SES Blog

In Surabaya’s lively sports scene, the Surabaya European School (SES) Tiger Football Academy shines as a beacon for young, aspiring footballers. It’s more than just an after-school club; it’s a key part of SES’s focus on helping students grow in all areas. The academy offers a supportive yet challenging place where students can develop their football skills and learn proper life lessons, all while proudly representing the school.

The SES Tiger Football Academy welcomes students of all ages and abilities within the school and local community, building a proper love for football from the early years right through to secondary school. The academy’s approach goes beyond simply teaching how to play football. It’s about building strong teamwork, self-discipline, respect, and good sportsmanship – values that are right at the heart of the SES way of doing things.

A Well-Rounded Approach to Football Development:

The coaching at the SES Tiger Football Academy is designed to cover all aspects of the game:

• Improving Skills: Through age-appropriate drills and exercises, students develop their basic football skills like passing, dribbling, shooting, tackling, and understanding their position on the pitch. The academy aims to give each player a solid technical base.
• Understanding Tactics: As players get more experienced, the academy introduces them to game plans, formations, and the importance of working together to achieve team goals.
• Getting Physically Fit: Because football demands a lot physically, the academy includes fitness training to improve players’ speed, agility, strength, and stamina, making sure they are ready for the demands of the game.
• Building Mental Strength: The academy knows that mental toughness is crucial in football. Coaches work on building players’ confidence, ability to bounce back from setbacks, and positive attitude towards getting better.
• Playing Fair and with Respect: In line with SES’s core values, the Tiger Football Academy stresses the importance of respecting opponents, referees, and the spirit of the game. Fair play and ethical behaviour are non-negotiable in the academy’s culture.

More Than Just a Game: Learning Proper Life Lessons:

Being part of the SES Tiger Football Academy offers students benefits that go far beyond the football pitch:

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Football is a team sport, and the academy provides many chances for students to learn how to work together, communicate properly, and aim for a shared goal.
• Discipline and Commitment: Regular training and matches teach young players discipline and responsibility, showing them the value of dedication and sticking with things.
• Leadership and Taking Responsibility: As players develop and take on different roles within their teams, they learn to lead and take responsibility for their actions and their teammates.
• Resilience and Overcoming Challenges: The ups and downs of competitive football teach students how to be resilient, helping them to recover from disappointments and learn from both wins and losses.
• Physical and Mental Well-being: Regular physical activity through football promotes a healthy lifestyle and contributes to students’ overall physical and mental health.

Success Both On and Off the Field:

While the main focus is on development and enjoyment, the SES Tiger Football Academy has also seen significant success in local and regional junior leagues and tournaments. These achievements show the hard work of the players, the dedication of the coaching staff, and the supportive environment created by the academy and the wider SES community.

The SES Tiger Football Academy is more than just a football programme; it’s a key part of the school’s commitment to helping students grow into well-rounded individuals. By providing opportunities for athletic development alongside the teaching of proper good values, the academy empowers its students to become not only skilled footballers but also responsible, resilient, and collaborative young adults who are ready to succeed with confidence in all aspects of their lives. As the academy continues to grow and inspire, it remains a source of pride for the entire Surabaya European School community.

At Surabaya European School (SES), teaching our students to care for the planet is just as important as their academic learning. Through the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), we make learning about sustainability exciting and relevant for young minds. A fantastic example of this happened recently in Year 2: the students created their very own paper lanterns, starting with the amazing process of making the paper from scratch!

The IPC, which encourages students to connect different subjects and explore big ideas, provides a perfect way to learn about sustainability. This Year 2 project showed exactly how this works.

Year 2: A Hands-On Journey to Sustainable Light

Imagine the buzz in the Year 2 classroom as it transformed into a mini paper factory! This wasn’t about simply decorating shop-bought paper. Instead, the children embarked on a journey to understand how paper is made from basic resources. With their teachers guiding them, they followed these sustainable steps:

• Where Does Paper Come From?

  The project began with a discussion about paper’s origins, often highlighting the impact of cutting down forests. This naturally led to talking about better alternatives and why recycling is so important. The school might have even used recycled paper or fast-growing plant materials to make the initial paper mixture, showing the students how we can reuse things.

• Making Paper Magic

  The students then got their hands wet, experiencing the fascinating process of turning raw materials into paper pulp. They broke down the materials (recycled paper or plant fibers), mixed them with water, and used special screens to create new sheets of paper. This hands-on activity gave them a real understanding of the effort and resources needed to make even a single piece of paper.

