Tanglin Trust School

Last night saw the first ever Senior Music Curriculum Concert take place, showcasing the wonderful work happening in Middle School music lessons. The concert featured a vibrant programme of music from different genres and cultures, with the whole of Year 7 performing alongside selected Year 8 and Year 9 students. A fantastic evening of music, creativity and colour!

A full-circle moment during Leavers’ Week, as our Year 13 students returned to visit their Infant School teachers and spend time with our youngest learners.

These moments feel especially poignant in the lead-up to Graduation this week - a reminder of just how far they have come. Incredibly, 9 students from Mrs Sansom’s class have journeyed all the way through Tanglin from Nursery to Year 13 and are now graduating!

Amy Gilroy, Dance Specialist
Why Tanglin is Special to Me: Dynamic, Innovative, Creative

"I’m originally from the UK. I’ve always loved dance, and from a young age I had a passion for teaching, although I never imagined it would become my career. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love what I do because of each individual journey, and no two days are ever the same! Dance is a universal language that transcends boundaries and encourages creativity and self-expression. Teaching a subject that offers such a unique way of communicating and exploring the world feels truly special. Being able to build confidence, nurture creativity, help unlock a passion or spark something in students who may not yet realise their potential is incredibly rewarding.

After many years as Head of Dance and Creative Learning in the UK, I spent 8 incredible years as years as Head of Arts Faculty at a school in Brunei where I introduced Dance into the curriculum. It was rewarding to see the programme grow, producing many successful GCSE Dance cohorts and helping to foster a cultural shift in how the arts were perceived and celebrated throughout the school. I joined Tanglin after a good friend told me about an opening for a Dance Specialist. The opportunity came at exactly the right time, as I was ready for a new challenge. Having worked in international education for many years, I had long known about Tanglin’s excellent reputation, and it has been a pleasure to become part of Team Tanglin as its first Dance Specialist in Junior School.

I’m very grateful to the Head of Junior School, Mrs Clair Harrington-Wilcox, for her vision and commitment to Dance. I feel privileged to help shape and develop the Dance programme at Tanglin. Launching Academy: Dance this year with Ms Kimberley Martin has been a highlight. The programme is designed to inspire and challenge talented young dancers, providing specialist training, enriching performance opportunities, and a deeper exploration of dance as an art form. The school is full of energy, and the joy we see in our students reinforces just how vital the arts are within education."

What an incredible week of competitive sport for our Year 5 and Year 6 students, who were selected to compete in the annual FOBISIA Games in Bangkok.

Across three action-packed days, they took part in athletics, swimming, tee ball and football, putting months of preparation to the test on the international stage. Competing against some of the strongest FOBISIA schools from across the region, our young athletes demonstrated exceptional skill, game awareness and teamwork - and even broke a few FOBISIA records along the way!

Look out for the full Games report in this week’s Lions’ Den.

The weather was a scorcher - and so was the Tanglin Summer Fete!

Everyone came together to enjoy our biggest community event before we break for the summer. It was a wonderful day packed with entertainment, performances, games and delicious food. Fantastic fun and a brilliant community effort!

Carla Randall, AHOY 12 & Sustainability Lead
Why Tanglin is Special to Me: Innovative, Ambitious, Inclusive

"I joined Tanglin in 2007, moving abroad from the UK for the first time. Before that, I taught Geography at a school in South Wales. I originally planned to stay for two years, but nearly two decades later, with a husband and two children, I’m still here!

I wear different hats at Tanglin, and I enjoy the variety that each role brings. As AHOY 12, I oversee the transition of new students into Sixth Form. Supporting young people as they settle into a new environment, build friendships, and find their place within the community is a real privilege. It’s especially rewarding to watch them grow in confidence, embrace new opportunities, and make the most of all that Tanglin has to offer.

As a Geography and IB Environmental Systems and Societies teacher, I enjoy helping students understand the world around them and encouraging them to take a problem-solving approach to environmental challenges. One of the most rewarding parts of the role is seeing students grow in confidence and develop an interest in sustainability, with many going on to study it at university and pursue related careers.

As Sustainability Lead, I believe sustainability is more than reducing waste or lowering carbon emissions. It’s about creating a culture where everyone understands the part they can play in shaping a more sustainable future. Schools have a unique responsibility to operate sustainably, as well as to educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Over the past three years, we’ve made significant progress through strategic planning, operational improvements, community engagement, and education. A key milestone was commissioning sustainability consultants, Metanoia, to conduct a comprehensive carbon and energy audit. This gave us baseline emissions data and a clear decarbonisation roadmap to support the school’s ambitions.

Tanglin has also introduced reusable mugs at school events, eliminating more than 250,000 disposable cups each year. This is just one example of how the school combines practical action with community collaboration to create meaningful environmental impact."

Last night, almost 50 pianists from across the Infant, Junior and Seniors came together for the Cross-School Piano Concert.

As part of Festival Fortnight, the concert featured an imaginative programme of duets and six-hand piano works that celebrated not only individual talent but also the joy of collaboration. Students performed side by side in a wonderful demonstration of teamwork, communication and musical partnership.

On Saturday evening, the Tanglin Philharmonia performed Concerto Highlights, featuring winning student soloists from the inaugural Concerto Competition: Anne Y. (Piano), Trevor W. (Trombone) and Charlotte T. (Cello), who each performed a movement, while the overall winner, Tyler Y. (Piano), performed the complete Piano Concerto No. 1 by Franz Liszt. The concert also featured internationally acclaimed clarinettist and composer Paul Harris, who opened and closed the concert with two energetic standout pieces.

The launch of the Concerto Competition marks a significant milestone in the musical life of the school, providing an exciting platform for our outstanding young musicians to perform alongside a full orchestra. Our student musicians rose to the occasion, with each soloist demonstrating extraordinary poise, precision and technical mastery.

Proudly supported by The Foundation since 2019, the Tanglin LEGO Robotics Challenge on 23 May saw our Year 2 and Year 3 students spend the day building and programming LEGO robots, racing Dash robots, and navigating mazes.

What a fantastic hands-on morning of coding, problem-solving, and teamwork! We are so proud of our future innovators!

Year 4 have been bringing the magic of the natural world to life through their immersive promenade production, Wild Wonders.

Beginning in the Junior Dance Studio, transformed into a vibrant jungle, audiences were then led into the Black Box Theatre for the remainder of the production. A creative and ambitious collaboration between Junior Music, Dance and Drama, the performance showcased the students’ confidence, ensemble energy and impressive performance skills.