CCA Events

CCA Events, Commentary, School Life 2 March 20158 May 2019

Class of 2014: High Achievers

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Michelle Zhu (15A01B), Kang Yi Xi (15S03N)
Additional reporting by Valerie Chee (15S07B), Joyce Er (15A01A)
Photos by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E), Joyce Er (15A01A)

The batch of 2014 awaiting their results

The hall was abuzz today as the class of 2014 gathered to receive their much-anticipated A-Level results. Overall, the cohort has done excellently, with 774 (61%) of our students achieving at least 5 distinctions in their subjects. Although this is less than last year’s number of 68%, it is nevertheless commendable given the national dip in results. 64% of the batch also achieved at least 3 H2 distinctions (compared to 68% for the class of 2013), with 50% getting distinctions in all their H2 subjects. 26% of students succeeded in getting a perfect University Admissions Score (UAS) of 90, while the mean UAS remained relatively high at 85.

With regard to individual subjects, the cohort attained stellar results overall in Knowledge and Inquiry, English Literature and Biology — for each of these subjects, roughly 8 in 10 students scored a distinction. The batch’s performance in Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Mathematics as well as Tamil Language and Literature was also commendable, with approximately 7 in 10 of each subject’s takers attaining a distinction. Though the number of distinctions for Economics and History showed a 10% decline compared to last year’s, a sizeable majority of students (6 in 10) still managed to get an A for the subject. However, this is also partially because nationally some subjects’ average came down and ours did correspondingly, but this does not reflect a drop of standards in our teaching. As usual, General Paper proved a hard subject to score well in, for only 48% of those taking the subject walked away with a distinction, nevertheless an improvement from the previous year.

Continuing to emphasize the importance of holistic development in RI, Mr Chan highlighted certain notable Rafflesians who had done well in non-academic fields, namely sports, the arts, leadership and community service. Though these people may not have perfect A-level results, they have nevertheless been able to maintain admirable grades even despite their busy schedules. Those who were lauded include national rhythmic gymnast Daphne Chia; the former chairperson of RI Chamber Ensemble, Koh Kai Jie; the President of the 33rd Students’ Council, Edward Kim, and Wee Jing Long, who founded RI’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. Do look out for our upcoming articles on some notable Rafflesians!

The batch of 2014 has certainly done the school proud with their effort and results. On behalf of Raffles Press, we would like to congratulate our seniors for their excellent work.

Happy students after receiving their results with their Civics Tutor

Year-on-Year Comparison

Class of 2013

9 Distinctions: 4 students (i.e. 0.32%)

At least 8 Distinctions: 80 students (i.e. 76 with 8 Distinctions, i.e. 6.13%)

At least 7 Distinctions: 277 students (i.e. 197 with 7 Distinctions, i.e. 15.90%)

At least 6 Distinctions 533 students (i.e. 256 with 6 Distinctions, i.e. 20.16%)

There were 1,239 candidates.

Class of 2014

9 Distinctions: 2 students (i.e. 0.19%)

At least 8 Distinctions: 52 students (i.e. 50 with 8 Distinctions, i.e. 4.12%)

At least 7 Distinctions: 278 students (i.e. 226 with 7 Distinctions, i.e. 17.9%)

At least 6 Distinctions: 542 students (i.e. 264 with 6 Distinctions, i.e. 20.9%)

There were 1,261 candidates.

CCA Events, Commentary, School Life 29 January 20158 May 2019

Lumière 2015 Preview: Part 2

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By the Orientation Committee
Additional reporting by Ching Ann Hui (15S03A), Yeo Jia Qi (15S03H) and Tan Yi Chern (15S03N)

With just one day to go till Orientation, Raffles Press is proud to bring you the second edition of our behind-the-scenes overview of what to expect in the biggest event of the school calendar. After seven months of planning and preparation, including weekends and the year-end holidays, on behalf of the 34th Students’ Council’s Orientation Committee, here is a sneak peek of what went into the making of Orientation, and what you as a J1 can expect! Today we feature Decor, OG Hours, and PLogs.

Continue reading “Lumière 2015 Preview: Part 2” →

CCA Events, Commentary, School Life 24 January 20158 May 2019

Lumière 2015 Preview: Part 1

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By the Orientation Committee
Additional reporting by Ching Ann Hui (15S03A), Yeo Jia Qi (15S03H) and Tan Yi Chern (15S03N)

With 6 days remaining to Orientation 2015, Raffles Press is proud to bring you a behind-the-scenes overview of what to expect in the biggest event of the school calendar. After seven months of planning and preparation, including weekends and the year-end holidays, on behalf of the 34th Students’ Council’s Orientation Committee, here is a sneak peek of what Lumière 2015 will be all about. Today we feature Storyline, Song & Dance, War Games and Station Games.

Continue reading “Lumière 2015 Preview: Part 1” →

Commentary, Sports 20 January 20158 May 2019

Kiwi Cup 2015

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Christopher Liew (15S06E)
Photos courtesy of Abdul Musawwir (15S03Q) and Ernest Low (15S06O)

There’s a saying that rugby is the game they play in heaven, a seemingly ironic moniker given the intimidating physicality involved in the sport. The origin of this nickname is nebulous, but the 22nd annual Kiwi Cup held last Friday made manifest the sport’s allure. The Kiwi Cup is the first sporting event of the year for our school’s athletes, who traditionally go head to head with our long-standing rugby rival, the Saints of St Andrew’s Junior College. This year’s match saw Raffles go down to the Saints, although they came out of it nothing if not hungrier for victory than ever.

