Junior Alleynian 2023

JUNIOR ALLEYNIAN 2023

HEAD’S HIGHLIGHTS (SPEECH DAY 2023)

represented Kent, and most wonderfully, Emre B was chosen for the England U11 squad.

n Four years ago, I spoke to you about having attended my school reunion and how it had been a wonderful occasion. Still, I was horrified to hear that a significant number of my peers had not wanted to return to school 30 years on as they had not had the same positive experience I had. I vowed then to try to create a school, which would foster such a positive experience that everyone would come back to a future school reunion. Two examples this week give an inkling of what Dulwich can give as the Year 6s move on today. On Tuesday, it was the New Parents Evening for those joining the Junior School. I congratulated the parents on having reached this point of their admissions journey after what must have been a good deal of time, possibly up to four or five years in some cases. Later in the evening, a new dad came up to me and challenged me on this figure. He said that he had been in the Junior School, one of the first in the new building, around 20 years ago. He said that his journey to get his son to come to Dulwich had started then, and so for him, it was 20 years since he conceived of getting his child into the College. Then, to repeat that devotion, I was in the Junior School late last night doing reports when a group of men came up from the Old Boys event, which was happening in the Auditorium, to play patball! They stayed on the court for over an hour until it was pitch dark. The competitiveness, focus and skills were all still there! As we look back on the year, I hope that your experiences at the Junior School will mean you’ll look to return here in the future and maybe bring your children through this superb education. Over the course of the year, academically, we have had a superb year. We were awarded the greatest number of Lower School Scholarships (12) that we have ever had. Our Great Exhibition Projects pushed the boundaries of what Year 6 children can learn and become experts in. These included racism in sport, the gender pay gap, electric vehicles and fusion or fission. Our Symposium on Empathy was a huge success as ever too. I should mention that our maths provision has seen great success in maths challenges. We placed 3rd out of 20 schools in the Year 5 maths challenge at Royal Russell, all the boys took place in some national competitions (First, Primary and Junior Maths Challenges), and all of the results were higher than ever, e.g. 31 into the bonus round of the PMC and of the 6 boys who achieved the highest award in the UKJMC between Year 5 and Year 8 – four were from Year 6. Finally, we have had a very successful year with the introduction of Ipads across the whole school, and we look to continuing to embed those skills and knowledge over the coming years. We have continued to develop our co-education programme with JAGS and Sydenham High with teambuilding events, an Eco- workshop carousel, a debating event and a Top of the Form quiz. We hope to deepen and extend that further next year. The House system and competitions continue to be a cornerstone of Junior School life. Some of the highlights this year include the House History competition developing the boys’ family trees, full House Music and House Dance competitions for the first time and finally, this term, a totally inclusive version of a House Tennis competition in which all could participate if they wanted. This week, we have had the Super-Sized House singing competition, which represents so much about what is great about a DC education – ambitious, inclusive, creative and huge fun! Chess has had a super year, with the U11s coming 1st and 3rd in their zonal round before narrowly missing out on qualifying at the National Semi-final competition for the finals. Three boys

Each of the year groups has undertaken many trips and workshops throughout the year to embed, enrich and consolidate their learning. Some of the highlights include the Year 6s travelling to Wales for the first time in March, as well as to the west end for Newsies and Legoland for some end-of-year fun. Year 5s have been to the Tate Britain and the Cutty Sark, whilst the Year 4s have been to a Classical music roadshow and the Year 3s to the British Museum. Free Learning is at the heart of DC education, and we have participated in whole College weeks around themes of sustainability, refugees, mental health, anti-bullying and identity. We also had our wonderful Book Week, which was probably the best ever. We had five authors, an amazing 500-word story competition as well as many other events. Music has gone from strength to strength this year thanks to the input of our dedicated music teacher, Ms Wilcox. We have had the biggest orchestra ever, more quartets, more children having individual music lessons (over 50%) and many successes in whole College music competitions. In Drama, once more, all the boys participated in their whole year group productions and got their time to shine at the front of the stage with the dance, songs or lines. The model having multiple leads is really in line with our inclusive ethos. In Sport, such an important part of so many boys’ lives here at Dulwich, there have been individual team successes in all the sports (esp. Swimming, hockey, football and cricket). Charities and Service Learning are at the heart of our provision to develop the boys as kind and empathetic citizens of their local and global community. This year, we have continued to develop this aspect of our curriculum with the Year 3s supporting Guide Dogs, Year 4 the foodbanks of an Asylum Seekers project, Year 5 the local residents of Dulwich Alms Houses and Year 6 with the refugee project AFRIL where several boys helped organise their Sports Day. All of this has been possible thanks to our superb staff. They make the school what it is. They are a superb team, and they inspire me and the boys every day with their professionalism, dedication and hard work. In terms of leavers, we do not have, for the second year in a row, any of our teaching staff leaving us this summer, which is wonderful. We do say goodbye to Mrs Benest, who has wonderfully helped our Learning Support department, and we wish her well in her relocation to follow her husband’s new role. We do say a partial goodbye to Mr Lyons-Donegan, who moves to a full-time PE and Games role in the Senior School. He joined us two years ago as a Graduate Assistant Teacher, and has since completed his PGCE this year. He has been a brilliant teacher with all the year groups and a consummate caring professional in all aspects of PE and Games. We are so glad he is not going far, and we’ll still benefit from his humour, organisation and knowledge. So, to end, well done to all the boys this year and especially to the Year 6s as they move to the Lower School. I stand here today to give you an open invitation to come back in 2043 to play patball on our courts. I hope you can come!

