Harrow Beijing

At Harrow Beijing, we offer a range of drama programmes and performing opportunities for students from Early Years to Year 13. The annual Lower School musical 'Three Little Pigs' ended up with a great success last week. The wonderful performances once again demonstrated the talents and efforts of Harrow students and made a deep impression on the audience. The Lower School Production of Roald Dahl’s The Three Little Pigs is a musical version based of one of the poems from Roald Dahl’s much-loved collection of Revolting Rhymes. It’s not the same old story, but it is a classic tale with a twist. Lower School children enjoyed the charm of world literature through the musical, and made the characters more vivid with their interpretation. 'This play let me know the story of 'Three Little Pigs' again and helped established a new vision of it.'- Ray W, Year 6 'I cooperated with students from different year groups in this performance. I made many new friends.'- Sylvia X, Year 5 During the preparation for the production, students learned valuable skills: Understanding of the Script - To perform a character vividly requires not only a skilled recitation of the script, but also a deep understanding of the storyline and language. Creativity - Had the opportunity to create and design the sets, costumes, and props. The Creation and Expression of the Role - Learned to use body, expression and language to create a distinct character. Teamwork & Communication - Communicated and cooperated with other classmates to create a perfect scene together. Playbill Cover Competition Children participated in the playbill cover competition which not only drew on their infinite imagination, but also integrated their understanding of the play and increased their sense of participation. Some students' works： Background Design In the Lower School Production Design LSA, students studied set design and were inspired by the patterns they found all around them. They took photos to document the patterns and designs that they felt fit into 'The Three Little Pigs'. Costume Design The children 'dressed' the characters in costumes of their own design. They used colors and painting to give characters lively images. 'Overall, The Three Little Pigs production was a fun and educational event that benefited students in many ways. It was a hands-on learning experience in the creation of a dramatic production. It helped the students build confidence in front of an audience, improved their public speaking skills, and helped them build resilience and a belief in themselves.' ——Ms Katie Aldrich       Lower School Specialist Drama Teacher       Director of Lower School Production 'Three Little Pigs' Get skills in drama: Lower School students have Drama class once a week and have the chance through LAMDA and other Drama related LSA's to take their skills further. Lower School Drama focuses on using drama to build skills that students will use in all aspects of their life, such as language, teamwork, observation, focus, vocal development and more. Through play-based drama exercises and hands-on projects like make-up design, character creation, puppets and more students build skills that make them well-rounded learners.

This year, Harrow Beijing has achieved excellent results in standardized English tests! Harrow Beijing helps our students meet the language requirements for all of the world’s leading universities and the level of language they have developed stands them in excellent stead for both their future studies and for their lives as global citizens and leaders. Transferring from a public school and worrying about limited English skills？ How to cope with the English teaching and learning environment? Let's find out the answers through the learning experience of a Harrow Beijing alumnus -- Albert Z. Albert transferred to Harrow Beijing from a key public school in Haidian District in Year 10. Though he was doing well there, he stepped right out of his comfort zone to embrace greater opportunities. ‘Upon my arrival, I couldn’t help but notice the vast gap between my English level and that of other students who had been in Harrow for many years. Consequently, I struggled a little with my studies at first. Year 10 is the first year of the IGCSE curriculum, and therefore, improving my English became the top priority. My teachers recommended practice books based on my English level at the time. These books are all accessible in the school library. I used my time outside the class to read these books and built a solid foundation. As my English level gradually increased, my teacher recommended more advanced books,’ Albert said. Academic writing in English is a common ‘barrier’ that many students encounter. A number of courses here put great emphasis on writing, such as Economics and Geography, let alone English and English Literature. Albert used to face a similar challenge. ‘Initially, I found these subjects especially challenging and reached out to my Language & Learning teacher for additional support. He would give me extra writing topics after each class and feedback via email after I finished the essays. I’m extremely grateful that he would respond to my emails, even during the holidays. Sentence by sentence, he would mark my grammatical mistakes and improper word usage. It the end, he would also comment on my essays from a broader angle, including content and structure. The individual guidance helped me to improve tremendously, enabling me to achieve a 7.5 in my IELTS writing section with an overall score of 8,’ Albert said. Each term, Harrow Beijing hosts GSE tests to monitor the English level of the students. Based on the score, Language & Learning teachers set new, personalised targets for the students to achieve and make study plans for the ensuing months. Newcomers to Harrow Beijing are timetabled with a greater number of Language & Learning classes where appropriate in order to support students at their differing levels of ability. These classes have an extremely low student-to-teacher ratio which means that each student is able to interact with their teacher on a regular basis and receive ample pastoral support. At Harrow Beijing, the low student-to-teacher ratio enabled Language and Learning teachers to tailor study plans for individual student. In addition to professional guidance in Language & Learning courses, Harrow Beijing offers a wide variety of extracurricular classes, providing students with a wide range of opportunities to improve their English skills while expanding their interests and improving their overall ability. ‘During LSAs, I took the LAMDA Speaking in Public classes offered at Harrow and overcame my apprehension about expressing my ideas in front of a large audience. Preparing for my speeches simultaneously advanced my writing as I paid great attention to the choice of vocabulary to match the imagined audience. In each class, my teacher helped me to enhance the sharpness of my thinking in providing a logical and well-structured speech under time pressure. This veritably helped me with the studies of other subjects such as Economics where I became capable of giving a chain of reasoning to arrive at an answer with considerable ease,’ Albert added. Harrow Beijing has had an established LAMDA Centre since 2014, offering a full suite of courses for students in every year group, in the LSA program, and in Year 12 and 13 Electives, in Acting, Speaking in Public, Prose and Poetry, Musical Theatre, The Shakespeare Qualification and The LAMDA Pcert Diploma. ‘I am very grateful for the support I received from my Language & Learning teachers and other subject teachers at Harrow Beijing. Their help was the key to my great progress. Having a relatively high English level not only boosted my grades but also facilitated the growth of my confidence in expressing myself,’ Albert said. At Harrow Beijing, each student is unique. Through personalized guidance, we are committed to helping our students achieve academic excellence, create limitless possibilities, and prepare them for future admission to the world's top universities and life dreams.

