Dunia April 2015

April 2015

Hair for Hope

Construction of diversity

Annual Report highlights

The paradox of

open-minded pragmatism:

By Chris Edwards

Head of College

The death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew

prompted me to ask myself a question.

It may not seem the most obvious

question to have flowed from this sad

and historic event, but it was: do we

best fulfil our mission if our minds are

empty, open or full?

Each state has its advocates. Some

Buddhists might argue for the first

condition; many UWC apologists

would probably suggest the second is

preferable; while those who burn the

midnight oil cramming for examinations

could make a compelling case for

the last.

My early days at UWCSEA have

confirmed what I had hoped might be

the case when I applied for this role:

that UWCSEA does indeed aim—for the

most part at least—to foster creative,

conceptual thought processes that

are not necessarily categorised by

linear thinking. So, yes, ‘open’ comes

closer than the other adjectives, and if

that really is the truth of it, UWCSEA

runs counter to the many national

education systems in which facts still

hold dominion.

But I quite like facts. Except presenting

anything as a ‘fact’ to a young person

can be a dangerous business. When

I was young, Jupiter had 12 moons,

slaves built the Egyptian pyramids and

diamond was the hardest substance

in existence. I could go on. (I am still

reeling from the recent realisation that

Brontosaurus never existed.) I have had

to unlearn a great many ‘facts.’

But nonetheless, you need axioms to

make a start, just as you need some

knowledge of a language if you are

to make sense of a dictionary. Even

a Zen scholar would concede that

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923–2015), then Prime Minister, opened the College in 1971.

Lessons from Mr Lee Kuan Yew

Many articles in this edition have

expanded content on eDunia

(www.uwcsea.edu.sg/edunia)—

look for the symbol as you

read the magazine and visit

eDunia for more photos, video

and expanded content.

more important than the answer”

is a leitmotif of modern education.

Sometimes. Only sometimes.

“The world is full of people who

have never, since childhood, met an

open doorway with an open mind.”

American author E. B. White was

correct. Therefore, as Singapore enters

a new era, let us ensure this UWCSEA

generation never buries itself in the

seductive rhetoric rather than the

challenging action of the mission.

And so our wonderful College of 90

nationalities—a College almost as

old as independent Singapore itself—

will continue its proud and unique

relationship with its homeland. But—

and for many this ‘but’ will bring a silent

tear—we will do this without

the man who unveiled our

plaque in 1971.

By Frazer Cairns

Head of Dover Campus

In his 1932 essay On Modern Education

and the Classics, T.S. Eliot described

education as: “a subject which cannot

be discussed in a void: our questions

raise other questions, social, economic,

financial, political. And the bearings

are on more ultimate problems even

than these: to know what we want in

general, we must derive our theory

of education from our philosophy of

life.” In his view, we too often lack the

fundamental philosophical basis from

which to answer the question ‘what

is education for?’ and so fall back on

narrow, utilitarian explanations. There

is, he said, a preoccupation with ‘getting

on’ and perhaps this is why there is an

emphasis in some education systems

on getting good examination results,

ensuring that one is well-placed for

university entrance, preparing students

for the job market and improving

individuals’ material life chances.

Related to this idea of the purpose

of education, I was thinking about

UWCSEA as compared to my last

school and decided that in many ways

they are actually very similar. They are

both big, multi-campus schools set in

an urban environment. They are both

academically high-achieving schools.

They both benefit from intelligent,

demanding, interested (and interesting)

students and parents. However, and

perhaps most importantly, they both see

themselves as having the fundamental

purpose of making the world a better

place, and so the purpose of education

is expressed more widely, at both an

individual and a societal level.

UWCSEA and my previous school both

aim to bring about change by promoting

(amongst other things) intercultural

sensitivity and understanding. Yet there

are differences in the primary way that

the two schools aim to achieve this. In

my last school it was through language.

If you don’t understand another person’s

Construction of diversity

language, the thinking went, you can’t

understand their culture and you can’t

understand the nuance of what they are

saying to you. Many conflicts have arisen

from a lack of understanding of culture

and nuance. At UWCSEA language

is also seen as being of fundamental

importance. However, the aim of mutual

understanding is also reached towards

another way—through the active

construction of a diverse community.

