Even though it was rather windy on October 22, the Autumn Fair at Harrow International School was still filled with enthusiasm.

In addition to various raffles with attractive gifts to give away, the fair included a Beijing Opera performance. Two young students put on an excellent performance with challenging martial arts body movements with both precision and fun.

On another front, the parents’ choir formed by a group of 24 moms appeared to be rather stunning in the midst of chilly wind. They showed up in elegant white dress with an image which would get no criticism even in a professional concert.

Harrow’s autumn fair naturally featured the school’s centuries old hat-wearing tradition. But as it is not a boys-only school here, the day’s highlight of hat show turned out to be a very colorful collection of different styles and materials. Hat-wearing heroes (mostly moms and children, but also a few brave dads) could be often spotted anywhere on campus. Several booths displayed attractive hat products and accessories as well.

The primary event celebrating the was the hats judging and prize giving by Beijing’s famous millener and designer, Elisabeth Koch.

In addition to hats, choir, and Beijing opera, the many other activities and products displayed. Tip Tree pastry from England won a lot of attention with their staff’s impressive white uniform skirts. A football game brought a lot of fun and good spirits.

If you’re still wondering what you could do with the kids this weekend, stop wondering! Harrow International School of Beijing is hosting their annual Autumn Fair this Saturday, October 22.

Every year, Harrow hosts a themed autumn fair, where last year’s “Britishness” was a huge success! This year, Harrow continues with the Britishness (they’re a British school after all), but now they’re more specific: Alice in Wonderland and British hats!

Students of Harrow International School Beijing are expected to come in house colors and British hats! Everyone else should probably stick with British hats, such as a top hat, or just debut your Alice in Wonderland Halloween costume a week earlier! The Most Stylish Hat will be judged by hat connoisseur, Elisabeth Koch Millinery, so don’t take the theme lightly.

Visitors can expect “various games, activities, raffles, parades, performances, handmade art, jewelry, and bric-a-brac” along with international food and drinks with which to fuel up! The event is hosted by Friends of Harrow and is the largest fundraising event at Harrow International School Beijing.

10am-4pm. October 22. Harrow International School Beijing. No.287 Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang County, Chaoyang District.  朝阳区崔各庄乡何各庄村287号, 邮编.

How do you relax?
I relax by playing rugby with my team, The Devils, outside of school.

What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession is my cat.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The screeching sound when you scratch your nails against things.

What would your super power be?
Time travel.

Which book changed your life?
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
I most admire Shauna Coxsey because of her amazing climbing ability, determination, and positive attitude.

Which living person do you most dislike, and why?
Donald Trump because he is sexist and racist.

Who would play you in the film of your life?
Amy Poehler.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
The cast of [British topical comedy show] Mock the Week.

If you could bring one extinct species back to life, what would you choose?
The Dodo bird.

What do you owe your parents?
Pretty much everything. They have taught me everything from being able to catch a ball to my manners to my self-reliance.

What do you owe your school?
A good education and the many experiences I’ve had living in China.

What advice would you give other students at your school?
Take every opportunity you get, otherwise you’ll regret it later.

What is your earliest memory?
Giving my younger sister one of my toys when she was born.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you so far?
Smiling actually makes everything a little bit better.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Teleportation would allow me an extra hour of sleep in the mornings.

When were you happiest?
I’m happy whenever I’m with friends and just having carefree fun.

What makes you unhappy?
Animal cruelty.

Where would you most like to be right now?
I’d most want to be on top of a mountain with a nice view.

What tops your bucket list?
Skydiving.

What trait do you most dislike in others?
Apathy.

What trait do you most dislike in yourself?
My sarcastic nature.

What is your favorite word?
Plasmodesmata.

What is your least favorite word?
Meniscus.

What is your greatest achievement?
I recently received the Head Girl and the Senior Sportswoman of the Year titles.

What is your greatest fear?
Forgetting people.

When did you last cry, and why?
I cried last week while suffering from a cold.

This article originally appeared on page 37 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Newbold Family

Teachers from Beijing World Youth Academy and Harrow International School Beijing recommend educational apps for the summer months

Math Battles to Go
Zach Ellis, first grade teacher at Beijing World Youth Academy, recommends Math Battle as a great time killer app for kids when waiting for a flight or sitting in the back of a car on long journeys. Math Battle is free to download with no additional paid add-ons or distracting advertisements, and is an innovative math practice app that combines math problems with a futuristic space ship battle. With the level of difficulty ranging from kindergarten up to complex long division, the gameplay alternates between arithmetic drills and exciting space missions. Getting the right answers powers up your spaceship for the next mission.

