FRIDAY FLYER-Issue 151
18 May 2023
Headmaster's Welcome
Happy Friday Dear Reader,
Welcome to Issue 151 of our Epsom Friday Flyer!
Dear Reader,
I hope that you have enjoyed your week and that you are looking forward to the weekend.
I am delighted to open this issue of our Friday Flyer by sharing Epsom students’ successes in the Pearson Excellence Awards
This year, Pearson Education (Edexcel), one of our exam boards for IGCSEs and A Levels has introduced their Excellence Awards to recognise those students who achieved A* or A in at least 3 A Levels and 5 IGCSEs – this is equivalent to the top 2.5% of achievers for Edexcel across the Asia Pacific region.
I am very pleased to share that over 40% of our students who took their exams at Epsom last year have been selected for these awards. This demonstrates the outstanding academic standards achieved by our Epsom students and the advantage this gives them in their University applications and future career opportunities.
The picture below shows many of our IGCSE Excellence Award winners – our A Level Award winners are not pictured as they are all studying at their respective universities globally.
Our current Year 11 and Year 13 students are working very hard preparing for their IGCSEs and A Levels. They will continue to receive classroom support from their teachers right up to their final exam and we look forward to celebrating their results and a good number of Excellence Awards in August.
As you may have noticed, my Friday Flyer musings often stem from our College Assemblies. At Epsom, we hold four assemblies per week – every Monday morning before lessons commence, our school comes together to consider a topic / theme or current affair issue of interest to the person leading the event. Similarly, on Wednesday students from Years 7-11 assemble in the theatre to discuss another issue, on Thursday the assembly is held for Years 12 & 13 and on Friday it is Prep School Assembly.
Assemblies set the tone for the day, foster a culture where inquisitive minds are encouraged to think deeply, analyse and often to make connections between what they learn in class and the issue under consideration in the assembly – students are offered the opportunity to think about topics beyond the taught curriculum. Our Epsom assemblies seek to provoke thought, challenge preconceived ideas, dispel myths and stimulate academic discourse.
Last week Mrs Crann’s tutor group in Year 7 Crawfurd led the assembly on the theme of Resilience. The title of their presentation was: ‘My Story of Resilience’.
This piqued our interest as we have introduced our Epsom Learning Characteristics:
| Curiosity | To wonder, question, explore, experiment. For example asking questions, completing independent research or trying new methods or techniques. |
| Resilience | To be determined, persevering, to be able to recover, to be willing to practise. For example, trying again when you fail or practising to improve. |
| Creativity | To be able to connect and visualise. For example, showing the ability to transfer skills between topics, thinking of different ways to solve problems or to consider different approaches to studying or working. |
| Reflectiveness | To be able to evaluate a situation and self-evaluate. For example, showing improvement based on feedback that has been given by a teacher or peer or understanding why something has not worked or how it might be done differently next time. |
| Attention | To be able to notice, concentrate, contemplate, immerse. For example, showing listening skills, staying on task in class or getting involved in discussions. |
| Collaborating | To be social, accepting, to be able to imitate, empathise and lead. For example, being able to be a team player, being helpful to others, leading group work. |
| Organisation | To be able to plan and be resourceful. For example, completing tasks, including homework, on time, finding information independently, finding solutions. |
| Thinking | To be able to deduce, analyse, critique, intuit. For example, understanding reasons, significance and importance or understanding the deeper meaning behind a text or event |
https://fs.blog/carol-dweck-mindset/
Each student shared with us an example of a personal experience where they had encountered, what at the time appeared to be, an insurmountable challenge or barrier to their success but that, through maintaining a can do / solution focused approach, succeeded. All of the students shared that the struggle had been worth it and that it had led to personal growth.
Gabby, Sora, Eunice, Wing Yin, Hanon, Anna Ruth and Xin Yi shared a range of resilience stories relating to their struggles in Mathematics,
learning English a non native speaker, learning Chinese,
arriving at school not knowing anyone and having to establish friendships from scratch,
and even improving in Karate:
Everyone present appreciated the girls’ honesty and their comments were impactful, contributing towards fostering a school ethos where it is OK to share fears and anxieties in order to be able to process them and move forward.
