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- Arusha Campus News – 15 Mar 2026
UWC East Africa Arusha Campus Newsletter Sunday 15th March 2026
Go the Rhinos! The winners of the Inter Schools’ Secondary Swimming Gala on Saturday – UWC East Africa Arusha Campus!!!
Upcoming events
Tue 17th Mar – U9 and U11 Cricket Festival at Kennedy House
Wed 18th Mar – 5pm Festival of the Arts at Arusha Campus
Fri 20th to Sun 22nd Mar – International Schools Theatre Association Festival at Arusha Campus
Friday 20th March – Eid ul Fitr (School closed)
Fri 20th to Tue 24th Mar – OP Plains Challenger Serengeti
Wed 25th Mar – Primary Student-led Conferences
Dear Parents
Nicolene Viljoen (M3), pictured above, was very much in a class of her own at the weekend’s swimming gala. Winning all her races comfortably is a not a new experience for Nicolene who has been selected by the Tanzanian Swimming Association to swim for Tanzania at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23rd to August 2nd 2026! An amazing accomplishment!
The theme of the moment here at Arusha Campus has to be ‘Water’. The rains have most definitey arriived and we are experiiencing a huge downpour almost every day nowadays. Some of that water ends up in our swimming pool which is where we hosted the two big schools’ swim galas this week. Miss Caitrin and her team put together a programme which ran over two days and involved more than 100 races! Both days ran like clockwork so well done everyone!
The pride with which we received Nicolene’s news that she would be travelling to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games was all the sweeter as you’ve never met a more modest and humble athlete in your life. Nicolene just takes everything in her stride and we will all be rooting for her on July 23rd!
This week, please note that the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end and we will be celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday. As with all holidays that are governed by the sighting of the moon, we would ask families to please look out for late bulletins surrounding this holiday. Ciurrently we are being advised that Friday 20th March will be Eid and therefore a public holiday and school will be closed.
Have a great week and see you all at The Festival of the Arts on Wednesday!
Phil
PYP News
P5 (above) are pictured listening to Sarah Rejman who is the founder and Director of Kafika House, where they conducted a class visit last week.
This week P5 visited Kafika House https://www.kafikahouse.org/ to see how ‘Interaction is Action’ and learned about doing things for others. Recently the P6s gave out plant cuttings, grew a vegetable patch and planted trees around campus. The P3s read their books to their buddies. We always have a lot going on around our primary school
Taking action in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) empowers students to apply learning to real-world situations through voice, choice, and ownership.
Key Aspects of Taking Action in PYP:
The Action Cycle: Students move through a process of choosing, acting, and reflecting.Five Types of Action:
Participation: Contributing individually or in groups.
Advocacy: Supporting environmental, social, or political change.
Social Justice: Promoting equality, rights, and well-being.
Social Entrepreneurship: Creating innovative, sustainable solutions.
Lifestyle Choices: Altering personal habits regarding consumptionMiss Amanda, Head of PYP
Sam, Baraka and Tom (pictured above) organised a free plant giveaway as part of their action- all plants benefited pollinators.
Sam and Matteo (P4) were exhausted but in celebratory mood at the end of the Inter-schools’ Primary Swimming Gala on Friday.
Buddy-time in PYP
Buddies is great fun when you make ‘delicious’ food together!
MYP Round-up
Dana shows off her mathemtaics learning to her family memebers at the MYP Learning Showcase.
Congratulations to the M5 class for completing their mock examinations last week! Students sat practice exams in English, French, Swahili, Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Learning. Mock exams give students a taste of real exam conditions, help them practise time management and highlight areas to focus on before the MYP exams. With only five weeks of lessons left, it’s an important step in getting ready for the final assessments.Sharing student learning with families is something we value throughout the year. We have our 3-way conferences in Quarter 1, report cards are sent home at the end of Quarters 2 and 4 and Quarter 3 features our MYP Learning Showcase. Last Friday, parents joined their children for a tour of classrooms, where students shared interactive presentations of their work and learning journeys so far. See image above. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to reflect on their progress and take pride in explaining what they have learned. Thank you to all the parents who joined us for the morning!
While most students attended the showcase, M5 focused on their final mock exam. Instead of the showcase, they will meet with mentors and parents at the start of Quarter 4. These meetings will be a chance to reflect on progress, review mock exam results, plan for the final exams, and discuss the next step in their learning journey – the transition to the Diploma Programme.
We are nearing the end of a busy quarter, but there’s still one more exciting event to look forward to! On Wednesday, 18 March, from 5 pm, we will hold the Festival of the Arts, where students will showcase their creative work in Design, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. We hope many families will be able to join us for this celebration of student creativity!
Miss Anoek, Head of MYP
DP Corner
We can hardly believe that there are only two weeks left in the quarter! Our D2 students are now counting down the days to their final exams and graduation. As they put the finishing touches on their final submissions, there is a mix of hard work, anticipation, and excitement in the air.
Adding to the buzz, Prom is just around the corner on March 27th, followed by their final day of classes on April 24th. On that day, we warmly invite all parents to join us for the D2 Clap Out at 13:00 as we celebrate and send off this cohort of 2026 as they prepare to sit exams.
It has also been a full and demanding quarter for our D1 students. They have been working diligently on their Extended Essays while beginning final Internal Assessments across several subjects, alongside the many tests and assessments taking place in their courses. They are also preparing their TOK Exhibitions, which will take place early in Quarter 4 and represent one of the first major components to be assessed and submitted to the IB.
Despite the busy academic schedule, our DP students continue to balance their workload while participating in the many events and activities around campus. There has been great energy around sports and Outdoor Pursuits trips, as well as community moments such as Focus Day and Mother Tongue Day—and of course, the excitement building for Prom.
We will be holding our next DP Parent Zoom meeting on March 24th at 14:00 EAT; please look out for the Zoom link shortly. If you have any questions or specific agenda items you would like included, feel free to send them to me at https://jessicapeterson@uwcea.org.
Miss Jessica, Head of Diploma
Focus Day: International and Intercultural Awareness
The focus day (above) culminated with a parade of nations and a flag parade.
This quarter’s Focus Day centred on the theme of International and Intercultural Awareness. It provided an important opportunity for our community to pause, reflect on our actions, and think about how we connect with others. The day encouraged students to explore different perspectives and recognise that cultures — and stereotypes about those cultures — are not always accurate. It was a meaningful and eye-opening experience for many students.
The day began with Mother Tongue activities, where DP1 students ran a variety of language stalls and taught others about the languages they speak. Through games and interactive activities, students were able to learn new words while gaining insight into different cultures represented in our school.
Students then moved into their mentor groups where they took part in activities that challenged their thinking and broadened their perspectives. These included defining culture in their own words, reflecting on how they identify themselves, responding to cultural question prompts, and exploring six core values through different cultural lenses.
Later, students rotated through a range of group activities designed to deepen their understanding of international culture and cultural integration. Activities included the Silent Card Game, the Global Village, and other interactive challenges that encouraged collaboration, communication, and reflection.
The day concluded with cultural stations, an Open Mic celebration featuring music and dance from students and parents, and finally a vibrant parade of flags, where students, parents, and teachers proudly represented the many cultures within our community.
Overall, the Focus Day was a reflective and engaging experience that celebrated diversity while encouraging students to think more deeply about intercultural understanding and connection.
Focus Day Committee
Protecting the Right to Education in Sudan
Aamin (above) is one of our very own students on Arusha Campus and he spoke about his experiences growing up and studying in Sudan.
On 17 February, the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies with the Global Campaign for Education, Sudan Education Cluster, Arab Campaign for Education for All, and Sudanese Coalition for Education for All held an advocacy webinar ‘Protecting the Right to Education in Sudan’.
Aamin Awad, a D1 student from Sudan spoke on a panel of students and teachers highlighting from personal experience the challenges he has faced in continuing his education since the conflict.
To learn more about what is happening in Sudan visit the Crisis Spotlight page https://inee.org/crisis-spotlight/sudan where you can also find resources, videos (including one from Aamin!), blogs and an advocacy tool kit.
UWC East Africa Career Symposium 2026
Our annual Career Symposium will take place on Thursday, March 19 from 8 – 10:45 am. Students in M5-D2 will have the opportunity to discover careers you never knew existed, connect with professionals who’ve been in your shoes, and get real-world advice on turning your passions into a future. The Career Symposium isn’t just about listening—it’s about exploring, asking questions, and finding the path that’s right for you.
Mr Kendis, University and Careers Counselor
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