Zach adds, “This app really feels more like a game than anything educational and represents a fun challenge for all ages and levels that really helps develop a child’s numeracy and mental arithmetic abilities. Children are using smart devices all the time these days but apps, such as Math Battle, ensure that the time playing on a smart phone or tablet doesn’t have to be time wasted. This is a great app to have on any device that your child regularly uses and is a perfect way to keep children occupied during any vacation down time.
“WiFi is not necessary in order to enjoy the app so it is perfect for those summer travel plans as content is accessible wherever you are. It also includes a full tutorial on how the play the game, so your children will be working their brain cells while destroying asteroids in a far off galaxy before you can say blast off!”

Designer Outlets
Ian Wade, Design and Technology teacher at Harrow International School Beijing recommends two software programs for your laptop hugging child! The first is Westpoint Bridge Builder, which as its name suggests, is a program for budding engineers to discover what it takes to build a strong and sturdy bridge. Once you’ve finished the design, you can name the bridge, see how much it costs to construct, and assess the weak and strong aspects of your design.  Finally, you can even test your bridge by opening the design in the simulator, which will play a 3D animation of a lorry driving over your bridge, at which point the question will be: will your bridge be strong enough?

The second software that Wade recommends is TechSoft2D Design, which allows users to create sophisticated drawing and design features without having to pour hours into learning how to use it.  TechSoft2D Design’s simple user interface means that 2D Design is the Computer Assisted Design (CAD) standard for the vast majority of secondary schools, allowing for drawings for traditional engineering, colorful free-form designs for embroidery, or smart graphical presentation sheets.  Once you’re back in school, you can ask your Design Tech teacher to assist in producing your 2D design with whichever tool you need: laser and vinyl cutters, embroidery machine, or any other Computer Assisted Manufacturing (CAM) output that can be used with 2D design.

This article originally appeared on page 39 of the 2016 June-July Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos courtesy of BWYA & Harrow Beijing

Cricket enthusiasts of all ages gathered at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) on Sunday, June 12 for the second annual Mike Gatting Cricket Festival.

Mike Gatting was one of the game’s top batsmen during his heyday, captaining England to victory against Australia in the world’s oldest international sporting rivalry, The Ashes, and the great man was there in person to oversee events. (You can read our exclusive interview with Gatting here, and find out what competing at the highest level has taught him about leadership and life.)

Students from DCB, Harrow Beijing, and the Pakistan Embassy College Beijing took part in games and coaching, with Gatting himself offering guidance to the young players. In the afternoon DCB staff competed against parents in a friendly twenty-over game. The staff were victorious, by a generous margin!

The idea behind the Mike Gatting Cricket Festival is to promote the playing and understanding of cricket in East Asia. Although cricket is estimated to be the world’s third most popular sport after soccer and basketball, with over two billion people regularly watching games, it remains virtually unknown in China outside Hong Kong. (The Hong Kong team is ranked 15th in the world.)

The Festival is sponsored by wealth management group Brooks Macdonald, who brought Mike over to Beijing, and support a similar event in Shanghai. beijingkids is proud to be the Festival’s media sponsor.

Photo: Courtesy of DCB

On May 29 teachers from international schools across Beijing gathered at Harrow International School Beijing for the intriguingly named “Lake Balls Exhibition.”

This was a friendly football tournament, designed to bring together the teaching community for a day of good-spirited sporting rivalry. The schools taking part were Beanstalk International Bilingual School (BIBS), British Schools Beijing (BSB), Beijing BISS International School, Canadian International School Beijing (CISB), German Embassy School Beijing, Dulwich College Beijing (DCB), Harrow International School Beijing, Keystone Academy, Western Academy Beijing (WAB), and Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS). Tsinghua International School were also scheduled to take part but unfortunately had to pull out at the last minute.

The final was contested between Harrow and Keystone Academy. Both teams had as their driving force a nine-goal striker, Leon Clarke for Harrow and Bobby for Keystone Academy, who shared the laurels as the tournament’s best players. (At the time of writing we have been unable to ascertain “Bobby”‘s full name, and can only presume that like the Brazilian greats Pele and Socrates, one name is all he needs…) After a hard fought match Harrow eventually triumphed, thanks to a goal from event organizer David Nicholson.

