There’s a saying in Scotland (where I’m from) that mirrors a similar sentiment in other cooler countries, that “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the under-prepared”. However, with great preparation the arctic blasts did not deter our skiiers from Year 4 and Year 5 this week – wrapped up and active, they had great days on the slopes working on their snow-ploughs and parallel turns. Staff have shared lovely stories of students encouraging each other with difficult slopes and of peers helping classmates with new techniques and equipment. The positive attitudes were tested at the end of Year 5’s day away when the snowy conditions slowed their return journey, but Rocky demonstrated the great fortitude and resilience typical of Year 5, by reminding others that the delay/longer bus journey would be a great memory one day!
On campus, the Nursery and Year 2A were flexible and adaptable when asked to decamp to warmer spaces for the day while essential repairs were made to their heating. Nursery had a great day in the roomy MPR and Y2A spent the morning in Y4G, in part testing out some sample classroom furniture that we are considering from the Junior School next year. Our learning spaces are all back to being toasty and warm, despite the icy blasts.
The playgrounds have been much quieter this week, as we ask that students have shorter breaks or stay indoors when the temperatures dip well below freezing. The sun may have been shining but (especially today) the wind chill was too frigid for little people on a 20-minute outdoor play.
What your child needs for school in winter: thick coat, gloves, hat, and scarf – all named please. Thank you.
Golden Coat Hanger Award:
Year 3: 3P
Year 4: 4G
Year 5: 5S
Year 6: 6T
Suitable Viewing? Probably Not…
The Netflix hit show, Squid Game may be marketed in a way that makes it appealing to Primary-aged children but, as a violent show with very adult themes, it’s the stuff of nightmares for the under-12s. Please be aware that some Primary School children do seem to have access to it at home – is that your child?
Pornography – are you certain your child cannot access sexually explicit clips, images, or cartoons at home or on playdates at others’ homes? Some of our Primary School students have in the past with very upsetting results. Are your devices secure?
Minecraft – this platform requires carefully setup and monitoring by parents to ensure it’s always a safe space for children. How do you monitor your child’s activity online?
To find information about the control settings, strengthening protections on your home network, and the suitability of movies, shows, and games for your age of children, check out Commonsense Media.
Eat a Rainbow: Snacks and Lunches at school – Wednesday 12 March 2025
Please sign up by clicking here to attend the Primary School ‘Eat a Rainbow Parent Workshop and Kitchen Tour’. The workshop is limited to 25 participants. The workshop will start at 10.15am and end at 12.15pm.
Parents interested in attending should fill in the survey by noon on Wednesday 26 February.
This is a repeat of the previous workshops so parents who have already participated before should not sign up – thank you for your understanding.
Book Fair
We are delighted to inform you that a Book Fair will be taking place next week at Dulwich College Seoul. The bookshop will be open from 9am to 4.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Parents are welcome to visit at any time during these hours and can also bring their children to the bookshop from 3.30pm to 4.30pm on any of these days.
The classes will visit the bookshop together according to the following schedule:
- DUCKS (Nursery, Reception, and Year 1): Tuesday
- DUCKS 2: Wednesday
- Year 3: Monday
- Year 4: Tuesday
- Year 5: Monday
- Year 6: Monday
If you would like your child to purchase a book during their class visit, please provide them with some money (we recommend 20,000 won) in an envelope.
If these times do not work for you, please contact your child’s teacher to see if an alternative arrangement can be made.
We look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair and hope it will be an enjoyable experience for all.
IB Wine & Cheese – Wednesday 12 February 5pm-6pm, IB Centre, 4F
Year 5 and Year 6 parents are invited to learn about the Senior School journey at Dulwich College Seoul from staff, students and parents.
Information about IB and IGCSE programs will be shared.
Please sign up in the link below.
RSVP Link: https://forms.office.com/r/P41fFjc5cw
Please contact Jane or Suzy Pugh if you’d like to attend even if your child is not in Year 5 or Year 6.
Weekly Parent Workshops:
Parents Workshops for this year will be held on Thursdays 10am-11am in the Tech Hub (2F above the Inquiry Hub) unless otherwise stated. The Coffee Shop (B1) will be open from 9.30am. You will be escorted to Tech Hub 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.
Please click here for the PowerPoint slide from this Monday’s Parent workshop on Outdoor Education and click here for the case studies.
Term 2 Parent Rep Meeting Schedule and Links:
1. Wednesday 22 January 10.30-11.30
Meeting ID: 423 085 571 354
Passcode: N35Vg3JH
2. Tuesday 25 February 13.30-14.30
Meeting ID: 483 576 900 092
Passcode: m5yC6BL7
3. Friday 21 March 9.00-10.00
Meeting ID: 430 112 143 56
Passcode: MW6Nc6Yy
4. Wednesday 30th April 10.30-11.30
Meeting ID: 494 492 530 614
Passcode: hV9bd23B
5. Friday 30 May 13.00-14.00
Meeting ID: 416 395 358 899
Passcode: og3vN9X6
“Stay and Play” Ducklings event in the MPR – now on TUESDAYS
Ducklings event has restarted on the 9 January. This event takes place in the MPR (1F) on Wednesdays mornings from 8.30am during term time. For DCSL community babies and toddlers aged 0-3 years and their special adult. Please sign-up by emailing Daozia and Liz at daovanhattum@gmail.com and elisabethannbanks@gmail.com. Parents can also turn up on Wednesday mornings at 8.15am.
DCSL Parents Korean Class Information
DCSL Parent Korean Class sign up is open for Term 2 until the end of January.
Please sign up via this link.
Class Type: A0 – Beginner Tue & Thurs 8.30-10.00, A1+ – Late Beginner Tue & Thurs 10.00-11.30
Period: 7 Jan 2025 – 12 June 2025
Fee: 25,000 KRW per hour (Add 10% VAT)
Menu from Quadra:
Find here the menu for February 2025.
Upcoming Dates for your Diary:
Monday 10~12 Feb – Book Fair 15.30-14.30 B1 Atrium
Tuesday 11 Feb – Ducklings “Stay and Play” 8.30-10.00 MPR
Wednesday 12 Feb – IB Wine & Cheese 17.00-18.00 IB Centre (4th Floor)
Wednesday 12 Feb – Year 6 Ski Trip all day
Wednesday 12 Feb – MUN Parent Info Session 15.45-16.30 Rm. 301
Wednesday 12 Feb – IB Forum Wine & Cheese Evening (Year 5 & 6 Parents)
Thursday 13 Feb – Year 3 Ski Trip all day
Thursday 13 Feb – Parent Workshop 10.00-11.00 Tech Hub
Tuesday 18 Feb – Ducklings “Stay and Play” 8.30-10.00 MPR
Thursday 20 Feb – Year 4 Production 9.00-10.00 Auditorium
Thursday 20 Feb – Child Protection for Parents 9.00-10.00 ONLINE
Friday 21 Feb – 4G and 4R Egyptian Embassy Visit 13.00-15.00
Monday 24~28 Feb – Year 6 Residential Trip to Hong Kong
Tuesday 25 Feb – Ducklings “Stay and Play” 8.30-10.00 MPR
Tuesday 25 Feb – Parent Rep Meeting 13.30-14.30 ONLINE
Thursday 27 Feb – Parent Workshop 10.00-11.00 Tech Hub
Monday 3 Mar – Additional Public Holiday
Tuesday 4 Mar – Professional Learning Day (School Holiday)
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
Lunar New Year Card Design Competition 2025
In celebration of the grand traditional festival of the Lunar New Year and to promote Chinese traditional culture, our school has not only continued the tradition of holding a Lunar New Year Assembly but also integrated lessons on Lunar New Year customs into our Mandarin classes. This year, our Year 2 and Year 4 students and several participants from Years 5 and Year 6 enthusiastically participated in the Year of the Snake Greeting Card Design Competition organized by the Association of Korea Chinese Children Education. Their designs were truly exceptional and showcased impressive creativity.
After rigorous evaluation and selection by professional judges from the 230 submissions in the aspects of composition, colour, creativity, theme, and technique, our school proudly boasts 3 students winning the “Silver Award”, 6 students earning the “Bronze Award” and 17 students receiving the “Excellence Award”. Below is the list of the winners from the Competition:
Silver Awards:
Maja (Year 4)
Iris (Year 4)
Charlotte (Year 5)
Bronze Awards:
Lin (Year 4)
Mariana (Year 4)
Nadine (Year 4)
Celyn (Year 5)
Queena (Year 5)
Haevin (Year 5)
Excellence Awards:
Kayla (Year 2)
Charity (Year 4)
Hailey (Year 4)
Hyesin (Year 4)
Jiwoo (Year 4)
Rasika (Year 4)
Ella (Year 4)
Reya (Year 4)
Sungwoo (Year 4)
William (Year 4)
Austin (Year 4)
Brooklyn (Year 4)
Emma (Year 4)
Jiaye (Year 4)
Mary (Year 4)
Kabir (Year 5)
Maya (Year 6)
Congratulations to all our talented winners! We are delighted to invite all award recipients to the Lantern Festival Celebration Gala hosted by Seoul Chinese Primary School, where you will be presented with your prizes. The event will showcase a range of exciting Chinese cultural activities, delicious traditional cuisine, spectacular performances, and an exhibition of the winning greeting cards from participants across Korea. We warmly welcome all Dulwich students and parents to join in the celebration, whether you are receiving an award or simply wish to enjoy a day of cultural festivities. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to celebrate our winners and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural experience. We look forward to celebrating with you!
- Date: 8 February 2025
- Location: 35 Myeongdong 2-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Seoul Chinese Primary School or Hanxiao Chinese Primary School (한국한성화교소학교)
- Time: 9am – 6pm (Opening ceremony: 10am; Card Award ceremony begins at 11am)
Happy Lunar New Year!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Sincerely,
Mandarin Department
Primary School Adventure Residential Updates:
I am writing to share exciting updates regarding the adventure residential trips, where students will experience unique outdoor learning and gain valuable skills in resilience, teamwork, and personal growth.
In partnership with Asia Pacific Adventure, our trusted outdoor education provider based in Hong Kong, we have updated the trip dates to enhance the experience for each year group. Please see the revised schedule below:
- Year 6: February 24 – 28, Hong Kong
- Year 4: April 16 – 18, Chuncheon, Korea
- Year 3: April 16 – 18, Chuncheon, Korea
- Year 2: April 17 – 18, Dulwich College Seoul
We’re delighted to continue working with Asia Pacific Adventure, who ran our September Adventurous Journeys for Year 5 and Year 7 in Korea, as well as the Year 10 program in Mongolia. Their expertise and dedication have made a significant impact on our students’ experiences, and we’re confident that each year group will have a similarly enriching journey. Mr Bonnet and Mr Lovett will soon be heading to Hong Kong to further develop the Year 6 Adventurous Journey. Please keep an eye out for the Year 6 Parent Information session invitation which will take place in December.
We will share more details in the coming weeks, including activity outlines, packing lists, and travel logistics. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to mark.lovett@dulwich-seoul.kr
Thank you for your support in making these experiences possible for our students. We look forward to these incredible adventures!
DCSL Ski Trips
The excitement is building as we gear up for another incredible ski season! After a fantastic time on the slopes last year, we’re thrilled to announce that our ski program will be returning in Term 2. Whether your child is brand new to skiing or a seasoned pro, the program is designed for all skill levels, packed with adventure, fun, and plenty of opportunities for growth.
What makes this day so special is that it’s not just about the skiing—it’s about building a sense of community. Students will bond with classmates, encourage each other, and share in the excitement of learning something new. We’re all about improvement, whether it’s mastering the basics or fine-tuning advanced techniques, and our experienced instructors are dedicated to helping each child take their skills to the next level.
And it’s not just the skiing to look forward to! The day will also include a fantastic buffet lunch, offering a delicious spread to keep everyone energised and ready for more action on the slopes. It’s going to be a day full of memories, camaraderie, and, most importantly, fun!
Ski Levels:
Whether your child is strapping on skis for the first time, or carving turns like a pro, we’ve got the perfect group for them:
- First Timer
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Itinerary:
Here’s what a thrilling day on the mountain looks like:
- 6.30am: Arrive at Dulwich College Seoul, buzzing with excitement.
- 7am: Departure! Onward to a day of snow-filled adventures.
- 9am: Arrive at Ski Park. Time to gear up with clothing, boots, and skis.
- 9.45am: Morning Ski Lesson begins – it’s time to hit the slopes!
- 11.45am: Break time at White Tree Snow School base.
- 12pm: A well-deserved buffet lunch to recharge.
- 1pm: Back for more action with the afternoon lesson!
- 3pm: Return equipment and take a quick break.
- 3.45pm: Time to head back after an amazing day on the slopes.
- 6pm: Arrive at Dulwich College Seoul, tired but exhilarated!
- Please note there will be no school buses available.
Dates:
Mark your calendars – each year group has their own day to shine:
- 5 Feb: Year 4
- 6 Feb: Year 5
- 12 Feb: Year 6
- 13 Feb: Year 3
We can’t wait to see your child embrace the thrill of skiing, build confidence, and make unforgettable memories on the mountain!
Please keep an eye out for further information which will be sent directly to parents in December.
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