Dr Griffiths June 2023

Head’s Highlights CONTENTS 2 6 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND FREE LEARNING

Great Exhibition Symposium Forest School Book Week and Author Visits Short Story Competition Digital Learning and Digital Leaders Art and DT Clubs Chess report

10 12 14 16 18 24 29 30 34 39 40 42 43 44 45 44 48 49 50 52 54 55 56 58 59 60 62 64 65 66 68 69 70 76 78 82 84 86 87 88

PASTORAL AND WELLBEING LEARNING

Community Service and Charities Free Learning Weeks: DC I AM; Eco Week; Mental Health Awareness Week; Refugee Week

Service Day Assemblies

FEATURES

School Council Diversity and Inclusion Forum Q&A with Dr Spence Year 6 Report on the Outdoor Centre

HOUSES

History Cross Country Sports Day

Photography Teambuilding Pancake Race Music Supersized Singing Verse Speaking Spelling Bee

MUSIC AND CREATIVE ARTS

Year 6 Production: Beauty and the Beast Jr. Year 3 Production: The Bee Musical Year 4 Christmas Production: Superstar Year 5 Play in Two Days Concerts and Open Concerts Strings Annual Festival LAMDA Hockey, Rugby, Tennis, Football, Cricket, Swimming, Athletics

SPORT

TRIPS, VISITS AND WORKSHOPS

Hindleap Warren – Year 3 Outdoor Centre – Years 4, 5 and 6 Skiing Day trips

FOUNDER’S CONCERT SPEECH DAY FAREWELLS AND WELCOMES

The Great Exhibition

research to showcase their learning. A vital part of the Year 6 Project is also the importance of approaching a topic from different angles, and using critical thinking to consider elements such as how an issue might have changed over time, different perspectives surrounding an issue, or how an issue might be connected to other factors.

n The boys in Year 6 worked hard throughout Lent Term on their ‘Great Exhibition Projects’. This is an extended individual research Project, based around the UN Goals for Sustainable Development, and a key part of the boys’ Humanities learning in Year 6. As part of the process, the boys worked hard to identify issues they were passionate about, relating to the Global Goals. They developed their research skills, particularly focussing on aspects such as forming research questions, and how to use references. They then worked to ‘synthesize’ their

The Project culminated in a ‘Great Exhibition’, where the boys celebrated their work by presenting their Projects to parents and relatives.

PROJECT TITLES

6D Nathan AR Tom A Harry B Rohan D Augie D Loukas EA Monty H Joshua J Thomas K Henry K Zain L Ciaran M Louis M Chomba N Fraser N Cillian N Vivaan P Massimo S Ishaan S Toby S 6J Spencer B Leo C Sam C Ferdinand C Warren D Frank F Dylan K Mark K Zachary M Alessandro M Noah P Alexander P Nikita S Charlie F Edward F

How do foodbanks help to stop food poverty in our local area? What is the deeper side of homelessness? To what extent is race and gender discrimination in football an issue, and how can we improve the situation? How does plastic pollution in the Thames, and elsewhere, affect life in the ocean? What is the impact of petrol, diesel and electric car use? What is the ‘plastic bank’, and how is it helping the issue of plastic pollution? Sea turtles are endangered: what can we do to help? Global warming: what causes it, and how can we stop it? Why is fusion an ideal energy source? How do wars start, and how can we resolve them? Why is it important that everyone has access to clean water? How is North Korea governed, and how does it compare to other government systems in the world? What are the alternatives to non-renewable energy? How can we help protect the habitats of woodland animals in the UK? Racism within sport: who is experiencing it, and how can it be reduced? What can we do to prevent plastic pollution in the Thames? What do we mean by ‘homelessness’ and ‘poverty’, and how do these issues affect people in the UK? What is the impact of current wars, and how has warfare change over time? What are some of the solutions to the problem of unemployment? How can we make London more bike-friendly, and encourage more people to use bikes?

What is the cost of living crisis and how is it affecting Londoners? What is the impact of knife crime in the UK? How diverse is cricket and does the situation need improving? What is the situation regarding animal trafficking in the UK?

Why is waste a problem in the UK? Should petrol vehicles be banned? To what extent is London a tech giant? What are the causes, effects and solutions of homelessness in London? How healthy are Londoners? Electric vs Petrol powered vehicles: what are the benefits and effects? How does propaganda and misinformation affect our society today? Homelessness in the UK: what are the causes, effects and solutions? What causes people to become homeless in the UK and what can be done to help? To what extent are zoos good or bad? How is the government moving towards green energy sources?

Raphael S Michael SS William W Hugo W Jonah W 6R Emre B Santi BA Tyler B Eesa C Bastien D Yuhan F Alex F Ayan H George J Elliot J Noah AK Xian Yu L Harry M Hugo M Aadam P Dylan P Arun S Ramesh U

How effective is the Conservative Party? How does climate change affect London? Why is homelessness such a big issue? Adult learning in Lewisham: is it successful? How can plastic waste and water pollution in London be reduced?

What can we do to stop poverty in London? How can we help endangered species in the UK? Why is knife crime such an issue in London? What can we do to help homeless people in London? Why are so many teenagers involved in knife crime?