Despite bringing raucous support (and picnics), YCIS Beijing finished bottom of the league, after being hit by injuries to key players in early games. James Honey of YCIS Beijing admitted to being “sick as a parrot”, and Jim Sweeney said “It’s back to the drawing board for us,” both men demonstrating an impressive grasp of the soccer cliché.

Harrow Beijing hopes to make this an annual event, but the day was such a success that other schools have proposed holding it termly, with a different school hosting each time. Either way it looks set to become a fixture in Beijing’s sporting calendar.

And that unusual name? David Nicholson explains that during Harrow’s after-school Friday evening games, his wayward shooting often results in footballs flying over the school fence and into a nearby lake. At the event itself, he managed to keep his shots low, but we can report that DCB kept the proud tradition of “Lake Balls” alive…

Photos: Courtesy of Harrow School Beijing

Answering for us is Ms. Carlien Shelley, Assistant Head Pastoral of Upper School at Harrow International School Beijing.

This week’s question is:
“What is the house system and why is it conducive to my child’s education?”

The House system at Harrow Beijing is central to our student’s wellbeing and personal development as they journey through their school career and progress onto life beyond school. Based on the traditional boarding house systems of Harrow UK, the house system is a fundamental ingredient in providing a personalized learning environment in which each child is closely monitored by a key member of staff.

Through our House system, for example, we encourage the growth of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and habits of learning whilst constantly working towards academic excellence. This includes encouraging a love of learning for its own sake, achieving a good record of entry to the best universities, and ensuring pupils leave in full possession of the skills that will prove vital in university and beyond.

At Harrow, we have six Houses, each with a distinctive logo and color. All students belong to one House and develop a strong sense of belonging and allegiance to their House over the course of their time at Harrow Beijing. Harrow’s House system offers pupils a personalized experience which is modeled on the best practice of British independent boarding schools. The names of Harrow Beijing Houses are rooted in our historical links to both the UK and China: Song Qing Ling, Curie, Ju Ching Chu, Churchill, Kong Zi and John Lyon.

In the Lower School, students come together in their Houses for events such as competing for House sport trophies, singing competitions, and even building shelters to raise awareness and donations for children who are homeless. Each student’s pastoral care is provided by their class teacher and guidance and oversight is provided by the Assistant Head Pastoral of the Lower School.

Students in the Upper School also belong to one of these six Houses, each led by a Prep Leader or Housemaster/mistress who has responsibility for the students in their House across the three distinct phases of the Upper School. The House Leaders are supported by the Assistant Head Pastoral of the Upper School which provides another tier in our approach to a collaborative pastoral support system.

Within the six Harrow Houses are smaller vertical tutor groups which consist of a mix of students from across the year groups within each phase; prep, Senior and Sixth Form. In this way, each Tutor can deliver close personal tutoring, whilst the students offer support to each other and develop friendships across a range of year groups. In Year 8 and Year 13 students have the opportunity to become House prefects, a position in which they can lead other pupils and encourage involvement in House events and work with their House Leader to build and encourage a strong House identity.

The House system allows close personal tutoring to become a reality, having a member of staff holistically responsible for each student’s academic progress while also monitoring their extra-curricular and personal development.. The house system allows and maintains a ‘small school’ atmosphere within a large school structure, and most importantly the House system serves as a link between school and home, where parents can benefit from a clear line of communication from their child’s tutor and House leader.

Photo: courtesy of Harrow International School Beijing

In anticipation of the Beijing International School Expo on January 16-17, we’re highlighting local and international schools around Beijing from the upcoming 2016-2017 beijingkids School Choice Guide, which comes out on January 4

