Congratulations to all the Cambridge, Edexcel and AQA award winners for the Summer 2023 exam series. The awards that our students achieved are a testament to their hard work and dedication towards their studies, as well as a commitment from our teachers to ensure they are equipped with the necessary subject knowledge and skills to outcompete others on a global level.
As we embark on a new calendar year, we are now very much looking ahead to all those students who will be following in their footsteps this summer. Photographs from the Cambridge Outstanding Learner Awards are below, along with the full list of students achieving these accolades across examination boards.
Harrow Award Winners
Inz - High Achievement
AS Geography
Ken - High Acheivement
AS Music
Mint - Top in Thailand
Media Studies
Pye - High Achievement
Music
Rain - High Achievement
Travel & Tourism
Tom - Top in Thailand
Economics
Award Winners
Nicole (N10) was awarded Top in World, IGCSE Foreign Language Mandarin Chinese.
Autumn (B11) was awarded Top in World, IGCSE Mathematics (Without Coursework).
Perdiem (S11) was awarded Top in World, IGCSE Mathematics (Without Coursework).
Mild (C11) was awarded Top in World, IGCSE Mathematics (Without Coursework).
Nammon (So12) was awarded Top in Thailand, IGCSE Computer Science.
Pom (So12) was awarded Top in Thailand, IGCSE Drama.
Katie (former N11) was awarded Top in Thailand, IGCSE First Language English (Oral Endorsement).
Nump-Nump (S12) was awarded Top in Thailand, IGCSE First Language Thai.
Katie (former N11) was awarded Top in Thailand, IGCSE History.
Tom (K13) was awarded Top in Thailand, AS Economics.
Mint (K13) was awarded Top in Thailand, AS Media Studies.
Wendy (S14) was awarded Top in Thailand, A Level Computer Science.
Maggie (S14) was awarded Top in Thailand, A Level Geography.
Wendy (S14) was awarded Top in Thailand, A Level Physics.
Inz (C13) was awarded High Achievement, AS Geography.
Ken (C13) was awarded High Achievement, AS Music.
Rain (C13) was awarded High Achievement, AS Travel & Tourism.
Pie (B14) was awarded High Achievement, A Level Media Studies.
Pye (N14) was awarded High Achievement, A Level Music.
Tyler (So14) was awarded High Achievement, A Level Physical Education.
Belle (S14) was awarded High Achievement, AS Level Economics.
Nano (So14) was awarded High Achievement, AS Level Geography.
Pie (B14) was awarded High Achievement, AS Level Media Studies.
Im (C14) was awarded High Achievement, AS Level Music.
Grace (K13) was awarded High Achievement, A Level Chinese.
Aurthur (S14) was awarded Highest Mark in Thailand, IAL Business.
Wendy (S14) was awarded Highest Mark in Thailand, IAL Further Mathematics.
Wendy (S14) was awarded Highest Mark in the World, IAL Mathematics.
Mosachi (B14) was awarded Highest Mark in the World, IAL Chemistry.
Perth (N14) was awarded Highest Mark in the World, IAL Chemistry.
Pin (So12) was awarded Highest Mark in Thailand, GCSE Statistics.
Katie (former N11) was awarded Highest Mark in Thailand, IGCSE French.
Christopher (N14) was awarded Excellence Award, IAL 3 subjects with Grade A and above.
Mosachi (B14) was awarded Excellence Award, IAL 3 subjects with Grade A and above.
Kris (S14) was awarded Excellence Award, IAL 3 subjects with Grade A and above.
Prim (K14) was awarded Excellence Award, IAL 3 subjects with Grade A and above.
Emilie (So12) was awarded Top in Regional (SE Asia), AS Psychology.
Chelsea (B14) was awarded Top in Regional (SE Asia), A Level Psychology.
Emilie (So12) was awarded Top in Country, AS Psychology.
Chelsea (B14) was awarded Top in Country, A Level Psychology.
Season 1 saw our highest levels of student participation in school sport, with around 73% of our students from Y1-13 taking part in at least one hour of physical activity a week after-school, sport continues to thrive at Harrow. In the Upper School we had over 40 midweek fixtures and over 60 weekend tournaments between September and November, seeing our students compete at local, national and international level. It has been an incredible Term for sporting achievement alongside personal and team growth.
BISA
Season 1 saw us compete in midweek fixtures and end of season tournaments in our BISA conference. U13 and 15 basketball teams competed well in both boys and girls with relatively young and inexperienced teams the students showed grit, resilience and progress over the course of the season. At U19 level our girls finished BISA champions for football.
Harrow Youth Cup
November saw our annual Harrow Youth Cup, our girls teams in U9,11,13 and 15 all performed admirably with all teams finishing in second place. The boys teams competed well throughout the tournament with U13 and 15 teams finishing in medal positions.
FOBISIA
Our U13 boys and girls basketball teams travelled to Rugby School, Thailand for the U13 Basketball Championships. The girls performed exceptionally well finishing in second place with the boys competing well in a tough competition.
Harrow Tennis Cup
We launched our inaugural Harrow Tennis Cup this year which was an entirely new event and format for our tennis players. It was great to see the creativity of Coach Danai and the tennis coaches put on a fun, competitive and high-level event that allowed our students to play in a different format of tennis.
BISP Phuket
This year we took 80 students to the BISP 7s in Phuket. Our US students had a very successful weekend with our U13 Lionesses being crowned champions, remaining unbeaten without conceding a goal. U19 boys and girls both excelled finishing in third place both being beaten on penalty shootouts in the final.
SEASAC Football
SEASAC Season 1 saw Harrow Bangkok Football teams compete in the Division 1 11 a side format for the first time. The tournament was hosted at Harrow Bangkok and it was an exciting weekend.
Our girls team finished in second place and were unlucky not to be crowned champions for a second-year running after winning the 7 a side tournament in 2022. Our boys team finished in a commendable 6th place after losing their 5th place play-off in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
All-star players went to Aimmy, Toong-Toong, whilst the boys award went to Oscar.
SEASAC Volleyball
SEASAC Volleyball saw both boys and girls teams compete in the Division 2 competition hosted by Kuala Lumpur Alice Smith School. Both boys and girls teams competed extremely well with the boys finishing in fourth place after a closely fought competition. Our girls team were crowned champions of the plate competition. A huge shout out to the boys and girls teams who also both won the sportsmanship awards, representing each other, our team and our school in exemplary fashion.
SEASAC Golf
SEASAC Golf was hosted in Bangkok by Bangkok Patana School at Vintage Golf Club. We took a relatively young team to the competition and they performed extremely well. Our boys team finishing 2nd overall, with Puh finishing 3rd in the individual competition. The girls team finished in 3rd place overall with Java finishing 4th in the individual competition.
SEASAC XC
SEASAC cross-country was hosted by Garden International School in Malaysia, we took fiver runners to take part in the individual 5km and the team relay. Our boys performed admirably finishing in sixth position for the competition.
With nearly 100% participation across Year 6-13, Sports day was a tremendous example of Upper School House culture and healthy competition. As well as the Sports department, the day was supported with musicians and our very own Harrow Enterprise students to bring the day to life and provide entertainment and sustenance between events.
With high AQI in the morning slowly burning off, the late start did not hinder the spirits of our young Harrovians and it was an incredible success. A special mention to our staff relay runners and a huge thank you to the PE team and all those who supported the event.
This year saw the largest number of students take part in the annual Harrow Expedition. Over 900 students embarked on 5-9 day residential trips across Thailand, Hong Kong, India and Indonesia, developing personal and team skills outside of a classroom setting. The Upper School continues to provide structured opportunities for students to live out the values of courage, honour, fellowship and humility. Special thanks are extended to all staff involved for their commitment in make these experiences both memorable and worthwhile.
The Expedition Site will remain open until the end of the academic year. Please be reminded of the details below.
Link: Expedition Website
Username: ParentExpedition@harrowschool.ac.th
Password: HISB@2025
'Leadership for Life'
As we continue into our second half term, it was been wonderful to see our Upper School students embrace the Harrow values through their leadership within the Upper School. Harrow Bangkok students show leadership in many different ways and we are incredibly proud to see their personal growth and contributions to our community through their actions.
In this bumper edition of the Upper School newsletter, we will celebrate outstanding examples of student leadership, as well as introduce you to the Upper School student leadership teams.
