FRIDAY FLYER-Issue 82
27 Sep 2019
Headmaster’s Review
It is a great pleasure to be able to write to all parents, and guardians, at the outset of this fortnightly ‘Friday Flyer’. Indeed, as I pen these few words, it is wonderful to survey the horizon beyond ECiM and not feel submerged by the haze. Unfortunately, the haze situation has dominated the last fortnight at the College, and beyond, and it is fitting that we cover the causes and consequences of this important issue in this publication. Equally, however, as I remarked to the pupils at Tuesday’s Assembly, we are proud of the way in which our young community reacted; they tackled the difficulties of air pollution, and being cooped up in Boarding Houses, with characteristic good grace and an energised approach to their studies. It brought cheer to the heart in challenging times.
Good schools, of course, strive to commend both individual and collective performances, and recent College Assemblies have provided a setting to acclaim admirable EAL examination achievements and outstanding endeavour in the World Scholars’ Cup. Well done to all the pupils involved in these pursuits. Furthermore, as a recognition of outstanding individual attainment, it would be remiss to not mention both the splendid International Award celebrations, with Prince Edward in attendance, and our Head of College’s deserved accolades at the Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards on Saturday 21st September, where Alea (Yang Ni) was awarded for her spectacular results at IGCSE in 2018; with the ‘Highest Mark in Malaysia’ (for IGCSE Biology & English Literature) and an amazing ‘Highest Mark in the World’ (IGCSE Mathematics). These are superb achievements and a template for us all to follow.
The opening weeks of term, despite the haze, have also witnessed the discernible pleasures of boarding school life, with a sequence of weekend trips allowing the camaradarie of House culture to develop. It is therefore insightful, within this Flyer, to read of the ongoing development of the new Holman House and features on the routines of our superb Boarding Houses will remain a key element of forthcoming Friday Flyers.
There are a multitude of exciting events in the coming weeks, including the keenly anticipated House Choral Competition, and there was a magnificent musical warm-up on Thursday 26th September with the first Sunset Serenade of the year. On a personal note, I look forward to hosting both the College Prefects and Prep School Parents (Years 4-6) at the Headmaster’s House next week. We will highlight these occasions in the next Flyer.
For now, I hope you enjoy reading these insights into our exceptional pupils’ lives, starting with the reviews of Carr, Granville and Holman. As always, I thank you for your continued and generous support of the College.
With best wishes,
Dr Tod
Headmaster
Carr House
As I write this first Friday Flyer of the academic year I look back on the past four weeks with immense joy. It has been a pleasure to welcome and get to know all of the new students and staff to Carr House and to catch up with familiar faces. A big focus in these first few weeks is on getting to know one another. This is made much easier through the huge range of competitions, activities and trips on offer here at Epsom.
In Week 2, Carr boys experienced the first House event of this academic year with the House Football competition. Our Year 9 boys did exceptionally well beating Granville House 3-1, only narrowly losing to Propert House 1-0 in the last minutes of the game, and it was a 1-1 draw against Holman which we unfortunately lost on the penalty shootout. Nevertheless, this put us second place out of four teams. Not bad to say that two of those teams were senior Houses. The Year 7 and 8 boys also gave a good account of themselves against a talented Holman team. Although we did not win the competition I was impressed with the spirit shown by the boys and especially the growing communication and teamwork between them. This augurs well for future occasions and we are already in the planning stages for the next competition, House Music, which we have eagerly been preparing for and cannot wait for performance night on 11th October.
Student voice is incredibly important and to this end the Carr House Council has already met three times this term to discuss suggestions from the boys. I very much look forward to seeing their plans and ideas being put into action in the coming weeks. One of the tasks of the House Council is to organise activities for the House. We have been treated to a huge range of activities this term, providing endless opportunities for social interaction, including scavenger hunts, escape room puzzles, ‘manhunt’, board games, movie nights, video game tournaments and an ‘Instagram’ challenge to name but a few.
Many of these activities take place in ‘Family Groups’. We have four Families in Carr House all named after types of deer – the Carr House mascot. They are Moose, Elk (currently in first place on the Family Leaderboard), Caribou and Sambar. We can all get a little comfortable sometimes and tend to socialise with the same people. By mixing the pupils in this way a few times a week we challenge them to step outside of their comfort zones and enjoy socialising and building relationships with boys from different cultures and nationalities. Weekend trips provide another opportunity for our boarders to get to know one another better. Thus far we have been treated to days out at an adventure park and ice skating.
