DBS NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents and Guardians, This week, the Prep School held their reading workshops and it was great to see so many parents take the time to attend. Reading is very important to us for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that the majority of the students at DBS are speakers of English as an additional language. This means that they are working very hard and doing very well in their subjects… in a non-native language, which is amazing! Reading is an important element in this equation, as students who consistently take the time to read in English will find that it improves all of their other language skills (listening, speaking and writing). A few years ago, I was fortunate to attend an event in which Professor Krashen, a world renowned linguist and researcher in the field of second language acquisition, gave a talk on the importance of reading for second language acquisition. Professor Krashen told the audience that young learners pick up language quickly, but they do this bett...

 Dear Parents and Guardians, Now that we have settled into term, I thought it would be worthwhile to share with you some of the things that we will be working on this year as part of our school improvement plan. Our plan is based on 3 themes: culture, curriculum and community. Under the theme of culture, we have launched the DBS Code which guides the actions that we take relating to student behaviour. You will also have noticed as part of this that we are focusing on school uniform. Some parents have asked us why we have reverted back to black leather school shoes. Last year, in response to parental feedback we allowed students to wear trainers but we were finding that this led to slipping standards of uniform and that this was impacting on student behaviour and attitudes to learning. By improving the consistency of dress, it makes it much easier to focus on high standards. We are working on several areas of our curriculum and are also developing new materials for our parents to un...

With the reporting cycle about the start again in the coming weeks, I thought I would write and explain that i n the important years of Years 9 to 13, fostering a growth mindset is vital for students. This mindset empowers them to perceive challenges as stepping stones to personal and academic growth, enabling them to thrive in both realms. Report cards serve as a vital component of this journey. Instead of fixating solely on grades, it is essential to stress the importance of continuous improvement. When students receive their reports, they should be encouraged to analyse their progress, identify areas of weakness and strengths, and set goals for future development. This shift in perspective instils resilience and a genuine thirst for knowledge. Every C grade can be built upon and every A can be further improved. A growth mindset also ingrains the belief that success is not a linear path. Experiencing setbacks and reacting to them in a healthy and positive manner is a must in every gr...

Dear DBS Prep Parents, It was great to see many of you this week at our reading workshops for all sections of the Prep School. Reading is like a superpower for your children, equipping them with the incredible ability to explore the world around them and gain a deeper understanding of it. Through the pages of books, your children can explore different cultures, worlds, times and perspectives. If you couldn't attend the workshop, please take the time to read the slides that were shared to help you understand how you can best support your child's reading during their educational journey at DBS. Congratulations to all students who represented DBS in our first sporting fixtures of the academic year this week. Our U9 and U11 footballers made the trip to Bangkok Patana to play in challenging and competitive matches as part of our new BISA league. Thank you also to parents who could come and support the teams, making the games fantastic community events. For our youngest students in Y...

I am  excited to share some wonderful news with you this week. At DBS, we are committed to providing the best possible education for your children, and one key aspect of that is our dedication to phonics teaching. Phonics is the foundation of reading and writing. This fundamental skill has a profound impact on your child's literacy development. Every morning in Pre-Prep, the children participate in dedicated phonics lessons. During these lessons, they learn new sounds and reinforce their existing knowledge. Phonics helps them recognise the sounds that make up words, making it easier for them to read and write independently.  Over the past month, our dedicated Pre-Prep teachers have been actively engaged in training for Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics. This training is essential to ensure that our teachers are equipped with the latest techniques and knowledge, enabling them to provide the highest quality phonics teaching to your children. We are thrilled to be able to offer this ...

Meet Mr Ashraf Talaat, our new Economics and Business Studies Teacher for the Academic Year 2023-24.

 Meet Ms Rubani Sethi, our School Counsellor and Well-being Lead for the Academic Year 2023-24.

 

 Leading the way in 2023/24! Introducing our senior school student leaders for this academic year. ⭐️Aom Head Student (Enhanced British Curriculum) ⭐️ Ellie Head Student (Enterprise) ⭐️PunPun Deputy Head Student (Academic Excellence) ⭐️Felicia Deputy Head Student (Wellbeing & Sustainability) ⭐️Tong Deputy Head Student (Sustainability) ⭐️Pearl Prefect (Enhanced British Curriculum) ⭐️JK Prefect (Academic Excellence) ⭐️Ping Prefect (Thai Values) ⭐️Ging Prefect (Thai Values) ⭐️Zen Prefect (Wellbeing) ⭐️Proud Prefect (Enterprise) Get ready for a year filled with inspiration, innovation, and positive change as these remarkable students take the helm.