It is with great pleasure that we introduce to you our Head Students for the academic year 2023-2024. These remarkable Year 13 students have already demonstrated outstanding leadership through their contributions to our community.
Deputy Head Boy, Andy B13; Deputy Head Girl, Jinny So13;
Head Girl, Jean K13; Head Boy, Ken C13
Deputy Boarding Head Girl, Yoon So13; Boarding Head Girl, Deyang C13
Deputy Boarding Head Boy, H.K. K13; Boarding Head Boy, Edward B13
The Study Buddy Programme is an entirely student-led peer tutoring programme. It is going from strength to strength this year with over 100 students involved so far!
Our Prefects with responsibility for student duties run a tight ship, ensuring that senior student leaders are present and responsible around the school site, making it a safe and inclusive environment for our younger students.
Our Prefects with responsibility for Role-Modelling oversee the very successful Lower School Reading Programme, coordinating a team of SF volunteers in supporting LS students with their reading development.
The Prefects with responsibility for the Rayleigh Learning Centre ensure that our Sixth Form students both look after and benefit from the wonderful facility that is the RLC, prioritising integration and inclusivity.
Our Prefects with responsibility for Communication are developing sixth form channels of communication including the Sixth Form student dashboard.
The Sixth Form Community Committee is behind all of our wonderful community large scale events. Their recent Haunted House event was an incredible success and impressive feat of creativity and logistical organisation!
The Student Academic Leadership Team are the academic powerhouse behind student voice and academic student initiatives in the Upper School. Already this term they have established the Student Academic Societies and are organising the Year 11 Peer Options Fair.
The Sixth Form Eco Committee are passionate about making a difference and raising community awareness of a more sustainable approach to life. They have recently launched the Threads4All initiative that donates used school uniforms to communities in need.
The Sixth Form Wellbeing Committee focused on promoting physical, academic and emotional wellbeing. Recent initiatives have included the SF Affirmation Tree and the 'Good News' segment of SF briefings.
The annual Haunted House event, superbly led by the Sixth Form Community Committee, saw the CPA building transformed into a maze of 'haunted rooms' inspired by horror films from different cultures. The event was a spook-tacular success, creating vivid memories that left our school community in stitches and shivers. Our students came together, uniting their talents and creativity, to craft a truly unique and unforgettable experience. Visitors navigated dark corridors, encountered heart pounding surprises, and were treated to senior students’ masterful performances.
Harrow International School enthusiastically takes part in the UKMT Challenges every year, and our students have consistently achieved exceptional results. This incredible event provides our top Mathematics students with a unique opportunity to not only compete but also to collaborate with peers from across the globe, allowing them to proudly demonstrate their exceptional problem-solving skills. This year, we once more welcomed all of our 6th form further mathematics students to the competition, and we extended invitations to some of the brightest students from Year 10 and 11. The results were nothing short of outstanding! In fact, all our younger students achieved certificates of bronze and higher, an impressive feat. We extend hearty congratulations to all participating students, with special recognition for those who not only excelled but also secured a spot in the BMO second round, who are Shin K10, Sand B10, Kar Kar K12, Swan C12 and Ken K12.
Lisa S13 and Pim C13 organised a charity sale to support their breast cancer fundraising campaign, CARE (Cancer Awareness Research & Education). They successfully raised a staggering total of 16,302 baht. On Tuesday, November 24th, these funds was donated to the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation to support and help breast cancer patients across Thailand.
Students from this committee have been busy organising ‘Feel Good Friday’ Tutor sessions, bringing together students from different Houses and different year groups for fun and games on a Friday Morning!
Students have been visiting the Early Years Centre to support with play and reading during afternoon sessions, as well as being ‘Guest Readers” for Year 3 classes.
The ECO committee have run a competition to design posters that raise awareness around environmental issues within the school. Winners to be announced soon.
Students took part in presenting to the whole school during assemblies on the importance of using English as our inclusive language. They were superb ambassadors!
Lots of work is taking place on SR5 wellbeing and mental health alongside Head of House Mr Carmody, including a lovely welcoming party for all students to school at the clocktower, with music, bubbles and gifts last Friday.
The SALT committee are busy preparing for the upcoming A Level Peer Fair, as well as the release of their first academic update newsletter! We can’t wait to see it.