Why is global warming taking place? Why is inflation such a big problem? How can we power our homes and businesses by renewable energy? Why is knife crime so bad in London? Why do we need to change the way we power cars? Why do we need bees?

What does poverty do to the world? Can nuclear power change the world? How does fashion harm the environment? How is climate change affecting animals in Britain?

Why is there a gender pay gap? Why is recycling so important? Is nuclear fusion better than fission?

SYMPOSIUM: EMPATHY n Thursday 27 April saw the Junior Schools at both Dulwich College and James Allen’s Girls School demonstrate empathy in abundance as the pupils enjoyed the Junior School Symposium once more.

empathy when the whole session was conducted without speaking.

Years 3 and 5 spent their day at JAGS and took part in workshops including: Dramatic Empathy, the Rookie Lifeguard Programme, the science behind how our brain can develop greater empathy, what it would be like to live without any money, learning about Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel, and an author talk from Penny Chrimes to name but a few. When the pupils arrived back on campus in the afternoon, it was evident that they had gained a huge amount from their experience as they passionately shared what they had learned and who they had met and worked with. Whilst there were many special moments from the day, the subject of ‘Empathy’ chimed very deeply with our values and the connection between the two schools, and it was lovely to see the boys and girls learning and playing collaboratively. With thanks to pupils and staff from Dulwich College and JAGS for making the day such a success and a wonderful celebration of Free Learning.

The theme of ‘Empathy’ proved to be a very thought provoking choice with a wide variety of challenging and stimulating sessions on offer, led by both Junior and Senior School staff here and at JAGS.

Right from the beginning the pupils from Years 4 and 6 were instantly absorbed with the headline act, as Pippa Church, a professional puppeteer, wowed us with her puppetry skills. Using just a piece of newspaper, she created a puppet that then told a story and this allowed everyone to explore how we communicate and recognise emotions - it was a poignant and very special opening. Working collaboratively in their groups to question, analyse, experiment, debate and create, the pupils then moved off to various workshops. Some of these included living like a Roman soldier, making expressions through clay, composing emotions on GarageBand, dancing in someone else’s shoes, the psychology of altruism, understanding the behaviour of chameleons, and silent

FOREST SCHOOL

n The addition of Forest School to our curriculum continues to be a huge success. Under the expert guidance of Mrs Greenaway, the boys in Year 3 have particularly benefitted from these sessions. Some of their learning highlights include: • Finding out a clever way to calculate the age of a tree, and also its height (without having to climb it)!! • Taking bark and leaf rubbings from a variety of trees • Viewing plants using a UV torch and discovering how bees pollinate flowers, and then learning about the wonderful waggle dance acted out by these magical creatures • Dissecting tulips – finding the stamen (anther and filament) and pistil (stigma, style and ovary)

BOOK WEEK 2023 Junior School Book Week 2023 – on the theme JOURNEYS

n Wow! Book Week was even bigger and better this year! For the first time – we had five author visits.

The first author, Stuart Foster, talked about his own hearing loss and inspiration for his new book Can you Feel the Noise ? Next was Richard Pickard, whose hilarious and intriguing The Peculiar Tale of Tentacle Boy , had pupils laughing so hard. On Wednesday, our authors were Patience Agbari whose book, The Circle Breakers, is a wonderful tale of time-travelling and neurodivergence and Iona Rangeley whose Einstein the Penguin book was warmly welcomed by Years 3 & 4. OA Jon Claydon and Tim Lawler brought The Stig solves a problem to life and their visit was enjoyed by the Year 5 & 6 boys. We were joined by Dulwich Wood and Rosemead School for our author visits, which is always lovely. And our Year 6 librarians and Year 4 book club enjoyed having lunch with the authors. The week started with three teachers reading from Journey- inspired books. Year 3 had their very own treasure hunt throughout the Junior School, and Years 4 and 6 visited the Archives to see Shakespeare’s first Folio (before it went on display to the public at the National Maritime Museum). Mid-week all pupils and teachers dressed up as their favourite book characters and we held a Charity Book Fayre with book- themed stalls, a competition ( Guess the number of pages in a book?) and a second-hand Book Sale. We raised a significant amount of money, which will go to buying books for a library in a school in Southwark. As usual our Creative Writing House Challenge brought many wonderful entries and the daily “Drop Everything and Read” was enjoyed by all.

AUTHOR VISITS

GREG JAMES AND CHRIS SMITH

n Authors Greg James, Chris Smith, Adam Kay and Tony Bradman visited the pupils during the year. They read excerpts from their books and entertained everyone with their anecdotes and other tales.

