C The
OLLEGE
Summer 2021 Beijing
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Dulwich College Beijing Introduces...
Leaders in the Making
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Meet our New Heads of School
The Relevance of ECAs to University Applications
Developing Student Superpowers
Friends of Dulwich
Singing to Convey Love and Positivity across the Community
By Willa AuYeung and Haifeng Cao
Like singing? Yes!
Like choir singing? Yes, I guess so.
How about a cappella? Sounds cool! Never tried before… What’s a cappella?
Originated from chapel style music in Italy, a cappella nowadays simply
refers to singing without instrumental accompaniment. By combining different
music style in its melody and harmonic structure, a cappella music gained an
incredible amount of popularity in recent decades.
In November 2020, the DCB’s a cappella choir group was launched as many
families could not enjoy the usual holiday gatherings due to the pandemic. The
Friends of Dulwich (FoD) committee sensed the emotional needs of parents on
time, and offered a Cloud Choir project for parents to learn one song over 2-3
online and offline sessions, show love and support to each other, and spread
good holiday cheers. The recruitment for the Cloud Choir project started and
over 70 parents joined the group, including graduates parents and families
trapped abroad during the pandemic.
FoD invited AcaLab, a music organisation dedicated to promoting a cappella
music in China, to support the choir. After some heated discussions, parents
voted for their favourite songs: Pin Fan Zhi Lu and See you again. Mr Taylor
Hartwell, the co-founder and creative director of AcaLab, made new musical
arrangements to combine these two beautiful songs. After practising very
hard for a month, parents gradually found they enjoyed every note of the
song, and some even conquered more than two vocal parts. In this process,
parents felt that the atmosphere of trust and encouragement, along with the
joy of overcoming a challenge, mattered more than the singing itself. A video
production of 90 song videos covering 5 vocal parts from soprano to bass was
distributed to the DCB community in December as the warmest greetings for
the holiday season.
The a cappella choir was invited by FoD to join its Christmas Brunch & Carols
event. 23 parents rehearsed intensively for two weeks after work and children’s
bedtime, faced frustrations and challenges together and finally presented
their first live performance at the Winter Garden of Indigo mall. Followed by
enthusiastic applause and cheers, the performance was incredibly successful
and touched the audience on the spot. A moment of pure joy in that warm
winter afternoon!
The DCB parent a cappella choir now rehearses every Friday. Choir members
enjoy systematic training (including breath, rhythm and intonation) to improve
their singing skills. There would be no more panic when holding several pages
long music notes. Parents sometimes even try impromptu singing conducted by
Mr Taylor. A new journey has begun, singing along with our songs!
Tremendous thanks to the parents who have participated and continued
participating in our a cappella choir. Your support and participation exemplifies
the Dulwich Values and makes our community shine with splendour!
beijing.dulwich.org
C O N T E N T S
Head of College Message ................................................ 2
Meet our New Heads of School .......................................... 4
Meet our New Head of Early Years ................................................... 4
Meet our New Head of Junior School ............................................... 6
Student Leadership ......................................................... 8
Leaders in the Making: the Early Years Student Council ................... 8
Hear from the Junior School House Captains! ................................ 10
Hear from the Junior School Student Council! ............................... 12
What does it Mean to be a Prefect while Preparing the IB? ............14
Live Worldwise ................................................................ 18
Sustainability at Heart .................................................................... 18
The Relevance of ECAs to University Applications ........................ 20
A Brief Guide to the World of University Applications .................... 24
Let's Meet Again in 15 Years! .......................................................... 26
Getting to Know the Duckers .......................................................... 28
Learn Worldwise .............................................................. 30
Developing Student Superpowers .................................................. 30
Educational Technology and Innovation ........................................ 32
Ranking 9 th at the Oxford University Computing Challenge! .......... 34
Learning Journey: from an Extended Essay to a Research Paper ... 36
Visual & Performing Arts .................................................. 36
Spotlights ........................................................................ 46
DCI News ......................................................................... 56
Cover: Dica W, Luis C (DCB Early Years students)
Back Cover: Kevin M, Michael L Jr, Yi Xin L, Sophie P, Mink L, Jessica T,
Jadelle C (DCB Class of 2021)
Editor, Design & Layout: Kalyana Marechal, Yadi Zhou
Editorial Support: Cecilia Liang
Contributors: Hetal Ascher, Willa AuYeung, Becky Bush, Haifeng Cao,
Laura Clark, Anthony Coles, Sally Corben, Jacob Dong, Stephen Ducker,
Tracey Francis, Jacinth Gurdon, Jeffrey Harmon, Yosef Karasik, Liz
Mawson, Joseph Stewart, Yvette Stride, Iyabo Tinubu, Bernd Widemann,
our colleagues across the DCI network and many of our wonderful
students and alumni.
Graphic Designer: Faye Zhang
Photography: Kidsphoto Studio, Dulwich College Beijing students and
teachers
The College Magazine (Beijing)
1
Head of College Message
As we are approaching the end
of the 2020/21 academic year,
it is my privilege to write a
short reflection.
The past year was indeed not a
usual one. It was full of unexpected
turns and challenges due to the
pandemic and its related restrictions.
However, when looking back, I feel
extremely proud of the achievements accomplished
by our DCB community and the resilience, positivity,
and teamwork that every member demonstrated
throughout the year.
In the latter half of the year, the College resumed
much of its pre-COVID activities, and campus life
sprang back with full force.
The new student leadership team was formed. In
Senior School, we appointed the new Prefect Team,
including four Head Prefects (Head Girl Dorothy A,
Head Boy Ethan Z, Deputy Head Girl Lauren Z, Deputy
Head Boy Isaac C) along with thirty-one other Student
Prefects, including five Heads of House. Junior School
and Early Years also have their Student Council leaders
and House Captains. The student leaders have been
proactively contributing to students’ learning and
wellbeing at school, conveying the students voice
and reflecting their perspectives in a wide array of
activities including learning, ECAs, sustainability,
wellbeing, and community service. Student agency is
one of the key priorities for learning at DCB and we
are proud to see the various student-led programmes
flourishing across the College.
From January onwards, we have been
receiving great news from universities
around the world. Each of the eighty-one
students of Class of 2021 has determined
his/her own pathway in medicine, film
production, law, or a lifetime of academia,
and they continue to receive prestigious
offers from the most selective universities
and programmes across all disciplines. To
name but a few, at the time of writing, our
students have offers from KAIST (the Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology), the University of
Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Imperial College
London, the University of St Andrews, Carnegie
Mellon University, the Rhode Island School of Design
and Art Center College of Design, Dartmouth College,
University College London, and UCLA. The list will
continue to grow through the summer as we receive
more updates.
We are particularly proud of our Class of 2021, not
only because of their exceptional offers, but also for
their incredible resolve, adaptability, and resilience as
they navigated through unprecedented challenges and
uncertainty over the past eighteen months. They have
demonstrated that they have the skills and confidence
to deal with their future world of study, work, and life.
2 beijing.dulwich.org
Head of College Message
At DCB, learning of courses stretches far beyond
the classroom, and academic excellence is not the
only objective our students strive for. When our
students returned onto campus, they were delighted
to have opportunities to engage with a vast array of
ECAs, sports, music and performing arts, visual arts,
and service projects. All three schools also had their
Sports Day with a wide range of sports activities and
residentials across Junior and Senior Schools have also
returned in this last term.
At DCB, we believe that learning is effective when
it’s adapted and applied. In light of that learning
principle, we are now partnered with Amazon Web
Services to bring Artificial Intelligence technologies
into the curriculum to better support students to
apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems.
Looking ahead into the new academic year, DCB
has confirmed three strategic key priorities: Live
Worldwise, Community of Learners, and Learning
Pathways. Under each of these headlines, there is a
number of areas that we intend to focus on next year.
Our IB and IGCSE Visual Arts students put on
amazing exhibitions, displaying their artworks on and
off-campus. In the Chinese New Year celebrations,
spring student concerts, and the recent MADD
Around the World Festival, our students and teachers
put on professional performances and fully expressed
the DCB vibe. The ECA groups came up with creative
ideas for serving the community and promoting
sustainability such as the accessibility lift and the
greenhouse and garden designs.
We look forward to continuing our partnership
with the whole DCB community, working towards
our strategic priorities, to create another year of
exceptional experiences for our students.
Anthony Coles
Head of College
The College Magazine (Beijing)
3
Meet our New Heads of School
Meet our New Head of Early Years
By Tracey Francis
It is a great honour to have been chosen
to lead such a wonderful school, and to
be a part of the legacy of educational
excellence that is synonymous with Dulwich
College International. The confidence that the
DCB community has placed in me to build on
the great things already happening in Early
Years is humbling, and a privilege that I will
use to ground how I support and direct Early
Years as we move forward together.
My background
I am currently the Head of Pre-Prep in a school in Kuwait,
a role I have held for three years, and I am responsible for
the 3-7 year-old students. Prior to this, I was a Headteacher
and a Head of School both in London primary schools that
catered for 3-11 year-olds. In fact, most of my career has
been in London primary schools; but I worked, for a short
spell, in Oman. Additionally, I have been a programme
director for summer schools in Cambridge and Ascot in
England.
Why did you choose DCB?
Several things attracted me to the role. Foremost,
students come first, which is at the heart of all decisions
at DCB. I was fortunate to meet the student council. They
were full of energy, charming, and inquisitive. I also met
some parents who are actively involved and engaged in
school life. They are clearly keen to work in partnership
with the school. This is a great starting point for any
new Head. Furthermore, the staffing team and college
leadership are highly skilled, committed, and passionate
about providing a timeless education. Inheriting a great
team, who are full of ideas and have the capability to
make them happen, is appealing. Undeniably, I wanted
to be a part of this team! In addition, DCB invests in
high-quality resources and facilities to facilitate teaching
and an amazing extracurricular offer. Ultimately, it is
a wonderful opportunity for me to work in a phase of
education (Early Years) that I am at my happiest, in a wellrespected
organisation that is steeped in tradition and has
a renowned reputation.
My excitement about joining DCB
Since learning of my appointment, I have experienced
a mixture of emotions. Mostly excitement, but also
anticipation about the beginning of a new chapter in my
life, and everything that that entails. Children will encounter
similar feelings as they embark on one of the most
momentous events in a person’s life. The
significance of a family’s decision to join
the DCB community; to form a relationship
of trust with us to effectively nurture the
development of their child, will not be
taken for granted. My excitement includes a
desire to strive for the best for our students,
and to work with the community to create
something special.
