Weekly Update #20, 24 January 2025

Upcoming Events

Lunar New Year Stay & Play

We invite parents of our Foundation stage children to join us for a special Lunar New Year Stay & Play. Celebrate the Year of the Snake together with your little one on Thursday 30th January 2025, from 8:30 to 09:30am in our Foundation classrooms and Indoor Learning Centre.

Lunar New Year Market

Come join us! On Friday 31st January, we will celebrate the Lunar New Year with a special themed market. So please join us in the Atrium from 2:40pm for delicious homemade treats, themed gifts and activities for younger children. We look forward to seeing you there!

Half-Term Sports Camps

Over the February half-term holiday, our three sports academies are offering 3 days of training to help keep your child fit and healthy, continuing to improve their skills and develop friendships through their chosen sport. Our Football and Basketball camps will take place from Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th February at our Chaofah City campus, while our Swim Academy will offer training at our 50m Olympic poolat our Cherngtalay campus over the same days.

Meetings & Presentations

A Special Free Parent Event - Let’s Co-Play!

Inviting all parents from across Phuket to attend a unique parent event hosted by Greg Bottrill, renowned childhood advocate and best-selling author of ‘Can I Go & Play Now?’. This will be an engaging and insightful presentation for parents in which he will explore the power of play in building stronger connections with your child, offering tips and advice.

📆 Date: Tuesday 11th February 2025

⏰ Time: 12:45-13:45

📍 Venue: HeadStart International School, Phuket (Cherngtalay Campus)

The event is open to all parents, particularly those of Foundation and Year 1 & 2 parents. Registration is required. To register for you and up to 4 other adults, scan the QR code in the poster below or complete the GoogleForm: Let’s Co-Play Parent Event Registration

HeadStart Alumni

Nick Gold - Class of 2022

Since graduating from Headstart in 2022, my journey has been filled with enriching experiences and unique opportunities. Though my plans initially involved attending Utrecht University in the Netherlands, accommodation challenges led me to enroll at Lancaster University in the UK, where I now study History and International Relations. University life has brought discipline to my routine as I am constantly learning and have something to work toward. This is not to say it is without fun though, as there is always an event or party to go to. Beyond academics, I’ve pursued my passion for adventure and the outdoors by becoming a PADI-certified divemaster and working on a diving boat in Phuket. During my summers, I had the opportunity to work at Under the Big Sky Fest in Whitefish, Montana, and even embarked on a motorcycle trip from Glacier National Park to Banff National Park, discovering the rugged beauty of North America’s wilderness. Traveling extensively has been another highlight—I’ve now visited 40 countries and regularly meet with friends across Europe. In January of 2024, I got to go skiing in France for the first time, which was a refreshing experience as I had previously only skied in America. Overall, these experiences have taught me that even when life takes unexpected turns, things always have a way of working out for the better.

Looking ahead, my goal for the year is to immerse myself further in academic and cultural opportunities at Lancaster while continuing to grow personally and professionally. I want to engage in more extracurricular activities and events that will prepare me for a future career in diplomacy, gaining practical experience and building connections with like-minded individuals. I aim to deepen my understanding of international relations while exploring new destinations that broaden my perspective. Balancing these aspirations with academic success and personal fulfillment will be my focus for the coming year. So, to the current Headstart students reading this, I urge you to participate in as many activities and programs as you can, as experience is a trait that never loses its value!

House News

This week, Primary students had fun winning points for their House by practicing their aim, honing their eye for detail and precision playing this interactive darts game. The winners overall were the Blue Tigers. Congratulations, Tigers! 💙

Last Friday, our Secondary students relished the opportunity to show off their sporting prowess in a good old-fashioned relay race. Each House had five minutes to run back and forth as many times as they could on the Astro and when the results were in, it was a tie break! With the Blue Tigers in 4th place and the Red Phoenixes in 3rd, the Yellow Cheetahs and the Green Dragons then had one minute to run against each other to compete for first place. In the end, the Yellow Cheetahs came out on top - well done Yellow House! Ms Thompson - House Coordinator

