Weekly Update #5, 19 September 2025

Clarification of Parent & Visitor Access to the School Site

At HeadStart International School, the safety and well-being of every child in our care is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a secure, supportive environment where children feel valued and protected. Safeguarding is integral to everything we do and is at the heart of our school ethos. Our safeguarding policies and procedures ensure that children are safe, supported, and able to thrive. All staff are trained in child protection and recognise their responsibility to identify and respond to any concerns about a child’s welfare.

An integral part of safeguarding at both our school campuses is that only appropriate adults are allowed access to our school site at any one time and that these adults are clearly identifiable. As such, all academic and support staff wear clearly identifiable ID cards on a blue lanyard. Parents and carers should wear a Parent ID card on ayellow lanyard to identify themselves. These can be used to access each school site at the appropriate times via the automatic turnstiles. At other times, our security teams will ask to see these before allowing an adult on site.

Parents are also able to access the automatic turnstiles using the finger scanner; however, we require all adults to also display their ID card when at school. Any adult requiring access to either campus who is not in possession of a parent ID card or who cannot finger scan via the turnstiles must visit our security office to obtain a Visitor Pass on a red lanyard. Visitors must exchange one valid form of ID (passport, driving license etc.) in return for a Visitor Pass.

Please find here information from our Parent Handbook that explains our Identity (ID) card system for parents:

HeadStart Identity (ID) Cards

To ensure that our school site is secure, we have an ID card system in place. All HeadStart parents are provided with a school identity card. This ID card can be collected from our School Reception and comes with a yellow lanyard. Parents should use their cards to enter and exit the school with their children.

Please note that our ID cards must be worn by parents while they are on the school site. If you lose or damage your card, please contact the school cashier to replace it. The cost of a replacement card is 200 baht and you can collect it the following day at the School Reception.

Together, we can ensure that every child is safe, happy, and empowered to learn.

A Request for Secondhand Donations from our CAPA Department

The Creative Arts (CAPA) department is asking for donations of children’s toys, plastic plants/flowers, glass bottles, and folded cardboard boxes. These will be used to diversify our collection of props for drawing. Please ensure that all items are clean and compact, and bring them to a member of the Art team in the Art Office. Thank you for your support. Ms Greaney – Head of Creative Arts

HeadStart University Fair 2025

Get ready for an incredible evening of exploration and opportunity at the University Fair hosted by HeadStart International School Chaofah City campus:

📅 Date: Monday 22nd September

🕗 Time: 17:30 to 20:00

📍 Location: Sports Hall, Chaofah City Campus

To sign up, confirm attendance and book a workshop, please scan the QR code in the poster below 👇. You are also welcome to pop by on the day to speak to any of the reps at the Fair.

First Foundation Stay & Play of the Year

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’. Sessions will start at 8.30am and be held in your child’s classroom and the Indoor learning Centre. See the poster for more details.

Thai University Fair

We are excited to invite you to the Thai University Fair on Friday 3rd October 2025 at our Chaofah City campus. This annual event is a unique opportunity for both parents and students to meet with representatives from leading Thai universities.

At the fair, you’ll have the chance to ask questions about course options, admission requirements, and explore various academic pathways, gaining valuable insights into your child’s future university journey.

Please register here.

Event Details:

📅 Date: 3rd October 2025

⏰ Time: 08:30 – 11:00

📍 Venue: School Sports Hall

We look forward to seeing you there!

Calling All Vendors! Next Friday Market on 3rd October

If you are interested in sharing your unique products with our vibrant school community, why not book a stall at our next Friday Market. We are interested in home-cooked food and healthy drinks served in sustainable packaging (no plastic!), handmade products such as jewelry or gifts, and sustainably produced products and reused or recycled materials. This promises to be another wonderful community event taking place on Friday 3rd October 2025. Contact Khun Boss at [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear from you!

October Half-term Sports Camps and Lessons

The October half-term break (11-19 October) is fast approaching. If you are staying on the island, why not sign up for one of our fantastic Half-term Sport Camps? With Football and Basketball Camps on offer at our Chaofah City campus as well as swimming lessons for beginner to intermediate swimmers (30 minute sessions by age group), and a dedicated Swim Camp at our Cherngtalay campus, there is something for everyone. See details in the posters for appropriate age groups, days, times and prices.