ADAM KAY

TONY BRADMAN

SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The Many Lights of the Moon

The Escape n “How long left?” I thought to myself as I huddled up next to Ishaan. I don’t know how many of us were here, stuffed in the room. I didn’t know how long I had been here, how many days, how many nights, unknown. As a young Pashtun boy, growing up in a small village in Afghanistan, no-one anticipated that something so grave would happen to a common boy. Ishaan and I had been friends since nursery. Now we were in our final year of primary school. It happened when I was at his house having a sleepover when we heard a car draw up outside his house. His mum ushered us into a dark room and locked the door. “Stay quiet,” she whispered. From the tone in her voice we could tell she knew this car did not contain good fortune. Ishaan sensed it too. She locked the door. We crouched in the room, too scared to move. After what seemed like eternity we finally heard footsteps coming up the stairs. We sighed with relief. Only when the footsteps drew nearer, did Ishaan and I hear that the footsteps were heavy, not his mum’s. A fear overwhelmed us again. We heard a key turn in the lock and we braced ourselves. The door swung open, the light turned on, I braced myself… “Out.” A dark adult, gruff voice bellowed into the room. “I’ll tell them” I heard Ishaan’s mum say. That’s when both of us came out of the room, comforted by her voice. “We are in danger. The Taliban are coming for my husband, Ishaan’s father.” She ushered us out of the house, only time to grab our rucksacks. That was when I got a good look at the man. He was short and stocky, and had a Kalashnikov slung across his back. His breath was full of the vomiting, alcoholic smell. He shoved us onto a black bus, a single weak bulb lighting the whole bus up. We saw that there were lots of other families bunched up together. Four sat on two seats. We found two empty seats at the back of the bus. Ishaan’s mum didn’t board. But before we knew it, the doors had shut and we had hit the road. There was not time to say goodbye.

n Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a sea turtle? Well, hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Tommy, Tommy the Turtle, a Hawksbill Sea Turtle to be accurate. I am fifty-three years old and live in a beautiful turquoise ocean. I swim 1000 miles every year but my first journey from the beach to the sea was the most terrifying I ever had. CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, I woke with a start, the sound of breaking eggshells was deafening. SMASH! I broke through my shiny, soft shell and poked my head out cautiously then my arms and finally my shell. Then I was free on the soft warm sand. Instinct told me to head for the moon and that’s where the ocean will be. “Head for the moon, head for the moon.” I chanted a mantra to calm my fears. I saw the moon, a balloon rising in the sky. I felt vulnerable as I hear the crabs clicking their claws and circling around me. One tried to grab me, but I dodged and dived like a rugby player scoring a try. I ran as fast as I could. Just when I thought I had made it to the ocean, I felt something unusual underneath me, it was hard and cold nothing like the soft, warm sand I had been used to – a road! I had gone terribly wrong. I heard tooting horns and was dazzled by headlights from cars. I looked around me, lights everywhere shone so brightly you would have been able to see them from the moon. Disoriented I tripped off the pavement but managed to cling on precariously. Fortunately, during that fateful night luck was on my side. An adorable monkey came to rescue me. “Hop on, I’ll take you home.” He said kindly. I rode on his back and finally I could see the waves dancing towards the sand. I felt like a bird released from its cage. Freedom! Later I was swimming along joyfully and thought I saw a delicious jellyfish. It was horrifying to discover it was a plastic bag. I choked and coughed and just when I thought I had taken my last butt breath (true fact, we breathe through our bottoms), a delightful dolphin came to my rescue and solemnly said “you will have to get used to this.” I survived. Millions don’t. We are critically endangered mainly due to light and plastic pollution. The future of our oceans depends on YOU!

That’s when I knew what had happened.

I had just managed to doze off when we stopped with a sudden jolt. We all got ushered off the bus, up some plastic stairs. There were about 60 or so people on the bus. I was one of the lucky ones. As Ishaan and I reached the top, we heard screaming. As quick as a flash, I spun around. The bottom half of the staircase had collapsed, sending almost half of the people to their rocky grave. It was a plane. I thought my eyes had deceived me. But they hadn’t. We clambered in. There were no seats. We leant against the wall. The door slammed shut. Our bodies shook and jolted around. Then we were in the air. I don’t remember anything else of the ride. I heard singing. I awoke at once. The door was open. I saw the flag of Germany.

By Tommy, Year 4 (Howard House)

All had gone to plan. We had arrived.

By Tom, Year 6 (Drake House)

The Forest of Fear n I wished the world would swallow me up. I check the map for the fifteenth time, trying to figure out where I’d taken a wrong turn. It was very inconspicuous. Just when I suspected I had taken a step in the right direction, I bumped into something surreptitiously lurking in the forest. I spun around. There were werewolves. Even though my mind frantically screamed “ RUN ,” I couldn’t move an inch because of the sight in front of me. My adrenalin built up in my stomach. The werewolf’s glaring, scarlet eye met mine right in the centre. As quick as a tempestuous, tumultuous lightning strike, I burst into a pelt. I ran, ran and ran as if my life depended on it; after all, I knew that it did. Hours later, when I felt my legs were being snapped by the roots as if there were menacing hands, and I couldn’t move any more, I saw something that would save my life. There, in front of me, was a lavish cottage. Praying that someone would be home, I shrieked “ someone, anyone, help ! Open the door so I can come in!” To my surprise and relief, an old lady flung open the door just in time. I dove in. I was overjoyed to be alive. And famous too. Scientists have been searching for werewolves for a long time. Now I could hike home and tell the world where they were hidden. But there was only one problem. Fifty famished wolves were circling the forest outside………

