injuries and illness, we went to the tournament feeling proud of how far the team had come. Whilst we would have preferred to have finished higher, the Girls could not have played any harder through the tournament and were a fantastic support to one another and to our TTS Boys team.”

Emma Watson, Senior PE Teacher

“This was the best result to date for the SEASAC Boys Volleyball at TTS. Volleyball still remains very much a developing sport, however we have been fortunate to build on the team each year. A fantastic result and very promising for the future of Boys Volleyball at TTS.” Emma Watson, Senior PE Teacher SEASAC Cross Country, Hosted by UWC (East) at Coney Island and Bedok Reservoir, 25-26 November

by Mark Scoular, Senior PE Teacher Friday’s individual race was run off at fast speed in both the Boy’s and Girl’s individual events. Our Boys team ran well, placing two runners in the top 10. This was capped by a fantastic achievement by 14 year old James Corbett in an U19 event, who won the SEASAC Boy’s Championship in an outstanding time of 17:16 minutes over a 5k course. The Girls team managed to place two runners in the top 16 in what was a very competitive field.

Mention should be made of Lara Drewes who paced herself very well in her first Cross Country race. A fine team effort from the Girls resulted in an overall 4th place out of 15 teams.

The event concluded on Saturday with the team relays where our runners were rewarded by 5th place in the Girls event and 6th place in the Boys event. Special mention goes to Matt Browne who ran two legs of the relay with resilience and determination.

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SEASAC Golf, NIST, Bangkok, 23-27 November

by Tim Calalang (Y13.10) The whole team performed well and made each other proud through playing two competitive rounds of golf. One of our memorable moments was getting together during the gala dinner.

Next steps for the team is to continue to build on performance and hopefully start a streak of coming top three year after year.

“We have taken home cups and medals from the consolation competition before but never from the main competition. After the first round Ben Yap and Tommy Lamb were in 2nd and 4th place.

Tommy, who played consistently well throughout, improved his position to 2nd overall and won the Silver medal. Ben remained in contention but just outside the top five but together Tommy and Ben, with the help of the rest of the team, managed to secure 3rd place in the team competition just pushing GIS into 4th.

With 60+ students in the development group working with our coach Richard Harries, Golf at Tanglin is the strongest it has been and looking to become even stronger in the coming years.” Jeremy Hodges, Senior School Trip Leader

RUGBY

without conceding a try. This set up a Cup Semi-Final against the host school Saint The U14 Rugby team had an action packed Andrews. Once again, the quality of the season, competing in the ACSIS league, SCC team’s play and ability to hold onto the 7’s and Saints 7’s. Week by week the team ball outshone their opponents and they improved, working tirelessly on their attack finished with the victory 14-0. They faced and defensive structure putting systems of UWC Dover in the Cup Final who had the play into effect. They steadily began to previously beaten them fairly comfortably win their ACSIS league fixtures each week, in the league. They managed to score first concluding in a thumping of the Australian with a slick move ending in our centre International School 29-0, who had beaten going over in the corner. However, after us in the qualifiers by a number of tries. defending non-stop for a period of time, UWC managed to breach our line twice and The team now had a newfound confidence take the victory 10-5. and the highlight of the season was most definitely the final tournament, the Overall, the season was one of great Saints 7’s where they finished 2nd place. success and accomplishment. This group Playing against the local schools is always of players most certainly have the potential a challenge due to their physical maturity to be part of an outstanding Senior team in however the team brushed them all aside the future and were an absolute pleasure winning all three of their pool games to coach.

U14 Rugby by Ewan Smith, PE teacher

SCC Rugby 7’s, 4 November U16’s by Ethan Vail (Y12.11) Our first match was against Saint Andrews, the top local school. We scored early on in the game, and after some strong defence from them to prevent another try, they broke through our line to score one back late on in the game. After a long break for bad weather, the game ended in a 7-7 draw. With strong performances in the remaining pool games, we beat UWC Dover 12-5, and Regents Secondary School 50-0 to qualify first from our group. On the Sunday, despite having a player yellow-carded in the first half, we managed a 19-0 victory against Raffles in the semi-final. In the final, we were unfortunately beaten 7-0 by LFS, thanks to a try at the start of the second half, strong defence, and some extended shoe-lace tying.

“The whole squad played fantastically well throughout this competition and made huge progress from the start of the season! Well done boys!” Andy Martin, Infant Teacher and Coach

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U18’s by Sebastian Tung (Y13.3) Going into day one, the Tanglin Boys had high spirits despite a clash with SEASAC Football which evidently meant the depletion of our team. With eight players at four games to play, we kept our composure. The first game was against UWC East, one of our biggest competitors, and therefore we knew not to try anything too complex. We resorted to only pull outs and simple hands to get the ball across the pitch.

In the second, third and fourth games we adopted the same tactics as this worked well for us. We built up more confidence against UWC Dover, allowing us to become quicker and more efficient. Throughout the first day we only conceded one try!

The second day started off well. Confidence and moral was much higher having the likes of Jamie Mands, Harry Blakey, Marcus Chung and Ed Lawton joining us from SEASAC Football. In both matches against UWC East and Dover, we maintained possession of the ball and did not turn over the ball. We had control over the pace and direction of the game. As a result, pull outs and swinging the ball out wide to the wing proved to be very effective, thus allowing us to score more than 40 points on the board in the final.

Our confidence, composure and strong defence were our main strengths leading to a win. Thank you to Mr Farr and Mr Randall for their efforts coaching the team throughout the season.

SWIMMING Merlion Sprint Festival by David Hailey, Director of Aquatics Now in its third year, the Merlion Sprint Festival has become a well established and extremely popular addition to swimming calendars in Singapore. This year we hosted over 520 swimmers from all of the major international schools and the Singapore Sports School at the fantastic OCBC Aquatics Centre in Kallang. We have been extremely fortunate to have fostered a great relationship with the Sports Hub, which over the past 2 years has given us access to the long course training pool and long course competition pool.

The Sprint Festival’s aim was to expose swimmers to a heats and finals structure which, despite common place in the UK, was missing from Singapore and at the same time provide the opportunity for all international school age group swimmers to experience the Aquatics Centre facility.

This year we had 90 Merlion swimmers competing from age 8-18 over a programme that offered 50m and 100m in all four strokes, plus the 200IM. From just over 350 Merlion swims we had 300 personal best times set, multiple medals and a number of school records. A special mention to Michelle Mitra who won the over all Girls 10&U category.

Feeding Frenzy The Bangkok Feeding Frenzy has always been a popular event for our swimmers and this year was no exception with a record number of swimmers attending trials to make the team. On 9 December we flew 43 Merlions aged 9-18 to Patana School in Bangkok for three days of non-stop swimming. The event is definitely the most grueling on the calendar with each swimmer participating in 8-10 individual events plus relays over the course of the weekend. The Merlions seemed to take this in their stride and personal best times dropped in almost all of the 400 Merlion swims, school records fell and a number of individual medals were achieved. The event is normally run at the time of the late King’s birthday and we were extremely proud of our Merlions who donned black versions of our famous red shirts for the event and the manner in which all swimmers represented Tanglin at this time of mourning in Thailand. Well done to all swimmers involved and a big thank you to those parents that travelled to Patana for your support.

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TOUCH RUGBY Queensland All Schools Touch Tournament, Brisbane, Australia, 5-9 October U16 by Anastasia Kattoulas and Scarlett Salamon (Y10.1) Going to Brisbane was an amazing experience not only for the standard of Touch Rugby but also for the team building. Watching some of the best Touch in Australia was awe-inspiring and motivated us to levels that, as a team, we have not reached before. The speed, the handling of the ball and the pure skill of every player ensured a learning opportunity both on and off the pitch. During the trip we connected as a team and made friendships that wouldn’t have been created if not for this trip.

U18 by Rebeccah McLaren (Y13.4) It was a challenging start to the week particularly for the U18s, having landed in Brisbane airport at 7.00am with our first match starting at 11.00am. With a mix of jetlag and fatigue we unfortunately lost our first match against the top in our pool- Keebra. However, it did not affect our spirit and excitement for the upcoming days.

Match after match, each team continued to improve making it an extremely difficult job for the coaches to pick out any single MVP player. Despite not making it into the top two in the pools, both Tanglin teams had an invaluable experience playing six matches and competing against fast moving and experienced competitors.

For several of the U18s players, it was our last trip out to Brisbane before graduating and it was a fantastic way to end a Brisbane era and begin our final season of Tanglin Touch.

U15 FOBISIA, British International School of Puxi, Shanghai, 19-23 November by Emma Hall, (Y10.7) This year’s FOBISIA was a huge success for Tanglin. On the first day of competing we took part in both Athletics and Swimming.

Coming 1st in Athletics was a great achievement and everyone who competed came home with at least one medal. On the second day Boys played Basketball and Girls played Football. The Girls came home with Gold that day only conceding one goal the whole tournament. Winning 6/7 games and drawing one game set our spirits high for the next day which was Basketball. It was another successful day for the Girls as we came home with a Silver medal narrowly missing out on Gold by one point! Overall it was an amazing trip. For the Year 10s an incredible experience for our last Senior FOBISIA.

for plate and U13 Boys defeated at quarter finals. My most memorable moment was when we had tried for a goal a few times and this time with a through pass from Hernan, I slotted one in.

(Adam). It was an enjoyable weekend for TTS knowing that some of the U13 Boys and Girls were competing in Phuket Football for the last time and we hope the U11s and some of the U13s continue to compete in the tournaments with good spirits.

ACSIS Season 1 Results

PHUKET FOOTBALL Phuket Boys U11, U13 and Phuket Girls U11, U13, British International School, 24-27 November by Adam Chen Lipszyc (Y8.4) and Felix Goddard (Y8.8)

The Athletics Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS) is a Singapore based sporting conference from 8&U to 19&U age ranges, allowing Tanglin students to compete from Year 3 to Year 13. Information about specific sports can be found by logging onto the TTS Parent Portal and clicking on Activities and Sports/ Competitive Sport/ Competitive Tournaments. Scan the code to view the complete results.

All four teams performed really well with the U11 Girls at 4th place, U11 Boys defeated at quarter finals, U13 Girls playing

31

Beyond the Classroom

World Scholar’s Cup

by Kohana Ah Teck (Y10.5) and the TTS WSC Team

This year, the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) promised participants a ‘bigger, better, more magical’ season. True to their word, this year’s WSC surpassed all others and has certainly proven to be a memorable and enriching experience for all students who took part in it. The WSC programme is an academic competition that has four main events: debating, writing, the challenge (a quiz) and the bowl (a group quiz).

It is split into two categories, Juniors and Seniors, and is made up of three rounds: the Regional Round which was held in Singapore, the Global Round which was held in Bangkok and the Tournament of Champions which was held at the prestigious Yale University.

This year over 20,000 students participated globally and Tanglin got many of its teams into the top 1%.

This brilliant programme is a platform that gives our students the opportunity to connect with others who share a passion for learning. It allows our students to interact with adolescents from different countries and cultural backgrounds but who are likeminded. It is a celebration of learning that gives students a chance to demonstrate their existing strengths whilst at the same time discovering new ones.

Every year, the WSC has a theme and this year’s was ‘An Imperfect World’. The WSC community at Tanglin engaged in

32

insightful discussions on current affairs and gained new perspectives as they studied a broad range of subjects and delved into topics that require a lot of deep thought and analysis. Some of the topics they studied were ‘Special Area’ where students discovered the world of crime and justice as well as ‘Social Studies’ where they explored why states fail. Our students bonded with each other as they worked in teams of three and honed skills such as public speaking, essay writing, logical and analytical thought, as well as the ability to think on their feet.

Every Wednesday after school, from the very start of the year, there were debate practices that helped our students improve and refine their skills whilst also allowing them to discuss interesting subject matters, be it political or scientific. There were various talks where we learnt from teachers who were passionate about specific subject areas. Mr Jarvis shared his own personal experience growing up in Ireland during the ‘troubles’ and an Oxford Law professor, Christopher Hodges, shared his research about crime deterrence and reform in legislation. From these lectures and their own research, our students planned and wrote a 300-page long study guide.

All this commitment and hard work came not only from the students, but also from all the coaches, whose support and guidance is very much appreciated by the students. This programme would not happen without their invaluable input and commitment. Our students’ results are a clear reflection of their dedication.

Tanglin passed all three rounds with flying colors. The Debate

Showcase was an event that invited the best debaters from the competition to the stage, where they were put into teams and debated the motion given to them in front of hundreds of other scholars. Tanglin was proud to be represented in all three Rounds: Yash Purohit (Y10.1) at the Regional Round, Kohana Ah Teck (Y10.5) at the Global Round and Sean Nelson (Y9.7) at the Tournament of Champions.

The WSC has allowed our students to broaden horizons and grow in every sense of the word. They have refined their skills to become better writers, debaters and thinkers. They have learnt to work together, to be curious and question the world around them. They have connected with other adolescents from all around the world. The WSC is truly a great programme that allows our students to become better citizens of tomorrow. All of our students left Yale enthusiastic and eager to start the next season.

Thank you to the TTS Foundation for supporting our students with Representative Awards which helped fund the cost of their trip to the Tournament of Champions at Yale University, America.

The results: The competition has over 20,000 students participating globally (around 10,000 in each category).

At the Regional Round, in Juniors, two of our teams placed in the top five: Emily Cooper (Alumni), Pragya Chalisgaonkar (Y10.4), Ryan Beyer (Y10.2) placed 5th, and Kohana Ah Teck (Y10.5), Ray Jerram (Y10.8) and Yash Purohit (Y10.1) placed 4th. In Seniors, one team placed in the top five: Arnav Gangal (Y11.6), Caroline Green (Y11.5) and Samantha Nelson (Y11.6) placed 5th.

At the Global Round, two of our Junior teams placed in the top 10: Emily Cooper (Alumni), Pragya Chalisgaonkar (Y10.4), Ryan Beyer (Y10.2) placed 8th and Kohana Ah Teck (Y10.5), Ray Jerram (Y10.8) and Yash Purohit (Y10.1) placed 3rd. In Seniors, Arnav Gangal (Y11.6), Caroline Green (Y11.5) and Nirvik Baruah (Y11.4) placed 3rd.

At the Tournament of Champions, in Juniors, two teams placed in the top 10: Emily Cooper (Alumni), Pragya Chalisgaonkar (Y10.4), Ryan Beyer (Y10.2) placed 8th and Luka Murphy (Y9.3), Sean Nelson (Y9.7) and Varun Venkatesh (Y9.6) placed 5th. In Seniors, two of our three teams came in the top 30 teams- making it to the top 1% of the competition.

33

PTA

Reflecting on a Busy Term 1

by Kate Saynor, PTA President

Looking back on Term 1 it seems impossible that only a few short months ago I assumed the role of PTA President. I am delighted to introduce the new members of our PTA team: Shilpi, Preeti, Nupur, Susanna, and Kaoru - a very warm welcome to this dynamic, committed and increasingly international team. We’ve had an extremely busy start to the year with eight events and an office move, and with fresh faces staffing all bar one of the executive roles held in the team.

The term started with our series of ‘welcome’ events. Tanglin is so much more than a school; it’s a thriving, diverse community, and our events for new families and teachers really help all new arrivals settle into their new lives and feel part of the Tanglin family from the very first week.

Our existing families and teachers weren’t forgotten with a PTA-baked Teachers Welcome Tea to usher in the new academic

year, followed by the much anticipated and always hotly contested Quiz Night, which saw a parent team victorious for the first time in five years! Well done to them and we look forward to a rematch on 17 March!

Other smaller community events were also featured with our Car Boot Sale, a breakfast reception for Merlion parents with the GB Swimmers, and also an elegant breakfast for our Class Representatives at Eden Hall.

Undoubtedly though, our very popular Christmas Fair, known throughout Singapore as the best festive fair on the calendar, was the dominant event for the team this term. With 83 vendors, 750 $10 gifts bought, crafts, the Gurkhas piping us in, Santa posing for photos in his grotto, not to mention baking donated by the PTA and members of the community that would have made Mary Berry proud, it was an event to remember!

We were blessed with the usual line up of outstanding Tanglin talent too, with The Amazing Rock and Blues - teachers by day, rock stars by night! Rachel Alexander, Riya Wadera and Sharanya Das were some of our singing Divas, and who could forget our fabulous Infant and Junior musicians and choirs!

The scale of this event is enormous and we couldn’t even begin to make it work without our special teams of people from Operations, EBT, Facilities, Theatre

34

and Events, and of course Cliff with his marvellous team of Housekeeping Assistants – we’re always in their debt.

The PTA ARE UNIVERSALLY GRATEFUL to all the Tanglin family, be it the school community or our incredible sponsor partners who continue to support our events. Our new location on level 3 of The Nixon Building changes only our geographical location and not our commitment to everyone! Please do come up to visit us in our new office. We’re always happy to sit down with you over a cup of coffee!

Creative Writing Gently, I picked up the delicious Willy Wonka Dairy Milk chocolate bar and placed it on my hand lovingly. It felt smooth and soft as I moved my fingers carefully around on it.

I heard a wrinkly noise floating to my ears. Delicately, I looked at the purple, velvety wrapper, reflecting the sun like a flower does. I was so tempted to dive into it! I could smell a sweet chocolatey scent hitting my nose, as I peeled the wrapper off the scrumptious chocolate. Holding my breath, I felt it melting on my fingers like snow. I slowly lifted up the chocolate and had a tiny nibble. The sugary chocolate swirled around my tongue like a whirlpool. I licked my fingers in delight!

Matilda Thomas (Y3.3)

Year 4 Narnia As Edmund approached the immense carved block of ice, which dominated the landscape, it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. The moon glared at him, casting long and strange shadows.

Slowly, he crossed the frosted river which rested in a deep sleep.

The castle itself was a jagged dagger cutting into space. Horrified, Edmund saw that the spires looked like poisonous needles shaped as a sorcerer’s hat. Edmund felt so cold he thought he was going to freeze! He journeyed through the night towards the White Witch’s castle.

Suddenly, Edmund saw a vast archway, which was dwarfing him. It was emerald ice like. As he climbed the colossal stone steps, he felt a creepy sensation tingling up his spine. Nervously he looked up.

Edmund felt so dizzy. With his heart in his throat, he went through the mammoth stone archway.

As Edmund passed through the gate, he saw a spine chilling sight.

There in front of him was a graveyard of stone statues. There was a lion, a lion staring at him! But soon he realised it was just cold stone. Anxiously, Edmund had a brilliant idea, he walked up to the lion and drew a moustache, then some spectacles. “Silly old Aslan!”

Edmund chanted. He left the statues and moved on to the flight of stairs.

Apprehensively, he saw a wolf. “What are you here for, stranger?” said the wolf.

“I’m here to see the Queen,” he replied.

“Well then, I will tell her,” the wolf said. “Till then, you wait…”

Adit Narayanan (Y4.4) 35

Creeping silently, Edmund approached the castle.

Shivering with fear, he gave himself a long time to look around. As sharp turrets towered above him, he could see icicles glinting in the bright moonlight, like eyes watching from all directions. Walls glowed turquoise where moonbeams hit them, making an eerie, luminous light. An ominous, humming sound got louder and louder as Edmund got closer to a giant arch which was opened like a gaping mouth.

Icy teeth dangled down from the roof of the cave leading to pitch black darkness. Jade-green ice formed pillars on either side of Edmund, sparkling in the moonlight. Eerie noises filled the air, and Edmund, whose teeth were chattering, jumped back. For a split-second, Edmund didn’t know what it was but then he realised it was just the wind. Still shivering with fear, Edmund shuffled through the darkness of the arch, until he saw another opening in the side. He couldn’t believe what he saw.

In a giant courtyard of misty ice, statues were scattered all over the place in battle positions. All of them were life-like and balancing but made of stone. Bears and lions, fauns and giants, these statues looked as if they were frozen in time and lost in deep space. Shuddering, Edmund crept through the giant room, gazing at the poor creatures. Tap! Edmund could hear footsteps crashing in front of him. For a moment, Edmund couldn’t think of anything that could have made that sound. Then he realised it was the witch!

Edmund started to panic; would she be angry and turn him to stone, or would she do something far worse?

Edmund didn’t want to find out...

Alice Zajac (Y4.5)

As the curtain of night strode across Narnia, Edmund gazed at the immense structure. There was nothing stirring, not the slightest sound.

Instantly he heard a shrill muffled cry as if a warning. He crept closer. The towering turrets that pierced the clouds above, loomed over their visitor. The towers were sharp razors. Whistling through the air, the wind sliced the dense mist, causing Edmund to stumble back. As his knees knocked together, the gargantuan silhouette fell into his eyes. “Woah,” he whispered, as his mouth dropped to the snow. He ventured on, not knowing the dangers ahead of him…

Finally, Edmund reached the icy steps. He began climbing. The icicles around it emitted a faint emerald glow. Each step was a mountain.

Breathlessly, after what seemed like hours, he reached the top. He gaped in awe at the intricate carvings embedded in the walls. Inside was a solitary door standing guard for unwelcome visitors. As if it knew why Edmund was here, it opened its mouth to let the inquisitive visitor in. As he stumbled in its mouth, his footsteps resonated through the barren corridors. Suddenly, Edmund caught a glimpse of a luminous glow at the corner of his eye. He whipped his head around. There stood an amazing sight before him.

He gasped. In front of him stood an exhibit of all the White Witch’s captives. The walls whispered tales of its unfortunate victims. Nothing could be heard except the drip...drip…drip…matching Edmund’s beating heart. “How can she do this?”

Edmund muttered to himself. “Her heart must be as cold as ice!”

Almost at once he regretted his visit.

Rohan Garg (Y4.3)

Background artworks by Nathalie Wiegele (Y10.5), Qian Wen Kuah (Y12.8) and Vanessa Eisenberg (Y10.8)

36

Book Reviews

INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR

TOP

5

Books For Infants Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke

1. Winnie’s Big Bad Robot

by Valerie Thomas 2. Angelina’s Baby Sister

by Katharine Holabird 3. Along Came You

by Karona Drummond 4. Pig The Fibber

by Aaron Blabey 5. Splash, Anna Hibiscus!

by Atinuke

TOP

5

Books For Juniors

1. The War That Saved My Life

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 2. Mr Stink

by David Walliams 3. The Bfg

by Roald Dahl 4. The Witches

by Roald Dahl 5. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

by Jeff Kinney

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa with her parents and baby brothers and all her aunts, uncles and cousins. This book is about Anna going to Canada for the first time to visit her grandmother for Christmas! She has never seen snow and everything is so different for her. It was funny when Anna gets to eat yummy African food on the plane instead of the horrible airplane food. I love reading about how she makes lots of friends and playing in the snow. And best of all she gets her very own snow slide for Christmas! It is really nice to read how Anna tries hard to get use to everything that is happening to her and has fun at the same time. - Vianna Tong Wai Yee (Y2.3)

The Crooked Sixpence

by Jennifer Bell After coming back from the hospital, Ivy and Seb alongside their Grandma, Sylvie, find their house ransacked by intruders and a message, “We can see you now” written on the wall. Soon they find themselves caught up in an adventure that brings them to Ludinor, a market beneath London where uncommon people trade in uncommon goods. For example a lemon squeezer that works as a lamp and belts that enable wearers to fly. As they race against time to save their parents, they stumble across their family’s dark mysterious past. I highly recommend this rich and detailed adventure/fantasy book to Year 5 and 6 students. - Lily HattonBurke (Y6.3) The Wishing Spells

by Chris Colfer Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change! On their twelth birthday, the twins were given a fairy-tale book by their Grandmother. When the book comes to life they find themselves stuck in the Land

