the
HARROVIAN
the newsletter of Harrow International School Bangkok
Creative
Arts Week
Report and Photographs
inside this issue…
Vol 18 No 14
June 17th 2016
From the Head Master
Dear Friends,
On reflection, yesterday's Harrow Bangkok Sports Awards 2016 were a marvellous celebration of sporting achievement
in our School; I am so pleased to see sport so highly valued amongst our community. Sport not only provides
outstanding physical experiences, it's so valuable for learning lessons for life; resilience, planning and preparation, team
work, discipline… Through these opportunities our students are better able to achieve balance in their lives - 'healthy
body, healthy mind'.
This is always a good event, however this year was particularly worthy of celebration for two reasons. Firstly, the quality
of performances of our students, both individually and in team sports, has been at an all-time high this year, with some
very notable successes across the range of activities. This is a direct reflection of the current quality of sports coaching
and the levels of participation that are now being experienced in all the extra curricular sports clubs as well as our four
new sports academies. We've also seen unprecedented levels of success at both BISAC and FOBISIA level,
notwithstanding our successful hosting of the Primary FOBISIA Games last month.
Secondly, we are mindful of the sporting year ahead as it will witness more new ground being broken. We'll be launching
our fifth sports academy, The Harrow Golf Academy, providing great coaching and playing opportunities to academy
members, for excellent value and in a programme that's co-ordinated with our students' study commitments. Additionally,
we've also been invited to apply to join the SEASAC regional sports conference that will eventually give opportunities for
competition at a high level again, particularly for older (Varsity) students. Our application will be submitted towards the
end of the year although we'll be participating in some SEASAC events next year on a test basis as a guest school.
SEASAC sports involvement will lift sport at Harrow Bangkok to another level again, to the benefit of all.
We aim to engender in our students a love of sport and desire to be sporty for life – my congratulations to our athletes,
Mr Preston and the Harrow Bangkok sports community for their efforts in this direction.
Best wishes for your weekend and see you at Speech Day and House Shout next Friday,
Mick Farley
THE HARROVIAN
Lower School News
From the Head of Lower School
Last Saturday, our students hosted our third Pre Prep Festival of Friendship. Children from Khlong Toei (Urban Neighbours of
Hope) and Huay Waii joined in a day of games and friendship in which our Harrow students showed immense respect, friendship
and care to our visitors with maturity beyond their years.
Our visitors from Huay Waii travelled from a small village school in a community with a rich heritage of textile creation and an
ancient language they are working hard to retain. They were a pleasure to host and even provided us with a traditional dance to
end our proceedings. In hosting this event, our students were able to apply and develop their leadership attributes and we hope
that our visitors were provided with an opportunity to enjoy experiences not always available to them. Thank you Mr Williams for
all the work that went in to such a special event. Thanks to parents and staff for all your help.
Five more days to go! This being the last Harrovian edition of the academic year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish our
Year 5 students every success as they graduate from Pre Prep into Preparatory Phase. It has been a pleasure working with you
all and I know that if you keep up the hard work that many of you are destined for great things.
Best wishes also to those staff moving on this year and thanks and praises go especially to Karen Riley and Meredith Alexander in
the EYC who have been such a pleasure to work with in my first two years in Bangkok and more importantly have added so much
value to the school over many years. Thanks also to Miss Jo, my Deputy, who will now be the Head of our Human Resources
Department. Jo has looked after me since my start here and has been the glue holding everything together in our team. For this
reason, I know she will be invaluable in her new role and I wish her the best of luck.
Final thanks to all our parents for helping to make this year so successful. Thanks to the FOBISIA playmakers, the class reps, the
60s dancers, the sand-builders, the musicians, the parent helpers, the chefs, the stall holders, the sponsors and all mums and
dads who are our backbone and support.
Looking forward to seeing many of you in our Speech Day next week. Happy Holidays.
Nicholas Prockter
Nursery trip to Little Gym
This month the Nursery children ventured out of Harrow Bangkok on their first School trip to Little Gym at Central Chaengwattana.
Everyone was looking forward to it and were very excited about going on a new adventure with their classmates. All the children
demonstrated confidence in embracing the new experience.
