About Us

We are deeply grateful for the enthusiastic response to our inaugural House Photography Competition over the past two weeks. We received over 80 inspiring submissions from students across Years 1-13 and dedicated staff members. 

Each photograph shared unique perspectives on the love, traditions, celebrations, and connections that make our school community strong.

Following careful review and deliberation by our judging panel this week, we are pleased to announce the final results:

House Competition Results:

Top 10 Photographs

Category Winners:

Primary (Year 1-6)

Overall Winner: "The Light of the Moon" - Boyan

Best Theme Interpretation: "The Moon in Heart" - Shayne

Most Creative: "Got You Moon!" - Cassandra 

Secondary (Year 7 - 13)

Overall Winner: "The Radiance of Love and Commitment" - Kavish 

Best Theme Interpretation: "Painting Under The MOON" - Jia 

Most Creative: "Lunar Lantern" - Pearl  

Staff

Overall Winner: "Tai Hang Dragons!" - Mr Glavanis (33/40)

Most Inspiring: "Himalayan Moonlight" - Ms Yoong (32/40)

Message from our Judges:

"What began as a photography competition became a window into the soul of our school community. Through over 80 unique lenses, we witnessed love, tradition, creativity, and connection in ways that words cannot capture. From a child's wonder at the moon to families celebrating across cultures, each image reminded us why photography is truly the universal language of the heart. Thank you for trusting us with your stories and for proving that under one moon, we are indeed one community with countless beautiful perspectives to share." - Mr LESTER, Ms ALFLATT, Ms MAO and Ms YANG

Explore Our Stories - Online Photo Gallery

We warmly invite you to explore our Online Photo Gallery. Each photograph tells a story of belonging under the 'One Moon' theme, offering a glimpse into the diverse perspectives and heartfelt connections that bind our Discovery College community together:

A friendly reminder that three-way conferences will take place on Monday, 27 October (1:30 - 6:30pm) and Thursday, 30 October (1:30 - 6:30pm). These are 5-minute interviews with teachers, where you and your child are present and participating. The conferences will be conducted over Zoom.

Lessons will finish at 12:20pm on the days of the conferences. The schedule will be as follows:

There will be no Discovery Time on these days.

Please note that Secondary CCA's will not take place on the days of the three-way conferences. Primary CCA's will continue as per normal ( Robotics club and Touch Typing CCA's stand cancelled for 27 & 30 Oct)

Our DC Cobra Volleyball team is in Shanghai this week playing some intense matches.

Catch all the action live and show your support!

Watch Saturday's (25 October) live matches below:

Girls U19 DC Cobras - Watch here

Boys U19 DC Cobras - Watch here

Please note: You will be directed to register on 'Teams', click on 'join now' to gain access.

We are committed to ensuring that your child receives the best possible ongoing support and guidance throughout the academic year. Learning Advisors provide a key role in your child’s daily school and learning experience. With this in mind, we are pleased to let you know that the Learning Coach 3-way Conferences will be held on Monday, 24 November from  1:30pm - 6:30pm. 

We are introducing our Learning Coach 3-way Conferences as an additional way for us to enhance our parent partnership approach and to build on the reporting and conference opportunities we already have in place. These conferences are in addition to and not a replacement of the 3-way teacher conferences, which will continue as normal. The Learning Coach conferences will have a holistic focus on the following key areas:

• Where the student is in relation to their learning.
• Reflect on how they could improve.
• Deciding on a specific goal/goals to work towards.
• Discussing strategies and tools to be used in working towards that goal.
• Discussing support required from teachers and parents.

At each grade level, the process has been modified and guiding questions carefully crafted to align with the stage of the students’ learning journey. For example, as our Year 7 learners are new to secondary, the process has been crafted to create the opportunity to discuss their transition experience to secondary so far, reflect on what they are proud of and their overall wellbeing. These conferences place less emphasis on numerical data and provide an opportunity to become more attuned to each child’s holistic development and school experience. 

Each conference will last 10 minutes and will take place via Zoom. The booking system will open to parents on Friday, 31October (9.00am) and will close on Monday 17 November (11.59pm). Appointments can be made using the ESF app, following these instructions. 

Grade-level specific information will be shared next week via the ESF App.

We had a fantastic Buskers corner last week! The granite courtyard was absolutely buzzing with energy as students stepped up to share their musical passion. It was an awesome reminder of the supportive music culture we have here at Discovery College.

Buskers Corner is all about celebrating the joy of music and the courage it takes to get up and perform for your peers. It's a no-pressure zone where students can showcase their skills, or simply have a blast making music with their friends. Every student who volunteered to perform deserves a massive round of applause for their enthusiasm and talent!

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to perform, listen, and cheer. Your support makes these events such a success. Keep practicing, keep creating, and we can’t wait to see (and hear!) you at the next one!

On 23 October approximately 25 engaged parents joined us for an interactive and hands-on MYP Assessment Parent Workshop.

 

This workshop helped parents understand the MYP’s criterion‑referenced assessment, where grades are awarded against clear achievement descriptors. It also gave practical tools to support their child’s learning. Through interactive activities and discussions that mirrored actual MYP classroom methods, parents experienced firsthand how assessment in the MYP is about much more than just grades—it's about "sitting beside" learners to observe, guide, and support their growth.

 

From Philosophy to Practice

We began by exploring the fundamental question: Why do we assess? Through our interactive Four Corners activity, parents physically moved to corners representing different assessment beliefs, sparking rich discussions about assessment's true purpose. This led naturally to understanding the three types of assessment used in MYP classrooms:

 

• Diagnostic Assessment: Like a chef checking the pantry before cooking, helping teachers understand what students already know.
• Formative Assessment: The "taste test" along the way, providing ongoing feedback without grades.
• Summative Assessment: The finished meal, evaluating student learning at the end of a unit.

 

The "Aha!" Moment: Experiencing MYP Grading

One of the workshop's most powerful activities involved examining four different artworks. Parents were first asked to choose which artwork was "best" based on their instincts. Then, when we revealed the MYP Arts criteria—focusing on color use, correct proportions, and clear messaging—many parents experienced a revelation: the artwork that didn't follow the task instructions couldn't score well, even if it was technically skilled or detailed!

 

This hands-on experience showed clearly a key principle of criterion-referenced assessment: we assess students against clear learning objectives, not against each other. Parents discovered that a simpler artwork following all the criteria might score higher than a more elaborate piece that missed key requirements. This shifted perspectives from traditional notions of "good work" to understanding how teachers use specific descriptors to award achievement levels.

 

Building the Home-School Partnership

The final section focused on preparing parents for upcoming three-way conferences. We explored powerful questions parents can ask both their children and teachers, such as:

 

To ask your child:

• "What are you most proud of in this subject"?
• "Where do you want to improve and how can I support you"?

To ask the teacher:

• "Which criterion is my child excelling in"?
• "What specific strategies can we use at home to support their growth"?

Resources

MYP Parent Assessment Toolkit

Workshop Slides

 

Thank you to all parents who participated. Your engagement and thoughtful questions enriched our understanding of how we can work together to support student growth. As we approach three-way conferences, we hope you feel more confident in understanding how MYP assessment works and how you can engage meaningfully in conversations about your child's learning journey.

A friendly reminder about our upcoming Halloween Celebration on 31 October.

We encourage our students to express their creativity and spirit through costumes and festive attire on Friday 31st October. However, we would like to remind everyone of a few important guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all.

Costume Guidelines:

• No Fake Blood: Costumes should not include any fake blood or similar materials.
• No Imitation Weapons: Please refrain from bringing any imitation weapons, such as toy guns, swords, or knives.
• Age-Appropriate Costumes: Costumes should not be too scary, as we are mindful of our younger students. We want everyone to feel comfortable and safe.
• Learning Environment: Costumes should not interfere with the learning process. Please choose outfits that are suitable for a school setting.
• No Masks during lessons: Masks are not appropriate for learning, as they can obstruct visibility and make it difficult for staff to identify students.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a fun and safe atmosphere for our Halloween festivities. If you are in doubt, or have further questions, please speak with your classroom teacher or learning advisor before October 31st.

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing everyone's imaginative costumes.