Contents

Message from The Principal

Page No
1

Secondary News

Uplands Roar

3&5

To all in the Uplands Community,

Primary News

6&7

Operations

UPTA

8&9

This weeks newsletter has been a major work of online

collaboration! Entries have been submitted from staff currently
in Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Bangkok. The newsletter
was compiled in Batu Ferringhi and edited in Tanjung Bungah!
Thank you to all for contributing and keeping the newsletter
live and enabling it to still be published at the usual time.

School Calendar

10 & 11
Thank you also to all the members of the Uplands Community
for completing the Uplands Review School Survey. Over 1000
surveys have been completed. The survey data collection will be
closed at midnight on Sunday 9th November. If you have not
already done so please do complete a survey. Your opinions are
very important to us.
We look forward to sharing the news of this weekends activities
in next weeks newsletter with all the contributors being in the
same location.

Your sincerely,

Matthew Bristow
Principal
Follow us on Twitter: @ispuplands

I write this weeks newsletter from Phuket, where I will be coaching the U13 Boys Football Team at the BIS Phuket
7s Football Tournament. This is a wonderful experience for all of the Uplands students, giving them the
opportunity to compete against students from over thirty other international schools located in Asia, from as far
as India to Korea to Jakarta. As per last year, we have again brought six teams (three boys and three girls) and
have an entourage of sixty-seven people. Best of luck to all of our students involved and I do hope this is a
memorable experience for all of them.
It is encouraging to see many of the IB students taking advantage of the numerous university visits we have here
at Uplands. On Wednesday we had 12 students attend the presentation by Exeter University and another 14
students attend the Medicine / Medical Sciences in the UK talk. I strongly encourage all students from Year 11
and above to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities, to learn more about and to speak with the visiting
universities. For more information please refer to the School Calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the
following link: Uplands School Calendar.
Last week I wrote about the IB Diploma Programme and how I believe it is the best course to prepare students
for entry into the top universities throughout the world. Unfortunately there is a misconception amongst many
students and families, as it is often believed that sitting A-Levels instead of the IB Diploma is easier and more
beneficial. As mentioned last week, the IB Diploma is now more widely recognised with more and more
universities preferring IB students, due to the holistic approach of the course. It was quite ironic that on
Wednesday an article was published in The Telegraph, "A Level reforms: a new level of confusion", which states
that A-Level students over the next few years are going to experience a particularly challenging time due to
fundamental changes to the course taking place. With this all happening over the next three years it means
students will need to juggle two entirely different programmes, causing quite a lot of confusion.
To find out more about the IB Diploma Programme please attend the Information Evening we are hosting here at
Uplands on Tuesday 9th December at 7:30pm.
It is extremely important that all secondary students get sufficient sleep each night. It is during this time that
teenage bodies release hormones which play significant roles in brain development and body growth, which in
turn, helps with puberty and also maturity levels. Sleep also has a significant impact on the way the brain
functions on a day-to-day basis, making it harder for us to concentrate if we do not have enough of it. There has
been direct links between the lack of sleep and problems at school with behavior, concentration and
achievement. As a result, a domino effect occurs; we become forgetful, we become irritable and we are prone
to making mistakes. Recent scientific evidence has shown that the correct amount of sleep for teenagers is just
as important for development as healthy eating and exercise. It is recommended that secondary aged students
should be getting between 8.5 10 hours of sleep per night. Please encourage your child to get as much sleep as
they can each night, so they are fully prepared for the following day.
Have a great weekend.
Craig Skinner
Head of Secondary School
craig.skinner@uplands.org
http://blogs.uplands.org/hos/
Follow us on Twitter: @UplandsSecSch

Last weekend saw our O15 Footballers,

Boys and Girls, conclude their local PSAC
Seasons with their end of season
Tournaments. The Boys were hosted
here at Uplands, with the Girls travelling
over to POWIIS. Both A Boys and A
Girls were victorious and extended their
local unbeaten runs, the A Girls are
unbeaten in well over a year!
For detailed results please go to:

http://uplandsroarsport.webs.com/apps/blog/
Phuket Football
Good luck to our Secondary Football teams travelling to Phuket this weekend for the 13th Annual Phuket Soccer
7s. This is a highlight of our Football Calendar, and if you want to stay up to date with proceedings please use
our Roar Twitter account: @UplandsSport
Or the event Webpage: https://sites.google.com/a/bisphuket.ac.th/football/

National Honours!
We are delighted to report back on the success of Matthew Poon at last
weekends FINA World Cup Swim Meet in Singapore. Swimming in the
50m Breaststroke, and lining up alongside current 50m Freestyle World
Record Holder, Roland Shoeman, he clocked an impressive 30.44 to knock
a whole second off his current P.B. and finish 13th of the 25 entrants. This
is some achievement and I hope it acts as an inspiration to the rest of our
Swim Squads. With hard work and dedication to training great things can
be achieved!

