Arusha Campus News – 1 May 2026

The Rides Exploration trip From Namalok to the Hot Springs which took place this last week, passed through beautiful country just south of Mt Kilimanjaro.

Mon 4th May – M5 Exams start

Wed 6th May – 5-7pm PYP Exhibition

Thur 7th to Sun 10th May – Plains Adventure to Maramboi

Thur 7th to Sun 10th May – Peaks Exploration to Usambara

Wed 13th May – MYP Interhouse Sports 

Sat 16th-Sun 17th May – Arusha Frisbee Tournament at Arusha Campus

Mon 18th May – Start of D1 End of Year exams

Wed 20th May – Last Day of Diploma exams

Thur 21st May – 5pm Sundowner drinks at Schwari Restaurant for Graduating Student parents.

Fri 22nd May – Arusha Campus Graduation Ceremony for Class of 2026

Inset: Mr Phil accidentally got his Land Rover stuck in the Snake Pit at school this week!

Main Picture: P6 Vehicle Research Group to the rescue! Sam and a few others successfully winched and then drove the stricken vehicle out of the pit to loud cheers from Miss Rosemary and Mr Jonny!

The rain just keeps pouring down here in Arusha and some of our hard working office staff (see image left) are, frankly, unimpressed! Teddy, the office cat, spends his day on top of tables out of the way of the rising floodwaters. Its exam season and he seems to think the exams are for him as well, as we have to have an invigilator dedicated to Teddy watch and keeping him out when exams are in session!

Our D2 studenst are now in the thick of the exams and I think everyone has had at least one exam already. They are doing brilliantly and we are very proud that they have got to where they are now. Not long to go now and we can then let our hair down in preparation for the Arusha Graduation on Friday 22nd May.

If you are a proud parent who is flying in for the ceremony, please dont forget that we have an informal parent social at Schwari Restaurant on the evening before, Thursday 21st at 5pm (see flyer below).

Before that we have the PYP Exhibition. Mr Jonny, Miss Rosemary and the students have been working like beavers to get their research projects finished. They too are doing a superb job and we urge everyone to come along to their Exhibition on Wednesday 6th May from 5pm.

Finally, we were very disappointed to cancel our Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests this session. A glitch with our subscription and the fact that MAP are under new ownership means this session will not take place. Very frustrating for all of us. We rate the MAP testing proicess as it allows us to benchmark our upper PYP and lower MYP perfomance against  norms measured in other schools across the globe. We will do everything we can to ensure that normal MAP service is resumed in August. Thanks for your understanding.

Lots to look forward to…..enjoy the Workers Day holiday!

Phil

PYP students shared their stories this week. Here is a beautiful picture, above, of Macline (P5) sharing her story with Audrey (P4).

Dear Parents,

One of the PYP requirements for each unit is ‘How have you shared your learning within the community?’

Sharing within a community builds trust, fosters connection, and creates a supportive network.It enhances belonging and drives innovation through shared ideas. Effective sharing includes volunteering skills, sharing knowledge and participating in events.

Next week the P6s share their biggest event with the PYP Exhibition. Please come along on 6th May at 5.00pm.

Key Aspects of Community Sharing

Types of Sharing: This includes sharing knowledge (skills/expertise), resources (tools/time), credit (recognizing others), and emotional support (vulnerability).

Building Connection: Sharing acts as the “heartbeat” of community, fostering relationships and creating a sense of belonging.

The 5 C’s of Community: Effective sharing involves connection, collaboration, communication, commitment, and contribution.
Impact: It leads to increased innovation and, when applied through “community shares,” can provide funding for projects without traditional financing.

Miss Amanda, Head of PYP

M1 Design students (see montage above) explored the full design cycle in Quarter 3 by creating customized locker or desk drawer organizers tailored to their individual needs. From initial ideas to final construction, students refined their designs through planning, testing, and iteration. The project combined creativity with practical skill-building, giving students hands-on experience with tools such as the scroll saw and electric sanders. It was an engaging and rewarding unit that highlighted both problem-solving and craftsmanship.

Mr Rab, MYP Art and Design

Refiloe, above, (D1, Eswatini) presents her objects during her Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Exhibition this week.

Theory of Knowledge is a component of the Core component of the Diploma curriculum. As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, TOK is composed almost entirely of questions.

The most central of these is “How do we know?”, while other questions include:

What counts as evidence for X?
How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
What does theory Z mean in the real world?

Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as developing an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.

Our Head of ToK is Mr Stephane and he does a brilliant job in co-ordinating our students and teachers. Part of the evidence for his brilliance was on show at the Exhibition this week where each D1 student poresented their objects, question and arguments!

Some of the successful Longido climbers celebrate their summit of one of Tanzania’s most beautiful mountains. At 2637m above sea level it is a significant climb.

This image above is fascinating and is the work of Mr Rab, our Design and Art teacher who often helps out on our Reefs trips. His two photos (below) are taken roughly one year apart. In the bottom image you can see our students sowing coral polyps. The image above shows how the coral has thrived in just one short year! How encouraging!

The bike riders on RIdes Exploration hurtle past on their way to camp during their exciting but muddy rides trip.

Our third Escape Room is open and ready for teams to come and play. Please contact Rob Airdrie: robertairdrie@uwcea.org to make a booking or if you have questions.

• What is an Escape Room? An Escape Room is a fun activity for small groups of people who enjoy immersing themselves in a story and solving puzzles.
• How long does this one take? We estimate most teams will be able to find Goldfang’s Treasure in about 20 minutes.
• Who can play and how many in a team? Teams are recommended to be 4 players. Fewer is not recommended! Anyone can play, though younger children will need someone older to help.
• When can we play? Contact Rob Airdrie for a link to choose a time slot or to arrange a time directly
• How much does it cost? 5000 shillings per player in each team – all of which goes to the UWC Scholarship Fund.