At the Little Gym the children took part in physical challenges, which allowed them to practice and strengthen their gymnastics
skills. Jumping, rolling, balancing and swinging were all incorporated into the activities. It was an excellent opportunity for our
young learners to demonstrate determination and achieve the iRule ‘I Go For It’ as they succeeded in overcoming challenges.
The Nursery Team
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
A busy week for Year 3
It has been a busy week in Year 3. On Wednesday, 8th June, we hosted a ‘Care and Share’ event, where our students presented
all their work from this year to their parents in their classrooms. It was a wonderful experience for the children to showcase their
work and practise their presentation skills. The event was well attended and we are grateful to all that came along to participate in
the afternoon with us. It was a pleasure to see so many smiling faces and witness the pride of parents and children alike.
The following day, we went on a field trip to Ayutthaya to observe treasures that were unearthed in the ancient capital. The
children visited the Chao Sam Phraya Museum, along with Wat Mahathat and Wat Ratchaburana. The experience brought to life
what we had been learning about in class. We discussed the significance of treasures at those sites and we related this to Howard
Carter’s Egyptian discoveries.
Tom O’Dowd
THE HARROVIAN
Year 5 Expo proves a huge success
On Thursday 2nd June, Year 5 turned the Infant Rooftop into a theme park full of work they had produced over the past term. On
display were spectacular working fairground models made by the pupils themselves, hands-on science experiments and
breath-taking fantasy stories. Visitors were amazed to see moving carousels, big wheels and even a pivoting ride inspired by a trip
to Dreamworld and this term’s Science focus on ‘Forces’. Their imagination carried over into their fantasy stories inspired by the
world of ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ with writing so impressive that they could be found on the shelves of Asia
Books! It really was a fairground of fun and a fantastic showcase of the children’s learning.
Jennifer Barbour
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Lower School Music
This year we have seen some amazing instrument players in the Lower School from Year 1 to Year 5. The Mini Concerts
highlight some of these talented musicians. Every child learns the recorder in Year 3 and we have the Rotational Instrumental
Programme in Year 4. In Year 5, we have 12 different instrument groups where the children all performed brilliantly on their
instruments. Well done, everyone!
Terry Luna, Head of Lower School Music
News from the Library
Prep Reading Achievements recognised
In the Prep Assembly on 6th June three students who have made an exceptional commitment to their reading this year were recognised. Between them Grace (S6), Hill (N7) and Yangyi (S8) have read over 250 books this year and have covered a wide range
of subjects and authors in the process.
Summer Reading Challenge 2016
This summer the Lower and Upper School libraries encourage you to keep reading! Reading recommendations lists for Lower
School and Prep Phase students have been revised and re-published and are available for download from Dash.
Lower School students are invited to complete a Summer Six Book Challenge over the vacation. As the title suggests students
need to read a total of six books, recording the titles they have tackled and writing short reviews in the Summer Challenge leaflets.
Upper School students, staff and parents are invited to go one step further and make a book trailer. Book trailers have become the
latest marketing tool used by authors and publishers in their efforts to gain attention. Full details of both challenges are available
from the Library and can be found on Dash and the school website.
To support you in the challenge we encourage you to borrow from the Library before the library closes on 23rd June. Books
checked out will be due for return at the end of August giving you more than two months to complete the summer challenge and
enjoy the books you have chosen.
Whichever challenge you choose to complete this summer, we hope you will read, relax and be inspired.
Alison Jeffery, Upper School Librarian
Jennifer Bell, Lower School Teacher-Librarian
THE HARROVIAN
Upper School News
From the Head of Upper School
As I get to the end of my first year in this wonderful community, I look back with a sense of pride at the many accomplishments of
our students. To list them all would probably fill an entire copy of the Harrovian. Over the last few weeks, with our eldest students
involved in external exams, and our youngest having finished their internal exams, we have had many opportunities to show our
House spirit. The wonderful swimming gala and the fantastic Prep production were just two of the many events that allow us to
showcase some of our wonderful talent.
The summer should be a time to take stock of the past year and plan for the next year. Students will reflect on their successes and
areas where they wish to improve their performance. They also need to rest and have fun. One thing that they should continue to
do over the summer though is use English as much as possible. A two month break is a long time in language development. If
they stop using English, many of their competitors in other schools will continue and gain a significant linguistic advantage.
Students should aim to speak English where possible and read books, magazines and websites in English.
I would like to finish by thanking our hard working students, our staff and our extremely supportive parent body. I hope you have a
restful summer and look forward to welcoming you back in August.
Jonny Liddell
Prep Leavers’ Assembly
The final Prep assembly took place in style with our Prep Leaders Olya and Z-Za taking the lead on the day. With a packed
agenda we took time to reflect on the year with a video montage created by Keen and thoughtfully chosen words by the student
leaders; very fitting for a time when Year 8 students are progressing to the next exciting phase in their education. Medals were
awarded for the Too Fast Too Furious swimming event and the popular Prep Reading Quiz. The main event was the
announcement of Prep Leadership Award winners. Congratulations to the following for their exceptional leadership this year:
Contributing positively to the community – Nemo S6
Applying knowledge with compassion - Tara So7
Solving problems collaboratively- Jorge B6
Solving problems creatively- Oung-Ouey N6
Making just choices – Bogie So7
Facing challenges with determination – Jinny S7
The assembly was top and tailed by some of our talented musicians; Keen, Paris, Andy and Mac.
It was a great pleasure to stand before the Prep students for a second time since arriving at Harrow Bangkok; already having
seen them learn, develop and succeed this term. Time was taken to acknowledge staff moving on this year and to wish Year 8
pupils well as they move into Year 9 as confident and well-rounded young people.
All the best for the break ahead and I look forward to welcoming students back in August.
Libby Fox, Head of Prep Phase
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
IGCSE Development Studies
On Saturday 4th June, the Year 10 Development Studies students flew up to Chiang Rai for their fieldtrip. Their time was spent
studying the Fang Valley and rural development issues associated with it. With the flip chart paper out and lots of post-its, the
students shared and developed their knowledge of farming, rural areas and poverty. In the afternoon, they visited the Upland
Holistic Development Project where they found out about seed propagation and banks, composting, agroforestry and backyard
agriculture opportunities. On Sunday, they planned their own research projects to compare the level of development of three Lahu
villages at varying distances from the main road. It was wonderful to see the students carrying out their own research, interviewing
local people and interacting with the hill tribe children. This was the first time we took the Development Studies students up
separately but as a result of their commitment and the opportunities for research provided, we will certainly add it to the calendar
for next year.
Kathryn Gavin
THE HARROVIAN
Creative Arts Week
Seeds of creativity are constantly scattered around our School in many areas and the blossom is out for all to see in the Prep
School Creative Arts Week. There has been an array of events throughout the week showcasing and celebrating our students’
artistic talent.
For the artistic, there is the exhibition. Cell-inspired textile work, digitally produced recipe illustrations, animations with puppetry
exploring old age and wire sculptures of clothes showed the wacky, experimental and playful side of Art married with crosscurricular topics. All this was neatly balanced with the more traditional painting, print-making, sgraffito and collage; skills that will
be built upon in their move to the Senior School.
For the theatrical, there is Sleeping Beauty. Thirty three pupils pulled together a large-scale alternative production of the classical
tale we all know so well. There was dancing, singing, fantastic acting and loud farting. The pupils really took control of the play
and to the audience it was like watching a big happy party on stage with everyone smiling and enjoying themselves.
For the dancers, there is Bollywood. The whole of Year 7 bounced the roof off the Infants building with their Bhangra beats.
For the musicians, there is the Showcase. Music events took place throughout the year and it is always great to see a crowd of
friends and parents gather to appreciate our students’ talents.
For the creative, there is the Year 6 Challenge Day. Music, Art and Drama came together when the elements of Chinese Opera
get broken up into three loud, bright and spirituals acts. Chinese drums provided the noise, constructed Chinese Opera costumes
and masks provided the colour and a Tai Chi inspired dance provided the Zen.
The energy and enthusiasm in which students have embraced creativity is truly admirable. It has to be seen to be properly
appreciated. If you missed it, take a look at this year’s photos, which may inspire to come and see the real thing next year.
Duna Carbonell
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
THE HARROVIAN
IGCSE Geography Field Trip
A group of 68 IGCSE Geography students visited the Maekok River Village Resort Educational Centre from the 5-8th June to
complete their Geography fieldwork in preparation for their examination next year. They undertook river studies where they
measured cross sections, velocity and gradient then followed up in the classroom to apply their primary data to a set of pre-set
hypotheses. The students also visited Fang, where they attempted to delimit the Central Business District, a Shan and a Lahu
village to compare their levels of development and the Thanaton Orangery to look at commercial farming. Finally, they undertook
an enquiry to compare an area of primary forest with a deforested area which had initially been used by the hill tribes for shifting
cultivation but has now been fully cleared for agriculture. The group were all actively involved in the tasks, built up their
understanding of fieldwork and their ability to collect and analyse data in a myriad of ways. Thanks go to the accompanying staff,
Khun Tum, Khun Aom, Mr Chadwick, Mr Wardrobe, Mrs Prout, Mrs Wilson and lastly for Mrs Chappell, for whom, sadly, this was
her last fieldtrip at Harrow Bangkok.
Kathryn Gavin
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Harrow Students Shine in Economics Essay Competition
Congratulations to Uno (B12) and Peem (C12) who achieved 1 st and 3rd places respectively, for their essays on sustainable
development in the Bangkok Economics Essay Competition (BEEC) 2016.
Top young economists from international schools throughout Bangkok took part in the essay competition which was judged by Dr
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn
University.
This year, the BEEC awards ceremony was followed by at trip to the Bank of Thailand where a group, which included 14 Harrow
Bangkok students, received a talk from Director of Monetary Policy, Dr Roong Mallikamas and a tour of the facilities.
James Beere
Head of Social Sciences Faculty
THE HARROVIAN
Community News
Magic Moments: ‘Farewell, with love, from the Gents of Harrow…’
Friday 3rd June was an evening spent with probably the most eligible young bachelors of Harrow Bangkok - The Gentlemen of
Harrow. Not only were they charming, suave and sophisticated, they could also sing as well…. and oh boy could they
sing – there were moments in the evening when there was not a dry eye in the house!
It was certainly an evening to remember, the tables were set, the lights were dimmed and the ambience just perfect as we
embarked on a delightful musical journey down memory lane. The Gents presented songs both old and new as well as a good
variety of up-tempo items to contrast with the smooth close harmony sounds of the more romantic and reflective numbers.
Accompanying the musical delights of the evening there were also culinary delights on offer masterminded by Epicure’s Catering
Manager Ben and Head Chef, Khun Sunny.
There were notable vocal solos from Nikko, Josh, Paul, Tabby and Allen, with a special guest appearance by a delightful old
Harrovian – Numhom who joined the Gents in three songs, concluding in the spirited performance of ‘In My Fantasy’ by Ennio
Morricone.
The evening would have not been the same without the magical ingenuity of our in-house magician extraordinaire – Nikko.
Likewise, other Gents also weaved their musical magic through instrumental performances from Pao Pao, Aum, Phu Pha and
George accompanied by Khun Bou at the piano.
As the evening drew to a close we knew that it had indeed been an evening full of ‘Magic Moments’.
Chris Johnson
Our talented young musicians perform at BACC
Five Harrow Bangkok students performed in the ABRSM High Scorer Concert at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre,
celebrating ABRSM examination candidates who achieved the highest scores in their disciplines in practical exams last
year. This event gives candidates an opportunity to share their achievements with a wider audience. Certificates were
presented by ABRSM Development Executive, Mr Bill Thomson. A very enjoyable evening for talented students and
proud teachers alike.
Performers from Harrow Bangkok:
Pye, N6 - Grade 1 Singing; Bua, So7 - Grade 2 Cello; Jasmine, C8 - Grade 3 Trumpet
Noina, K9 - Grade 8 Violin; Dol, C9 - Grade 5 Trumpet; David Hyland, C13 - Grade 7 Cello
Khun Waisit
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Numhom guests with the Gentlemen of Harrow
Social Networking and Live Video Streaming Advice
Social networking describes a variety of services like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Skype, Snapchat, Bigo and others.
All of these services enable direct interaction between individuals. Users can post information about themselves, display photos,
tell people what they’ve been up to, chat and play games. Social networking forms a part of the social identity of many teenagers.
