BPS Newsletter
Issue 38 - 19th June 2020
Flourishing
Wow! Where do I begin? It only feels like yesterday that I was writing my first newsletter as Head of British Section. Each year provides its unique challenges, and this year has been no exception!
I look at our values and it is evident that this year has given all within the primary section an opportunity to further develop participation, respect, responsibility, creativity and participation. These values are the cornerstone of what we do within our school - we want our children to not only be academically, sporting and musically strong, but have a sense of purpose to go out into the wider environment, flourish, and make the world a better place!
During this academic year, respect has been deeply rooted in all that we do, exemplified in the way we have begun to develop and enhance student voice as a driver for continual improvement. In reviewing our curriculum, we have spoken to many students so that we can use this to improve the learning experience for all, as ultimately our mantra is to provide the best possible outcomes for all our children. This has enabled us to refine the way in which we teach certain areas of the curriculum, ensuring that we meet the needs of all our students.
I am particularly proud of the development of our Playground Leader program which has empowered leadership skills, skills which are important for all in this ever increasingly challenging world. Students have taken this responsibility very seriously, and this is being further developed next year so that they improve their mediation skills so that students are better placed to resolve conflict, further strengthening the caring community which we have.
We have had many opportunities to celebrate this year. A particular highlight for me was the Autumn Festival, a showcase event which clearly embodied the supportive community, as well as providing an opportunity where children could perform to the wider community - we certainly have talented students within the BPS! I would also like to mention that being in such a rich cultural environment made International Day an extremely special event. It is this global community which is exciting, and one which provided a flourishing environment for all, great preparation for the students of today to be the success of tomorrow!
A particular challenge this year has been the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, an unprecedented and unexpected event which had an impact on all aspects of school life. Firstly, the health and wellbeing of our community is of the highest priority, and on reflection, although there are always elements to improve, TES and BPS actively engaged with the community to try and negate the impact of this. The challenge that this provided has in fact improved practice throughout the school, particularly in the realms of on-line learning and digital competency. Although there cannot be a replacement for the teacher, the activities and the procedures that were put in place were incredible to ensure that learning was enabled, to the highest quality possible. This of course, would not have been the success that it was, if it was not for the incredible support of the community.
It is not possible to review the year without talking about success. In all aspects of the curriculum, children have continued to excel, from winning major honours at the 2019 STEM Design Asia Invitation Tournament to performing in music and sports, as well as other academic areas. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances mentioned above, many national and international competitions have been cancelled this year, however, this has not dampened the BPS spirit, which must be commended. Tribe Events and competitions have continued to inspire, and we hope to build on this so that when these events are back, we are all well prepared. Many congratulations to Bunan and Ami, victorious this year!
Although this is not a farewell as such, I would like to wish the incredible Y6 cohort, who will be moving into secondary education, the very best. Thank you for your efforts on Thursday, and to the supporting families who made the occasion special. Even though the event had to be modified, I hope that you enjoyed it! I hope the memories and the skills that you have learnt with us in the Primary Section will be long remembered.
I would also like to express my fondest wishes to all our families who are moving on this year, and wish you the very best. I hope that your time at the British Primary Section has filled you with fond memories!
Finally, looking ahead, I would like to say that the future is looking very bright for the British Primary Section. Further investment in our sports and music departments will provide further opportunities for children to flourish next year, which is exciting, as it is our aim to ensure that children have experience of a broad and balanced curriculum. Further, the work around our integrated curriculum to ensure that entreupenurship and cross curricula skills are embedded is particularly relevant, as we are purposefully employing a curriculum which embeds resolution, problem solving and resilience, all imperative, particularly in our ever expanding global context.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday, and look forward to seeing you on your return, for what will be an exciting 2020-2021 academic year!
Very best wishes
Luke Chaeter BA(hons) QTS, MSc, NPQH
Save the date! - by Mr Luke Chaeter
Date: Thursday 20th August 2020
More information to follow week beginning 10th of August.
A great opportunity for new and existing families alike.
認識新老師暨課程說明會
日期: 2020年8月20日 星期四
對於新家庭與舊夥伴,是一個很好的機會了解學校的運作及課程。
更多相關的資訊,將在8月10日當週公布。
A Celebration to Remember! -by The Year 6 Team
Yesterday was a momentous occasion in Year 6 as we officially said farewell to our 2019-2020 cohort in true TES style.
Using state-of-the-art portable camera systems, we were able to live stream speeches by Mr Massey, and two of our Tribe Councillors, Henry Chien of 6.3 and Annabel Yang of 6.4, out to parents seated in front of the school. This, combined with a phenomenal photo video crafted by Mr. Mondal, were the introductions to our celebratory afternoon.
