MSHS NEWS

MSHS

MYP UPDATE

Written by Mr. Daniele

What a spectacular celebration we enjoyed as a community to welcome the Chinese New Year! The colour, creativity, and confidence on display were a wonderful reminder of the many talents within our school. While most of our students from G6 to G9 showcased their skills both on the stage and through their summative assessments, our G10 students are preparing to join the “big leagues” through their upcoming IGCSE examinations.

At this important point in the term, we encourage all students to remain mindful and disciplined in their preparation for the IGCSE mocks:

• Create and follow a realistic study schedule.

• Study in focused intervals with short, restorative breaks.

• Maintain healthy sleep and nutrition habits.

• Review feedback carefully and target areas for growth.

• Seek clarification from teachers early.

The Year of the Horse has galloped off to a wonderful start, and with steady focus and determination, we are confident our students will continue to stride forward with strength and success!

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Kevin

The English Department at Sinarmas World Academy is in full swing during Term 3, with students and teachers alike immersed in focused preparation for upcoming summative assessments across all year levels. Our Grade 12 IB Diploma Programme candidates are particularly busy honing their skills and strategies as they approach their crucial mock IBDP exams, building confidence and refining their responses under exam conditions.

Amid the academic intensity, we're excited to celebrate the joy of reading with a vibrant lineup of activities for World Book Day coming up soon. Students have been enthusiastically crafting original short stories to share with the community, while others are preparing personalised book recommendations to inspire their peers. The highlight will be our special assembly programme, featuring engaging presentations, readings, and performances that showcase the power of literature. In true SWA spirit, our House system is leading a meaningful book donation drive, encouraging everyone to contribute gently used books to support literacy initiatives and spread the love of reading beyond our campus. 

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Written by Ms. Aisha

Grade 9 Computer Science: Exploring Sensors

In Grade 9 Computer Science, students studied the topic of Sensors and their role in technological systems. To develop deeper understanding, students worked in small groups and first focused on explaining ideas clearly to one another.

As a warm-up activity, each student had 30 seconds to describe their favourite image to their group members. This encouraged concise explanation and active listening. Once the main concepts were clear, groups divided the topic into sections. Each student became responsible for one part and explained it to the others, who then retold the information in their own words to check understanding when switching the groups.

After completing the discussions, students created short quizzes in wayground.com based on the topic. This allowed them to review key concepts, test their peers’ knowledge, and reinforce their learning in an engaging way.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr Emerson

Maths Is Fun!

Acquiring knowledge is a different experience for each learner. However, one thing is clear: we learn best when we can connect new ideas to our experiences, habits, or prior knowledge. To help build this connection, Grade 7 International Mathematics students explored mathematical concepts through songs linked to their favourite music genres.

By combining creativity with mathematical thinking, students were able to express their understanding in an engaging and meaningful way. This activity not only strengthened their grasp of key concepts but also allowed them to appreciate mathematics from a fresh and enjoyable perspective.

Below are the links to some of the student-created songs inspired by mathematics.

CHINESE DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Xia

G8 CLL students are deeply engaged in the "Green Living" unit, which guides them to use appropriate explanatory methods—such as giving examples, making comparisons, and listing data—to clearly express social issues, with environmental protection as a core focus. They explored environmental damage from electronic products, including soil and water pollution by discarded e-waste and production energy consumption, and discussed practical preventative measures like rational use and proper recycling. Additionally, students learned about human behaviours' profound environmental impacts, recognising that protecting the environment is essential for sustainable development and harmonious coexistence with nature. To spread environmental awareness, students participated in oral presentations, sharing unique eco-tips and fostering a positive atmosphere. Most importantly, they flexibly applied the unit’s language skills and explanatory methods to discussing global environmental issues, achieving the goal of applying what they learned and laying a foundation for becoming responsible global citizens.

INDONESIAN DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Ahmad

Grade 9 Students Explore Laskar Pelangi Through Collaborative Presentations

Grade 9 students delivered engaging presentations on the film Laskar Pelangi as part of their Indonesian Language lesson. In their analysis, they explored the characters and characterisation of figures such as Ikal and Lintang, highlighting their perseverance and passion for learning, examined the setting of Belitung and its socio-economic background, and discussed the moral messages about the importance of education, friendship, hard work, and resilience. Working in pairs, students strengthened their collaboration skills while preparing and presenting their ideas. This activity not only enhanced their public speaking abilities but also developed their critical thinking and teamwork skills.

INDIVIDUALS & SOCIETIES DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Greg

Grade 10 Global Perspectives have had a limited number of lessons over the past few weeks. With students busy completing their Personal Projects and participating in various school events, it almost feels as though they have already reached the end of the course.

This month, they completed their final assessment by presenting innovative solutions aimed at protecting the environment and mitigating climate change. In response to the severe flooding recently experienced in Indonesia, many students chose to focus on technologies designed to clean water, reduce pollution, and minimise the impact of flooding.

As we approach the end of the term, students have been preparing for their upcoming Mock Examinations, which will support them in getting ready for their IGCSE exams. They must also complete any final revisions to their Individual Reports before submission to Cambridge.

Overall, they appear positive and light-hearted as they near the conclusion of the course.

PHE DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Sean

This term in PHE has been dynamic, challenging, and full of growth!

Our Grade 6 students are enquiring into the concepts and strategies behind invasion games. Through team handball, flag football, and now the greatest game in the world—hockey—they are developing transferable skills, tactical awareness, and effective communication. They are building their understanding of space, movement, and collaboration while applying strategies in game situations.

Grade 7 students began the term exploring touch rugby, focusing on fundamental skills and offensive/defensive tactics. They are now transferring that conceptual understanding into basketball, refining decision-making, spatial awareness, and teamwork in gameplay.

In Grade 9, students are demonstrating real agency. During our net games unit (badminton and volleyball), they identified personal strengths and areas for growth, set SMART goals, and designed action plans to improve. Through reflection and self-management, they are taking ownership of their learning and working with purpose toward meaningful improvement.

VISUAL ARTS

Written by Ms. Jeanie

Realising Intentions in Artworks

Grade 9 Visual Arts students created a variety of compositions while they practiced with media and techniques to prepare for their final artworks this term. They are now showing the culmination of what they have learned by completing the final artworks. The line of inquiry this term started with “Interpretive landscapes”. Students connected this information to personal context by using photos they took during their holidays as a starting point. Themes include Volga Manor, Fishing Piers in Makasar, Sapporo & Otaru, and Madrid Streets. Other students focused on depicting their local context, at times using Google Maps images as a starting point. Students will also be able to work after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to complete work this week as necessary.

All Visual Art students are reminded to bring a PAINT RA  to art class. Recycling an old kitchen towel is a great way to REDUCE & RECYCLE

UGC

Update on Chinese University admission process

Prospective International students will have to sit for the CSCA test as part of the university admission. The China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) is the newly established standardised entrance exam mandatory for all international students applying for undergraduate programmes at Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) universities beginning with the September 2026 intake. Developed by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the CSCA evaluates both academic readiness and language proficiency through four primary subjects: Professional Chinese (available in Humanities or STEM tracks for Chinese-taught programmes), Mathematics (compulsory for all), and optional Physics or Chemistry modules. For the 2026 application cycle, the exam is held five times a year—specifically in January, March, April, June, and December—offering students multiple windows to secure the scores required by their target universities. While the test is currently conducted primarily in a remote, home-based online format with AI proctoring, it serves as a critical quantitative benchmark for admissions and scholarship evaluations, transitioning from the previous reliance solely on HSK scores and high school transcripts.