A particular concern is the popularity of live video streaming apps such as Bigo. These apps are completely open to the outside
world – anyone could watch a video being streamed through such an app and there is a genuine possibility they could also use
technology to locate your child. The content of these live video streaming apps is not moderated and there is a danger that your
child could witness illegal behaviour, pornographic material or other harmful videos.
It is also important that your children do not put pressure on others to upload videos to apps such as Bigo. There is the possibility
that in doing so, they could be committing an offence.
What can you do?
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Stay involved in your child’s use of technology. Set up your own account and learn about privacy settings
Check age restrictions for the social networking service or app (if your child is under the permitted age, they should not be
using it)
Help your child set their accounts to private so only their friends can view their information
Encourage your child to think before they post anything online. Digital footprints cannot be removed – they could have a
long term impact on your child
Check that your child has turned off any location services on their phone – this will ensure their location is not broadcasted
to the world
Remind your child to be careful when making friends online; people may not be who they say they are. Never arrange to
meet an online friend without a trusted adult present
Talk to your child about the dangers of live video streaming – this is not regulated; Anyone could be watching your child
with location services enabled on their phone
Tell your children to never pressurise anyone into uploading videos or pictures online – this could open them up to possible
criminal conviction
Report any concerns to your child’s Head of House or Prep House Leader
Further advice on a range of cyber safety issues can be found on the Harrow Bangkok website .
James Mower and the Pastoral Leadership Team
Ballarat Exchange 2016
The Ballarat (Australia) Exchange comes to an end this week as our Harrow Bangkok students return from Australia on Saturday
morning.
It has been a great three weeks for the group of six students with their host families in the city of Ballarat, about an hour west of
Melbourne. This year’s group was: Tang Tang (So8), Pimm (C8), Ollie (S8), Ajay (So8), Stanley (K8) and Beam (B8).
The group has attended a game of that great Australian sporting tradition of Australian Rules Football; visited the historical town of
Sovereign Hill to find out how some parts of Australia, such as Ballarat, grew from the gold mining boom of the 1800s; interacted
with the unique Australian wildlife such as kangaroos and koalas at a free-range wildlife park. The group was even interviewed for
the local newspaper.
This is the 10th year of the Ballarat Exchange programme and it continues to go from strength to strength here at Harrow Bangkok.
Philip Alexander, Harrow Exchanges Coordinator
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Boarding
This academic year has seen some extraordinary activities,
developments and improvements for our boarders – ensuring
that they have a well-rounded life with an abundance of
opportunities. For this final article for this academic year, it is
with great pride that I am able to share just some of the
elements we offer:
The introduction of wellbeing workshops, including child
protection, stress management, friendships and study skills.
Creative art resources in abundance
Music practice provisions including two pianos, drum kit,
guitars
Cycling proficiency
Jewellery making
Baking, a lot
Capture the flag during prep time
Halloween party
Christmas stockings for all
A mega Songkran celebration
Treasure hunts
Chinese New Year celebrations
Kite making
Gap Olympics
Trips including:
the Aerial Factory, Wat Po, MOCA,
Shopping Malls, Night markets, Bounce,
Skiing (in Thailand!)
and the Board Games Café
Well-resourced academic support for the following subjects:
Art
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Computing
Economics
English
EAL
French
Geography
History
Maths
Music
Physics
P.E.
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Travel and Tourism
Well-resourced social provision including:
Sports Hall
Floodlit tennis courts and playing field
The swimming pool at weekends
Three pool tables
Three table tennis tables,
Air hockey,
Wii’s and Playstation
Hundreds of footballs and basketballs
Frisbees
Kites
Indoor curling,
Board games,
Lego
Oh….. and firing water bombs off the roof of the Hub (Ong
enjoyed that one!)
A strengthened House Circle and opportunities
for student voices to be heard and listened to
Talks from leading figures in the world including Jerry Gore
from Action 4 Diabetes
The Gap Haunted House Experience x2!
Minute to win it team games
Climbing Mount Everest (or the equivalent height)
Bright, high quality, spacious accommodation that is, by far,
the best in the region
Three unique Boarding House identities, yet an integrated
‘Village’ community that cultivates independence and
confidence
To all staff and students, have a wonderful summer break.
Farewell to our leavers and to those coming back, get ready
for another year of living in the moment.