We love to celebrate success in Carr House. Here are just a few achievements of the past few weeks:
Carrite of the Week:
Vash Aezley Mar Mier – Nik Imran Nik Mohammed Sharifidin – Benjamin Nichols – Rios Soshi
High Merit Earners:
Tokutaro Kikuchi (9) – Benjamin Nichols (9) – Alex Lee (8) Avelino Don Tamoakai Ong (8) – Jayden Lim (9) – Nik Imran Nik Mohammed Sharifidin (8) – Youngmok Kim (8) – Vash Aezley Mar Mier (15) – Faizi Shamsil (9)
As a result of their efforts Carr House is leading the boys’ Houses in the number of merits awarded. (Our challenge now is to catch up with the girls’ Houses!)
U14s’ Football Captain
Daewon Kim has been selected (from a very strong field – no pun intended) to captain the U14 boys’ football team. A talented sportsman, Daewon’s achievement is thoroughly well deserved.
Congratulations to all of the above and I very much look forward to the achievements yet to come.
Mr Mark Loveday
Carr Housemaster
Granville House
The start of the term has definitely seen a wide range of activities, events, lessons, prep and varied air quality. As a new Housemaster to Granville the boys really have made me and my family feel welcome and it is clear that there is a lot of passion for the House and pride in Granville as a whole. For the other new Staff and Students to the House, either previously from Carr or new to the College, the boys and Mr Azmil have also helped to make the transition and settling in period very smooth.
Past and Present Granvillians – the sphere of influence keeps expanding.
The House is a lively place with noodles cooking, dramatic games of ping pong, development of House ‘cheers’ and a keenness to get shared activities and spaces working to heighten everyone’s enjoyment and time in the House. We have new family groups named after Gods and they have been taking to their responsibilities around the House well. They’ve also been tasked with designing a use for the old sensory room. A range of ideas and some creative presentations have come in from ‘a cafe’ to a ‘multi media room’.
House football was the first big event of the year. The boys played well, gave it their all (and more) but weren’t successful in winning the competition. I was really impressed with the boys’ efforts and commitment as we were short of numbers and therefore substitutes. The heat eventually got to us, but we did see lots of successes – a fair few goals, lots of talent shown, great House spirit and grit. They truly displayed the House motto of ‘Frangas Non Flectes’.
As reigning champions of the House Choral competition we are feeling the pressure to perform well and to maintain the tradition of strong Granville performances in this event. The boys are beginning to increase the practice for the Unison, the part song is ticking along and the new addition of an instrumental round has allowed for a new area of creativity and involvement.
House Choral practice during the Haze closure
Saturday mornings provide an opportunity for the boys to give a short presentation on any area of interest. Afiq set this off with a talk about gaming culture. He explored the negatives of toxic gaming, but also looked at some positives and explained how it helped him develop confidence, amazingly revealing that he represents Malaysia and has developed many leadership skills. He explained the need for a careful balance and how he manages his time to ensure his academic, social and health needs are not impacted by letting gaming take over. The boys were all amazed at the revelation of Afiq’s national standing especially as we never see him gaming and he clearly manages his time fantastically being Head of House, organising school events, keeping on top of his studies and a range of other hobbies and interests. All the boys will have an opportunity to present and this will help them to develop confidence in public speaking to a group developing skills in presentation and clarity of communication.
Afiq leading from the front delivering the first presentation during Saturday’s assembly
The public holidays and haze have meant we haven’t had a full week yet, but prep is being completed industriously and on the closure days all students were working on their days’ lessons, which had been shared with them digitally by their teachers. Adaptability and tolerance are two core skills they’ve all displayed this week, not letting the closure prevent academic studies or enjoyment of time in college, a lot of mask wearing and creative use of indoor spaces was needed.
Some intense games for a Saturday evening
Mr John Foden
Granville Housemaster
Holman House
When I said to everyone I know back in the UK that I was intending to relocate to Malaysia, they were all incredibly jealous and also extremely supportive of the move. Four weeks into term and I can see why! Malaysia is a fantastic country and when combined with the supportive environment and staff of Epsom College, parents can rest assured that they have made the right choice for their child. It has been my privilege to take on the role of Housemaster of Holman House in its inaugural year and the boys have already shown a determination to help make this a very happy home and a productive place of learning. Alongside this, the House welcomes not only new pupils but new tutors and a residential team and they have all worked really hard to make these first few weeks a tremendous success.
