Weekly Bulletin

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• December 8 : Legislative Council General Elections - No school
• December 12 : Last day of term. School finishes at 12.05pm
• January 5 : First day of term 2
• Term dates 2026-27

Those of you who have been following closely on Gibbon Stream recently, will have seen first-hand the variety of amazing experiences that ICHK students participated in during DL+ Week. As a school, we advocate for an education system that is designed as a series of diverse activities that stretch and challenge students across the full range of their emergent adolescent personas. This commitment, together with the benefits of these experiences for our students and community, was proudly visible last week.

Our DL+ programme is one of the keys to the development of our students as confident, resilient learners, and focuses on outdoor pursuits, service work and teamwork. It is a vital part of our curriculum which builds year on year, and is carefully designed to push students to experience the limits of their capacities in ways that regular school is not able to do. The week allows students to challenge themselves, to bond with their classmates, and to develop in ways which simply could not be duplicated within the classroom, developing the key skills of collaboration, perseverance and problem solving, which are central to the ICHK philosophy.

This year students have been hiking in Nepal, learning to surf and carrying out community work in the Philippines, and discovering the enchanting traditions of rural Japan. Others have been enjoying the spectacular beauty of Hong Kong, learning about its food, culture, natural environment and heritage. They have been hiking, camping, cooking, learning first aid skills, and experiencing an amazing range of programmes, all designed to put everything they learn at ICHK into practice in real world situations.

One highlight of the week was the opportunity to spend time visiting different groups, starting with the Year 8 camp at Hoi Ha in Sai Kung. I joined a group in high spirits, and although it was a windy and slightly cool day the students were all in their water gear and ready for coastal adventures. Our students and teachers were in excellent form, with a lot of laughter despite some tiredness during a busy week. From there I visited our students at More Good, a charity that welcomes ICHK volunteers to their kitchen in Chai Wan for a hands-on workshop where they use fresh ingredients to prepare high-quality meals that provide relief to vulnerable groups. Again, I was impressed by what I saw, with our students collaborating closely and taking the work seriously, and the feedback from the More Good staff was excellent.

Elite Martial Arts provided an opportunity to see something different, and on the afternoon I joined the group was practising their sparring. All competed fiercely, demonstrated good skills and fought well, but what impressed me the most was the positive spirit and support of each other. Shouting encouragement from the side, reassuring pats on the back, checking to see if an opponent was ok after a stray strike, there was superb camaraderie evident, with the more experienced fighters helping to coach and mentor the others.

I was also lucky enough to join the Year 7 Camp one evening for dinner, and again there was a relaxed and vibrant atmosphere evident. The students did a superb job of cooking their own meals and helping one other get organised, and the smores were excellent, with much advice shared about the best methods for achieving optimal marshmallow toasting. Post-camp, I also checked in with some of the Year 7 students, and here’s what they shared:

Olivia Leung 7.2 - I enjoyed farm to table because I got to learn new things with my friends, like learning about plants and organics and how they help the farm. I also got to carry a baby goat and it was really nice.

Rose Chan 7.4 - I liked hiking and looking at the views, and talking to my classmates while hiking. The challenge was going uphill, and I just pushed myself and drank a lot of water.

Yu Tse 7.2 - my favourite part was that I got to be with my mates and the challenge was the wind. The wind was strong and most people’s tents were floating around. Our tent didn’t move because we pegged it well, we talked to take our minds off the wind.

Hugo Ross 7.2 - My favourite part was the islanders game, because we hiked across the island and completed different quests and fought the dragons at the end. We got lost, so we looked at the map and went to where it said we needed to go next.

Again, we have received fantastic feedback from our staff and activity providers about how impressed they are with our students' positivity, interest and curiosity as they explored the world around them - we could not be prouder. We see our students experience life changing moments and personal growth, and returning to school more confident and resilient as a result.

Education at ICHK is an epistemic apprenticeship, in that it covers all activities concerned with thinking, learning and knowing. However what sets the ICHK apprenticeship apart is that it intentionally involves the cultivation of a more diverse set of ways of approaching the complexity, uncertainty and challenge of life. As an aspect of this apprenticeship, Deep Learning re-imagines what can be taught in schools and is one of the more important ways in which we offer our students learning experiences which allow them to flourish as all-round people. The Deep Learning mindset evolves quite naturally to express itself in academic accomplishment, and fostering such a mindset is just one part of what makes ICHK a special and unique place for our students to learn.

