of Tanglin Trust School
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Ch@t – Charities At Tanglin Sport for All TTS Foundation Update
MCI (P) 014/07/2016
Vol 27 02/2018
Welcome If you are ever tempted to think that school is about ‘same old, same old’, then take a look at this edition of The Voice. It bears witness to a school that has a dynamic learning community; always seeking to stimulate curiosity and passion. The curriculum menu illustrated here is varied and exciting and it “helps you to achieve lasting values beyond strong academic achievement.” Nima (Year 13 Head Girl). It reflects global issues from the importance of sustainability to the strength of diversity. TTS staff dedicate their endless energy and enthusiasm to creating a positive and collaborative culture of research, activity and learning. Just writing about it fills me with excitement! It is no wonder that (despite effort, participation and challenges demanded at Tanglin) everyone looks forward to coming to school! We regularly have teacher and leader visitors from other countries to see what we do to earn our world-wide reputation for excellence. We have a delegation arriving from Russia later this term. I am always asked by these visitors: ‘What are the magic ingredients that turn a good school into a great school?’ The answer is complex and comprises tangible and non-tangible elements. Part of ‘the secret’ is to appoint great people, to develop them and to retain them. The last British Schools Overseas inspection in 2017 said that most schools would have just a handful of outstanding teachers... at TTS, most teachers are outstanding. It doesn’t end there, half of our staff belong to the teaching faculty, and the other half are support staff who are equally important in the mix. We have many, many unsung heroes who, day in and day out, do a great job whilst positively contributing to the overall ethos of the school. They ensure that everything we do (including this magazine), is of quality. The students of course carry and sustain the TTS flag. Over the years, something has been established within the student body which is now self-perpetuating. We still have to work at it, but the students themselves set the tone - how to behave, what’s acceptable, how we speak to, care for and work with each other, when to speak out and what is simply not acceptable. The many photographs, articles and events you find in these pages are evidence of how we sustain a great school. What we have is special, very important to us and we will never take it for granted. Please enjoy this small peak through the TTS window of fun, learning and growing. Editor Louise Colbridge Design Jay Valentine 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
Feature
News from our Three Schools
Tanglin Celebrates Diversity at International Day 2017
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PTA
Keeping in Touch with the PTA
Ch@t – Charities At Tanglin
Our World
TTS Foundation Update
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Infant School
From ‘Chalk and Talk’ to ‘Thinking in Ink’
18 Creative Writing A Selection of Infant, Junior and Senior Writing
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Sixth Form
The Butterfly Effect: Tanglin Students Lead the Way
Book Reviews Infant, Junior, and Senior Reviews
Sport for All
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Showcase
16 Sports & Activities
Art/ Dance/ Drama/ Music
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Junior School
Learning to Read
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Senior School
TTS Foundation Internship Programme
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4
Spotlight
Alumni
Sporting Round Up
22 The Last Word
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Holiday Camp
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Tanglin Talk
News from our Three Schools ParentWise Programme
Thank you to all of the parents and helpers that participated in our workshops during Term 1. We have been thrilled to see so many community members receive practical tips on reading and writing at home, developing healthy eating habits, helping your child develop perseverance, mathematics, motor skills and the merits of an IB education, to name a few. Look out for new ParentWise events taking place in Term 2 on the TTS Parent Portal and in our weekly e-newsletter, In Touch.
Awards for Sustainability
Tanglin has received two awards for sustainability efforts across the curriculum, campus and within the community. Tanglin was presented with the Outstanding Outreach Project Award at the Singapore Environment Council-StarHub School Green Awards (SGA). The school also achieved the Lotus Sustained Achievement Award in recognition of attaining the ‘Lotus’ standard for the third year running.
Royal Visit
Year 6 Student Council representatives were honoured to witness the wreath laying ceremony by HRH The Prince of Wales at the Cenotaph. Sixth Form members of the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) Botanical Gardens Group also had the pleasure of meeting HRH The Prince of Wales at the Singapore Botanic Gardens where they discussed the Rainforest Renewal project.
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Open House Events Prospective parents are invited to join our open house events which take place throughout the year. The events are a great opportunity to talk to staff, meet students and hear more about life at Tanglin. Please register at www.tts.edu.sg or call Admissions on 6770 3480 / 6770 3583. Whole School Open Mornings Friday, 23 February Thursday, 17 May
Festive Cheer
Junior and Senior choral performers got everyone into the festive spirit by singing a mix of modern and traditional Christmas carols at Biopolis Epicentre. It was a lovely lunchtime performance for all who work and live in one-north. Thank you to JTC for making this community collaboration possible.
Nursery Open Mornings Friday, 2 March Thursday, 7 June Senior School Open Evening for current Year 5 and Year 6 parents and prospective parents Monday, 19 March
Outstanding Senior School Congratulations to Tanglin Senior School for being awarded Outstanding, the highest grade possible by the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection scheme. The BSO inspection is voluntary and ensures that schools measure up against the standards that apply to independent schools in England.
New Infant Climbing Wall
Infant School children have been enjoying a new climbing wall in their PE lessons. As shared by our Infant Head of PE, Mrs Derby-Crook: “Climbing brings along numerous benefits to a child’s health, social skills and academic performance.” Thank you to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) who supported the installation.
Online Marketplace
We are excited to announce our partnership with School Notices Asia, an online marketplace which is free for members of our community to buy and sell items. Registration is easy, just log onto www.schoolnoticesasia.com.
Follow us! tanglintrustschool
@tanglintrust
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Feature
Tanglin Celebrates Diversity at International Day 2017
On Friday, 10 November students, staff and parents celebrated the diverse cultures, nationalities and languages of Tanglin at the inaugural International Day. The school was awash with colour as students and staff wore outfits and costumes to represent the country they identify with. Throughout the day, special activities took place in the Infant and Junior Schools to showcase the national dress, dance, arts and crafts and cuisine of countries from Peru to the Philippines and from Japan to Wales. Parents donated food from their home country and dedicated their time to capturing children’s imaginations with craft activities, music and costumes. Infant children enjoyed a ‘snack hatch’ with food from around the world and a ‘country fair’ where they visited the different countries represented by our parent community. Junior children enjoyed a lunchtime feast of food from around the world and traditional dancing and games. The main attraction of the day was a lunchtime fair hosted by parents where stalls were set up to represent over 35 countries offering food and drinks to our Senior students. The atmosphere was electric with the excitement of students trying new and favourite foods whilst watching cultural performances by students, parents and visitors. We are so very grateful to our parent community who undoubtedly made Tanglin’s first International Day a huge success!
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21.2%
Other (58 Nationalities)
2.5%
American
7.3%
Singaporean
9.5% Indian
9.5%
63
50% British
Nationalities in the whole school
Australian
Staff from over
At TTS we speak
countries
languages
23 50
“International Day was a celebration of the huge diversity of our community. Although Tanglin follows a British-based curriculum, it’s clear to anyone who spends some time in our community that the colour of one’s passport never paints the whole picture and that our students, parents and teachers all have interesting stories to tell regarding their identity. To see the school awash with colour and alive with the entertainingly varied facets of cultural exchange was a real delight. Thank you to all those who helped to make it possible!” David Sheppard, Assistant Head of Modern Foreign Languages and one of the event organisers
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PTA
Keeping in Touch with the PTA by Kate Saynor, PTA President, and Amanda Merrick, PTA Member
Parent Voice As your Parent Teacher Association (PTA) we have developed Parent Voice as an avenue to enable your suggestions to be heard by the management and leadership teams at Tanglin Trust School. Each term a survey is distributed to parents via email, inviting comments and suggestions for school improvement. Your positive feedback is also welcomed and always appreciated. Your comments are forwarded to the relevant Head of the Infant, Junior or Senior School for consideration, and then we hold a meeting with the Head of School and your Parent Voice representatives to discuss your submissions at length. Minutes of those meetings are then published on the TTS Parent Portal for all members of the community to review. Our Parent Voice initiative creates real and positive changes for the students, teachers and parents alike. Some examples of changes made at Tanglin as a result of the Parent Voice process include the addition of Mandarin to the school curriculum, an optional lengthening of the Nursery school finish to 1.50pm rather than at noon, the removal of carbonated drinks from canteens and improvements to the school uniform. To help you participate in this process, we have created Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on our PTA section of the TTS Parent Portal which provides insightful responses to previously asked questions. We welcome your comments and suggestions beyond those answered in our FAQs. Christmas Fair Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Christmas Fair and helped to raise over $40,000! It was a huge success with cake donations, gifts for the $10 Shop, visits to Father Christmas and all of the wonderful vendors selling a variety of Christmas gifts and decorations. It is thanks to the money raised at these events
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that the PTA is able to fund resources and learning spaces in the schools, such as the Infant School climbing wall, Junior School future learning room and the Senior School Design and Technology suite. Keep a look out for the Infant School outdoor kitchen and music shed which opened to students in Term 2! If you would like to get in touch with the PTA then you can either email them at ptaoff@ tts.edu.sg or pop into the PTA office on level 3 of The Nixon Building between 8.0010.00am every weekday of school term.
Alumni
TTS Foundation Internship Programme by Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager
Through the TTS Foundation Internship Programme, recent Tanglin Alumni have the opportunity to spend between three and six weeks supporting one of the departments in the Senior School. The programme gives Alumni an opportunity to stay connected with Tanglin and also gain paid work experience. We believe the programme is invaluable in supporting our Senior students’ transition post-graduation from Tanglin. Having access to positive role models close to their own age enables our students to ask questions about life at university, courses they are considering, applications and personal statements. At the start of this school year, 16 interns spent up to 6 weeks at Tanglin supporting students in lessons and Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) and facilitated workshops related to their area of study. Our students and teachers were inspired by the interns’ passion for their subjects and everyone benefited from the injection of the latest expertise and academic discourse in class discussions.
they’re studying are more than just words on a page – they are powerful cultural artefacts that can tell us so much about what life was like. I encourage current students to be resourceful, explore different types of content and to make use of Tanglin’s fantastically equipped library.”
We spoke to three of our interns to find out about their time at Tanglin.
Oliver graduated from Tanglin with an IB Diploma and now studies British and Irish Modern Music. He said: “I really enjoyed working in a real music studio in the Senior School and learning lots of music production techniques from the Music department. I also took on responsibilities including facilitating a class with students and organising the bookings by student bands and orchestras. Many students asked me about choosing music as a university and career path, which I hope gave them further motivation to follow their passion and keep practising.”
Caroline Daumich, Class of 2013, Science Department (Biology) Caroline studied the IB Diploma at Tanglin and has a postgraduate degree in Sustainable Aquaculture Systems and a bachelor degree in Marine Biology from the University of Plymouth. She said: “Working with both students and teachers in practical lessons has given me an insight into teaching and learning. I hope I have inspired students by showing them that they all have the potential to help save the environment and make sustainable changes to their daily lives. If you feel strongly about something, follow it through and act on it.”
Oliver Mando, Class of 2016, Music Department
Thank you to the TTS Foundation for sponsoring this year’s inspiring interns. Applications for the internship programme will be published in February 2018.
Chris Jones, Class of 2017, English Department Chris is in his first year at University College London (UCL) where he is studying English. At Tanglin Chris studied three A Levels and an IB certificate in Music. Chris said: “I delivered mini-lectures and extended talks to different classes. I also shared my love of poetry, held a lunchtime talk and made video tutorials for (I)GCSE students. I hoped to show Sixth Form students that the texts
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Spotlight
Ch@t – Charities At Tanglin by Angela Wheaton, Ch@t Executive
At Tanglin we are fully committed to our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Purpose which underpin everything we do and the way we do it. We are keen to nurture a sense of service in our children, where they choose to serve of their own conviction and volition. In every student’s journey through the school there is the opportunity for meaningful engagement with the local community and the world beyond. We firmly believe young people are just as likely to learn outside of the classroom as in it and we hope that by the time our students leave us they have an informed conscience and the will to act upon it. Throughout the Tanglin community, classes take on group charity projects and, at various times, the whole school comes together in support of a specific cause. In addition, students often work as individuals or together to raise awareness and money in order to improve the lives of those less fortunate. The Infant School regularly organises whole school charitable events in addition to year group and class based fund
raising activities. These can range from food drives to mufti days. Through the Student Council, Infant children have the opportunity to share their thoughts and give their input into which charities are supported.
“It makes you feel really grateful for what you have.” Benji (Y6) In the Junior School, each year group chooses one local Singapore charity to support throughout the academic year. Interactions with this charity help to instil
in the children a level of awareness and understanding of the wider community. In addition to this, one international charity is also supported by all year groups. For the second year running, Junior School children are supporting Lend With Care, a microfinance lending initiative (www. lendwithcare.org). Children are taught philanthropy once a week through Impact Hour. A number of charities and organisations are also supported by the Senior School through both fundraising and service activities. This involves year groups, National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) students and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) students. Year group charity weeks are spread out throughout the year to raise awareness of the charity. Activities include assemblies, guest speakers and studentled initiatives such as bake sales, obstacle races and ‘sponge the teacher’! A few of the charities that our community has supported include: • Food from the Heart • ARC Children’s Centre • Lend With Care • Sport Cares • World Wildlife Fund (WWF) • Lakeside Family Services
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• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) • Caring For Cambodia • British Legion Poppy Appeal Alongside these, we are developing opportunities through our Alumni and TTS Foundation. Established in 2012, the TTS Foundation funds exceptional opportunities that enhance our curriculum, including student leadership opportunities and service activities.
“Tanglin helps you to achieve lasting values beyond strong academic achievement. Volunteering with children at a Gurkha Camp through CAS has helped me to be more open-minded, resilient and balanced.” Nima, Head Girl (Y13) Everyone in the community can make a difference! Spotlight Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home provides care, protection and shelter to children aged between 5 and 21 years old who come from needy and disadvantaged families in Singapore. The Infant School supports the charity by hosting play dates for children from Chen Su Lan. Various fun activities are organised and Tanglin children delight in hosting new friends, sharing activities, songs and games with them. The Tanglin community
generously donates Christmas presents to Tanglin which are then taken to Chen Su Lan by our Infant Charity Reps. Lend With Care helps some of the world’s poorest people work their way out of poverty with dignity. The charity funds small businesses and once the money is repaid the donor can choose to recycle the loan to support another entrepreneur, or withdraw the money. This term Junior School children held their second Lend With Care philanthropy week where they took part in a range of activities at break times, from nail painting to ‘Beat the teacher’ challenge, origami and Lego building, concluding with a mufti day. Over $5,400, was raised which will be shared equally between all 32 classes for their Impact Hour where the children will collaborate to decide which entrepreneur they would like to support. The children are also able to see their class Lend With Care account and the balance of money that has already been repaid from loans made to entrepreneurs by the children last year. SPCA’s Reading to Dogs Programme is designed to help shelter dogs better acclimatise to society and help prepare them for when they are ‘adopted’. A first in Singapore, and for the second year running, Senior students have supported the programme by volunteering their time to read to the dogs in the shelter. SPCA is the year group charity for Year 8. “I volunteered for this charity because I love dogs, and I feel that every dog should have a home or at least feel at home and feel loved. At SPCA they try their best to make the dogs feel at home and I really enjoyed reading to the dogs and watching them
“It helps some people around the world and after you’ve done something like this it makes you feel so good inside. It really helps you to be a better person and to develop your understanding of the world.” Maddie (Y6) relax and enjoy. I loved all the dogs there, they were all very friendly and sweet and reading to them was a pleasure.” Prishni (Y8)
If you would like to organise a fundraising event or activity, please consider the following: Is the charity registered in Singapore? Please check the TTS Parent Portal (under Engage with Tanglin / Charities) for full details. If the charity is not registered in Singapore then please contact the Ch@t Executive to discuss your idea in more detail. Please email chat@ tts.edu.sg. Complete the online chat form which can be found on the Charities page on the TTS Parent Portal.
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Our World
TTS Foundation Update by Cecilia Handel, Director of Development
The TTS Foundation was established in 2012 to enable exceptional opportunities for our community. Projects are categorised into four main areas which help to drive sustainability initiatives, encourage student leadership and service activities, give access to inspirational visitors and enhance our sports and arts programmes at Tanglin. The TTS Foundation is funded principally by a contribution from the school, made possible as a result of our Placement Rights programme. Each year, a fundraising campaign is launched to raise the profile of the work of the Foundation and to ask for donations from the community. This year, a three-week fundraising campaign in October raised over $130,000 through generous donations from the Tanglin community. All monies raised will be spent in the current academic year. Here is a round-up of how our students have benefitted from your contributions to the TTS Foundation. How the TTS Foundation has enriched our community in Term 1: Sustainability is being championed through the Our World 2041 team who are evaluating simple and innovative ways to make our campus more sustainable and encourage our community to use
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
“The TTS Foundation has allowed my children to experience exceptional and inspirational opportunities that complement the opportunities you would expect in any outstanding school.” TTS Foundation Parent Advocate sustainable practices. One such project is En-trak™ Energy, a software platform which monitors energy usage across the campus. The first school in Singapore to use the new software, En-trak™ Energy is supported by modules that can be used with students to identify the impact of changing their energy use habits. Learning to play an instrument builds confidence and encourages perseverance and commitment. During Term 1, the TTS Foundation awarded over 40 Music Awards to Junior children which allows them the opportunity to play a stringed, wind or brass instrument, receive lessons and play within an ensemble. In Term 1, the TTS Foundation offered Representative Awards to 136 students
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representing the school overseas in a range of competitions including the FOBISIA Leadership Conference, World Scholar’s Cup Yale, Brisbane Touch tournament, U11 Phuket Football, Feeding Frenzy, SEASAC Football and SEASAC Golf. Inspirational authors, artists, explorers and experts from diverse fields have shared their ideas, insights and enthusiasm with the next generation at Tanglin. Since August we have welcomed Artist and Poet Harry Baker, Paralympian Andy Barrow, Mathematician James Grime, The Amazing Toy Box children’s performers, Evolve Arts, Author and Illustrator Cassandra Wye and TTS Foundation Artists-in-Residence: Concert Pianist Naomi Iwase and Percussionist Chin Boo.
Thank you to our Advocates TTS Foundation Advocates are parent volunteers who are happy to answer questions about projects and fundraising. The success of the fundraising campaign relies heavily on support from our community and we are always happy to hear from you if you would like to become more involved in the work that the TTS Foundation does. Please contact our Development Team at foundation@tts.edu.sg for an informal chat.
Spotlight: Development of Life Skills in the Infant School The Infant School has four leadership programmes aimed at students aged 6 or 7 years of age. Specifically these are Song Leaders, Planet Protectors, Playtime Captains and Tech Leaders. These positions of responsibility are designed to develop the children’s leadership skills, encourage collaborative working and build confidence. Throughout 2017/18 these groups will be given the opportunity to go off-site to develop their leadership skills. Last term, the Playtime Captains visited The Yard. “As a Playtime Captain I have learnt about fair-play, being friendly and well-organised. We even went to The Yard where we learnt cool and exciting new skills. It has been really fun!” Harrison (Y2) Spotlight: As part of their Geography topic ‘Incredible India’, Year 3 students celebrated India Day in Term 1. With the generous support of the TTS Foundation, the children were immersed in a range of aspects of Indian life, from traditional music, cultural stories and arts and crafts to Bollywood dancing and foods from across the country. Parents shared in the children’s cultural experiences, joining the Bollywood dancing sessions and making beautiful Rangoli patterns using coloured rice. Spotlight: World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) Final at Yale University, by Hannah (Y9) “The trip to Yale was truly a once in a lifetime experience, made possible
with support from the wonderful TTS Foundation. The trip was packed full of incredible memories that I will never forget. New Haven is a beautiful place and heightened the magic of the competition. Although the idea of meeting new people may elicit nervousness, walking into the first activity, the Scavenger Hunt, I could tell that I would make some close friends - and I did, from all over the world. The following trip to Boston, MIT and Harvard, despite the drastic weather differences, opened my eyes to a world I previously only dreamt about visiting. We learnt about fascinating American history, visited impressive buildings and took a
peek into the world of a student at a worldclass university. Once the competition started, all fear and stress dispersed immediately; the WSC environment was so friendly and welcoming. Leaving the competition was bittersweet: we had to bid farewell to amazing friends and an amazing city, but we moved to New York City for the day, which was incredible, to say the least. The scenery was stunning and was the perfect cherry on top of a brilliant trip. Overall, we are so grateful for the TTS Foundation for making the trip to Yale possible and for enabling us to compete in such an amazing place.”
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Infant School
Top Tips for Supporting your Child with Reading by Michael kelly, Teacher Librarian, Infant School
Learning to read is the foundation to the rest of a child’s learning journey at school and beyond. Children are naturally drawn to books, so the more they are exposed to reading from a young age, the more they will love it as they grow up. Every child is individual and will learn to read at their own pace. Some children effortlessly pick up the basic skills whereas others find it trickier and need more time. Here, Michael Kelly, Teacher Librarian, tells us Tanglin Trust Infant School’s top tips for encouraging your child to read. Empowerment Reading usually starts with the basics of hearing and differentiating between sounds; a vital skill. Alongside this is to play games, sing rhymes and explore language. Once children have mastered these skills
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they can move onto sound recognition and then blending and segmenting words orally; before introducing letters and words. The more you encourage your child to ‘have a go’, the more confident they will become.
your child some thinking time if they get stuck on a word. After a little while, help them to sound out the word. Be supportive when they’re struggling and celebrate when they get a word right.
With this approach children can quickly progress from looking at picture books to reading books – always a magical moment!
There are many opportunities for children to read at Tanglin, including with parent volunteers and Senior reading buddies.
Reinforcement Tanglin’s child-led approach ensures that each child gets the right level of support for their needs, with booster groups for those who need some extra intervention and enrichment for those significantly above their reading age.
Alongside being given books at the level they need, children can choose the books they’re interested in at the wonderful Infant Library, sit enthralled at bi-weekly story time sessions, and enjoy the experiences offered by a variety of TTS Foundation sponsored visiting authors and illustrators.
In ParentWise workshops run by Tanglin, teachers explain the 3 P’s – Pause, Prompt and Praise. It is vitally important to give
Children can also relax with their parents in the Library’s ‘cosy corners’ and discuss a range of literature, stirring their curiosity.
Read for Pleasure
Comprehension is key. It’s great to ask your child questions about the book – some school reading schemes include suggested questions inside the front and back cover. Have Fun! Tanglin believes the biggest gift a parent can give their child is to read to them. Establishing a good routine that includes opportunities for reading is fundamental. Provide bedtime stories and visit the library. Try reading packages in supermarkets, signs in public places, newspapers, comics and magazines. Listen to story CD’s in the car or watch DVDs of classic tales. By bringing literature to life through tone of voice, role play or props you can also build on the fun and feed that innate love for storytelling and reading that your child has.
If you would like to find out more about Tanglin Trust Infant School, join one of our open house events:
Introduction to Tanglin Nursery Friday, 2 March at 9am or Thursday, 7 June at 9am Register at www.tts.edu.sg or call Admissions on 6770 3480 / 6770 3583.
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Junior School
Sport for All in the Junior School by Dean Scott, Head of Junior Sport
The Sport for All initiative at Tanglin strives to educate all students on the benefits of sport participation. The value of sport goes beyond physical activity to social and personal development both at school and throughout life. Students of all ages, genders and ability levels are encouraged to participate in a range of sports. Sport is a vibrant element of the ethos of the Junior School and is firmly embedded in our school culture. We recognise the role sport plays in building character and enriching student’s experiences and we therefore take every opportunity to celebrate and reward success at all levels. Sport is Integral to the Curriculum At Tanglin, we are privileged to have some outstanding facilities, enabling us to provide a Physical Education (PE) programme which endeavours to promote physical health and social interaction of students, while providing individuals with the opportunity to participate in a variety of team and individual sports at an appropriate level of competition. All students benefit from three hours of lessons each week, delivered by specialist PE teachers. This includes invasion games, net and wall games, striking and fielding games, athletics, swimming and gymnastics. In addition, Year 3 and 4 students take part in rock climbing and problem-solving, while Year 5 and 6 students do health related fitness (HRF) training. House Competitions In their Houses, students get to know others within their own year group as well as creating bonds with students from other year groups. House points are awarded and students keenly follow who is in the lead as the year progresses. The House
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system contributes enormously to the feeling of integration and belonging. Our carefully structured and well supported sports programme offers differentiated House competitions in football, netball, touch rugby, cross country, sports day and basketball. These are designed to encourage every child to participate in sport and to develop a broad range of fundamental skills including teamwork and leadership. Beyond the Classroom At Tanglin, we believe that learning beyond the classroom is just as important as within it. Students’ sporting experiences are enhanced through a multitude of cocurricular activities (CCAs), enabling them to pursue their interests and develop existing talents or try something new. In addition to recreational choices, the programme also enables students to trial for and engage in competitive activities. Opportunities to Compete In the Junior School, there are opportunities to represent the school in local and regional tournaments. We are a member of the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS) in which students participate in a variety of sports over three seasons.
Year 5 and 6 students can trial to be part of the Junior FOBISIA Games team (Federation of British International Schools in Asia), a three day, multi-sports competition held in Phuket. Also on the FOBISIA circuit is the annual gymnastics competition. Junior students can also trial for SEASAC (South East Asia Student Activities Conference) swimming, golf and gymnastics competitions. For any football fanatics, there is also the annual Phuket Football competition. Everyone has fun! Whatever the ability level, we strive to ensure that the efforts of every child are valued. We aim for all our students to experience a wide range of activities in an atmosphere of enjoyment and personal development. We teach children that we aim to win but learn to lose with good grace and humility. Through a mixture of competitive and non-competitive activities our students learn about co-operation and evaluating performance. They also learn about making choices and about balanced and healthy lifestyles. Ultimately, they learn to have fun!
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Senior School
From ‘Chalk and Talk’ to ‘Thinking in Ink’ How to harness technology to enhance learning
by Fiona Ritson, Content Producer and James Bleach, Head of Design and Technology
Nowadays, as a parent, you’re more likely to be grappling with concerns about the use of technology than debating the benefits of ‘chalk and talk’ versus enquiry learning as our parents did. But technology use is linked to this debate. In many ways technology has developed to support enquiry learning, not just to replace chalk but also to move beyond talk, or lecturing, to collaboration and investigation. While there are still times, particularly in the early years, when children need to receive information and memorise foundation facts, at Tanglin we encourage our students to be enquirers; to question and find answers for themselves. We use integrated technologies to place learning more in the hands of our learners - but it is important that those hands are attached to responsible and analytical minds. Our use of technology is
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therefore more widespread in the Senior School where students have developed this mind-set. In short, integrated technologies are used at Tanglin as ‘pathway tools’; tools that enable the learner to navigate their own way to a deeper understanding and appreciation of a subject. Technology can free the learner from some traditional constraints, like breaking down barriers of time and space. In the Senior School, student tablets allow live access to teaching resources and a location to collaborate and get instant feedback, enabling rapid progress. To interact intuitively with digital material, we use pen-enabled devices. By ‘thinking in ink’: taking notes, sketching, mind-mapping, marking-up and organising on screen, students gain analytic freedom and greater depth of learning across the curriculum than pen and paper or keyboard can offer. Senior School subject leaders overwhelmingly believe that a penenabled device adds the greatest value to the curriculum.
“The use of the latest technology has a significant impact on standards and students’ effective learning skills. A key development is the use of studentowned tablets using software to aid teachers’ planning and assessment and very slick and fast-paced student learning. High quality feedback is possible both in written and spoken form, students can see and respond to comments in real time and conversations about learning enable rapid and sustained progress with their learning.” Extract from the BSO (British Schools Overseas) Inspection Report 2017 on the Senior School Design & Technology To support the increasing demand for Design & Technology as a standalone course, we now have a new D&T facility comprising Design Suite, materials ‘Shed’, workshop, CAD (Computer Aided Design) area and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture) area. Each area supports students in the development of problemsolving skills, and to design and create using the tools that best suit the process and product, whether manual, digital or a combination of both. The Design Suite is dedicated to teaching students how to spot problems within a context before using an iterative approach to developing solutions. Students learn to design by hand, gain hands-on modelling skills and develop a range of presentation techniques. In the Workshop there are workbenches and machinery for students to manufacture products from a range of materials to get a feel for which works best in each scenario. Students have training and access to machines such as Hegner Scroll saws, Hot Wire Foam Cutters, Pillar drills, Bandfacer and Bobbin sanders, CNC Milling and Routers. Students learn to model ideas in 2D and 3D in the CAD area, using Adobe Illustrator and Autodesk’s Fusion 360. These designs can then be presented with realistic renders, as technical drawings or as file types to be made on a 3D printer, laser cutter, CNC Milling machine or Router. The CAM area is a ‘maker space’, where staff and students can use a range of 3D printers, Laser Cutter and Vinyl Cutter. We also have a range of thermoforming equipment, such as a Hot Wire Strip Heater, Heat Press, Vacuum Former and a Sublimation printer. Students can collaborate at the conference table to share ideas.
“The enthusiasm and ability of the first students to use this space has shown their readiness to use technology in a way that will impact positively on our world and theirs going forward.’’ James Bleach, Head of D&T Thank you to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for their generous donation to the Senior School which enabled the D&T facility.
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Sixth Form
The Butterfly Effect: Tanglin Students Lead the Way by Pravesha (Y13) and Louise Colbridge, Communications
develop both their corporate and personal purposes and to use this inspiration to strengthen or create a force for good within their sphere of influence. Students used their newly acquired understanding of how to use business models to help participants turn their passions and aspirations into actionable plans.
As part of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), 14 students from Year 13 collaborated with the Bridge Institute during Term 1 and hosted an event called ‘The Butterfly Effect’, inspired by the Chaos Theory. “It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.” This student-led event was the culmination of a 12-week leadership programme that students took part in with the Bridge Institute, whose mission is to equip leaders with ‘the skills to be at their extraordinary best’ so that ‘we can move further, faster towards a more peaceful, fairer and more prosperous society’ (http://www.bridge-institute.org/our-mission/). The thoughtprovoking programme encouraged students to think differently, live consciously and act decisively. Each student identified a major social injustice tied to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations and then developed ways in which to create a dialogue around that challenge along with mapping out an actionable follow-up plan. The evening event focused on identifying what drives international organisations and the individuals who run them to become champions of change and encouraged participants to do more towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Guests included CEOs and senior leaders from multinational companies, educationalists and diplomatic representatives including representatives from Disney, Facebook, Accenture, Thomson Reuters and Semb Corp. During the session, participants were taken through a series of exercises designed to encourage them to
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The evening was inspirational, disruptive and was designed to change mind-sets and challenge convention. Comments from participants at the end of the session included: “I am deeply impressed with the work you have done and energised for the future.” “If you represent the next generation, I think we will be OK! I am looking forward to sharing this with others.” “This has made me want to do more partnerships in the future across the generations.” “… very happy to leave the world in your hands.” Peter Derby-Crook, CEO of Tanglin Trust School attended the event and said: “The students were stunning in their confidence and commitment. They led the city leaders through a personal and organisational reflection and persuaded them to commit to something at both levels that would ultimately support the UN goals and may initiate a ‘Butterfly Effect’. Well done to everyone and in particular the amazing students.”
Student-led Post-16 Pathway Event by Fiona Ritson, Content Producer, Communications
We have always prided ourselves on our rigorous post-16 pathway process and on Monday, 27 November 2017 our Student Head Team took the lead on a new pathway event with a difference, one pioneered by students for students. As Year 11s worked their way around tables in the Examination Hall, they heard about the differences between IB and A Level courses and the benefits and demands of different subjects. But instead of Heads of Faculty or teachers delivering these important messages, it was fronted by those who know what it feels like most; the students themselves and this was all suggested and managed by our Student Head Team. Within our Post-16 Pathway Programme there are nine separate events running from September 2017 to March 2018, all geared to give Year 11 students, and their parents, a thorough understanding of the IB and A Level pathways, plus
“It was great to see examples of past papers, particularly for Science, and to get more in-depth advice. I gained some new insight into how universities might view A Level subject choices that overlap.” Zachary (Y11)
“We were so impressed by the students who led the event and the enthusiasm from Year 11 about what they got out of it. And we don’t think it will stop there – happier students make better progress – and I’m sure Year 11s will now feel more comfortable approaching the Sixth Form students informally for advice. It is also something we could consider, in a more structured format, for the Year 9 GCSE options process.” Robert Randall, Assistant Headteacher. subject specific information. In the past, this particular event has been faculty-led. Subject teachers and their Year 12 and 13 student representatives would present from their classrooms to a series of captive Year 11 audiences who would carousel around all the subjects. This year, the Head Team went to the Senior School Leadership Team with some compelling reasons to change the format to an event run by students for students, without faculty staff. They had thought through how it would work, from how Year 12 and 13 student representatives would be chosen (Heads of Department would nominate) to how Year 11s would get the most out of the event, for example hosting all subjects in one room so they would be
free to lead their own discovery. The week beforehand, the Head Team attended the Year 11 assembly to brief them on what to expect, including what subjects they might want to explore that would be new to them and questions they might want to ask. The event took place during the first period on a Monday morning. Both sets of students did an incredible job – those who gave advice and those who sought it. There was a real hubbub in the room. Conversations were natural and personal with interactions quickly moving from the generic to addressing individual interests and concerns. Advice around assessment, difficulty, challenge and enjoyment was freely and honestly given – and accepted more readily!
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Showcase:
ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Year 2, December 2017
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Showcase:
ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC
It’s Magic
Year 4, November 2017
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Showcase:
ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC
Magical Mystery Tour Senior School, October 2017
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Showcase:
ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC
In Art Exhibition
Senior School, November 2017- January 2018
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Sports & Activities
Sporting Round Up by Junior and Senior Staff and Students
SCC Rugby Tournament, The Padang, Singapore. November 2017
U14s by Thomas (Y10) The U14 Rugby team performed to the highest level throughout the tournament. We finished 3rd overall after winning our pool, but lost narrowly to ACSI in the semi final. The goals for the team now is to hopefully make it to the final of SCC and secure a first victory for an U14 TTS team.
and we were determined to take home the trophy this year. In the finals against UWC Dover we scored a final two excellent tries to win the tournament. But winning the trophy wasn’t the real prize, the real prize was playing alongside great friends and finishing victorious for yet another year. It was a whole squad effort with every player playing their part throughout the season. We are already preparing to defend the trophy next year!
Phuket Football, British International School, Phuket. November 2017 by Alana (Y6) and Sharu (Y6)
“The U14 SCC team had their best year yet. They claimed 1st place in the International Schools qualifiers and made it to the semi-finals of the SCC tournament. The team played some incredible rugby over the season and finishing 3rd was a superb achievement.” Ewen Smith, Coach / PE Specialist U19s by Dan (Y13) Tanglin’s U19 team have a history of doing well in this tournament, and this year was no exception as the team secured a cup victory which saw TTS make history by winning the competition, in this age group, for a fourth consecutive year. Tanglin’s campaign in the tournament started well as an unbeaten qualifying round saw the team rank first out of the international schools.
U16s by Kit & George (Y11) In the weeks leading up to the SCC tournament, there where countless hours spent on and off the pitch, training, working hard and pushing ourselves. The loss to LFS last year was still fresh in our minds
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In the last play of the game a contested kick off, a turnover, and a brief passage of play saw TTS go over for a fourth try late into extra time, and the successful conversion meant the victory went to TTS. With a final score of 22-21, this year’s U19’s have successfully carried on a school legacy and wish the future representatives all the best in the years to come.
We were excited for the trip ahead of us. On Friday morning we arrived at the British International School, Phuket. When our matches were not at the same time as the boys’ we all supported each other from the side line. Both teams had roughly four matches and everyone played 100%. On Saturday we were full of energy and everyone was ready to compete. We played lots of matches and continued to support each other. We finished with a silver place for the cup however we were devastated when we lost in the final. We had so much fun in Phuket that nobody wanted to go home!
I was privileged to attend the U11 Phuket Football Tournament. The 20 selected Year 6 players (10 boys, 10 girls) played their hearts out and made myself, the coaches and parents who came over to support, incredibly proud.” Philippa Hatton, Assistant Head of Junior School
U19 Girls’ and Boys’ SEASAC Cross Country, MacRitchie Reservoir and UWCSEA Dover, Singapore. November 2017 by Huw (Y11)
SEASAC Boys’ & Girls’ SEASAC Division 1 Football, Bangkok Patana School. November 2017 by Charlie (Y13) & Lizzy (Y13) After an enduring weekend filled with action, goals and excitement, the boys’ team came just shy of 3rd place after losing to UWC East in the 3rd/4th play-off. Whilst on the other pitch the girls handed Bangkok Patana School a thrashing of 8-1 to secure gold for a fourth time in a row. The girls will look to build upon their impressive feat of four SEASAC gold trophies in a row, whilst the boys will look to build and strengthen as a young team.
I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the SEASAC Cross Country and gained a lot of experience. It was a tough competition with lots of very talented schools from across South East Asia competing. Despite this, the TTS team performed very well and we all did our best. One of the most memorable moments was seeing the finish line with everyone in our team trying to help each other out during the relay race. This showed how we had developed trust in one and other and a bond. The boys’ team did extremely well by finishing third place. “This year’s SEASAC Cross Country was run on two very challenging yet also scenic courses. The team worked hard in the lead up to the event through attending before and after school training and both the girls’ and the boys’ teams excelled over the weekend. Perhaps more importantly, they competed in the spirit of the competition; one of camaraderie, effort and enjoyment.” Mark Scoular, Coach / PE Specialist
“Division 1 SEASAC once again proved a fitting climax to the Senior Football season for both the U19 boys’ and girls’ teams. A young boys’ team did extremely well to qualify for the semi-final stages. Whilst the girls’ team once again proved their quality with free scoring and overwhelming victories in their semi-final and final. A fantastic achievement to win their fourth consecutive SEASAC Gold.” James Robinson, Coach / PE Specialist
SEASAC Golf, Ruamrudee International School, Bangkok. November 2017
Girls’ and Boys’ SEASAC Volleyball, British International School, Jakarta. November 2017 by Alaap (Y13) and Carl (Y12)
against SAIS, who went on to win the tournament and the girls losing out to YIS, who also went on to win in the girls division.
On the first day, Tanglin boys played MKIS, SAIS and AIS and came away with a well deserved win alongside two unfortunate losses. The girls played SAIS, YIS and BSJ and lost to two of the strongest teams at the tournament but managed a convincing win against BSJ. On the second day, the boys played their quarterfinals match against KLASS and came away with a 3-0 victory with a 37-35 closing set. The girls beat AIS 3-0 and both teams found their way into the semi finals. Unfortunately, both Tanglin teams lost their semi final matches, the boys losing in the 5th set
On the whole, the SEASAC weekend was an enjoyable one even though the girls and the boys ended up in 4th place. Both teams exceeded expectations coming in 4th due to the fact that Tanglin had the youngest teams at the competition as well as being relatively new. Although both captains will be leaving us at the end of the year, we look forward to next year as both teams have shown huge potential.
Congratulations to our SEASAC Golfers who took the Male Team Gold Medal at the tournament in Bangkok. This is an incredible achievement and exceeds the bronze medal TTS won in last year’s competition. Well done to all those who played, representing the school with great credit and enjoying the chance to play on a world class golf course.
On top of the successful season, a huge congratulations to our SEASAC MVP’s Alaap and Orla!
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Merlion Sprint Meet, OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore. October 2017 by Emma (Y12)
Queensland All Schools Touch Tournament, Brisbane, Australia. October 2017 U15s by Anna (Y11), Captain The U15’s were a fairly young team and we were nervous going into our games. However, we were all pleasantly surprised. On the first day of the tournament we won both games. Throughout the tournament we only lost two games, and we were one win away from making it into the top 16 playoffs. Apart from the Touch rugby, Brisbane is an amazing trip where girls of all ages have fun and get to know each other, and this year was no exception. I am excited for the years to come to make new memories and friends. U19s by Isobel (Y13), Captain After weeks of early morning training sessions, the U19 Brisbane squad managed to come fourth in our pool, which was an amazing achievement considering the standard of the Aussie teams. With this in mind we still managed to win four out of a total of seven games. The Queensland All Schools Touch Tournament is the highest level of competition we enter, which really makes the tour such a valuable experience for the girls, as we come across national sides as well as national players. “Every year I wonder, if we can ever top the year before, through play, cohesion and a fun spirit. Every year we do! Brisbane is an amazing opportunity for all the girls to experience the highest level of Touch that is played in the world at school level. This year both teams were lucky enough to play the finalise of the tournament in their pool rounds. Although we lost the matches, the girls played at an exceptionally high level and walked away excited about what they had learnt and how they could improve their own game. At the end of the tournament we all left with a sense of achievement and looking forward to the season ahead. A big well done to everyone involved. A big thank you to Emily Crowe, our PE intern and returning Alumni, who coached the U15s; we will certainly miss you next year!” Vicky Paterson, Coach / PE Specialist Thank you to the TTS Foundation for offering Representative Award to all of the players.
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At our annual Merlion Sprint Festival each of the 540+ swimmers could enter a maximum of four events, and the top ten swimmers in each event would qualify for the finals. All the Merlions swam incredibly well. The coaches took this as an opportunity to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole which can then be used within our training. A special congratulations to Katie who won her age group (13-14 Girls), breaking several school records. We also have to thank the coaches and TTS staff, who ensured that swimmers did not miss a single race and that the meet ran smoothly. Overall it was a successful meet for the Merlions and we are all looking forward to the upcoming fixtures this academic year.
“The Merlion Sprint Festival is a well established and extremely popular swimming meet. We now have a track of records for the last 4 events and an impressive 35 meet records were broken this year. Not only did we have a record number of swimmers from all the schools, the Merlions fielded its largest team of over 125 swimmers. It is great to see an increasing number of competing Merlions. A massive thank to all the coaches, schools, parents and to the Activities and Sports team who made the meet a huge a success.” Andrew Hailey, Head of Aquatics Feeding Frenzy, Bangkok Patana School. December 2017 by Emma (Y12) It was a great start to the weekend with both the 13-14 years and the 15 and over relay teams winning bronze medals, plus several individual medals won. Saturday started with the middle-distance races (such as the 200m Freestyle), and finished with 100m sprints. The energy of the younger Merlions was infectious, with everyone supporting each other. It was especially nice to see the younger swimmers getting to know the older swimmers as they all cheered at the end of the lane. The final day was 50m sprints, as well as some relays. Everyone raced fantastically, with some swimmers achieving new personal bests, and it was rewarding for the coaches and swimmers to see their training paying off. The relays were also extremely exciting (one race had 0.01 seconds separating the Merlion team from another team, causing a lot of excitement with the parents, especially when Tanglin touched first to win a medal). With Tanglin medaling in more than half the relays, the day ended on such a high and everyone wished we could have stayed another day. This year was one of the best Feeding Frenzys that I’ve been to as there was a very strong sense of friendship and support throughout the whole team. A special congratulation goes to Alistair in Year 10, who won second place overall in his age group. It was such an amazing weekend, well done to everyone who swam and hope to see you all next year.
Sports and Recreation Clubs There are lots of after-school activities available to Tanglin students through our Sports and Recreation Clubs (SRCs) programme. Here our students tell us about their favourite activities delivered by external providers. Beavers – Tuesdays & Fridays “Beavers is so cool. We do so many awesome things; my favourites were the mud pit, bonfire night and sleepover plus I love my mummy being there every week as a Leader” Toby (Y2) Cubs – Wednesdays “I love Cubs. I enjoy working as a team because you can achieve so much. When we were at Cub camp we made a raft and, although it came apart, it didn’t make me sad because I knew that me and my team had worked really well together”. Charlie (Y6)
Rainbows – Wednesdays & Fridays “In Rainbows I love to do the promises with other children, especially when I did it with my sister. I also absolutely loved the outdoors trips, the rocks climbing and the camp fire where I got to eat a lot of marshmallows!” Sophie (Y2) “Rainbows is a lot of fun, I can play tag with new friends and do nice art and crafts to take home.” Emma (Y1) “At Rainbows we do fun activities, I love spending time with friends, making things and playing games. It’s awesome and I love my Rainbow leaders!” Abby (Y2)
French Linguistics – various days “I just finished French lessons with Ms Laurence and I enjoyed myself. I learnt a lot during the sessions. All of us in class had a good time. So much was taught in a few weeks. I can’t wait to start again next term!” Dishan (Yr6) Irish Inspirational Dancing – Mondays “Irish Dancing is my way of showing that I can do something unique, something that not many people have experienced. It makes me happy to be doing something that I find challenging but yet I love”. Lucy (Y8) JSSL Football – Mondays “I have been playing football since Nursery. I’ve learnt a lot of skills with the ball and I like my coaches. I look forward to playing every week and I’ve made new friends. I liked playing in the league and winning a medal.” Magnus (Y2) ANZA Netball – Saturdays “I like all of the encouraging coaches. We also play a match at the end of each session and that is my favourite part. We get to play lots of fun games as part of the training. My favourite coach is Coach Kirsty!” Rosie (Y4)
Brownies – Mondays “Being in Brownies is great fun! You get to do all kinds of activities and go on amazing trips and overnight camps. You make close friends and become involved in local and international community events. Brownies will bowl you over!” Lucy (Y6) Girl Guides – Wednesdays “Every Wednesday evening I participate in the wonderful world of Guiding. I love Guides because we always do amazingly fun activities and learn to be independent”. Freya (Y8) Taiko Drumming – Fridays “I like learning new and cool rhythms. Taiko Drumming is the best! I think everyone would like it because it is fun and awesome!” Oren (Y2)
For more information about SRCs and to contact our SRC providers, please log onto the TTS Parent Portal and select Activities & Sports / SRC Programmes.
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Creative Writing
Long, long ago, at the very beginning of time, when everything was just getting sorted out, there lived a dull, plain peacock. The peacock’s feathers were as dull as dishwater and he knew it! Peacock lived in a vibrant utopia which burst with colours and lush green forests with a sweet aroma surrounding the tropical paradise. All the beautiful sounds echoed around, making travellers passing dance with delight. As you might have imagined, living here made the peacock very sad and envious of all the colour. One day, the animals decided to have a beauty contest. Hearing this, peacock became determined to seek a variety of coloured feathers so that he could enter and win. “You silly bird,” the other animals jeered when they heard the news. “It’s obvious you’re never going to win.” However, peacock didn’t care; everyday he grew more determined to reach his goal.
By Maryam and Emily (Y1)
Early the next morning, when peacock was thinking hard on how to prove the other animals wrong, an idea quickly popped into his small head. Since he lived in such a colourful tropical paradise, he could transfer all the vibrant colours from the flowers to him. With this in mind, he set off to find a variety of different coloured flowers. Later that afternoon, peacock found exactly what he was looking for. There standing before him stretched a vast meadow filled with a kaleidoscope of colours. Gazing at the magnificent sight, he swiftly took one flower, each of a different colour. Then, he carefully laid down the flowers in a beautiful pattern to suit his body. The day of the contest finally arrived. As peacock walked in, all the others were jeering at him because peacock had smartly hidden his colourful feathers. However, as he walked up onto the stage and displayed his feathers, everybody’s mouth dropped in awe! From that day on, nobody ever laughed at peacock anymore and it has since been a colourful bird. Devan (Y3)
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Friday 18th August 2017 The Cemetery Raindrops spatter the car windows as Pippa peers out, confused. The oldest of 4 children, the girl appears most knowledgeable about this expedition, but actually, she’s just as clueless as her baby sister Lucy. The car pulls up in front of a colossal black gate and, without warning, their grandfather opens the door and begins to limp towards it. He opens the gate and continues to pace ahead on the carpet of green. The rest of the family file out of the car, trying to catch up with him. Grandfather continues to search, ascending upwards. “Dad?” Pippa’s mum calls. Grandfather doesn’t answer. He stops in front of an immaculate white grave and collapses to the ground. “Dad!” Pippa’s Uncle yells. The family races to that spot. Pippa sees tears welling in his eyes. “Grandad?” asks Pippa quietly. Shuddery sobs. Seeing the concern etched on everybody’s faces, Pippa looks at her Grandmother for an explanation, but she just shakes her head. Grandad looks up at the sky, glassyeyed, and his thoughts wander back to what he experienced all those years ago... The Leaflets At dusk they leak from the sky. Everyone stops and stares as they somersault down and glide above the soldiers’ heads. They flutter as the children run to catch them, their mothers reading it out for them, a look of fear on their faces. An old woman ambling by hands one to a soldier, and his face darkens. The message reads: A TICKET FOR PEACE- USE THIS TICKET TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. The soldier thanks the woman, and runs to warn his comrades. The Army prepares. They will come. The Bombers At midnight, they arrive once more. The moonlit sea guides them to their destination: Singapore. Everything is dark apart from the needles of red light from the anti-air emplacements. Intercoms crackle as the soldiers run out of their tents to prepare their rifles. Mothers herd the last of their children into houses; they will come. The Soldier Albert wakes to fierce tapping on the windowpane. He sees a grumpy face at the window, gesturing to get a move on. Albert nods and the man trudges off. Opening the window cautiously at a slight angle, Albert listens for a second then cowers away. They are here. Albert thinks of home: his wife Katherine, tending to wounds at the hospitalshe’dvolunteeredat,hischildren,ArchieandJessica,whohad been evacuated shortly after he’d left for Singapore. The memories of that day bring tears to his eyes. He takes out the crumpled photo from his shirt pocket and kisses it. There is no turning back. Time to fight. The Attack The sea races below the fighter planes, pushing to keep up. They stop overhead. Five, four, three, two, one. Release. Down on the land, Albert squints to see what is coming. “It’s coming,” he breathes, and instinctively crouches behind a shelter. The piercing whistle deafens the soldiers. A roaring explosion demolishes the surrounding buildings and establishments. Albert creeps out behind the shelter, his rifle at the ready. A mistake. The acrid smell of gunpowder envelopes him. He tries to find Martin, his comrade, amongst all the soldiers darting this way and that, his vision swimming. He catches sight of him, trying to fight. “Martin!” he yells, rushing towards him despite the heat pounding on his skin. Martin drops his gun and collapses to the ground. A final bomb is dropped; Albert wraps himself into a ball and starts to weep.
Aftermath Albert cautiously weaves through the broken city, a protective hand on his rifle at the back pocket. Citizens tremble as they walk slowly through the city, their minds whirling with everything that has happened in the past few days. Smoky and miserable, the sky hangs above the ruins, silently sobbing over the destruction. Buildings collapse in agony, abused and shattered. An old woman looks up to the sky, angry tears streaking her dust-covered face. A shock-stricken father spoons thick soup into his daughter’s mouth. His hand shakes and he spills a drop of soup. He reaches for a napkin, but his daughter takes hold of it before him, and wipes her skirt. Albert stares at them, thinking of his own daughter, when a distant explosion breaks his gaze. The Attack Threading through the tranquil forest, Albert notices dappled sunlight through the canopy of leaves overhead. His mind flashes back to when war hadn’t arrived at Singapore yet, when all the soldiers were just mucking about in their bunkers, thinking war coming to Singapore was a bunch of rumours. A bit like now. A sweet butterfly flies past the young soldier. Suddenly, the jungle feels sinister. Trees trap Albert in the jungle. A crack makes Albert come to an abrupt stop. His brow furrows, his grin is wiped from his face. He sprints out to the battlefield and a spray of bullets come firing in his direction. Instinctively, he runs behind a shelter to avoid them. He clutches his chest and exhales. There is only one option now. The Surrender Slowly, Albert creeps out of the shelter. A Japanese soldier catches sight of him and aims his rifle. A wave of shame washes over him. He knows the Japanese have the stronger army. There is no other option. He thinks of Jessica, Archie, Katherine, all his loved ones. He thinks of the impact it would have on them. Breathing in, he finally raises his arms. The realisation that his fate is unknown dawns on him.
Friday 18th August 2017 Pippa’s Grandmother puts a loving hand on Grandad’s shoulder. “Are you alright, Albert?” she asks. “Yes, my darling. He was a very good, god-fearing man. When I was captured, he snuck in and brought me food to keep me going. One day he was caught, and I never saw him again. I didn’t realise I’d miss him this much until today.” Albert gets to his feet and places a small white flower on the grave. Though she is sure she isn’t meant to, Pippa hears him whisper, “Thank you Private Greening.” He bows his head for one moment before Granny links arms with him. As her family starts to walk away, Pippa kneels in front of the grave and reads the inscription on the stone. “To Private Martin Henry Greening,” she whispers solemnly “Thank you for saving my Grandad.” Pippa turns around, only to see her family smiling at her. “Jessica,” says her Granny “Is there another flower?” Pippa’s mother hands her another soft white flower. She places it in front of the grave and re-joins her family. At that moment, the clouds break and a beam of sunshine shines on the graveyard as they walk arm in arm back to the car. Arshia (Y6)
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Background artworks by Anne, Grace, Sasha, Theo and Megan
2 Generations, 200 Similarities 2 Generations, so similar So connected Since day 1, you have been there In my baby chair to brushing my hair. Sympathetic, soft hearted, supportive. I could always talk to you about anything And everything. Either good or bad, never once have I felt alone With you. All the quirky things you do, Teaching you how to use a TV remote Or giving me tea with honey when I have a sore throat. We are so alike, likes and ideals. We get along so well. We are one. 2 generations, 200 similarities. by Yuvana (Y11)
I can’t imagine a life without you Every day you go to your boring jobs just To give me the best life possible. I know how much you struggle just To make sure I am always happy. Oh! I can’t imagine a life without you. I can’t imagine a life without the Fights that we have every single day. I always wonder if we never fought, Would we be closer or further apart? Every day, you have to put up with me. My complaining and my behaviour. I know I just seem “rude,” But that’s because I love you. Oh! I can’t imagine a life without you. by Varun Raaghav (Y11)
My Family The first people to get to know you the ones who gave you your name; your place in this world like a seed placed in wet soil; they planted for you a solid foundation for you to grow; the chance to achieve anything by the means of their own life if it was necessary they give you love; and a place where you know that you belong the roof that covers your head; the walls that protect you; cherish them while you have them when they’re gone, it’s never the same. by Lucy (Y11)
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My step-grandad I remember the the first time you came into my life: I was a little boy, you were that weird stranger. At first I trembled in fear, you towered over me, but I grew to know you and love you like blood. I remember all the times I got mad for you were strict and harsh whilst I was stupid and playful. I always got over it though. I remember all the times you helped me. The fun we had exploring the city, your backyard allotment you made me help you with. I remember the time I heard the news. Just like yesterday. Tumour. by Max (Y11)
Ordinary How ordinary it would be to have fully ordinary parents. Cooking with mum, Football with dad. She is like a sister to me, Stuck in her twenties Every night I hear her echoed footsteps coming up the stairs. He is, according to him, like the oracle, Is everything I am, everything I know, Even when only partly in my life. She doesn’t understand, Whether it’s power or heartlessness, A little part of me breaks inside. Appreciation, they all say. How can I appreciate, When, as much as I hate it, To only have half ordinary parents. by Shannon (Y11)
Book Reviews
INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR
TOP
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Books For Infants Baking with Dad by Aurora Cacciapuoti
1. Red Cat, Blue Cat by Jenni Desmond 2. There’s A Monster In My Fridge by Caryl Hart 3. Bubble & Squeak by James Mayhew 4. Naughty Mabel by Nathan Lane 5. Inside Your Outside! by Tish Rabe
TOP
5
I love the Infant library and I love reading. I like this book. It inspires me because it is all about team work. It is about a little girl and her dad baking a birthday cake for her brother’s surprise birthday party. The dad is the amazing one. He is the best cook in the world. The girl has so much fun baking with her dad that she asks at the end, “Dad, are we going to bake again next week?” I like the illustrations very much because they show the cake ingredients and the actions you need to make to mix them. - Abby (Y2)
Books For Juniors
1. Minecraft : Redstone Handbook 2. The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier 3. Sisters by Raina Telgemeier 4. Guinness World Records 2016 5. Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull Nate is a new boy who meets a group of treasure hunters called the Blue Eagles. One day, they come across the newly opened Sweet Tooth Candy Shop and find it sells magical candy. They go on many adventures together but start to doubt the store owner – Mrs White. Is she really as sweet as she sounds, or does she have something up her sleeves? This highly addictive book is recommended to those who loves adventure and candies! It will leave you wanting more! - Maddy (Y6) Spy School by Stuart Gibbs All this while, Ben Ripley has had a rather normal life. But his life turns up-side down, when he comes home from school and finds a stranger sitting on his sofa. Apparently, Ben is being recruited for spy school. But Ben is not really spy-worthy… Will he even make it through the first year? This gripping yet humorous spy book is highly recommended to everyone! - Jamie (Y5)
Will You Read My Book with Me? by Lawrence Schimel This book is very interesting. It is about a boy, Antonio, who judged a blind man before he knew that the blind man could hear very well. Antonio wants to read to someone his favourite book but everyone was too busy. In the end he was very happy to read the book to the blind man. The boy and the blind man share the same problem – that no one has time for them. The illustrations on all the pages are nice but I wish the magazine drawings show the front covers. - Tian Tian (Y2)
The Ultimate History of Porsche by Stuart Gallagher Find out how Ferdinand Porsche created one of the most successful car brands in the world. It also explains Porsche’s history in Le Mans—the world’s oldest active sports car race. Learn how the cars were first made to their incredible Porsche 911 model. Car fanatics will definitely enjoy this book. - James (Y4) The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier This well-written World War II book is about a family that is torn apart when the Nazis invaded Warsaw. As their father was taken to a prison camp, and their mother taken by the Gestapo in the middle of the night, the 3 children (Ruth, Edek, Bronia) are left to fend for themselves. Together they set off to Switzerland towards the safety of their grandparents’ home, alongside their new friend – Jan. Will the family be reunited after all they’ve been through? This book is highly recommended for Y5s and Y6s. Tessa (Y6)
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Book Reviews
INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR
TOP
5
Books For Seniors
1. Sisters by Raina Telgemeier 2. El Deafo by Cece Bell 3. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 5. Wonder by RJ Palacio
Wonder
by RJ Palacio The main character is Auggie Pullman. Auggie is about to start 5th grade and he is absolutely petrified. He has had 27 surgical procedures to help him breathe, see, and hear without a hearing aid, but none of them have made him look normal. He has a few bullies to deal with, especially Julian, but Auggie is strong and he has to make it through the school year. All of the characters come across as real, such as the bullies (Julian and his gang). The only thing that comes across as a little bit unrealistic is Mr Tushman’s last name. - Zach (Y8)
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
10 year old Ada has never left her apartment, and has spent her life in one room, never allowed outside, because her Mother is too ashamed of Ada’s twisted foot. When the threat of London being bombed arises, Ada’s Mother makes sure Ada’s little Brother, Jamie, will be safe. Ada wants to go with him, but her Mother laughs as she tells Ada that she is never leaving. When he is shipped off to the countryside, Ada escapes with him. Ada meets new friends, including a pony, whose name is Butter, and the honourable Margaret Thornton, the daughter of the richest family in Kent. This story will make you laugh, cry and shout. A book suitable for Years 7 to 9, this book is an amazing story about a war that saved a girl’s life. - Gracie (Y7)
The School For Good And Evil by Soman Chainani
Follow the magical journey of Sophie, a beloved (if vain and selfish) young girl desperate to follow in her late mother’s footsteps, and Agatha, the sour, unsociable village witch, as they are taken from their simple lives to a place far, far away. But in this place, the mysterious School For Good And Evil, a princess and a witch cannot be friends. This is a tale of two girls who fought away the groups and rules, who came together against the odds. Two girls, one good, one evil. But which ones? - Ava Rose (Y8)
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The Last Word
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Door to door bus service
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Sibling discount
Email holidayprogramme@tts.edu.sg or visit www.tts.edu.sg/holiday-programme to find out more. 35
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