Dear Primary Families

I hope Term 3 is going well for you — we’re feeling very positive about how the start has gone.

Enjoying our Lunar New Year celebrations has made me reflect on the many cultures we have represented in school. We are incredibly proud of our cultural diversity, with over 60 different nationalities represented in our learner body and every continent (except Antarctica) represented in our faculty. This cultural diversity benefits even our youngest learners in countless ways. It helps them develop empathy by interacting with peers from different cultures. Exposure to diverse social norms enhances communication and teamwork, while encouraging learners to approach problems from multiple perspectives and challenge assumptions.

Learners also benefit from interacting with individuals from various backgrounds, as it fosters emotional intelligence and helps them better understand and manage their emotions. This prepares them for future roles as global citizens, equipped for international careers and cross-cultural collaboration.

The International Baccalaureate PYP programme encourages primary-aged learners to become responsible global citizens by promoting interconnectedness, cultural awareness, and ethical responsibility. Through inquiry-based learning, learners explore global issues, develop critical thinking, and appreciate diverse perspectives. They are encouraged to take action, practise sustainability, and embrace values like respect and fairness. Ultimately helping learners contribute positively to a more inclusive, just, and sustainable world.

As part of developing internationally-minded learners, it has been wonderful to share our Lunar New Year celebrations. If you were able to join us, I hope you enjoyed getting involved. Please take a look at our News from the Year Groups and Recent Events for more information.

Happy Lunar New Year

新年快乐

새해 복 많이 받으세요

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới

Have a wonderful break

Ms Fiona

Head of Primary

In our unit of inquiry, ‘Who We Are,’ we focus on building a strong sense of community and fostering meaningful relationships. We believe this lays the foundation for children to develop a strong sense of identity and belonging, both of which are vital for their growth and well-being. During this inquiry, the children explore the similarities and differences among themselves and celebrate the diverse cultures, languages, and traditions that make us unique. This approach provides an authentic way for the children to develop empathy and understanding of others.

Through cultural awareness and celebrating diversity, we nurture children’s curiosity about the world and encourage them to value the rich tapestry of traditions and customs that connect us all. Our focus has been on fostering global citizenship through the celebration of Lunar New Year. The children have experienced storytelling, exploring LNY real life objects, role-play and dancing. The children made lanterns and other paper crafts, they also had the opportunity to participate in a lion dance, sparking curiosity and teamwork.

By celebrating Lunar New Year, we encouraged the children to see themselves as part of a diverse global community. Understanding and appreciating cultural traditions fosters empathy, respect, and a sense of connection with others around the world. We hope these early experiences plant the seeds for lifelong curiosity about different cultures and inspire our Nursery children to grow into compassionate, open-minded global citizens.

Throughout the school year, we are fortunate to develop our global citizenship and awareness by participating in activities celebrating diverse cultures and traditions. This week, our Kindergarten learning environment was filled with vibrant reds, golds, and traditional clothing as we celebrated the Lunar New Year! Our learners had the opportunity to engage in Chinese calligraphy, using authentic ink and brushes, which sparked excitement and curiosity. They eagerly explored new vocabulary and cultural concepts while creating beautiful pieces of art.

Later in the week, we fully immersed ourselves in Chinese culture with a variety of Lunar New Year games and activities, all setup and supported by our Mandarin language teachers and our wonderful parent community. These hands-on experiences offered a meaningful way for our learners to appreciate global traditions and celebrate diversity.

We concluded our festivities with a fabulous lion and dragon dance, followed by exciting performances during our Lunar New Year assembly. Some of our learners were thrilled to see their parents participating on stage, behind the stalls, and in the audience. A heartfelt thank you to our amazing community for making this week extra special and for helping our learners connect with cultures from around the world!

As we settle into the new term, we’re thrilled to celebrate the wonderful diversity within our community and nurture our learners' journey toward becoming global citizens. Celebrating and exploring Lunar New Year, our learners deepened their understanding of the significance of its traditions, such as family reunions, red packets, lion dances, and the symbolic meaning of food and decorations. They immersed themselves in hands-on activities, crafting paper lanterns, creating dragon art, and practicing the art of calligraphy to write wishes for good luck and prosperity. Through this celebration, these experiences not only ignited curiosity about Chinese culture but also helped our learners draw connections between Lunar New Year and other celebrations they are familiar with, fostering respect and appreciation for diverse traditions. This exploration ties beautifully into our commitment to global citizenship, as our Year 1 learners continue to develop being open-minded, by understanding and celebrating our differences making us stronger as a community.  

As we move forward, we look forward to weaving more cultural celebrations and global themes into our learning journey, encouraging our learners to see themselves as part of a larger, interconnected world.

As a school that values diversity and global citizenship, we are thrilled to celebrate the Lunar New Year— a time to reflect on unity, respect, and the richness of cultures worldwide. This celebration is not only about traditions but also about embracing the values that bring our diverse community together.  

Recently, our learners showcased their learning in the ‘How we express ourselves’ Mini-Exhibition, which explored cultural stories and creative expressions. Highlights included the fascinating Australian Boomerang Stories, sharing the deep connection between art and storytelling in Aboriginal culture, and Mexican Alebrijes Stories, where learners crafted vibrant mythical creatures that symbolise imagination and cultural pride. Additionally, in LOTE classes, our French learners performed ‘The Three Little Pigs’ (‘Les Trois Petits Cochons’), showcasing their language skills through theatre and storytelling.  

Looking ahead, we are excited to host a Home Language Day event to celebrate cultural diversity and multilingualism within our Year 2 community. Home languages are a vital part of a child’s identity, and this event will provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to share stories in their home language. [Please refer to the iSams email sent on 17th January for more information.]

These activities exemplify our commitment to fostering global awareness and an appreciation for the unique traditions and perspectives within our community. As we celebrate the Lunar New Year, we encourage everyone to continue exploring and appreciating the rich cultural diversity that makes our school such a vibrant place to learn and grow. Gong Xi Fa Cai! May this year bring joy, connection, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.

At Nexus, we take pride in fostering global citizenship and cultural awareness among our learners. Recently, we came together to celebrate the vibrant Lunar New Year, an occasion that beautifully reflects our diverse community.

Lunar New Year Celebrations
Learners had an unforgettable experience exploring the rich traditions of Lunar New Year. Our Multipurpose Hall transformed into a hub of cultural activities where learners sampled traditional food, enjoyed music, and participated in engaging hands-on activities. Learners also thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling Lion Dance performance and a special assembly that deepened our understanding of this important celebration.

Learning Beyond the Classroom
An important part of being global citizens is taking responsibility for our world. As part of their inquiry, learners are currently exploring sustainability and ways they can minimize their environmental impact—an especially timely topic as they prepare for camp.

Upcoming Camps
We’re thrilled for our upcoming Year 3 camp at Loyang! This two-day adventure will take place on:

• February 10-11 (3P, 3A, 3B)

• February 13-14 (3R, 3G, 3W)

This experience will not only help learners develop independence and resilience but also give them opportunities to practice sustainable habits while engaging in exciting outdoor activities.

We look forward to sharing more about their camp adventures in our next update!

Lunar New Year is such a special celebration for our community to celebrate. This event highlights the uniqueness of this occasion and provides an authentic opportunity for our learners to participate in this wonderful celebration that is such a treasured part of living in Singapore.

Last week we all enjoyed the vibrant Lion and Dragon Dances. These events always give us goosebumps and are spectacular. Learners also enjoyed participating in Lunar New Year activities that were provided by our language department staff. There were food stalls to taste treats, handkerchief dances, Chinese calligraphy and many other games.

As responsible global citizens our year group shared their Sharing the Planet- 'Water' presentations with families on Monday and Tuesday this week. Learners persuaded their audience to be more aware and mindful of how to take action in ways that promote water sustainability. In Singapore every drop of water is captured, stored and processed to ensure that we all have access to clean drinking water. Learners shared how valuable water is as a natural resource and how important it is that it is conserved. They have applied their research, thinking and communication skills as they used the inquiry process to answer their questions, organise their findings and apply persuasive techniques creatively. We are very proud of each learner for being a risk taker, as they presented in front of their peers and families. 

Next week brings our Year 4 residential camp in Desaru, Malyasia, which we are all very excited about.  A reminder of key dates: 

Monday 3rd February 4A/4R/4W depart. 

Wednesday 5th February 4B/4G/4P depart. 

We ask parents to please ensure you have read emails and referred to your child'd homeroom Seesaw account for all notifications and reminders. Also don't forget your passports! We are looking forward to creating lifelong memories together. 

Learners had a fantastic time engaging in Lunar New Year cultural activities. They sampled festive foods, tried lion dancing, and participated in crafts and games that brought the traditions to life. The week ended with a spectacular Lion and Dragon Dance performance, bringing the school together and celebrating our shared community.

In our Who We Are unit, learners are immersed in personal research projects, crafting thoughtful NEXtalk presentations. They are exploring well-being through self-directed inquiry, reflecting on how our bodies, behaviours, and responsibilities change as we grow. The Pod has been buzzing as learners collaborate, research, and practise their presentation skills. In Language Arts, learners have been crafting poetry, including Haikus and Tankas. They’ve explored figurative language, such as similes and metaphors, to express their creativity. Using AI tools to generate images for their poems has sparked engaging discussions about the connection between words and visuals.

In Maths, learners have been working with fractions—exploring equivalent fractions, simplifying them, and plotting them on number lines. Their enthusiasm has shone as they tackled challenges and connected these concepts to real-world applications.

We are excited for our upcoming Year 5 camp to Loola Adventure Camp on Bintan, from February 19th–21st. After the Lunar New Year break, we’ll begin preparing learners for this adventure.

We wish you and your families a joyful and prosperous Lunar New Year.

Year 6 has been a hive of activity! We've delved into exploring a variety of mediums, from vibrant watercolors to intricate visual poetry. We've explored different styles and techniques, experimenting with perspective, colour, and texture. Our classroom has become a gallery of our creative journeys, showcasing the unique talents and imagination of each student. In mathematics, we've been sharpening our problem-solving skills by consolidating our understanding of multiplication and division. We've tackled complex word problems, developed strategies for solving multiplication and division problems. A highlight has been celebrating our learning at the recent "Family Math Day". The learners have shown a growing confidence in their mathematical abilities. 

As the Lunar New Year approaches, a wave of excitement has swept through our classroom. We've learned about the rich traditions and cultural significance of this holiday. This week, our learning community came together to celebrate the New Year, a highlight being the Lion Dance.