My hopes for the future…
I believe that it is important for people
to stretch beyond what is comfortable, and
challenge themselves to do things that seem
just out of reach. With persistence and determination, this
is achievable. It is through trying our best and not giving up
that we can experience success. It is these successes that
help us to build character and the confidence to pursue
our dreams and aspirations.
I hope our community will work together to see children
as individuals, and recognise that diversity builds strength
and creativity. We can support the needs of all our students
so that they develop holistically. Our community will be
formed on firm foundations and positive relationships.
I hope we will instil confidence and a sense of self in our
students so that they believe in themselves; encouraging
them to demonstrate curiosity and to take risks in their
learning. Our provision and care should nurture them. It
should enable them to feel safe and secure, healthy and
happy.
People make a school unique, and the best schools
utilise this strength. A significant impact on children’s
development will be the key people around them (staff,
peers, parents) modelling the expansion of knowledge and
skills, and supporting deeper understanding. Equipping our
community to authentically represent the school’s values is
also vital. I would expect those values to be evident in not
only the children’s behaviours, but a part of how their key
adults behave and reflected in our Early Years’ systems.
I hope that through rich experiences and interactions,
our students will demonstrate high engagement and talk
enthusiastically about DCB now, but also in the future
when they look back fondly at being a part of DCB.
I look forward to getting to know the DCB community
and I am open to hearing from you. We will continue to
talk throughout my time at DCB.
4 beijing.dulwich.org
Onboarding with the Early Years Student Council
Meet our New Heads of School
Hello, my name is Ms Francis. I have been sent lots of wonderful questions that
I am going to do my best to answer, so let's get started!
2NS Do you think sustainability is important? What
will you do to make sure we are a green school?
Yes, of course. It is so important. I will need to find out
what is already happening at DCB. I understand that
sustainability is one of your key priorities, and you have
been working really hard for quite some time to be a green
school, so I would love to hear your ideas to find out what
your plan for the future is, what you would like our school
to look like in an ideal, dream scenario. How could we
become even more of a green school, and what would we
need to do? And I would love to support you with that.
2DD What languages can you speak? Can you speak
Chinese?
English, fluently. I can speak a few other languages but
just to a basic degree. I cannot speak Chinese and so I am
learning Mandarin to a basic level. I am going to need a lot
of help. So, will you help me when I arrive? I hope so!
2LW
What is your Chinese zodiac animal?
Let me give you a clue… I am a ssssssssnake.
2DS Are you excited to come to our school?
I am so excited to be joining DCB! I have been
building up the excitement over the last couple of months
and I really can’t wait. I am looking forward to meeting you,
seeing the school, and to getting started.
2JS How can you stop bullying? What will you do if
you see this?
Bullying is never ok. It is important for us as a school to
have a shared understanding of what is acceptable and
what is not acceptable. For the most part, we make good
choices, and we get really good consequences. Sometimes,
we make wrong choices, and we have to understand there
is a knock-on. It is also important to have a fair system to
ensure that everyone is listened to and respected. If we
use our school values to support this process, then we all
understand how to treat each other with kindness.
1HG Do you have any children? What are their
names?
I have one daughter. Her name is Jadah. She is 25, and she
lives in the Netherlands.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
1LH What do you like to do at the weekends?
I live in a place called Kuwait, which is very quiet.
Currently, we have a curfew, so I don’t get to do an awful
lot at the moment. When things are in a better place, I
enjoy reading and drawing. I love going to the beach, and
I really enjoy yoga and playing sports, for example, netball
or basketball.
1LC What was your favourite book when you were a
child?
I was a child quite a long time ago, but don’t tell anyone.
So, it is hard for me to remember that far back but I would
probably say The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
1JB
What will your job be at our school?
I’m going to be the new Head of Early Years.
1CB Why did you want to become a Headteacher?
I have been a teacher for many years and really
enjoyed that role. Some of the schools I have worked for in
the past asked me to take on further responsibilities to help
them to improve. So, I felt lucky to have that opportunity.
That role has grown and evolved over the years and
eventually, I was asked to be a headteacher. Instead of just
getting to know and interact with the children in my class, I
can do that on a much bigger scale and get to know all the
children in the school and their parents. It is a great job!
When I wake up in the morning, I am excited to come to
school, and I feel lucky. I am even more excited to do this
job at your school.
I can’t wait to meet you all in person. I hope you will
make me feel welcome because I will be new and will
need some support. I will need some kindness, and I am
sure you can all help me with that. I can’t wait to meet
you in person and get to know you. Take care. Bye!
- Ms Francis
5
Meet our New Heads of School
Meet our New Head of Junior School
By Jacinth Gurdon
My name is Jacinth Gurdon, and I
am pleased to introduce myself
as the new Head of Junior School
at Dulwich College Beijing. I feel incredibly
privileged to join a school whose vision and
philosophy match seamlessly with my own.
With over 20 years of teaching experience,
including 15 years as a senior leader, I have
gained a BA (Hons) in Special Education from
Goucher College, a Masters of Education
in Elementary Reading and Literacy from
Walden University and an Education
Specialist degree in Educational Leadership
from National Louis University. I have lived
and worked in New York City, Florida and Dubai. The
large majority of my teaching career has been with Junior
School-aged children at a British international school,
notably leading on curriculum implementation and the
teaching and learning of the British National curriculum.
Over the years, I have held various leadership roles,
including a Reading Coach, Head of Learning Support and
Student Services and most recently, Deputy Head Teacher
of Academics. My plethora of experience has cemented my
firm belief in inclusion. I think that the primary emphasis
of a school is to develop every child's full potential. No
two children are the same, and each child has different
qualities that need to nurture and develop. Children with
one or more abilities developed to a level significantly
ahead of their year groups are no exception. Children learn
best when they have fun and are engaged in practical, reallife
activities, and this approach will continue.
I also believe that we are educating children for jobs
that are not created yet. Therefore, we need to teach
children hard skills (reading, writing and maths) alongside
soft skills. Soft skills are a combination of people skills,
social skills, communication skills, character traits,
attitudes, mindsets, and social and emotional intelligence
(teamwork, collaboration, flexibility, problem-solving,
innovation, perseverance and decision making). These
skills are transferable to any future jobs and will remain
indispensable.
My core values are kindness, respect, responsibility,
challenge and collaboration. These values match with
DCB's. Children are unique individuals who need a secure,
caring and stimulating atmosphere to grow and mature
emotionally, intellectually, physically and
socially. Under my leadership, I will ensure
that DCB Junior School continues to support
all children to meet their fullest potential by
providing a safe environment that promotes
risk-taking, collaboration and thinking
outside of the box.
I fully recognise the impact that fostering
strong parental partnerships plays in
students achievement and wellbeing.
Parental engagement is one of the critical
elements of an outstanding school, and I see
this as part and parcel of school life. I believe
that strong relations with parents and the
wider community are vital in ensuring that
children are supported as they move through the school.
To that end, I celebrate the home-school partnership. I
feel strongly that it is essential for the Head to be visible
around the school. A smile is a perfect way to start each
day, and I relish the opportunity to meet and greet children
and parents at the gate each morning.
With a passion for educational excellence and an
unwavering determination to see the best in all children,
I will drive and maintain positive change, motivate and
inspire others to improve in their practice while working
toward a shared child-centred vision of global citizenship
for all. I am excited to provide a new perspective to the
Junior School, ensuring DCB maintains its place as a
global leader in providing a world-class education. I will
work closely with other schools to guarantee a smooth
transition as children move through the school.
Outside of school, I love to travel and experience
different cultures, primarily through food. I am a big foodie
and live by the saying, "I'll try anything once (most of the
times)." Since being grounded due to COVID-19, I have had
no other option than to rely on the Discovery Chanel and
National Geographic to fulfil my desire for travel. While
it is not the same experience, this has satisfied the void
until the world is open again for global travel. I am thrilled
about relocating to Beijing and cannot wait to discover and
explore my new home city and country.
I am delighted to be working together with students,
staff, parents and everyone else involved with Dulwich
College Beijing for all the children's success, achievement
and welfare. I look forward to seeing you in school.
6 beijing.dulwich.org
Meet our New Heads of School
Onboarding with the Junior School Student Council
Hello, I'm Ms Gurdon. Thank you to the Student Council for sending through some
thought-provoking questions. I look forward to meeting you all.
3CE Is there anything you are feeling worried about
as you are moving to a new country and school?
I am feeling slightly worried about the weather. I have lived
in warm countries for the past 18 years. I know Beijing gets
really cold, so slightly worried about that. I do not have any
worries about the school. I have had a very warm welcome,
and I'm sure that will continue once I get to the school.
3BC
6JL
What is your favourite food? Do you like Beijing
food?
I do love Chinese food very much. Especially the spicy
ones. I love spicy food. And I am looking forward to tasting
the specific foods that are native to Beijing.
3IT
6SS
What will you do differently in Junior School as
the Head of School?
I know the past Head of Junior School has been there for
many years. I've heard some amazing things about the
school and about you. I am looking forward to carrying on
all of the Dulwich traditions and maintain an outstanding
education. Students voice is extremely important to me, so
I look forward to hearing from you what you would like me
to do differently as the new Head of Junior School.
3VT
6CL
What is your favourite thing to do? What do you
do at the weekends?
I like to just relax. I like to take most weekends to maybe
take a long walk, to read a book, to catch up on emails, to
catch up on conversations with family members. Just spend
time with myself and my family.
4NC What was your favourite subject at school?
My favourite subject at school was, and still is,
maths. Why? Because 1 + 1 always equals 2; there is always
a right answer and a wrong answer. And there's always a
formula or some easy tricks to do it. It's straightforward
and not very complicated.
4NC Can we have more visits to places out of school?
There are so many places we can now visit virtually
without leaving the school building! So you will absolutely
be able to experience outside of the classroom. Maybe
actually visiting these places, but for sure, virtually.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
4NH
5TR
What brings you to DCB and have you been to
Beijing before? What are you most excited for?
I have not been to Beijing, so I am very much looking
forward to visiting but, more importantly, living and
exploring Beijing and the surrounding areas. Dulwich has
an amazing reputation throughout the world. And it also
had the same educational ethos as I do. I am most excited
to meet you - the children.
4NH What has been your best teaching experience?
In 2019, I was given the opportunity to travel to
Senegal with other teachers, parents and students to
build a school. We got to not only build a school from
scratch, but also stayed with a local family in their house,
learning different traditions and different customs, working
alongside the students who would then go to that school.
5JB Are you strict?
I would say that I am firm but fair, and definitely
consistent in my approach. I also have extremely high
expectations of the staff, of the students, but especially of
myself.
4NH How many languages do you speak?
Fluently, only English. However, being in Dubai for
many years, I have picked up some Arabic phrases, and my
hope is to pick up some Mandarin phrases along the way.