After these heartwarming speeches, the entire year group walked down the central staircase of the Junior Building, applauded by the other KS2 year groups with overwhelming enthusiasm. It was an emotional moment as the students saw their peers gathered to celebrate their final moments of Primary School. Cameras continued to follow the students, capturing this special procession and displaying it to eager parents waiting below.
It was after this that parents finally got to lock eyes on their children in the flesh, as the Year 6 students came pouring out of the glass tube to the pavement, cheering and waving as the music began to swell. Despite the heat, the Year 6 students danced up a storm, smiling and whooping as they performed for the last time at the EPC. Parents watched on, pride flooding their faces.
As the students finished and took a much deserved rest, Mr. Chaeter spoke, reminding the students of what they have achieved, and the enduring support they received from their very first teachers - their parents. Quoting both Churchill and John F. Kennedy, Mr. Chaeter’s words roused a cheering applause, concluded by an encore performance of the dance.
It was a hot, busy afternoon, and the smiles of all made it clear that despite all the hurdles Year 6 have faced, they have emerged stronger and more capable because of their ability to face challenges head on and conquer them!
We wish the Year 6 Class of 2019-2020 all the best, wherever they go next, and hope they will stay in touch!
English as an Additional Language (EAL) - British Primary Section - Important Change 英語加強課程-重大改變 - by Mr Michael Norris
As you are aware, when children in the British Primary Section are exited from the EAL programme at any stage of the year, they are then transitioned into our CLC (Chinese Language and Culture) programme. This also applies to EAL children who no longer require EAL withdrawal support, but where in-class EAL support is maintained (this is due to EAL withdrawal support taking place during CLC time).
當英國小學部的學生不再需要英語加強課程的時候,他們將會開始上中文課。同樣的,對於不需要額外的英語加強課,只需要課內協助的這些學生,也都會開始上中文課。(這是因為額外的英語加強課通常都是在中文課的時間。)
The result is that throughout an academic year, the CLC department is faced with having to accommodate the Chinese language needs of multiple pupils from different year groups and abilities, at unpredictable times of the year. This is not ideal, as it disrupts the provision of an effective language programme and does not serve as an effective model for catering to the needs of in-coming who join the CLC programme.
由此可見,整個學年之中,中文部面臨著許多學生在不同的時間點,開始學習中文。對於新加入的學生之中文學習,並非是一個有效的學習模式。
In order to streamline this and to make things more predictable and structured, children receiving EAL support, who are deemed ready to exit the EAL programme, will be exited at one of two points in the academic year; either at the end of Semester 1 or the end of Semester 2 only. They will then be transitioned into the CLC programme at any one of these two points. Similarly, children deemed as no longer requiring EAL withdrawal support but where in-class EAL support is still required, will too only be transitioned into the CLC programme at one of the two mentioned points.
為了要讓學生從英文加強課銜接到中文課的這個過程更加順利,本學年有些改變。從英語加強課要轉入中文課的時間,在一年中切為兩個時間點:一個是第一學期結束後,另一個是第二個學期結束後。當學生不需要額外的英語加強課,但是還是需要課內協助的學生,也是在這兩個時間點轉入中文課。
This will allow additional time for EAL children to consolidate in any areas of need. Additionally, the CLC department will be in a better position to set-up incoming pupils for success as they will be able to deliberately cater for children, with these transitions in mind.
所以英語加強班的孩子,將有更足夠的時間來強化所有的學習。中文部也更能照顧所有從英語加強班轉出來的孩子,鞏固這些學生的中文學習。
Chinese Read Aloud Competition results - by Ms Yun-Yeh Tsai
On 12th June, we had our final Chinese Read Aloud Competition for Year 4 CFL students. Congratulations to all the participants. Your hard work and dedication has resulted in your success!
We would like to announce:
Eco-Committee Donates to the Paiwan Tribe! - by Mrs Rebecca Preston
Late last year, the Eco-Committee called out for clothes donations to help raise funds for projects around the school. Thanks to the very generous donations from across TES, we were able to raise a whopping $17,475 NTD to go towards the Eco-Committee school projects!
This was a fantastic cause, not only to support reusing our resources and practising minimalism, but also highlighting the terrible consequences of ‘fast fashion’. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that clothes production produces 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions every year, and uses around 1.5 trillion litres of water annually. This is before we mention that every year, 300,000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfills in the UK alone, according to Andrew Brooks 2019 book, Clothing Poverty. These figures are terrifying, and the fact that we as a school were able to do something to make a difference is to be celebrated. Thank you to all families who took the time to sort through their clothing and donate quality items that could be sold for a good cause.