Toddler Playgroup @ Cherngtalay Campus starting Wednesday 29th October

Welcoming all families to step into our vibrant classrooms for a special morning at our free Toddler Playgroup! Our highly qualified team will guide you and your little ones through a range of engaging activities – from sensory and messy play stations to hands-on crafts where children can make their own creations. Toddlers will explore color and texture with paint, playdough, and water play, helping develop their motor skills and curiosity. There’s also story time and songs to wrap up the morning. This fun-filled session is perfect for families to connect and find out what it’s like to be a part of our HeadStart community.

Our Toddler Playgroup runs at our Cherngtalay campus on Wednesdays from 9:00-10:00am and is for young ones aged 1-4 years old. To express your interest in having your toddler join, fill out the registration form by scanning the QR code in the poster below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Introduction to Year 1 Parent Meeting on 16.09.25

This week, our Year 1 parents enjoyed an engaging meeting on Teaching and Learning in Year 1, led by our Deputy Head of Primary Academics, Ms. Sushma Sharma, and Year 1 Lead Teacher, Ms. Lisa Wakeford. Parents got a real taste of life in Year 1 by learning about the timetable and curriculum, taking part in some hands-on maths activities, and exploring the exciting resources that children use every day. They also had the chance to look through Year 1 exercise books and see the fantastic progress and excellent work that our young learners achieve. It was a great opportunity for parents to discover what their children’s first year in Primary looks like, and lovely to see so many parents embracing the chance to step into the shoes of a Year 1 child.

If you were unable to attend the meeting or would like to review the content, please find a copy of the presentation below 👇

HSC Parent Meeting 04 Introduction to Year 1 2025 26

Thai University Applications & Admission Requirements Parent Meeting on Tuesday 23rd September

We invite Thai-speaking parents of students considering a university education in Thailand to join us for our latest parent meeting when our Thai and UPrep teams will talk you through the application and admissions process for universities in Thailand. This meeting will be held in the Thai language with English-speaking staff on hand to translate. We look forward to seeing you there! Tuesday 23rd September 2025 from 8:30-9:30am in the Secondary Hall (on the 4th floor).

UPrep Talk 3 – Choosing Subjects and Careers

We are pleased to invite you to our next UPrep Talk: Choosing Subjects and Careers, which will take place on Wednesday 24th September at 8:30 in the Secondary Hall at our Chaofah City Campus. This session is designed specifically for parents and will provide guidance on how best to support your child as they make important subject choices and begin considering future career pathways. We will explore:

• How subject choices can shape university and career opportunities.

• Balancing strengths, interests, and long-term goals.

• Practical tools and resources available to families.

• Common pitfalls to avoid in the decision-making process.

The talk will be led by our University Preparation (UPrep) team, with time for discussion and questions. We hope you will join us for this informative session, which will help you feel confident in supporting your child’s decision-making at this key stage. Ms Graham – Deputy Head of Upper Secondary

HeadStart Chaofah City’s Languages Department

At HeadStart Chaofah City Campus, the Languages Department, under the leadership of Benjamin Salmon, exemplifies a professional commitment to open-minded and inclusive language education. This team of experienced educators — specialists in French, Mandarin, Russian and English as an Additional Language (EAL) – delivers a high standard of instruction from Year 1 to Year 9, and as options for Years 10 to 13. They employ flexible methodologies and remain receptive to innovative practices, ensuring that students are not only well-prepared for exams such as IGCSE, A-level, HSK, and DELF but also develop a nuanced understanding of language in cultural context.

The department’s approach is grounded in fostering acceptance and understanding of different worldviews, encouraging students to engage with unfamiliar cultures and ideas without bias. This focus on global-mindedness aligns with the school’s broader educational values and contributes meaningfully to the personal and academic growth of each learner. Their dedication to maintaining an open and collaborative learning environment continues to enhance student outcomes across all levels.

First Chess Tournament of the School Year

What an amazing chess tournament! This time we had 30 players competing, and 8 of them were talented Under 8 players showing incredible potential. It was great to see everyone engaged, thinking ahead, and making brilliant moves on the board! Our September chess tournament results:

Winner:Georgiy (6 Blue Chaofah City)2nd Place:Luka (12 Blue Chaofah City)3rd Place:Tigran (9 Blue Cherngtalay)Best Girl:Poppy (9 White Chaofah City)Best Under 8 Player: Remy (3 Yellow Chaofah City)

Huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club Phuket and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. The next tournament will be held on 11th October. See you there!