PE & Sports News

U10 Boys in Friendly Action Again

The HeadStart Panthers Cherngtalay U10 Boys team were in action again over the weekend for a friendly fixture against Srisoonthorn Academy U10 Boys. This was their first game since the winter break, and it was excellent to witness such an end-to-end and exciting match. Well done to all the boys who were involved! Coach Paul – Football Coach

ECA News

What an incredible showdown of strategic brilliance at the January edition of our ongoing series of Chess Tournaments held at our Chaofah City campus! Relive the magic and see who emerged as the Chess Master of January 2025:

🏆 Champion - Georgiy - Year 5 City Campus

🥈 Runner-up - Luka - Year 11 City Campus

🥉 Third Place - Ratmir - Year 5 City Campus

Huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club Phuket and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. Next tournament will be held on 15th February! See you there!

Languages Department

Presenting Self-styled Sandwiches in Year 3 French Lessons

Year 3 students have been engaging in a fun group challenge to present their yummy and healthy sandwiches in French, while mastering the use of the tricky “partitive articles”. Ms Billiau - French Teacher

Foundation

Learning Outdoors in the Early Years

Early Years Yellow has been having a blast outdoors, exploring the world of paint and water play! The children are enjoying the freedom to create, experiment, and get a little messy while developing their fine motor skills and creativity. It’s all about fun, learning, and discovery! Miss Una - Early Years Teacher

Primary

Announcing our New Head Boy - Gentle Ng

Last Friday’s Primary Assembly was a wonderful celebration of learning, with students from across year levels showcasing their talents and achievements. Zai Taung from Year 1 entertained us with a beautiful piano performance. Year 6 students proudly presented their creative art robots, each reflecting an environmental theme. Our Primary Student Council also shared exciting news about new suggestion boxes where students can submit ideas on how to make our school an even better place. We were thrilled to announce our new Head Boy, Gentle Ng from Year 6, who will be taking on this important leadership role for Terms 2 and 3. The assembly concluded with the much-anticipated Star of the Week awards, recognising the outstanding efforts of our students. Mr Lawler - Head of Foundation & Primary

Art ECA Students Dive into the World of Kandinsky

Year 1 & 2 had a fantastic time during their Art ECA, diving into the world of Wassily Kandinsky! The students explored his vibrant and abstract works, learning how to express emotions through color and shapes. They recreated one of his famous masterpieces, showing incredible creativity, focus, and art skills! Well done to all our little artists – your hard work truly shines! Miss Una - Early Years Teacher

Secondary

Year 7 Tackle the Andaman Sea and Island Paradise of Koh Lanta

This week, our Year 7 students from both Chaofah City and Cherngtalay campuses ventured across Phang Nga Bay to the stunning island of Koh Lanta.

Day One

Year 7 tackled the Andaman Sea with confidence, grace, and style, sporting their bright orange life-vests! They showed great courage, and everyone safely reached the pier. After the journey, we enjoyed a much-needed, delicious lunch and discussed (again) the rules and safety information while on the trip. Students from both campuses quickly bonded as we teamed up to create group flags and chants. Once we checked in and freshened up, we had a fantastic time playing team games, followed by some free time to relax in the pool and on the beach. After dinner, we attended a briefing about the following day’s activities and important safety information. The evening wrapped up with a few more games before settling in for a well-deserved rest, ensuring we were ready and energised for our 7am start on Wednesday.

Day Two

Our intrepid explorers embarked on an incredible adventure, exploring beautiful islands, greeting vibrant marine life, and giving back to the environment by planting trees. We also channelled our inner Smurfs, ensuring we stayed protected from the midday sun with a generous lathering of zinc. Along the way, new friendships began to blossom as the students bonded over their shared experiences. To top it off, they enjoyed a hands-on experience learning fascinating facts about the rubber industry in Koh Lanta. It was an unforgettable day of discovery, nature, and connection that promised a good night’s sleep for children and teachers alike!

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Year 7 Residential to Koh Lanta 2025

Year 8 Explore the Natural Wonders of Khao Sok

This week, our Year 8 students from both Chaofah City and Cherngtalay campuses headed north of the island to the world famous natural wonders of Khao Sok National Park in Phang Nga province.

After a smooth journey to Khao Sok, we embarked on a day of fun-filled activities, visiting the enchanting caves and also learning how to safely navigate the limestone karst fringed waterways by kayak. Our intrepid explorers even managed a game of water volleyball on the lake whilst in their kayaks! In the evening, we were well fed and the students reveled in being at one with nature. It’s amazing how much fun students can make with each other when they have no WIFI! On our second day, we headed off into the bamboo stands to discover some basic survival skills: learning how to make a shelter with jingle materials and how to make a fire with flint and coconut husk.

Year 9 Head North to the Chills of Chiang Mai

Our Year 9 students made their way north to the beautiful chilly hills of Chiang Mai where they enjoyed a mix of culture and adventure! They explored the stunning Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, experienced the Tai Lue culture in Ban Luang Nua, and visited the Karen village of Huay Khao Lip. Each group also hiked to waterfalls (climbing the legendary Sticky Falls!), enjoyed bamboo rafting, learned the unique skills of making paper from elephant poo (!) and spent time at the elephant sanctuary learning about conservation of these majestic animals. It was a non-stop, exciting and unforgettable trip enjoyed by students and teachers alike!

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Year 9 Residential to Chiang Mai 2025

Success Outside School

Congratulations to 🥇 Meera (3 Blue) and 🥇 Daniil (2 Yellow) for both winning first place in the U10 Girls Under 25kg and U10 Boys Under 34kg categories respectively at the Judo Championships in Bangkok

Congratulations to 🥉 Nailya (8 Blue) for finishing in 3rd place in the U14 Under 39kg category at the Judo Championships in Bangkok

Congratulations to 🥇 Gosha (4 Blue) and 🥈Rus (4 Blue) for finishing in first and second place respectively in the U10 Boys section at the Tennis 10s Matchplay Tournament at Siam Sports Pro

Congratulations to 🥋 Jaxon (2 Yellow) for completing his Yellow Belt in Taekwondo with the Pesuso Martial Arts Academy

Promotions From Around the Island

Glitter Cancer Ball on Saturday 8th February 2025

Dear Friends. Happy New Year!

Phuket has been a place of incredible opportunities for many of us. The past years have seen businesses thriving and immense growth across many industries.

Many of us however, know friends or colleagues, both Thai and expatriates, who have faced the heart-breaking challenge of cancer. Vachira Government Hospital cares for over 600 new cancer patients annually from the region, who require radiation therapy. Sadly, as there is no Government radiation facility in Phuket, Phang Nga nor Krabi, therefore these patients must travel long distances in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, or Songkhla for treatment. While therapy costs are covered under Public Healthcare schemes, patients and their families are often burdened with overwhelming travel and accommodation expenses. Tragically, this financial strain can lead to devastating choices, including sleeping in cars between treatments or, even worse, discontinuing therapy altogether.

To alleviate this suffering, we are striving to build a dedicated radiation therapy center in Phuket. Our Thai community, have already raised over THB 180 million of the THB 290 million needed. The final hurdle however, is always the hardest - the remaining THB 110 million.

To help achieve this goal, we will organize a “Glitter Cancer Ball” on Saturday, February 8, at the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town, with the esteemed Phuket Governor and over 240 distinguished guests in attendance. We would be grateful if you would consider sponsoring a table at this event.

Our aim is also for every baht from ticket sales to go directly toward this life-changing project, made possible through the generosity of local sponsors. Whether through a monetary donation (details below), sponsorship vouchers for hotel stays, wine or experiences, your contribution would make a tangible difference. In return, we will proudly display your logo and photo on our social media platforms and throughout the event.

Together, we can make a profound impact. By reducing the burden of travel, we can improve survival rates and provide hope to countless families facing one of life’s toughest battles.