As a boarding school it is vital that our students feel safe and confident to share how they feel – having to put on a ‘brave face,’ when inside you are hurting, is extremely destructive and may be detrimental to students’ wellbeing in the long run.
Mrs Crann went on to share some key facts about resilience:
In the absence of parents, our school becomes the students’ extended family – we are the support network that will enable them to build self esteem, self confidence and and their sense of self worth and purpose so that they can build resilience as well as the other Learning Characteristics mentioned above.
As we prepare our students to take up their place as engaged, proactive, moral and responsible global citizens, it is so important that they realise the power of resilience, the ability to learn from mistakes, to reset, regroup and adapt.
We hope that you enjoy the articles to follow and thank you for taking time out of your schedule to learn more about our special school.
Happy Reading and Happy Friday,
Mr Matthew Brown,
Headmaster.
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A Message From Our Leadership Team - Mrs Rouson
Magnificent Mothers…
Praise Song for my Mother by Grace Nichols
You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming
You were
moon’s eye to me
pull and grained and mantling
You were
sunrise to me
rise and warm and streaming
You were
the fishes’ red gill to me
the flame tree’s spread to me
the crab’s leg/the fried plantain smell
replenishing replenishing
Go to your wide futures, you said
The poem above is a tribute by renowned, Guyanese poet, Grace Nichols.
Our Year 6 students have recently been studying the wonderful, rich poetry of Nichols, who writes about her mother often. In her ‘Praise Song’ she compares her mother to the surroundings of her native Guyana, showing their relationship was passionate and challenging, yet, like water, essential.
In another of Nichols’ poems ‘Wha Mi Mudder Do’ she writes like a young child boasting about their amazing mother. From this poem we again learn that her mother was everything to her and in her eyes could do anything.
This weekend was Mother’s Day in Malaysia and in many other countries around the world too. We couldn’t let this special day go by unnoticed, so in the Prep School we decided to celebrate all the mums with poetry, songs, crafts and love.
Last Friday, in each class, the students performed some poetry and shared cards and gifts they had made. It was so wonderful to see all the pride on the mums’ faces and the happiness filling our classrooms and hearts.
For the mothers that could not join us due to being at work or out of Malaysia, thank you for trusting us with your wonderful children and for the beautiful messages of thanks and support.
We hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Best wishes,
Mrs Jane Rouson,
Head of Prep School.
A Message from Granville House
Diligence and Hard Work…
As we continue into Term 3 and almost all Granvillians face trial or external examinations, the House remains characterised by diligence and hard work: heads are bowed over books; discussions are of past papers rather than Premier League football, and; personal computers are being used solely for work.
Indeed the studious atmosphere appears to be influencing our lives more than the current heatwave and Granvillians are responding. It is obvious that our young men are studying for extended periods but are they studying smart and what does that even mean? Students and staff in the House have been discussing these questions during the week and have offered advice and tips on how to achieve examination success and how to cope with the accompanying pressures.
Let us start with the House staff, whose advice seems to focus on a balanced approach during this revision period: ‘Study smarter, not harder!’, ‘Maintain a healthy lifestyle: prioritise sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet.’. In addition, Mr Arafath offers the following: ‘Do not wait until the last minute to start studying. Begin preparing for exams well in advance and set a consistent study schedule. This will help you retain information better and reduce stress.’
In addition, Mr Kattan, our resident tutor, advises students: ‘During exam time, transitioning from the classroom to a crucial moment can feel intense. It is a test of one’s depth of knowledge, precision, and resilience in order to achieve top marks. While it’s natural to occasionally experience a sense of complacency, it’s important to remember that you are only a few steps away from a bright and promising future.’
Moreover, fantastic advice comes from the Granvillians themselves: Nicholas recognises the importance of setting a good balance between study and social activities; Zakri knows that it is best to study consistently to ensure success and Genki understands the importance of reviewing past paper questions. All students recognise that revision needs to be the main focus of each day.
