FRIDAY FLYER-Issue 153
8 Jun 2023
Headmaster's Welcome
Happy Friday Dear Reader,
Welcome to Issue 153 of our Epsom Friday Flyer!
This week marked our return to school following the mid term break and as always, it was a pleasure to welcome our students back to Epsom!
We have enjoyed an informative and stimulating return to school which saw the launch of Ocean Week:
As well as the final voting for the Business Model Competition held by our Business and Economics Society.
For those of you who read our Flyer regularly and who follow our school on Social Media, you will be familiar with Mrs Garnett’s Carr House mantra – ‘ We are the example’ and this motto was the inspiration for my recent assembly.
Epsom is a truly international school – we have 23 nationalities represented in our student body and even more if you include the staff! Our diverse and rich culture contributes in no small part to making Epsom into the very special place that it is to live and learn together.
Students who learn with us, and especially those who board with us, are exposed to beliefs, customs, traditions, outlooks, languages and ways of life that may appear in contrast with their own. Yet, fundamentally, our students and our staff, over time, come to recognise, appreciate and value the fact that, essentially, we are all fundamentally the same and forge lasting bonds – friendships that will endure.
We are all the same. We all want to be loved, to feel respected, valued and appreciated for who we are, to feel safe, to be happy and to have fun. This is beautifully illustrated in this video: WHERE THE HELL IS MATT which we enjoyed at the start of our recent assembly. Matt Harding makes videos of himself dancing (badly – which adds to the joy of his videos!) with people from all over the world and it is clear that we, as humans, love to have fun together and that where we live, or where we were born, pales into insignificance once the bond of friendship breaks through any initial perceived barriers.
We went on to explore our similarities and differences from a scientific perspective in our assembly:
Our findings are fascinating:
The most significant differences between us, as humans, are to be found among those that we perceive to be the most similar to us!
If, as a global community, we can pull together more, rather than focus on conflict, we will be better placed to tackle the challenges that threaten us as individuals and as a global community…
Our students are blessed at Epsom to have so many friends from so many different places and this will definitely stand them in good stead in their future careers as they develop an open mindset, cultural sensitivity and awareness and the ability to forge connections with students from all over the world that, in many cases, I do not doubt, will last a lifetime.
I hope you enjoy the articles to come – thank you for your time…Happy Reading and Happy Friday!
Mr Matthew Brown,
Headmaster.
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A Message From Our Leadership Team: Mrs Fowler, Deputy Head Pastoral
Epsom School Colours…
We are very excited to soon award School Colours…
School Colours Awards are a highly prized school recognition of students who have shown significant commitment, contribution and excellence in a particular area of school life beyond the lesson curriculum. These are not academic awards.
Epsom School Colours can be awarded in the following areas:
- The Arts
- Sports
- Service
- Societies & CCA
A recipient of School Colours will show the following characteristics:
- Reliability and commitment
- Co-operative and collaborative attitude towards staff and peers
- Leadership
- Loyalty and service to the school/activity
- Excellent role model for their peers
- Excellence within the area
- Demonstrate aspects of our Epsom Learning Characteristics of Curiosity, Resilience:, Creativity, Reflectiveness, Attention, Collaborating, Organisation & Thinking.
Full Colours:
To achieve full colours the student must have shown outstanding and significant contribution to an area over a period of time, at least two years and show aspects of the Epsom learning characteristics. This would be typically awarded to Y12-13 who have had time to develop a long term commitment, shown leadership and been an outstanding role model.
The student does not necessarily need to excel in the area in terms of performance. For example a student who has played 2nd team sport, but has attended all practices, matches, supported training, shown fairness and support of others, organised tournaments for younger students and been an influential role model to others is more likely to be warded full colours than a 1st team player who excels at the sport but has shown no commitment beyond turning up to play.
Half Colours:
To be awarded half colours the student will have shown good commitment and contribution to an area over a period of 1 year or more and shown aspects of the Epsom learning characteristics.
This would typically be Year 9-13, but not exclusively. There may be a few outstanding students in Year 8. Year 7 would not be able to receive half colours as they would not have had time to show commitment within an area in their first year at school.
Half colours can be awarded to a student who excels in a specific area, but does not necessarily give beyond to others. Students will be nominated by a member of staff and nominations are referred to the SLT and recipients must be approved. Recipients will be awarded a certificate and badge.