The Prep Student and Deputy Student Leaders
The Prep Student and Deputy Student Leaders have overseen the production of a guidance video used in our Upper School teachers' training about oracy. They planned, created, filmed, and edited a video introducing the SHAPE model of helping students to develop their speaking skills. Their next project is launching Prep's first student voice survey of the academic year to make Prep the best place to learn.
The Prep Eco Committee have been self-reviewing HISB's green practices against criteria from the Green Flag award to ensure we can action plan to improve our environmentalism on campus. Their next project is Threads4All, collaborating with the Sixth Form Eco Committee to encourage recycling and donation of school uniform.
The Prep Academic Wellbeing Committee were instrumental in the designing and delivering of a suite of Inclusive Language assemblies. Working alongside committees from Sixth Form and SR5, students presented to the Upper School the importance of using English as our community's inclusive language. Their next project is developing activities to promote positive wellbeing during the Prep Expedition week where students will be showing courage to stay away from home and to try new things for the first time!
The Prep Leadership Team raised a huge 38,000 baht alongside the Maesot volunteers through the Read Share Care book sale. The money and some remaining books are contributing to the enrichment of educational opportunities for students living on the Thailand-Myanmar border. Next, they organised and ran a successful Halloween Bake Sale at the Farmers' Market; they raised 7266 baht which will be shared between Maesot and hosting an exciting Prep event next term!
Nicny B7 moves from strength to strength with recent successes in both swimming and singing. She recently competed in the Swimathon event in Pattaya. Nicny missed 3 weeks of swim lessons to focus on music, restarting her training only from 19th October. Despite a pause in her training, she finished the 2km sea swim in a hugely impressive 40.23min and was ranked 10th overall female, and 8th overall youth female 7-10years old. She is recovering from the tough swim conditions and already determine to challenge for the next race. It was lovely to see some members of the Harrow staff competing in the Swimathon and Aquathlon events on the same weekend - well done, staff! In her musical pursuits, Nicny has recently received the result from the 'Best Classical Musicians Awards' for her vocal performance of Mozart Alleluia. In a stunning performance, Nicny won Platinum Prize and Artistic Interpretation Special Award. Well done, Nicny! Keep up the dedication!
Oop-Ipp C6 has achieved her Grade 5 ABRSM certificate for her recent piano exam. It was great to hear that she achieved a merit grade and enjoyed performing a number of songs for her examiner. We are very proud of you, Oop-Ipp! Well done!
Anna has shown so much dedication to her training and competition preparation. We are delighted to celebrate that she was able to achieve third runner up position in the Singha Junior World Golf Championships 2023 in Class DG. This competition is particularly special as it is one of the biggest junior competition where lots of young players from worldwide participated. Well done, Anna!
From 30th September to 3rd October, 33 students, 4 staff and 1 nurse travelled to Mae Sot to undertake some community work to support a number of Migrant Learning Centres and Islam Boon and Sunset night schools. Out students helped to improve the learning environment for students by painting murals and by learning how to teach and then delivering art lessons to students. They also selected and then delivered carefully chosen resources to schools most need, ensuring that they had prioritised how to best spend their funds. Our students also installed a water supply for a school and have committed to re-roofing a classroom at Light School.
We are immensely proud of the students who attended the trip as they made a tangible and long-lasting impact their actions will have on the school communities they worked with.
We already are planning the next trip which will be from January 27th 2024 and will be open to Year 7-10 and 12 students. If any parents would like to help with the fundraising for our next projects, do contact Mrs Gavin.
At Light School we painted murals in 4 classrooms, improving the learning environment.
At Ah Yoon Oo Migrant Learning Centre we played games and made lots of new friends.
At Ah Yoon Oo Migrant Learning Centre we taught Art and English lessons.
At Love School we painted murals on the adobe brick walls, brightening the classrooms.
We bought and donated learning resources and food to the Islamic Night School and community.
At Ah Yoon Oo School we started by cleaning the classrooms.
Installing the water supply at Light School. The water came from 1km away through newly laid pipes.
We decided to donate some of our fundraising money to pay for the water pipes.
Giving out donuts to the local Sunset Night School community.
We bought mosquito nets for the Sunset Community to support their health education strategy.