Perhaps the best advice might come from our Academic Prefects with their proven track record of success: our incumbent Zhi Yu emphasises the need to review previous mistakes to improve in your own personal key areas, to ask questions, to start early and also to be confident. Shang Jing, his successor, also focuses on the need to both sleep and wake up early in order to ensure that candidates are energetic. Plus, he states that we should spend some time doing something we really enjoy: for him, this is table tennis and he often plays with friends during the weekend to refresh his mind..
Which ever advice Granvillians follow, you can be sure that the efforts that they put in will be reflected in the scores that they achieve and, indeed, a bright future awaits all. For now, we should choose our favourite spots in the House or school, the most effective study methods for each of us and keep pushing through – Frangas Non Flectes!
Mr Dean Jones,
Housemaster Granville House
A Message from Propert House
Our Year 13 outing, Hari Raya Assembly and Football Shirts
During the first week of term, our Year 13 Propert and Granville Boys went out to D’Tempat Country Club for the evening. The event started with Ten Pin Bowling and this was taken very seriously by the House Captain! Garrison’s determination ensured that he came out on top at the end of the day.
Meanwhile, Hon Shenn was having more difficulty, getting off to a slow start but this was followed by a rapid improvement!
Mr Jones and I battled it out for an honourable draw winning one frame each and overall it was pretty much honours even between the Houses.
The meal at the Jigger and Shaker was also a great success and the food was enjoyed by all.
The evening ended with some impromptu dancing by Mr Jones and some of the Granvillians!
Well done to all those who took part in our Hari Raya Assembly – it was a thoroughly enjoyable event. Special mention goes to Dadyo, Rafiq and Khai Zhe for their contributions.
Thank you to Aidan for organising and designing our new Propert Football Shirts which should be available before the end of this term. Aidan has been very proactive and organised with this project.
Well done boys! Non Ducor Duco.
Mr Nick Fowler,
Housemaster, Propert House.
A Message From The Outgoing Heads of College
Looking Back…It’s Been A Blast!
The past year has flown by incredibly quickly. I often have to pause and catch my breath to take in the experiences and memories I have made during my senior year as Head of College here at Epsom. I can confidently say that I do not think I would have had a more complete and enjoyable Year 13 anywhere else, being a part of the Prefect Team has made it all the more worthwhile.
My gratitude towards my fellow Heads of College and our team knows no bounds – I am hopeful that the connections I have made will be lifelong. I am confident that the challenges we overcame and the projects we developed together as a group had a positive impact on our school. It’s safe to say that we made our mark as Prefects over the past academic year. I’ll miss our weekly meetings with Mr Pedro, our Head of Sixth Form, as they served as a nice break in the routine to catch up on the latest events and projects that we were tasked with overseeing.
My favourite event has to be my personal project – Sports Week. As someone who is passionate about sports, it was rewarding to provide Epsomians with an opportunity to compete for glory in a sport of their choice. That said, it is undeniably the case that every social/ event/ fundraiser had its memorable moments – DJing at the Chinese New Year social certainly was an experience, that day will always hold a soft spot for helping kickstart my deck-spinning career 🙂
All of the Prefects contributed something special to our team, and I have each and every one of them to thank for making my Epsom Prefect life an unforgettable one. I also owe it to Mr and Mrs Brown, and Mr Pedro especially, for having faith in me through all my transgressions and flaws – they helped me embark on my transition from a high school delinquent into someone relatively responsible (I hope), and for that I will always be grateful.
Our Heads of College Team was a special one, and I have to thank them – my dear deputy Afiq, for being my rock and my reality checker, moderating my stubbornness and always staying by my side – I sincerely hope that we will remain acquainted for life. Also to Tiha, my counterpart and at times complete opposite, frankly I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Together we weathered the worst of the admin tasks and I will sorely miss her perspective, grace and comfort. Keia completed every task assigned to her with great passion, often inspiring us when the going got tough. It’s safe to say we were a solid team – an iconic quartet.
I’m sure that later on in my life, I will look back on my time here and smile, missing the good old days.