The Last Light on the Titanic n A sharp screech rattled through the ship, I covered my ears, clenching them in my hands. Ice flew everywhere knocking down tables and chairs as they fell over board and into the slushy water. For a second, I thought I saw them struggling in desperation, trying to be freed from the bitter grip of the sea. A face of despair. The Titanic carried on, not aware of the on-coming danger. This was the beginning of revenge… I gazed out into the never-ending horizon when all of a sudden, I saw someone playing football with an ice chunk. I didn’t feel good after that. My chest felt as if a needle had pierced through it. As if, I gazed into the unknown and saw something. As if, the ship was in fact not going to make the journey but instead held captive at the bottom of the sea bed. Down. Down. Down, into a void of swirling pain. Sinking to the mysterious bottomless pit. Evacuation started, they ordered women and children first. Everywhere was chaos but I realised that we were in trouble since the iceberg hit. Anger bubbled up inside of me. How could they do this? How could they lie? Waves jumped-up on-board slithering into the wood and then vanishing without a sound. My feet lost balance and when I looked down the ship started to tilt. It was too late, I slipped and hit my head. Everything went blurry. A cold hand reached out and grabbed mine. A boy the same age as me. He heaved me up onto the railing and watched other people struggling. A woman had been stolen by the waves and screamed out for help. It was no use as hypothermia took over and silenced her. We watched people escaping with boats while the others accepted their fates. The boy grabbed my hand in his and mumbled some words into my ear. As the Titanic pulled us under he clenched me harder but the force was too strong. It pulled us under even more and as we were dragged down by the ocean’s tight grip I saw his forgiving and sad expression on his face. Bitter cold water embraced us in darkness as the last light of the Titanic turned off.

By Dylan, Year 3 (Raleigh House)

by Loukas, Year 6 (Drake House)

The Wolves n “OK, come back before 5!” said Mum. As me and Amy bounded happily towards the woods, we heard the birds chirping words and the leaves gently swaying in the wind. We were having so much fun throwing leaves everywhere and playing hide and seek, we didn’t realise the time. Soon, I realised that it was getting dark, so I called Amy and we started to head back home. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” she asked. “Yeah, of course,” I said, trying to reassure her. But as we walked on, and the moon slowly rose, we began to worry. I started to walk faster, but all I could see were long, black trees looming over me, blocking the ghastly rays of moonlight. Then I began to hear noises. Strange, chattering coming from all around me. Hissing and screeching pierced my ears, and it seemed as if the whole forest had come to life. Anxious and bewildered, I started to run. I ran as fast as I could go, through the thick piles of dead leaves, through the endless woods, through the cold mist that blurred my vision. As the midnight sky turned pitch black, the creepy noises grew louder. At last, when I couldn’t run any further, I saw it. There in front of me, was a big grey wolf. Staring at me, its huge jaws opened to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth. My blood turned cold. Slowly, the wolf approached me, saliva dripping from its gaping mouth. Its eyes were bulging, fixed on me. Trembling, I watched as more and more eyes open in the darkness, glowing blood-red. As they came closer, I saw that I was surrounded from all sides. I called for Amy, but she was nowhere to be seen.

by Raymond, Year 5 (Spenser House)

DIGITAL LEARNING

engagement! This year, all of the boys used their devices to compete for their house to be crowned the TTRS Champions. The fiercely fought competition was enjoyed by all, including the teachers who spent most of it on the edge of their seats! As we look forward to next year, we are continuing to develop our approach to our use of technology inside and outside the classroom at the JS, especially with the changing landscape with recent developments in the accessibility of AI.

digital learning is taking place, but also with a number of clubs, utilising the iPads and IT room to move beyond the curriculum. The ever-popular Stop Motion club saw boys write and produce their own stop animation films whilst others took to the screens themselves, starring in their very own movies inspired by some of the screen legends. With the help of engaging apps like Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS), even the House Competition is featuring digital

n The use of technology at DCJS is constantly evolving and looking for innovative ways to enhance the learning experience of the boys. The 1-to-1 device roll out is now firmly embedded into the daily life of all of the pupils; opening up new avenues in which lessons are delivered and how understanding is shown. From learning to code, to the use of the green screen and on to robotics, the digital curriculum is vibrant and engaging.

It is not just within the school day that

Digital Leaders

n The boys also led an informative whole school assembly on Safer Internet Day around the theme of ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’. We celebrated what is great about the internet, and the Digital Leaders offered their top ten tips of how to stay safe online...

n This year, the Digital Leaders have done a phenomenal job of helping to keep our Junior School pupils safe, and encouraging others to become more confident in using their iPads effectively. When asked what they felt were the main jobs they performed this year, they said: “Helping others to use technology safely, especially our iPads.” (Dante, Year 4) “Teaching others about cyberbullying and ensuring that it does not happen.” (Marcus. Year 4) “Giving others advice about how to stay safe online.” (Edward, Year 4) “Helping teachers with app suggestions and technology.” (Alex, Year 6)

2 4

If someone is being unkind to you, screenshot evidence, report and block them. (Toby, Year 6)

Don’t respond to strangers on a game. (Theo, Year 3)

If you find out about unexpected activity on your accounts, change your password. (Alex, Year 6) Don’t share personal information with strangers. (Nico, Year 3). Personal information includes your name, address, phone number and school name. (Dante, Year 4)

Never go on a website without permission. (Louis, Year 5)

Make sure you have anti- virus protection on your computer to keep your device safe. (Marcus, Year 4)

Check with a trusted adult before going on a device. (Elliot, Year 5)

Never click on something that pops up. (Devarsh, Year 3)

Use a strong and separate password for your email. (Edward, Year 4)

Always keep talking... talk to a teacher or parents if you see something that makes you feel worried or bad on the internet. (Nico, Year 3)