We painted the classrooms at Love School before returning to teach there.
At Light School we taught art to an older students before playing football with them!
Individual and Collective Growth
The initial weeks of this academic year have seen a keen focus on connection. Our students have been taking time to develop themselves and others within our community for the better. It has been a privilege to see how our students have developed leadership skills and empathy; inclusivity and celebration of difference is evident. There have been tremendous successes in reaching out to Lower School students, cross phase collaborations aimed at supporting wellbeing and belonging, as well as outreach to less fortunate communities in Mae Sot.
We are exceptionally proud of each and everyone of our community.
Sharing Wisdom and Passions
Our older students continue to dedicate themselves to being role models for the rest of the student community. This term has seen many students return to Lower School, not as students, but as teachers!
The Head and Deputy Head of the SR5 Whole School Committee, Emily and TongTong, visited a Year 3 class last week. They were there as ‘Guest Readers’ to celebrate 3Ts 100% attendance in school. They read some of their favourite poems to the class and thoroughly entertained them with their lively, energetic performances. Well done 3T for being such a fantastic audience.
Spreading House Spirit to our very youngest!
Our Sixth Form House Leaders and House Mascots paid a special visit to Year 1. Year 1 have been exploring the topic of ‘Community’ and have been very excited to join their House communities this year. They were delighted to welcome their House Leaders to join them in the loft to explore together what it means to be a part of their House communities.
The Importance of Community
Our Year 13 Senior Leaders led an interactive workshop for Year 3 students exploring what it means to be part of a community. Our Deputy Head students, Andy and Jinny, along with our Prefects with responsibility for Role-Modelling, shared their own experiences of different communities within Harrow Bangkok and invited the Year 3 students to reflect on their own ideas of what makes a supportive community.
#Take10toRead in Prep!
Did you know that reading just 10 minutes every day can increase your wellbeing and boost your academic performance? This research was undertaken by the National Literacy Trust in the UK and guides our passion for reading in the Prep phase. As well as our English lessons, Library lessons, and the Thai Reading Award, we also #Take10toRead every Wednesday morning during tutor time or in our Reading Stars programme. The Prep phase use Accelerated Reader (which matches books to their readers at just the right level of challenge) to record and review what books we are all reading. So far, Prep have read a hugely impressive 22,266,111 words since the beginning of term and we are on course to smash through our total from last year. There are now seven students in Prep who, alone, have read more than one million words each: they have gained the prestigious title of Word Millionaire! Well done to Roby B8, Run So7, Lyndy So7, Feng So7, Alton So7, Anya P N7, and Alice C So7!
Not only do we enjoy reading for our own self-improvement, but we are keen to show our humility and help to spread the joy of reading to others. The Prep Leadership Team ran their Read Care Share charity book sale recently. Here, they sold donated books to raise money for the Maesot charity. As well as raising just under 14,000 Baht in three days, they are also donating the remaining books to the charity who work with young people on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. These books will go into a school library that our Upper School volunteers have gone to paint and decorate.
We are very proud of our reading culture in Prep and can't wait to celebrate our favourite texts with you all soon. Don't forget to #Take10toRead.
HRP Enterprise
As part of our Harrow Research Pathway curriculum, which enables students to pursue a super-curricular programme tailored to a students' university course aspirations, our Year 12 HRP Enterprise students embarked on their first round of seed-fund raising for their emerging businesses. The students impressed us with their entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see the products that they design!
A Celebration of our Year 12 Academic Scholars
On Tuesday, September 26th, we had the pleasure of hosting the Year 12 Scholars Award Celebration for our Year 12 Academic Scholars and their families. Our Year 11 students from Harrow Bangkok who transitioned into our Sixth Form were eligible for Gold, Silver, or Bronze Academic Scholarships, which were determined by their outstanding IGCSE performance. This year, we were thrilled to award a total of 71 scholarships. The Headmaster had the honour of presenting these well-deserved awards to our talented students. Following the formal award ceremony, a reception allowed families and staff to join in celebrating the remarkable achievements of our scholars. The event truly demonstrated the Harrow Value of Honour, encapsulating the spirit of success and camaraderie of our students, making it a memorable and joyous occasion for all involved.
