Weekly Update #29, 4 April 2025

HeadStart Summer Camp @ Cherngtalay Campus

Now is the perfect time to sign up your child for our HeadStart Summer Camp. Taking place over three weeks of summer – starting 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 – you can choose to sign up for individual weeks or all three.

A 25% discount is applicable for HeadStart students while you can receive discount coupons for 2nd and 3rd applicants if non-HeadStart pupils.

📍 HeadStart Cherngtalay Campus

🗓️ Week 1: Monday 7th – Friday 11th July; Week 2: Monday 14th – Friday 18th July; Week 3: Monday 21st – Friday 25th July

🕒 08:00-15:40 daily

To find out more about our Summer Camp or register, visit our website: https://headstartphuket.com/summer-camp

HeadStart Folder – Available Now!

With the exam season fast approaching, now is the perfect to invest in a HeadStart branded folder – perfect for revision notes, past papers and teacher feedback all in one easy-to-find place. Please visit our school shop to stock up on your child’s school supplies.

World Book Day 2025

Get ready to turn the page on your usual school day because World Book Day is coming on Wednesday 23rd April, and it’s bound to be a novel experience! Step into the shoes of your favourite literary figure—be it a Poe-etic writer, a Wilde character, or even something from a fantasy series like Lord of the Rings – truly out of the Mordordinary!

It’s Literary Dress Up!

Whether you fancy yourself a Gatsby in a sharp suit, a Hunger Games tribute, or a walking, crawling, talking Gregor Samsa, the more creative, the better! This tale as old as time tradition of rewarding the best costumes in Secondary continues, with Mr. Pollicutt plotting to hand out prizes for the most novel outfits.

So don’t be a Moby Dull—join the fun, shelf your excuses, and let’s make this a story for the ages!

Meanwhile, in Primary, besides dressing as their favorite character, there are two additional competitions that children can prepare for over the Songkran holidays – a chance to be creative and keep on reading:

Get Caught Reading!

We challenge our students to take a photo of themselves reading in an unusual or creative place! Whether it’s in front of the Bayon Temple, under a table, or somewhere completely unexpected, we’d love to see how imaginative they can be. Please send your child’s photo to their homeroom teacher. We will showcase and celebrate some of the best shots in a whole school assembly on World Book Day.

The Great Potato Challenge!

Can your child transform a simple potato into their favourite book character? Using just a potato and a few creative materials, they can bring a beloved character to life! This is a fun competition to get everyone thinking creatively about books and characters they love.

We hope this will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate reading, spark creativity, and have lots of fun. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful costumes, photos, and potato characters!

Secondary Prom – Friday 25th April 2025

Inviting all Secondary students to this year’s Prom taking place at the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Chao Fah Hotel on Friday 25th April from 17:30 to 21:00. The theme for this year’s event is ‘James Bond – 007’.

Save the Date – Next Community Beach Clean Event

• When: Sunday 27th April

• Where: Rawai Beach 9:30 am (meet outside We Cafe, Rawai)

• Why:: Help clean and protect a vital yet neglected beach. Earn House Points. Log Hours for Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Make a difference and great friends!

Tanyakan Boonyakajorn – Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 6

We are thrilled to share that Tanyakan Boonyakajorn, who has been at HeadStart since Year 6, has accepted an offer to study Sociology with Criminology (BA) at the University of York, following a Foundation course. Her creativity and dedication, highlighted by her achievements in singing and music, and in particular as a Battle of the Bands winner, showcase her passion and drive. Congratulations, Tanya! We are excited to see all that you will accomplish in the future.

Sunthorn Boochangkool – Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 9

We are pleased to announce that Sunthorn Boochangkool (Kun), who joined HeadStart in Year 9, has been accepted to Mahidol University International College to major in Media and Communications. Kun has been an active member of HeadStart’s performing arts scene, starring in productions such as ‘Chicago’, ‘Evita’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’. His musical talent also earned him two Battle of the Band wins, further showcasing his passion for performance and media. He was also involved as an instructor for ‘Sunny Side Up’, a programme designed to help Thai students learn English. Congratulations, Kun! We wish you all the best in your studies and future career.

Gosha (4 Blue Cherngtalay campus) – Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 3

Since joining Year 3 in the inaugural year of our Cherngtalay campus, Gosha has wasted no time in getting to know everyone at HeadStart with his never-ending energy and enthusiasm for life! This year, he is incredibly proud to be one of the first members of our Cherngtalay Panthers Academy U9 Boys team to join with his Chaofah City colleagues and represent the school in tournaments around the island, including finishing third at the recent Cruzero Cup! He is also a talented tennis player and all-round athlete. Why does Gosha love HeadStart?

A Beautiful Start to the Songkran Season

To mark the final morning of Term 2, our school community came together for a meaningful Thai tradition—offering food to the monks. This special moment not only welcomed the start of Songkran but also gave us the chance to make merit together.

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful students, parents, and staff for your generous offering of dry food and for joining us in celebrating and preserving local culture. Your kindness and participation brought blessings and a true sense of unity. Here’s to carrying this spirit of gratitude and togetherness into the Thai New Year!

Amazing Morning Assembly – the Songkran Spirit!

To wrap up Term 2, our Primary and Secondary students and their teachers put their flower shirts on and joined the Songkran Assembly. We started off with Rum Klong Yao by Support Staff, Esan Dance by Year 7 – 8 Students, Muay Thai Dance by Miss Caroline Mure and Songkran Dance by Foreign Teachers. We ended the Songkran Assembly with water blessing ceremony. This meaningful tradition was a perfect way to show respect and gratitude.

Songkran Assembly – Moments to Remember

What a vibrant and meaningful celebration! A huge thank you to our amazing staff and teachers for kicking things off with the energetic Rum Klong Yao Show – what a way to set the tone!

Thank you Print, Bin, Tor, Chef Pornthep, Jajah, Sao, Ead, Nan, Nurse Kaew,Ar, Aon and Pee Sao for participating in this show and special Thanks to Jajah for preparing and rehearsing this performance.

• A Pair of Compères: A special shoutout to our brilliant MCs— Secondary Head Girl Alisa and Head Boy Krittat—for leading the assembly with confidence, charm, and bright smiles!

• Year 7-8 Esan Dance: Well done to Buahom,Punn, Lukenai,Avani,Sophie,Kwankao, Ying Ying, Varvara, Valentina, Janika and also joined by Thai Teachers Kru Gen and Kru Tiya who were also choreographers along with Kru Fon.

• Muay Thai Dancing by Miss Caroline Mure: Special Thanks to Miss Caroline Mure to bring such a powerful performance to the whole school. This brought such inspiration to students to experience Thai Culture to the next level.

• Songkran Dance by Foreign Teachers: Bravo to such an amazing performance from our teachers: Nikki Uhure, Danielle Hughes, Katie Bell, Deborah Langcao, Kathryn Parkin, Remegio Jr Eduarte, Shauna Tunstall, Ayce Rico and Sophie Morris. This was such a vibrant and joyful performance. Thanks Kru Tai for making this show happen.

• Water Blessing Ceremony: A big thank you to our student representatives for leading the beautiful water blessing ceremony, where they poured scented water over the hands of our revered teachers and staff, asking for blessings for the Thai New Year.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this memorable celebration. Here’s to new beginnings and cherished traditions! The Thai Department

Songkran Water Play!

Splish, Splash, Songkran Fun in Foundation!

Our Foundation students got a head start on the Songkran celebrations with a joyful water play session on Wednesday! With big smiles and lots of laughter, children and teachers came together to splash, play, and welcome the Thai New Year. A truly heartwarming start to the festivities!

Primary Water Play

Primary students and teachers had a blast with a joyous water play session to celebrate Songkran at the end of Term 2! Laughter filled the Astro Pitch as everyone soaked up the fun and camaraderie of this traditional Thai festival. From water fights to playful splashing, cherished memories were created to carry into the new term.

Secondary Water Play

Secondary students and teachers enjoyed the moment they have been waiting for – to splash water to one another without worrying about exams. They got to splash, run and laugh as well as enjoyed the music from our own DJ “Oliver” Year 12. Thanks to all for making this Songkran celebration unforgettable!