ART AND DT DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY BOOKS

ABSRACT PAINTING AND PASTELS

SHELTER MAKING

NATURAL FORMS – PRINTING

JOINTS CONSTRUCTION

INK DRAWING

FAIRGROUND RIDES

SAWING PRACTICE

SPINNING TOPS

TORN PAPER SEASCAPES

CLOCKS

YINKA SHONIBARE PROJECT

SEASCAPES WEAVING

STILL LIFE CLAY TILE

HUMAN SCULPTURES

CAM TOYS

ELASTIC BUGGIES

STILL LIFE COLLAGES

YINKA SHONIBARE NOTEBOOKS

ACRYLIC KEY FOBS

HOT COLD COLOURS

SHELTERS – INVESTIGATING JOINTS

YINKA SHONIBARE WIND SCULPTURES

STILL LIFE – CUBIST COLAGES

YINKA SHONIBARE FABRIC

OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING

MATISSE FLOWERS COLLAGE

MAZES

POINTILLISM

CLAY MODELLING

HENRY MOORE MIXED MEDIA

CLUBS

PAPER CRAFT

JUNK MODELLING

MOVIE MAKING

CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS

SPEED STACKING

HISTORICAL BATTLES RE-ENACTMENT SEWING

STREET DANCE

ARCHITECTURE

TAEKWONDO

JIGSAWS

LEGO

KARATE

GAME DESIGN

CARD AND BOARD GAMES

QUIDDITCH

LOGIC PUZZLES

ILLUSTRATION

SCIENCE

CHESS REPORT n It has been an exciting term for chess players in the Junior School. For the first time ever, Dulwich College played host to the EPSCA (English Primary Schools Chess Association) National Primary Schools Chess Championship. Both our U9 and U11 teams performed excellently, with our U11 team qualifying for the next round of the competition. They performed admirably, finishing in the top 5, narrowly missing out on a spot in the Grand Final. I know that this will be a goal for the boys in the team next year.

Many Chess Club players have also been competing in Kent Junior Chess Association tournaments on weekends, gaining experience and confidence in ‘Over The Board’ competitions. Special congratulations must go to Oliver P for his selection in the Kent U9 team, which finished 2nd in the National Finals this year. Additionally, congratulations to Emre B for his selection in the Kent U11 team, helping them win the National Finals this year, subsequently earning him a call-up for the England U11 team. of our competitions continue to provide a platform for both new and experienced players to compete against children from other schools, with the Junior School consistently appearing in the top three places. Further proof of the popularity of Junior School chess can also be seen in the House Chess Competition, in which over 100 children enthusiastically took part to earn points for their Houses. Further links between Lower School and Junior School chess have been established, with many of the team players attending Lower School Chess Club. This allows them to test their skills and enjoy the opportunity to play against their friends from previous years. Overall, it has been a very successful year of chess in the Junior School, and there is much to look forward to next year. Remember, there is always time during the holidays to keep practising. Our bi-weekly Lichess

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CHARITIES YEAR 3: GUIDE DOGS

n On Friday 2nd December, Year 3 began their fundraising for their charity this year: Guide Dogs. The boys participated in a range of activities in the morning including learning the braille alphabet and creating their own messages using this technique. They also made sandwiches whilst they were visually impaired to help them empathise with how challenging a task that they take for granted, can be for others. In the afternoon the boys participated in a sponsored obstacle course and walk, raising an impressive £1,200.

YEAR 4: SOUTHWARK DAY CENTRE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS n On Tuesday, as part of Year 4’s community action, 4D travelled to the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers to lend their services. The boys did an excellent job in organising the vast quantities of items. As well as sorting the supplies into sections such as, toiletries, clothes, fresh fruit and vegetables and tinned food, the children also made parcels containing a range of food, which did not require cooking. These packages were given to people seeking asylum who are living in hostels and do not have access to cooking equipment.

Whilst visiting, the boys were also able to see how the busy centre was used. They experienced knitting and sewing activities and were amazed at the garments being made; a dress and a Ukrainian woolly-jumper particularly impressed them! They were able to see the kitchen where the Chef, Ganet, showed them the multiple dishes she had made for over 80 different people in one day. She explained that each week, her meals were dependent on the different types of foods donated. The boys conducted themselves excellently throughout the visit and were a credit to themselves and the Junior School.

YEAR 5: DULWICH ALMSHOUSE RESIDENTS

n The boys completed their annual Community Action project in the Michaelmas term in Wellbeing. The project’s focus was on supporting older people in the local community. They boys learned a lot about loneliness and the impact it can have, especially at Christmas time, so they planned and prepared a Christmas party to host residents of care homes in our local area. We welcomed 20 guests into the Junior School Hall for an afternoon of festivities. The boys were assigned roles, which included greeting guests, serving tea and coffee, serving cakes, playing music, chatting with the guests, and more. Everyone came together to perform songs from the Christmas Concerts and for a Christmas sing-along. The party was a great success; the boys were incredibly thoughtful and welcoming towards our guests, and everyone left with big smiles on their faces.