Tim Mcdonald,
Director of Boarding
THE HARROVIAN
Mae La
Last week I took an opportunity to visit the Mae La refugee camp in Tak Province on the Thai/Burmese border. It was a privilege
to meet members of the Mobile Education Partnerships, a charity that Harrow Bangkok supports. Along with other members of the
Harrow Bangkok community, I enjoyed a tour of a high school which has some provision for boarding students. The sense of
optimism in the face of an uncertain future was apparent in the staff, the sheer enjoyment of being at school was evident on every
student’s face.
Words and photographs: Nic Salmon, Editor
Shared bedroom in the boarding building
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Emma Marsh
Of Mobile
Education
Partnerships
Meeting the teaching staff. Ku Paw, Head Teacher, is pictured second from left
THE HARROVIAN
House charity event is a huge success
One of the greatest aspects of the Harrow Bangkok House system is when we are able to work together to achieve something
positive. Sunday 12th June was one such occasion where we had a visit from two of our House Charities - Place of Grace, a
charity looking after children from the forgotten slums of Bang Na and Rainbow House, a charity which looks after physically
disabled children and adults in Nontaburi.
Every House was represented as the children and adults were helped by Harrovians to play basketball, football, swim and even
enjoy a traditional game of ‘Morn Sawn Pah’. It was gratifying to see both charities enjoy the fantastic facilities that we have at
Harrow Bangkok and we occasionally take for granted. Both charities had a wonderful time and our students once again showed
that community service is an important part of what we value in the House System. A big thank you to all students and staff
involved.
Dan Bolt
Rock climbing charity event
On 11th June the climbing team and various friends, staff and students of Harrow Bangkok took on the challenge of collectively
climbing the height of Mount Everest in the space of 12 hours. This was in aid of a charity called Action 4 Diabetics who help
children with type 1 and 2 diabetes in underdeveloped areas of South East Asia.
At 9am on Saturday morning the School’s most committed climbers rocked up to the climbing wall and prepared for the long day
ahead, shortly followed by boarders and other students, even Mr Farley himself. A special mention to Tyler van den Berg who
climbed up and down the climbing wall an astonishing 900 times over the course of the day.
By 2pm (not even half way through the day) we had already achieved the goal of 8,848 meters (the height of Mount Everest). By
the end of the day, the 17,700 metre mark was broken and the atmosphere was not only one of relief, but one of excitement and
joy.
Along with sponsorship collected by the students, and participants and sponsorship from CMRCA (Chiang Mai Rock Climbing and
Adventure) and Harrow Bangkok itself we manage to raise over 100,000 THB for “Action 4 Diabetics”. Jack Hughes, a dedicated
member of the climbing team, alone managed to raise nearly 48,000 baht by collecting sponsors. Thanks to all involved.
Sam Davis
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
A message from our caterers
To all members of staff, teachers and friends of Harrow Bangkok:
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their efforts throughout the year. The success of our company and service
we provide is built on the efforts of our employees and in this past year, we have enjoyed many successful events here at Harrow
Bangkok. Thank you for the dedication, loyalty and commitment that each one of you has shown us.
We’ve come through a school year that was filled with many challenges and changes. As the Catering Manager, it’s fantastic to
know that we have such a reliable team on campus that run three different kitchen operations - in Boarding, the Early Years Centre and the main Dining Hall - at the same time. On behalf of Epicure Catering, please allow me to extend my personal and genuine appreciation to each and every one of our valued team for all their effort and contributions. Working with you this past year has
been a pleasure and we’re proud to have you all with us.
We offer our best wishes and happiness to all the Harrow Bangkok community and wish you a great summer break and look forward to welcome all of you back for the new school year 2016/2017!
It will be my pleasure to keep updating you on more interesting catering facts when we return. We’ve got a few more surprises and
plans for the new school year ahead, which we will update you on after the summer.
Sincerely,
Bernd Hartner
Contract Manager, Epicure Catering
THE HARROVIAN
Sports
Bangkok Falcons Gymnastics Championships at NIST – 11th & 12th June
NIST International School, Bangkok, played host for the Bangkok Falcons Gymnastics Championships on the 11th and 12th June.
Thirty four gymnasts from Harrow Bangkok competed, with schools and gymnastics clubs from Bangkok and two guest teams from
the Philippines.
This was the final competition of the year and our gymnasts last chance to show how all their hard work and dedication through
training had paid off. All of the Harrow Bangkok gymnasts performed exceptionally well against a tough field.
Outstanding performances were seen from many of our gymnasts across the weekend, especially our Level 1 gymnasts, many of
whom were competing in their first competition.
Stephanie Lee
Full results from Harrow Bangkok:
Level 1 Junior Boys
Alfie
1J
3rd Pommel Horse, 3rd Vault
Rex
2W
3rd Vault
Luisa
3H
2nd Uneven bars, 2nd Floor, 3rd Beam & 2nd All around
Plearn
4S
1st Uneven Bars
Level 3 Junior Girls
Team Bronze
Luisa (3H), Plearn (4S), Susie (3D), Pin (4S)
Level 3 Senior Girls
Cartoon
N8
2nd Vault, 2nd Floor
3D
3rd Rings, 2nd Parallel bars
Level 3 Junior Boys
Willy
Team Bronze
Willy (3D), Andrey (2W), Woon (So6)
Level 7 Girls
Proud
C9
1st Vault, 1st Beam, 2nd Uneven bars, 2nd Floor & 2nd All
around
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
House Swimming Gala 2016
On Thursday 9th June, the annual House Swimming Gala for Prep and Secondary students was held. In a change to the format
this year, the day started with a Water Polo tournament with Prep and Secondary divisions. This was a fantastic addition to the
day with some spectacular skills and fitness shown by the students. Both divisions were won by Nehru, with the Prep division
going to a penalty shoot-out after the scores were level at full time.
After a break, the rest of the students arrived at the pool to begin the swimming races. First off, the elite Swim Club stars
displayed their considerable skills in the Individual Medley race, with Z-Za (S8) being a standout performer, followed by the
remaining events.
After many individual and relay races, culminating in the amusing Staff Relay where the teachers attempt to remember their glory
days of school sport, Nehru were announced deserved winners overall on the day, very closely followed by Byron and Sonakul.
Philip Alexander
(Head of Keller House)
THE HARROVIAN
Sports Round-up
Firstly, we would like to say a huge thank you to all parents for their support for sport this academic year. We very much feel that
we have taken small steps in the right direction with sport at Harrow Bangkok, with many more big steps to follow.
We recently hosted the Primary FOBISIA Games which proved to be a huge success not only for our teams, but as an overall fun
festival of sport. Thank you very much to everyone that supported the Primary FOBISIA Games in some shape or form.
The academy programmes have been very successful in 2015-16 with over 700 students a part of one or more of the respective
year round programmes. For 2016-17, we are very pleased to announce the launch of a fifth academy – the Harrow Bangkok Golf
Academy. It will be led by Mr Paul Higginbotham, who has a long standing relationship with the School and Mr Trevor Godwin in
the role of Team Head Coach. The Golf Academy will operate out of the SIM golf facility just outside the school gates and will be
rebranded the ‘Harrow Bangkok Golf Academy’. Academy members will have access to this facility for six hours of tuition during
term time, plus unlimited use for practice during the week and at weekends. There will also be a weekend extension to the
programme in which students will play 18 holes of golf under the tutelage of professionals. Development programmes are also
available to younger students plus activities at local driving ranges.
As part of our strategic plan to improve the provision for sport for the whole School, we have been exploring options for joining a
new sports conference which fits our needs. We are in the middle of an application to SEASAC (South East Asian Student
Activities Conference), a very well established conference in the region with the current member schools coming from Bangkok,
Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Yangon and Hong Kong. The conference would encourage our students to keep playing sport
until they graduate, with the majority of the competition aimed at our Varsity teams. SEASAC will be an integral part to the
structure of our sports programme.
As part of the application process we are invited to a selection of SEASAC sports/activities events in 2016-17 (Cross-country,
Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming, MUN and Arts Festival), which will give us a fantastic insight into what is to come. We will be part of
a development conference in 2016-17, SEAFA, that follows the same format as SEASAC for all other Varsity sports which will
provide the perfect platform to prepare for when we hopefully gain full SEASAC membership in 2017-18.
When joining a new conference, we also have to look at our current commitments. BISAC provides regular competition in
Bangkok and provides many of our students many opportunities to access competitive sport, and we will continue to be fully
committed to this organisation. We are also a member of FOBISIA, and whilst we will always keep this membership, we are
looking specifically at which FOBISIA Games are still best fit for our sports programmes. Therefore, for 2016-17, we have decided
to not enter the Under 15 Games, but we are still able to attend all other FOBISIA events.
We are always looking to ensure that the sports facilities available to our students are of the highest standards, and we have three
upgrade projects taking place this summer. The projects include; resurfacing and improved irrigation system on the sports fields,
refurbishment of Lower School swimming changing facilities and a full re-paint the playing surface of the tennis courts.
Thank you for your continued support for sport at Harrow Bangkok – the future is bright! Go Lions!
Mike Preston, Director of Sport
HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
Harrow Bangkok were proud to host the A3 Primary FOBISIA Games from Wednesday 25th - Sunday 29th May. The 5 visiting
schools from Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and The Philippines competed with Harrow Bangkok in the four disciplines of
Athletics, Swimming, Tee-ball and Football, with 1150 medals and 48 trophies up for grabs. It was fantastic to see all teams
demonstrating a high level of performance whilst also competing in a fantastically sporting manner. This helped create a highly
enjoyable atmosphere for a fun festival of sport.
Our teams did extremely well and all coaches are very proud of their achievements. Many individual medals were won, but here
is a summary of the overall team's performance:
Athletics - 3rd overall
Swimming - 2nd overall
Tee-ball - Y4 3rd place, Y5 5th place, Y6 1st place
Football - Y4 Boys 1st place, Y4 Girls 3rd place, Y5 Boys 1st place, Y5 Girls 1st place, Y6 Boys 4th place, Y6 Girls 3rd place.
A huge thank you goes to all Harrow Bangkok staff and parents that made this event a huge success.
Chris Rock
THE HARROVIAN
Thank you to everyone who
contributed this academic
year
THE HARROVIAN
THANK YOU NIC SALMON
This issue we say a fond farewell to
Harrovian editor Nic Salmon. Nic has
been a member of the Harrow Bangkok
community for 10 years, and has been
the editor of the Harrovian for 4, as well
as the editor of the Lion Year Book for
8 years. A keen photographer, he is a
familiar sight around campus, camera
in hand, capturing the spirit of the
School within the pages of this
magazine. He works hard to ensure
that each issue is packed with high
quality pictures and engaging articles.
Thank you Nic and enjoy your retirement!
THE HARROVIAN
The Back Page
Namsai achieves Distinction at University of the Arts, London
Namsai left Harrow Bangkok in 2015 having gained CIE’s Top in the World for AS Art and Top in Thailand for A2, then on to study
at Camberwell Art College, University of the Arts, London.
Her school art projects were always highly conceptual and very personal. Visitors to last year’s Sixth Form Exhibition will no doubt
remember the profoundly moving waterfall painting of her grandmother in which she achieved a level of photorealist detail. She
has now combined this conceptual approach with her love for fashion in her decision to study for a BA (Hons) in Footwear Design
at Cordwainers College.
The Pleasure and Pain exhibition at the V&A Museum, along with designer Andrei Chaves’ 3D printed exoskeleton ‘invisible
shoes’, provided Namsai’s inspiration to create a pair of Magnetic shoes for her final project this year. The idea was her response
to the theme of magnets, and the way in which they can restrict or control movement. Namsai recently came back to Harrow
Bangkok to experiment with iron filings, staples and magnetic fluid in the Physics Lab. The way magnets forced smooth, spiky
patterns captivated her and so she started to design shoes where the iron filings stick to the structure as you walk.
Her ambition is to be part of London Fashion Week and one day to have her own international shoe design brand. Watch this
space!
Jane Young, Head of Art
Namsai’s advice to Harrow Bangkok students thinking of studying Art at university:
Be independent – you won’t get the same level of support or teacher input as you do at Harrow Bangkok!
Keep an open mind – art colleges want to see creative thinking and a willingness to experiment. Being good at drawing is not
enough, you need to play with ideas, use unusual materials, change things that you have found into sculptures and make your
own clothes. You need to be different to stand out.
Many thanks to all those who have
contributed to the Harrovian this year.
In particular, thanks to Julia Harrison for proofreading.
Nic Salmon, Editor