Hannah Honeypaw’s Forgetful Day

by Daisy Meadows This book is from the Magic Animal Friends series. The story is about Grizelda, a wicked witch, who cast a spell on the Memory Tree in Friendship Forest. She breaks the Tree’s heart into 3 little pieces and this makes all the animals living in the forest forget everything! To help their animal friends, Lily and Jess and a little bear named Hannah Honeypaw go on an exciting search for the broken heart pieces. I really like Hannah Honeypaw who is a little forgetful – just like me! I enjoy reading this story which has a happy ending. - Ana Salesas (Y2.2)

of Stories where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. To return back home they have to perform the Wishing Spell – but first they have to gather eight magical items! However, the Evil Queen is also hunting down the ingredients for the Wishing Spell. As they race against time, will the twins be able to get back to the real world? This exciting series is highly recommended to those who enjoy fantasy and adventure stories. - Isha Sagoo (Y5.8) Dance Class: A funny thing happened on the way to Paris by Beka Julie, Lucie and Alia are best friends who bonded over their one passion: dancing!

From ballet and modern dance to hip-hop, they love it all! They are always giving their best in class. When Carla, their frenemy, makes fun of Lucie’s weight, they help her through the ordeal. Nothing can come in between their friendship! Funny and exciting, this book is recommended to both boys and girls who enjoy dancing.

- Aimee Anderson and Avani Austin (Y6.7)

37

Book Reviews

INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR

TOP

5

Books For Seniors

1. Sisters

by Raina Telgemeier 2. Girl Online

by Zoe Sugg 3. Smile

by Raina Telgemeier 4. Uglies

by Scott Westerfeld 5. Private Peaceful

by Michael Morpurgo

The Book Thief

by Marcus Zusack

This fascinating story by Marcus Zusack depicts the life of a young girl named Liesel Meminger and her horrendous life in Nazi Germany during the Second World War. She was handed over to a caring dear foster family in Berlin, as her Mother was terribly ill, and her Father had passed away in a train accident.

Her life is peaceful until the reign of Hitler and the way they are all treated. To add to their plight her foster parents take in a visitor!

I truly loved this book because of its plot, and characters. Throughout the book, Liesels love for books is vividly described. I would recommend this awesome book to students above 10 yrs old - Dhruv Sadasivam (Y8.8)

Skulduggery Pleasant

by Derek Landy

This great book is about a girl called Stefanie, she encounters a lot of characters that shape the story beautifully. The novel mixes fantasy, mystery and crime all into one story. The author Derek Landy creates an amazing atmosphere. The story keeps you guessing. Who was it that murdered Stefanie’s Uncle? Is the Sceptre real? If you enjoy adventure and intrigue, I would certainly recommend this book.

- Kieren Davies (Y8.8)

Asylum

by Madeleine Roux Asylum by Madeleine Roux is a gripping story of a sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford and his friends who begin to notice strange and eerie occurrences around them. When Dan and his friends find a locked room on the New Hampshire college Prep Campus, one fatal decision will shape his future. With twists and turns this book is sure to satisfy your hunger!

- Sylvie McCorry-Hill 7.3

38

The Last Word

TTS Monster Mayhem Holiday Camp

“Best camp experience ever!” Tatiana (Y2)

“It was awesome!”

George (Nursery)

“The variety of activities was fantastic! One very happy little boy here so thank you very much.”

Nursery parent

Monsterm Mayhe

ber 17-21 Octo

“So much FUN!” Ellie (Nursery) “I would like to thank all the staff who made this so much fun for my son.

We are quite new to the school and this camp opened up a whole new circle of friends for him.” Year 6 parent

“The teachers are amazing.” Year 6 parent

“Every day was great but the final day party was awesome!” Quinn (Y6) Next Camp Dates: Easter Extravanganza Monday 3 - Friday 7 April 2017 Log on to www.tts.edu.sg/holidayprogramme for more information

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95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299 www.tts.edu.sg Tel: 6778 0771 Fax: 6777 5862 Email: communications@tts.edu.sg Tanglin Trust School Ltd 196100114C Reg. period : 7/6/2011 – 6/6/2017