The parent survey shows how much Harrow Parents value English Teaching and the International Curriculum at Harrow Beijing. This is not surprising given Harrow Beijing’s  A level, GCSE and IELTs results. The Harrow Values, inherited from Harrow London, of Courage, Honour, Humility and Fellowship are highly valued by parents and integrated into all aspects of a Harrow Education from the Early Years to the Senior Phase and beyond. Outstanding academic results, high levels of English and a school community that lives the Harrow Values are some of the reasons behind Harrow’s strong reputation in the community. Parents believe that Harrow Beijing School Leadership provides the direction that the school needs to sustain and improve its great record of academic, holistic and pastoral success. The vast majority of parents consider the School Campus to be one that supports the educational needs of our students, the young leaders of the future. In accordance with Harrow Values the school creates an environment that respects children and helps them learn. This goes to our fundamental belief that students that love going to school do well at school and develop a lifelong love of learning. Dr Ahmed Hussain-Governor, Harrow Beijing Chief Education Officer, AISL Harrow Dear Harrow Beijing Community： My role in supporting Harrow Beijing as Acting Head Master has allowed me to meet very many students, staff and engage with a significant number of parents representing all phases of the school. I am truly grateful for the candid feedback these discussions have provided. It is profoundly important that as a leader, me and my team listen to and understand the perceptions and perspectives of parents. Since the end of February, there has been 102 opportunities for parents to be on the school premises and to engage in presentations, workshops, school tours, visits to classrooms, small group meetings with leaders, witness the product of student learning, attend assemblies and attend multiple student performances, including the incredible Guys and Dolls that attracted over 700 attendees. Our intention has been to provide parents certainty on the educational offer Harrow Beijing provides and how it prepares students for success, in the School and beyond. There have been very many opportunities to learn about how our education maximises opportunities for English language acquisition and its application across the curriculum coupled with our approach to ensuring students are prepared for entry to the world’s leading universities. There have been multiple opportunities for parents to share their thoughts with the school, for instance recently a parent survey revealed that 92% of parents feel that the leadership of the school meets expectations and provides the direction that the school needs to sustain and improve its great record of academic, holistic and pastoral success. Furthermore, 91% of parents feel that teaching and teachers meet expectations and provide a good education to students. Nevertheless, we remain committed to using feedback from parents, and all stakeholders, to shape strategic plans.  In early May, I have also led the second quality assurance review of the academic year of Harrow Beijing in collaboration with colleagues from Harrow in London. This process evaluates the performance of all AISL Harrow schools against a framework of Harrow Standards which are the most rigorous set of expectations consistent for all Harrow schools. It was recognised that Harrow Beijing displayed the following areas of strength: University offers that exceed those for similar students in similar schools. Sustained improvement in public examination outcomes. A strength in supporting English language acquisition. A climate for learning in the classroom reflective of a respectful environment in which the Harrow values are imbued by all members of the community We will continue to strive to work with our parents to maximise the collective impact we have in our students. Excellence will be achieved through our partnership and commitment to open and authentic collaboration. Harrow Beijing is committed to working with you are partners in the education journey your children take with us. Yours sincerely, Dr Ahmed Hussain