As always, for all fixture/event write ups, photos, calendar and training
information please go to:
www.uplandsroarsport.webs.com
For more immediate Roar Sport updates you can follow us via Twitter at: @UplandsSport

Austswim Professional Development

Over the break, Uplands hosted 3 days of
Swim PD for Swim Teachers from across
Penang, including all Uplands PE Staff.
With Dick Orbell (1984 Los Angeles
Olympian & Commonwealth Games Gold
Medallist) leading the training, this was a
fantastic opportunity for us to develop our
understanding and skills from a current
High Performance Coach.
Day 1 saw us focus on the teaching of
Water Safety.
Day 2 & 3 the focus shifted to Stroke
Development and Competitive Swim
Training.
This also provided a chance for a small
group of our swimmers to act as Guinea Pigs
for the day, as we observed Mr Orbell coach a range of drills he uses with his swimmers on a daily basis. Thank
you to those swimmers that helped us out.
Monday Night Football
We have been running some Slow Motion Football on Mondays evenings, 8pm to 9pm, for the past month or
so. This is very much intended as a social kick-about, and any parents are more than welcome to come along
and join in. If interested please bring along a blue and a white top.
Dean Metcalf
Head of PE Faculty
Follow us on Twitter: @UplandsSport

13th Annual Phuket Football Tournament Update ( NEARLY LIVE!)

Uplands are off to a Roaring start at the 13th annual Phuket football tournament! The Senior boys started the
morning with a great 1-1 draw with the Phuket team, who receive football scholarships at their school. The U13
girls were up next and also drew their opener against Trail school after going 2-0 up. The U13 and U15 boys
both then went on to win 5-0 and 2-0 against the Head Start International school and Alice Smith
respectively. The Senior girls started very well, winning 1-0 thanks to a smart finish by Vanessa. Alice Smith
were again the opposition for the U15 girls who unfortunately lost 2-1.
For regular updates over the weekend, please follow us @UplandsSport.
Iain Driscoll
Head of Secondary PE

Year 3 students began the week by hosting our Sharing Assembly on Monday. Based around the PYP attitude
commitment they were able to display what can be achieved with effort and responsibility. Well done, Year 3!
This week an inter-house football tournament organised by the Primary House Captains got underway with games
being played during lunch break. Year 6 teams from Crag, Hill and School Houses played against each other, with
Hill House winning both their matches. The tournament will continue next week with teams from Year 5. Good
luck!
It was great to see so many parents at school on Wednesday evening where class teachers shared specific
information about our PYP curriculum at each Year level. The feedback received has been extremely positive,
thank you.
Next Tuesday, Year 1 children will visit the Botanical Gardens as part of their current unit of inquiry, and a visit to
the Spice Gardens is planned for the following week.
Year 6 Langkawi Residential: On Wednesday, 12 November, there will be an information session for all parents
with students in Year 6 about the upcoming residential to Langkawi. This will begin at 2:45pm in E303 (Mr.
Naidoos classroom).
Book Sale: TEK Distribution will have both fiction and non-fiction books on sale in our foyer on Thursday, 13
November and Friday, 14 November. Books will be on sale between 9:30am 4:00pm each day.

Ali Nicholson
Head of Primary
Follow us on Twitter: @UplandsPriSch

Mrs Moore worked with the Refugee and

Immigration Family Programme in the US and
also worked with UNRWA (Palestinian
refugee camp) in
Lebanon.
She was invited to speak to the Year 6s about
her experiences.
Mrs Moore came to our class and gave us a
talk about the reasons why people migrate.
I learnt that many people leave their
countries, especially if they are poor and face
war. I felt very sad learning about refugees.
She told us about the problems they face
trying to get into a new country. We had many
questions for Mrs \Moore after her talk. We
showed a lot of empathy during her visit.
Jie Yi- 6i

Gate Pass for Parents/Guardians

As we focus on ensuring the safety of all at Uplands, we will be issuing all parents and guardians a Gate Pass
(a green identity card).
2 Gate Passes will be issued to each family and sent home with your child on Monday 10th November. There will
be a 1 week introductory period for everyone to get used to the cards and new routine. From the 17th of
November we will be insisting that all parents and guardians show the identity card to be allowed on the campus.
We appreciate your support with this new routine and thank you in advance for helping us make the campus a
safer place for all.
Tan Swee Guat
Head of Administration