• Looking After Our Resources

  Throughout the paper-making, teachers emphasized using water wisely and avoiding any waste. This taught the young learners important lessons about managing resources and why we need to look after our planet’s supplies.

• Creating Lanterns with Meaning

  Once their handmade paper was dry, the Year 2 students used their unique creations to build beautiful paper lanterns. This gave their hard work a lovely and meaningful outcome, connecting the sustainable process to celebrations that often involve light and hope.

• Thinking About What We Learned

  The project ended with a class discussion. Students talked about how their handmade paper was different from the paper we usually use, considering the energy and materials involved in making paper on a large scale. This helped them think critically about what we buy and why sustainable choices are important.

How IPC Principles Support Sustainability Learning:

This Year 2 paper lantern project beautifully shows how the IPC helps students learn about sustainability:

• Personal Learning: By being directly involved in the process, students developed a sense of responsibility towards the environment and understood the impact of their actions.
• Enquiry: The project encouraged lots of “why?” questions about materials, how things are made, and the effect on our planet, fostering a natural curiosity about sustainability.
• International Mindedness: Depending on the wider topic they were studying, they might have learned how different cultures celebrate with light and how different countries approach environmental issues.
• Making Connections: Students saw the link between making paper and bigger environmental problems like deforestation and using up too many resources, giving them a better understanding of the whole picture.
• Specific Learning Goals: The activity addressed specific IPC learning targets related to understanding materials, how things are made, and the importance of using resources responsibly.

Building a Greener Future at SES:

The Year 2 paper lantern project is just one example of how SES makes learning about sustainability a key part of its IPC curriculum. By providing fun, hands-on experiences that connect learning to real-world issues, SES is empowering its students to become informed, responsible, and proactive caretakers of our environment. Starting with something as simple as making paper sustainably, SES is helping to grow a generation that truly values our planet and is ready to create a brighter, greener future for all.

Surabaya European School (SES) is dedicated to providing an education that goes beyond academic excellence, fostering the skills and attributes students need to thrive in today’s interconnected world. A key element of this is our commitment to the Cambridge Curriculum, a globally recognised framework that perfectly aligns with SES’s vision for holistic student development.

A Structured Pathway to Success

The Cambridge Pathway, as implemented at SES, offers a carefully designed educational journey from the early years right through to IGCSEs and A-Levels. This structured approach ensures a seamless progression, allowing students to build knowledge and skills consistently. This clarity provides students and parents with a clear sense of direction and purpose in their learning.

Proper Understanding, Not Just Swotting Up

At SES, the Cambridge Curriculum promotes a proper understanding of subjects rather than simply swotting up facts. We emphasise inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to ask questions, explore concepts thoroughly, and have a go at applying their knowledge to real-world situations. This active engagement fosters a more profound grasp of concepts and empowers students to become active participants in their education.

Developing Essential 21st-Century Skills

Beyond academics, the Cambridge Curriculum at SES prioritises the development of crucial 21st-century skills. Through collaborative projects, problem-solving activities, and opportunities for independent research, students hone their critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. These skills, vital for future success, are interwoven into the curriculum to ensure our students are adaptable and innovative.

Cultivating Global Citizens in Surabaya

As a leading international school in Surabaya, SES shares the Cambridge Curriculum’s focus on fostering global citizenship. We encourage students to explore diverse perspectives, understand different cultures, and develop a sense of responsibility towards the world. By integrating international contexts into our curriculum, we prepare students to thrive in an interconnected global community.

Personalised Learning for Every Student

SES reckons that each student is unique. The Cambridge Curriculum’s flexibility allows us to cater to diverse learning styles and paces. Our teachers use differentiated instruction and assessment to ensure every student is properly challenged and supported to reach their full potential. This personalised approach allows us to nurture individual talents and address specific learning needs effectively.

Preparing for a Bright Future

The rigorous academic standards and globally recognised qualifications offered through the Cambridge Pathway at SES provide students with a strong foundation for future academic pursuits and career opportunities. The Cambridge qualifications, such as IGCSEs and A-Levels, are highly respected by universities and employers worldwide, opening doors to a wide range of possibilities for SES graduates.

Conclusion: The Cambridge Advantage at Surabaya European School

By embracing the Cambridge Curriculum, Surabaya European School provides a world-class education that extends beyond traditional academics. The structured framework, emphasis on proper understanding, development of essential skills, cultivation of global citizenship, personalised learning approach, and preparation for future success empower our students to become confident, capable, and well-rounded individuals ready to contribute positively to the world. At SES, the Cambridge Curriculum is more than just a pathway; it’s a launchpad for a lifetime of learning and achievement.