4NH What do you expect from us?
I have heard some wonderful things about the
students at DCB. I expect to see all of the amazing things
that I've heard.
4NH As a female coming into the school in a
leadership position, what are your views on
feminism and how will you show this at school?
I think I'm more of a humanist. I believe in equality for all.
Regardless of gender, age, religion, or culture, everyone
should be treated fairly and equally.
4NH If you were a colour, what colour would you be
and why?
I would choose yellow. Yellow is the colour of sunshine. It's
daylight, it's bright and it makes people happy.
7
Student Leadership
Leaders in the Making: the Early Years Student Council
By Annika M and Tina Q
As the College Links Prefect and the Communication
and Language Prefect for this academic year, we have
the great privilege of working with students and leaders
from different key stages across the school. The strong
student-to-student bond facilitated across the student
body is evident and we hope that this bond continues
to strengthen and grow in the upcoming years. In
particular, the student leaders we have worked with
this past year have continually impressed us with their
strong interpersonal skills, teamwork and enthusiasm for
contributing to the Dulwich community.
The Early Years Student Council, with whom we have
had the pleasure of working on several projects, is no
exception. It was evident that the Early Years Student
Council representatives were enthusiastic to participate
in the activities they were tasked to complete. When
faced with difficulties or adversities, they were quick to
understand their mistakes and correct them. When asked
to complete a task that was outside of their comfort zone,
they persevered and produced admirable work.
All in all, Student Leadership is an integral part of any
student community. It gives students an opportunity to
become more engaged in the overall community at school,
incentivizing them to make more meaningful contributions
and allowing them to achieve a more positive, caring and
equitable school climate.
The qualities that the Early Years students gain from
such leadership opportunities are extremely important,
and we are hopeful that when they progress through the
years, they utilise their passion and skill sets to further
enrich the Dulwich community.
The Early Years Student Council consists of members
from Year 1 and Year 2, with the council members changing
every term.
Throughout the year, the primary goals of the Early
Years Student Council were to make school a better place
as well as to give students a voice. They achieved their
goals through various projects such as campaigning for
International Women Day, helping to contribute with
proposals for the FoD Enrichment Funding for the area
outside the Early Years' classrooms, and coming up with
ideas of how to repurpose the ice-skating rink. They also
interviewed the new Head of Early Years and discussed
their curriculum next year.
The Early Years Student Council members from...
1CB
1HG
8 beijing.dulwich.org
Student Leadership
1JB
1LC
1LH
2DD
2DS
2JS
2LW
2NS
The College Magazine (Beijing)
9
Student Leadership
Hear from the Junior School HOUSE Captains!
Alleyn - Estelle, Ran, Zoe and Savanna
Johnson - Tiger, Jonathan, Lily and Colin
Soong – Sarah, Alan, Circle and Jessica
Owens – Aaron, Ronnie, Vicky and Nicole
Wodehouse - Poppy, Marcus, Isla and Sophia
Please briefly introduce your role as a HOUSE Captain.
Alleyn: We do lunch duty every week, cheer on our team,
collect House points every Friday and set up Early Years
events. As House Captains, we help other students in the
school, not only those in our House. Our job is to be role
models, and to help other students in everything they do.
Johnson: We also help teachers get everything ready and
set up for any exciting events that will take place. We have
helped with the Early Years' Teddy Bear Gymnastics and
Sports Day. We help Johnson discover their talents and
unite them altogether.
Soong: Part of our role is that we have to sacrifice our rest
time in order to do our duties which include mask duty and
bridge duty. We aim to enjoy our last year in Junior School
by making other people’s year better.
Owens: We make our House a better one and make sure
everyone in this House is involved in any group work.
Other than the duties, an important part is to entertain
and inspire every member in this House when doing
Housework. We’ll make Owens more united and support
each other.
Wodehouse: We help with House events, collect House
points, and help organise our House. We sacrifice our time
to do our bridge duties, making sure people are being safe
and wearing masks, and we collect trophies when we win
House events. We love contributing to DCB, especially
when we are contributing to Wodehouse.
What was the most fun part of being in the House team?
Alleyn: Seeing the smiles on the little kids faces as we go to
collect the trophies that they helped win.
Johnson: The fun part is when we help out with fun
activities and help the younger kids with their classes!
Soong: Helping out Early Years activities such as Teddy Bear
Gymnastics, and Early Years Sports Day. One of the best
parts is when your House wins an event and you go up on
stage and hold the trophy high above your head.
Owens: If your House wins a House event, the House
Captain will go down and receive the trophy, and it will
have a House-coloured ribbon tied around it.
Wodehouse: We love to help others when they have hard
times. Seeing Wodehouse have fun inspires us to keep
going and give back to our house.
What have you learnt from this experience?
Alleyn: I learnt that House Captain is actually a huge role in
Junior School, and we need to be very responsible so that
we could help our House become better.
Johnson: This experience had made our year challenging
especially when COVID struck. A House Captain is a big role
and just the tiniest mistakes can mess up a big thing, so
this year, we had to be extra cautious about everything.
Soong: How to apply the Dulwich Values in real life.
Respect, in respecting the teachers you work with.
Responsibility, in wearing your House kit and remembering
the exact dates of events. Open-Mindedness: if a child is
different from the rest, you have to accept them for who
they are. Confidence, when we got elected, we had to
speak with confidence. Resilience, when our house lost,
Kindness, we had to be kind even if a kid was mean to us.
Integrity, when our friends did something bad, we had to
10 beijing.dulwich.org
Student Leadership
be a role model and tell the teachers.
Owens: We have learned how we can lead the group and
improve ourselves, also to work as a team and learn from
other people.
Wodehouse: We have learnt more about leadership, and
that teamwork can be possible even with a large group of
people. In Wodehouse, we proved that we can trust each
other. We aim to set an outstanding example to the whole
Junior School and the younger students in Early Years.
What was the biggest challenge you encountered?
Alleyn: The biggest challenge we’ve encountered was
within the House events. Everyone tried very hard and
contributed a lot to Alleyn, but sometimes, other Houses
did much better.
Johnson: The biggest challenge to me was to keep
everyone on the right track, and not to wander around and
do nothing that will contribute to our House.
Soong: The biggest challenge was that we had to set an
example for the Junior school, also doing the bridge duty
because a lot of students didn’t like to put their masks on,
so we had to persuade them to do so. But we all completed
it and proved that we can complete different challenges no
matter how hard they are.
Owens: The biggest challenge I encountered was always
being the role model and organising certain activities and
helping the Early Years. Leaders become great, not because
of their power, but because of the way they empower
other people. That’s what we all desire.
Wodehouse: The biggest challenge is attempting to get
everyone organised and being where they should be. It
also hurts to see people from our House sad because we
didn’t win a House event.
Explain one of the most memorable House events you
took part in.
Alleyn: The most memorable House event for us was
this year’s House Colour War themed Halloween. It was
exciting and made our heart race. The Spooky Obstacle
Race was a blast, Pumpkin Toss was extremely fun, but the
most fun of all was Capture the Bat, being all those roles
was exhilarating.
Johnson: The most memorable House event was the
House Game-a-Thon last year. This was great fun because
we got to play quizzes and games and learn the history of
games. You got to show off your knowledge of the different
varieties of games throughout the House event.
Soong: Our most memorable event was House Gamea-Thon
because it was one of the most unique and
memorable events in our four years of Junior School. It
included a variety of games including Pac-Man, Mario Kart
and Just Dance. There was also a great quiz to test our
knowledge on games.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Owens: The most memorable House event was
House Verse Speaking because that day, all the Owens
competitors competed and proved that Owens could
achieve everything.
Wodehouse: We loved all the House events from Colour
War to Go Green for Your House. Our most memorable
House event is definitely Tour’d Four. After many losses,
and close hits with other House events, we finally earned a
well-deserved victory with Tour’d Four.
What is unique about your House?
Alleyn can be unique in many ways. We have been quite
successful this year as we won four House competitions.
We feel like our House has contributed a lot and we, as
House Captains, feel very proud to be part of this family. All
the year groups have taken part in this run.
Johnson is unique in every way. Everyone respects the
school and makes the House even better by just being
themselves. They all contributed and participated greatly
in the House events that took place this year.
Soong is unique in several ways. We win our own
challenges and challenge ourselves to a higher level.
We always try our best and help each other when other
students are struggling. We show a lot of Dulwich Values
and teamwork. Although we don’t win every single event,
we try our best at everything.
Owens might not be winning everything, but we always
improve ourselves and we will become better. Our House
is also unique in how we work together and try to make up
for the previous mistakes.
Wodehouse hasn’t won every House event this year, but
all of us have talents, including running, swimming and
football, basketball, and dodgeball. We all encourage
each other to make the House better. Our House founder
P.G. Wodehouse has left us with a great House, lots of
fascinating stories and great people that later joined. Go,
Wodehouse!
11
Student Leadership
Hear from the Junior School
Student Council!
Please briefly introduce your role as STUCO?
Chelsea Z: The Student Council is a hugely important role
to enable DCB to have the best possible environment for
us, children, to work and learn in.
Elsa W: It has been my first and amazing year in STUCO.
The role means representing your year group.
Kaden Y: As a part of the Student Council, we represent
Junior School. We get to hear great opinions from students
on how to make Junior School better.
Jay Z: As a student councillor, we represent the Junior
School student body, do surveys and organise activities.
Julie Z: Student Council is a very important role at school.
We help to do surveys and help the teachers to sort
things out. We also represent the students from our year
group to give advice and help the school to be a better
place.
12 beijing.dulwich.org
Student Leadership
What are some of your goals for this year? Have you
achieved them?
Megan K: One goal is to be confident, and I achieved it
because I wasn’t nervous when I had to go on stage.
Isa W: One of the goals I had for this year was to be more
confident in presenting information. My voice used to be
very wobbly when I spoke on stage in an assembly. After
the experience with Student Council, I have become more
confident. Now, my voice is very strong!
Chelsea Z: One of the most important goals this year is to
make the students voice to be heard. To achieve this, we
did lots of surveys. The topics included: food, the Friends
Shop, questions to the Head of Junior School... As a result,
we got some valuable suggestions, we asked the school for
some further improvements and everyone is happy.
Kelly Z: We have solved lots of food concerns and toilet
problems this year. For food, many students have been
wanting better food and after a survey, we and Sodexo
managed to provide a better food choice to the school.
When we found out that the toilet was unhygienic, we
made a video to inform the whole school about the
problem.
Kaden Y: My goal was to make some good changes to
Junior School. Yes, I have achieved it. In our project to
improve the snacks, I have seen a decrease in food left in
our snack box.