Aidan
Head of College 2022/2023
I would like to thank Mr. Brown, Mr. Pedro, and Mrs. Brown for giving me the opportunity to give back to the community as the Head of College. This experience has truly been an honour, and I will be ever grateful for it. Throughout my Prefectship, there were many memorable events that occurred: organising events, working in a wonderful team, and presenting on a wide variety of topics in assemblies. However, like any journey, there will be memories that stand out the most. These include scaring students with my Prefect Team during the Halloween Haunted House that we prepared, performing a parody during Christmas dinner, dragging the beanbags back to the GC (the Grayling Center – our Sixth Form Centre) in the dark after an event that we had hosted. These as well as our weekly meetings will be everlasting memories for me.
I feel incredibly privileged to have worked with an amazing team and have seen each individual grow over the years. Their humour, love, complaints (just kidding), and hardworking nature are embedded in my mind. It is safe to say that the memories that I will cherish the most will always be of when I was working alongside my Prefect team.
I am proud of my accomplishments as Head of College. One achievement that I hold close to my heart is the opportunity I was afforded to host an event for Burmese students at Epsom. To provide opportunities for other students less fortunate and enable them to dive deeper into education has always been a goal of mine. Thus, to see this ambition come to fruition was a true delight. Connections were made, stories were exchanged, and, most importantly, friendships were kindled.
Apart from achievements that have impacted our school community, I was also able to grow as a person through my Prefect journey. Although I am very introverted (which surprises lots of people!) I’ve become more social, confident, and outgoing as I have had to work continuously outside of my comfort zone. I can confidently say that without this experience, I would have stayed within my bubble, which would have prevented certain valuable friendships from being made.
Last but not least, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to the Heads —Aidan, Keia, and Afiq. Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time with the three of them, and honestly, it would not have been as fun without them. There may have been stressful moments from time to time, but I knew that they had my back no matter what. It saddens me to see how close we are to the end (ahhh graduation!) as I have truly enjoyed working with them. I am glad that we were able to become closer and see the different sides of each other. They were truly the best team I could have ever asked for. Once again, thank you for being amazing, kind, and an inspiration. I hope that we can work on a project together again in the distant future!
To our fellow readers, if you ever have the opportunity to be a part of a team or take up a leadership role, do it! Challenges will always be a part of the experience, but that is what makes it a memorable experience. Do not let the fear of trying something new hold you back 🙂
Tiha
Head of College 2022/2023
Being Deputy Head of College has been a great journey of growth and learning for me, working with the team and alongside 3 great Heads has made it a blast. Afiq who always seems to know where everything is at any moment, is an easy person to talk to and an amazing deputy partner. Aidan, who knows how to bring the perfect balance of fun to meetings while still keeping everyone in check, offering help and support when needed. Tiha, who is ever mindful and actively considering how to help those around her and is able to manage so many things at once – I’m grateful to have worked alongside my best friend. I’m honoured to have grown with my team, they inspire me and wherever we are in the future, I am confident that we will use what we have learnt to better the places we are.
From organising Mercato trips, weekly meetings and the many many events that the team has created, to mention a few: Spirit Week, Halloween Haunted House and Social, holiday events and various other projects to better others’ experiences overall, it has been one heck of a ride. As Prefects, you learn to get closer to one another and know when to lead and when to offer your full assistance. There have been so many smiles and so many great times as a team full of reliable, good friends.
A few of the highlights of my personal projects have been first-time inductions for the people I am now the closest to – look how far we’ve come! – and I recently organised a ‘Culture Day’, for people to mix and spend time with one another learning more about each other’s traditions! But these aren’t the only highlights of my experience, I also hope I was someone that students felt they could talk to, that I always gave my all to random opportunities and helped others in any way I could. It’s about the joy I feel when my juniors tell me they’re grateful they can come to me when they need, the opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas, being able to offer my words at assemblies, I have enjoyed spontaneous meetings, talking to a new person or hearing laughter at an event I organised.
I gave my best to Epsom and in return I have learned a lot and I’m happy and satisfied to close this chapter in my life because I know and have full confidence that the new team will create the most amazing experiences and memories together as my team did. To my fellow outgoing heads, Mr Pedro, Mr Brown and everyone who has helped me along this journey – I thank you.