This 22nd meeting of our very own Rafflesians and the Saints opened to rapturous applause from supporters on both sides, each armed with an arsenal of paraphernalia to hype the crowd and spur on their teams. The event was graced by Mrs Bernadette Cavanagh, the High Commisioner of the land of the Maori ‘All Blacks’. Hailing from the home of the world champions, the presence of Mrs Cavanagh at the 22nd Kiwi Cup likely spurred both teams on just a little as they played to impress. The impetus to win for the injury-laden Raffles Rugby team stemmed from their eight-year drought at this event, with this chip on their shoulder driving the stakes of this match up a notch.

The afternoon began with a C Division matchup between both sides. The young Rafflesian C Division team’s defensive grit was tested early on, but the team showed not even a foible in their defense through their decisive stops. However, the Saints seemed unflappable even with a wall of resolve in their faces, eventually muscling their way through to score their first try. At half time, Raffles was on the losing end. Although the Saints looked to seal the deal there and then, they met with strong resistance in the second half as our Rafflesians battled it out with all they had, culminating in a try which set us on course to making a comeback. Unfortunately, the Saints proved too strong an opponent, playing lockdown defense for most of the second half, and the C Division’s team suffered a 10 to 17 loss in full time, ending nearly 80 minutes of battle under the blazing afternoon sun.

The intensity of the first match was merely the overture to the ensuing exhilarating A Division matchup. A narrow loss to the Saints just a year earlier had only stoked our home team’s desire to claim the Kiwi title, although our prospects were dampened by the unfortunate injuries of three key players prior to the match’s commencement. Offense was a focal point of the match, as both sides did not rest on their laurels when it came to gaining ground on their opponents’ half of the field. However, the highlight of the match was the Saints’ stellar run right around the Rafflesian defense, which put them up by five points early in the game. History seemed about to repeat itself as our team was trailing ten to three before half time. Having said that, all was not lost as Raffles began to gain momentum and closed in on the Saints after Raffles’ Park Chang Kyu converted a couple of penalties. As time trickled on, Raffles was still searching for their first try which eventually came from Keith Tay after a series of scrums, giving Raffles only a three point deficit to catch up on. The second half proved to be an agonisingly slow one with as the stakes grew with each minute. Eventually, the Saints began gaining ground, with a penalty to bolster their morale, leaving the home team without any points in the second half. The match ultimately ended with a final score of 10 to 16, in favour of the Saints.

The match ended in defeat for the short-handed home side and tears were shed, but only greater experience was gained, as the Rafflesian rugby team stood strong and fought hard throughout the course of the Kiwi Cup. Despite this loss, captain Shant Sin (15S03K) remains optimistic about the upcoming season. As he told us, “I am confident in my team making it all the way. No matter how tired we are, we do not stop fighting and give it all until the last whistle blow.” These words encapsulate the spirit of Raffles Rugby, and together with the players’ sturdy resolve and the passion they have for the game, exemplify rugby’s title as the sport of heaven.

As Raffles Rugby heads into another season of intense matchups, Shant believes that his team will only grow and develop with every match they play, with camaraderie being the center of all things. With our rugby team’s unparalleled commitment to the sport and their chemistry as a unit, let us all wish them the best; may this year truly be a great year for rugby!

CCA Events, Commentary, School Life 13 January 20158 May 2019

Open House Preview: Raffles Palette

Reading Time: 3 minutes

by Michelle Zhu (15A01B)
Photos courtesy of the Raffles Palette Facebook page

Why Raffles Palette? A palette symbolises diversity — although each colour may not stand out individually, they can come together to form a painting, which represents unity, inclusiveness and the fact that all colours are equally important. The tapestry that is created by the colours mixing also signifies our vibrant school life.

Choosing the right JC for you can be a difficult task — it may be the gateway to university, but also offers many more opportunities than academia alone. Raffles Palette 2015 will showcase the myriad of choices available for you, our future Rafflesian, be it in terms of sports, the arts, or other talents you may want to develop.

Open House will be held tomorrow, 14th January, from 9am to 3pm. Majority of the activities are concentrated in one area — the Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH), Indoor Sports Hall (ISH), Gryphon Square, Innovation Centre, and the Cage, as seen from the map below. In line with our palette theme, visitors who visit all 5 areas and get their palettes stamped will also receive a special prize.

Campus map, key areas — Campus map; key areas are clustered at blocks J, K, and L

Upon registration, you’ll be given a goodie bag (with Marble Slab Creamery vouchers!) and our friendly Befrienders will take you on a tour around our campus. Afterwards, you’ll be free to walk around and explore the various areas. Our principal, Mr Chan Poh Meng, will also be giving a talk at 1200 at the PAC. Other highlights include:

Different route options: ‘full’ and ‘express’, depending on how long your visit will be
Food booths: Domino’s is selling subsidized pizza, as well as other stalls selling tutu kueh, burgers, bubble tea, and more at the canteen
A showcase of our house spirit and cheers at the Gryphon Square
Performances by performing arts CCAs at the MPH and Gryphon Square, live demonstrations by sports CCAs in the ISH

The programme can be found below, and will also be included in your goodie bag. Alternatively, just approach any Befriender for any information you may need. We hope to see you at Open House!

For more information, visit:
Facebook | Website

If you’re unsure of how to get to RI, directions can be found below:

ETA: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that the goodie bags will contain Domino’s vouchers. It has since been amended to reflect that the bags contain Marble Slab Creamery vouchers.

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