Andy Q: One of my goals is to make the school better and
the Student Council and I have achieved it. We made the
food better, the school environment better and the toilet
better.
Jay Z: My goal was to make Junior School a little bit better
than the previous year. I feel I have achieved that goal
because as a student councillor, we asked Mr Nichol to add
more toys in the sandpit, another entrance in the maze
and to include juice day and pizza day at the canteen.
What was the biggest challenge you encountered?
Irene W: My biggest challenge was to go on stage, and to
remember all the lines 30 minutes before.
Eileen W: The biggest challenge I encountered was to have
the responsibility for things and people.
Piers W: To make speeches.
Gavin L: The biggest challenge I have faced as a student
councillor was the responsibility I had to take, such as
doing surveys and getting the results to Ms Tinubu on time
and getting the answers correct. Also, to have the courage
to face everyone in the class or in the theatre.
Eleanor W: To speak out to the Junior School and doing
surveys in classes.
Mike P: I think the biggest challenge I have faced was when
we had to stand on the stage and perform multiple times
so we could make the school better, but I have done very
well in the performances. We had to learn difficult lines
and say them aloud to the whole Junior School.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Julie Z: My biggest challenge was actually doing all the
steps and being a part of Student Council because I have
competed against lots of really strong students. Finally, I
got in and also handed the video and script on time. It was
challenging because I also had lots of other things to do at
that time.
What was the most fun part of being a part of the Junior
School STUCO?
Megan K: The most fun part of being a student councillor
is when you get to do things like the surveys, and toilet
video scripts.
Isa W: It is fun going back and seeing the big change I have
made to the school. All the hard work paid off!
Gavin L: The best part of Student Council must be the trips
and the extra things. Meeting with the Head of College
Mr Coles is also one of them. Every year, I enjoy being a
student councillor.
Elsa W: To be on the TVs around the school.
Kelly Z: I really liked giving out all the surveys, where we
could find out the students' opinions on different topics. It
was also very enjoyable to make the Captain-Clean-a-Lot
script where we could act out different parts.
Kaden Y: It is acting in the toilet project. Even though I had
a challenge stepping in for a sick councillor, I still had a lot
of fun acting it and also watching the video.
Jay Z: The most fun part was making new friends and
announcing upcoming events.
Julie Z: It was making new friends and meeting new
people.
What have you learnt from this experience?
Irene W: You need to be brave all the time!!
Eileen W: I have learned about public speaking by
presenting in the assembly in front of the whole Junior
School.
Gavin L: I have learned to have the confidence to speak up
on stage, take responsibility for my actions, and to attend
meetings on Wednesdays.
Eleanor W: I have learnt to be responsible this year by
doing meetings and bringing the papers and things that I
needed, and remember lines when I needed to talk to the
whole Junior School. I have also built up my confidence by
speaking in public.
Mike P: I learnt how to be responsible and confident.
Julie Z: I have learnt to be more confident and have a go
at anything, to never give up and to show more resilience.
13
Student Leadership
Class of 2022, What does it Mean
to be a Prefect
while Preparing the IB?
By Ella R
Being a Prefect gives pride to students who want to make an active change in our school community,
as well as a facilitated route to achieving our goals. This collection of quotes from each Prefect across
every category humorously and honestly represents the incredibly impressive and diverse leaders of
our student body. Together, we aim to continue our community’s path towards success, and ensure a
safe, fun and brilliant learning environment filled with opportunities for all types of students.
Prefect Leaders
Dorothy A (Head Girl)
Ethan Z (Head Boy)
"Lunch duty - the Prefect team’s
biggest challenge."
"Best dressed member!"
Lauren Z (Deputy Head Girl &
Sustainability Prefect)
"An endless list of projects and
goals.”
Isaac C (Deputy Head Boy &
Community Service Prefect)
“We host expensive events, but
it’s for a good cause."
14 beijing.dulwich.org
Student Leadership
Heads of
HOUSE
Jason C (Soong)
"We find ourselves
very funny."
Helena Z (Alleyn)
"Thank you for reading our
zillion Teams announcements
posts and still saying ‘Hi’ to us
in the hallways."
Guan Rong T
(Wodehouse)
"Too bad the
curls didn’t last."
Anaïs M
(Johnson)
"Some count
sheep to sleep.
I go ‘IB, EE, IA,
TOK…‘ ".
Matthew B
(Owens)
"We all just go
with the flow."
Communications Prefects
Tina Q (Communication &
Language)
"Meetings every day - but
at least you got excuses for
leaving class early."
Annika M (College
Links)
"So when’s the next
pizza party?"
Zoe N (Media)
"We’re a
competitive
bunch!”
Ella R (Media)
"Does anyone
know what we
really do?”
Joy R (Alumni,
Careers &
University)
"We always
understand the
assignment.”
The College Magazine (Beijing)
15
Student Leadership
Community Engagement and Support Prefects
Katrina C (Approaches
to Teaching and
Learning)
"Someone? Teach
me how to not
procrastinate!"
Natalie W
(Community Service)
"We don’t only work
with Service ECAs and
Ms T."
Alex L (Community
Service)
"We charge money for
free-dress."
Clara L (Community
Service)
"There should be a
mark scheme for black
lanyard applications,
right?"
Angelina D (Equality
& Diversity)
"I only need 2
holidays, each lasting
6 months, every
year…"
Mika Y (Student
Support Services)
"Getting asked to help
with everything because
the entire Prefect system
is about student support."
Eojin R (Student
Support Services)
Taeyon L
(Sustainability)
"Social life? What’s
that?”
"So… when’s our
handover assembly?"
Seung Yon K
(Wellbeing)
"We may, or may not,
have only met up once
this year."
Artem L
(Wellbeing)
"Maintaining a sense of
wellbeing is generally a
good thing!"
16 beijing.dulwich.org
Student Leadership
Academics Prefects
Yukino C
(Art)
"Do it for the
Monet!"
Rino F (Art)
"In need of
chocolates? Ms T,
where are you?"
Yiming S (Performing
Arts)
Victoria F (Performing
Arts)
"We are a big loving
family."
"Wait, who’s on duty
right now???"
Yann R
(Sports)
"Do we get CAS
hours for this?"
Pia M
(Sports)
"Sad Nike socks
aren’t part of the
dress code."
Max A
(ICT/MIT)
Andrew Y
(STEAM)
"Our lanyards are on
fleek."
"We don’t fix
computers."
Jeffrey W (Debating
and MUN)
"We really want to let
you into lunch!"
Andrew Y
(STEAM)
“I don’t know what
the A in STEAM
stands for…”
Vivian L (STEAM)
"I didn’t realise maths was getting harder until it slapped 149.25 brain cells out
of my single automated polarised discounted brainsale that perpendicularly
analyses itself. It’s trIviAL.."
The College Magazine (Beijing)
17
Live Worldwise
Live Worldwise with Sustainability at Heart
As the world is starting to realise that we are in the
midst of a climate crisis, major economies are
pushing ahead to reduce carbon emissions. As an
international school, Dulwich College Beijing has pledged
to play its part, and the initiative towards sustainability
involves every member of the community doing their
part, and it starts with a committee to encourage our
community to make informed choices, take inspired action
and make positive impacts at individual, group and global
levels.
Raising collective awareness at school
Thursday 22 April 2021 was a valuable opportunity for
DCB (and the wider world) to acknowledge Earth Day and
reflect on what we are already doing well with regards
to sustainability and how we can be even better. Each
school engaged its students in a vast array of activities,
from acting the book Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years or
creating a collective artwork on an environmental theme,
to promoting sustainable consumption behaviours and
sustainable development in general.
But sustainability is not limited to Earth Day at DCB!
Environmentally responsible food consumption
According to Kevin Elliott, DCB’s Director of Business
Administration: "Initiated by the DCB sustainability
committee (which includes representatives of students and
staff) and supported by members of the wider community,
we worked with our food service provider Sodexo to offer
more vegetarian options. The aim is to become more
accountable when eating while not sacrificing the nutrition
intake and taste. Compared with one of the most common
daily proteins, pork, plant-based meat uses 78% less water
and creates 96% less carbon emissions during production.
Replacing 1000kg of pork with plant-based meat is
equivalent to 192 trees being planted in terms of saved
carbon emissions."
Plant-based meat burger
Plant-based
spaghetti Bolognese
Plant-based meat lasagna
Rice with grilled
vegetarian eel (eggplant)
Lentil curry with multi-grain pasta
18 beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
Environmentally responsible resources management
In line with the idea of teaspoons of change, the
entire College supports collective efforts to reduce the
consumption of plastic, and encourage the students and
the wider community to be responsible and respectful
global citizens on the planet that we live on.
Some of these everyday endeavours include:
• A significant decrease in the use of single-use plastic,
from stopping providing plastic bottled beverages to
disposable packaging for food. Students and staff are
encouraged to use sustainable water bottles.
• Back in 2012, the replacement of standard lighting
with energy-saving lights that illuminate the entire campus.
Now, we go one step further and start using solar energy
lights. Currently, solar energy lights up about half the
campus, and we will soon be fully illuminated by natural
sustainable energy. Additionally, auto-censoring lights were
installed in some classrooms so that when students are
off by the end of school days, lights turn off automatically.
Auto-censoring lighting has proven to be successful and
efficient, and it will be implemented across different
classrooms shortly. DCB is one of the first schools in Beijing
to implement such a sustainable lighting system.
• The installation of
sustainable water fountains, to
encourage the use of reusable
water bottles.
• Advising staff to be
cautious when using
lamination for teaching or any
other scenarios. The general
rule is that posters or flyers
displayed on campus should
not be laminated, and creative
way for display should be considered instead.
• The use of recycled water to irrigate all the greenery
and gardens in DCB.
Non-laminated poster or flyer, with the option of flyer
holder for ones in longer usage
• Food waste monitoring to increase the level of
awareness across the College.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
19
Live Worldwise
By Jeffrey Harmon
The Relevance of Extracurricular Activities
to University Applications
Every year as the Year 13 students prepare for
graduation, we ask them to reflect on their learning
journey and share advice and insights about the university
application process. For the Class of 2021, one major
theme was the impact of extracurricular activities (ECAs)
on their personal growth as well as their university
applications.
For most students, ECAs are meaningful because they
are a way to explore new avenues of interests while also
making like-minded acquaintances. However, from the
perspective of university applications, the role of ECAs is
to bring credibility to an application, either as supporting
evidence of a claimed passion or showing the applicant’s
Explore or nurture centres of interests
engagement beyond the academic programme. Common
pitfalls, however, are to superficially engage in an overly
wide range of ECAs or to participate in an event or
organization merely to collect titles. While exploration and
recognition of achievement are both valuable, students do
need to reflect on their involvement and pare away those
that lack depth of engagement and genuine interest.