Kurt Hahn is supposed to have said

that putting two young people from

opposite sides of a cultural divide

together on a boat, perhaps in a

Northeasterly gale, and having them

become thoroughly seasick together,

would result in something positive for

international education. Perhaps less

dramatically at UWCSEA, we try to

engineer a situation where people with

different past experiences, cultures

and worldviews are put in the same

classroom and asked to work together.

At first glance a school’s diversity

could be taken to be a reflection of

the community in which it finds itself.

After all, a school in a cosmopolitan city

like Singapore has the potential to be

enormously diverse. However, the idea of

diversity is more difficult than it sounds.

It is not at all the case that the passport

I hold defines who I am and how I view

the world, and it is very possible to have

a seemingly diverse group—a South

American, an African and a European

national, for example—who have had

similar past experiences and who share

similar expectations for the future. It

is also perfectly possible to have two

people who carry the same passport

find they have lived very different lives

and see the world from very different

standpoints.

This more subtle kind of diversity is a

major aim of our admissions selection

process. We don’t have quotas and

caps but do we look to actively choose

people who bring new experiences

and new views to the community.

Such diversity is also a fundamental

aim of the scholarship programme,

and by bringing in individuals

from different cultural and socio-

economic backgrounds we enhance

the educational experience for all of

our students. How this changes the

school can be seen by considering

the students from one of our primary

classes studying the subject of conflict.

The teachers could have shown a

video, or read from a textbook. Instead

students from Timor-Leste, Rwanda and

Cambodia went in and spoke to 11 year-

olds about the impact that conflict had

on their lives. Learning about conflict

is important. Learning directly from

someone who has lived through it is a

very different learning experience.

Getting good examination results,

ensuring that one is well placed for

university entrance are legitimate and

important purposes of education. But

they can easily crowd out the more

fundamental objectives of our mission

statements. The fact that, as I write

this, students have been reflecting in

assemblies on the horrific Pakistani

school massacre that left 153 dead,

and the attack in Paris on the offices

of Charlie Hebdo, underlines how

important it is to continue to make

intercultural understanding one of the

primary aims of education.

UWCSEA—and UWC schools and

colleges in general—are not the only

schools in the world to have a vision

of education that goes beyond the

individual. However, given the world

desperately needs young people

with the type of understanding and

experience that can transform inter-

cultural relationships, thank goodness

we have that vision and are actively

realising it in our practices.

The development of intercultural understanding is central to the mission

of the UWC movement and at UWCSEA there is an enormous variety of

ways in which we work towards this goal. The cultivation of open minds

and flexible thinking (see page 2), deliberate construction of a diverse

community (see page 4), and strong awareness of the importance of both

mother tongue and acquired language are just some examples of ways the

College ‘solves for’ the development of intercultural understanding.

Alongside these and other approaches are opportunities for students to

engage with the arts and culture of a particular country. This happens

naturally through the English, Humanities, Music, Dance, Drama and

Languages curricula and through parts of the Service programme, but from

time to time we facilitate an in-depth cultural focus, allowing the whole

community the opportunity to both experience the arts and reflect on how

they contribute to a cultural identity.

Based on the premise that a deeper understanding of the arts and culture

of a nation leads to a deeper appreciation of that nation, the East Campus

holds Asian Arts and Culture Week each February. In keeping with

Singapore’s 50th anniversary year (SG50), the second annual Asian Arts and

Culture Week (9–13 February) celebrated the diverse culture of Singapore.

Students engaged in a range of performing arts workshops including Beijing

Opera and Dikir Barat and had the opportunity to visit the Singaporean

‘village’ built by parents in the plaza, which represented Chinese, Indian,

Malay and Peranakan cultures. In the Primary School library, well-known

children’s authors visited during the week to speak about their books and

answer student questions.

Grade 6 student Nadia Coutts says, “As a Singaporean I feel happy and

proud that my school is celebrating the country I was born in, and I am

proud that my country is celebrating its golden jubilee. Preparing for SG50

has been very educational as I had to research Singapore’s history and find

out about the founders of modern Singapore.”

Connections to Singapore were reinforced by a visit from Tampines Member

of Parliament, Mr Baey Yam Keng, and UWCSEA was honoured to host the

Singapore Portraits Exhibition, on loan from the National Heritage Board.

Teacher Anna Parr who organised the week said, “In today’s fast-paced

society, it is easy to miss the more subtle sides of Singapore’s heritage and

this week allowed us to share and celebrate our host country’s beautiful arts

and cultural diversity with the UWCSEA community.”

Links to the academic curriculum were made through displays in the library

focused on Singapore case studies that High School Geography students

completed as part of their course (see page 8) and through the Music and

Drama curricula. Students also had the chance to participate in serving a

Chinese New Year lunch to more than 200 members of local organisations.

During the week students were talking not just about Asian Arts and

Culture Week but also about the importance of taking time to mark all that

Singapore has achieved in 50 years as an independent nation. Students

also reflected on how Singapore’s culture plays a part in their own personal

culture: whether they are here for just a few years, long-term residents,

or Singaporean citizens, the country is part of their identity.

Immersing themselves in her unique heritage has brought them

to greater understanding of Singapore and of themselves.

Asian Arts and Culture Week

By Ellie Alchin

Head of High School Humanities

East Campus

The announcement of Singapore as the

theme for this year’s Asian Arts and

Culture Week was just the catalyst the

High School Geography department

needed to raise the profile of Singapore

case studies within the curriculum. Case

studies are a key part of Geography

learning and therefore the potential to

use Singapore as a focus of study was

obvious, and while Singapore did feature

in a number of our units, we felt there

was scope for a more ambitious and

contemporary approach.

In Grade 9 the students study rivers

and we thus chose the management of

the Kallang River as a case study. The

Kallang is a fascinating example because

Singapore

inspires High

School Geography

curriculum

Before

Case studies on Singapore’s management

of the Kallang River, urban growth,

resources, birth rate and immigration have

featured in Geography courses on East

Campus this year.

“Something that I found

particularly interesting is

the many ways in which

Singapore manages its water

to prevent flooding. Who

would have thought that the

pavements which we walk

on in fact absorb the excess

surface water!”

Pula Prakash, Grade 9

River restoration in Bishan—Singapore restores the Kallang River and uses natural methods to reduce flood risk.

Photos by Jan, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhecking/9241481644/in/photolist- CC BY-SA 4.0

After

it highlights the contrasting range of

approaches to river management here

in Singapore including: hard engineering

and canalisation to cope with floods in

the lower course; the construction of

the iconic Marina Barrage at its mouth;

and the inspired river restoration project

in Bishan, in which the concrete sides

were dismantled and the river has been

allowed to freely meander once again

(pictured above).

In Grade 10 a new unit on the pattern

and pace of urban growth in Singapore

was introduced. Tracing the expansion

of the city from its origins around

Boat Quay to its current layout, using

historical maps, students were tasked

with mapping the growth of the city and

interviewing local Singaporeans about

their responses to the changes. The unit

culminated in the creation of individual

infographics in which students presented

the results of their enquiry.

The Singapore government’s support of a

higher birthrate through their population

policy has been the focus of study for

our IBDP students. With one of the

lowest total fertility rates in the world,

Singapore, like many developed nations,

has been grappling with the dilemma

of balancing the need to increase the

population in order to sustain economic

growth, and cope with the challenges

of an aging population, while dealing

with resistance to rapid immigration

from some Singaporean citizens. Our

students in Grade 11 have been exploring

and evaluating the strategies used to

boost the birth rate, while in Grade 12,

students are examining the measures to

control immigration.

Aidana Orynbassar in Grade 12

shared, “According to the KOF index of

globalisation 2014, Singapore is ranked

fifth as the most globalised country. It is

no surprise why migration is one of the

hot topics to discuss when studying its

history and the economic background.

“One of the most interesting

things I learned about

Singapore was how influential

such a small country can be.

Its net exports are the largest

component of its GDP, and

its Foreign Direct Investment

inflow is around US$65 billion

a year. Further taking into

consideration the extremely

busy port that Singapore has,

it is no wonder that it’s the 5th

most globalised country in

the world!”

Julia Cselotei, Grade 12

Even my Extended Essay was focused

on it! Looking at how the growing inflow

of migrants into Singapore brings both

positive and negative effects is what

I found very interesting to learn in our

Geography classes.”

During Asian Arts and Culture Week

our Grade 11 students were lucky

enough to have a visit from Ju Shen

Lee (Class of 1988), a UWCSEA alumna

who now works in environmental

management in Singapore. She was

able to answer questions on topics as

wide ranging as ecological footprints

and waste management, to the benefits

of a UWC education for a career in

environmental sustainability. Timed as it

was, immediately after our students had

completed their iMovies and videoscribe

cartoons on the management of waste in

Singapore, they were full of questions for

Ju Shen, but were also delighted when

she shared local contacts and inspired

ideas for their Extended Essay topics.

Though small in size, Singapore

offers tremendous examples and

lessons around development and

management of resources

and population for our

Geography students.

By Ethan Swift

Grade 12 IB Theatre student

and Assistant Director

Dover Campus

On the evening of 10 March, the cast of

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ took their

final bows as the two-night production

came to an end. More than three months

of intensive rehearsal by the performers,

and countless hours of laborious

technical work by members of the crew,

made it both a successful performance

and a fantastic learning experience for

over 50 students. The final transient

performance was simply one element

of the overall process; a culmination

of hours of memories that will remain

with students long after their time at

UWCSEA has drawn to a close.

For the past four years, I have been

fortunate enough to perform in many

productions, and even to direct one,

providing some of the greatest lessons

I have learnt at school. The art of

collaboration, patience and perseverance

are life skills that can never be fully

taught in a classroom. Many subscribe to

a myth that theatre does not pave a road

to a success in many careers. However,

areas of expertise like creative problem

solving, confidence with public speaking

and advanced people skills, all developed

through work in the theatre, form the

foundation of any thriving individual.

At UWCSEA, it is so encouraging to

see how many opportunities to enrich

character and expand an individual’s

understanding of others are afforded to

students. The climax of my High School

theatre career was the chance to work

alongside a veteran director to develop

this performance delivered by Grade 9

and 10 students. I can’t think of many

other schools that would allow a student

to help direct younger peers and in turn

receive mentorship from an individual

with such a vast amount of experience in

the field.

The one piece of advice I have for anyone

even remotely considering signing up to

audition or work behind the scenes for

a production is this: take the leap. Do

something that scares you. You won’t

regret it.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Director’s note

By Karen Balthazaar

Head of Grade 9

Teacher of Drama and Theatre

Dover Campus

Both cast and crew have been

enthusiastic about exploring new ideas

and have worked hard to overcome

challenges during the rehearsal process.

This kind of learning takes us way

beyond the classroom in terms of

being brave and taking risks and this is

exactly why the Arts are so important

not just as an extra curricular activity

but as an integral part of an ‘intelligent’

education for our children. The world

needs creative, intelligent, original

thinkers. To quote Ken Robinson in his

TED talk ‘How Schools Kill Creativity,’

“We know three things about

intelligence. One, it’s diverse. We think

about the world in all the ways that

we experience it. We think visually, we

think in sound, we think kinesthetically

… In fact, creativity—which I define

as the process of having original ideas

that have value—more often than not

comes about through the interaction

of different disciplinary ways of

seeing things.”

The ensemble nature of theatre is

what is most important to me and this

includes enjoyment of the creative

processes as well as the cohesive spirit

of collaboration amongst cast and crew.

These are the makings of a successful

production. My personal wish for every

one of the students involved, both the

actors and those who worked behind

the scenes, is that there is pride and

personal achievement in being a part of

the ‘magic’ we created on stage

for approximately two hours on

9 and 10 March.

Photos by Grade 10 student Marina Zilliacus

The importance of an education

that allows students to develop

their creativity and express their

learning in visual as well as written

ways, is becoming more evident in an

increasingly visually-oriented world.

A foundation to help develop this

starts with providing a rich artistic

environment and an early childhood

programme that encourages the

development of creativity and visual

communication skills.

In late 2014, the Infant School on

Dover Campus employed Beth Saez as

a specialist Art Coach for the rest of

this academic year—meaning Infant

students are being exposed to more

tailored opportunities for creativity

and innovation. This programme instils

essential skills and greatly benefits the

children’s intellectual development.

Across all Infant grades ‘provocations’

are launched by the Art Coach during

Discovery Time. Under the guidance of

Visual expression in

the Infant classrooms

“Children are capable learners

– full of potential, curiosity

and interest in the world

around them. They work on

their theories using hands-

on exploration, imaginative

play, observations and

research using different tools.

These languages, that they

display in their learning, lead

them to a surprising level of

communication, symbolic

skills and creativity.”

Beth Saez, Infant Art Coach

Dover Campus

the Art Coach, and with increased access

to a range of different materials, these

provide students with the opportunity

and freedom to explore, try out new

ideas and learn from their mistakes.

This increased emphasis on the Arts has

supplemented what is already happening

during class-based art activities. It allows

the students to further develop skills in

interpretation of concepts, and find new

ways to create visual expressions of their

ideas. The introduction of additional art

elements into the children’s curriculum

enriches the learning process while

expanding their appreciation for the Arts.

Importantly, it also helps to develop

key skills, which are aspects of the

UWCSEA profile, such as communication

and creativity.

This programme was funded in part

by generous donations from the

community through the Annual Fund.

On behalf of all the Infant students who

have benefitted, thank you.

Photos by Joseph Tan

Beth Saez facilitates an Art activity at the Student Led Conferences.

ongoing conversation between our

organisations, the relationship has

developed to include more direct

support for Epic Arts’ evolving needs.

In conversation with the Service and

Music departments last year, the Epic

Arts team expressed a desire for a music

studio, in order to learn how to use

professional recording equipment and

run a course based on music and media.

Through the course students would

learn how to make radio advertisements,

supporting their mission of spreading

the message throughout Cambodia that

every person counts, regardless of ability

or disability.

The College’s IT, Service, Music and

Facilities departments were keen to

support the music studio project. For

the Music Department, there is the

potential for long-term collaboration

and reciprocity. The idea is simple—if

students at Epic Arts can learn to use

similar equipment, software and systems

to UWCSEA students, then in the future

there will be opportunities for more

profound shared learning experiences.

Students, Gap Year students and alumni

could take relevant skills to Kampot; Epic

Arts students could bring relevant skills

to UWCSEA. Furthermore, learning to

work with industry standard equipment

will open up future opportunities for the

Epic Arts students.

Since agreeing to the project, the

Grade 5 Epic Arts GC has provided

funding for the studio build. In addition,

donations to Epic Arts from the IT and

Music departments as well as families

and teachers have included a number

of computers, relevant software and

hardware, several instruments and a full

drum kit.

Most recently in February, Kazly Bin

Kas Kazan and Ridhwan Jasni from the

Facilities Department volunteered to

go and help set up the Epic Arts music

studio in Kampot, and to work with

the staff there to ground the studio

and office, so that when the musicians

are using the equipment it doesn’t

constantly transmit electric shocks. Over

a three-day period, Kazly and Ridhwan

worked with Boron, the handyman at

Epic Arts. Boron is deaf and though Kazly

and Ridhwan have no knowledge of

Khmer sign language, the three of them

successfully worked together to stabilise

the wiring, making the studio and office

safe for the staff and students. In the

process, Boron learnt the skills behind

this complex technical task, thus further

developing his skill-set.

Reflecting on the experience, Kazly said,

“It was an eye-opening experience for

Ridhwan and myself. I admire how [the

Epic Arts students and staff] persevere

despite the challenges that they face in

life. It’s shown me that we are all equal,

that every person counts.” Another

significant milestone in the

ongoing collaboration between

UWCSEA and Epic Arts.

“Every person counts”

Epic Arts is an inclusive arts organisation

in Kampot, Cambodia that uses the

arts as a form of expression and

empowerment to create a dialogue

around disability issues.

Epic Arts and UWCSEA have been

working together since 2011, and the

relationship continues to deepen over

time and involve more members of

the College community. Building on

the strong GC connections that were

established with Grade 5 on East

Campus, the Music Department has

sought ways to develop collaborative,

creative and performance-based

opportunities. The onus is on

collaboration and reciprocity of learning,

which is evident in the annual shared

performances on campus. These

take place after a week-long process

of Epic Arts and UWCSEA students

learning together.

Through numerous visits by UWCSEA

staff and students to Epic Arts in

Cambodia, the annual visit and

performances at East Campus, and

UWCSEA supports Epic Arts music studio

Kazly and Boron working to ground the Epic Arts studio and office.

Supporting children through disappointment

By Ian Moody, Jane Pyrgos and

Pushpa Dasari

Counsellors

Dover Campus

Throughout a child’s education and

life in general, they will experience

disappointment in various forms. It

could be related to not being allowed

to do or have something, sporting

results or not doing as well as expected

in tests or exams. Recently, the Grade

10 and 12 students on Dover Campus

completed their mock exams and

through the PSE programme, tutors

supported students as they reflected

on their exam experience. The College

Counsellors also held a seminar for

parents to discuss issues of concern

following these exams. The main points

from this discussion are highlighted

here as useful guidelines to follow when

supporting your child through any form

of disappointment.

It is important to keep sight of the

big picture: mock exams are exactly

what their title is, a ‘mock’, or

practice opportunity. Maintaining

perspective regarding this in response

to disappointing exam results (or in

any other disappointment) is vital if we

are to help our children do the same.

Plenty of positives can emerge from

disappointments if handled carefully;

a reality check, specific awareness of

learning/understanding gaps, increased

motivation to improve and rise to

the challenge.

There is a saying taught to medical

trainees arriving at the scene of any

emergency ‘check your own pulse first,’

and the same applies in helping our

children cope with disappointment. We

will be no help to them if we are also

feeling devastated. So take a moment

to check your own emotional state

first. Our children learn from what we

show them so if we are going to be

supportive, we need to model that we

can cope with the disappointment.

If the pulse is racing, you are upset,

or angry, take some time out, think

it through, and wait a while to talk

to them.

Main principles

• Soothe/reassure: if your child is very

distressed or tearful, no words will

be absorbed until that intensity has

lowered, so comfort them. Take time

over this, as often you will learn most

by simply being quietly beside them.

Sometimes it might go better to wait

until some time has passed—tell

them that you can talk about it later

when you feel calmer.

• Empathise: recognise and make

explicit their feelings.

• Listen: save your own opinions

for another time. Ask open-ended

questions—”how do you feel about

that,” “what was happening for you

then” etc.

• Blood sugar level check: feed them,

give them a drink—make sure they are

not running on low blood sugar.

• Avoid personal judgments “you

are so …”

• Be sensitive: “I told you so” about

revisions, sleep times, social life

attended will be unhelpful. Allow

your child to highlight the shortfalls

themselves, framed as a learning

opportunity.

• Learning opportunity: promote

growth mindset and learning from

their experience. Asking what they

would do differently next time will

help focus them on going forward—

what they can learn from this to

shape future experiences. Focus on

the positive: what they did do.

• Maintain a balanced perspective

between optimism and realistic

expectations. Encourage your children

to believe in themselves and adopt

a positive mindset, but remain

grounded. Let this be the platform

from which they make changes as

they prepare for the finals.

• Avoid platitudes like “everything

will be alright” or “it will work out”

until they have worked through

their feelings, and are able to more

rationally view their experience and

consider what they may do differently

next time.

• Monitor: closely observe your

child for any signs of prolonged

disappointment or other signs of

distress and seek additional help from

a counsellor, if necessary.

In summary, the three key concepts to

remember in responding to your child’s

disappointment include:

1. maintain the relationship

2. build resilience

3. promote learning from experience

For additional resources on

coping with the stress of exam

results, developing resilience and

general tips on keeping things in

perspective through a balanced

lifestyle, please refer to:

http://www.headsup.ie/

examresultsfactsheet.php

http://sydney.edu.au/current_

students/counselling/documents/

CAPS_Mag_Iss2.pdf

Human resources

3,262

Applications received

Teaching jobs

advertised

Student teacher ratio

1 Teacher

10.6 Students :

The UWCSEA Annual Report 2013/2014 was published in January 2015,

providing up-to-date statistics on the College learning programme

and operations. Charles Ormiston, Chair of the UWCSEA Board of

Governors, described the areas of significant progress for the school

during the 2013/2014 year, and outlined the areas of focus during

2014/2015. In his opening message, Chris Edwards paid tribute to the

achievements of Julian Whiteley, Head of College, during the 2013/2014

school year and remarked that he was “thrilled beyond measure to see

the breadth of achievement in these pages” and had “seldom seen such

sense of purpose as I have at UWCSEA.”

Included in the report are sections on student achievement in each

element of the learning programme; information about our community,

including the results of the survey; the business report incorporating

HR, Admissions and the financial statements for the College; and a

summary of the activity in College Advancement. The report includes

a large number of statistics that describe the breadth and depth of the

programme. A selection of those statistics is below.

Read the full report online at www.uwcsea.edu.sg/AnnualReport. If you

would like a printed copy of the report, please contact Farhani Alias,

Communications and Marketing Assistant (farhani.alias@uwcsea.edu.sg).

Annual Report highlights

Financials

Educational resources – 4%

Boarding salary and benefits – 1%

Administration salary

and benefits – 6%

Boarding – 3%

Depreciation – 6%

Central administration – 1%

Maintenance and

operations – 6%

Teachers salary

and benefits – 64%

Educational support

salary and benefits – 9%

Dover Campus

expenditure

Marketing and Communications – 1%

Educational resources – 4%

Boarding salary and benefits – 1%

Administration salary

and benefits – 4%

Boarding – 3%

Depreciation – 4%

Central administration – 0.4%

Maintenance and

operations – 8%

Teachers salary

and benefits – 65%

Educational support salary

and benefits – 10%

East Campus

expenditure

Marketing and Communications – 1%

Community

5,280

Students on both campuses

Nationalities

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

51%

From parents

Overall

NPS

55%

From students

Overall

NPS

Service

122

Global Concerns

across the College

College Service

programmes 54

Local Service

partners

$1,559,678

Total money raised for Service programme across the College

(I)GCSE results May 2014

%A*–C ISC

%A*–C UWCSEA

%A*–A ISC

%A*–A UWCSEA

%A* ISC†

%A* UWCSEA

90.9

97.6

60.6

74.5

32.7

46.8

%A*–C ISC

%A*–C UWCSEA

%A*–A ISC

%A*–A UWCSEA

%A* ISC†

%A* UWCSEA

90.9

96.5

60.6

63.2

32.7

36.4

Dover Campus

East Campus

**ISC: Independent Schools Council

IB Diploma results (May 2014)

Average IB Diploma Score

30.1

Worldwide

36.8

UWCSEA

465

Students

Pass rate

99.8%

UWCSEA

79%

Worldwide

IB Diploma score comparison

43.2%

18.1%

35–39

23.7%

28.3%

30–34

4.3%

31.6%

25–29

0.2%

15.2%

<25

28.6%

40–45

6.8%

UWCSEA

Worldwide

Activities

957

Total

Leadership

94 Enrichment

Music

ensembles

Visual and

performing arts

143

Clubs

Academic

extension

160

Sports and

fitness

345

Sports

teams

Outdoor Education

696,360+

Student hours

spent overseas

white, and blue supporters will stay

with me for a long time.

It was a great tournament to play in-

not only because of the supporters,

but also because it was my last chance

to play with some of my greatest

friends. Things went fairly well initially;

however, we knew at the end of the first

day that there was still plenty of work

to do. We hadn’t played to the best of

our ability. It was a pretty poor way to

end the day. Despite this, and another

poor performance on the morning

of the second day, we managed to

make it to the finals. The build up was

agonising, with hours to wait. It was

somewhat surreal to play my last-ever

game in the Phoenix colours. I was

extremely nervous and excited. It was

massively disappointing that we never

SEASAC: a player’s perspective

managed to get going in the final,

letting Tanglin Trust School dominate

for much of the game. However, the

heart and passion shown by the Phoenix

team was outstanding; a demonstration

in never giving up, even when it seemed

well over.

Although we did not perform as we

would have liked for the home crowd,

the crowd never stopped cheering us

on. A particularly touching moment

was the tunnel which the crowd formed

as we walked off the pitch. I can’t

accurately say how many people joined

in, but it seemed to be the majority

of the supporters and it was a really

special moment. To see that final show

of support has made UWCSEA

that much harder for me to

leave when I graduate in May.

Dragons 2014/2015 SEASAC results

Division 1 unless stated

Sport

Boys

Girls

Gymnastics

Level 2 Senior – 3rd

Level 3 – 5th

Level 2 Junior – 3rd

Level 2 Senior – 3rd

Level 3 Junior – 2nd

Level 4 – 4th

Level 5 – Champions

Football

Champions (Division 2)

2nd (Division 2)

Volleyball

2nd (Division 2)

6th

Rugby/Touch

5th

3rd

Basketball

2nd (Division 2)

7th

Tennis

3rd (Division 2)

4th

Swimming

Champions

Softball

3rd

6th

Badminton

2nd

3rd

Cross Country

3rd

6th

Golf

7th

6th

Phoenix 2014/2015 SEASAC results

Division 1 unless stated

Sport

Boys

Girls

Gymnastics

Level 2 – 2nd

Level 3 – Champions

Level 4 – Champions

Level 5 – 3rd

Level 6 – Champions

Football

Champions

2nd

Volleyball

5th (Division 2)

5th

Rugby/Touch

2nd

Champions

Basketball

3rd

Champions

Tennis

3rd

Swimming

2nd (15 and over)

Softball

2nd

Badminton

3rd

2nd

Cross Country

Champions

Golf

3rd

By Cathal Lynam

Grade 12

Dover Campus

When SEASAC comes around, it’s

an exciting time for any player, no

matter what sport. But this year, the

excitement of SEASAC Rugby was

elevated by the fact that it was a

home tournament. While this means

you lose something in terms of ‘tour

camaraderie,’ the prospect of a home

crowd is incredibly appealing. And sure

enough, my expectations were met.

It was unbelievable having so many

people come down to watch us. This

stood out from the very first game,

scheduled during High School lunch and

Middle School tutor group time. The

image of the stands on the AYE pitch

full of the College’s passionate green,

Both the East Campus boys and girls

swimming teams won the 2015 SEASAC

Swimming championships. For the girls

team, this was their third consecutive

championship, having won every year

they have competed in the tournament

to date. There are 360 swimmers on

the Dragons Swimming team and

30 competed at SEASAC. Grade 9

student Ella Glanville (pictured above)

shares her reflection on what drives

the individual commitment and the

team’s success.

By Ella Glanville

Grade 9

East Campus

The UWCSEA East Dragons swimming

team is more than just a team, it is

an obsession and a family. Although

swimming is a sport, we learn skills in

the trainings and competitions that

can be applied to all aspects of life.

The reason we show up to training

twice a day is not just about pursuing

an Olympic dream, but to be part of

the team dynamic which has helped us

attain our individual goals both in and

out of the pool. These attributes will

stay with us long after we graduate.

Each team member has responsibilities,

whether we are competing or not. For

example, even if you are not picked to

swim in a relay, you still have a vital

role in cheering on the others, because

they are swimming for the team and

not themselves. There is a common

misconception regarding our sport,

that we race for ourselves, but this

could not be farther from the truth as

Dedication, hard work and fun

propel swimming team’s success

each of us could not get through the

months leading up to the competition

without the support of the team. Many

swimmers feel a sense of loneliness in

the pool, but this does not hold true

for the Dragons and this is the unique

factor which sets us apart from other

international schools in the region.

Twenty hours of training per week can

come down to a race which is finished in

under thirty seconds. Although it may

be counter intuitive, this pushes us to

develop the discipline to train every day

in order to achieve our goals. Discipline

can be learned from dedication, and a

deep love for swimming is needed if you

wish to push your body through endless

training sessions.

The basic skills I have learned from

being part of the team are organisation,

commitment, discipline and finding

balance. I believe these attributes can

shape a person and can be applied to

many situations in life. By attending

a school as demanding as UWCSEA,

where you need to engage in all five

elements of the learning programme,

each student becomes adept in

balancing a variety of commitments

and the skills necessary to complete

each one.

Head Coach, Taylor Smith, believes

that the way he runs the swimming

programme is how all swimming clubs

should be run. The recipe is surprisingly

simple: hard work and fun creates

an environment for success, both in

swimming and in life.

Photos supplied by Taylor Smith

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IBDP THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE COURSE

By Nick Alchin

High School Principal

East Campus

In light of apparent controversies like

climate change: How do we know when

we should trust scientists?

In light of the Charlie Hebdo affair and

the subsequent news coverage: How do

we know how to judge the reporting of

important news events?

In light of a recent report that some 50%

of the world’s wealth is owned by 1% of

the population: How do we know how

to balance the competing goods of

freedom and equality?

In light of cultural diversity and multiple

perspectives: How do we know how

to hold true to our own values while

remaining open-minded?

In light of the UWC mission: How do we

know how to act to build a peaceful,

sustainable future?

These are not easy questions to answer.

Some of them have been asked and

written about since at least the Greeks

and The Upanishads, and recur every

generation; others are new, and reflect

the challenges posed by living in the

early 21st century. But these, and many