Messages from the Uplands Parent Teacher Association Committee

1.
The UPTA would like to announce the appointment of our new Treasurer, Lily Goh. Lily and her husband
Jerry have a son, Ryan Lang, who started at Uplands this year and is in Year 7. They also have a daughter named
Vivian who attends SCIPS. We're thrilled to have Lily on the team. She has been a huge help already, and her
whole family even pitched in to help serve refreshments at the Primary Halloween Party. Now that's the spirit!
The UPTA is still in need of a Vice Chairperson. So how about it? You know you want to! You're also welcome to
join the Committee as an Ordinary Member. Email uplandspta@yahoo.com to inquire.
2.
The UPTA will be selling refreshments at the Uplands Primary Football Invitationals at Uplands School
from 8am to 2pm on Saturday, 15th November. If you are able to volunteer to help out, even for a couple of
hours, that would be excellent. This is a great way to get actively involved in supporting an Uplands sports event,
especially if your own child is going to be participating. Please contact us at uplandspta@yahoo.com for details.
3.
There will be an Uplands PTA German Breakfast for 40 people hosted by Germany Country Representative
Tanja Sigloch on Friday, 21st November, beginning at 9:30am. This event will be held at the Malaysian-German
Society at 250 B, Jalan Air Itam, Georgetown, 10460. The cost will be RM40 per person, payable on the day. If
you would like to attend, please contact Tanja via email at info@siglochs.net by 14th November to sign up in
advance.
4.
The UPTA would like to sincerely thank all teachers, staff and parents who contributed their time, effort
and resources to make the Primary Halloween Party a great success. You certainly proved that many hands make
light work. We sincerely appreciate the group of enthusiastic parent volunteers who turned up to decorate in the
afternoon as members of the UPTA. It would have taken ages without your help! You did a bang up job; the
school looked great. Many parents also prepared and provided food for the event. What a spread! The Primary
Halloween Party is one of the major highlights of the school year for our younger children at Uplands and a great
opportunity for the teachers and parents to have fun right along with them. It's lovely for the UPTA to get involved
with this event and we thank Ms. Nicholson and team for asking us to do so again this year. If any parents would
like to volunteer for an upcoming event, please do! We can always use the help.
There will be an Uplands PTA German Breakfast for 40 people hosted by Germany Country Representative Tanja
Sigloch on Friday, 21st November, beginning at 9:30am. This event will be held at the Malaysian-German Society
at 250 B, Jalan Air Itam, Georgetown, 10460. The cost will be RM40 per person, payable on the day. If you would
like to attend, please contact Tanja via email at info@siglochs.net by 14th November to sign up in advance.
Kind Regards,
Roslyn Wirth
UPTA Secretary

Phuket 7s fooball Tournment

Thursday 6 Sunday 9 November 2014

O15 Basketball

Tuesday

11 November 2014

Year 1 Excursion Botanical Gardens.

8:30am returning before lunch

Tuesday

11 November 2014

Parent Meeting Year 6 Langkawi Residential,

2:45pm, Room E303

Wednesday

12 November2014

U15 FOBISIA Games (St Andrews Bangkok)

Friday 14 to Tuesday 18 November 2014

Primary Sharing Assembly, hosted by Year 4

Monday

17 November 2014

Primary and Secondary Christmas Concert

Wednesday

17 December 2014

Year 6 Langkawi Residential

Tuesday 18 Friday 21 November 2014

U18 Netball

Thursday

20 November 2014

Primary TBALL with SCIPS & Straits

Friday

21 November 2014

UPTA Carols by Candlelight

Tuesday

9 December 2014

Sports Day Years 7 to 12

Tuesday

16 December 2014

Primary & Secondary Christmas Concert

Wednesday

17 December 2014

Term 1 Ends at 12.00 noon

Friday

19 December 2014

Boarding House closes at 12.00 noon

Saturday

20 December 2014

10

Orientation Day for all new students morning

Monday

12 January 2015

Boarding House re-opens at 2.30 pm

Monday

12 January 2015

Term 2 Starts

Tuesday

13 January 2015

Mid Term Break at 2.40 pm

Friday

13 February 2015

Boarding House closes at 12.00 noon

Saturday

14 February 2015

Boarding House re-opens at 2.30 pm

Sunday

22 February 2015

School re-opens

Monday

23 February 2015

Term 2 ends at 12.00 noon

Thursday

2 April 2015

Boarding House closes at 12.00 noon

Friday

3 April 2015

Boarding House re-opens at 2.30 pm

Sunday

Term 3 starts

Monday

20 April 2015

School closed Labour Day

Friday

1 May 2015

Term 3 ends at 12.00 noon

Friday

19 June 2015

Boarding House closes at 12.00 noon

Saturday

20 June 2015

19 April 2015

11