Term 2 - 24 March
Matters of Principal
Whole School News
Announcements & Reminders
SCHOOL ACCESS
Once you have had your RST ID card activated for access, you will be permitted to access RST via the electronic flap gates at specific times during the day, for the collection of your child.
These times have been set at the administration building entrance for Prep School parents/guardians as:
- 16:35-16:50 or 17:35-18:00 Monday to Thursday
- 15:10-16:30 Friday.
The activation of your ID does not permit you free access to the School site outside of these times
Songkran Celebrations
On the final day of term, Wednesday 5th April, the whole School will be celebrating Songkran. Students are invited to come to School dressed in a Songkran theme of Paakao Ma.
Please see more details below:
Pre-Prep
Prep
Senior
Examples of Phao Khao maa outfits:
Please click here for more information on how Prep will celebrate Songkran.
Spring Gala Concert
The Spring Gala Concert will take place on Tuesday, 4th April at 7pm in the Veraphan Theatre.
Tickets are available free of charge to parents of performers on two Priority Days: Thursday, 23rd and Friday, 24th March and will go on general release to all on Monday, 27th March.
The Box Office will be at the Senior Reception and tickets are numbered, so guests will select their required tickets from a seating plan.
There are only 180 tickets available in the Veraphan, so people should get their tickets early to avoid disappointment!
Card Design Competition
We are running a card-design competition to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the game of rugby, when William Webb-Ellis picked up the ball and a new sport began. The winning design(s) will appear on official cards sold at Rugby UK, Thailand, and Japan and all proceeds will go to the Tamar Centre. Please see below for more details.
Senior News
Announcements & Reminders
INTERMEDIATE MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD
Following success in last month's UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge, three of our students qualified for and were invited to take part in follow-on rounds in the Intermediate Mathematical Olympiad. Last week, Si Eun (F block) undertook the Cayley paper while Pat and Jianuo (E Block) tackled the Hamilton paper.
Each challenge lasted two hours and was comprised of six questions designed to challenge even the most able mathematical minds. Congratulations to all three students for qualifying and we now look forward with anticipation to the results when they are released
Dates for your Diary
27th – 31st MARCH:
School photographers in all week
Senior students to choose term three activities with support from their tutors
27th MARCH:
Scholars' Lecture - Claire Pelly, Virgin Galactic
U18 Boys Basketball vs MIS (Home), 16:30 tip-off
29th MARCH:
IGCSE and A Level Subject Choices Deadline
Senior parents' Coffee Morning, 08:00 - 08:45
Year 8 parent information session about Senior School, 16:30 - 17:30
31st MARCH – 1st APRIL: FOBISIA U15 Basketball Invitational
Head's Distinction
This week, we celebrated four exceptional students. Tetsuo was nominated by his Chemistry teacher, Ms Ricketts, for coding an app that details organic chemistry compounds. Lily and Mischa were nominated by Mr Pohl for their contribution to the recent sports day hosted at RST by the Rotary club for orphans. Both Lily and Mischa gave their time and were instrumental in the success of the day. Lily also organised and coordinated a visit of 16 students to the Mangrove Community garden. Piano was nominated for her outstanding musical success. She recently came fourth in the Senior age group of the Hong Kong International Youth Performance Arts Festival. This weekend Piano will be performing on-air in the Golden Show (Season 5) competition. The show takes place on Sunday, 26th March at 6pm and Piano will be performing a Thai song titled 'Kwa Ja Rak'. We wish Piano well in this competition.
Chess Tournament
The first-ever RST Senior Chess Champion competition was launched this week. Tetsuo and Albert (XX) decided to gather the 40 most enthusiastic chess players from around Senior.
A wide variety of people entered, ranging from F Block students to a handful of staff. The chessboards were set up and the matches started on Monday. News of the tournament quickly made its way around the dining hall as more and more spectators turned up to watch the chess brains battle it out.
Tensions mounted and several queens were "blundered" early on (as one chess aficionado put it) as the 10-minute countdown timer and whispers from the audience did little to calm the players down!
