Thursday 11th of December 2014

Reports 

For your information, the end of term reports should now be available on the school system. I have spent some time reading through the reports and it is clear that the teachers certainly offer a lot of very specific advice for how the pupils can improve in their attainment and approach at school. Moreover, the vast majority of Year 9 have very encouraging reports demonstrating that they have made a superb start to this important year. Looking through the pupil scores for their attitude to learning and also organisation for learning (two key indicators for success) it is remarkable to see the same names near the top of both lists. The following pupils scored in the top 5 out of the entire Year 9 cohort (over 150 pupils) for both of these categories. These pupils have been rated as exceptional in the majority of their subjects.

Narissa Jewa 9L

Kareena Kamdar 9W

Vanessa Lee 9P

If you have any immediate concerns and wish to discuss the contents of the reports please feel free to contact me browning.m@gardenschool.edu.my. Otherwise there will be a parent teacher conference in Term 2 on Tuesday 10th February 2015.

Year 9 into Year 10 Subject Option Information

The calendar for next term is now filling up with subject options events. All pupils have been given a copy of the schedule but you can see the information by following the link below. Please note that we will be holding an options information session for parents in the first week back 7.30-8.30pm on Thursday the 8th of January in the Grand Hall. Pupils will then have options taster sessions during the second week of term 2 in which they will be able to gain real insight about what it would be like to study the different subjects for IGCSE. We will be doing some options based activities during tutor times too to help the pupils really think about their choices. I would also encourage parents to start talking to pupils about what subject options might be most suitable. My best advice for this would be:

• Select as wide a range of subjects as possible – universities and employers look for this
• Choose subjects that you enjoy
• Choose subjects that you are good at

An overview of options available can be viewed on the school website:
https://sites.google.com/a/gardenschool.edu.my/secondary-curriculum/home/secondary-curriculum-overview

Options event schedule:
https://drive.google.com/a/gardenschool.edu.my/file/d/0B1I5bAMjrTiEaWEzSGhBX1MwR2M/view

Have a GREAT holiday!

It has been a very busy term, and also a very successful one for the vast majority of pupils. I am still hearing lots of great things about the Year group so thank you all. Sadly we are saying goodbye to a number of pupils this term and would like to wish the following pupils all of the very best for their futures. Do stay in touch with all of your friends here at GIS. The leavers this term are:

Louis Do 9I

Zhakri Azlan 9I

Hannah Do 9L

Dean Knight 9L

Justin Ang 9M

Emily Batrouney 9P

 Finally, I would just like to wish everyone a fantastic holiday and remind pupils to get some well earned rest. Stay safe if you are traveling this holiday and I look forward to seeing you next term! Best wishes, Dr. Browning

Friday 5th of December 2014

 Year 9 Options Information

As the final few tutor groups have their initial careers / options sessions with Ms Sharma we are now turning our attention to the subject option information events scheduled for the start of Term 2. Please follow the link below to see the order of events. A hard copy of this letter will be given to pupils at school.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1I5bAMjrTiEaWEzSGhBX1MwR2M/view?usp=sharing

iPad Use at School

Whilst the significant majority of pupils are using iPads responsibly and effectively to enhance learning at school there remains to be a significant minority of pupils causing concern with how they are choosing to use their iPads. In light of this, as a school we would like to remind pupils of the responsible use policy that they have all agreed to abide by:

Student iPad Responsible Use Policy:

• I will charge my iPad every night and bring it into school every day

• I will take good care of my iPad, protect it in a suitable case and will never leave it unattended or allow another student to use it
• I will ensure that my iPad is secured with a password and that ‘FindmyiPhone’ is activated
• I will set my iPad homescreen to show my name and tutor group and ensure that the ‘name’ of my iPad includes my own name
• I will use my iPad appropriately for learning purposes during the school day under the direction of my teachers
• I will only photograph or film people with their permission
• I will only use the camera or microphone with the knowledge and permission of my teacher
• I will not use my iPad to bully, tease, humiliate or upset other people
• I will not use my iPad to hack another person’s accounts or create false user profiles
• I will never share any images or movies of other people without their permission
• I will not access, create or download inappropriate, explicit, offensive or illegal material
• I will not attempt to gain unauthorised access to another persons’ iPad
• I understand that my iPad is subject to inspection at any time without notice
• I understand that failure to follow these guidelines for responsible use will result in sanctions for my behaviour
• I understand that if I use any apps inappropriately I may be asked to remove them from my iPad
  
  
  During next week and the first weeks back following the holiday I will be inspecting pupil iPads at random. I would like to thank parents in advance for their help and support in ensuring that all pupils are using the iPads in an appropriate and responsible way. If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate in contacting me. Many Thanks, Dr. Browning
  
  
   

Tuesday 25th of November -

Year 9 Subject Options Information Sessions 

For your information, during the last part of this term the Year 9 pupils will be learning about the option choices that they will get to make for Year 10 subjects. Ms Sharma, the school's KS3-4 careers adviser, is running 2 sessions with each tutor group in which they will learn how to become more self aware of their academic interests, strengths, weaknesses, possible mid/long term goals etc. 

All pupils have been given access to all of the careers material in an iTunesU course. Ms Sharma encourages all parents to take some time with the Year 9 pupils to sit down and look through the material. No decisions are made until term 2, but obviously it is important to start thinking about choices now. The code to access the iTunesU course is: EB6-ERT-HKB. If you have any questions at this time, please feel free to contact myself or Ms Sharma directly:

Dr. Browning: browning.m@gardenschool.edu.my

Ms Sharma: sharma.v@gardenschool.edu.my

Monday 10th - Friday 14th November 2014

Science is a hugely popular and successful subject at GIS with numbers for triple Science at IGCSE and at A-level increasing dramatically over the past few years. This year the top performing IGCSE Chemistry pupil in Malaysia, a delight to have personally taught, Sarah Saram, graduated from Garden! It is clear that the Science faculty has gone from from strength to strength and Mr Fernandes, Mr Grierson and Mr Netcher deserve real praise for orchestrating such enjoyable schemes of learning for Year 9. In the next few weeks the Year 9 pupils will be having their IGCSE options session with Ms Sharma and I imagine just as many of this cohort will be looking to choose triple Science next year. 

This year, Mr L'Hostis joined GIS in the Physics department and has already shown me some great examples of work from his lessons with Year 9. Please check the links below for some wonderful examples of how the pupils are using iPads effectively for collaborative learning:

http://padlet.com/lhostis_f/9Gsc2Resistance

http://padlet.com/lhostis_f/9KSc1Resistance

http://padlet.com/lhostis_f/9GSc4Resistance

http://padlet.com/lhostis_f/9Ksc2Resistance

http://padlet.com/lhostis_f/9Gsc3Resistance

Rewards and Recognition:

This week the 2014 Year 9 Camp Champions, 9P, had a celebratory pizza party with their tutor Mr Cartwright. Now attention is turning towards the closely contested termly prize for form with most merits and best attendance. The merits totals are still being led by 9G, although 9S have had a great week and really caught up, 9P are currently in 3rd. For me, pupil attendance is one of the most important requisites for success at school and 9I are currently leading this competition. 9P are in second for attendance and 9M in 3rd place. Keep up the good work Year 9's, you make me very proud!  Have a great weekend, Dr. Browning

Monday 3rd - Friday 7th November 2014

What's been happening this week in Year 9?

This week at school a number of teachers have approached me and enthusiastically described their lessons with Year 9 pupils. Ms Newton in English has just started a new topic - Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. To help the pupils understand the context of the novel they were given areas to research and then each group had to feedback to the class about the following areas:

• Great depression & Wall Street Crash
• Life of a migrant worker
• Women in 1930s
• Race in 1930s
• Effects of long term loneliness.

By the end of the lesson students had comprehensive notes about the context ready to start the novel. Here are some pictures of the pupils reporting back on their research.

Mr Lawrence from drama also sent a couple of choice pictures to me and described how the Year 9's had been acting out scenes from Romeo and Juliet. Here is a touching picture of when Romeo (Zidan 9K) meets Juliet (Melly 9K).

...and an equally emotive final seen featuring Russell and Shanker as the star crossed lovers!