YEAR 6: CITY HARVEST PROJECT

n In the Summer Term, a small group of Year 6 boys went to visit the super City Harvest Project in West London. Whilst there, they went on a tour of the warehouse, and found out lots about how surplus food is rescued and donated to people in need all around London. This was particularly useful for those boys who have been focussing on issues such as homelessness and poverty for the projects.

n This year marked the launch of the fourth annual Dulwich College Identity Awareness Month - DC IAM. The theme for this year was ‘Aware’. Through this, we encouraged students to develop their self-awareness and the awareness of others in order to, ultimately, develop empathy. In assembly, Dr Griffiths introduced the boys to the nine protected characteristics, which are aspects of identity protected by law. We built on this further in Wellbeing lessons by discussing which traits the boys feel have the most influence on their identity - for example, religion, likes and dislikes, hobbies, personality, heritage, DNA and family. The boys then reflected on values and issues that are important to them and made awareness bracelets to represent these. It was lovely to see students wearing their bracelets around school and asking them what their chosen colours stood for. Year 5&6 also got involved in a digital art project that took place across the College. Inspired by the work of artists such as Yinka Ilori and Lakwena Maciver, who use words and language in their work to evoke emotion, the boys were challenged to create their own ‘awareisms’. They had to choose a word or phrase that they wanted others to be aware of, or that promotes kindness and empathy, and turn it into art. The boys greatly enjoyed getting creative with colours, fonts and patterns with some amazing results. Finally, 3R treated us to a thought-provoking assembly and highlighted the importance of understanding our digital identities, a theme we will continue to explore in Safer Internet Day lessons. FREE LEARNING DC IAM

ECO WEEK

inspired by the author and illustrator of The Renegades comic series, pupils created their own eco super-hero and we were very impressed with the ingenuity of some of the ideas! Learning about microbes and composting with Mrs Johnson from JAGS and investigating the number of miles travelled by our fruit and veg with Miss Doherty were particular highlights too. The fourth session of the morning was an indoor Forest School session where students worked in pairs to create natural dreamcatchers - thanks to Mrs Greenaway and Ms Green. Mr Oubridge, Tom A (Y6) and Huge M (Y6) had the interesting task of weighing the waste from both upstairs and downstairs dining rooms each day... daily updates have kept up the momentum and our drive to have a clean plate! Great fun was had on Monday and Friday breaktimes with Miss Northcott leading the Recycling Relays - speed and accuracy counted in this relay, so boys had to be confident in which bin (recycling or non- recycling) to throw the rubbish. Our drive towards looking after our planet remains at the forefront of our minds.

n In the words of David Attenborough, ‘The best motto is not to waste things’ and we have certainly made a concerted effort not to waste anything during Eco week! Upcycling was a huge success with plant pots created in Year 3, tote bags in Year 4, crackers for their Christmas community party in Year 5 and bead bracelets made out of magazines in Year 6.

The staff were very impressed with the care, creativity and teamwork taking place.

Year 5 and 6 orienteered across the campus, discovering all the sustainability initiatives in place in the College – where they learned about the solar panels in the Laboratory and the Lord George Building, the new windows (and window frames) in the Cloisters to help keep heat inside the buildings, the electric charging points for vehicles and even the 1000th tree planted on site!

Year 4 enjoyed a jam-packed Eco Morning with JAGS on Thursday -

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

that attended were really struck by how much hydration, diet and sleep patterns can affect you physically and mentally – watch out for the boys asking for ‘9+ a day’ (5-a-day is a thing of the past!) The Dulwich Mile – a one mile walk around the perimeter of the College campus – highlighted the positive effects of being outdoors and being part of a community, as many of our pupils chatted to boys in the Senior School during this walk. In addition, Years 3 and 5 took part in a brilliant Yoga session, with a focus on balance and connecting with one’s inner self. Learning various postures and mindfulness techniques, the pupils explored ways that balance can help them in their everyday lives. And finally, we had 10 minutes each day dedicated to every pupil and member of staff stopping whatever they were doing and engaging in a period of relaxation - Drop Everything and Relax (DEAR) – whether that be mindful colouring, mindfulness or simply reading quietly. Hopefully, there was something tangible for every pupil to take away from this week to help them feel just that little bit better about themselves, as well as making others feel valued and appreciated too.

bucket to symbolise strategies which can help them to release negative feelings and find more balance in themselves. There were a number of College- wide events taking place, and it was wonderful to see such a strong Junior School presence at these. Matt Lovell, a nutritionist who has worked with some of sport’s biggest teams (England Rugby from 1999-2015 and British Athletics) and is currently a consultant for Manchester City, gave a really powerful talk about nutrition and sleep. The boys

n Mental Health Awareness week has provided an opportunity for all of us to review the balance in our lives with regards to our own mental health. Whilst we know that worry comes from a variety of sources, it is important for our pupils to know some strategies that they can adopt so that they can not only cope with tricky situations, but hopefully so that they can ultimately find a positive outcome. The Wellbeing lessons this week for each class focussed on each pupil creating their own ‘worry bucket’ and identifying things that can cause them worry. They then labelled taps on their

REFUGEE WEEK

wrote thoughtful messages and designed wonderful front covers, showing the connections between Dulwich College in London and Kakuma in Kenya. Our D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) Ambassadors had the privilege of attending a second thought-provoking talk by Amy, along with some Senior School pupils. This session delved into the preservation of culture and identity in refugee camps. They learnt about the different cultures and heritages of those living in Kakuma and gained an understanding of how art can be a way for people to celebrate and share their identities. The power of storytelling as a way to create compassion with others was evident through the “Reader to Reader” sessions. Year 12 prefects visited each class from Years 3 to 5 and shared stories centered around the theme of refugees. Another heart-warming collaboration occurred when Year 6 students joined their Year 4 peers to share the refugee stories they have written in English lessons this term. Inspired by their class novels, these stories showcased creativity and empathy, and the younger boys greatly enjoyed listening to the engaging narratives.

