FRIDAY FLYER-Issue 137
19 Jan 2023
Headmaster's Welcome
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the weekend and to this edition of our weekly Friday Flyer!
We have enjoyed another busy and fruitful week at Epsom which started with an assembly hosted by student representatives of cultures from across Asia – Myanmar, China, South Korea and Malaysia.
We are very fortunate to have an extremely diverse student body comprising students from over 21 different nationalities from all over the world including Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
We value and celebrate this diversity which enriches our community and contributes enormously to our inclusive, globally minded culture and ethos.
The students leading Monday’s assembly made it very clear that, while every region has its own distinct ways of celebrating the Lunar Festival, there are many similarities. These include the appreciation of good food, blessings and wishes for success, good fortune and prosperity. Most importantly all of us want to experience the joy of spending time together with our loved ones. Family reunion is a common theme.
The Lunar New Year celebrations made me reflect on how we, as humans, are all fundamentally the same: we all want the same things – to thrive, to prosper, to appreciate our elders who made us who we are, to love and be loved…Family is everything and this is something that we aspire to create at our school – a home from home for our Epsom family.
We want our students, your children, to thrive, to feel accepted and celebrated for who they are, to experience the joy of success and to prosper.
As I write this submission I can hear the students preparing in the theater for the school celebrations to welcome the Lunar New Year and the excitement is palpable! There are many delicious snacks on desks around the school and in the staff lounge that have been gifted by our wonderfully supportive families!
So, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones gong xi fa cai 2023!
Happy Reading and Happy Friday,
Mr Matthew Brown,
Headmaster.
A Message from our Head Prep School
I am very excited and proud to finally present to you the Student Leaders from the Prep School.
The students applied for the leadership positions back in the Autumn term and were selected for the different roles in October. Our Sixth Form Heads of Houses helped me with the interviews and we are very happy with our appointed leaders.
Since their appointments they have been doing sterling work in their particular areas.
Our House Captains and Deputies have been organising teams and encouraging passion and teamwork in their respective house groups and our Cultural and Wellbeing Ambassadors have led assemblies and visited some children’s homes, delivering gifts.
Our Technology Ambassadors have been taking care of the audiovisuals during assemblies as well as looking after the Prep School iPads; they also have plans to start a Prep School Instagram page!
Along with Mrs Whitney and Ms Atiqah, the Library Ambassadors will be putting together an amazing Book Week very soon and finally our Eco Ambassadors have been campaigning for less electricity and paper use in the Prep School.
House Captains and Deputies
Crawfurd
Captain – Kimora Tan
Deputy – Riona Yamamoto
Granville
Captain – Oscar Lord
Deputy – James Kim
Propert
Captain – Paxton Eu
Deputy – Kiane Perrang
Rosebery
Captain – Natlene Roy
Deputy – Mary Boyle
Cultural Ambassadors
Paxton Eu, Keith Ng and Jayden Tan
Eco Ambassadors
Suri Azmir, Amy Boyle, Sonia Jayathasan, Jian Zhi Tan (not in picture)
Library Ambassadors
Amy Boyle, Lydia Lim (not in picture), Ramen Praveen Anthony
Technology Ambassadors
Yuqin Cheng (not in picture), Edric Lai, You Qian Lee, Natlene Roy
Wellbeing Ambassadors
Isabella Khoo, Kiane Perrang, Jordan Tan
These students are so motivated to do the best they can within their roles as well as make improvements to our wonderful Prep School. What a great bunch!
House Shout!
On Friday 13th January, the Prep School started the new term loudly and energetically with a House Chanting competition. All the students from Early Years up to Year 6 were involved.
The students had been given a short session the previous week to invent a chant and rehearse, they then had to get up on the big stage in the theatre and perform to a very imposing panel of judges – Mr Matthew Brown and Mrs Kate Carden-Brown!
The chants were judged on originality of words, evidence of teamwork but most points were available for house spirit, energy and passion.
“I was really impressed at my House’s energy and passion and they expressed it – brilliant work Granville!” Oscar Lord, Granville House Captain.
“The chant went really smoothly in my opinion; we all did our part and contributed. I am really proud of Propert.” Paxton Eu, Propert House Captain.
The scores were very close, especially between the top two houses of Rosebery and Granville, where only one point separated them!
Rosebery, however, came out victorious!
“I was so happy and surprised that we won!” Natlene Roy, Rosebery House Captain
House Dodgeball
On Monday 16th January, all the houses were in action again, this time playing dodgeball!
The matches were Crawfurd versus Rosebery and Granville versus Propert from Years 3 to 6.
“Dodgeball was really fun and made it even better because Rosebery won!” Mary Boyle, Rosebery Deputy Captain.
“I think we did amazingly well and there was excellent support and teamwork throughout.” Kiane Perrang, Propert Deputy Captain
“Well done everyone in dodgeball. In my opinion, everyone in Granville did a fabulous job. Keep up the good work!” James Kim, Granville Deputy Captain.
The children had a fantastic time and we are all really grateful to the PE team for organising such a fun and hotly contested competition.
The final results were:
Years 3 to 6 girls
Rosebery won 3 games; Crawfurd won 2 games = Rosebery won.
Year 3 and 4 boys
Granville won 6 games; Propert won 1 game = Granville won.
Year 5 and 6 boys
Granville won 4 games; Propert won 7 games = Propert win.
A Message from Granville House
Sport and Boarding House Life
Participation in sport is a vital part of health, growth and development and is essential for leading a balanced life. In the Boarding House, exercise and a love of healthy competition permeates all aspects of our school days. This passion manifests itself in many ways: students rushing to the sports’ hall during evening social hour for a friendly game with their friends; waking up early for a jog around our campus or heatedly discussing why Manchester United should never have been allowed to snatch victory in their recent derby against Manchester City.
Naturally, it is external success that gains the most attention: beating a rival school in an important basketball match; gaining national attention, or; competing internationally in a swimming competition. However, it is those understated moments that please the residential staff the most: chasing our young men out of the house gym at 10.00pm as it is quiet time in the House for some and bedtime for others; the cheering and camaraderie generated as Japan scored and won against Germany during the last World Cup, or; the squarer-set shoulders on those young men who have quietly dedicated time and effort over a period of months to strength training.
Perhaps that is enough of the Housemaster’s opinion, let us hear it from some of the budding athletes around me who work so hard…
Football
‘Every Friday evening, I enjoy playing football with my friends at the 4G Pitch at the school. We all meet up, dressed in comfortable workout clothes, and start with a warm-up. The game is fast-paced and intense, but also a lot of fun. We divide ourselves into two teams and take to the field. As the game progresses, we develop a rhythm and work together to score goals. We’re all competitive, but also a tight-knit group. Playing football with my friends on Friday evenings is one of my favourite pastimes, not only is it a fun way to spend time with friends but also it brings out the best in all of us as we work together to achieve a common goal.’
Zhi Yu
Running
‘I have run ever since I was able to. I discovered my love for long-distance running at university, where I would run 5 to 10kms races each weekend and later in life, I ran longer still, competing in well over 100 half marathon races over the past 20 years as well as completing four full marathons. What am I running from, you might ask? I think my answer may be time. Trying to maintain my fitness so I am better prepared for the rigours of fatherhood, being a husband as well as a teacher and AHMM to over 60 boys! Running gives me time away…to reflect, to think and to enjoy nature. It forces me to take time for myself when the pressures of everyday life seem to dictate that I only have time for others. I run for myself, my family and everyone else. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
Mr Boyle
Tennis
‘To put it in one word, the tennis program is “exciting” you never know what you will do and will always be on edge when you play with your friends and coaches. The coaches in general always strive for you as a player to improve and that constant motivation not only motivates me but motivates others as well. We always play after school and have about two and a half hours of straight practice which is tiring but makes you feel proud afterward. The coaches and tennis players alike always want to get onto the court in tournaments and there are plans for us to play in the Malaysian Junior Tour as well as major competitions outside of Malaysia this year. Personally, I love tennis because it’s for all ages but also because it can be both competitive and fun. I enjoy watching, playing, and listening to the game, and it’s just so invigorating whenever I win a point or a match or just watch and see how the professionals play.’
Nicholas G
Swimming
‘I love swimming, I started when I was little and still feel the extreme tiredness and pain throughout my whole body every session. When I swim, my mind is blank, only thinking about the freezing water around me, and trying to improve every stroke I take.
We always start with stretching, then we take an ice cold shower, then we jump right into the water to do some warm up exercises. After that we do our main sets which are sometimes sprinting or long-distance swimming and lastly we end with a ten lap cooldown using whichever stroke we want.
Swimming is done for fun and for persistence. Never think swimming is simple or impossible, harmful, dangerous or boring.’
Eugene
Badminton
‘My friends and I meet up at my school’s sports hall every night to play badminton. The high level of sportsmanship at the school creates a comfortable environment for everyone no matter how strong or weak they are, opening opportunities for beginners or new players to join. The fast-paced game of badminton creates an exhilarating experience and is a good way to build relationships with other students. We usually play doubles with two on each side which makes the chemistry between the teammates and positioning an important factor in the game. We stay competitive from start to finish and for me, not only is it a good way to spend quality time with my friends but also a way to release the stress from a busy day and maintain a healthy lifestyle.’
Aliff
Best wishes for the weekend to you all,
Mr Dean Jones,
Housemaster, Granville House.
A Message from Epsom Humanities Department
A Message from Mr Dale…
It has been a very positive start back to the New Year in the Humanities Department in what is a really short term to start 2023. The key focus has been on the Trial Examinations that have been taking place for Year 11 and 13 that have allowed our students to have a valuable experience in simulating what the real GCSEs and A Levels will be like in the summer. It has been really pleasing that the students have taken these exams so seriously and have revised hard over the Winter break. The Geography, Politics and History teachers are very happy with the progress that all students have made this academic year and by receiving diagnostic feedback from exam scripts students are able to reflect on how to improve further to ensure that they get their highest results possible in August.
In November there was a very successful Humanities Week which was organised by the incredibly enthusiastic students who are members of the Humanities Society. This included an assembly on Remembrance as well a range of different activities and talks throughout the week on topics as diverse as “Mount St. Helens” and “Malaysia Mother Citizenship”. There was also an evening social quiz event that was really well organised and good fun for all. Thank you to Vash, Hitesh, Teja, Alicia, Franco, Rachel, Pei Wen, Nanako, Elliot, Tiha, Lana Woorin, Yi En, Jenson, Xin Ling, Keia and Woorin for all your efforts.
The Sixth Form Politics students have recently been able to observe another interesting turn of events with the General Election in Malaysia taking place in November. As the result was far from straightforward it allowed our students to be more aware of the notions of hung parliaments, minority governments and the role of a constitutional monarchy as well as questioning whether the First Past the Post electoral system is indeed the best for Malaysia. It was also very pleasing how many students eligible to vote made the effort to travel to their hometowns to express their political choices.
In History Key Stage 4 and 5 all History students are completing pieces of coursework that make up a significant part of the final mark. In Sixth Form students are completing a challenging 4000 word assessment on Tudor rebellions in the sixteenth century and Year 10/11 are working on a 2000 word essay analysing the effect of the Depression on Germany in the 1930s. These assessments are both important stepping stones in developing independent extended essay writing skills that will be required at all universities In Geography KS4 students are now focusing primarily on Economic Development with a particular focus on transition from LICs to NICs and then to HICs whereas KS5 students are studying weathering and rocks in KS3 Geography students are studying map skills, glaciation as well as earthquakes and volcanoes. Year 7 in History students have been focussing on Life in Medieval England and developing their use of primary sources as evidence. Year 9 History students have been studying events of the Twentieth Century and are now moving onto the main events of the Second World War.
Finally I would like to welcome Mrs Calder and Mr Carroll to the Humanities Department. The students and I really appreciate the boundless energy and enthusiasm that they bring to teaching their KS3 and KS4 History and Geography lessons.
Mr James Dale
Head of Humanities
Epsom Humanities Soc
A message from the Humanities Soc
Since being back from Christmas break, the Humanities Society has been feverishly busy arranging upcoming events for the Epsom community to look forward to, such as ‘Psychology Week’!
Starting the week of February 6th after Chinese New Year break, the Humanities Society will be hosting lunchtime sessions in the GC (Grayling Centre) based on psychological theories, experiments, and psychologists – and even a movie night!
Considering this the first time Epsom has provided ‘Psychology’ as an A-Level subject (and following our success from ‘Humanities Week’), we saw this as the perfect opportunity to increase awareness and educate students about the subject.
We hope you look forward to our future endeavors!
On Thursday, 18th January, one of our members, Xin Ling, hosted a session in the GC about the ‘Selangor Dam’!
Furthermore, we are looking to expand our society, as we are opening up applications once again, after the influx of new students that have joined Epsom for the January intake. We can’t wait to have more people on board! 🙂
Membership Opportunities
The Humanities Society is currently recruiting new members!!
For those who are new or have never heard of us: we are a student-led Academic Society, aiming to provide a platform for Epsomians to explore the fascinating world of Humanities. It is an incredible opportunity as potential benefits of participating include developing critical thinking skills, presentation skills, collaborative/interpersonal skills, gaining awareness of the global issues around us, and much more.
Our recent endeavours include: the Humanities Week, Intro: Malaysian Political System, Fetishization and How it Correlates to Intersectionality, and more…
We are currently working on ‘Psychology Week’ and a presentation addressing the Andrew Tate controversy. Sign up through this link if you are interested in contributing to any of these projects!
Warm regards,
Pei Wen (Secretary/Communications)
Epsom Humanities Society
Check out our social media content!
A Message from Our Head of Drama
Why Drama?
When I reflect on the past three years of Drama in the context of education, and now having the privilege of having worked in two countries, I am convinced that an arts education is crucial to the holistic development of a student.
Online learning, social media, covid restrictions have all meant that our ability to engage with, and understand the world has shifted. Increasingly, young people gain their understanding through a screen, they interpret the world through a lens. The result is an increasingly polarised community that finds in person collaboration difficult. It’s much easier to log off a device when you have had enough of an online friend. Drama as a subject aims to foster the soft skills that, as teachers and parents, we are so eager to see developed in our students and children.
The ability to communicate is a crucial skill. The development of gesture, facial expressions and voice, trained and developed to the drama classroom, giving EAL students the opportunity to use language that is new to them in a safe and nurturing environment. Roleplay, acted scenes, improvisation and the focus on group work all aid in nurturing effective communication skills.
The value of working towards a goal and achieving success is crucial to the drama classroom. Students learn to establish their own boundaries as well as cooperate to achieve a goal. Group work assists in developing conflict resolution, empathy, resilience and the ability to problem solve. And the joy of watching students achieve a creative collaborative goal fuels all that we aim to achieve here at Epsom.
Epsom BSE Soc
Hoodie Design Competition for Epsom Merch!
Hi everyone,
To end the week, we would like to remind you of our Hoodie Design Competition for Epsom Merch!
This competition is open to everyone, including staff. Take this opportunity to design a hoodie that you would wear as well as to win prizes!
Check out our poster for more information on the rules you must follow and the submission.
Be sure to send in your design by 5th February 2023 via the QR Code in the poster!
Kind regards,
BSE Society Team
PS: Follow our Instagram to be updated on our latest events, and
Check out our Official Website for more insights!
Epsom Live Talks
On the 13th of January, 12 students from Year 12 visited the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and had lunch with the high commissioner himself – Mr Vanu Gopala Menon, who came to Epsom recently to deliver an Epsom Live Talk.
You might be asking – what is the difference between an embassy and high commission? To put it simply, an embassy is between a non-commonwealth country or one commonwealth country and one non-commonwealth country. High commissions are between commonwealth countries strictly. Commonwealth countries are countries once colonized by the British.
We were given a tour of the high commission – particularly a portion of the building dedicated to showcasing Singapore and Malaysia’s joint history, while Singapore was still a part of Malaysia. We also learnt about how the high commission had just moved in recent years and the original agreement signed between the two countries during the joint history.
During lunch, we were able to speak to Mr Menon about his experiences as a diplomat, alongside his junior officers who were focusing on political and economic aspects of Malaysia to help influence policy-making in Singapore. He most notably highlighted about having an adaptive nature in order to become a successful diplomat because they have to move between countries often.
Additionally, politics students on the trip were able to learn about the application of realism and liberalism through the view of a diplomat. He explained that though embassies encourage liberalism and international cooperation, diplomacy has taught him to become a realist – acting in the interest of Singapore. Moreover, when asked if there’s an individual he most looked up to, Mr Menon was quick to mention Lee Kuan Yew, due to his political pragmatism in his governance of Singapore, which led to its incredible development.
All in all, the trip had enlightened many of us interested in a job in the foreign ministry and we were all able to learn more about the challenges and rewards of diplomacy. The junior officers also encouraged us to apply for a job in the foreign service and told us about the requirements and day-to-day schedule as a diplomat, emphasizing that you can still be apart of the foreign ministry, no matter what field you specialize in – one of their seniors used to be a scientist!
We are extremely grateful to Mr Menon for giving us this rare opportunity, and to Mr Pedro for organizing it. We have gained invaluable, first-hand knowledge of the way diplomacy operates.
We also enjoyed an Epsom Live Talk from Mr Farid Yunus – CEO of Red One this week. We are looking forward to upcoming talks from Mr David Dufrenois as well as Mr Lim Khiang Wee.
We will follow up with more detailed write ups soon!
Rachel & Alicia
Year 13, Rosebery
The Violet Soc
Movember Update
Movember is an annual event involving the growing of facial hair during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. To show our support for Movember, we as the Violet Society, hosted presentations to spread awareness of this often overlooked issue.
To kick things off, the Violet Society held a collaboration session with the Humanities Society to discuss a complex issue: ‘The Fetishization of East Asian Men’, in a presentation led by Alicia (Yr 12), Teja (Yr 12), Vash (Yr 12) and Hitesh (Yr 12). As the first event of Movember, we took a closer look at human behaviour and societal structures that uphold stereotypes.
The Violet Society presented ‘An Introduction to Movember’ aimed to educate people regarding the significance of the event. Led by Xin Ling and Noh from Yr 12, the presentation explored the historical context as well as current impacts of Movember and delved deep into the importance of recognising this event.
The Violet Society also paid homage to the men’s health by shining light on toxic masculinity and its implications on society with a session hosted by Aisha (Yr 11) and Vash (Yr 12), titled “Boys will be boys”, an outdated phrase commonly used to invalidate male emotions. The pair engaged in the debate of thought provoking issues and raised concerns on societal norms that actually cause more damage than good to not only men, but society as a whole.
See you at our next event and enjoy your weekend and Gong Xi Fa Cai 2023!
The Violet Society.
Epsom Eco Committee
Sustainability Comic Competition!
Dear Students,
We are excited to announce our Sustainability Comic Competition!
This is an opportunity for you to express your creativity and share your ideas on sustainability through comics. The comics will be based on a story with a message for sustainability (e.g. plastic waste in the ocean, pollution in the air, climate change) and will be judged based on creativity, originality, and the message conveyed.
The competition is open to all students from Years 6 to 13. The guidelines and judging criteria can be found in the attached document. The comics should be submitted by 26th February 2023.
Participants will receive a certificate and winners will receive an accessorised cactus!
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your artistic talent and make a difference for our planet.
Raise awareness about sustainability and environmental issues among your peers and family.
Submit your comics and join us in promoting a culture of environmental responsibility.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
We look forward to seeing your comics!
Sincerely,
Epsom Eco Committee
Submit your comic here! (submission form)
Spring Festival Celebrations at Epsom
Hello Everyone!! We hope that you are all doing well and enjoying your term so far.
As Chinese New Year is fast approaching, we enjoyed our very own Chinese New Year Social for the last week of term before the half term break!
This special and much anticipated annual event was held on Wednesday, 18th of January from 8pm to 9:30pm in the Grayling Centre.
The programme for the night included events such as an Angpau lucky draw (with a surprise 50RM!), some popular activities such as Mahjong, Poker, Blackjack (with strictly no gambling) and our very own DJ – one of the Heads of College, Mr Aidan Yunus!
The dress code of the night was anything red or any traditional Chinese clothing (Samfu/CheongSam).
Furthermore, a Yee Sang (a prosperity dish and cultural activity that is usually prepared during Chinese New Year) was set at the price of RM5 per person.
We are grateful to our Social Prefects: Elliot, Xin Ling, Alicia, Zhao Long Ma, Max Wong!
Best wishes for the celebrations ahead with your loved ones!
The Epsom Prefect Team.
Share The Love!
Valentine’s at Epsom
Dear all,
We hope your 2023 is going well.
To start the second half term off, Crawfurd will be organising Valentine’s Day for all!
This is a fundraising event whereby our earnings would go to the One Heart Foundation Malaysia in the spirit of spreading love on Valentine’s day as all the Crawfurdians are greatly passionate about supporting and funding this charity.
We will be offering cookies (butter, chocolate chip and smores), brownies as well as roses. If you would like to purchase any of these, they will have to be pre-ordered and paid for in advance. They will then be handed out on the 14th of February.
You also have the option to attach a letter to any of the items you have purchased. Additionally, you will be able to remain anonymous if you choose to, therefore please don’t hesitate to send gifts to your special someone.
We will be collecting the money by the 1st of February so please be prepared with the adequate amount for us when we come around.
Attached below is the google form for you to pre-order the goods. The deadline to pre-order is the 29th of January.
You will have to fill out the form for every person you make a purchase for:(e.g. If you would like to send out flowers to Jack and Jill, you would have to fill out the form twice, once for Jack and once for Jill)
If you are making multiple purchases for the same person, it can be done on the same form.
Valentine’s Day – Pre order form
Best Wishes,
Laekeisya, Year 13 Crawfurd House.
CCA
Terms 2
Our CCA (Co Curricular) Programme is well underway. There is a wide range of activities on offer from sports, music and drama to First Aid, self defence, origami, embroidery, cooking, debate and Model United Nations (MUN).
We are very excited to have launched an Interact Club in collaboration with Nilai Rotary Club. Representatives of the Rotary Club, including the President –Michelle Kueh,
Director of Neutron Star Education, President of Rotary Club Nilai Central 2022-2023, came to visit Epsom this week and we are very excited for what is to come…
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Language Society
Updates:
Learning a language can be very beneficial, but can also come with a set of challenges.
With this in mind, Jing Yan (Year 12) hosted an event to inform us on all the nuances of learning new languages…
We have such a rich and diverse student body and we celebrate all the languages that form a part of our Epsom community:)