The games go on until 30th March, when the last two contestants will square off for the title of RST Senior Chess Champion 2023. Watch this space!
Musical Assembly
Last week, we held the first of our whole Senior music assemblies. This featured a number of soloists: Ethan (F Block) on violin, Buggy (LXX) on cello, Natha (F Block) singing, and a vocal duet from Peam (LXX) and Nina (D Block). We were also treated to a performance from a band with DD (LXX) on guitar/vocals, Zaia (LXX) on piano/vocals, Peach (E Block) on bass and Xander (LXX) on drums.
The assembly ended with the full 10-minute set from the FOBISIA Battle of the Bands ensemble, "Against The Tide", who recently gained a Silver Award in the competition held at Bromsgrove School, Bangkok. This wonderful 9-piece band included students from F Block all the way to XX, so it was a great opportunity for musicians all the way through the Senior to collaborate together on a performance. There was a great atmosphere in the Webb Ellis Centre, and the students performed with energy and enthusiasm!
Learning
BIOLOGY
E Block students are currently learning about the nervous system and in order to consolidate their knowledge, they merged art and biology to create these great models of nerves and synapses. Simon, Dragon and George were voted the winners and each received a credit for their effort. Who knew that there was a place for glitter in biology...?!
F Block students are currently learning about Genetic Modification and created posters on some of the ways scientists are modifying organisms to solve every day problems. They will be looking at the ethical implications next.
Library News
This week, the library features World Poetry Day, which is held every year on 21st March to celebrate one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity. Please visit the senior library and website for books on poetry, famous poems and other interesting information.
Prep News
Announcements & Reminders
SONGKRAN CELEBRATIONS
Please navigate to the Whole School section of the newsletter, which contains more information on how Songkran will be celebrated in Prep.
SPORTING FIXTURES LINE GROUP
The Sports Department are trialling a new system of sending information to parents in the event of a delay in return from sporting fixtures. Please scan the QR code to join the Sports Group where messages regarding the event will be posted. This Line Group will be for information purposes only.
FACIAL RECOGNITION CONSENT
Please read this letter and complete the Google Form below, to consent to your child using our new facial recognition system for entry to School.
PREP LIBRARY OPEN AFTERNOON FOR PARENTS
The Prep Library and RST Parents Association invited parents and carers to our inaugural Prep Library Open Afternoon session this week. This was an opportunity for parents to visit our Prep Library for reading list recommendations. It is a chance for parents and the School to work together to build an even stronger culture of reading. We hope to make these sessions a regular occurrence. Please look out for information for future dates.
If you would like to know more about recommended book lists by age group, here are some useful links:
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/books/how-to-raise-a-reader
https://search.follettsoftware.com/metasearch/ui/127622
This Author Map is also a great resource for older readers to search for new titles by familiar themes.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
Next week, students will have individual and form photographs taken by U-Smile. These will then be available for families to buy. Additionally, families may choose to sign-up for family or sibling photographs. To do this, please complete the form below, indicating your preferred time. Please note that these photographs are taking place from 5 – 6pm. If you would like your child to attend, you will need to collect them from the Prep School at 4:45 on your chosen day.
Please ensure that your child is sent to School with their correct School uniform next week. We will ensure that they wear it smartly for their photos.
Dates for your Diary
25th MARCH:
- U9 Boys & Girls BISA Basketball @Shrewsbury
- Puppy Dash Swimming Competition
- RST U11 Invitational 7 v 7
- Year 8 Rehearsal for The Tempest (08:30-12:00)
26th MARCH: Harrow Lions Swimming Cup
27th – 31st MARCH: Year 8 Performance Week
27th – 31st MARCH: USmile School Photographs
- Monday: Year 3, 5MD, 6A, 6P, 7A, 7B, 7L
- Tuesday: Year 4, 5CD, 5E, 5F, 6D, 6S
- Wednesday: 7O
- Thursday: Year 8
27th MARCH: Scholars' Speaker – Claire Pelly, Virgin Galactic
28th MARCH: Swimming Gala at RST
29th MARCH: Year 8 parent information session about Senior School (16:30 – 17:30)
30th MARCH: Year 3 Trip to the Outdoor Education Centre - please bring suncream, a hat, and a water bottle (08:15 – 12:15)
31st MARCH
(13:45 – 15:30) Parent Performance of The Tempest
(14:00 – 15:30) RSTPA Meeting
1st APRIL:
U11 BISA Netball Tournament @Shrewsbury
U9 Tournament
U11A, U11B, U13A, U13B Boys Football v Planet Football (home)
Year 3 Mother's Day
In keeping with the UK's mother's day celebrations, Year 3 mums were invited in for a morning of fun where they were set quite an interesting challenge!