Songkran Market

We wrapped up the day with first-ever Songkran Market celebrating Thai New Year! with a special Thai-themed event featuring delicious authentic food, sweet treats, and refreshing drinks. Experience the joy of Thailand’s most beloved festival without leaving town!

Thai Guest Speaker – Year 1 Develop Healthy Routines

Last week, I took the time out of my busy schedule and joined Year 1 in their Thai lesson as a guest speaker. The sun was shining and their smiles made the morning even brighter. The session took place on our Sky Pitch, where the fresh air and open space created the perfect active morning. The students’ energy and enthusiasm were energetic. We had a great talk about healthy routines for kids, staying hydrated, eating nutritious food, and limiting screen time. It was so lovely to hear them share their own daily routines and ideas for staying healthy.

We wrapped up the session with many fun activities, games, running, and playing together. It was a truly refreshing and active morning to start our days. I felt great for the time spent with them. I hope these small lessons will stay with them, guiding them to grow strong, happy, and full of positive energy. Sontana Baci (Kru Nee) – School Director

HeadStart Head Up to Harrow

Last week, five HeadStart Panthers teams made their way to Bangkok to compete in the Harrow International 7s tournament. A tremendous shout-out to the players who, despite the tournament being cancelled, remained upbeat and patient throughout the trip.

The Panthers were represented by our U11 Girls, U13 Boys, U15 Boys, O15 Girls, and O15 Boys. Our teams got off to a brilliant start in their initial games, and it seemed as though we were on track to bring home some silverware. Regrettably, due to the impact of the earthquake in Myanmar, the tournament had to be postponed and was ultimately cancelled. A heartfelt thank you goes to all the teachers and coaching staff who worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our players during the event and throughout the entire weekend.

Although we were all disappointed not to play on, we seized the opportunity to partake in some exciting activities in Bangkok. We took the teams to Future Park Mall for shopping and bowling. Then, on Saturday evening, we attended a Thai League 2 football match between Police Tero and Mahasarakham SBT FC. For many of our players, it was their first experience of watching a live professional football match. We were all eager to get involved and cheer on the teams!

Once again, a massive thank you to all the coaches, teachers, players, and parents who journeyed to Bangkok and put in such effort to ensure the trip was positive and fun, despite the unforeseen circumstances we encountered. Coach Paul – Football Coach – and the Panthers Academy Coaches

PISAC Secondary Track & Field

What a way to spend a warm evening in Phuket, watching our young athletes compete in the PISAC secondary track and field competition at Thanyapura Sports Complex! Only a small number of athletes made the trip from both campuses but they showed heart and determination in all the events. A big shout out to Jake (11 Yellow) from the Chaofa campus for finishing on the podium in all his events and Tigran (8 Blue Cherngtalay) for his podium finish in the 200m sprint race. Mr Walker – PE Coordinator

Russian Language Day – Term 2

On 29th March, HeadStart International School hosted Russian Language Day, bringing together students and parents from the Chaofah Cty and Cherngtalay campuses. The event took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, fostering interest in the Russian language and culture. Guests of the event prepared creative performances, took part in a quiz on Russian folk tales, and explored traditional crafts during a master class on painting toys and tote bags. We sincerely appreciate all participants for their engagement and support. We look forward to seeing you at our future events! The Russian Language Team

День русского языка в HeadStart International School

29 марта в школе HeadStart International School состоялся День русского языка, объединивший учеников и родителей из кампусов Чаофа и Чернгталай. Мероприятие прошло в теплой и дружеской атмосфере, способствуя развитию интереса к русскому языку и культуре. Гости праздника подготовили творческие выступления, приняли участие в викторине по русским народным сказкам, а также познакомились с традиционными ремеслами на мастер-классе по росписи игрушек и шопперов. Выражаем благодарность всем участникам за вовлеченность и поддержку. Будем рады видеть вас на наших будущих мероприятиях! С уважением, русскоязычная команда школы

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Russian Language Day – Term 2

Preschool’s ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ Party 🐯🍵

This half term, our core book, ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’, roared its way into our hearts! To celebrate, we threw a wildly fun tea party in the Foundation Garden on Friday that was simply purr-fect. Mummies and Daddies brought scrumptious treats 🍰 and refreshing drinks, and the little tigers sipped from real teacups just like in the tale.

Our day was filled with tiger-themed activities that had everyone roaring with laughter. A massive thank you to all our preschool parents for bringing the treats and to our dedicated team for crafting such a tea-riffic celebration! Miss Iona and the Preschool Team 🐾

BTEC Business Students Shine in 5 Star Marine x HeadStart Collaboration Pitch

BTEC Business students at HeadStart recently stepped into the spotlight, delivering professional business pitches to a panel of judges as part of an exciting collaboration with 5 Star Marine. Tasked with designing and presenting merchandise concepts, students showcased their creativity, business acumen, and presentation skills in a high-stakes pitch session.

The panel, consisting of representatives from 5 Star Marine, school leadership, and business experts, assessed each pitch based on innovation, feasibility and market potential. Students demonstrated impressive research, design thinking, and commercial awareness, incorporating elements such as eco-friendly materials, trendy apparel designs, and functional merchandise tailored to both tourists and the Headstart community..

This real world business challenge provided invaluable experience, bridging classroom learning with practical industry engagement. The event not only tested their ability to develop and justify business ideas but also boosted their confidence in public speaking and professional communication.

A huge congratulations to all the students for their hard work and well-executed pitches. The collaboration between 5 Star Marine and HeadStart continues to offer exciting opportunities for young entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and preparing students for future business ventures. Ms Jones – BTEC Coordinator

Year 8 Science Fair

The Year 8 Science Fair was a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and the embodiment of the scientific method here at HeadStart. The event showcased the inquisitive nature of our students—one of our core HeadStart Learner Attributes—through a diverse range of projects that explored real-world questions with scientific rigour and enthusiasm.

This year, each certificate was printed with an inspiring quote by Nobel Prize-winning physicist William Lawrence Bragg:

“The important thing in Science is not so much to obtain new facts, as to discover new ways of thinking about them.”

This sentiment was brought to life by the students themselves, who not only conducted experiments but also challenged existing assumptions and sought out deeper understanding. The projects on display reflected a genuine excitement for discovery. Students asked thoughtful questions, designed experiments, analysed data, and presented their findings with clarity and confidence.

Prizes awarded by class teachers:

• Which frequency of sound extinguishes fire the quickest? by Tonboon, John, Enzo, Dee Dee

• Is baking soda or baking powder better for helping a cake rise? by Emilie, Lily, Reuben

• Does expensive water taste better? by Nora, Natcha, Emmali, Aileen

• Which bead type has the lowest glucose? by Poppy, Varvara, Kamilla, Ameli

• Testing how dirty our school water is by Omer, Yubin, Nana, Grace, Mellisa, Sasha

• Building an Electric Motor by Jamie, William, Jack

• Assessing water pollution through conductivity testing by Cooper, Thomas, Erik, Niran, Frank

• Which type of paper towel will absorb the most water in 30 seconds? by Luuk, Bua, Cassie, Seoha, Honey

Overall Year Group Prizes awarded by guest judges:

Best Use of Technology:

• Which frequency of sound extinguishes fire the quickest? by Tonboon, John, Enzo, Dee Dee

Best Teamwork:

• Which cleaning product is best for disinfecting surfaces? by Ashley, Maya, Eugene, Punn, Praewa

Best Use of Data:

• Which bead type has the lowest glucose? by Poppy, Varvara, Kamilla, Ameli

The Science Team’s Choice (after much deliberation!):

• What are the best materials to make a solar-powered oven? by Jenny, Valentina, Janika, Liz

We are incredibly proud of every single one of our students. Their curiosity, commitment, and creativity truly made this event one to remember. Well done, Year 8!

Crafting Literary Villains in Year 8 English

To finish the term on an unsettling and sinister note in English, please read on these creative and crafted explorations of villains. Year 8 English students in Woolf have certainly pushed on with their writing skills this term. Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English & EAL

My Diary to The Devil by Lilith Nightstar Emmali
BAK FR NK by Title
Tenebres Glaxvier by Poppy
English villain story by Kamilla

HeadStart Eco School Term 2 Focus – Water. SDG6 – Clean Water

Secondary Student Article

Water scarcity is a critical global issue, affecting over 1.1 billion people, with 2.7 billion facing shortages yearly. Climate change, population growth, and overuse of water resources worsen the crisis, leading to droughts, food insecurity, and health risks. Without conservation efforts, future generations may struggle to access clean water, making this a major environmental and humanitarian challenge.

Water scarcity is a serious issue in Phuket, where reliance on rainfall, and increasing tourism are straining local water supplies. With over 10 million tourists visiting annually, The need for water is much higher than the amount that nature can replace. Reservoirs in areas like Patong and Ao Yon are shrinking, and groundwater extraction is often unsustainable.

Wasting water worsens Phuket’s water crisis by depleting already limited resources. Overuse leads to lower reservoir levels, forcing authorities to extract more groundwater, which can cause land subsidence and seawater intrusion, making freshwater sources undrinkable. Additionally, treating and transporting water requires energy, increasing carbon emissions and environmental damage. If current water consumption habits continue unchecked, Phuket could face severe shortages, affecting residents, businesses, and tourism.

However, the solution lies in water conservation. At home, residents can turn off taps, fix leaks, take shorter showers, and reuse water. Installing low-flow devices and collecting rainwater also helps. In schools, reporting leaks or minimizing water use in restrooms are key. Rainwater harvesting and awareness campaigns can also further promote sustainability. Small actions from everyone can make a big difference in preserving Phuket’s water resources. Mehek & Muskaan – Year 10 Blue

Eco Committees

The Eco Committee has been busy enhancing the projects already in place across campus. We have also been pushing to develop knowledge and awareness of issues more widely. This has included supporting the delivery of the Humanities Curriculum to raise awareness of sustainability issues. Year 8 have explored issues relating to urbanisation and have created Reports suggesting sustainable solutions to some of the problems Bangkok faces as a Mega City. Next term they will explore approaches to Community Action and think about how they can take individual action to bring about change. Year 7 will apply all their knowledge to the creation of a more sustainable civilization (on Mars). This will draw upon their Systems Thinking skills (a skill fundamental to a sustainable future). Year 9 students chose to investigate environmental issues as part of their Independent Enquiry this half term. Next term they too will apply all their conceptual knowledge to write a Manifesto for a More Sustainable Future for All.

• Across this term we have undertaken over 10 Reception class sessions within the Growing Gardens as part of the extended provision. Students are now confident in the garden, naming plants, watering plants in the most effective way, recognising the relationship between plants, the soil, the air and us and are now fully into our worms. This is leading to students, and teachers, being able to sustain their own engagement with the garden enabling this to become a regular feature of the Early Years provision.

• Lower and Upper Primary have been pushing forward with their new Campaign, ‘In-School Plastic Reduction’ and have been working together to create assembly slides, posters and following a questionnaire of students recognising the need for greater education around what plastic is and where we use it. Alongside this we have undertaken 3 waste paper-recycling collections and 3 eco brick making sessions.

• Lower and Upper Secondary have been engaging in paper-recycling collections with a recorded increase in the amount of paper now going to recycling each month. They have also contributed to the eco-brick construction and we are on target to have produced 50 bricks by the end of this term. A specialist Comms Team has been established to create content for campaigns and as we move into exam season a new team of leaders drawn from Lower Secondary are stepping up to drive our activities.

Did You Know? SDG 6 is focused upon seeking to ‘ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION FOR ALL.’

As a community here on Phuket, our main concern is ensuring that water is managed effectively to ensure we can get through the Hot Hot season with minimal impact upon our water supply. Every year the wells run dry and communities go without access to water here in Phuket. Year on year the point at which the island ‘runs out’ of water and has to pump it in from the mainland gets earlier and earlier and lasts longer and longer. Last year, on Koh Samui, communities and businesses endured weeks without access to water. Without access to water, issues around sanitation and health begin to emerge and the cost of drinking water can go up for the most vulnerable in our communities.

Interesting Links Water Saving Top Tips: https://www.phuketkids.com/blog/10-water-saving-tips-for-kids-and-parents/ and Clean Water https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/6-clean-water-and-sanitation/