We will announce the recipients of this award soon and look forward to acknowledging the commitment, dedication and achievements of our students.
Best wishes for the weekend,
Kate Fowler
Rosebery House Update
In what will be Rosebery’s last contribution to the Friday Flyer this academic year, I thought we might take a moment to consider all the other ‘lasts’ at this time in the summer term.
For our Upper Sixth, these moments are coming thick and fast: last lessons; last exams; last sleepovers for day girls with requisite midnight chats in the Common Room. Last slurped noodles, last hastily-made bed to keep Ms Carol happy, last chance to hire a cocktail dress or gown for the summer ball. Like all the best goodbyes, they are bittersweet.
Those of us who are left will have the yearbook to flick through and remember; those of us who are leaving will be looking ahead.
It is in that spirit, of the next chapter, the new adventure, that a selection of Rosebery’s Year 13s share their summer plans:
‘Staying up late and having movie marathons with my friends’ – Tiha
‘Going back to China, seeing all my friends, and having fun!’ – Linda
‘I’m excited about cleaning my house, travelling, and playing minecraft with my friends!’ – Sutri
But, of course, they’re not the only ones with high hopes for this pearl of a holiday. Rosebery’s Lower Sixth are not without their dreams:
‘Looking forward to going to Japan and reuniting with my family in the summer’ – Keira
‘Picnics with my friends, hopefully doing some internships, and spending my last full summer for a long time in Malaysia’ – Teja
‘I wish to finally let off some steam after all the hustle and bustle of school life. Time off with my loved ones is just what I need to recharge’ – Aishwarya
‘I’m looking forward to the good food in Penang but not the fast-track study grind’ – Jia Xin
And I’m delighted that, among the younger Rosebuds, reflecting on the year in House also resulted in smiles:
‘I really enjoyed Rosebery’s afternoon parties in front of our house. I am looking forward to the next time I can eat sandwiches and talk with my lovely friends’ – Yuka
‘The best was House Basketball. I really want to do it again’ – Mayuha
‘I’m looking forward to coming back next year, to a fresh start as a Year 10 pupil and making new memories’ – Rui
Hear, hear. But between now and then, Rui, let’s wish all our readers, from all of Rosebery, a summer that sizzles, or is cool as can be, or a delightful combination of the two.
Best wishes from us all at Rosebery House 🙂
Greetings From Crawfurd House
Our Very Own Dancing Queen!
This week we are celebrating the success of Callista in Year 8. During the half term break Callista competed in the Borneo Open International Dancesport Championship and Convention (BOIDC) 2023 in Sarawak East Malaysia. Callista enjoyed the competition and came out in first place. What an amazing experience and result. Well done Callista!
Mrs Helen Miller,
Housemistress, Crawfurd House.
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Marvelous Music
As a remarkable year nears a close, it is an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments of our students in Music. This year, our students have embraced the power of music, enriching our school community in the process. For the first time in three years, we have been able to deliver a full programme of events. Here are some of the highlights:
Open Mic Nights
To kick off the academic year, our talented musicians, singers, and performers took centre stage at the popular Open Mic Nights. These events showcased the incredible talent within our school community in a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. The energy was electric as melodies filled the air, fostering a supportive atmosphere and encouraging collaboration among our musical stars. This year, new stars have appeared and existing students have taken to the stage for the first time, growing in confidence and enjoying the opportunity to perform.
Prep School Music
The Prep School Recitals were a testament to the dedication and discipline of our young musicians. From delicate piano solos to large group performances, these recitals demonstrated the tremendous growth and progress our students in the Prep School achieved throughout the year. The Prep School music programme has been brilliantly co-ordinated this year by our new music teacher, Mr Azmi and the team of Visiting Music Teachers. One of the highlights of the year was the students singing at KLIA and IOI City Mall at Christmas.
House Music
The spirit of healthy competition was alive and well during the House Music competition. Our houses battled it out, each presenting their unique interpretations of popular songs. The stage was transformed into a dynamic arena, filled with harmonious voices and lively choreography. Well done to Propert House for winning the competition with their rousing performances, showing that passion and enthusiasm can bring the whole house together in victory.
Christmas Concert
The festive season was made merrier by the resounding performances in our Christmas Concert. The Theatre was filled with holiday spirit as students performed timeless Christmas songs and contemporary holiday hits. The event brought joy to those in attendance and led into the annual Christmas dinner where students and staff sang with festive enthusiasm.
Sunset Serenades
As the warm glow of the setting sun embraced our campus, the Music Department presented the enchanting Sunset Serenades. The setting sun offered a serene backdrop for beautiful performances by our most talented students featuring genres from Rock Guitar to Opera.
FIVERA and the Senior Strings
This incredible concert was an enchanting fusion of classical and contemporary music, as the Senior String Ensemble and FIVERA, a phenomenal five-piece Pop-Opera group from Thailand, took the stage. As the lights dimmed, the Senior String Ensemble set the tone with their performance of Spring from the Four Seasons. Then, FIVERA emerged, a burst of energy and charisma, infusing the theatre with their vibrant pop-opera fusion. Their powerful vocals effortlessly soared through the air, entwining with the strings, creating an incredible night to remember.
Lunchtime Live Concerts
Every term, during the lunch break, our school transformed into a musical haven with the Lunchtime Live Concerts. These intimate performances provided a relaxed setting for students to enjoy the soothing melodies presented by their fellow classmates. From classical tunes to modern hits, the Lunchtime Live Concerts catered to a diverse range of musical tastes, bringing joy to everyone who attended.
A Night at the Movies
The Music and Drama Departments transported us into the realm of cinematic soundscapes with “A Night at the Movies.” From beloved classics to contemporary hits, the Studio Orchestra, Choir, and soloists brought the magic of the silver screen to life. The performances evoked a range of emotions, reminding us of the profound impact that music has on storytelling.
Instrumental Music Competition
Our instrumental virtuosos dazzled audiences at the Instrumental Music Competition. From the nimble fingers dancing across piano keys to the melodious strains of violins and flutes, the performances were nothing short of breathtaking. The competition showcased the technical mastery and passion of our instrumentalists, highlighting their dedication to their craft.
As we bid farewell to another remarkable year, I would like to thank all of the students and staff that have so enthusiastically participated in Music this year. Music in 2022-23 has truly left an indelible mark on our school community, and we eagerly anticipate the musical wonders that the coming year will bring.
But that is not quite the end…
Prep School Recital – Thursday 22nd June
Our final Prep School Recital of the year will feature all students in the Prep School showing their progress in the Prep School Instrumental Programme and Choirs.
Epsom Arts Festival – Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th June
As part of Epsom Festival Week, the Epsom Arts Festival, promises a two day celebration of the Arts with a day of workshops and a day of performances. The workshops will provide students with an enriching experience and an opportunity to experience the Arts through a series of varied workshops. The performance day showcases the very best musical, dramatic and artistic talent at Epsom with a whole day of events.
Aladdin – Year 6-9 Musical – Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th June
As part of the Arts Festival, students in Years 6-9 will be performing the popular Musical Aladdin. Catch the evening performance on Tuesday or the afternoon matinee on Wednesday.
The full programme for the Arts Festival can be found at: https://sites.google.com/epsomschool.com/epsomartsfestival2023/epsom-arts-festival
Best wishes for the weekend,
Mr Russell Crann,
Director of Music.
Epsom Mathematics Department
Maths Friday Flyer
iGCSE and A Level Maths Exams!
The iGCSE Maths Paper 1 and Paper 2 are now officially complete! A huge congratulations to all of our Year 11s who have worked so hard over the last few months. Speaking after the exam, some of our students were positive about how they felt they performed.
Steven Lee (Granville) said; ‘I am hoping I did well because I want to do Maths at A Level and then go on to have a career in Biological Sciences’
Kheeshan Deo (Propert) said; ‘It went really well. I am doing English, Politics and Business at A Level but I enjoyed Maths iGCSE because Mr Baloyo prepared us well.’
Shiloh Jang (Crawfurd) said; ‘I felt really prepared for questions on Algebra but I found the geometry questions more challenging. I hope I did ok as I plan to do Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Art next year!’
From left to right: Zarif,, Kheeshan, Ryan,Shiloh, Kayden, Steven celebrating the end of their exams.
Good luck to our Year 11 Further Mathematicians who still have Paper 2 to complete and to our A Level Maths and Further Maths students who still have two papers each left to finish!
Oxford and Cambridge Maths Tests Preparation
Some of our most talented Year 12 mathematicians are busy preparing for the admissions test to get into Oxford (MAT) and Cambridge University(STEP). These tests push our students to the limit of their problem-solving ability but they are certainly up for the challenge.
Here are some photos of Dillon (Propert), Jing Yan (Rosebery), Molly (Rosebery) and Leo (Granville) solving some questions from Oxford University in CCA this week.
Best wishes for the weekend!
Ms Olivia Archibald,
Head of Mathematics.
BSE Society News
Our Hoodies are Here!!
Greetings from the BSE Society!
As we approach the end of the academic year, it’s an exciting time for us to announce the arrival of our BSE Hoodies and the recruitment of new Board of Directors (BoD) and Team Leaders!
BSE Hoodies Have Arrived! 🎉
The highly anticipated BSE Hoodies are finally here! Show off your BSE pride with these stylish hoodies. But hurry, they are selling fast, and we don’t want you to miss out!
💵 Payment:
For those of you who have ordered your hoodies, kindly pass the money to your house representatives as listed below:
Rosebery – Yi Shan, Xin Ling
Crawfurd – Adriana, Karishaa
Propert – Kyle, Franco
Granville – Wonwoo, Sharvvind
Carr & Holman – Housemaster & Housemistress
We also accept payment via Touch & Go E-wallet.
Join Our Leadership Panel! 🤝
We are excited to invite you to join the BSE Society Leadership Panel. As a member of the Board of Directors or a Team Leader, you will play a vital role in shaping the future of our organization.
We are looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about contributing to our vibrant community. Whether you have a passion for event planning, marketing, sales, or finance, we have a position for you. Detailed position descriptions can be found in the email that was sent to you earlier.
The deadline for applications is June 11th. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a real impact and develop your leadership skills within the BSE Society. We look forward to welcoming you to our team!
Follow our Instagram (@epsom_bse_society) to be updated on our latest events! Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to receiving your orders and applications.
The BSE Society Team
Celebrating Success: Mandarin Competition
Recently, our Year 8 Rosebery student, Sakura, who only has one year of experience in learning Mandarin, stood out among over 90 competitors and was selected as one of the 19 finalists for the 16th Chinese-Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Malaysian Secondary School students.The Competition consists of three sections: Chinese Language Speech, Question and Answer and a Talent Presentation for which Sakura performed a fan dance.
Being the only Japanese student, Sakura was able to impress the judges with her steadiness and calmness throughout the different stages of the competition.
In the end, Sakura was granted a participation award. We were delighted to have such a gifted young lady among us!
Well done Sakura!
Ms Serena Goh,
Mandarin Teacher.
Congratulations go to....
Maysa and Khai Zhe…
On the 1st of June 2023, Epsom students competed in the AIMS Language Competition 2023. The focus was on Mandarin and Malay and the topics under discussion were the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A total of 18 international schools from across Malaysia participated.
There were different categories available so that students of varying degrees of fluency could participate. These included Malay Foreign Language, Malay First Language, Mandarin Foreign Language and Mandarin First Language and students from Key Stage 1 up to Key Stage 4 could participate. Epsom was proud that 18 of our students chose to compete in both languages – Malay and Mandarin.
The slogan of the competition was “ Celebrating diversity through language” and it provided many opportunities to participating students to showcase their talents in speech and via storytelling. Through this event, our students were given the opportunity to develop their confidence and improve their language skills to be able to discuss the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.
We would like to congratulate the winners from Key Stage 1 , Maysa in Year 2 and Khai Zhe in Year 10. Maysa was awarded silver for her storytelling in Malay First Language and Khai Zhe won silver for his Speech in Malay as a Foreign Language.
Thank you so much to Ms Macleod, Ms Peng, the MFL teachers and Mandarin teachers as well as the parents for giving their support to this competition. We are looking forward to the next AIMS competition in 2024.
Ms Suhada,
Teacher of Bahasa Malaysia.
Epsom Mouratoglou Tennis Programme Update
Our Clay Courts are Good to Go!
We are very excited to be able to use our MTP clay courts! These ITF certified courts (the only ones in Southeast Asia) will enable our student athletes to hone their skills, and develop their balance and agility to a level beyond what is possible on grass or traditional hard courts. Why not book a visit to come and see our tennis complex for yourself?
Follow us on Instagram to see more!
Best wishes from us all at the Epsom Mouratoglou Tennis Programme!
Great Golf
Adrianna, Year 8 Roseberry, recently participated in the US KIDS GOLF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 which was held in The Musselburgh Golf Club, East Lothian, Scotland, UK from the 30th May to 1st June 2023.
Adrianna was the sole Malaysian in the field for the competition and she did exceptionally well, playing against some of the best juniors in the world who came from as far the USA, Europe and the Asia Pacific region.
Adrianna shot one of her best personal scores for the competition – 84, 79 and 79. She finished 11th of 19 players for the Girls Under 14 Years Category, playing in cold temperatures as low as 9 degrees, with strong, unpredictable wind conditions and hard firm greens which could not hold the ball!
We are all extremely proud of her accomplishments – well done Adrianna!
Congratulations to Nexus Khoo, Year 8 Carr House for winning the 3rd leg UUMISM Sportexcel Junior Tournament. Nexus competed from the blue tees making it a lengthy golfing test. He managed the extra yardage well and was able to pull off a win.
Nexus was two strokes behind the leader after round one. He kept his cool and completed his second round ending in a two-shot victory over the field. This type of final-round composure is an important part of becoming a multiple winner on the junior circuit.
Well done Nexus. Good luck in your preparations for your next event!
Meet Our Staff
Hello Dear Readers!
We are Angela and Yun Xynn and we are in Year 9, Crawfurd. Today we would like to introduce you to 2 of our lovely staff members from Carr House – Mrs Jenny Garnett and Ms Masako Takamiya:
Mrs Garnett is a very experienced and successful educator who has worked in boarding schools before joining us at Epsom. Her philosophy resonates very closely with Epsom’s – she recognises all her students as individuals and values and celebrates this individuality in her lessons. Jenny considers her subjects of English and Dramatic Arts to be a wonderful combination because they allow her to be very creative with her teaching and to use Drama skills to teach the English language. She believes that this enables her students to have fun and learn at the same time. Jenny has an infectious enthusiasm for her subjects and her energy and positivity shine through!
We asked Mrs Garnett these questions:
Do you have any hidden talents?
Yes! Looking after Carr boys!
What makes a good Housemistress?
Somebody who loves the students also looks for the best for each student. It is also someone who can build a house into a home.
Why did you want to become a teacher, and why did you come to Epsom to work instead of remaining in your own country?
I was looking for a new adventure in a new country with new opportunities.
What is it like being a Housemistress?
It is like being a mother to many many sons!
Can you give us 3 words to describe you:
Loud, impulsive and adventurous.
Mrs Takamiya is our Assistant Housemistress of Carr House where she builds very strong and positive relationships with her students. She is also integral to the strong links that we are able to build with our Japanese families in her role as Japanse Liaison Officer. Ms Masako believes strongly in education and the importance of a holistic approach. She is an excellent role model and ambassador for our school in all that she does. Masako is a qualified Yoga instructor and the sessions that she runs are equally popular among our staff and pupils.
Here are the questions that we asked Ms Masako:
Why did you choose to come to work at Epsom?
It was sort of by chance actually and I am very happy to be here!
What is your greatest achievement?
To have discovered the fulfilment that assisting and supporting students’ boarding school life brings.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Making connections with students, parents and the wider community.
Did you always want to work at a school? Why?
No. I joined this field by chance. I had never considered education before joining Epsom but have found my work here to be incredibly rewarding.
What constitutes a good day for you?
As long as I feel happiness, the warmth or/and satisfaction from some kind of achievement during the day, it’s a good day.
Who do you admire and why?
I admire anyone who is living life as their authentic self. Authenticity is the key to a happy life, but it’s not always easy to show your authentic self in public.
What is your ambition?
To glow more as a person while ageing.
To learn more about our staff at Epsom, please visit our website HERE
Have the best weekend,
Angela and Yunn Xynn:)
Thank you for reading our flyer…
We hope you enjoyed our articles this week and that you have a lovely weekend.
Happy Friday and see you next week.
Best wishes from us all at Epsom.
🙂
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