Click on the video below to see what they got up to...
Year 4
Year 4 students had an epic day at the Outdoor Education Centre earlier this week, where they practised many of our learner profile characteristics. They collaborated, communicated, were versatile when their spaghetti towers didn’t go to plan, and last but not least, used their resilience to get through the tricky heat!
Most importantly, they all had an enormous amount of fun.
Year 7 Leadership Day
On Wednesday, all of Year 7 were off timetable and taking part in our Year 7 Leadership day. This involved unlocking and developing leadership skills within each individual student through a variety of team-building and self-reflective activities. The Year 7s responded extremely well, which culminated in each House presenting a global issue that they would like to solve. They will be starting their Community Roles in Term 3 which will be a test of organisation, independence and reliability.
Year 8 Residential Trip
This week, the Year 8 students took part in a 3-day, 2-night residential in Koh SiChang where they did a range of activities to put their resilience and collaborative skills to the test. Students had the opportunity to do sea kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, climbing and trekking. They also enjoyed cooking their own barbeque dinner and making some beach art. The students were exemplary ambassadors for the School and they all had a fabulous time.
Water Balloon Launcher House Competition
The water balloon launcher house competition is live! Children have been in DT during break times working on their launches and there are some amazing Launchers taking shape!
It’s not too late to enter - here are some key points:
- Children can make their launcher at home or in School.
- Children must hand in pictures and a video of their launcher working on the Google classroom.
- Workshop sessions take place during morning break times.
Pre-Prep News
Announcements and Reminders
SCHOOL PHOTOS
A reminder that class and individual photos will be taken in Pre-Prep on Monday, 3rd and Tuesday, 4th April by an external photography company. Children need to be in their School uniform (if they have PE or Swimming on the same day, please ensure to send their School uniform to School as well), with a neat hairstyle, black School shoes, yellow socks and no jewellery or make-up.
Your child's class photos are on:
- Monday, 3rd April: Turtles, Chicks, Owls, Fish, Pandas, Hedgehogs, Dolphins, Chimpanzees, Foxes
- Tuesday, 4th April: Geckos, Toucans, Giraffes, Parrots, Bears, Rabbits, Ducks, Elephants, Rhinos
READING IN STRANGE PLACES
During Book Week, the Pre Prep Junior Librarians ran a competition where children had to send in a photo of them reading in a strange place. There were a lot of fantastic entries and the Junior Librarians voted for the winners from each year group, who will get to choose a book to take home and keep:
Anda - Pandas
Yena - Bears
Henry - Foxes
Adriel - Turtles
Miu Miu - Dolphins
SCHOOL COUNCIL JUICE DAY
Giving our students a voice is an important part of our British Values learning, which is one of the many reasons we have our fabulous School Council team in the Pre-Prep. This week the children organised our first 'Juice Day', based on feedback from a food survey they had completed earlier on in the year.
Before being allowed to organise Juice Day, the School Council had to meet with Miss Sarah to persuade her that it was a good idea. Students were able to answer all of her questions independently and delivered their speeches with great confidence. They advertised the one-off event for this term, making a video and posters to share with the Pre-Prep classes. Their main aim was for the children in KS1 to get the opportunity to try something new and be 'Go for it Gorillas'.
It was great to see so many smiling faces when the KS1 children came down to break to see that they had such a special treat - well done School Council for listening to your friends’ ideas and organising another super experience.