Keia
Deputy Head of College 2022/2023
I joined Epsom in Year 7 and Azrai, the Head of College of 2016/17, was someone I really looked up to. Because of his charisma and the way he carried himself, he motivated me to be a part of the Prefect Team. When I was in year 12, I debated whether or not I should apply to be a Prefect and I have never regretted applying for Deputy Head of College. The prefectship provided me with opportunities to develop many new skills and make precious memories. I appreciated being the person within the Prefect team who supported everyone rather than the person necessarily leading organising the social event or excursion. However, as time passed, I realised that I needed to take that step more often.
My personal highlight of my Prefectship would be the Year 11 Social where I saw the students having fun and enjoying their time before their exams. This particular event is really precious to me on a personal level because, when I was in Year 11, I really enjoyed my Year 11 Social which was organised by the Prefects back then.
My favourite memory would be pranking my Prefect Team during our weekly meetings. Personally, my greatest achievement is that I am more confident in approaching new people, that I have learned to voice my views, and that I have improved my time management skills during my Prefectship.
I am really grateful to have been named Deputy Head of College for 2022/23. I knew I had large shoes to fill after Bryan and Taranie, and I hope I delivered. I’d like to thank Mr Brown, Mr Pedro, and Mrs Brown for their help during my Prefectship. Finally, thank you to my Prefect Team, and good luck with the exams for the students in Years 11 and 13.
Afiq Amir
Deputy Head of College 2022/2023
Epsom PE Department Updates
Volleyball – Epsom v KTJ
U13 Volletyball v KTJ
Epsom hosted KTJ for the first U13 Volleyball fixture of the season. Teams have been learning Volleyball and preparing for games since Term 2, so these matches have been eagerly anticipated.
The girls got off to a great start winning a close first set 15-12. KTJ fought back to win the next two sets as Epsom failed to capitalise on their early success and struggled to regain their rhythm. The boys put together a calm and focused display, showing great teamwork and skill to win 3 sets to 0. KTJ made the team work hard and each set was closely fought. It will be exciting to see these two teams develop and grow in the future with more games planned for Term 3.
Best regards,
Mr Guthrie Miller,
Director of Sport
Epsom Football Academy
We are excited to announce that we will join forces with LaLiga for LaLiga Academy Malaysia, a pioneering football and academics venture. This opportunity will be available to student athletes at Epsom from Term 1 of the Academic Year 23-24.
This partnership with LaLiga highlights our ongoing commitment to providing a world-class holistic education that blends sports and academics in equal measure, to students across Asia.
The LaLiga Academy Malaysia will welcome players from 8 to 18 years of age to train under the guidelines of the LaLiga Methodology, whilst completing their full-time education, including IGCSEs and A-Levels, at Epsom. The Academy will be led by a Technical Director from LaLiga and will ensure that their leading training concepts are appropriately disseminated for the comprehensive development of youth football players.
The Academy will be the latest addition to Epsom’s Sports Academies, combining high performance sports training and world-class academics. Our Sports Academies, in partnership with leaders across the various sports, provide an ecosystem for students to explore their sporting passion at a high level. We launched our partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou, the Mouratoglou Tennis Programme in 2022, and have recently launched the ECM Golf Academy to help students realise their sporting dreams. We are now thrilled to be launching the LaLiga Academy Malaysia to give young aspiring footballers the opportunity to polish their skills with the renowned LaLiga methodology.
Sport is integrated seamlessly into the existing academic curriculum – which is based on nearly 200 years of academic excellence as at Epsom College in the UK – and students live, learn and train in a holistic learning ecosystem that places equal emphasis on academic and sporting achievements. Matthew Brown, Headmaster at Epsom said, “We believe in cultivating the love of learning from an early age and creating a safe, supportive and encouraging environment for our students to pursue their interests, whatever they may be. We are thrilled that this partnership will give our students the opportunity to throw themselves headfirst into ‘the beautiful game’ of football – to improve their skills and to play the game that they love – without sacrificing their academic pursuits.”
The Academy is the latest international project from LaLiga Grassroots, an initiative designed to promote football at the grassroots level which has developed to more than 640 projects led by 900 coaches across 50 countries. The organisation is a pioneer amongst the major European leagues thanks to its network of academies, which focus on the development of young international talent. “Football is growing exponentially in Southeast Asia and LaLiga is excited to make its mark in Malaysia. It’s uncommon to find a partner that has not only one of the most expansive campus’ in Asia, but a deep ongoing agenda of offering ambitious sports offerings to its students. To date, LaLiga Grassroots has trained more than 200,000 players and 25,000 local coaches around the world but we also recognise the importance of academics. We are very proud of this partnership as it brings two industry leaders in sports and education together for the benefit of youth development,” says Adrián Prol, LaLiga’s delegate in Malaysia.
For more information on this exciting initiative and to register your interest, please click HERE.
Epsom Mouratoglou Tennis Programme Updates
We recently opened up our tennis courts to students who are not enrolled into the Epsom Mouratoglou Tennis Programme but who were interested to try out the sports during the Public Holiday. Here are some of their thoughts:
I think the tennis couches were very kind and cheerful. THey were also very eager to assist when we encountered any difficulties.Yes, I learned a lot of techniques in a short time so my tennis really improved in a short time.
(Hong Zhi)
I had a really great experience on court with the friendly and clearly experienced coaches. They taught us great ways to improve our movement and techniques. They introduced us to more than just tennis – they introduced us to the beauty of the game and to sportsmanship. This opportunity should definitely be made available again soon as it will encourage more students to pick up a tennis racquet.
(Keeshan)
I learned plenty of things – how to serve well, backhand, forehand. The coaches are friendly and competitive. Given that this was my first time trying tennis, I learned a lot. I would definitely do it again.
(Jayden)
I really enjoyed the time on court. I used to play a lot of squash and wanted to see if I could transfer my squash skills to tennis. The coaches were really helpful. Overall, it was great fun. I enjoyed the different training exercises and seeing how the techniques are different from squash even though they are both racquet sports. I wish I had started playing tennis earlier.
(Luke)
The facilities are really well built and having access to many courts meant we could work in various groups and divide up to all be able to play tennis at the same time. The coaches seem really experienced and taught well – they are really easy to understand.
(Damon)
I really enjoyed the tennis experience – the coaches taught me how to pose and position correctly. I really hope we can do this again soon.
(Hyonwoo)
I first tried tennis during the Summer Camp of 2022. I joined as a complete beginner and have attended the camps since. The experience of learning tennis has been really fun and everyone has been super supportive. I had not touched à tennis ball before but the Mouratoglou team really helped me to begin with a BANG! It certainly left an impression on me – the routines were well crafted and the training incorporated skills and fitness seamlessly.
I really enjoy my time on court. I enjoy being under the guidance of the coaches because they are so friendly and helpful. They point out specific areas to improve. I have found tennis to be a really fun sport.
(Nadirah)
To learn more about the Epsom Mouratoglou Tennis Programme – please click on this LINK and of course, please follow us on Instagram!
A Message from our Art & DT Department
Over the past weeks, Art lessons have been conducted in various environments. As a growing artist this helps with developing adaptability and spatial awareness.
During our Year 7, 8 & 9 Art lessons, students have been exposed to abstract and conceptual art. They were given 5 themes. Each student was required to pick one theme. The themes were Eye-level, Watch, Footstep, Reach Out and Shine. This was an individual response task where students were required to draft an idea and produce an original artwork. We look forward to seeing all the final pieces soon. Centred on individual response tasks, these Art lessons have been interactive and based both indoors and out.
Mr Yau delivering life drawing lessons outside the art room with the Year 8 & 9 students
Year 10 worked on enlarging and reducing the size of objects in Mr Yau’s lesson. Enlarging and reducing the size of objects directly relates to principles of design which is balance and proportion. These principles are crucial to Year 10 students as they work to develop final artwork for their IGCSE coursework.
Moving forward to Design and Technology (DT) lessons. In DT the Year 7, 8 and 9 students are working on scale model projects. The students are currently working on manufacturing mini furniture for their treetop scale model classroom.
An example was provided to the students so that the expectations of the final product were clear to ensure the highest quality outcome. Students are given opportunities to modify their miniature models. Students’ mathematical and analytical skills were put to the test while calculating their furniture model sizes. Students are working on producing miniature furniture models using 2D design software.