Just two weeks into the new academic year, and Holman’s boys were faced with the challenge of representing the House in the Football Competition. Sporting their new red Holman House sports tops, the boys practised hard and this lead to the junior team (Years 7 and 8) producing some silky skills and defeating Carr House on several occasions during the round-robin format. The senior boys (Year 9) had a far harder task against older opposition, but they fared well to defeat a talented Carr House on penalties and challenge the senior opposition offered by both Propert and Granville House. Our eventual position of joint second in the competition was well deserved and fills us with confidence as we now start to take preparations for the House Music Competition more seriously. Our Unison choice of ‘We are the champions’ is coming along well, and I am excited to see the boys putting so much time and energy into everything they do. The competition itself is being held on October 11th and it would be great to see as many parents there as possible to support the House.
As a new House, it is vitally important that the views of each and every one of the boys can be heard and this is where the House Council plays such an important role. The Council provides the boys with a chance to air their views and get their voices heard and it is my pleasure to announce that the Council this year will be lead by Aidan Cho and ably supported by Hitesh Manoharan. They will be meeting regularly with myself and/or Mr Phil Pedro as the AHMM of Holman House, to discuss events and activities within the House.
The haze has sadly dominated these past few weeks and this has prevented us from enjoying more outdoor based activities. However, this term we have already seen visits to the IOI Mall to go ice-skating, MyTown and IKEA, Ten-Pin bowling and an indoor adventure play park. The boarders have also enjoyed several movie nights with snacks, and a new cinema style system has been ordered to broaden the options open to the boys on a weekend. With a trip planned to Jump Street this weekend, the House has certainly sprung into life in just a very short period of time.
It takes time to establish a House ethos and culture but we are already working towards our aim of being a House of gentlemen that support one another and give of their best at all times. To this end, we have seen some of the boys achieving some fantastic academic merits and congratulations should be extended to all of the boys listed below:
High Merit Earners:
Manoharan, Hitesh (7) – Tokumitsu, Sena (4) – Jeong, Kunhee (10) -Takamiya, Hendrik (11) -Tan, Shan Wei (8) – Pozhitkov, Luca (6) – Gilkes, Tommy (7) -Kotera, Aizakku (5) -Nakagawa, Rion (5) -Ahmad Khushairy, Alim (5) – Nago, Daichi (4) – Cho, Sungjae (4) and Gao, Chang (4).
I am proud of how well each and every boy has settled into the Holman House and they can be rightly proud of themselves for how they have helped to make the House the warm and welcoming place that it has become. Supported by an excellent team of tutors and my residential team, we can look forward with confidence to meet the challenges of the few remaining weeks before the half-term break.
Mr Darren Nichols
Holman Housemaster
Boarding Trips
Where does the College day start and finish in a boarding school?
How far do the boundaries of a classroom extend?
Is there value in a wider curriculum?
These questions are important and certainly worth considering. For us, at ECiM, with boarding as a central pillar, the answers may well differ from other institutions. We are very much a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week school and learning can be found in all aspects of College life.
It explains how we have already organised this term an ice skating trip, a visit to IKEA, a hike, some time in a VR world and a bowling session!
There is absolute value in these activities. Firstly, they offer an opportunity to experience new and different challenges. Having seen a number of our pupils ice skate for the first time it was clear that they were nervous. However, with support from their peers and with a dose of determination there was a marked improvement. This in itself builds character.
A visit to IKEA, where is the value in this? Well if you are a new House and are shopping with your Housemaster, it means you are starting to put that individualised stamp on your home. This is how boarding communities are built.
VR world? Where is the education? Perhaps it comes from the communal nature of the games and the communication required when partaking. Particularly, as was the case with Carr House, when you are new to ECiM and are making those first tentative friendships. Shared experiences really are vital.
Bowling and hiking also offer different experiences, challenge and are social by nature. Such activities relieve stress, promote wellbeing and offer a counter balance to screen time.
They also help develop bonds between the teachers and pupils which are unique to boarding schools due to the breadth and depth of the days.
These opportunities will continue over the academic year and the value will be felt in and out of the classroom.
Mr Ian Squires
Assistant Head (Boarding)
Meet the new Deputy Head (Pastoral)
Epsom recently welcomed a seasoned member of staff on board as Deputy Head (Pastoral). He has quickly become a familiar face around the College, having done an informative Assembly on the importance of preparation and also regularly visits the Boarding Houses. My interview with Mr Ottewell has allowed me to gain insights regarding his thoughts and opinions on working here at Epsom College in Malaysia.
It is essential to love where you work and, surprisingly, Mr Ottewell even has a personal connection with Malaysia. In fact, his parents met in Malaya many years ago! He is truly appreciative of the warmth and hospitality demonstrated by the people here, which never fails to make him feel welcome. The food here is another aspect of Malaysia which he particularly enjoys, such as the different tastes and smells.
Mr Ottewell possesses the common sensibilities required of a Deputy Head as he cares deeply about the students and their well-being. His experience in boarding is extensive. Cura personalis – which means ‘care for the individual’ – is his personal motto, forming the foundation for all his actions. Holistic education is his main priority, and he is a keen advocate of extracurricular activities. The purpose of a boarding school is to create a safe environment for individuals to discover their talents and act as a home away from home. Mr Ottewell is extremely impressed with the vibrant sense of community that permeates Epsom, especially the way in which staff and students interact. His enthusiasm concerning the importance of the student voice motivates me now that the school committees have been set up. He advises students to always aim high and push themselves and aspire to be the best they can. “‘Sharpening your axe’ and being prepared can allow you to come back to difficult tasks with more aptitude and resilience,” urges Mr Ottewell.
I look forward to seeing the improvements in the pastoral sector that Mr Ottewell will bring, as his experience and knowledge will be invaluable in the further progression of the College.
Ms Alea Yang Ni
Head of College
Prefect Committees
With the year properly underway, this year’s team of impressive prefects are fully into the swing of things.
At Epsom College in Malaysia, our prefects are the ultimate ambassadors for the College: they are the role models for other students and the face of the College for both parents and prospective parents. Although they have titles that designate a particular focus, their role is not limited to that responsibility. Prefects are the link between staff and students and play a vital role in working together as a team to ensure both the smooth running and the further progression of the College.
Communication is a vital part of that link between staff and students and one way that Student Voice is achieved at Epsom College in Malaysia is through the Prefect Committees.
These are:
- College Committee
- Academic Committee
- Food Committee
- International Committee
- Prep School Committee
- Service Committee
- Social Committee
- Wellbeing Committee
Each of these has representatives from different Key Stages and different boarding Houses, while the new International Committee has representatives from different nationalities. They meet once every half term and are chaired by one of the prefects, who then liaises with a member of the Senior Leadership Team, to help resolve problems and to take the Committee’s proposals forwards.
As Alea, Head of College, said to the Sixth Form at the start of the year: “Here in Epsom, we aim to produce future leaders. The Sixth Form prepares students for university and beyond by cultivating leadership and teamwork skills, as well as constantly pushing us outside our comfort zones”. The College is now looking for those future leaders and for members of the student body to participate in the different Committees. Those interested are applying to their Housemasters and Housemistresses, so that they can be confirmed and have their first meeting of the year.
Mr Jon Barker
Assistant Head (Sixth Form)
Malaysia Gold Award 2019
On Wednesday 11th September Malaysia held its second ever International Award ceremony, with the first occurring as far back as 2004. The award is part of the non profit Duke of Edinburgh’s Award that started in the UK in 1964. It has now been running for over 65 years and operates in over 130 countries around the World.
Malaysia started running the Award in 2000 and has since seen over 300,000 young people gain an award across the Bronze, Silver and Gold Levels. There have only been 1039 Gold awardees in 19 years and on Wednesday 11th September 250 of these young people received the award from a visiting Royal from the UK and I had the privilege of attending as an award leader.
HRH Prince Edward was the special guest along with Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Steven Sim.
At Espom the Award is growing and we have now had two students gain the Gold level of the Award, Muhammad Zulhaiqal Iqmal Bin Zulifly and Rabiatul Aiynah Hazni. To complete the award they spent a period of 18 months working on a Service, Skill and Physical activity for one hour a week and also completed two expeditions and a residential project. Both gained some awesome experiences trekking in Malaysia, Australia (Haiqal) and Vietnam (Aiynah). The award gave them a lot of opportunities but they also demonstrated a wide range of personal attributes to complete the Gold level, this is why it is such a well recognised award by employers Worldwide.
The Ceremony was held in Cyberjaya and all awardees got to see the Prince, but the Epsom duo also managed to have a brief discussion with him and both really enjoyed the ceremony. Both Aiynah and Haiqal are now at Warwick University in the UK completing their Undergraduate degrees and we wish them continued success in the future.
Next week we will be signing up a new batch of Gold (16 years and over) and Bronze (14 years and over) level students. Here’s a link to a video that will tell you a little more about the award and you can encourage your son or daughter to register.
Mr John Foden
IA Coordinator
Outstanding Achievement in EAL
Students within the English as an Additional Language (EAL) department were presented with their First Cambridge English (FCE) certificates by the Headmaster, at an award ceremony in the Duke of York auditorium on Tuesday 17th September. These assessments took place at the end of the last academic year, and reflect a student’s current English language proficiency. As their proficiency grows, students either move to First Language English or, as with those currently in Year 11, have started their IGCSE English as a Second Language syllabus.
The Cambridge Language Assessments at FCE level consist of a number of components: Listening, Speaking, Writing and Use of English. This examination is a wonderful opportunity for students to demonstrate their English language proficiencies under examination conditions.
The results indicate that all students made significant progress compared to their internal Cambridge Assessments undertaken at the start of the academic year. Some students gained a grade of C, which is a very high score considering the complexity of the FCE examination and the age of the students who undertook the assessment.
Outstanding Grades :
Clement Lee – Grade C; Jihoon Lee – Grade C; Gareth Tang – Grade C; Hirotsugu Takami – Grade C
Honourable Mentions :
Hao Wen Jei – B1 level; Xinyu Lu – B1 level; Eonbeen Park – B1 Level; Xiaotong Ruan – B1 level; Nishiki Nakajima – B1 level; Naoki Kaneta – B1 level; Usair Aijaz Khokhar – B1 level; Jing Xean Lee – B1 level; Jeonneun Yang – B1 level.
Mr Rupert Whitty
Head of EAL
Haze
In light of the haze situation across Malaysia, a group of Lower Sixth students intended to deliver a presentation to their peers at the Sixth Form Assembly last week. Although the closure of the College meant that they were unable to present on this occasion, here they discuss their findings.
Haze is an atmospheric phenomenon in which dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. There are a variety of causes, such as industry, traffic, wildfires and even farming when the conditions are particularly dry. Through the fires that have been the cause of our current haze problem, incomplete combustion due to insufficient oxygen, leads to mostly soot and tiny unburnt carbon particles accumulating in the air.
In the past, there has been confusion over different readings of haze between Malaysia and Singapore. The problem lay in the readings of PM2.5 and PM10. While Malaysia measured API, which consisted of carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter (PM10), from 2014 Singapore also included PM2.5. Malaysia only added PM2.5 after the 2015 haze. However, even now, a quick look at the Air Quality readings in Johor Bahru and Singapore show a surprising difference between the two, despite such a short distance.
PM10 particles are less than 10 micrometers in diameter while PM2.5 particles are even smaller (smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter). It is the PM2.5 that the Singaporean government say are the main risk to health during haze as they can penetrate the lungs, irritate and actually corrode the alveolar wall and this can eventually lead to impaired lung function. PM2.5 have small diameters but large surface areas and may therefore be able to carry various toxic substances through the filtration in our noses and bring it all the way down the air tract and then diffuse through, and in consequence, damage the rest of our bodies. Although one may not be harmed directly from these particles after short term exposure, if the haze continues at high levels, it could drastically increase the risk of getting heart and lung diseases in the future. Having said that, according to the Straits Times, only two people, a 4-month-old baby and a 59-year-old man, have died from the haze in Jakarta this year.
While the first case of haze affecting Malaysia was reported officially in April 1983, it is the haze of 2015 that many staff and students at Epsom College in Malaysia remember all too well. This not only affected Malaysia, but many countries across Southeast Asia. As in 2015, the main cause of the current haze is through slash and burn in Indonesia. Roughly half of the world’s palm oil comes from its biggest supplier, Indonesia. However, the land is typically not suitable enough for the palm industry and so, slash and burn techniques are used to clear the land and add nutrients to the soil. Indonesia has not always been solely to blame for the haze in the past, with local fires in Malaysia also causing problems: four Malaysian plantation companies have been accused of carrying out open burning and peat bush burning has also occurred in Pekan, Pahang. The current crisis seems to be due to deforestation by farmers and peat fires blown by prevailing winds from mainly Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia. In total, 6,312 hotspots have been detected in Indonesia’s central and western regions, affecting Peninsular Malaysia, but it is in Sabah and Sarawak where the highest readings have been recorded.
Transboundary haze pollution has been a key topic for environmental politics since the late 1990s. According to ASEAN, haze becomes transboundary when “its density and extent is so great at the source that it remains at measurable levels after crossing into another country’s airspace”. With haze supposedly affecting the health of up to 75 million people in Southeast Asia and the economies of six countries, those not causing the haze want it stopped.
While Malaysia has sent a diplomatic note to Indonesia, asking for immediate action against the fires, and even offering assistance to put the fires out, Indonesia has accused the Malaysian government of hiding the truth and suggesting that the haze could have been caused by fires within Malaysia. The Environmental Minister, Yeo Bee Yin, replied with “Let the data speak for itself”, with Malaysia only having seven hotspots, compared to all of those in Indonesia.
On social media, Malaysians have been quick to talk of suing Indonesia, even for a symbolic amount. However, it seems that this cannot happen. Both Malaysia and Indonesia have signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which should stop countries from polluting another. However, as part of the agreement, it also says under Article 27 that any dispute ‘shall be settled amicably by consultation or negotiation, which means that they cannot go to the International Court of Justice. Malaysia also does not have laws that can hold directors of the corporations that are doing the burning to account. However, in 2014 Singapore passed the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which made it a criminal offence to cause haze in Singapore. If the haze, like 2015 and 2019, is to continue to be a regular event, introducing a similar law might be something that the Malaysian government should consider.
The Air Pollution Policy for Epsom College in Malaysia was reviewed in May 2019 and has been followed by the Headmaster during this latest period of haze. On site, both staff and students are still monitoring the air closely through the Malaysian Department of the Environment website, as well as the World Air Quality Index Project’s specific page for Nilai, or HazeMalaysia. Despite the College having to close last week, teachers were all in touch with students via email and Google Classroom, to ensure that no work time was lost. However, with impacts on time in class and sport, we hope that the Indonesian government acts soon. For now, while the Malaysian government is focusing on trying to keep people safe with closing schools and such like, they are also using cloud seeding as a process to encourage more rainfall.
With the ongoing fires nearby and in the Amazon, it seems that Greta Thurnberg’s movement has never been more crucial in attempting to make politicians wake up and combat environmental challenges that we face today and that we will still be dealing with for years to come. It seems that Malaysia is waking up too, with Global Climate Strike now hitting Malaysia with 350 people taking part in a climate change march in KL on Friday. People have definitely had enough of the haze already: they want cleaner air and a cleaner planet for the future.
Tia Siddle, Drexel Loh, Daniel Chong, Rie Loh, Aishwarrya Krishnamoorthy, Cyn Thea Yu, You Cong Lim (Year 12)
Mr Jon Barker
Assistant Head (Sixth Form), Geography
2019 House Choral Competition
Friday 11th October is the evening of this year’s House Choral Competition where all of the students in the Senior School will compete for the House Choral Trophy. This is the biggest musical event of the year and taken very seriously by staff and students alike.
Last year’s winners Granville entertained the audience of parents, guests and students with the fast and catchy song “Shut up and dance”. Other memorable performances were Propert’s part song rendition of “Young Blood”, staged around a sofa, and Wilson’s girls singing the unforgettable line “Super-per Troupa-pa”.
This year, in tandem with the whole House unison pieces and the unaccompanied part songs, we have introduced a new instrumental category. This round is set to showcase some of our best instrumental players in addition to our singers. Houses have been working hard on this new challenge which is set to feature a diverse choice of songs from the Glen Miller big band classic, “In the Mood” to the 2016 hit song “Redbone” by rapper Childish Gambino.
The evening will feature all of the Houses performing in the three categories. The School Choir will entertain the audience while the judges deliberate and there will be refreshments available for students and parents.
We look forward to welcoming you to this musical extravaganza at 7pm on 11th October in the Duke of York Theatre.
Mr Russell Crann
Director of Music