At the weekend five senior swimmers (Prim B, Rena, Matthew P, Matthew W and Pun) competed in their first international three day swim meet, hosted by UWC East in Singapore. After a delay for a storm and a very early start to catch our flight that morning, the three day meet commenced with the long distance events on Friday night. Rena won a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle and both Matthew Wilkins and Pun recorded personal best times for their 400m freestyle swims.

Saturday and Sunday consisted of 50m, 100m and 200m events, the 50m events were held in a true championship format with preliminaries and then finals later in the same session. Matthew Wilkins made two finals (50m fly and 50m freestyle) and narrowly missed out on the 50m backstroke by just one place. Prim B narrowly missed out on the 50m breaststroke final by just one place. Rena (who was 13 only four days before the meet) won the 13-14 years 200m Butterfly and placed 3rd in the 100m butterfly. After a long tiring weekend, on Sunday Prim B was the heat winner for every event she entered, these results are a superb achievement and a testament to how hard you have trained throughout the year.

Despite the very tough qualifying times and the meet held so closely to the Songkran holiday, all swimmers achieved a staggering number of personal best times and should be extremely proud of their efforts, especially considering that for many of the swimmers this was their first attempt at some of the events in a long course pool. The full meet results can be found by following the link here: Full Meet Results Dragons Den 2015

The link to the Shrewsbury only results can be found here: Shrewsbury Only Results

Competing internationally is an exciting step forward for the senior school swimmers who were lucky enough to compete against some of the best swimmers across the South East Asian region at this meet.

A link to the you tube video produced by UWC East can be viewed here – look out for the team cheering and Matthew Wilkins walking out to his 50m freestyle final towards the end of the video:

A link to the flicker feed with all photos can be found here:

Congratulations swimmers, I am incredibly proud of all your efforts this weekend. I hope next year we are able to take a larger successful senior team. A big thank you goes out to Mr Radcliffe who accompanied the trip for the weekend.

This week’s Carnegie-nominated pick is Tinder by Sally Gardner. A dark tale based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Tinderbox, Tinder tells the tale of a soldier during the 30 Years War. Tinder was also nominated for a Greenaway Medal this year, for its dark but beautiful illustrations by David Roberts. Copies of the book are available in the library. Interested students are invited to a book club this Thursday at 12:15 in P205 (Ms Andrews’ room) for a discussion about the book.

Watch this trailer made by Sam in 6GA to learn more about the book:

Dear Parents and Swimmers

Please find the updated squad lists below, squads are formed on the basis on skills demonstrated over the course of the past school year and also personal best times:

Squad Skills Progression

Squad Entry Times 2014-2015

Development Squad April 2015

Level 0 April 2015 Coach Mew

Level 1 April 2015 Coach PP

Level 2 April 2015 Coach Mix

Level 3 April 2015 Coach Noon

Level 4 April 2015 Coach Max

Level 5 April 2015 Mrs Gill & Coach Mew

Level 6 April 2015 Mrs Gill & Coach Mew

Swimmers are required to swim a minimum of 1 session per week in term 3 while more sessions are actively encouraged.

Level 0

2.40 – 3.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3.45 – 4.30pm Tuesday & Thursday

Level 1

2.40 – 3.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3.45 – 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Level 2

2.40 – 3.30pm  Thursday

3.45 – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Level 3

2.40 – 3.30pm Monday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3.45 – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Level 4 –  all sessions will contain an element of land training work, swimmers will require trainers and a t-shirt at every session.

3 – 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3.30 – 4.30pm Tuesday

Level 5 / 6 –  all sessions will contain an element of land training work, swimmers will require trainers and a t-shirt at every session

3 – 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3.30 – 4.30pm Tuesday

75 swimmers took part at the weekend in the annual BISAC swimming championships hosted by Harrow International School. The swimmers performed amazingly with Shrewsbury finishing in 3rd place for the juniors and 4th place for the seniors, this is a particularly impressive result by the seniors given the team consisted of just 20 swimmers.

A big congratulations to Amelia who was crowned the Under 8 Girls Champion at the BISAC Junior Championships, scoring the maximum number of point available (64) from her individual swims.

Moving up in the 9 year old category both Prim and Loogcluin came a close 2nd, well done to both of you.

Final Team Results:

U8 Boys 2nd

U8 Girls 2nd

9 Years Girls 2nd

9 years Boys 3rd

10 years Girls 3rd

10 year Boys 4th

The junior team consisted of many swimmers for whom it was their first ever BISAC, the swimmers looked professional in their team kit and remained calm throughout the event which was a particularly hot day. 176 personal best times were achieved, this is an amazing result. The team continues to grow and grow, you should be incredibly proud of yourselves.

To view the junior results please follow the links below:

Full Meet – Junior Results

SHB Junior Results

On Sunday the Seniors took part in their meet, delayed slightly by the rain. For many junior school children this was their first ever senior competition. Moving from single age groups to an age group that can span 3 school years is particularly demanding. The swimmers who competed at the weekend took it all in their stride and performed amazing smashing their personal best times.

To view the senior results please follow the links below:

Full Meet – Senior Results

SHB Senior Results

If you have not yet collected your medals or ribbons they are available in the sports and activities office.

Well done to every swimmer you have worked incredibly hard this term, have a very restful holiday.

We have 65 different magazines in the library , because these are a really important way to support students’ learning and other interests.  Here are some of the highlights from the magazines in March 2015.

Piano Island

Introducing “The Piano Island” one of the most beautiful town in Xiamen, China. With information of history, attractions, transportation and many more! Totally worth visiting once in a life time Guarantee you are going to love it!

Chinese-Thai Monthly. March 2015 p.12

Why the war on wind ?

Wind is one of the world’s most popular energy sources, though you wouldn’t know it from the media coverage it gets. Helle Abelvik-Lawson looks at the opposition.

New Internationalist. March 2015 p.24

A Cinderella for Forever!

Disney’s new live-action Cinderella finally gets it right. Delivering a maid with moxie, undoing the animated error of 1950.

Time, March 2015 p.38

The Age of Disbelief

It is a phenomenon as old as Galileo. Scientists state truths and offer evidence, yet many of us remain unconvinced. What’s causing reasonable people to doubt reason.

National Geographic, March 2015 p.30

Shopping, Spectacle & the Senses

Georgian London offered an array of retail experiences for women in pursuit of the ultimate in fashionable clothing, every bit as sophisticated as those open to the 21^st century shopper, as Serena Dyer explains.

History Today, March 2015 p.30