Finally, the year 10 DT students have begun to work with their IGCSE Coursework. Students are required to build a client profile as part of their primary research process.
We look forward to seeing all the final products which will be created by the students as part of their coursework completion.
Best wishes from Epsom Art and DT Team:)
Business Model Competition - Finance Week
Dear All,
The academic prefects will be hosting Finance Week from the 12th-16th of June. One of the events that will be occurring is a Business Model Competition in collaboration with the BSE S
Society.
Starting from 11th of May, submissions are open for students to submit their business model plan through google form. Below is a timeline of the events leading up to finance week regarding this competition.
11th May – start of competition
1st June – deadline for submissions
5th June – voting begins
12th June – results announced in assembly!
To submit the slides containing your business model plan, please use this google form : here
With regards to getting help, the padlet link shared via email may be used to ask questions. Lunch time sessions will be held for students to ask questions and there will be a GC presentation to re-explain the entire competition for those who need it.
We look forward to seeing your business models.
Thank you and Happy Friday!
Rachel, Year 12 Crawfurd House
Academic Prefect
Coming Soon
Epsom Reading Challenge…
The Benefits of Reading Cannot be Underestimated…
Overview
The Epsom Reading Challenge will consist of two competitions, the Reading Note Design Competition and the Book Review Competition, each with its own categories and guidelines.
For the Reading Note Design Competition, students in Prep School and Key Stage 3 will be asked to choose a book and design a short note to describe the book, including their favourite plot, interesting characters, and graphics, as well as a brief reflection. There will be two categories for submissions, English and Other Languages, to encourage language learning and development.
For the Book Review Competition, students in Key Stage 4 and 5 will be asked to write a 500-word review on a book that they found beneficial for their studies. The focus of this competition is on academic-focused reading and writing skills, and submissions will only be accepted in English.
Both competitions will run for 2 months (over the summer break), with a submission deadline of 31st Aug. This is to allow the students to engage in reading thoroughly and gain deeper insights from it.
OBJECTIVES
- To encourage reading and critical thinking among students
- To encourage students of all ages and language abilities to read more, reflect on their reading, and develop their communication and critical thinking skills.
TIMELINES
19th June
We will formally announce this project during the College Assembly (benefits of reading, competition rules, prizes, examples of reading notes).
Summer Break
Allowing students to read and make their notes or write their essays.
31st Aug – Term 1 （2023/2024 Academic Year)
Submission deadline
End of September
Announcing the result during assembly
SUBMISSION
Via Google form
Winners’ reading notes and book reviews will be exhibited in Grayling Centre.
So…get planning and Happy Reading!!
Best wishes,
Shang Jin, Year 12 Granville.
Academic Prefect
JUDGING CRITERIA
Reading Note Design Competition
Creativity
Insights gained from reading
Design
Book Review Competition
Creativity
Evaluation
Grammar
Meet Our Staff
Hello, we are Angela and Yunn Xynn from Year 9 Crawfurd and this week we would like to introduce you to 3 members of our Epsom staff so that you can get to know them better…
Mrs Brown is our Director of Admissions and she also supports students with their university applications:
How would you describe Epsom?
Special and happy. I enjoy working with the students and staff here very much:)
Why did you choose to become a teacher?
Because I had amazing teachers when I was young and I think it is a really important job. I really enjoy being around young people and it is incredibly rewarding. ‘Education is the greatest tool we have to change the world’ (Mandela). This is one of my favourite quotes and I hope that at least some of my students will remember me as I do my teachers, that they feel I helped them along their journey.
Who do you admire?
My A-level teachers and my professor at university – they were all amazing at their jobs and wonderful role models. They literally changed my life and I will never forget what they did for me.
What 3 words describe you?
Hardworking, determined, reliable.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can touch my nose with my tongue!
Mr Goh is our Chinese Liaison Officer and he is our secret weapon for Debate Competitions! Mr. Goh holds a Masters in Engineering Management (First Class Honours), a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), and a Diploma of Education (Engineering). He has over 10 years of experience in lecturing on Quantitative and Business Management at university level.