Afterwards, we had many items of clothing left over. With help from Mr. Ian Armstrong, Dean of Year 8 in the BSHS, all of the items remaining were donated to the Wutan Community Development Association, an aboriginal Paiwan tribe located in Pingtung County. To be able to promote awareness of pressing environmental issues, raise funds for the Eco-Committee, and also donate to a local organisation, is a wonderful thing, and it is thanks to both the families of TES and the hardworking students of the Eco-Committee that this was made possible. Thank you again for all your wonderful support, and know that you have made a positive difference in the world!
Mrs. Preston
Brooks, Andrew. Clothing Poverty: the Hidden World of Fast Fashion and Second-Hand Clothes. Zed Books, 2019.
Shukla, P.R. et al. “Climate Change and Land.” Special Report on Climate Change and Land - IPCC Site, 2019, www.ipcc.ch/srccl.
Smoothie Heaven! - by Mr David O' Connor
Top Tips for a safe E summer - by Mr Craig Gamble and Mr Keith Gosling
In an increasingly digital world it is important that we teach our children how to minimise potential risks online so that they can benefit from this resource whilst staying safe. How can we, as parents, help keep our children safe?
There are many questions surrounding digital safety and sadly, it is not so much a case of if your child will be exposed to something negative on the internet but more a case of when.
Here are some suggestions that may help you allow your children to have a safer experience.
Talk to your child.
Help them think about who sees what they share online and whether this is appropriate. Remember whatever you put online can stay on the internet forever.
Protect personal information.
Use usernames that do not reveal important information, do not use real names or places.
Identities
Remember, not everyone is who they say they are online. Photographs, names, ages and addresses can all be fake.
Content
Do you know what apps/games your children play – have you checked that the content is appropriate?
Discussion
Discuss with your children what appropriate content is; set boundaries and rules with regards gameplay and messaging.
Review
Regularly review your rules and check for new apps/games. Review browser histories together to ensure you are happy with the content your child is accessing. If you have children of different ages, this may mean you have different ideas on what is appropriate for each age group.
Privacy
Apps often have Privacy Settings, check that they are set at a level that you are happy with so that your child is safe online.
Social Media
Apps often have minimum age requirements and this is for the protection of children.
For example, these apps all have a minimum age requirement of 13 years old, to own an account.
Mr Gamble’s top tip website:https://www.childnet.com/
Mr Gosling’s top tip website: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
A great website for checking content of movies, games, apps and more. Reviews and ratings from Common Sense Media, parents and children!
Have a safe, fun filled summer and when possible….
Last FRIDAY MUSIC CORNER of this year - LET'S ENJOY THE MUSIC!
IMPORTANT REMINDER BY MR LUKE CHAETER
Uniform Shop Opening Hour
The shop will be opened a week before school starts. It opens from 9:30 to 15:30 on 17 August. Back to regular hours from 24 August.
制服店預計在8月17日開始營業, 從早上9點半至下午3點半, 為期一周, 24日起回到正常時段
Message from Mrs Nadia Thul
Dear Parents,
As many of you know we had our last PTA meeting last week Thursday. It has been an unusual year, with new challenges and situations to cope with. At the beginning of this year I set my personal goal to build a welcoming and transparent PTA and this way increase the number of parents which want to get involved with PTA activities. I believe I have achieved my main goal just by looking at the high numbers of attendees at the AGM.
This wouldn’t be possible with the strong support of Mr. Chaeter and all PTA members and parents which were all the time on my side. I am especially grateful for my core officers Gloria Chou, Yvonne Mountford and Jessica Wang Simula, love you ladies.
The AGM purpose is beside reviewing the year, also to announce the new PTA for the coming school year. I am happy to see that Jessica Wang Simula will follow me as a PTA chair. She has been a great mum to work with and I believe she has the ability to bring our community even closer together. Below she will introduce herself and I add the AGM meeting minutes. I wish you a nice and relaxing summer break.
Yours Nadia Thul
Message from Mrs Jessica Wang Simula
It is an honour to be the new Chair of the BPPTA. I joined the PTA and the school only 1.5 years ago, but have felt welcomed right from the beginning. I love how active and diverse our PTA is, and how much everyone is willing to contribute in so many different ways.
It has been an absolute privilege to work with Nadia. She has worked tirelessly to engage people, to build a community where members communicate, share and support one another. I have also been inspired by all the wonderful volunteers who have demonstrated a real “can-do” attitude and willingness to get their hands dirty to get the job done.
I wish Nadia all the best in her new pursuits, and can only hope to continue with all the good work she has done. Many of this year’s projects were put on hold, but hopefully we can make them happen in the next academic year and have some FUN. Finally, I just want to wish you all a lovely summer, and I look forward to seeing you in the new semester.
Yours Jessica Wang Simula
Taipei European School British Primary Section
Website: https://taipeieuropeanschool.com/index.php?id=120
Location: No. 99, Fuguo Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111
Phone: +886-2-8145-9007
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/British-Primary-Section-Taipei-European-School-1781787432102978/