Dates for Your Diary
28th MARCH: Spring Show (9am) – Rabbits, Owls, Geckos, Toucans, Parrots
29th MARCH: Spring Show (9am) – Pandas, Fish, Bears, Foxes, Giraffes
31st MARCH: Annual Pre-Prep Art Competition set
3rd – 4th APRIL: Pre-Prep School Photos
4th APRIL: Term 2 Short reports out – EYFS on Tapestry, Key Stage One on Isams
5th APRIL: Songkran celebrations and end of term (3:15pm)
Pre-Nursery
This week in Rabbit class, we have been learning about shapes through our current topic, 'Under the Sea' and particularly sea turtles. We threw mini bean bags onto a giant sea turtle, aiming at different shapes on its back, trying to name the shapes as we threw. We chose our favourite shape, (circle, triangle, rectangle or square) to sponge paint a turtle shell and then tried to match shapes to turtle tummies using a fun interactive game. We even found time to use square sponges to decorate scenery for our End of Term next week - what a busy week!
Reception
GECKOS
This week in the Geckos class, we have been learning our number bonds. The children enjoyed playing 'bunny ears' where they have to use 2 hands to make a certain number. We also learnt how to use a 'part-whole model' to show our number bonds.
FOXES
Our favourite song says, ‘With a question on your mind, you will find the world is wonderful.’ This matches our inquiry-based learning about dinosaurs. Inquiry-based learning is about asking essential questions, encouraging investigation, and creativity to explore new possibilities. We learned about dinosaurs' eating habits and made our own fossils. Our reading skills allow us to find basic information and facts independently. Foxes enjoy writing, sketching, comparing sizes, and exploring more about dinosaurs.
Year 1 Fire Department Visit
This week, year 1 had some exciting visitors to School. They heard the sound of sirens, which led them to a fire truck in the carpark! The houses that they had made were on fire, so they helped to control the blaze and put out the fire using the hose.
The children also learnt all about fire safety, fire extinguishers and what firefighters wear. Thank you to our local fire department for bringing our topic learning to life.
Year 2
The Year 2s have been working on a creative Rugby theme project in which they formed Rugby balls using different materials.
DOLPHINS
The Dolphins have been learning about the vocabulary we use for different human emotions as part of our Talk for Writing focus on five-part stories with descriptive features.
It was interesting for us to see how the strength of an emotion changes the vocabulary we use, for example, the difference between feeling annoyed and angry, or between feeling scared and terrified.
The children had great fun acting out different emotions using facial expressions and body language, and then seeing if their classmates could use the right words to describe how they were feeling.
Makaton Signing
This week we have learned the signs for:
‘On’, ‘In’, ‘Under’
Thank you to the Chick class for their help in making the video.
Happy signing!
Come and See
Last Thursday, the Pre-Prep opened its doors to its term two 'Come and See'. Many thanks to all the parents, family members and friends who came to visit us. The children were so happy to share their classrooms and learning with all of you.
Blue Slide Fun
The big blue slide is very popular with the children. We open it at set times each week. This week, they were working out how to make themselves slide faster, either by sitting on their hats or by lying down!
Useful Links
Enrichment & Sport
Enrichment
PRE-PREP EXPLORE AND ENGLISH ACTIVITY
This week's exploration led us to sample the edible delights on offer at Scrummy. Using their best English the explorers chose, paid and commented on their multiple purchases. On saying goodbye to the friendly staff the full-tummy explorers concluded that this was another excellent and yummy exploration!
PRE-PREP NETBALL
The Pre-Prep netball club has been super active this week as we worked on our footwork, defence and ball-throwing skills this week. The children went through a series of activities and games to work on their quick feet, shooting goals, sticking to their partner for defence, and throwing balls far, near, and over.
We'll be playing our first match before you know it!
PREP COOKING CLUB
Students taking part in Monday's Cooking Club activity went on a fantastic field trip to Sicily Restaurant at Maprachan Lake. During this trip, our students got a chance to take a tour of the restaurant's kitchen, met with the chefs and owners, and learnt about kitchen practices. Our students also got the opportunity to taste some freshly baked bread and witness the techniques used in its preparation, as well as watching the chefs create a flattened chicken dish for a private event.