COMING UP
UN Day
October 20th
Whole School event
All day
Year 6 and 7 Proud Piece Expo
October 23rd
Prep Building
2.20-3pm
Blood Donation
October 27th
The HUB
9am-3pm
Halloween Fancy Dress
October 31st
Whole School event
All day
Leadership Within Every Individual
A key focus at the start of any academic year is to ensure that our students are held central to all that we do. Seeking to better themselves, and the school to which they belong, this year saw an increase in student leader applications. Our Harrovians displayed outstanding leadership attributes in their interviews, across the three phases, to secure positions of responsibility that will undoubtedly lead to impactful initiatives that all of our community will benefit from. Throughout the process, our students displayed courage and fellowship abound, and all those successful are warmly congratulated - it was immensely difficult for those involved in the selection process!
This week, our Leadership in Action activities sprang into life ensuring that student interests and passions are nurtured and lead to a fulfilling educational experience. We have also seen some outstanding achievements of students beyond school life which further instil a sense of the monumental capacity our students have to excel in their chosen fields.
House Camp saw over 1000 students embark on team building opportunities across Bangkok and beyond. It was delightful to see our older students acting as shepherds and role models for our youngest students throughout their experience, ensuring it was both welcoming and enriching for all.
It is evident that our school is a very special place and will continue to strengthen under the influence of the young people we serve. We look forward to providing you with further updates as the term commences.
Academic Success at HISB
A huge congratulations to our graduating class of 2023 who saw another set of superb A Level outcomes this Summer. Their dedication to studies and achieving academic excellence paid off once again, seeing the school placed in the top 1% globally for students exceeding expected progress. We wish you all the very best as you navigate new and exciting chapters in Higher Education and hope that you stay in touch through our Harrow Alumni network.
House Camps
Over 1000 students departed on Thursday 7th September to take part in the first residential of the year. Taking part in team building activitis, students from Year 6 to Year 13 supported one another and forged friendships along the way. Photographs capturing the special moments for each House Camp have been shared with Parents and Guardians via dedicated Google Drive spaces.
Mathematical Success!
Last year you may remember that Ete So7 qualified for the Junior Maths Challenge Olympiad. He showed courage across the 2.5 hour challenge and submitted solutions to all of the questions. We are pleased to announce that Ete achieved a Merit which is an excellent achievement. We look forward to celebrating his next mathematical successes.
Singing Star
We would like to take this opportunity to share some exciting news about Nicny’s performance at Steinway and Sons, Bangkok, Sunday, 27th August 2023. It was an amazing experience for her to be able to perform at Steinway & Sons where she collaborated with the award-winning accompanist, Khun Anant. Nicny also performed a solo song and joined ensemble tutti with the other professional classical singers. It was a great opportunity for her and it takes lots of courage to perform one of the most challenging piece by Mozart in front of such a knowledgeable musical audience. In addition, Nicny won the gold prize in the 24th Osaka Music Competition held during July. She will be competing in the final round in Osaka early of October, and she was also invited as a guest to perform at Fukuoka on the 5th October 2023. We all wish her the best of luck!
International Recognition for Golf
During the summer break, Anna B6 participated in various golf tournaments in the United States. Overall, she finished 4th at the U.S. Kids World Championship held in North Carolina and 5th at the FCG World Callaway held in California. Anna returned to Thailand and was hugely successful as the winner in two of the events which were held by Thailand Golf Association at Kanchanaburi. Well done, Anna, from everyone in the Upper School!
Dancing Down Under
Jao Kha performed with great courage and won the gold medal in the Solo Jazz Moves Test 3 at the ATOD International Dance Awards 2023 in Brisbane, Australia during July.
We are all very proud of her fantastic achievement!
Collaboration Across Phases
Our newly appointed Prep Student Leaders were welcomed into the Sixth Form to learn a little bit more about how to develop important leadership skills. The wonderful Prefect Monitors, who are responsible for duties in the Upper School, shared some valuable advice and tips they have gleaned during their time in various leadership responsibilities. After a productive conversation, the Prep Student Leaders were given a tour around the Rayleigh Learning Centre and the study spaces available for our Sixth Form students. It was very inspiring! A huge thank you to all our student leaders for their fellowship and leadership across the phases. Ms Rickard and Ms Poel were so proud to see such excellent collaboration.