Join us at the DBS Farmer Market! 🍅🥕 Calling all nature enthusiasts, foodies, and families!  Get ready for a delightful day of fresh, locally grown produce and community fun!  Let's celebrate the beauty of sustainable farming and support our local growers. It's a family-friendly affair you won't want to miss!

Stay Safe and Stay Healthy DBS Community! We prioritise the well-being of our students by conducting daily deep cleaning and using UV light to kill germs.

Thank you to all the amazing parents and community members who joined us for our Senior School Parent Morning Meeting!  We had insightful discussions about University Pathways, IGCSE and A-Level options, Preparing University Applications, and the unwavering support we provide to our students on their journey to great Universities.   Your presence made it truly special. Let's continue to thrive together in the DBS community! 

The U18 XII Netball team had a brilliant start to the season against Shrewsbury. The game started off with a bang, with high energy and intensity on the court. The team did well to turn over the ball and move it quickly down the court to Plum, who secured our first few goals of the game. Defence were working hard to put pressure on players in the circle which led to many fantastic turnovers.  The first and second quarter ended with Shrewsbury leading only by a couple of goals. During the second half of the game, the girls fitness was really put to the test but this did not stop their determination or positive attitude. Mild kept the centre court strong, providing an excellent link between our defence and attack, and the Ping & Ging defensive duo put Shrewsbury attack under pressure.  A really fantastic start with brilliant performances from the whole squad. We look forward to seeing how the girls progress over the coming weeks.

In Year 4, we have been learning about the Vikings. In Art, we have been researching Viking Longships; what they look like, how they are made and how the Vikings used them. In Humanities, we have been learning about where the Vikings were from and where they travelled. As well as, the Norse Gods they believed and learning about the Tale of Thor and the Giants. The students have created comic strips to retell this story. We can't wait to see what we will learn next!

Spotlight on Sixth Form Wish, Y13 I love being a student at DBS because… The friendly environment creates a welcoming atmosphere where students are able to feel comfortable and valued. This environment creates a strong bond among students with a lot of collaborative activities and the exchange of ideas. Additionally, the support provided by our dedicated teachers is beyond compare. Their commitment to our growth and wellbeing ensures that we are provided with the right guidance and encouragement needed in our studies. Furthermore, the freedom we have in a school which offers so many different subjects that genuinely interest me is a remarkable aspect of being a student here at DBS. My proudest achievements so far are.. - The social opportunities I have had and the strong bonds and friendships I have made. We have enjoyed some great events and occasions together such as the Year 12 and 13 residentials and the end of Year 12 dinner. Above all, I appreciate the opportunity to work in smal...

  This week in Otters.

This week has been full of new adventures for the Daisy class! We visited the Mini Dragons garden for the very first time! The children loved exploring the water pump, the sand pit, the bikes, and the climbing webs. They are starting to show true resilience in the face of challenges and an appreciation for the natural world. We also love to play cooking and building games in the class and shared area. Keep flying, Mini Dragons!

This week we have been able to introduce some more new experiences to the children in the Sunflower Class. We now have a large digital screen in the Mini Dragon shared play space and the children have loved exploring this. They have been able to simulate watercolour painting on the board, choosing their own colours and we noticed what happens when different colours mix together. On Wednesday we took a trip to the large Early Years Garden where the children had great fun moving around the space and exploring the wonderful natural resources there. They particularly loved the sand and the water. We were all very tired after this visit! We hope to see you all back in class next week. Have a restful weekend.

  We have had a lovely week in Pufferfish class! For our story book ‘Dear Zoo’ we have been busy creating lots of different animals such as monkeys, camels and lions. We have used animals in our messy play, walking them through mud and washing them in the water tray and have pretended to be animals, using musical instruments to make their sounds. We have also loved our PE lessons where we climbed, balanced and jumped through obstacle courses! All the children in Pufferfish class should be super proud. Well done everyone!