The trip provided an excellent opportunity for our students to learn from industry professionals and understand the workings of a restaurant kitchen. We are thrilled that our Cooking Club could take part in such an enriching experience and are looking forward to more such exciting events in the future!
PREP LEGO EXPLORERS ACTIVITY
In their activity session, our Lego Explorers have been enjoying building their own models, demonstrating how versatile and creative they can be. Some have been using their communication and collaboration skills to work together and create code that will make their models move, make noise and change colour!
PREP CIRCUIT TRAINING
Circuit training can be a very effective way for students to improve their overall fitness and health. It can improve cardiovascular health, increase strength and muscle tone, enhance coordination and balance, and it is fun and engaging.
Sport
USEFUL LINKS
For even more photos of our sporting events, please look on the SOCS sports website. Or follow us on our RST Instagram page: sport_rugbyschoolthailand
Student Achievements
Pre-Prep
ATOD INTERNATIONAL DANCE COMPETITION
Botan, Mira, Lalin, and Pearly joined the ATOD International Dance Competition that was held from 11th – 19th March at the Aksra Theatre in Bangkok. There were 21 countries represented, 96 dance schools and 1,680 entries! The girls received awards as follows:
Botan:
- Ballet Syllabus Test 2: Silver Medal
- Hip Hop Syllabus Test 1: Silver Medal
- Superkids Demi-character: Silver Medal
- Ensemble Novelty Pre-Competitive: Honourable Mention
Mira, Lalin, and Pearly:
- Hip Hop Syllabus Test 1: Silver Medal
PIANO SUCCESS
Time in Toucan class has successfully achieved the Piano GIN initial Grade Gold Prize organised by The Hong Kong Youth Performance Arts and Development Association.
Here he is celebrating with his class. Well done Time; you are a Go for it Gorilla!
TAEKWONDO
Miu Miu in Dolphin class successfully passed her grade belt test in taekwondo and is now a green belt. Great job Miu Miu! What a fantastic Persevering Penguin you are to achieve this level.
Community Offers & Events
WISDOM FIT
We are thrilled to announce that Mr. Zarko Djalovic has joined Wisdom Fit as the gym manager who will be able to support you on your fitness journey. Please feel free to direct any questions you may have to him.
Please view our new membership packages, which are available to RST Parents, below:
BUTTERFLY CLINIC by Coach Nawaphan Wongchareon
Date: 1st April 2023
Time: 15:00 – 18:00
Participation: 15 places
Cost : 2,000 THB
Location : At Webb Ellis Centre
Open to register now!
https://forms.gle/AaXP8131HGV9ES8R6
HOLIDAY CAMPS
Are you a parent looking for a camp for your child during the April school holidays? If so, here are some sports camp options:
- 8th- 12th April: Sharpen your skills at a football or basketball camp;
- 17th – 21st April: Enhance your skills at a basketball, softball, or fitness camp.
The day camp option costs 7,500THB and includes lunch, dinner, and snacks. If you choose the boarding camp option, which includes accommodation at Rugby School Thailand, the cost is 17,500THB. There's even a special discount available for groups!
If you're interested in learning more or have any questions, please contact us via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wisdomacademythailand, call us at 099-289-6454, or email us at admin@wisdomacademythailand.com. We'll be happy to assist you further!
HOLIDAY CODING CAMP
Our holiday coding camps, provided by BSD Online, are still available for sign-up for a range of topics from Artificial Intelligence to game development. These are a great way to up-skill our children as well as help ensure a healthy screen time balance with the importance of WHAT our children are doing on-screen, not necessarily HOW LONG.
Please follow this link for more information: https://virtualclasses.bsd.education/rugby-school-thailand/
HOLIDAY INN- RST COMMUNITY DISCOUNTS
We’d like to thank our friends from the Holiday Inn, who are offering our RST Community preferential hotel rates and discounts in their restaurants for 2023:
