Dear Primary parents,
While I was in Singapore assisting our sister school, Dulwich College with their school improvement review, learning has been accelerating here on campus!
THANK YOU! FoD Staff Appreciation Lunch on Thursday:
Thank you so very much to the Friends of Dulwich for organising the magnificent lunch for teachers and administration staff. Our faculty and admin were bowled over by the generosity of our parents who sent dishes from around the world for them to enjoy. It was a lovely community event and much appreciated by all who lunched.
Dulwich Singapore Visit:
It was wonderful to visit DUCKS in Singapore this week and see firsthand the skillful staff at work with their young learners. It’s a massive school of 48 classes from Toddlers to Year 2 but the quality of education was superb. I met with both school leaders and teachers to discuss my observations and make suggestions for their next steps on the road from “Good to Great”. As part of the Dulwich group, our students really benefit from teachers’ professional dialogue and the sharing of best practice between our Family of Schools. Some highlights for me were:
- Sharing ideas about outdoor education and “Forest Schools”
- Checking out their playgrounds to ‘borrow’ ideas for ours
- Discussing how we have developed our Inquiry Hub Library over the years
- Meeting ex-DCSL staff who now teach at DCSG – David Jewitt (Outdoor Ed), Stella Lee (School Counsellor) and Jean Jang (Dance and Drama)
Year 3 Terrace is Flourishing:
Year 3, the Gardening Club ECA and Nursery children have been tending the sprouting vegetables in the Year 3 Terrace Garden. The area has continued to develop this spring with new outdoor tables and chairs arriving last week, giving our lower Juniors even more outside opportunities for their learning and the development of their ‘green fingers’.
Year 2 and Year 6 Plogging:
Our eldest DUCKS and eldest Juniors spent some time by the Han River on Monday to Plog. Plogging is a combination of litter picking and gentle exercise (jogging in some communities). This is part of our Earth Day focus and our community responsibility in our local area. The children enjoyed being of service and being down by the beautiful river all together.
Sun Hats – No Hat? No Play!:
Please send your child to school with a sunhat from now on as only those with a covered head will be able to play out of the shade.
Well Done – Dulwich ‘Going Wild’ Non-uniform Day
Students dressed up as animals and wore green this Tuesday as part of Shackleton House’s efforts to raise money for charity. In total, KRW 261,110 was donated to WWF Korea in the senior school, and KRW 477,400 was donated to Greenpeace Korea for Primary School.
NEW: Student Council Personal Passion Project Day – Thursday 22 June
What is Personal Passion Project Day? We are mixing up the year groups, and children and teachers will work together for the day on specific interests (personal passions) that they have. All the teachers from Reception to Year 6 have elected to offer an activity that children were passionate about. We have subjects from baking and birds, drama to dogs, science to singing! It will be a day for our students to immerse themselves in a subject area they are already familiar with or one which they’d love to know more about!
Years 6 – Year 8 Parents Coffee Morning
Many thanks to our families in Year 6 who were able to pop along for some chat and info-sharing on Thursday. It was a well-attended event and Rep and FoD support was much appreciated too.
School Photographs – 2 May – 4 May 2023
We have booked a local photography firm to take class, individual and sibling photos for Tuesday 2 May to Thursday 4 May.
The photo days for each class are as follows:
| Tuesday 2 May | Wednesday 3 May | Thursday 4 May | |
| 7.30-8.15 | Set Up | siblings (non-bus) | Siblings (non-bus) |
| 8.30 | Y5S | Y3C | Y2C |
| 9.00 | Y4C | Y3P | Rec Herons |
| 9.30 | Y4B | Y3R | Rec Swans |
| 10.00 | Y5V | Y2R | Nursery |
| 10.30 | 8AB | Y6C | 10PF |
| 11.00 | 8GW | Y6W | Y1L |
| 11.30 | 8ML | Y2K | Y1J |
| 12.00 | lunch break | lunch break | 10JW |
| 12.30 | siblings (buses) | siblings (buses) | lunch break |
| 1.00 | Y6B | 7AS | 12SC |
| 1.30 | Y5W | 7ZP | 12GT |
| 2.00 | Y4G | 7AO | 12GF |
| 2.30 | Break | 9LH | Break |
| 3.00 | Break | 9AS 9KV | Break |
| 3.30 | Siblings (non-bus) | Siblings (non-bus) | Siblings (non-bus) |
| 4.00 | Siblings (non-bus) | Siblings (non-bus) | Siblings (non-bus) |
Important – Required Uniform for Photos: Only students in the correct uniform will be photographed. Parents must ensure their children have dressed accordingly for photo day/s:
- Full summer uniform – clean and ironed shorts/skorts/dress and as needed, the required short-sleeved top (white DCSL shirt for Juniors and blue polo for DUCKS if shorts are worn)
- All Nursery must be in the DCSL shorts and tshirt.
- Navy blue socks only (no lace, logos or patterns)
- All Juniors must wear their red Primary tie and have their top shirt button done up
- Fully black shoes/sneakers (no coloured/white stripes, laces or soles)
- No leggings, coloured band decorations or non-DCSL items are allowed
- Hair neat and tied back if long – bring a brush/comb please
- No necklaces or bracelets
Please note, we will call parents to bring in the correct uniform if their child comes to school incorrectly dressed.
School Photograph Make-up Session (Only for students who are absent for all three photo days)
The photographer has set 5pm to 9pm on Tuesday 9 May as the official free make-up shots in his studio. If parents want to take shots outside that time, they should pay 30,000 KRW per student. Parents of students who are absent for all three official photo days may contact the photographer directly here:
Family Day Studio – JP Park
010-3590-5670
https://www.familydaystudio.com/
Term 3 Primary School Parent Workshops:
| Date | Title/Focus for our Primary Parent Workshop | Led by |
| 2 May | Child Protection Training for Parents: Parents wishing to volunteer in the Inquiry Hub (Library), on day trips, in classes or as a Parent Rep or “Friends of Dulwich” must have annual Child Protection training from DCSL. Learn about the 4 types of abuse, what to do if a child discloses abuse to you and how to ensure your own conduct is correct when working with other people’s children. | Maggie Goddard |
| 9 MayOnline | Moving To Juniors – how to help your child ace Year 3 (for current Year 2 parents & new Year 3 parents for Aug) Zoom: https://dulwich-seoul.zoom.us/j/82482331710 Meeting ID: 824 8233 1710Passcode: 2023 | James Harvey and Louisa Ramsden(online) |
| 16 May | Help your child transition (RAFT Workshop): Moving country, school, friendship group etc is a lot for a young person (and their parents). This session aims to help parents understand and support these big moves from a child’s perspective, using the RAFT programme. | Maggie Goddard and the Counselling Team, Genevieve Kung and Joey Dekens |
| 23 May Online | Ipads in Upper Juniors at DCSL: Year 4 Parents’ prep for BYD in Year 5 – video guide to be circulated beforehand and staff will be available for Q&A during this slot. (All Year 4 parents plus parents new to Year 5 and Year 6 are warmly invited). Zoom: https://dulwich-seoul.zoom.us/j/82373900516Meeting ID: 823 7390 0516Passcode:2023 | Gareth Thomas and Matthew Spencer(online session) |
| 30 May | The Summer Dip – fact or fiction?: Does a child slip backwards during the long summer holidays? What’s the best use of a child’s time during the vacation? | Jane Smith |
| June | No Workshops in final 3 weeks of term | — |
Head of Primary School is on Instagram:
Catch up with the learning happening each day in Primary on our new Instagram page. Please follow us on jane_smith_dulwich_seoul
Primary Parent Handbook 2022/23
Please dive into the Parent Handbook for answers to ‘frequently asked questions’ across all areas of Primary School life. If you think we have missed any vital info in the Handbook, please let us know. Your feedback would be much appreciated.
Dates for your Diary: April through into June
Monday 1 May – School Holiday (Labour Day)
Tuesday 2 May – Year 1 Trip to National Children’s Science and Changgyeonggung Palace
Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 May – School Photographs
Thursday 4 May – Years 3 – 6 Sports Day
Friday 5 May – School Holiday (Children’s Day)
Wednesday 10 – Friday 12 May – Year 3 Adventure Residentials
Friday 12 May – DUCKS 1 & 2 Sports Day
Monday 15 to Friday 19 May – Year 6 Adventure Residentials
Monday 22 to Friday 26 May – U11 PE FOBISIA Trip
Monday 29 May – Additional public holiday
Tuesday 6 June – School Holiday (Memorial Day)
Thursday 8 – Saturday 10 June – Year 2 Adventure Residentials
Friday 9 June – Last day of Term 3 ECAs
Tuesday 13 June – Years 1 to 3 Summer Music Recital
Wednesday 14 June – Years 4 to 6 Summer Music Recital
Wednesday 14 June – Primary Term 3 Reports Published to Parents
Tuesday 20 June – Primary Optional PTCs
Wednesday 21 June – Year 6 Graduation Ceremony
NEW: Thursday 22 June – Reception to Year 6 “Personal Passion Project” Day
Friday 23 June – Last Day of Term 3
Pets for the Weekends and Holidays:
If you would like to borrow the snails, hedgehog, guinea pig, beetles for the weekend etc please contact Ms Caunce on claire.caunce@dulwich-seoul.kr
Communications:
As always, if I can assist you with any matters large or small, please get in contact with me at jane.smith@dulwich-seoul.kr
In my absence next week, Ms Maggie Goddard will be the point of contact for urgent matters – maggie.goddard@dulwich-seoul.kr
Stars of the Week (DUCKS to Year 4) and Learning Warriors (Year 5 / Year 6)
Each week, our staff spot a child in each class who has been doing especially well with the IB Learner Profile dispositions and that child becomes SoW or the LW for the class. Click here to see who was spotted this week and click here to read the Week Ahead summary!
Wishing you and your family a lovely long weekend.
Kind regards,
Mrs Jane Smith
Head of Primary School
Year 3 and Year 4 Development Squad vs FC Seoul
Our Year 3 and Year 4 Development Squad team entertained FC Seoul U8 and U9 Elite team on Sunday afternoon here at Dulwich College Seoul. We welcomed the team on-site for 6 x 15 minute matches against a strong FC Seoul team from the same club the Year 5 and Year 6 team faced a couple of weeks ago.
Leo K, Suhho K, Grayden C, Benny W, Carter R, Hugo H, Minjoon P, Lucas L, Giotto F, and Mason N have been playing fantastic football over the last few months, with some great results against other school teams, so this was a deserved opportunity against tougher opposition. Added to that was the latest recruit off the talent line, with Joey Z in Year 2 being awarded a position on the Development Squad due to his great attitude and application in sessions.
In Game 1, Leopards came flying out of the blocks and took a 3-0 lead in the first 8 minutes, with 2 goals from Hugo H, one with a wonderful assist from Leo K, and a fantastic finish from Lucas L seemingly putting us out of sight. But FC Seoul showed their ability to come back into the game, scoring directly from a corner kick and then a good finish in the bottom corner making it 3-2. Grayden C then had a brilliant 1-v-1 save against their striker to keep us in front. Leopards held on for the win, and that really set the tone for the remaining games, as the team knew they deserved to be playing tougher opposition on a regular basis.
In Game 2, Leopards again showed their mettle, but also showed some of the fantastic build-up play that the team have been working on the last few months. One-two passes from the back, confidence on the ball, receiving on the back foot were all on show as we built a healthy lead. Leo K with a fantastic solo goal got the ball rolling, and then scorer turned provider with two instinctive passes to his classmate Suhho K for good finishes from just inside the box. With the Year 4 students soon to be Year 5, and joining a different team next school year, it was great to see the combinations forming with our Year 3 players, and a great one-two between Joey Z and Leo K set Suhho K up for the third. A 3-0 win for Dulwich Leopards.
In Game 3, Leopards again pushed hard from the front, now taking the initiative to press hard from the front and attack any loose pass. With some changes in personnel, and players getting opportunities in different positions, Carter R hitting the post and seeing two shots well saved. But the pressure began to tell, and after six minutes, Mason N found great space in the box and a fantastic slide-rule pass from Suhho K saw Mason have time and space to rifle a shot into the middle of the goal. A strong finish with his left foot, all the players were really happy to see him on the scoresheet. Minjoon P was working hard to come back after a bump in the second game, and showed some fantastic footwork to fashion a chance for Carter R that just went wide of the post. Minjoon’s confidence was growing all the time and becoming a real outlet on the wing. A second duly followed, this time a mazy run from Carter R released Lucas L, and some beautiful footwork in the box gave him the opportunity for a diagonal finish into the bottom corner, Lucas L adding goals to his already great all-round game. Carter R again got on the assist sheet with the third goal of the game going to Hugo H, before the roles were reversed for the goal of the day, and possible goal of the season contender. My words won’t do the two pirouette turns justice, but Hugo H received the ball on the left side of the pitch, two well disguised turns later, and a beautiful square pass into the box to Carter, saw Carter turn his player well and rifle into the bottom corner. The game finished 4-0 and even the FC Seoul parents clapped the team off.
Tiredness was starting to set in now, and we really had to switch players around, with players getting the opportunity to learn different roles. Game 4 finished 1-1, Leo K scoring with an opportune finish, before a late equalizer pegged us back. We trialed a new system with 1 at the back, playing a 1-4-1 formation, and Benny W was as strong as ever at the back, clearing up any danger early and playing the simple ball to release his teammates. In Game 5, Grayden C played outfield with Giotto F taking up the goalkeeper gloves and doing himself proud with two good saves. Grayden showed he has good footwork to go with his goalkeeper skills and laid on a great assist for Lucas to get his third goal of the afternoon. Leopards won 1-0. In the final game of the day, 90 minutes of football for Year 3 and Year 4 students really began to show, and the game finished 0-0, with both teams out on their feet. Nothing could take the smiles off their faces though, they’d yet again showed how much they’ve improved as a team, and the togetherness and genuine happiness for each other when they score really shows the importance of great team spirit.
More fixtures to follow, and with the onset of an additional Development Squad team recently formed, the future continues to be bright for Dulwich Leopards.
Well Done,
Martin Bushell
Stars of the Week
Year 2
Year 4