To experience a more challenging career, Mr Goh was involved in the media industry for over 8 years, where he gained his diverse skills and experiences in branding, marketing, copywriting & social media management across multiple industries.
Most importantly, he is our secret weapon for debate competitions!!
Why did you choose to come to work at Epsom?
Because I enjoy everything related to teaching.
Do you have any hidden talents?
Yes, not many people know that I am a good writer!
What is your ambition?
I want to travel and see the world.
Do you have a pet?
Yes, I have two dogs.
What 3 words describe you?
Hardworking, organised, reliable.
Meet our Mimi who leads our Catering Team:
We all love Mimi – she looks after us and feeds us well! She is always smiling- we appreciate her very much!
What is it like working in Epsom!!
I am excited and happy to meet people from different countries
What makes a “good and lovely day” in Epsom in your opinion?
When we manage to make an event a success. Seeing people enjoy our food and our catering arrangements. When this happens we feel very satisfied with the results of our own work.
What is your ambition?
To become a good leader for my team.
3 words to describe you guys
Hardworking. Reliable and shy.
To learn more about our Epsom Staff, please see our Website
Happy Friday!
Coming Soon
We are excited to announce that, in the last week of the academic year, we will host the Epsom Festival – a week of celebration of Sport, the Arts and Academic Success. This will incorporate events such as Sports Day, Epsom Arts Festival and Speech Day.
The Arts Festival will be held on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th June and will feature two days of celebrating the Arts through Enrichment, Excellence and Enterprise. This Festival will showcase the very best of Epsom talent and also give all students and staff the opportunity to participate in the Arts.
Tuesday 27th June – Workshop Day – Enrichment
Students and staff will be invited to sign up for three workshops during the day to experience the Arts in a new way. All workshops will be linked to an area of the Arts such as Music, Drama, Dance, Art, Photography, Film, Poetry, Literature etc, but will also link the Arts to another part of the curriculum. Students will experience how every one of their usual subjects links in with the Arts. These workshops will be delivered by our existing teachers and external guests. Examples of workshops include Performing Shakespeare, Creative Gymnastics, Chinese Shadow Play, Dumpling making, Being a Recording Engineer and many more.
Wednesday 28th June – Performance Day – Excellence and Enterprise
Wednesday is all about performance and enterprise. This is an opportunity to see the very best performances from students and staff throughout the day and evening. Performances will be held in the Theatre, the Theatre Studio, Mezzanine Foyer, Music Department and on the specially built Pavilion Stage. In the evening, dinner will be served outside of the Pavilion and will climax with the evening Festival Concert and Fireworks featuring student and staff bands.
One of the highlights of previous years has been the stalls and games run by students to raise money for Charity. This will be a big feature of the Performance Day where students can show their enterprise skills in raising money for good causes. Throughout the day, there will be many different concerts, performances, exhibitions, and events to take part in and watch. Look out for the full programme which will be available after the half term break.
The Pavilion Stage:
All students and staff will be involved in the various events that will broaden academic knowledge and understanding as well as develop student’s soft skills including public speaking, collaboration, resilience, organisational skills and creativity.
More information to follow soon…
Mr Russell Crann,
Director of Music
Dont Forget that the Annual Epsom Ball is Coming Soon!
Save the Date!
Epsom Open Morning – 24 June 2023
Dear Parents,
We are delighted to extend an invitation to you and your friends to join us for the Epsom Open Morning on the 24th of June 2023 starting at 10.00am until 2.00pm. This event is an excellent opportunity for new parents to explore our prestigious institution and learn more about the exceptional educational and sport opportunities we offer. For the parents that are part of ‘Friends of Epsom’, we are looking forward to you coming and sharing your experience and knowledge of our School to your friends and visitors that will be attending the Epsom Morning.
Share the picture above with your friends who may be interested in learning more about Epsom.
Join us on the 24th June 2023. Register with us at events@epsomschool.com.
Thank you for reading our flyer…
Thank you for your interest in this edition of our Flyer and we wish you all the very best for a peaceful weekend.
Happy Friday from us all at Epsom.
🙂
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