My thanks must go to all ICHK teachers and staff involved in Deep Learning+ Week. It was a huge organisational effort, and for many the days were long and sleep proved elusive, but our team’s commitment and dedication saw a fantastic experience enjoyed by our students and community. My gratitude also goes to our community of parents and caregivers, whose trust and support makes such a positive contribution to the success of programmes such as these.

Have a lovely weekend.

As Sean has outlined, another very successful Deep Learning + Week has been completed.

Students across the school enjoyed an amazing range of programmes, experiencing life changing moments and personal growth.

They pushed outside of their comfort zones, grew in confidence and forged strong bonds with classmates.

Groups travelled to Nepal, Japan and the Philippines, whilst others enjoyed the beauty of Hong Kong, engaging with local culture and putting everything they learn at ICHK into practice in real world situations.

The programmes we offer are key to the development of our students as confident, resilient learners, and every year there is a focus on outdoor pursuits, service work and teamwork.

For the first time, students enjoyed a hands-on, experiential trip on the Kunisaki Peninsula in west Japan. They were immersed in the rich traditions and enchanting beauty of rural Japan, and made an active contribution to the local community by working with local farmers.

Another group hiked the majestic Khopra Ridge in Nepal, navigating through lush forests and stunning alpine landscapes, and experiencing the rewarding sight of snow-capped peaks at sunrise.

A service learning programme in the Philippines helped students connect and engage with the environment and the local community. As well as joining in turtle conservation work, they were able to experience the amazing coastline through surfing.

Closer to home, some students volunteered as outdoor leader assistants, and others worked as primary school assistants.

A group enjoyed an exciting Outward Bound adventure, journeying around the islands of northern Hong Kong, learning to care for themselves, others, and the world around them.

Others enjoyed a coffee workshop, learning about the world of coffee, beans, and barista culture and then running sales at school with proceeds donated to charity.

Another group volunteered at Crossroads, where they sorted and packed donated items, including 2,340 pairs of shoes. The students also experienced simulation scenarios, depicting the lives of people struggling in different extreme situations, including blindness, extreme poverty, war, and AIDS.

A team was busy at school creating a community art project that will be permanently displayed at ICHK, whilst first aid training has also been underway.

Other students have been a learning variety of traditional and modern martial arts, including Muay Thai and Kickboxing, Western Boxing and TaeKwonDo, with a strong emphasis on discipline development.

Years 7s experienced a week of outdoor learning including farming, hiking, kayaking and camping. Year 8s were engaged in a five day outdoor learning camp aimed at developing their resilience and collaboration skills with peers.

Some of our year 9s have been engaged in an adventure week, journeying through the beautiful wilderness of Sai Kung Country Park on a canoeing and hiking expedition. Others completed a week of self exploration, community, activity and service as part of the More Good programme.

An Explore HK group has been enjoying a taste of everything Hong Kong, including food, service, culture, nature and heritage. They spent time volunteering, hiking, enjoying some of the city’s culinary delights, and competing in an adventure race.

Upper school students from the Plus 1 Centre have been developing their life skills, learning about budgeting, cooking, and managing themselves independently.

Our media team has been capturing all the action on film.

DL+ Week was the second iteration of what will be a total of four Deep Learning experiences for students this year. Every term they will enjoy a period of immersive learning, practical opportunities and real life experiences outside of the confines of the classroom, which we believe challenge many of the established norms of mainstream education. DL+ Week is a vital part of our curriculum which builds year on year, and is carefully designed to push students to experience the limits of their capacities in ways that regular school is not able to do.

The gallery of pictures below gives only a small snapshot and hundreds of pictures from the week can be found at our Gibbon Stream channel at Other >Stream.

We thank all the staff members who worked so hard to provide such an amazing range of learning opportunities.

A reminder that school is closed on Monday as the campus is being used for the Legislative Council General Elections.

A fantastic day of sport was enjoyed at the Hong Kong Schools Touch Championship this week.

Five teams from ICHK competed at the event at King’s Park, with amazing skills being showcased. The overall level of play has significantly increased, reflecting strong development in the game.

More than 500 students in 45 teams from 13 schools took part in the event.

ICHK won first place in U14 Boys, fourth in U16 and U20 Girls, fifth in U20 Boys and sixth in U14 Girls.

The tournament, which was hosted by ICHK and CDNIS, was created to provide more students with opportunities to play touch rugby and learn the values it embodies - sportsmanship, respect, fair play, team spirit and inclusiveness.

It has gone from strength to strength over the years and ICHK has developed a strong tradition of participation and success. Our touch rugby programme continues to grow and as well as exposure to competition, it helps students develop leadership skills, deal with challenge, develop grit and perseverance and the pride that is associated with playing for the school.

A big thank you to the ICHK staff for working with our teams, our team captains, players and our volunteer marshals and photographers. Most of all thank you to all the players who took part. Every single one of them contributed to the success of the day.

Year 13 IB students are submitting their final Extended Essays this week.

The EE is a 4000 word research essay required to complete the full IB Diploma Program.

Students choose a topic and work with a supervisor in their subject area to develop a research question, conduct research, and write the essay. This process takes place each year from mid-February until December.

During DL+ Week, the students participated in a series of structured sessions, receiving support on the EE, together with higher education applications, internal assessments, CAS and Theory of Knowledge work.

Some of their essay titles, thoughts and advice for year 12 students are shared below.

Agnes Li: To what extent could immersive theatre successfully adapt Bloodborne's subjective horror and storytelling while maintaining its psychological impact?

“My advice to next year’s year 13s is to have a clear and detailed plan for how you want to proceed and come back to each section often. Also do in-text citations when you're writing.”

Hayden Frankle: How does Robert Wilson use minimalist lighting and slow-motion movement to convey meaning related to isolation in Einstein on the Beach?

“I think the research tools you have to learn through the process were rewarding to discover; even small things like using mybib for citations saved so much time and effort - I know these tools will be very useful later in life.”

Daisy Palmer: How are female archetypes conformed to and subverted in Bram Stoker’s Dracula?

“Not only did it prepare me for the university level work ahead, it also gave me an opportunity to investigate and talk about something I was genuinely interested in in depth. I'm now able to support and describe why I like Dracula and why I think it's good. There was a learning curve when I first started looking at academic articles, as there were a lot of them so it was very daunting and I wasn't really sure what to look for. Your EE should be something you're actually interested in! It doesn't have to be your magnum opus, but you should at least care about what it is you're writing about. It's so much easier to write 4000 words about a topic you genuinely like than one you're only doing because you think it'll get you marks. Your engagement (or lack thereof) will be obvious to the examiner.”

Oson Chow: To what extent do the global seizure numbers of pangolins (Manis Pholidota) correlate with importer-reported quantities of trades from 2004 to 2024?

“What I found rewarding were the 'Aha' moments during the writing of my EE, sifting through sources, and finally arriving at an original insight or conclusion. That moment when the pieces of my evidence support my statement is incredibly empowering for me.”

Anthony Yeung: How can LEDC use tourism to maximise economic growth potential while avoiding the negative externalities of mass global tourism on ecosystem?

“My advice is make sure you do your EE over the summer.

Tsz Him: What concentration of different types of phytohormones, such as Indole-3-Acetic Acid (auxin), 6-Benzylaminopurine (cytokinin), and Gibberellic Acid GA3 (Gibberellin), produces the most nutrient-dense (Fibres, Protein and Sugars) crop yield of the Brassica oleracea var. italica?

“It was rewarding as it allowed me to use STEM techniques to analyse and conduct a long term project.”

Caspar Wai: To What Extent does Anxious Attachment Influence Relationship Satisfaction in Young Adults?

“It was rewarding to investigate an area that I'm interested in. It was challenging going through tons of academic journals to structure arguments and maintaining the focus throughout, as well as staying within the word limit.”

Ian Cheng: To what extent was the Truman Doctrine pivotal in the breakdown of the Grand Alliance and the start of the Cold War before 1949?

“Choose a topic/subject you genuinely enjoy doing and have lots of credible sources to use.”

As part of the EE process, students will meet with their supervisor to conduct a viva voce before the end of term. Congratulations to Year 13 students on a job well done!

ICHK students have been supporting a primary football festival.

A group of students volunteered to act as referees and marshalls at the HKPSSA Kowloon Boys & Girls Football Festival, held at the HKFA training centre in Tseung Kwan O.

It was organised by ICHK Primary for more than 300 primary school students from international schools across Hong Kong.

Luca Dauchez, Noah Minor and Kyle Cheung played important roles in ensuring the festival ran smoothly.

They were wonderful ambassadors for our school and adopted a growth mindset – a key personal attribute which we promote to all students, in identifying a new opportunity and successfully pursuing it to its conclusion.

The day offered plenty of opportunities to develop collaborative skills, deal with new situations, learn about and practice leadership skills, responsibility and collaboration.

Our students were commended for their professionalism and the way they conducted themselves by our primary counterparts, and participants from other schools.

The last day of term will include our traditional end-of-year assembly and awards ceremony.

Term ends for the break at 12.05pm on Friday 12th December.

Students will spend the morning engaged in a series of activities, before joining together for the assembly.

Awards will be issued for Growth Mindset, Courage in the Learning Zone and Support of Peers, which strongly reflect our mission and vision as a school.

You can read more about why these three categories have been chosen for special focus at the following links:

Growth Mindset

Courage in the Learning Zone

Support of Peers

We look forward to marking the end of term with a morning of celebration.

Over the past term, our Year 10 students have explored the unit “Desire”, which invites them to consider the core question: What do humans desire, and how can we be alert to them?

Through this unit, students examined the complex interplay between human aspirations and societal influences, challenging them to reflect on how laws and advertising shape our wants, needs, and behaviors. This provided an opportunity to explore the forces that influence their daily lives in meaningful and thought-provoking ways.

The unit began with an investigation into how societies have transitioned from traditional rites of passage to modern legal thresholds, focusing on the role of the law as a social technology that guides human conduct and reflects societal norms. Students collaborated to research legal frameworks across various countries, comparing the different approaches to how laws are created and enforced.

The focus then shifted to advertising, where students explored its powerful ability to shape desires through strategic messaging, psychological techniques, and cultural cues. As part of this exploration, students participated in a field trip to an urban environment, where they critically analyzed the pervasiveness of advertising in public spaces. This hands-on experience allowed them to map the scale and influence of advertising on society, examining how it reinforces social norms, drives consumerism, and impacts individual choices.

The culmination of the unit was a creative task: students were challenged to showcase their understanding of desire, laws, and advertising in a creative form. This gave them autonomy to present their learning in innovative ways, using art, multimedia, and written reflections to explore the unit’s core themes.

We are proud to celebrate a sample of work selected from each of our Year 10 HT classes, showcasing their understanding in ways that also reflect their interests and talents. Their curiosity, effort, and creativity have demonstrated an excellent grasp of the forces that shape individual and collective desires.

Anson Man 10.4

Ally and Abbie 10.4

Alkin Chan and Marcus Chan 10.1

Christian and Stevie 10.1

Tsuki and Barlett 10.2

Theo, Guy & Ayden 10.3

A Christmas fair has been organised by the SRC next week.

A series of stalls will be set up, including games booths, crafts, food and drink sales and Pie the Teacher. Students will be able to purchase tokens in a bundle of 10 for $50.

The fair will be held on Thursday during periods 4 and 5.

We thank the SRC for all the work they are doing to spread festive joy through the campus.

Students made big contributions to the ICHK Primary Christmas Fair.

Hong Kong Enterprise students set up stalls and sold their newly created products at the festive event.

The young entrepreneurs are taking part in an in-house Junior Achievement programme. Working in two teams, named Gote Totes and Charm, they have designed and sourced bags, crochet items, and jewellery and are selling them at a series of pop-up events.

The school band and dance team were also at the fair, giving superb performances and adding to the entertainment line-up.

Congratulations to our horse riders who have achieved success in a school equestrian competition.

Our riders had a great day competing at Lo Wu Saddle Club. Special mention to Hagen for being the first to move up to the tougher preliminary level and to Olivia for winning both her dressage and show-jumping classes in her first ever competition.

The girls all rode beautifully, demonstrating grit and resilience during the event.

We commend them on their hard work and effort in their chosen sport.

It continues to be a busy time for our sporting teams.

It was a fantastic day for the tennis team, who won against CIS by a very tight margin of 21-19.

The U16 basketball boys are enjoying a very strong run, and celebrated their fourth consecutive win this week, against Kellett.

The U16 girls football team delivered their strongest performance yet, against the Australia School and Qiana scored their first goal of the season. Kenza and Jazzy led the girls in a pre-match warm-up, stepping in as last minute replacements and delivering strong first half performances before making their way to Kings Park for their Kukris' rugby session.

Quick distribution from Sofia's glove and boot opened up space for Qiana whose dribbling skills were deployed further up the pitch in this new look starting seven. What was great to see was the interplay from our youngsters as Qiana, 11, played balls back and forth to Yasmin who was moving forward as part of the attacking pincer. The team had slipped behind but Qiana, managed to bring it back to 2-1.

The score ran away in the end, but It was wonderful to see the girls pull together, playing in shape, working for each other, fearing no-one in defence, and still creating chances up front.

It was a fantastic game from the U20 boys basketball, who led for the first half, had a tough third quarter, came back in the last and lost by just four points to Harrow.

The U16 Egrets' frustrating season continued with an away loss against HKA at the HKFA in Tseung Kwan O. Having learned valuable lessons from last week's disappointing defeat to YCIS, the Egrets aimed to turn their fortunes around by addressing previous errors. They began positively, confidently playing the ball from defence and demonstrating greater discipline in their pressing and defensive organisation.

However, HKA posed an early threat, narrowly missing two gilt-edged chances in front of goal. Unfortunately, echoing their previous two matches, the Egrets conceded the first goal once again. Despite falling behind, the boys pressed with intent at the start of the second half. Lucas Lee expertly threaded a sumptuous ball to Ronson Chan, who confidently converted his first opportunity on goal. The match then opened up, with both teams striving wholeheartedly for all three points.

In the end, despite Hamish Chan’s superbly executed goal, which slipped through the opposition keeper’s legs for his first of the campaign, it ultimately proved to be a mere consolation, as the Egrets succumbed to their third defeat. Though this loss was disappointing in a contest that could have gone either way, there is a palpable growth in chemistry and communication among the players, which they hope will soon yield a victory.

Player of the Match: Laszlo Faust Tedder, for his tireless work rate in both in defensive and attacking roles, and his willingness to adapt to any position on the pitch. Final Score: HKA 3, ICHK 2.

Finally, the U19 volleyball girls ended their HKSSF journey after a 0-2 loss. Reflecting on their performance, it was clear that they needed to stay low, always be ready for the ball, and communicate more effectively during the game. In the first set, they were caught off guard and not fully prepared. However, in the second set, Kanna delivered many ace serves that helped them take the lead, although they ultimately lost the match. Moving forward, they will focus on overcoming pressure and shift their mindset to consider how to strategize to beat strong opponents.

This week's book recommendation from Librarian Claire Palmer is The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna.

The first in a trilogy, this fantasy novel follows Deka, a young girl in a patriarchal society, as she discovers her extraordinary, golden blood that marks her as impure. Rejected by her community, she joins a group of fierce female warriors fighting against oppressive forces. Along her journey, Deka learns about power, identity, and resilience, ultimately embracing her true self and destiny.

Every ICHK student who has read The Gilded Ones has then immediately borrowed the additional two books in the series, The Merciless Ones and The Eternal Ones. I love receiving recommendations from students and this one is high on my to-read list!

When a whole number, N, is divided by 10, 11, or 12, the remainder is 5. If N > 5, what is the smallest possible value of N?

Happy problem solving.

The difference between 2025 and its reflection is 2505 - 2025 = 480.

ICHK is a school which is proud to embrace innovation in learning and a unique and stimulating curriculum has been developed for students. Our campus is located in a stunning location, providing unrivalled opportunities for outdoor learning.

Email: info@ichk.edu.hk
Website: https://www.ichk.edu.hk/
Location: International College Hong Kong (nt), Hong Kong
Phone: +(852) 2655-9018
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICHKSecondary