Weekly Update #4, 13 September 2024

Announcements

Parent Classes starting from next week!

Parents wishing to join Parent classes after school should:

• Contact the teacher running the class.

• Once accepted you will be directed to purchase a prepaid card at the school cashier. This card is non-refundable and has an expiry date of 90 days.

• This card should be signed by your teacher each time you attend the class. You can also leave the card with the teacher who will keep it safe for you.

Thai for Parents every Tuesday 16:30-17:30

Classes start Tuesday, 17th September. Contact Kru Kan for more information: [email protected] or scan the QR code below to register.

Dome Tennis Program for HeadStart Parents

At The Dome Tennis Club, we welcome everyone, regardless of skill level or background, to enjoy a memorable experience and have a great time playing tennis at one of Phuket’s finest courts. We prioritize making our customers feel valued and part of our community. To help us enhance our services, we kindly ask that you take a moment to complete this short survey.

Upcoming Events

First Foundation Stay & Play of the Year

Stay & Play sessions at HeadStart hold significant importance within the Foundation department. These sessions promote parental involvement, allowing parents to actively engage with their child’s development, foster social skills, understand play based learning and build trust with the school community. Stay & Play also supports the gradual independence of children, helps develop important early learning skills, and boosts confidence, ensuring a positive start to their educational journey.

We invite our Foundation parents to join us for our first Stay & Play of the year. This session is for parents to spend time with their children in their classrooms all planned around the theme ‘all about me’. Each session will start at 8.30am and be held in your child’s classroom and the Indoor learning Centre. Miss Danielle Hughes – Deputy Head of Foundation

Save the Date! Yearbook Photoshoot Coming Soon

Our annual photoshoot for the whole school yearbook is coming soon. This is your child’s chance to capture the smiles and laughter they share with their classmates and to preserve memories of friendships, achievements, and experiences at our Chaofah City campus. Our professional photoshoot will take place from Monday 7th to Thursday 10th October. A timetable will be shared nearer the time.

Meetings & Presentations

HeadStart Curriculum for Thai-speaking Parents meeting on 10.09.24

On Tuesday 10th September, our Thai parents were invited to attend the meeting with Kru Nee, our School Director, and Kru Toom, our Deputy School Director. Parents received insightful information about our school curriculum that we offer in Foundation, Primary and Secondary. This was also a good opportunity for Thai parents in Foundation and Primary to meet and get to know new Secondary parents in our community to share the experiences from their own children and to learn from each other.

We also shared and discussed key information about the subject options in IGCSE, BTEC and A Levels curriculums in order to give a better understanding and clear guidelines on how parents can work closely with the school to best support their child choosing their pathway for university in the future.

Thank you very much for attending this meeting. Kru Nee – School Director

If you were unable to attend the meeting, please find a copy of the presentation below 👇

HeadStart Curriculum Thai speaking Parent Meeting 10 September 2024

UPrep Talk #2 – Your Child’s 5-Year Plan – on 11.09.24

Our second UPrep talk of the year was on “Your Child’s 5-Year Plan”, where we offered advice on the university application process. Next, we’ll be hosting an informal drop-in session on Wednesday, September 18th. Join us at Nikita’s Cafe downstairs from 8:30-9:20am. Our Guidance Counsellors, Mr. Roscoe and Mr. Thomas, will be available to answer any questions you might have. See you there!

Parent Meeting: Introduction to Year 1 on Tuesday 17th September

We invite parents of Year 1 children to join us for our latest parent meeting when our Primary team will talk you through life as a Year 1 student and highlight some of the differences with a child’s experiences in Foundation. It will also be a great opportunity to meet other parents and members of our community. Our Thai, Russian and Mandarin speaking admin teams will be on hand to provide translation services. We look forward to seeing you there! Tuesday 17th September 2024 from 8:15-9:15am in the Secondary Hall (on the 4th floor).

Friday Market

Thanks to the many vendors who contributed to our first Friday Market of this school year. It was great to see such innovative, handmade and homemade products on offer. We also appreciate your efforts to minimize waste and the use of plastic! Thanks to all our student performers who created such a wonderful atmosphere, even as the rain came down! We look forward to seeing you all at our next Friday Market on 4th October.

Meet the Team

We are delighted to welcome everyone to meet our dedicated Thai management team and wonderful teachers. Each year, they work tirelessly to organize meaningful and culturally rich events such as Wai Kru, Songkran, and Loy Krathong, allowing our students to experience the beauty and traditions of Thailand. These celebrations create unforgettable memories and foster a deep connection to Thai culture within our school community.

Our Thai management and teachers go above and beyond in providing individual attention and care to every student. Their commitment to personal growth ensures that each child benefits from a nurturing environment, both academically and personally. We look forward to another year filled with growth, learning, and the special bond that our students form with these dedicated educators.

Languages Department

In Mandarin First Language class, Year 1 and Year 2 students enthusiastically learn basic Chinese characters through a variety of engaging methods. They deepen their understanding and memory of character meanings and forms through games, drawing, and crafting. Through interactive and cooperative activities, they not only enhance their language skills but also develop a strong interest in learning Chinese, setting a solid foundation for future language development. Ms Wenhui Zhong – Mandarin Teacher

在中文作为第一语言课堂上，一年级和二年级的同学们通过多种有趣的方法兴致勃勃地学习基础汉字。同学们通过游戏、绘画和手工制作等方式，增强对汉字字义和字形的理解和记忆。他们在互动和合作中，不仅提升了语言能力，还激发了对中文学习的浓厚兴趣，为未来的语言学习打下坚实的基础。Ms Wenhui Zhong – Mandarin Teacher

Foundation

Celebrating Stars of the Week in Foundation

At our Early Years and Reception’s Star of the Week assembly, the children sat attentively and sang with such joy, creating a positive end to the week. We are incredibly proud of all the children who received Star of the Week awards for their dedication and kindness. It was truly heartwarming to have parents join us in celebrating these special moments. Thank you for being part of this wonderful occasion!

Primary

Primary VAP Students Leap into our Laboratories

Last week, our Primary Science VAP (Very Able Pupil Program) students took an exciting leap into the Secondary Science laboratories, aligning perfectly with our school’s learner attribute of being inquisitive. Guided by Mr. Clark and Mr. Guarino, these enthusiastic young minds delved into the world of sophisticated laboratory equipment, learning essential safety protocols within a real-world lab setting. This term, they will continue their journey through a carefully crafted program designed to enhance their lab skills and boost their confidence. This initiative is crucial in nurturing our future innovative scientists, fostering their inquisitive nature, and equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the dynamic field of science. Mr Clarke – Year 5 Teacher, and Mr Guarino – Secondary Science Teacher

Year 5 White in the Growing Garden!

This week Year 5 white had the opportunity to explore the growing garden. We had a great discussion about why it is important for schools to have a garden and what the children had seen or grown in previous years. The children had the task of planting Sun Hemp; despite being were unsure what type of flower this is, they were courageous enough to ask lots of questions before and whilst planting the seeds in their groups to find out as much as they could about the purpose of Sun Hemp and how planting this flower benefits the soil. It was a pleasure to see Year 5 White so excited to return to the growing garden again after the school holidays! Miss Patel – Year 5 White Teacher

Secondary

A Conversation that could change a life!

For RU OK? Day, our students came together to promote mental health awareness and encourage meaningful conversations. As part of the event, student leaders helped to create a beautiful Gratitude Tree, where students wrote messages of appreciation and support. Students also helped spread the crucial message of checking in on each other, showing how a simple “Are you OK?” can make a big difference in preventing feelings of isolation and despair, and can help us deal with life’s ups and downs. This day underscored the importance of caring for one another and staying connected. A conversation could change a life, any day of the year. The Secondary Pastoral Team

The English Faculty proving it’s not only students who respond to feedback!

One part of our analysis of 2024’s IGCSE English results indicate that coursework marks could improve. Thus, we as a faculty are looking to do more to support student attainment in this area. As such, we have dedicated their First Language English Booster in Term 1 solely to help students craft and edit their coursework. This week, we have been very lucky to have the expert support of former high achievers at IGCSE in the shape of Year 12 and 13 students Joyce, Pee Mai, Erik and Liz.

As always: “Only Connect..” Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English

BTEC Students Experience Real-world Business Challenges with 5 Star Marine!

5 Star Marine’s Shaun Stenning and Jay Leshark are back! This engaging collaboration with the BTEC students is a partnership that was developed last year, and is centered around exciting, real-life projects. It will be directly integrated into the students’ coursework portfolios, providing hands-on experience and exposure to real-world business challenges. The collaboration offers BTEC students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios. By working with a leading local business Five Star Marine, students gain valuable insights and develop key skills. These projects are designed to mirror the professional environment: whether it’s improving customer service processes or creating marketing campaigns, each project allows students to show their abilities. This collaboration not only benefits the students academically but also prepares them for future careers, allowing them to develop industry-relevant skills while still in school. It reflects the BTEC qualifications’ commitment to providing students with innovative educational experiences, ensuring they leave school with both the knowledge and experience necessary for success in their chosen fields. Ms Jones – BTEC Coordinator

HeadStart Eco School Term 1 Focus

HeadStart’s Eco Committees for 2024-25

Following self and teacher nomination, we now have in place our Eco Committees for the year ahead. This includes the:

• Lower Primary Eco Committee (Reception – Year 3) comprised of 12 students;

• Upper Primary Eco Committee (Year 4 – Year 6) comprised of 8 students;

• Lower Secondary Eco Committee (Year 7 – Year 10) comprised of 12 students;

• Upper Secondary Eco Committee (Year 11 – Year 13) comprised of prefects, student leaders and volunteers.

Eco Committee Campaigns

Over the coming terms they will drive campaigns in 4 areas:

• 5XR = Replace, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.
• Climate
• Water
• Sustainable Communities

Across each month they will follow a pattern of activities including – Formal Meeting, Eco Bricking, Changemaker Activities, Paper Collection/Recycling. Our ChangeMaker Activities will be designed to help students of all ages engage with the idea of being a ChangeMaker, making a difference at scale, using our own campaigns and case studies of other students around the world to help understand how they can be the change they want to see in the world. If you are interested in working with us in some capacity, be it as a partner, provider or educator, please contact the HeadStart Eco School Coordinator, Mr. Gratton [email protected].

September is National Self-care Awareness Month

The way we view Sustainability is as a holistic approach to living in balance; with yourself, with others and with nature. We can encourage a positive relationship with nature and the planet but we must also cultivate a positive relationship with ourselves. This week we recognized RUOK day and will recognise Self-care Awareness across September. An example of this is at Primary lunch times where we encourage students to eat a balanced plate of food, reflecting their Curriculum studies; Year 3 are currently exploring what our bodies need.

Positive Action always starts with Awareness

Community Beach Clean

We look forward to seeing you at our next beach clean held at Rawai beach, on Sunday 6th October (meet 9:30 am @ We Cafe Rawai). Bring with you water, suncream, a hat and reusable gloves if you want to wear them. We will provide collection bags and of course House Points for every participant.
So come join us for a fun and rewarding community event where we give back to our local community.

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