n Refugee Week, was marked nationally and also at the Junior School through our College-wide Free Learning Week. Throughout the week, Junior School boys had the opportunity to engage in various activities that shed light on the lives of refugees and fostered a sense of compassion and understanding. One of the most impactful moments was the assembly led by Amy Campbell, co-founder of the charity MyStart. Amy shared captivating stories about life in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. She told us about the art workshops the charity run for young people in the camp, highlighting the importance of creative learning for those affected by conflict and in challenging circumstances. In Year 6, students participated in workshops led by Amy and Una from MyStart. In these sessions, the boys got to design football badges that celebrated their interests and identities – a project previously run for young people in Kakuma. This activity allowed the boys to reflect on the importance of identity, emphasising that our diversity should be celebrated. Meanwhile, our Year 4 students demonstrated compassion by writing heartfelt postcards to children in Kakuma. They

DULWICH COLLEGE SERVICE DAY: AFRiL

n The boys had a great time running their stalls during Service Day, and it was great to see everyone having fun as they tried their luck at winning prizes from the Year 6’s stalls. The stalls were raising money for the charity AFRIL. AFRIL stands for Action for Refugees in Lewisham, and they provide a number of services to support vulnerable asylum seekers, migrants and refugees. The Rainbow Club supplementary Saturday school is one of AFRIL’s core services. A group of Year 6 boys went to Ladywell Fields in the summer term to work with the Year 6 children from the Rainbow club, in order to help them run a sports day for the rest of the children from the Rainbow club Saturday school. It was a very fun and successful morning, and a very big well done to those who took part!

ASSEMBLIES

3L ASSEMBLY n Assemblies over the past year have given our pupils the chance to think, question and reflect on a whole host of topics. But they have also provided opportunities for celebrating achievements, handing out kindness leaves, whole school singing, individual and class performing, as well as bringing our community together. Many assemblies focus on key themes from our Wellbeing curriculum, current affairs, Fundamental British Values and our school’s core values. Some particular highlights this year have included the Senior Prefect assembly on identity, the House History Family Tree results assembly, various Senior School musicians showcasing their talents, the MyStart Refugee assembly, the Digital Leader assembly on safer internet use, as well as each class leading two assemblies.

4W CELEBRATION OF LEARNING

MUSIC ASSEMBLY WITH THE ROCK BAND

HOUSE HISTORY

GUIDE DOGS

SAFER INTERNET DAY

MUSIC ASSEMBLY WITH THE STRING QUARTET

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

SCHOOL COUNCIL

these people have included teachers from the Senior School, a governor and a former headteacher!

n At the beginning of the year, every class from Year 3 to Year 6 votes for one pupil to be a representative for them. Those interested make a short speech to convince the class about all the benefits of them being chosen, such as sharing common ideas and what they could include to make the school better. Once these results have been announced, they meet at least once every two weeks. We have discussed various issues within the School Council meetings and these often take place in assembly or break time. We have also had many visitors talk to us about different things ranging from wellbeing lessons to how we work. Some of

Some things we have discussed and resolved are spelling tests and how many words the different years should be given, the name of the House competition (‘House academic’ to ‘House point effort’) and we will have exciting new ping pong tables coming soon! (Much to the thanks of the Friends of Dulwich College who have also helped the Junior School throughout my time in the College and before).

Augie, Year 6

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FORUM

This was taken further at the next Summer Term meeting with discussion of more complex concepts: intersectionality, protected characteristics and discrimination. As Spencer stressed , “Boys should never feel at unease that they just can’t fully open up about who they are.“ The Ambassadors were also introduced to the new Senior D&I Prefects, Ahimsa, Saajid and Zaki. During Refugee Week, the Ambassadors were invited to join a presentation to Year 10 and 12 students by Amy Campbell from MyStart about Culture and Identity in the Kukuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. It was great to see them holding their own among the senior students as part of a wider College event. I hope that the Year 6 students moving into Year 7 will remain involved and add their voices to the Lower School D&I Forum. I look forward to continue working with the current Ambassadors and any upcoming Year 5 and 6 students in September.

n In the Lent Term, the Junior School launched its new Diversity & Inclusion Forum. This is a pupil representative group, already well- established across the Senior School, contributing to the College’s continuing drive towards building a school of equity where every pupil feels equally respected, supported and valued. Wanting to “stand up for what is right” or believing that “everyone can be who they are”, Augie, Chomba, Nathan, Sam, Spencer and Vivaan (Year 6) and Forest, James and Vish (Year 5) were selected to become the School’s very first Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors. By deepening and sharing their knowledge and understanding of D&I issues, they helped to make the pupil voice heard. They had a busy two terms. At their first Forum meeting, the Ambassadors provided some input into a College-wide dialogue around ethos and values. They impressed Sue Mulholland and Oliver Gardner, the outgoing and incoming College Directors of Inclusion, with their enthusiasm and insightfulness in discussing some key language, including Equality vs Equity and Diversity vs Inclusion, and how it is reflected in the Junior School. “I really care about things being fair and everyone being able to have the same opportunities,“ urged Nathan.

As Chomba aptly put it; “Regardless of our differences we can all come together, work collaboratively and be ourselves.”

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