Dear Primary Families,
The Chuseok Assembly today was a riot of colour, stories and song! We had great fun watching schoolmates singing and dancing, and the ‘traditional’ staff Chuseok video never fails to please and this year’s was a showstopper! Thank you to the 120 plus parents who came along – it was standing room only – but all cheers and encouraged our young performers.
Year 6 House Captain Elections 2024:
Earlier this month, across Year 6 students were set the task of writing a letter of application to be House Captain for 24/25 – it was an exercise that aimed to stimulate interest in the role and help everyone step out of their comfort zone and consider applying formally.
Then next step involved those who did want to go forward as a candidate for House Captain to write a speech and create a presentation following shared criteria. Some students also made an election poster.
Election Day was Wednesday. The Year 2 – Year 6 Houses gathered together across the school to hear the speeches and consider who they felt was the best candidate. Voting was in secret on iPads, using a QR Code to access the picture/name ballot. Year 2 – Year 6 students, staff and our four Heads of Houses all voted (Mrs Smith and Ms Derbyshire had no votes).
Staff later counted the electronic ballots. On Thursday, all the candidates gathered for a pep talk on what to do if they win and how to manage things if they were unsuccessful this time. Students who were unsuccessful are encouraged to go for other leadership and community opportunities to further develop their skills for their next role. The new House Captains begin their responsibilities after Chuseok.
FOBISIA Code Breaking Maths Challenge – 23-27 September 2024
The Online Maths Code Breaking Challenge hosted by the British International School Phuket is back this year by popular demand! The competition this academic year will feature five different code rounds, with rounds suitable for students from Year 4 to Year 13. The competition will be run on this website: The School Code Breaking Site | Code Breaking Puzzles to Solve for KS3 and GCSE Students This year’s competition page is password protected until the competition begins on Monday 23 September. From then the page will be open for students.
School Calendar
Please click here to view our latest school calendar.
Lunch Menu
Please click here to view this month’s lunch menu.
House Tug of War on Tuesday 24 September
All students from Reception to Year 6 should come to school in House Kit ready for the Tug of War. Parents are invited to watch from the sidelines of the astroturf and should be ready to join in as needed with the parent/staff event (for which sports shoes should be worn!
8am-8.25am – Coffee Shop on B1 open (please bring your own reusable cup with a lid)
8.30am – Year 4-6 to be seated in their Houses on the field.
8.35am – Tug-of-War begins
10am – Year 4-6 Tug-of-War ends
10am-10.30am – Coffee Shop on B1 open (please bring your own reusable cup with a lid)
10.35am – Reception Classes to Year 3 seated in their Houses on the field.
11.40am – Tug-of-War ends and Reception to Year 3 go to lunch from the field.
(If we experience bad weather, then all timings will stay the same but in the gym).
Weekly Parent Workshops:
Parents Workshops for this year will be held on Thursdays 10am-11am in the Tech Hub 2F unless otherwise stated. Coffee Shop B1 will be open from 9.30am. You will be escorted to Tech Hub 2F from the Coffee Shop by the leading teacher prior to the workshop, so please wait in B1 to be escorted upstairs. For our topics for this Term, please find the PDFs here. If you have any suggestions for future workshops please let us know.
Previous Parent Workshop Materials
Please click below to access the PowerPoint presentations from past parent workshops:
- Dulwich College Seoul Online Safety Workshop
- Phonics at DCSL
Parent Rep Meeting
Our first Parent Rep Meeting Notes slide shows for 24-25 Term 1 are found here.
Class Parent Reps Meeting Schedules for 24-25 Term 1
Wednesday, 16th October (Online Meeting)
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Join the Meeting: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 410 706 817 40
Passcode: avNnWN
Monday, 11th November (Online Meeting)
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Join the Meeting: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 482 082 273 893
Passcode: Ey6JDr
Tuesday, 3rd December (Online Meeting)
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Join the Meeting: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 496 236 047 526
Passcode: fZCAPe
Rep Meeting Summary: 11 September 2024
Many thanks to our Reps who came along today for an introductory meeting and our first sharing meeting of the new academic year. Please click here for the summary of the feedback and questions shared by Reps.
Korean Classes for Parents
Please sign up by using this link and click here for more information.
Dates for your Diary for August and September 2024:
Saturday 14 – Sunday 22 Sep – Chuseok Holidays – College closed
Monday 23 Sep – Safeguard Training Online 9.30-10.30 for all parents as needed
Tuesday 24 Sep – House Competition Tug of War 8.30-12pm Field/Gym Parents are invited (all students in Reception to Year 6 to wear House sports kit).
