On December 13, 2019, YWIES Tongxiang held a highly successful Winter Carnival. A large number of parents joined the event and celebrated the exciting festival together with their children and the school staff. Various delightful performances were given by our students, and there was a Christmas market with stalls and games for families to play together. The campus was decorated with bright and colourful lights, pretty ornaments and even two pink Christmas trees!

Comments from teachers

"We wanted students and parents to experience the joy, freedom and creativity of the festival celebration for themselves. Therefore we designed a multicultural, interactive event for them, which also acted as a platform for students to display the work they had done in class and share their achievements with their families and friends. As such, the Winter Carnival was really a precious gift for the children” – Mr Ferdi Victor, Arts Subject Leader and Carnival Co-ordinator.

"We were aiming for spontaneity and authenticity in the children’s performances. Therefore we encouraged them to be creative and take the lead in developing the show. These young people had already participated in many concerts, and they were able to make use of their rich experience to create the movements for the performance. For example, if they wanted to create the feeling of floating in the air, they would pretend to be a tree and gently shake their limbs until they felt that the movement was suitable.” – Mr Perry Liu, Chinese Homeroom Teacher of Grade 2

From kindergarten to IGCSE, students gave enthusiastic and accomplished performances. Let’s re-experience this lively and joyful event together with a photo gallery!

Show Time! Primary and ECE

ECE students performed the “Christmas Song”. “Merry, Merry, Christmas, wishing you a happy day…” they sang. The children couldn’t help dancing and singing along with the music.

Grade 1 performed the classic song “Jingle Bells". In their green Christmas costumes with red striped stockings, they looked just like Santa’s little helpers – the elves.

The Grade 2 students are seasoned performers with plenty of experience. They showed their confidence and professionalism on the stage.

Our Grade 3 boys and girls danced in evening dress. Their original performance told a touching story and showed everyone how to be true ladies and gentlemen.

The Grade 4 and 5 students gave a dynamic and interactive performance. They performed the song “Little Drummer Boy”, while marching through the audience to the rhythmic sound of the drum.

Senior students meet the drama challenge

The Grade 6 students performed drama and songs from The Lion King. They performed part of the script in English, infusing the characters with playfulness

To bring the jungle setting to life, the students wore a striking collection of animal masks, which they had made themselves – there was a giraffe, a lion, a warthog and more.

Students sang the classic song "Hakuna Matata"– the joyful chorus of which reflects the main themes of the film. Students learnt the songs in music lessons. They practised acting in their drama lessons. They created the animal masks in art lessons. Together, these activities formed a rich interdisciplinary blend.

Grade 7 and 8 students gave impromptu performances, in the “minstrels’ gallery” on the second floor. They provided refreshing variety and created a festive and relaxed atmosphere.

At the same time in the drama studio, IGCSE students were showcasing the results of their work in drama lessons. They performed an extract from Oedipus Rex by the Ancient Greek writer Sophocles.

Finally, the audience witnessed the beauty of drama and dance, in a performance of an extract from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

In addition to the performances, there were many colourful and interesting Christmas stalls in the carnival. The activities available included Christmas card making, Christmas packaging design, sandbag throwing, a make-up salon, Christmas clay sculpture, apple bobbing and many others.

One activity which integrated oriental Chinese culture with the theme of Christmas was also popular with students and parents. The booth was decorated with elegant snowflakes, from which were suspended riddle cards in Chinese and English. This activity challenged participants’ language skills as well as their understanding of different cultures.

A large number of parents joined us for the Winter Carnival. The impressive performances of the children won their sincere applause. The Carnival was a beautiful gift for our children, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their talents and the results of their hard work, and making them feel recognised and respected by everyone. Parents enjoyed the students’ interactive performances and the many activities in which they could participate as a family. It was a delightful and unforgettable time – a different kind of celebration to enjoy together.