Our students not only emphasised how their ECAs have
allowed them to gain exposure in a specific field of interest,
but also advised younger students to focus their time and
energy on activities they genuinely enjoy and connect
these ECAs to a broader narrative. The underlying takeaway
was that ECAs, and House leadership in particular, brought
them a sense of belonging in their community.
Anna I
Erik C
“I actively engaged
in ECAs because they
enabled me to acquire
knowledge that can be
used to narrate the films I
make. Moreover, I attended
the Shanghai Film Festival every summer,
where I watched movies premiering in China
and analysed them from the perspective
of an audience. I was also able to meet
professionals in the field.
I originally went to Myanmar in Year 11
with the intention to improve my CV, but the
condition of the school there propelled me
to contribute to improving the situation of
Myanmar children, so I led a service ECA at
school: the Myanmar School Project. This
project was meaningful because despite not
being a ‘somebody’, I was able to contribute
to making the world a better place, improving
the lives of less fortunate children.”
“Trying out many
ECAs helped me to figure
out what I liked. I did a
lot with debating in MUN,
ended up being the secretarygeneral
for DIMUN, ran Debate
for Change Tournament and ran a debating
ECA. I really liked theatre, so I participated
in a lot of productions, supporting the
major players. I was on the tennis team too,
to exercise.
Try not to overwhelm yourself, focus on
things you are interested in and make sure
you are not burning yourself out. If you take
some time to relax, it actually helps you to
be more efficient in the long run.”
20 beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
ECAs to be engaged in the
Sungbeen L
“House is really
something different.
Getting involved in
House, whether as a
Prefect or a House member,
is really a good opportunity to
meet new people, not just within your year
group, but also outside, with teachers. It's
just a great time. Overall, I learnt a lot being
a House Prefect.”
Erik C
“I actually did not want
to do House Prefect…for
about one week. Meeting
new people is really great
and knowing people in all
the different year groups is even
greater. House Prefect is a lot of work but
it’s more fun work to do. It was a great
experience!"
Anna I
“I want to reemphasise
the
importance of House
events because they
allow you to engage in a
community that is once-in-alifetime.”
The College Magazine (Beijing) 21
Live Worldwise
A strategic choice of ECAs
Andrew H
“It’s best to have ECAs
that are tailored to your
specific, unique interest. I
personally didn’t have a wide
range of activities, but I did have many
that supported the narrative I was trying to
tell throughout my application. I had a lot
of activities related to music and English,
even my service projects were tied to music
and English. So finding an angle and linking
the activities to that angle really helped.”
Erik C
“I got an internship
at the Chinese National
Institute for Qing Research
and ended up writing a
6000-word essay about the
Qing economy that was then
published in The Concord Review. It was a
great experience as I learnt how to write
things properly and conduct research.”
Kevin M
“I have a good mix of
activities, but the difference
is how I’m able to use those
activities to complement my
application, to demonstrate growth,
learning, intellectual engagement and
curiosity for new knowledge. For
example, I wrote about a service trip when
I went to rural China to teach rural kids
English. I talked about my engagement for
new perspectives and being able to realise
my privilege, linking that to my studies in
economics—the very complicated efforts
of development, the different perspectives
that play into the development. Those
aspects demonstrate intellectual
engagement with what you do and what
you study, and colleges really like that.”
22
beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
Growing through ECAs
Michael L Jr
“In DCB, the House system has definitely
helped me grow as a person. I’ve been
active since Year 10 and it grew to feel like a
second home. House events can be very tiring,
even extremely stressful at times but the reward
at the end is so fulfilling that the stress all goes away. They
develop your skills immensely. Communications, leadership
and organisation are the three main skills I developed so
much that looking back at my younger self would make me
laugh!
I was part of a choir outside of school and I remember
being on a particularly tiring trip while being responsible for
the props and instruments. This was one of these moments
that test your ability to stay focused when you are tired, and to
know what you are doing even when things are messy. I also
was part of a baseball team outside of school where being the
older player enabled me to help younger players understand
the postures, and learn how to talk to younger children which
turned out to be useful also for my Prefect role.
Such skills are little things that add up and may not be
noticed until the day you actually face something bigger or
reflect back, and you realise how much you have learnt little
by little.”
The value of extracurricular activities lies in the multiple
ways they enrich our students’ learning beyond the
classroom. Not only do ECAs contribute to the intellectual
and emotional development of young learners, but they
also enhance their personal growth by building up lifelong
skills related to collaboration, initiative, motivation,
creativity, and maturity. Therefore, whether or not ECAs
are an explicit section of a university application, they have
an undeniable impact on preparation for university and
life as a young adult. The specific title or position within an
ECA is much less important than how students decide to
challenge themselves and grow.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
23
Live Worldwise
A Brief Guide to the World of University Applications
By Bernd Widemann
Oxbridge and the Ivys – two names that seem
to be synonymous with university, not just at
DCB but in the wider international schools
world. But those are just a slither of the
world of higher education.
The Bachelor system has been
adopted beyond the borders of the
UK and US, and the offer of topquality
university places, taught in
English, has increased hugely over the
past couple of decades. Canada and
Australia are the obvious alternatives.
However, the EU and Asia are becoming
increasingly renowned among the top-ranked
universities. The Netherlands and Germany for example,
have an increasing number of courses on offer at worldrenowned
universities. The University of Amsterdam
and Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and Ludwig
Maximilian University of Munich and Heidelberg University
are just a few of many fantastic opportunities in mainland
Europe, with perks that set them apart from their UK and
US counterparts. Dutch universities are very much global
players academically, but generally, their approach to
admitting students is more liberal. Applicants may find it
easier to be offered a place, however once matriculated,
students are expected to deliver high-quality work in order
to retain their place at university. German universities add
a price advantage, as higher education is subsidised by the
state. This means that even international students only
pay a fraction of the otherwise high tuition fees. An added
bonus is the relative ease of finding work and staying in
Germany after graduation.
But what is the key to submitting successful university
applications?
First and foremost, the students need to ask
themselves what their future goals are, what
success means to them, and to determine
how to achieve such said success. If
university is the best route to reach this,
it is a healthy approach to understand
the different types of schools and
school cultures to have a productive
three to four years. There are plenty
of factors that impact one’s wellbeing,
not just the global ranking of
institutions.
Answers won’t be found overnight and
hence, the process should start in Year 10. This
might seem early to think about what to do in the future,
but the students’ interests and possibilities should be
explored and discussed on an ongoing basis, involving
parents and teachers, always keeping students in the
limelight. It is paramount to remember that students
need guidance, but that their interests are central to
this process: “What are their strengths? Do they have a
passion?” This will be also important for choosing the right
IB subjects during Year 11.
24 beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
The process of finding what to do and where to go after
graduating from DCB is an ongoing one, and the university
counselling team is focused on giving the right support and
guidance. Thorough research is key – the more students
know about their chosen fields and university choices the
better their educated decision will be, and hopefully will
improve their best fit. It is important to keep expectations
realistic – both from students and parents. The aim should
be to find the right range of destinations in order to create
the most productive application strategy. Additionally,
what students need to focus on is making the most
out of both the school and the local community. Most
universities will be judging applications on how engaged
and active students are – good grades are essential, but
not everything. Of course, it is important to work toward
the best grades possible as well as showing high academic
rigour in all subjects. It is equally important for students
to be involved in extracurricular activities (called supercurricular
if the activity is related to the field of study).
The application will then of course be supported
by letters of recommendation, written by up to two
subject teachers and a university counsellor. A good
recommendation letter is written by someone who
knows the student well, so it is paramount for students
to communicate positively with their teachers, show that
they are engaged and ask for help if needed – there is no
point in quietly waiting for help. School can be a tough
time with an ongoing mountain of work, endless deadlines
and social pressure. Teachers and counsellors are here to
help and support students through difficult situations. And
hopefully, students build good enough relationships that
they feel they can confide in their teachers during stressful
times. The key is to build those relationships early, not just
in the last few months of their school career.
Some very competitive courses will require preadmission
testing and others might ask students for
interview. These aspects will be discussed in Year 12
together with the University Counselling team. For now,
the focus should be on what the students enjoy doing and
whether they might want to pursue those interests further,
so when it comes to the application deadline, much further
down the line, the students can confidently submit their
applications to their chosen universities.
"Quality is more important here than
quantity... it is more valuable for the
students to explain what they have learnt
and how they have developed through
the activities, rather than listing endless
endeavours."
Universities want to see students’ interests and how
proactive they are. Quality is more important here than
quantity though, meaning it is more valuable for the
students to explain what they have learnt and how they
have developed through the activities, rather than listing
endless endeavours. Sports, work experience, volunteering
and courses are just a range of activities students can
engage in, to complement their academic standing. These
can also be used as material for the students’ personal
statements, or essays as they are known in the US.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
25
Live Worldwise
To celebrate Dulwich College Beijing’s 15 th anniversary,
our students came up with the slogan No Aspiration
too Big, No Inspiration too Small to summarise their
DCB learning journey and its impact on their stepping into
adulthood.
Let's Meet Again in 15 Years!
When asked to fast forward and imagine their life
15 years from now, the students we met all confidently
envisioned a happy and balanced life with a professional
career they enjoy, and safe and healthy family and
friends, with the underlying and natural goal to positively
impact others as they did within the DCB community. It
was striking to observe the same calm and composed
confidence in these students of different ages and
personalities, a testament to the commitment of DCB to
equip students with the necessary knowledge and life skills
to face the challenges of tomorrow and Live Worldwise.
“In 15 years, I hope to
become a designer of
sorts or an architect. That
may change, but whatever I
choose to pursue, I hope I can make
a positive impact.”
Mink L – Year 13
“My goal in 15 years is
to balance my work life
and my home life. I'm very
interested in social sciences,
so I hope to work in research on
sociology or anthropology and share
this knowledge with others. I hope
to explore my personal interests
further, discover new hobbies, and
really, embrace adulthood.”
“In 15 years, I hope I'll
be working in a field I
really enjoy, something that
I’ve studied for my entire life,
not something mundane and boring.
I hope to live comfortably, but the
most important thing with anything I
do in life is to make sure I enjoy it.”
Jeffrey W – Year 12
Yi Xin L – Year 13
“I see myself as a
scientist in 15 years
because science is my
favourite subject and I find it
interesting.”
Thomas M – Year 7
“I see myself in a place
where I'm happy and
doing something I'm really
passionate about, perhaps in
the field of sciences. Hopefully all my
friends and family will be all healthy
and safe by then.”
Seung Yon K – Year 12
26 beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
“I’d really want to come
back to Beijing in 15 years
because it is the familiar
environment I grew up in, so I
really like the atmosphere here. I
hope to have a really stable job so I
can enjoy the rest of my life.”
Alex L – Year 12
“I hope I'm at a place
where I'm happy and
doing something I'm
passionate about, and all
my close friends and my family are
healthy and happy. I also hope there
will more equality in the world and
the planet will be a better place for
everyone. And I hope to be a part of
that change.”
Diana T - Year 11
“When I think about
the goals of a job,
it would be to create
something and enjoy it. For
me, working in Computer Science, or
Technology in general, would mean
I could create something to change
people’s life which I really enjoy and
feel lucky about. I really see myself
in a big technology company as
they are integral parts of our lives,
or in the field of automated cars, or
even NASA: I would love to explore
the space in a rocket I would have
designed!”
Eddy J – Year 10
“I enjoy my drama
classes, so I think maybe
in 15 years, I might be
doing something related to
that field.”
Timm R – Year 10
“I rather enjoy maths
lessons, so in the future,
I may want to find some
role related to that subject but
I'm still not quite sure what specific
role I want. These are quite hopeful
wishes.”
Junyi L – Year 9
“I see myself as a lawyer
in 15 years because I love
debating in school and out of
school, and I also love speaking in
different ways. It's just so much fun!”
Sissi S – Year 8
The College Magazine (Beijing)
27
Live Worldwise
Getting to Know the Duckers - A Long Term DCB Family
An interview with Stephen Ducker, a DCB parent since 2005
Please tell us more about your experience as a Dulwich
College Beijing parent.
We arrived in Beijing in 2004 with three children, James,
Chiara and Joe aged 9, 7 and 5. We enrolled them at
another international school at first, then transferred them
to Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) as soon as the campus
opened in August 2005.
For the next five years, all three children attended DCB
as Junior School and Senior School students. They then
moved to the USA, but a year later, we decided that the
best option for James would be to come back to DCB as an
IBDP student, and he graduated successfully from the Class
of 2013.
Their younger sister and brother, Dani & Matthew, also
joined DCB in 2017 in Year 1 and Reception respectively
and are now close to completing Year 4 and Year 3. As of
today, if you add up all the "children-years" at DCB, I think
it comes to 25!
What were your key expectations as you were initially
searching for an international school for your children?
We were looking for a high-quality international school
providing a balanced approach to education. We wanted
academic rigour for our children, but strongly believed that
they needed to also develop in other areas, be it sports,
music, arts or drama. It was also critical for us that the
school showed the willingness and ability to support our
children’s individual capabilities.
How did DCB meet your criteria at that time?
DCB was new at that time, so it was a bit of a leap of
faith, but given the “DNA” of the school and our initial
impressions, we felt comfortable with our choice. Dulwich
College in London is a very well-respected school in the
UK with which I was familiar, so we expected the style of
schooling to be what we wanted.
28 beijing.dulwich.org
Live Worldwise
In your perspective, how has the College evolved over
the past 15 years?
The biggest change has been in the demographics of
students, reflecting the changing expatriate population
in Beijing. This has inevitably, and quite rightly, led to
the evolution of the curriculum and teaching style to
respond to this changing population. We also observed
the growth in terms of student numbers, new campus
and buildings, but at its core, DCB in 2021 still feels very
similar to the school we had chosen back in 2005, and we
very much appreciate this ability to adapt to the changing
environment while remaining true to its core values and
identity.
What drove you to also enrol your younger children at
DCB?
We had the same academic expectations as before, but
because Dani and Matthew are half Chinese, we had a
much higher expectation of the Chinese language side of
the curriculum. We did look at other options to be sure we
were not missing anything, but in the end, it was an easy
choice: DCB had been an excellent platform for my three
elder children, so we had no reason to change. Knowing
their elder siblings had been at DCB made the transition
for Dani and Matthew much easier.
Would you share some unique moments you have
experienced as a DCB parent?
There are too many to mention, however, I would
highlight James’s IB graduation, but also Joe’s Early Years
graduation: we’d never seen anything like that before!
On the sports side, I keep memorable images of Chiara
and James representing DCB during sports fixtures, in the
Girls Soccer and Rugby Varsity teams respectively. And of
course, I have fond and fun memories of myself playing in
the traditional Parent vs Students cricket tournament!
The most recent moment
I still vividly recall is when
James returned to Beijing
on holiday after graduating.
He gave a presentation to
a group of DCB students
about his experience at the
University of San Diego, and
a marine biology research
voyage he had been on as
part of his degree studies.
His younger siblings Dani
and Matthew were in Year
1 and Year 2 then, and they
were able to sit in and watch. The photo that was taken of
the three of them at the end of the session is very special
to us.
According to you, what are the main life skills your
graduated children have learned from their DCB journey?
Maturity and independence.
What influence did DCB have on your graduated
children’s educational growth?
Their DCB journey taught them self-confidence, broad
cultural awareness and acceptance of diversity, and
“learning how to learn”, all of which have set them in good
stead for their subsequent studies at school and university.
How did DCB influence your view of international
education, or education in general?
It is reassuring to see an institution evolve with the
changing times, and yet stay true to its core values. We
strongly believe that the school, together with the whole
overseas lifestyle, created (and continues to create) a great
platform for our children to achieve in higher education
and beyond, creating confident, well-rounded, culturally
integrated, young adults.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
29
Learn Worldwise
Developing Student Superpowers:
How DCB’s English Additional Language Programme Supports Students in Reaching their Potential
By Hetal Ascher, Liz Mawson and Becky Bush
Our DCB student body is comprised of a range of
nationalities across our three schools (Early Years, Junior
School and Senior School). Despite the rich range of
nations represented, it’s important to note that a high
percentage of our students are actually learning English
as an additional language. These students, often referred
to as English Additional Language (EAL) learners, may join
DCB as early as three years of age and stay for up to fifteen
years, while others may join at any point throughout the
student journey, and may even just stay for a year or two.
At whatever point students join our DCB community,
there is a need to clearly identify the strengths and needs
of our language learners, so that we can
provide the support to help them fulfil not
only their language learning potential, but
their potential in ALL areas.
What is our philosophy for language
learning?
At Dulwich, we believe that students come
first. DCB students who are learning English
receive excellent language support so that
they are able to fully access the curriculum
and other learning opportunities available
here.
At DCB, we value multilingualism because we know that
language is an important part of a child’s identity. We also
know that multilingualism is like a superpower! Aside from
being able to communicate in different languages, research
has shown that multilingual people have increased
concentration skills, as well as increased critical thinking
skills and a more creative mind (Kapa and Colombo, 2013).
The benefits of multilingualism are numerous, but they
also take time to develop. Researchers believe that it can
take up to 7 years, and sometimes longer, to develop full
academic proficiency in a language. Because of this, at DCB,
we carefully tailor language instruction to meet the various
needs of our students. Additionally, our mainstream
teachers also receive regular professional development in
order to support students throughout their entire school
day.
“As students come first at DCB, we aim to ensure that
students with English as an additional language are
fully able to enjoy the benefits of the safe, secure and
stimulating environment that the College offers. We
provide English language support to enable students to
"We value
multilingualism
because we know
that language
is an important
part of a child’s
identity. "
reach their full academic, sporting, creative and social
potential.” (Dulwich College Beijing, 2017)
How do we identify the strengths and needs of our
learners?
After a careful vetting process, DCB decided to align our
EAL provision using the WIDA (World-Class Instructional
Design and Assessment) programme. This internationally
renowned programme not only ensures consistency within
DCB but will also allow for collaboration and teamwork
with other Dulwich College International EAL departments
who utilise the system.
WIDA will ensure that all students from Early Years to
Junior School to Senior School are assessed
in a similar way so that there is continuity
as they transition throughout the different
stages of the school. An initial screener for
all students in Early Years and Junior School
will take place once a year so that we know
where each student’s strengths lie. Senior
School will assess students as needed. The
WIDA model builds on linguistic strengths
with ‘can-do’ descriptors identifying any
needs in the four domains of language:
listening, speaking reading and writing.
We believe that formal, systematic assessment is one
part of a holistic approach to English learning. A variety
of factors, such as classroom assessment and qualitative
data, will be used to determine EAL provision for each
student. With the WIDA model, all students will benefit
from some embedding of strategies into the curriculum,
ensuring that every learner is able to achieve more
linguistically…. and to develop their language superpower!
30 beijing.dulwich.org
Learn Worldwise
What does language support look like in the
different schools?
In Early Years (Nursery to Year 2) a dual-language
model is at the core of language learning, recognising
the important role of the home language in supporting
further language acquisition. The powerful tool of
‘translanguaging’, the act of multilinguals accessing various
linguistic features and modes to maximise communication
(Garcia, 2009), is used frequently by the children and our
bilingual Assistant Teachers and Dual Language Teachers.
The Early Years EAL Team, which is made up of both Dual
Language Teachers and native English-speaking teachers,
assesses children using the WIDA model, identifies
language objectives, collaboratively plans with class
teachers, co-teaches (whole class, small groups or oneto-ones
as needed), and develops resources to support
language learning. As all teachers are viewed as language
teachers, language learning is embedded throughout the
Early Years curriculum, across a range of disciplines.
In Senior School, students who are identified as English
language learners take a smaller, more supportive English
Language Arts class which follows the mainstream
curriculum. In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) and Key Stage
5 (Years 12 and 13), teachers carefully determine the best
language courses for students in IGCSE and IB, and place
students accordingly.
In Junior School (Years 3 to 6), an English Support (ES)
team will use WIDA to embed EAL strategies into the
day-to-day curriculum. In addition, ES teachers provide
in-class support, small pull-out groups and one-to-one
interventions. They support language learning by providing
additional resources, materials and strategies for students
based on needs. Members of the Junior School ES team
also hold training sessions for class teachers in EAL
strategies for the classroom. These strategies frequently
benefit the language learning of all students.
Final thoughts
The journey of aligning language learning across the
whole DCB remains a key priority as we move towards
the end of this school year and plan ahead for the next.
We know that when we learn a language, we are not
only learning the language but the culture behind that
language: languages are a tool needed by our students to
“make a positive difference to the world” and to continue
“building bridges to the world” (Dulwich College Beijing,
n.d.).
We are confident that as we continue to put students
at the forefront of our decision-making related to the
provision of support for English language learners, we
will continue to see students reaching their potential in
language learning, as well as other areas. Bring those
superpowers on!
The College Magazine (Beijing)
31
Learn Worldwise
Educational Technology and Innovation
By Yosef Karasik
As part of the Dulwich Digital Difference initiative
by Dulwich College International, beginning from next
academic year, Dulwich College Beijing will have a
brand new, whole-College team focusing on educational
technology and innovation!
The team will work across the three schools to enhance
the integration of technology and digital citizenship into
the curriculum, align the student journey throughout the
College, and support students and teachers with innovation
in teaching and learning.
Meet the team!
The team will be led by
Mr Yosef Karasik, who will be
assuming the role of Director
of Educational Technology and
Innovation. Mr Karasik will be
starting his fifth year at DCB
where he is currently Senior
School EdTech Coordinator.
He also teaches Technology
and Computer Science and
Mathematics at the IBDP level.
We are lucky to have Mr Jeff
Brunet joining the team as a
Learning Technology Coach
and the Digital Safeguarding
Lead. With 18 years of teaching
experience, out of which three
were spent at DCB, Mr Brunet
will bring his expertise and
passion for Design Thinking and
Project Based Learning.
The third member of the new
team, also taking up the role
of Learning Technology Coach
is Mr Jared Rigby, a Computer
Science teacher who will be
joining us after spending the last
three years teaching at Dulwich
International High School in
Suzhou. Mr Rigby is a specialist
in gamification of learning and
is a perfect person to support
innovative teaching and learning
approaches across the College.
Integration of technology, computational thinking, and
digital citizenship
Technology has been a major part of education for
many years. This has been accelerated further due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequent forced transition
to online and hybrid learning. We pride ourselves, at
DCB, for having meaningful integration of technology
in the curriculum. The team will work with curriculum
leaders to further enhance the use of technology for
learning as well as map ICT and digital citizenship skills to
better fit the student journey. Students will engage with
more meaningful, technology-rich projects with real-life
applications to further strengthen the connection between
school, academia and industry and make their learning
real. One great example of this comes from one of our
seniors, Richard H, who built on his passion for Computer
Science to further research into the application of Machine
Learning in solving Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke.
The College invests substantial resources into
technology provisions. Students develop technological
and computational literacy when they are in Early Years
through the use of iPads and a variety of STEM kits. We
then build upon it as they progress to Junior School where
they develop their computational thinking, and finally in
Senior School where these skills are put into the Design
Thinking framework. The team will support our teachers
to plan with technology in mind, and embed the skills our
students will need when they graduate from DCB.
Innovation: AI and other emerging technologies
In addition to integration of EdTech, the team will work
to build, support, and sustain a culture of innovation in the
College. Pioneering Spirit is one of our group values and as
32 beijing.dulwich.org
Learn Worldwise
Introduction of AI is a two-fold project. On the one hand,
we want to expose our students to AI and develop their
understanding of the complex concepts from a young age.
This will be done through hands-on experience of AI in
Early Years and Junior School, and work with AI in Senior
School. On the other hand, we are designing curriculum
materials to integrate AI projects across the College. In
addition to teaching AI, we are investigating AI-powered
EdTech tools and platforms that can enhance the teaching
and learning at the College.
a leading international school, we want to ensure that
we are practising innovation as well as embedding it in
our curriculum. In recent months, we have been forming
relationships to collaborate on new and exciting innovative
ideas. One of our focuses was the enrichment of our
curriculum with Artificial Intelligence. Recently you may
have read about Velocity, our newly founded DeepRacer
club. This student-led club is one of 13 founding members
of China’s DeepRacer league, where students train
Reinforcement Learning models and deploy them on
real autonomous cars to compete against other schools.
Despite being newly founded, the club had remarkable
success in their first race, having two teams finished first
and third in the league.
We are excited to be working with our students, parents,
and teachers to support a meaningful integration of
technology as well as further developing the innovation
culture at DCB. Students are at the heart of our mission
statement, and we invite parents and other partners to join
us and enrich the student DCB experience to ensure that
students learn worldwise.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
33
Learn Worldwise
Ranking 9 th at the Oxford University Computing Challenge!
We would like to congratulate Eddy in Year 10
on his outstanding achievement in this year's
Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC
2021) finals. Eddy began his journey early this academic
year as he achieved a Distinction award in the annual
BEBRAS computing challenge. Together with 90 other DCB
students, he qualified to compete in the first round of the
Oxford University-sponsored contest. Eddy achieved an
outstanding result and placed in the top 20 in the Senior
category, mostly competing against Year 11 students across
the world. Eddy secured the ninth place in the final round
of the competition, finishing an amazing personal journey!
We had the pleasure of meeting Eddy to learn a little more
about him!
My preparation itself is a mix of technical preparation,
like going through past papers to get used to the types
of questions, and mental preparation to stay focused on
the day. As you know, programming skills are built up over
time, with 50% coming from the actual technical skills, and
50% coming from the thinking process. I usually prepare
on my own in a quiet environment to remain focused and
avoid potential distractions.
What would you tell your peers to encourage them to
engage in similar challenges?
It is all about passion. I discovered Computer Science
when I was in Year 1, and started to be involved in more
complicated programming in Year 4 when my mom
mistakenly signed me up for a Python programming
workshop intended for older children. But when it came
to the final contest of the workshop, at the age of 9, I
defeated my 14/16-year-old peers, and it really motivated
me to keep going. This is how I really started learning
about programming and discovered how I enjoyed doing
so. Enjoying what I do helps me to learn and improve a lot
faster, so my top tip would be to do what you enjoy and
enjoy what you do.
Is there one thing or one person who particularly inspired
you to pursue your interest in Computer Science?
My exposure to simple Computer Science in Year 1 is
what led me to where I am today. Most importantly, my
parents were always supportive of my interest and they’ve
always encouraged me to pursue this interest further.
How do you feel about your participation in OUCC and
your achievement?
I’ve participated in these challenges since Year 7 and
made the finals three times out of these 4 participations.
I tend to set high expectations for myself. However, I
realised it’s not healthy to constantly stretch myself. I’m
really happy I achieved 9 th place, even proud because these
challenges are definitely not easy, both technically and
mentally.
How did you prepare yourself for the competition?
I have competed in other events such as USACO (USA
Computing Olympiad) and they are really, really, hard. So,
I know I need good preparation to achieve a good score: I
push myself a little and I feel it’s necessary to step out of
my comfort zone when I get prepared. But I have learnt
that it is very important to remain calm and focused during
the actual competition. In other words: stress before but
not during the event.
A person who inspired me a lot was Ms Stevens, former
Head of Technology at DCB when I started participating
in competitions. She has always encouraged me to move
forward and recently sent me her regards through my
teacher. Knowing a former teacher still knows what I’m
up to is really motivating. Having my family, my peers and
my teachers’ support certainly pushes me to continuously
improve.
Quick choice of words.
Cat or Dog? Cat.
Great Wall or 798? 798.
Analysis or synthesis? Analysis.
Marathon or sprint? Marathon.
34 beijing.dulwich.org
Learn Worldwise
Learning Journey: From an Extended Essay to a Research Paper
As an IB student, Richard H chose to write his
Computer Science 4000-word extended essay (EE)
about the efficiency of curriculum learning and
the impact of specific parameters on paediatric facial
recognition accuracy. Reading about the news led him
to use his extended essay’s research to tackle the realworld
problem of Paediatric Vehicle Heatstroke (PVH),
and come up with an algorithm that detects and reports
the presence of children forgotten in vehicles, thereby
helping to prevent the occurrence of Paediatric Vehicular
Heatstroke. This research work earned him an outstanding
Honourable Mention award from the highly recognised Yau
Mathematical Sciences Center. We have met Richard to
understand how he designed his PVH alert system.
How do you feel about your award and your overall
journey in this competition?
I am very grateful to receive an Honorable Mention
in the competition. I knew I was going against some of
the strongest competitors, many of whom had research
teams backed by professors from universities. Looking
back, I think the entire research experience was extremely
valuable and meaningful. It taught me a lot, from technical
aspects (maths and programming) to social aspects
(coordinating volunteers to obtain training data) and
personal aspects (perseverance despite setbacks and
challenges). It was exhausting because I constantly faced
the fear that my method would end up as a failure. Luckily,
everything worked out in the end.
Tell us more about the application and selection process,
from your first entry to receiving the award?
The preparation and research phase lasted for almost
an entire year. Research papers were submitted by 1500
teams, then go through three rounds of preliminary
viewings by the judges. The top 240 teams were selected
for the semi-finals, in the form of a viva voce at Tsinghua
University. 90 teams (15 teams for each of the award
categories in Maths, Physics, Computer Science...) were
then awarded with the First Prize and promoted to the
finals.
How did the idea of using computer vision to detect
children come to your mind? To which extent did your EE
contribute to this idea?
I opted for a computer vision-based method because
it’s more practical than alternative solutions that I’ve
investigated: weight sensors under the car seat could be a
simple and reliable solution, but on larger vehicles (such as
buses), installing a sensor under each seat is impractical.
Thermal cameras could detect the heat from a human and
The College Magazine (Beijing)
a single camera can
view a large area, but
the technology is too
expensive.
My essay revolved
around investigating
the effectiveness of
a technique called
“curriculum learning”
to enhance the
performance of machine learning algorithms for age
classification. The results I obtained in my EE became a
subcomponent of my research project for this competition.
Why face detection?
Face detection algorithms merely identify the presence
of faces in an image, while facial recognition algorithms
are capable of distinguishing the faces of different people
by looking at the relative positioning of different facial
features. Face detection is an extremely mature, robust,
and reliable technology. It allows the algorithm to detect
the presence of humans with high reliability if a frontal
face happens to be visible. Plus, once a face is detected,
the algorithm also runs an age classification procedure to
determine whether the face belongs to a child or an adult.
Are there any next steps to this research and if so, what
are they?
I have plans to look into other sensors, such as
microwave radars that can penetrate through thin barriers
(e.g. seat backs of cars, in a larger vehicle such as a bus)
and detect the presence of a human. However, existing
products that use microwave radars are quite costly.
Your advice to younger students regarding machine
learning?
I would recommend students to familiarise themselves
with programming, because it is the “language” that one
must speak in order to explore and apply machine learning.
Another important aspect that is often overlooked is
mathematics: in order to concretely grasp the theories
behind machine learning, one needs to know at least
the basics of multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and
statistics.
You are about to start a new journey in your life. What’s
your take-away from your DCB journey?
I’m glad that I was able to get to know so many friends.
They all excel in different ways that complement what I’m
good at, and together we had many great memories that I’ll
treasure going forward.
35
Visual & Performing Arts
Sustainable Artworks in Early Years
By Jacob Dong
Sustainability has been considered as
our priority in learning Art in Early Years
throughout this academic year. Recycle,
Reuse and Recreate is our motto when we
were planning and making our projects and
clearly translates our goals.
You might find that a variety of recycled
or plastic materials has been transformed
into some amazing artworks, for example,
recycled colour paper, boxes, plastic
bottles, straws, bags, and fridge magnets,
etc...
John X
Year 1 collaborative collage Nathan L Thomas L Della C
Year 1 collaborative drawing
Alex Z
Lucas F Skyler Y Sarah W Ruei Hsuan H Nichole C
36 beijing.dulwich.org
Visual & Performing Arts
Natural bamboo circles were also used to create sculptures with sustainability in mind as well. We
hope that the awareness of sustainability can be raised by our efforts in artistic expressions.
Another exciting experience for us is that Toddler children have been working with me after the
Chinese New Year holiday, and are now they are the youngest artists in DCB!
The College Magazine (Beijing)
37
Visual & Performing Arts
Junior
School
Art
By Sally Corben
This project linked closely with the book The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Students in
Year 5 used this picture book as part of their On the Move topic. Students learned
about proportion and scale while drawing these portraits. They have also developed
their drawing techniques by learning to create a range of tonal values. Whilst
drawing, we were able to discuss the features in our faces that give clues to our
heritage. Each student also chose a piece of headwear that was important to him or
her.
Jayden L Ella H Daniel L Mike P
Lawrence Z
Maggie T
Max S
Siting F
Norah T
Pearl Z
Tiger N
Yitong C
38
beijing.dulwich.org
Stella G
Suri Y
Visual & Performing Arts
Alex Q Amanda F Andy Z Angela W
Ashton W Bowen F Carrie W Jonathan J
Camille B
Kelly Z Ella L Freya M
The College Magazine (Beijing)
39
Visual & Performing Arts
IGCSE ART
Mylene R
The piece is based on
the theme facade,
which incorporates
both buildings and the
deceptive outward
appearance of a person.
The mirror represents
the inner character of a
person which is hidden
behind the made-up
veneer.
Julia Z
The distorted perspective
makes the usually firm
medieval wooden
structures less capable of
allowing any household to
go inside these buildings.
The whole architectures
seem absurd, making
them incapable of any
proper use.
Michelle Z
The piece reflects the theme of childhood by conveying
an idea of those precious memories swimming away
along with the cranes. Childhood is an experience you
cannot keep hold of any longer once the time is up.
Cathy M
The scene comes
from the Beijing opera
Peony Pavilion which
conveyed the emotions
of two lovers when
they separated, then
found each other again.
The tone used on
the watercolour is to
create and express her
emotions.
Sofie H
This piece of garlic, corks, leaves and a phone convey the
theme of time. Inspired by the artist Sam-Taylor Wood, I
incorporated different textures and food to achieve the
idea of time, as it can be shown through objects as they
age.
Agatha Z
The watercolour is of the
sunset passing through
a window and reflected
onto the wall. The piece
is kept to be minimalistic
and concise. The colours
used in the piece emit a
long-lost feeling, however
indescribable.
40 beijing.dulwich.org
Visual & Performing Arts
IB Visual Arts
Year 12
By Yvette Stride
Year 12 students have begun
their IBDP journey in Visual
Arts, and here we see a taste
of what’s to come in next year’s
show.
Lauren Z
Emma Z
Jessie Z
Yukino C
Clara L
Esther K
Ava L
Rino F
Katrina C
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Alice Z
Sally L
41
Visual & Performing Arts
IB Visual Arts
Year 13
Cher X – An Afternoon
Olivia W – Girl, Umbrella and Mask
Ruthie L – Will it Stay with Me?
Mark W – These are all things out of your control.
You can't really think of solutions to them. Maybe you
should stop maddening yourself thinking about them
Tyler Y – Tabletop Ecosystem
42 beijing.dulwich.org
Visual & Performing Arts
By Yvette Stride
Congratulations to our graduating Year 13 students and the incredible achievement of their final
exhibition presently gracing the walls of DCB. Mr Stewart led this courageous group through their final
year, with previous teachers Mr Daniel Hickey and Ms Jennifer Knowles being Zoomed in for the final
show! A great variety of artworks is on display, with talent seen across traditional and contemporary
mediums. Accomplished oil paintings, sensitive charcoals and striking woodcuts stand alongside evocative
installations, imaginative digital and mixed media works. The outstanding work is a credit to all the students
and teachers involved. We wish these students well and hope their ‘Golden Paintbrush’, issued at the
exhibition opening, is a happy memento of the art spirit cultivated during their school years.
Leah S – The Mask
Ariana L – Hope
Nathan L – Healing the Blind
Jenna H – Make a Larger Fire
Henry K – Acrophobia
Rownie Z – I'm a Mess
The College Magazine (Beijing)
Karen K – Location Tracker
43
Visual & Performing Arts
MADD FESTIVAL
44
beijing.dulwich.org
Early Years Summer Production
Visual & Performing Arts
The College Magazine (Beijing)
45
Spotlights
Early Years
Sports Day
Senior School
Basketball
46 beijing.dulwich.org
Spotlights
Junior School
Sports Day
Junior School
Swimming
The College Magazine (Beijing)
47
Spotlights
HOUSE LEADERS
A Glimpse of
HOUSE SINGING
48 beijing.dulwich.org
Spotlights
HOUSE Events
HOUSE BATTLE OF THE BANDS
HOUSE SINGING
The College Magazine (Beijing)
49
Spotlights
By Joseph Stewart
HOUSE ART
DCB students entered the fabulous world of
face painting for a recent House Art Competition.
Students had to work collaboratively to design
five distinct looks based on the five Chinese
natural elements: Wood, Earth, Water, Fire
and Metal. Each House demonstrated amazing
creativity and initiative through interpreting,
planning and hand-painting their themes in
unique and original ways.
50 beijing.dulwich.org
Spotlights
Go Green for Your HOUSE
The College Magazine (Beijing)
51
Spotlights
CELEBRATING OUR 15 TH
ANNIVE
52 beijing.dulwich.org
RSARY AT FOUNDER'S DAY !
Spotlights
The College Magazine (Beijing)
53
Spotlights
Festive Spirit at DCB
54
beijing.dulwich.org
DCI News
Dulwich is Coming to Shenzhen!
By Dulwich College International
We are incredibly excited to share that we are bringing
the Dulwich Difference to Shenzhen with an all-new
Dulwich Early Years Centre.
The Dulwich EY Centre Shenzhen provides studentcentric,
holistic and experiential education to instil
in our youngest students a spirit of exploration and
curiosity about the world around them, and develop their
confidence as learners.
This year, five of our China-based schools were ranked
among the top 100 in the Hurun report, with all four of
our China-based International Colleges ranked among the
Top 20 schools open to foreign passport holders. We are
especially proud of Dulwich College Beijing, which is ranked
first for the second straight year.
While rankings are just one indicator, we are delighted
that our holistic and experiential approach to education
has resonated with the industry. We aim to continue
delivering the best holistic and experiential education for
our students, and are excited for the opportunity to bring
the Dulwich Difference into Shenzhen.
Dulwich EY Centre: the newest member of the Dulwich
family
As part of the Dulwich College International family, our
new EY Centre will draw on the unique strength of being
part of our global network to benefit our students with a
wealth of expertise, resources and opportunities, enabling
them to Learn, Graduate and Live Worldwise.
Like in all our schools, the EY Centre is committed to
developing the whole child and preparing each child for
the future. This includes making sustainability, service and
global citizenship a lived experience for students from an
early age, and equipping them to make a difference.
Beyond environmental conservation, Dulwich places a
balanced focus on wellbeing, character development and
service, educating students in age-appropriate fashion at
every stage of their learning journey so that they develop
as empowered global citizens.
Nine Medals in the UK Chemistry Olympiad
By Dulwich International High School Zhuhai
Dulwich International High School Zhuhai Year 12
students participated in the UK Chemistry Olympiad
(UKChO) and achieved brilliant results. The awards include
one Gold medal, six Silver medals and two Bronze medals.
Among these excellent results, Ivan K and Jason L have
received the Honorable Mention Awards in the Chemistry
category of the S.-T. Yau High School Science Award in
December 2020.
The College Magazine (Beijing)
55
DCI News
Learning to Build a More Sustainable Future,
One House at a Time
By Dulwich College Seoul
“How could we design our homes to help save our planet?”
This was the question Year 3 students at Dulwich College
Seoul grappled with as part of the school’s effort to link
their learning around Sustainable Development Goal 11:
Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Students learnt about the impact cities and a heavilybuild
environment have on our planet and were tasked
with a guided home-learning enquiry project to investigate
how we could redesign our homes to make them more
sustainable.
Over several weeks, students got a clear understanding
of what sustainability is and researched where they could
source sustainable building materials for their houses, and
which types of energy would most limit its impact on our
environment. Students then combined all their knowledge
and design ideas to build a home that could most likely
exist in harmony with nature.
Many students chose to include features such as wind
turbines and solar panels as sources of sustainable energy
and had to consider how they could “bank” energy in
seasons that were less sunny, which posed a challenge.
Others focused on finding innovative ways to insulate
their houses to avoid using too much energy, grass being a
particularly sustainable option that one student discovered.
Students went one step further with their architectural
designs and included a garden to grow their own food,
thereby decreasing their carbon footprint.
Throughout their research, students continued to
return to their original designs, to implement changes and
improvements as their knowledge grew. Although this back
and forth was a challenge for some, they understood that
this was part of the design process.
Some students were then asked to present their houses
during assembly, honing their presentation skills by sharing
their learning with their peers. During the assembly,
students explained the different features of their houses in
detail and answered questions from audience members.
Ultimately, the design exercise helped to demonstrate
how housing impacts our environment and how we need
to make better choices as responsible global citizens who
care deeply about building a more sustainable world.
56 beijing.dulwich.org
DCI News
Earth Day 2021: #RestoreOurEarth
By Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi
On Thursday 22 April, the world celebrated Earth
Day 2021. Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi was proud to
participate in this important international cause, hosting
one of three officially registered Earth Day events in
Shanghai, our Life on Land ceremony.
The ceremony officially unveiled our campus signage
promoting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal
#15, Life on Land.
loss of natural habitats and land degradation. Promoting
a sustainable use of our ecosystems and preserving
biodiversity is not a cause. It is the key to our own survival”
GlobalGoals.org
Our Life on Land signs showcase the native bird species
that frequently visit the campus, and provide us with a
unique teaching opportunity to highlight the importance
of preserving natural habitats for future generations.
Together, let’s support Earth Day and #RestoreOurEarth!
Global Goal 15, Life on Land: "Protect, restore and
promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,
sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and
halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity
loss."
“A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on
this planet. We are all part of the planet’s ecosystem and
we have caused severe damage to it through deforestation,
The College Magazine (Beijing)
57
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