As one of the world's top universities, the University of Oxford has extremely strict admission standards. It is widely recognised that applicants to Oxbridge need to go through an interview with a designated college in order to be accepted into the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world. As the number of applicants to Oxford has risen in recent years, the acceptance rate has fallen and the difficulty of getting an interview has increased. Year 13 Vovo N was invited to interview at St Anne's College, Oriel College and Pembroke College, Oxford. After five rounds of interviews, he was finally offered a place at Oxford. University of Oxford, Chemistry 'The interview is a great challenge for every student applying to University of Oxford. I tried to relax during the interviews and regarded them as opportunities to communicate with the professors. Harrow Beijing has provided me with several mock interviews to help me prepare. I think the mock interview with Dr. Gabb and Mr. Byrne helped me a lot ,' Vovo said. Compared to top US universities, Oxbridge puts more emphasis on applicants' depth of understanding of their major. Vovo shared some of his insights into Chemistry as well as the broader discipline of natural science. 'Many people hold with the stereotype that Chemistry is not particularly math-oriented. They might think that it’s not a typical science subject. I think that is completely wrong and I perceive Chemistry as a very experimental and theoretical discipline. The more advanced parts of Chemistry are tightly linked with Mathematics, for example, the branch of Computational Chemistry requires expertise in maths and programming. In the field of natural sciences, Physics can be used to describe facts objectively, Biology is a larger and more convoluted subject, whereas Chemistry, I have always regarded it as an art. Using Physics to do Chemistry might be accurate but would kill creativity and invention. There are many overlaps between the field of Physics and Chemistry, but each subject has distinct focuses and values and I like those of chemistry more,' Vovo shared. Vovo also published a paper titled “A View on electrochemical methods of Determining β- Blockers by Utilizing Carbon-Based Electrodes”, which has been accepted by the 2nd International Conference on Materials Chemistry and Environmental Engineering (CONF-MCEE 2022). It will be published in conference proceedings and submitted to Engineering Village (EI Inspec), Scopus, Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), and other databases for indexing. In the Six Form students study A-Levels. Students study 3 or 4 subjects which they currently choose from the following: Art and Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics, English Language & Literature, Geography, History, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Media Studies, Music, Psychology, Spanish, Physics and Computing. Compared with other international curriculum systems, A-Levels provide more professional and in-depth knowledge, which can better connected with university courses. Vovo chose Chemistry, Physics and Further Mathematics for his A-Level courses, which enabled him to focus more on the fields he was interested in and to gain a deep understanding of the subject knowledge, thus standing out from the other University of Oxford applicants. Vovo also shared how he utilized the resources in and out of Harrow Beijing to delve deep into Chemistry:   'I read some college-level textbooks, such as Organic Chemistry by Jonathan Clayden, A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry by Peter Sykes, and Physical Chemistry by Peter Atkins. This allowed me to have a deeper understanding of some chemical concepts and made my thinking more flexible. I also read research papers on natural science and philosophy to broaden my horizons. Teachers at Harrow were very happy to answer the questions I had on the college-level textbooks. I also took part in the Chemistry Club LSA, where the teacher would instruct us to do some chemistry experiments,' Vovo said. Harrow Beijing has a strong science teaching team, which not only teaches students subject knowledge, but also pays more attention to the cultivation of relevant skills, and helps students develop initiative, independence and cooperative spirit in learning. Every year many Harrow Beijing graduates are admitted to Ivy League universities in the US or Russell Group universities in the UK to study science-related subjects such as electrical engineering, chemistry, astrophysics or medicine. ‘I really like the vibe and atmosphere at Harrow Beijing. I feel relaxed and enjoy learning at school with congenial friends,’ Vovo mentioned. Harrow Beijing's core values of courage, honor, humility and fellowship are embedded in every day of teaching and are deeply rooted in every Harrovian. Our students will encounter good mentors and friends at Harrow Beijing and these will become a more valuable asset in the future. Vovo advised younger Harrow students to figure out their area of interest and determine the major they would like to pursue in college sooner rather than later. He hopes they can maintain their hunger for knowledge.

From 9 to 12 May, Lower School Personal Development Week activities were in full swing! Pickling and planting, STEAM themed activities, water sports, painting, orienteering, archery......, There were a lot of ways to learn through onsite and offsite activities at Harrow Beijing! Let's take a look at the wonderful PD Week at Harrow Beijing Lower School！ Year 2 Year 2 students making their own STEAM themed game parks Exploring the fascinating world of Science and Technology through robotics,  lego car and soap making DIY chocolate lollipops Year 3 & 4 Painting Opera Masks and playing Go Games to experience traditional Chinese Culture Learning to make sushi, pizza and becoming a gourmet for a day Year 5 Experiencing archery, action training, and Caribbean art Lower School students from all year groups also enjoyed a variety of sports and aquatics activities, to inject full vitality into campus life! Ms. Sarah Davey-Head of Lower School : ‘Our PD week activities have challenged our students to try something new, work with their peers and to demonstrate their broad subject knowledge in differing contexts. There were many creative opportunities as well as fun to be had during the week. Staff were so impressed with the confidence and can-do attitudes displayed by the students during the week and the staff enjoyed joining in on the activities with the students. It’s a hugely beneficial week for the students where they are able to learn outside the classroom by linking their learning to real world experiences.’ Offsite activities are extensions of the school education and provide students with excellent opportunities to get out into the wider world. During the PD Week, Harrow Beijing provided opportunities for our students to participate in various off-campus projects that extended their learning radius, helping students challenge themselves, and developing their team spirit and leadership. 1-Organic Farm Trip Year 2 and Year 3 students came to the organic farm and learnt about how this helps the world around us. They planted sweet potatoes, pickled vegetables, learnt about animal farming, fed the animals and finally cooked sweet potatoes. 2-Cool Watersports Year 4 and Year 5 students went to the Olympic Rowing Park and took part in sailing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding activities. During the day, students were grouped together for games and tried their hand at a variety of different watersports, before finishing the day with some competitive raft building and relays. 3-Jungle Flight and Orienteering Activities Year 4 students completed a Jungle Flight high ropes course at Chestnut Valley. They took part in orienteering activities and completed a Leave No Trace workshop. 4-Survival Training Year 5 students came to Shimenshan for survival training. The games deepened the sense of trust with their peers, and also promoted the development of communication skills and problem solving skills. Holistic education is vital at Harrow Beijing. We hope to bring excellent experiences to our students through rich and high-quality activities to support their knowledge exploration and ability development in and out of the classroom, and to master the life skills necessary for the future world.

Last week, Lower School held their Sports Day event, with students from all year groups at Pre Prep level competing for House glory in both individual and team challenges. The Pre Prep students demonstrated exceptional sporting skills in the competition and were exemplary in demonstrating the spirit of collaboration and teamwork in the House team events. The games also attracted many parents who watched and cheered enthusiastically for the children. The exciting, competitive atmosphere and nature of the event is always a great opportunity for parents to witness the personal development and growth of their children across a range of areas, including in our Core Values of Harrow Beijing: Courage, Honour, Humility and Fellowship. 1.Sprint 2.Fill the Water Pipe 3.Relay 4.Turbo Javelin 5.Team Challenge Congratulations to the winners! In sporting competition, Courage helps children to strive for victory in the face of adversity.  Honour encourages all participants to have the highest possible personal standards. Humility allows students to recognize that one’s self is a work in progress and thus to accept failure bravely and confidently where appropriate.  Fellowship is demonstrated both in team events where students build constructive relationships and support each other fully, but also during solo sports where all members of the school community encourage each other to thrive and do well.  Without doubt, sport is filled with examples of leadership but also develops a range of positive life skills and values, which is the reason why Harrow Beijing focuses on cultivating students' sports skills, offering a huge variety of opportunities to compete and develop.

Recently, the City Campus Friends of Harrow (FoH) group took the lead in organizing the International Gourmet Festival with families from all year groups participating. City Campus parents carefully prepared a variety of foods from across the globe and both parents and teachers took the opportunity to sample the incredible range of delicacies on offer. From theme and content design, coordination and organization, menu preparation to elaborate site layout, every detail was taken care of with great attention to detail from our FoH team. It was a great opportunity for parents to talk with teaching staff about a variety of issues surrounding early childhood education and development in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Carol Xia-Chair of City Campus FoH： 'The International Gourmet Festival has always been one of Harrow Beijing's classic home-school events. Parents at City Campus use the day to show their appreciation to teachers and staff with a range of food and drinks. I would like to thank the teachers for their meticulous care and instruction of our children and I would also like to thank every staff member from security to administration for their dedicated care they show to all of the students when they are in school. This year's International Gourmet Festival is particularly special. We had cuisines from Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, both of which were packed full of ethnic characteristics, not least because some of the special ingredients were flown in just for this event.  In additional to the catering aspect of the event, we were able to showcase a fascinating range of ethnic clothing and gave multimedia presentations about food and ethnic cultures, all of which helped to build understanding and appreciation of our wonderful community. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the event and I would like to thank all the Friends of Harrow representatives and parents who participated in this event!' The event culminated in a wonderful dance performance by several parents. The children were so happy and excited to see their parents come to school and participate in school life! After the event, parents and teachers said it was an unforgettable experience. They not only enjoyed the food, but the experience also helped to further strengthen community bonds between all involved. The cooperation between home and school is an integral part of a child’s development. At Harrow Beijing, this well-established home-school community culture has a hugely positive impact on children's learning and educational experience. Harrow Beijing provides a wealth of activities to encourage parents to participate in their child's school life and witness their growth, and we look forward to many more similar events in future.

After more than seven months of intensive preparation and polishing, the Harrow Beijing Upper School annual musical finally came to a live audience, with the production of 'Guys and Dolls' being a resounding success! Both students and teaching staff delivered an outstanding audio-visual feast to the audience of more than 700 people with performances almost comparable to professional actors! Broadway Musical at Harrow Beijing 'Guys and Dolls' is a classic 1950 Broadway musical, revolving around a gambler's legendary experience and develops an up-and-down storyline, incorporating love, friendship and other plot lines. Guys and Dolls spawned hits like 'If I Were a Bell,' 'Luck Be a Lady,' and 'You're Rockin’ the Boat.' With catchy songs, memorable characters, and a humorous plot, it has become a true classic of American musical theater. As a lot of the action takes place in the ‘Hot Box’ piano Jazz Club in the musical, the Harrow Beijing Theatre was transformed to a jazz cabaret venue, making the audience feel truly immersed in the experience. Collaborate to Create a High Level of all English Stage Production (Enjoy the video produced by Harrow TV to go behind the scenes of ‘Guys and Dolls’.) 'Guys and Dolls' has been in preparation since September of 2022. Over 110 Harrow Beijing students took on a variety of roles such as actors, orchestra, dancers, set design, lighting & sound designers, stage crew, lighting & sound technicians, bar tenders, Maître D’s and marketing. Students were involved out front and behind the scenes, no matter whether the roles were big or small, working together towards the final outcome. The student marketing team designed beautiful merchandise such as branded hoodies, tote bags, pins and t-shirts. The Harrow values of 'courage, honor, humility and fellowship' have been fully and perfectly demonstrated by our students as part of this immense production. Teachers from the Performing Arts, Music and Drama departments of Harrow Beijing also worked together to guide students from different professional perspectives. 'They are in great shape, but there is always more. You can't ever relax until it's over. I hope our students can be their best and enjoy every moment of participation,' Mrs Danielle Byrne, Director of Performing Arts and China LAMDA Representative said. On the day of the performance, Harrow Beijing students impressed the audience with their fluent English dialogues, the reappearance of the characters and the magnificent stage performance, and finally presented a high-level English musical that lived up to our expectations. Become the Excellence of Role Models ‘This year, the play looked for elder cast members from Year 11 to Year 13. It demonstrates a sense of responsibility and maturity to younger students and it fosters a culture of positivity,' Mrs Bryne said. During the preparation of the performance, the Year 13 students gave full play to their leadership and talents. Apple W was the assistant director, Leah W, the student lead for set design and Noor B the dance captain. The Year 13 Graduation team and ‘Bread of Life’ bakery organised and prepared show-themed snacks such as ‘Mindy’s Cheesecakes’. Noor B added ‘One of the great things about the show is that it provides chances for us to work with others and learn from different people. Some younger students are really interested in working as a team with students from the senior phase and we learned a lot from prep phase as well.’ Harrow Beijing Drama Education Drama education, which integrates language and literature, performing arts, music and other comprehensive literacy learning, is one of the highlights of a Harrow Beijing education. Harrow Beijing offers drama courses and a variety of extra-curricular activities, providing students with a wide range of opportunities to experience the charm of drama, gain knowledge & expression skills, and build confidence. We are proud to have been a Centre of LAMDA Excellence since 2014,  entering over 3,570 Harrow students for examinations during that time. We are offering a full suite of courses for students in every year group in the LSA program and in Year 12 and 13 Electives.  The courses available are in Acting, Speaking in Public, Prose and Poetry, Musical Theatre, The Shakespeare Qualification and The LAMDA Pcert Diploma. Mrs Danielle Bryne-Director of Performing Arts and China LAMDA Representative: 'I would like to extend my thanks to the staff and student teams for their commitment. The incredible cast and crew worked tirelessly through weekends and into evenings to bring this production to the Harrow Beijing community. My sincere thanks to the parents of all involved who have supported the show. The organisation and creative planning of this year's production has truly been a team effort.'

From 3 to 12 April, the new Head, Mr Philip Akerman, visited Harrow Beijing and had in-depth communication and interaction with our management teams, teachers, students and parents as part of his transition into the school. Mr Akerman was able to gain a thorough understanding of Harrow Beijing and is incredibly excited to join the team over the summer. Meet with the New Head: Mr Philip Akerman 1.What made you choose education industry for career development from the very beginning? Mr Akerman： I graduated in 2001 with a first class degree in Chemistry, and whilst I had clear routes into either research or industry, I had developed a real passion for working with young people. Throughout my time at university, I had volunteered as a children and youth leader, and this enabled me to see a career in education which would allow me to combine my love of science with the opportunity to develop children and young people, which is very satisfying. 2.Why did you decide to come to China to lead a school as a Head? Mr Akerman： I became the headteacher of my current school as I wanted to make a real difference to the lives of the children and families in my community in London. I am pleased with the work we have done together in London; we are now the most popular school in our area because of the strong reputation we have for excellence in education. I have built a strong leadership team who can now continue that work. After 11 years at my school, it is time for a new professional challenge. Leading a school in Beijing represents that new challenge for me professionally. China specifically excites me, as it is such a dynamic place with a rich culture; the Chinese people I met also have such high aspirations which deeply impresses me. Harrow Beijing has strong foundations and superb resources. This mixture of high aspirations, strong foundations and access to top resources means there is huge potential to be a world leading educational institution. 3.What experiences, hobbies, or any programmes you've been involved in have deeply influenced you as an educator? Mr Akerman： Spending a year studying at the University of Freiburg, Germany was a formative experience for me. Not only was it fascinating in learning a new language and being part of a different culture, I was lucky enough to work with a very demanding professor who challenged me to be the best I could be. Whilst it was uncomfortable at first, I made huge progress quickly and this showed me that with hard work and dedication, huge growth and development is possible. This experience gave me the confidence to apply for a government accelerated leadership programme called ‘Fast Track Teaching’ in 2002. This programme combined high quality teacher training (PGCE) with a two-year leadership development programme. This programme stretched and challenged me and caused me to see the potential to further improve the schools I was working within. 4.As a father and educator, what are some of the educational philosophies you follow? Mr Akerman： My children are hugely important to me.  Like all parents, I want my children to realise their full potential, to be the best they can be… but also to be happy and confident in what they do. As a father, I seek to watch them closely, so I can see their unique strengths, to support and to challenge them. Sometimes this involves being patient and encouraging gently, whilst at other times it involves guiding or pushing them into new experiences so they can develop a way of seeing the world. I take deep pride in seeing them grow and develop, and my hope is this will enable them to become leaders in the future. There is a special bond between parents and children, and this has given me a renewed appreciation and sense of responsibility as an educator. I understand each child at Harrow Beijing is a son or daughter and that we have a special role in supporting families to develop their children.  I consider this a great honour. It is an exciting time for Harrow Beijing as we welcome our new incoming Head, Mr Philip Akerman, and we look forward to him joining us in this August and starting a new chapter with Harrow Beijing ahead.

In the beautiful spring sunshine and breeze, the highly anticipated  Upper School Sports Day kicked off! Traditional sports vs. Fun team sports.The students run, leap and sweat heartily. Show off your individual sports skills and in doing so fight for the honor of  your House! Physical education has always been a very important part of an all round education at Harrow Beijing. Sports activities are integrated into the daily life of Harrow students. We are  committed to helping our students develop their core motor skills, team spirit and social and emotional management skills in collaboration with teachers and other students. The participants displayed their strength in various sports. In the 800 meter race, the students tried their best to show their speed and endurance. Their performance in long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin and discus also showed athletes' strength and skills, and was greeted with the cheers of the parents and teachers watching the competition. In addition to the traditional athletics events, the teachers also designed many novel and interesting competitions, such as the bucket relay, yoga football, "carrying water" race, the tug-of-war and many more. These projects not only test the students' athletic ability, but also demonstrate their intelligence and teamwork spirit. These energetic sports promote the friendship and communication between students and make everyone understand and respect each other more. Congratulations to Churchill House! “Honor and determination often rest with us Churchillians. Throughout this Sports Day, our House spirit was demonstrated thoroughly to the other Houses. This experience has fortified the bonds between each individual in Churchill. Only when the solidarity among each member in our House is as firm as a rock, can we achieve the ultimate success. Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to every Churchillian in our House ”. ——Vovo and Shirley, Churchill “Sports Day is a much loved event in the school calendar. It provides an excellent opportunity for each House to promote House spirit and demonstrate the Harrow core values. Song Qing Ling did exceptionally well in all of the events throughout the day because they challenged themselves to try their very best, even in the events they were not so familiar with or  skilled at, and for that we are extremely proud of everyone. Excellent work Song Qing Ling and huge congratulations to all of the medal winners! Let's keep it up! ” ——Amy and Arina, Song Qing Ling “Sports Day was the perfect event to unite the House as a whole and promote House spirit. It was pleasing to see everyone giving it their best shot and the sense of achievement when individuals received medals for their outstanding performances. I want to express gratitude to all staff that helped make  this come together. It truly was a precious experience,  especially after quite a challenging period for everybody.” ——Adrien, Ju Ching Chu “Sports Day of 2023 went amazingly well. It is fabulous to see the enthusiasm from students and teachers in participating in various activities, especially after such a lengthy lockdown. This year, we have continued with the Harrow traditions, we are encouraged to take part in regular sports events such as the high jump and 800 meters run, as well as novelty sports  that were also welcomed by students. Throughout the day, teams from each House demonstrated excellent co-operation and brought several highlights with their incredible performances. It is a wonderful opportunity to boost students' sportsmanship and one of the many truly unforgettable  experiences for me at Harrow.” ——Christina, Kong Zi “The Sports Day this year is not only fun as usual but also special and memorable for myself and our fellow Year 13 students since this would be our last at Harrow. As a member of the Curie House. We have demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and incredible House spirit, giving remarkable performances and actively engaging in events so that we came second overall. But regardless of the result, I would like to genuinely appreciate the effort of all for leaving me with such wonderful memories.” ——Sally and Apple, Curie Each student exemplified Harrow's core values: courage, honor, humility, and fellowship in the sports day. We hope that in the future study and life, students can take this positive sportsmanship, for their own life to create a better future.

Perfectly timed with the arrival of the spring warmth and blossoming flowers, there has been wonderful news for the Harrow Beijing Class of 2023 who have received offers from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Yale University and many others from the world’s top 100 universities and colleges. 'Alongside the strongest Oxbridge offers received earlier in the academic year, this has been repeated for US Ivy League universities with students in Year 13 receiving multiple offers from Yale, Berkley, Columbia and UCLA. This demonstrates that A Levels are highly effective qualifications for securing places in US universities and that Harrow Beijing has established the systems for supporting students in achieving it. We remain confident in sustaining improvement in the quality of the Harrow education that we deliver because of curriculum development and our pedagogical approaches.' ——Dr Ahmed Hussain, Governor of Harrow Beijing, Chief Education Officer of AISL 'I would like to extend my congratulations to our students for their recent exceptional university offers. These outcomes are no accident and are testament to the hard work of our students and teachers, and the support and guidance of our world class Sixth Form team, whose expertise and experience is second to none in China. We wish all of our Year 13 students the very best of luck in the upcoming A Level examinations and we can't wait to celebrate their successes at the Graduation Ceremony in June.' ——Mr Thomas Nolan, Head of Upper School Student Voice 'My favorite thing about Harrow Beijing is the close-knit relationships everyone has with each other. Despite having a lot of people, Harrow Beijing doesn’t feel like an overwhelming school. There’s always someone out there to support you and talk to you. I feel like no one in school is out of place.' —— Nik M A, received offer from Yale 'Harrow Beijing is very good at building my confidence in interacting with other people, I believe that the LAMDA program that Harrow promotes has really helped me. I started doing LAMDA when I joined Harrow in Year 5. At the time, I could barely speak English, LAMDA really helped me to gain the confidence to speak in front of the public, which was extremely helpful in the interview process for college application.' ——Dora W, received offer from University of California, Berkeley Once again, congratulations to Harrow Beijing Class of 2023! We wish them all the best as they continue to pursue their dreams!

Recently, we had a chance to catch a glimpse of Harrow Beijing teachers through the paintings of Year 10 student Alex Z. Alex has been with Harrow Beijing since Year 6. Speaking about the inspiration behind the creations, Alex said: 'We have all experienced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. I saw the great efforts made by our teachers and staff to keep students safe and ensure that lessons run smoothly, and so I wanted to pay tribute to these lovely people by creating their portraits.' The charm of art is infinite. Talking about the connection with art, Alex believes that art can immerse him in the fun of exploring the world, and through which he can express different emotions and ideas. In Alex's artworks, besides academic teachers, there are also some Harrow Beijing administrative staff. Harrow Beijing has been committed to providing quality services to make sure our students thrive in a warm community. We are incredibly proud that those efforts have been recognized by our students. Alex's tutor, Mrs Rachael Inns, is very impressed by his dedication to art and his outstanding skills in portrait and oil painting. 'Alex and I have conversations about who inspires him as an artist and any projects he is working on. We also discuss other forms of apparently simplistic modern painting and have had some great debates on how simplicity can become complex, depending on the observer and what they project onto the painting,' Mrs Inns told us. Ms Letitia EvansMinto, the Upper School Head of Art, added: 'Beijing has a dynamic, vibrant and continually changing and expanding art scene and market with top artists coming out of the city. It is a privilege to be able to live in such a melting pot of diverse creative fields, all coinciding together and being celebrated in and around the many beautiful art districts. Our school is also a place with such talent, energy and drive, with leadership skills being the common thread throughout all of the subjects and cohorts. Students such as Alex spearhead their own initiatives to not only give back to their school community in a heartfelt and meaningful way, but for Alex to put it on a platform via a public exhibition knowing that the sentiment will be shared and felt by many more than those he has depicted visually is a wonderful example of courage.'

On 4 March, it was an absolute pleasure for Harrow Beijing to host the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Maria Nauen, for 'Last Night of The Proms'. This was an unforgettable evening of music and reconnection of our Harrow community. Mrs Rachel Dent, Head of Harrow Beijing 'Harrow Beijing is a very special community and parents are a key component of that community. Throughout the last 4 years, you have supported us in so many ways that we genuinely hope this concert goes some way to expressing our gratitude and appreciation. My thanks to the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra's wonderful performance. Thanks also to Mrs Danielle Byrne and the many staff and students who have worked behind the scenes to make the night possible.' Dr Ahmed Hussain, Chief Education Officer of AISL 'On behalf of AISL Harrow, I would like to say thank you to the parents of Harrow Beijing for their commitment, togetherness, and resilience to stick with this school community. In the past few days here at Harrow Beijing, I've seen our students whose English is way beyond those in similar schools. Their reading and writing skills are equivalent to native level English students.  It's together that we achieve success for the children. I'm fully confident we will help your children achieve the very best they possibly can.' The evening program included a variety of popular classical film scores such as 'Moon River', 'The Lion King', 'Mission Impossible' and more. We were proud to see not only Harrow Beijing staff play with the orchestra, but seven talented students play alongside them in this celebration of a new chapter of welcoming audiences back to campus. The Prefect team also represented the student body, as well as our music ambassadors, who played a range of music at the champagne reception. These students showed the true spirit of our core values of fellowship and courage.

We are very delighted to announce that Harrow Beijing City Campus is now a registered LAMDA Centre! LAMDA is also available for Early Years to Year 1 students now! LAMDA at Harrow Beijing LAMDA, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, is the oldest drama school in the UK and the world. LAMDA Examinations in the fields of speech, drama, communication, and performance are well recognized worldwide. Harrow Beijing continues to be the largest LAMDA Centre in China, now offering a full suite of courses for students in every year group, in the LSA program and in Year 12 and 13 Electives, in Acting, Speaking in Public, Prose and Poetry, Musical Theatre, The Shakespeare Qualification and The LAMDA Pcert Diploma. Our Student Achievements Harrow Beijing are proud to have been a Centre of LAMDA excellence since 2014,  entering over 3,570 Harrow students for examinations during that time. In November 2022, 68 of our students entered LAMDA examinations, with a 100% pass rate and 86.5% of awards at Distinction level. 21 of our students were examined in the prestigious Medalist category, all achieving a Distinction Grade and Christina W successfully completed the Level 2 Shakespeare Qualification.

The baptism of the epidemic in recent years has made us more aware of the significance of providing help to those in need. The spirit of 'Fellowship' is also one of the core values of Harrow education. In the spirit of this, Harrow Beijing launched a 'Shoebox Appeal' charity campaign during the online learning period last November, aiming to send warmth and support to children in need. The generosity and compassion of the Harrow community surpassed anything that we could have hoped for. Over 600 shoeboxes filled with presents for disadvantaged children were kindly given by Harrow families, from students across the school – from Nursery all the way through to Sixth Form. Last week, staff and student representatives of Harrow Beijing were honoured to take the generous contributions to the children of Anmin school, who will benefit greatly from the kindness and compassion of our community. The other half of the donations will be sent to New Hope, an orphanage that supports disabled children. The influence of the donations given to this wonderful charity will make a huge difference. Along with this, the children at New Hope will also get the joy of receiving toys, games and beautiful gifts.   We are very thankful to everyone who donated to this excellent cause. It is so wonderful to see the Harrow values of Fellowship, Honour and Humility being so actively present in the Harrow community.

With the full resumption of post-COVID, in-school activities, last week Harrow Beijing was thrilled to be able to welcome our Year 2 to Year 5 parents to re-experience the fun of classroom interaction. Through participation in their child’s classes, parents were able to gain incredibly valuable insights into the teaching and learning activities which are being undertaken, while also seeing evidence of the outstanding progress being made by children across the Lower School. Year 2  After such long periods of time away from friendship groups and their teachers over the winter break, Year 2 students focused on ‘Re-establishing Relationships and Friendships’.  Parents and children engaged in activities such as Book Corner reading, English games table, crafting and colouring. They had a wonderful time re-energising and strengthening their relationships as a group. Year 3  Year 3 students learned about dinosaur fossils and constructed their own designed ‘fossils’ with their parents. Year 4  Year 4 students conducted a topic on ‘Explorers and Adventurers’ and studied the botanical artist Margaret Mee. Alongside their parents, students created their own sketches in Margaret Mee’s style. Year 5 Year 5 students were engaging in their current topic entitled ‘The Holiday’. Children and parents had a captivating discussion about the impact of tourism on the human and geographical environment.

If Early Years is as an area in which to learn and know oneself in the process of exploratory play, then Lower School is a new stage of independent personality development, knowledge expansion and social growth of the children. Helping young people better adapt to the changes in different stages and guiding their mental evolution are some of the key aspects that parents are specifically passionate about. Last week, Harrow Beijing Lower School held a ‘Transition Day’ event for the Year 1 parents of City Campus to help them fully understand the learning in Lower School phase at the Hegezhuang Campus. Ms Sarah Davey (Head of Lower School), Mr Robin Dunhill (Head of Pre Prep), and a variety of Lower School teachers welcomed the Year 1 parents from City Campus. Ms Davey gave parents an informative overview of the Lower School. Accompanied by the Head of Lower School, teachers, student representatives and the Admissions team, Year 1 parents visited the facilities and classes in order to better understand the student learning experience here in Harrow Beijing Lower School. After the tour, our Academic and Admissions teams listened to parent questions and gave detailed answers on a variety of topics.

We were excited to welcome all of our students and teachers back to school, and as part of Lantern Festival and school reopening celebrations, Harrow Beijing organized a series of cultural activities to celebrate new year and reunion. Early Years to Year 1 Festive vibes were in abundance at City Campus, where various cultural activities were taking place. Early Years to Year 1 children engaged in activities such as paper-cutting, handcrafting and guessing lantern riddles throughout the week, experiencing the charm of traditional Chinese culture in a joyful atmosphere. Lower School Lower School students crafted lanterns and cards to express their best wishes to friends and loved ones. In addition, activities such as pitch-pot and shuttlecock games were popular with everyone. Guessing teachers' names from photographs taken when they were babies was a special lantern riddle which the students particularly enjoyed. The lantern riddles and the way in which they required students to critically engage with the content were rather popular across both Lower School and Upper School, and it was wonderful to observe everyone taking part in this long-celebrated tradition. Students can also claim house points by guessing the right answer to their lantern riddles. Upper School Prep Head Boy and Head Girl shared their thoughts on the new term and sent their best wishes to the entire school community at assemblies. Students and teachers also performed the Jasmine Flower and Czardas to showcase their musical talent. Making sticky rice dumplings is another regular activity we take part in at Lantern Festival each year, and students prepared some colorful sticky rice dumplings to share with their families. Form tutors also led tutor group activities such as making the paper lanterns and a Lantern Festival Quiz.

On January 31 we were very excited to welcome back our students from the winter break and Chinese New Year celebrations! It was wonderful to see Harrow Beijing students re-energised and ready to restart their learning journey in a fully functioning, open school where they will continue to forge ahead on the road of growth and development in this Year of the Rabbit. On the first day of school, our teachers and staff at Hegezhuang Campus and City Campus welcomed students back at the school gate early in the morning. The students at Hegezhuang Campus enthusiastically returned to classrooms and were learning together with their teachers and friends. Early Years and Year 1 children from City Campus took part in various class activities with the support of teachers who were delighted to welcome them back. The children really enjoyed the fun time back in school. We are incredibly happy to see the lively and smiling faces back on both campuses again and look forward to spending another wonderful term with our students!  Look out for more information coming soon about some exciting events we have planned for the coming weeks and months!