Harrow International School Beijing prides itself on high academic standards that are maintained within a close-knit school community, rich extra-curricular activity programs, and high-quality pastoral care. All students are assigned a personal tutor who looks after their overall welfare and serves as a liaison between the school and home. In addition to high academic standards, leadership skills are promoted school-wide with a range of enrichment activities to help students develop teamwork, creative thinking skills, independence, and responsibility. Students graduating from Harrow Beijing have won places at a range of universities across the world, including Princeton, Yale, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Founding date: 2005
Age range: 2-18 years old
Grades offered: Pre-Nursery to Sixth Form
School type: International school
Total area: 66,600sqm
Curriculum description: English National Curriculum
Boarding program: We provide residential accommodation to eligible students from Year 6 to 13
Number of students: 750
Is the school accredited by the Ministry of Education? Yes
Foreign passport holders accepted? Yes
Local Chinese students accepted? Yes, but with strict entry requirements
Tuition fees for the 2015-2016 academic year:
• Application fee: RMB 3,500
• Pre-School (half-day): RMB 80,100
• Pre-School (full-day): RMB 146,300
• Nursery: RMB 146,300
• Reception: RMB 167,300
• Year 1: RMB 198, 600
• Year 2: RMB 209, 100
• Year 3-5: RMB 211,100
• Year 6-8: RMB 230,100
• Years 9-11: RMB 244,600
• Years 12-13: RMB 258,400
• Lunch fee: RMB 6,000, including snacks
Type of lunch offered and cost: Wide choice of western, Asian and vegetarian options with fruit, soup, salads, and a range of desserts
Nationality of students: 29 nationalities, including Britain, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea, US, and more
Primary teaching language: English
Other languages taught as electives: Mandarin, Spanish
Average class size: Approx. 20
Average teacher/student ratio: 1:7
School hours: 8am-3pm, 3-4.15pm for Leadership in Action activities (after-school activities)
After-school activities: Additional modern foreign languages, various academic and art groups, performing arts and music, sports clubs, Cookery Club, chess, debate, and more
Special needs programs offered? No
Extra help offered (tutoring, ESL/ESOL, etc.)? Yes, ESOL
Scholarships offered? Yes
School facilities: Geothermal heating and cooling across the campus, three sports fields, multi-function sports hall, fitness gyms, two swimming pools, multi-function theater space, two black box theater studios, 13 fully-equipped science laboratories, six large music rooms with many smaller practice rooms, and 20,000-volume library
School nurse/doctor available on campus? Yes, two full-qualified nurses
Contact: 287 Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang County, Chaoyang District (6444 8900, admissions@harrowbeijing.cn)
www.harrowbeijing.cn 朝阳区崔各庄乡何各庄村287号

Photo: Courtesy of Harrow International School Beijing

Harrow: Autumn Fair
Prepare to indulge in a quintessentially British affair at Harrow Beijing’s Autumn Fair. This year’s theme is All Things British and includes fun games and activities, live performances, maypole dancing, various foods, a tennis tournament, and much more. The event will raise funds for various charities identified by the parent-led Friends of Harrow. The event is free to attend and takes place on Saturday October 17, from 10am-4pm at Harrow International School Beijing (HISB).

China Open Jumping and National Young Riders Cup
After the success of the first China Open Cup in August 2015, the second edition will be held on from Thursday October 16 – Sunday October 18, from 8.30am-5.30pm. Organized by the Chinese Equestrian Association (CEA) and co-organized by the Equuleus International Riding Club. This show offers the opportunity to riders, of different levels, to run for five different classes, from ground pole to the 140-145cm. Tickets priced between RMB 399 – 1,999. The event will be held at Equuleus International Riding Club, No. 91 Shunbai Road, Sunhe Town, Chaoyang District (8459 0236, equuleus@equriding.com) www.equriding.com 北京市朝阳区孙河镇顺白路91号

Atelier: Create a Halloween Cardboard Costume
You always see those incredible, huge, original costumes made of cardboard? You always told yourself: “next year I will start earlier and make one myself”? But each time, you don’t have cardboard, enough space, and don’t want to clean everything after? This year, Atelier Art Studio in Shunyi has it all – the space, the materials, and the knowledge. Sunday October 25, from 1.30-5pm come along and make your dream costume. Suitable for parents and kids aged over 8 years. RMB 200 per person with family discount available. To book, email shunyi@atelier.cn.com

beijingkids and JingKids: 9^th Halloween Costume Party
Join in the fun on Sunday November 1, from 1-5pm at Keystone Academy. Expect to be spooked and have a whole lot of scary fun with a school-themed haunted house, on-site trick or treat, pumpkin carving, face painting, costume parade and much more. beijingkids club members RMB 150 (adults), RMB 200 (kids), non-members RMB 250 (adults), RMB 300 (kids). Group discounts 20 per cent off purchases of more than five tickets, and 40 per cent off purchases of more than 10 tickets. Get your tickets early, before they run out. Call 5934 6708 or email events@truerun.com

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: Steenbergs, Anders Ruff Custom Designs (Flickr), courtesy of Equuleus