Wednesday 25 Sep – Tuck Shop 10.00-10.40
Wednesday 25 Sep – Y6 World Cup Day Trip (see email from Y6 staff)
Wednesday 25 Sep – Y3 Trip to Folk Museum (see email from Y3 staff)
Thursday 26 Sep – PS Parent Workshop on Mandarin at DCSL 10.30-11.30 Tech Hub 2F & Rm 306
Tuesday 1 Oct – Temporary Holiday: No school
Wednesday 2 Oct – Y6 Trip to War Memorial (see email from Y6 staff)
Thursday 3 Oct – National Foundation Day: No School
Friday 4 Oct – PS House Meeting 14.45-15.15
Tuesday 8 Oct – PS Student Council Event Y4-6
Wednesday 9 Oct – Hangeul Proclamation Day: No School
Thursday 10 Oct – FOD Coffee & Used Books/Uniform Sale 8.20-9.45 B1
Thursday 10 Oct – PS Parents Workshop – Introduction to the Zones of Regulation 10.00-11.00 Tech Hub
Wednesday 16 Oct – PS Parents Rep Meeting Online 9.00-10.00
Tuesday 22 Oct – PS Parent Teacher Conference 16.00-18.00 (refer to sign up instructions nearer the time)
Wednesday 23 Oct – Safeguard Training by Maggie Goddard 9.00-10.00 Rm 213
Thursday 24 Oct – PS Parents Workshop – Assessment at DCSL 10.00-11.00 Tech Hub
Thursday 24 Oct – PS Parent Teacher Conference 16.00-18.00 (refer to sign up instructions nearer the time)
Friday 25 Oct – Y6 Autumn Hike (refer to email from Y6 team)
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
Kind regards
Jane Smith
A Week of Multilingual Storytelling in DUCKS
It has been a wonderful week in DUCKS, as we were fortunate to have two mums visit our classes to read to the children. The students thoroughly enjoyed listening to stories in both French and Spanish.
Hearing stories in different languages offers children a rich tapestry of cultural experiences that enhances their cognitive and social development. Exposure to diverse languages fosters an appreciation for linguistic diversity, empathy, and understanding among classmates from various cultures. By celebrating multilingual storytelling, we create more inclusive classrooms where every child feels valued and connected, ultimately cultivating a strong sense of belonging.
Maggie Goddard
We encourage more parents to join us and share stories in their own languages. If you’re interested, please email maggie.goddard@dulwich-seoul.kr.
Exciting Updates in Mandarin Learning at Dulwich College Seoul
The Mandarin curriculum at Dulwich College Seoul is designed to equip students with language skills and intercultural understanding, preparing them for a successful “Worldwise” life in the 21st century. Our students learn Mandarin through the Wo Hui Mandarin platform—an innovative digital tool that supports student-driven learning. This platform is also the official resource for HSK and YCT teaching, learning, and mock assessments.
This year, students from Year 3 to Year 6 are learning the official YCT course via the Wo Hui platform, while Senior School students are studying the HSK course through the same platform. Upon completing each level, students are encouraged to take the official YCT or HSK exams on campus, earning internationally recognized certificates of Chinese language proficiency.
To provide further insight into our Mandarin curriculum and address any questions, we are pleased to invite parents to our upcoming Parent Workshop. This workshop is open to all DCSL parents from both Primary and Senior schools.
Mandarin at DCSL Parent Workshop
Date: Thursday, September 26
Time: 1030am – 11.30am
Rooms:
- Room 306 (Mandarin classroom, Foreign Language) with Ms. Zou
- Inquiry Hub, 2F (Second and Native Language) with Ms. Dong
Workshop Topics:
- What makes the DCSL Mandarin curriculum unique?
- Overview of the DCSL Mandarin learning pathway
- The Wo Hui Mandarin platform for Foreign, Second, and First Languages
- YCT & HSK courses at DCSL
- Mandarin-related events at DCSL
- How parents can support their child’s Mandarin learning at home
If you would like to attend this interactive and engaging parent workshop, please confirm your attendance here.
Embracing the Moon: Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival Through Mandarin Lessons
Last week, our Mandarin Department celebrated Culture Week, focusing on the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Chuseok in Korea. Both festivals fall on the same day—the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, which is September 17 this year. While celebrated in different ways across various Asian countries, the day holds unique cultural meanings for each.
Students delved into the rich heritage of the Mid- Autumn Festival by learning about its legendary origins. In addition to stories, they engaged in cultural practices associated with the festival, practising Chinese vocabulary and phrases tied to the event. This enhanced their language skills through meaningful and interactive activities.
Students also crafted traditional fans, rabbit lanterns with the theme of moon and any elements related with the legendary stories, decorating them with vibrant colours. Year 3 up to Year 6 all tried their hand at making Moon Cakes, learning the traditional method of wrapping red bean paste and lotus seed paste with sticky rice dough, a modern style cuisine for the celebration.
These activities deepened students’ understanding of the Mid-Autumn Festival and fostered greater appreciation for Chinese traditions and customs. Integrating language learning with cultural exploration made the lessons both educational and enjoyable.
The Ambassador Platform
We’re pleased to share “The Ambassador Platform” with our community—an interactive chatting app that’s been connecting prospective parents with our dedicated community of parents. Our team of parent ambassadors has been doing a great job engaging with potential families, sharing personal experiences, and offering advice to showcase why Dulwich College Seoul is a great choice.
This platform is not only useful for prospective parents but also a helpful resource for our current parents. They can easily start a conversation with our experienced parent ambassadors to get answers to any questions they may have about Dulwich College Seoul’s school life. Click here to start chatting and learn more about our community and the enriching experiences at Dulwich College Seoul for your family!
Stars of the Week
DUCKS1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