 

This week we also had a Year 9 assembly, and I finally had a chance to reward some of the tremendous effort and attitude that we witnessed on the Year 9 camp last half term. 9P were victorious as 2014 Year 9 Camp Champions thanks to some fantastic reflective comments on their form's padlet reflection wall. Individual success was rewarded with commendations from the Head of Secondary, Dr. Mason. The commendations went to the following individuals for various demonstrations of having a growth mindset:

 Urvi 9M 

Erin 9K

Ebby, Tasnim, Danish and Alex 9W

Jan 9W

Sabrina 9S

Chun Yang 9G

It was also great to be able to acknowledge the following people who scored in the top 10% of the entire year group for both their organisation for learning and attitude to learning last half term. This really is a remarkable achievement so well done!

Vanessa 9P

Leila, Rachel and Molly 9M

Ila 9G

Jack 9P

Sang Gon 9W

Robin 9K

I encourage everyone in the Year group to really embrace the challenges that are faced on a day to day basis and know that the more effort that you put in the more success you will have! Have a nice weekend, Dr. Browning

Monday 27th - Friday 31st of October 2014

 

It has been a very busy week to start the half-term this week at GIS. We have had our annual book week and many pupils have been getting involved with activities going on at lunchtimes and there is an after school silent disco planned in the Library for Year 7-9 on Friday! The school grounds have been even more busy than normal this week with GIS proudly hosting the SEASAC football tournament for Under 18 boys. Impressively, Salomé Das in 9K and Claudia Lim in 9L have both been selected to take part in the Under 18 girls SEASAC football tournament being held in Singapore - a remarkable achievement for Year 9 pupils!

We have also had another positive education session this week, with a focus on developing empathy. The pupils took part in various activities to help them try and understand why people have different perspectives and how other people might feel in different situations and scenarios. I managed to visit some of the groups and saw some very engaging activities.

9M engrossed in a lively discussion.

9K trying to determine emotions shown by facial expressions.

Russell looks proud of his art work!

9P sharing ideas about how people might feel in different scenarios.

9G enjoying the scrunch activity to share ideas and generally attack each other!

The aim of the positive education sessions this year are really to help our pupils think about their personal well being as well as the well being of others. If we can cultivate a more positive environment/atmosphere for our pupils and help them realize the benefits of adopting a more proactive and positive attitude, we can ensure healthy, happy and thriving individuals!

Thank you so much to all of the pupils who have spent time completing their camp reflections on the Padlet walls. Myself and tutors have been very impressed with the level of detail and insight offered by some individuals. Following on from this, I will be announcing which form are Year 9 Camp Champions in next week's Year 9 assembly. Regards, Dr. Browning

Friday 17th of October - Camp Update and Reflection!

Firstly, let me say how proud I am of the majority of the Year 9 pupils for their tremendous effort on camp! All of the accompanying staff and our facilitators at Nur Laman Bestari have spoken very highly of you - so very well done and thank you! We have certainly had a challenging camp this year and I know that when the pupils reflect on their experience they will be able to feel a real sense of achievement.

As I mentioned today before we left the camp, over the half term holiday I would like all of the pupils to complete an individual reflection using the padlet walls that I have set up for the respective forms (see the links below). I would like you to spend some time to think about what you have personally gained from the experience this year and then note it on your form's padlet wall. I will look at these at the end of the first week back at school and also the comments about you made by the attending teachers to choose a form to be camp champions! Teachers will be uploading their pictures into the shared google folder (see link below) that you can use to remind yourselves of the activities and feel free to use any relevant photos in your post on the reflection wall.

Photos of Year 9 Camp 2014:

https://drive.google.com/a/gardenschool.edu.my/#folders/0B1I5bAMjrTiEYzNYeWpLWVMyUVk

Padlet Wall for each form:

9G - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9GReflection

9I - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9IRelection

9S - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9SReflection

9W - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9wReflection

9K - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9KReflection

9L - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9LReflection

9M - http://padlet.com/browning_m/9mReflection

9P -http://padlet.com/browning_m/9PReflection

If you have any questions, please email me at browning.m@gardenschool.edu.my

Have a great holiday week and some well earned rest! Dr. Browning

Year 9 camp photos

Thursday 16th October - Camp update!

The second day of the Year 9 camp ran incredibly smoothly with the pupils once again showing real resilience when the late afternoon rain set in! The 3 large groups of pupils rotated around the activities from day one and had their chance to tackle new challenges. It has been very impressive to see the pupils select high but achievable levels of difficulty from themselves, whether it be rock climbing or on the treks. There have been some real stand-out pupils who have been exemplary in how they have helped others and pulled teams together and they will be more formally recognized following our return. So far, not one pupil has asked to use a phone or electronic device - it is great to see them coping so easily without all of the comforts of home and for them perhaps eye-opening in that they can cope. Once again, please accept my apologies for a lack of pictures as internet access is still problematic although rest assured we are taking lots and these will be shared with you in due course. Kind regards, Dr. Browning

Year 9 Camp Update - Wed 15th Oct

The new Year 9 camp at Nur Laman Bestari started very well yesterday with pupils arriving at the base camp about 8.30am. From there the year group split into 3 with some pupils heading straight over to Batu caves for rock climbing and limestone caving, whilst another group were building giant catapults at the base camp and the third group trekked up river and camped out in the jungle! The late afternoon rains did halt some of the activities although the pupil's spirits were not dampened and all teachers were impressed with the grit and determination shown! Unfortunately, there is no access to internet at the base camp and so I have driven 10km to find  sufficient signal to post this! Please accept my apologies in for not being able to update as regularly as we would like. Please contact the school or try my email browning.m@gardenschool.edu.my if you need to contact us. All pupils are doing brilliantly and challenging themselves. Lots of photos are being taken and will be posted/shared as and when possible. Kind regards, Dr.Browning

Monday 6th - Friday 10th of October

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YEAR 9 CAMP: 

Please note that the departure time for Year 9 camp on Tuesday 14^th of October has moved an hour earlier. Pupils should arrive at school and be ready to register in the undercover courts at 6.40am. This is to ease traffic congestion around the school site and ensure that we arrive at the camp in sufficient time to enjoy the full itinerary of activities on the first day. The return times will be as scheduled and pupils should be collected at 12.30pm from the undercover courts on Friday 17^th of October. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
 
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Sport's Day - Quick Reflection!

It has been a short and yet very eventful week at GIS. Following a restful day on Monday, pupils and staff were treated to a great Sport's day on Wednesday. It was widely recognized that the event unfolded very smoothly. Mr Springall showing once again he has the ability to orchestrate such an event like a military operation and Mr Winstone's dulcet tones kept us all informed and amused throughout the day! Pupils were brilliant throughout the day but the event would not have been possible without without the hard work done by the heads of house, PE department and also teachers who were given different duties such as being track marshals or triple jump judges. Pictures from the event are still being processed and will follow in due course. My personal highlight was having happy birthday sung to me by such a large and tuneful body of pupils!
 

 It really is great to see the GIS pupils giving so much effort outside of the class and remarkable how so many pupils supported each other from different year groups and even across houses! The pupils of GIS really are becoming well rounded individuals; I saw one pupils reading a book on the coach traveling to the stadium, arrive to help captain and lead their house, collect multiple gold medals for their individual sport's performances and then read on the way home!!! 


 Back to Business!

Normal lessons resumed for the remainder of the week and I would like to thank teachers for sending me pictures of their Year 9 pupils in lessons and giving such wonderful feedback about their pupils. Here are a couple of pictures from Miss Morrison in Science, in recent lessons her class have being having a great time conducting food tests.

 I wish all pupils a relaxing weekend before the Year 9 camp next week!

Monday 29th September - Friday 3rd October

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YEAR 9 CAMP: 

Please note that the departure time for Year 9 camp on Tuesday 14^th of October has moved an hour earlier. Pupils should arrive at school and be ready to register in the undercover courts at 6.40am. This is to ease traffic congestion around the school site and ensure that we arrive at the camp in sufficient time to enjoy the full itinerary of activities on the first day. The return times will be as scheduled and pupils should be collected at 12.30pm from the undercover courts on Friday 17^th of October. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

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The School House System

In the build up to the first major house event of the Year, it is worth reflecting on the role of the house system at Garden and the value it holds for our pupils. For me a house system at school should be inextricably linked to the school's pastoral care system and will help provide every pupil with a sense of belonging. The house events held at Garden foster healthy competition to celebrate the strengths of our pupils in both academic and non-academic pursuits. Moreover, the house system generates an opportunity for pupils to widen their friendship circles, not just horizontally in year groups but vertically too. 

Last week the heads of house and their respective house captains were certainly earning their responsibility titles as they tried to manage the coordination of pupils in their groups into the multitude of events that will take place next Wednesday at the school's annual sport's day.I checked in with each house to hear how things are going and to get a sense of how valuable the pupils see the house system at school.

Crest House 

Year 9 Crest House Captains:

                                                     Brandon and Isabelle in 9G     
                                

                                               Salomé Das and Russell Chia 9K 
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Comment from Mr Finch (Head of Crest): The Crest Yr 9s are epic! We have an amazing group of dynamic, talented and eager individuals in both groups that help to motivate their peers and stand as great models to everyone at GIS. They ensure that Crest as a House is both competitive but fair and graceful in defeat. This would not be possible if they were not passionate and willing - there is rivalry make no mistake but that is because it means so much. Whether sport, expressive arts or the simply recognition of gaining a merit our year 9s are committed to the House system and doing their very best within it in their own way. 

  Chancellor House 

Year 9 House Captains:

                                                  Max Luer and Claudia Lim in 9L

                                            Sahil Chandani and Eman Saif in 9I

Comment from Mr Fairweather (Head of Chancellor): The year 9 students have developed real enthusiasm for being in Chancellor house. This came into fruition last year as we stepped up our performances in all house events and finished the year with masses to celebrate! 

 

Sultan House 

Year 9 House Captains:

               

                                                          
Urvi and Roberto in 9M     

 

    Cameron and Emaan in 9S

Comment from Mr Bannister (Head of Sultan): The Year 9 Sultan team are the most Sultany Sultanites in Sultan!! They have astounded me with their house spirit over the last 2 years resulting in impressive victories at Sports Day and Eisteddfod as well as always being super enthusiastic about any house events! Loving the awesomeness and house spirit from the Yr9 team, keep it up guys!!!

 Queen House 

Year 9 House Captains:

                                       Ilona Miettinen and Danish Samsudin-Bakker 9W        

                                                   Vanessa Lee and Arjuna Sen 9P

Comment from Mr O'Neill (Head of Queen):"Were very excited about sports day, the Year nine team have been very tactical in their decision making for the events"

After meeting all of the house captains in each form this week it was massively apparent that they are hugely enthusiastic about their respective houses and are proud of these positions of responsibility. I would like to wish Good luck to all of the sport's day participants next week and also to the Heads of house and PE department who have had the mammoth task of making the day run smoothly. Please note that any pupils who are going to the stadium via their own transport please remember to find your tutor and register your presence as soon as you arrive. Also, if you are being collected from the stadium you need to stay until the very end to help with the clear up and then parents should meet directly with tutors to inform them that they are leaving. It is always a great day and I am certainly looking forward to seeing the Year 9 pupils put forth their best effort!

Monday 22nd - Friday 26th of September

CCA's have started this week at school and once again there is vast array of activities on offer for our pupils. Mr Springall was delighted to see so many Year 9 girls trying out for the U15 Dragon's basketball team. I am sure he will be expecting great things from them again this year!

 

The 'most popular' CCA at school once again appears to be the over-subscribed Chemistry Club. To accommodate such large numbers the group has now split into two with Mr Donaldson and his assistant Mr Robinson taking the older pupils, which includes a good number of Year 9's.

This term Chemistry Club will be working on the RSC Global experiment 2014: the art of crystallization. Details of the project can be seen here:

http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/collections/experimentation/collaborative-chemistry/global-experiment-2014

In other Science related news, Mr Fernandes and his Year 9 group have been having a great time exploring the biochemistry of macromolecules. The kinesthetic activity (pictures below) of building the individual units and then condensing them together to build a macromolecular chain certainly helps cement an understanding of the concept.

 

 

I also had the opportunity to pop into Dr. Mason's Biology lesson this week. Her Year 9 class were looking at food tests and just about to start an experiment to investigate the presence of reducing sugars using Benedict's reagent.

 

Year 9 CAMP Update!

All pupils should have brought an updated packing list for the Year 9 camp home with them this week. The list is also viewable below. Pupils will learn more about the activities that they will do during camp week in the Year 9 assembly next week.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1I5bAMjrTiESndxRU9pQ202U0U/edit?usp=sharing

Merits and Attendance Update!

Miss Holden's form 9G are still holding onto the lead for most merits this term, whilst second place is very close between 9M, 9P and 9S! There looks to be a positive correlation between merit totals and form attendance levels. I strongly encourage parents to ensure that all pupils attend as fully as possible. It is not surprising that the more successful / thriving pupils are the ones with the best attendance records!