HeadStart Panthers U13 Boys on their way to Samui

Good luck to our Panthers U13 Boys Football Team who are taking part in this weekend’s Samui International Football Tournament. Go Panthers!

Check out next week’s update to see how they got on.

Panthers U13 Boys Gear Up for Samui with Another Win

Another game and another impressive performance from our selected U13 Boys teams last weekend as they travelled to play against Together Academy. Teamwork and fluidity was key in this game with a number of players changing positions in the game to prepare for the upcoming tournament in Samui. A big thank you to Together academy for hosting us and for creating a positive football environment. Coach Frost – Head Football Coach

Panthers U15 Boys Take Positives from High-scoring Draw

The HeadStart U15 Boys had their first friendly of the new season against Phuket Academy last Saturday. The boys battled hard in the game and produced attractive football both collectively as a team and moments of individual skill that resulted in scoring three great goals. The game finished even at 3-3 with a lot of positives to take and also areas of development we can work on in future training in preparation for our next match! Coach Matthew – Football Coach

Panthers U18 Boys Kick Off their Season

The U18 Boys kicked off their 2025/26 season with a fantastic performance against Phuket Academy. The team set their stall out from the 1st minute, giving their opponents no time on the ball and dominating possession with quick ball movement when in possession. One of the key messages in these early weeks is to adopt the correct mentality and emotional control at key moments in games and the boys demonstrated this in abundance. Shout outs to Tommy, Ilai and Oleg for scoring their first goals for the academy. Coach Dave – Football Coach

Foundation Star of the Week Assemblies – Weeks 1 & 2

Over the past two weeks, we have celebrated our very first Star of the Week assemblies in Foundation. It has been a joy to see the children growing in confidence as they proudly stood to receive their certificates, cheered on by their friends, teachers, and families. Across both weeks, our Stars were recognised for a fantastic start to the year, showing enthusiasm, independence, kindness, and a positive attitude towards their learning. The supportive atmosphere in each assembly was wonderful, with classmates clapping and encouraging one another.

A big thank you to all the parents and carers who joined us for these special celebrations. We look forward to continuing to share the children’s achievements with you throughout the year. Miss Daneille – Deputy Head of Foundation

Getting Hands-on with Digestion in Year 4 Science

Science was made a little easier to digest in Year 4 this week as we got hands on with our digestive systems. As part of their science topic on the human digestive system, the children carried out a hands-on investigation to replicate the journey food takes through the human body. They mashed banana, bread, and biscuits with water to represent chewing and saliva. The mixture was then added to a bag of Coke to mimic the stomach, where they squished it to show churning and acid breakdown. Next, the contents were poured into tights to represent the intestines, where liquid “nutrients” were squeezed out. Finally, the remaining solid waste was pushed through the end of the tights into two small cups, demonstrating the final stage of digestion – going to the toilet! The students aren’t going to forget this investigation anytime soon! The Year 4 Team

Year 3 Become Archaeologists for a Morning

Year 3 have been learning how we find out about the past. They were informed of some BREAKING NEWS that prehistoric artefacts had been unearthed in our school garden and became archaeologists for the morning to find out more! They first drew a map of the location of each of the artefacts before carefully digging out and dusting each one off to place on their archaeological finds tray. They assessed each piece by looking at its shape, colour, weight and material and used this to speculate what they were, when they were from and what they might have been used for. Our young archaeologists were very principled when discovering and handling the artefacts and highly inquisitive, not only using what they already knew about the Stone Age to think about what the objects were used for but also following up with more questions to find out more about these prehistoric artefacts and life during this period of prehistory! Miss Bell – Year 3 Lead Teacher

Exploring Topography with Lego in Year 4

This week, Year 4 students created topographical maps of Indonesia using Lego pieces to explore the country’s physical geography. Each colourful brick represented different land heights, with taller stacks showing mountains and volcanoes, and lower ones showing plains or sea level. They carefully studied maps of Indonesia to build the islands accurately, including famous features like Java’s volcanoes and Bali’s coastline. Together, we constructed a few of the largest and main islands of Indonesia – trying to construct all 18,000 would have taken a bit too much time! This fun, hands-on activity helped them understand the shape of the land and how Indonesia’s many islands vary in height and terrain. The Year 4 Team

Learner of the Month Assembly

On Friday 12th September, we held our very first Learner of the Month assembly of the year, with a special focus on Mathematics. Teachers across Primary selected students to receive the award in recognition of their participation, hard work, resilience, and enthusiasm in maths lessons. Our award winners have consistently impressed their teachers by demonstrating the HeadStart Learner Attributes and should feel very proud of their achievements.

During the assembly, the children enjoyed a lively True or False maths game, hosted by our Primary Maths Coordinator, Ms. Katie Bell, before our wonderful award winners were presented with their certificates.

In addition to celebrating excellence in maths, we also took a moment to recognise our dedicated readers with the presentation of Rockstar Reader Awards, given to children who have impressed our librarian with their commitment to reading so far this term.

It was a fantastic way to launch our Learner of the Month assemblies and was a wonderful celebration of learning and of the incredible effort and enthusiasm shown by our students.

Primary Star of the Week: Principled

This week, we are proud to celebrate our Stars of the Week for being Principled. These children have shown that they know the importance of doing the right thing, even when it isn’t the easiest choice. They have been honest in their words, fair in their actions, and respectful towards others. Some stood up for friends when they needed support, others showed integrity by owning up to mistakes, and many demonstrated fairness by including everyone in games and activities. Ms Cusworth – Deputy Head of Primary (Pastoral)

Library News: Readers of the Month for August

A huge congratulations to our top 5 readers for the month of August! These students have shown incredible dedication, enthusiasm, and love for reading. Their curiosity and commitment have made them stand out as true reading role models in our school community. Let’s give a big round of applause to our August Rockstar Readers:

🌟 Zean (3 Blue), Oscar (3 Yellow), Orca (5 Yellow), Amy (5 White), and Anfisa (6 White)

Your passion for books is inspiring! Keep turning those pages and exploring new worlds through reading. We can’t wait to see who shines next month!

Computing & Commerce VAPP Students Present: Creating a Better World for Living

This academic year, students from our Computing & Commerce VAPP (Very Able Pupil Program) are taking part in the PIM Hackathon. They are required to use their innovation skills to design a business model to promote a Zero-Green-Clean Economy and create a better world for living. Using their creative skillset, the students have come up with AirScrub: an ingenious way of removing CO2 from the air and storing it at its freezing point! Algae will then be introduced to feed from the CO2 and release oxygen into the atmosphere.

This unique concept is entirely the students own work and the business plan to support it, a 1 minute video pitch, will be entered into the PIM Hackathon. The team are competing against other schools and universities throughout the whole world for a chance to win 60,000 Thai baht. Last year’s team made it to the semi-finals; this year we are hoping to go even further! Mr Armstrong – Head of Computing & Commerce

BTEC Business Students Gear Up for the World Digital Marketing at Niran Farm

As part of their BTEC Business studies, students visited Niran Farm, the Equestrian Centre, and the Hotel and Restaurant on a fact-finding mission designed to support the creation of a digital marketing storytelling project. The trip was led by Jay Leshark, who guided students through the three distinct business areas. Throughout the morning, students had the opportunity to interview staff members and gain first-hand insights into the different products and services offered across the sites.

Their research focused on:

• Exploring the brand identity of Niran Farm and understanding how it connects across agriculture, hospitality, and leisure.

• Defining target markets for each business area, from local families visiting the farm, to equestrian enthusiasts, to hotel and restaurant guests seeking a unique experience.

• Gathering authentic stories from the people behind the business, which can be used to shape engaging digital marketing campaigns.

The visit provided students with valuable real-world experience in market research and showed how businesses in different sectors can build a cohesive brand story. By the end of the project, they will use their findings to create digital storytelling content that reflects the identity, values, and customer experiences of Niran’s three business areas. Ms Jones – Lead for Vocational Education

HeadStart Swimmers Shine at Phuket Student Games 2025

Congratulations to Puff (6 White), Pie (6 Blue), Polina, Yasmin, Simon and Ada (7 Yellow), and Eloise (7 Blue Cherngtalay Campus) who proudly represented HeadStart at the Phuket Student Games 2025 which took place on 6–7 September at the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization 50m Swimming Pool and brought together athletes from more than 20 schools across the island. Each swimmer delivered excellent performances in their individual events, demonstrating skill, perseverance, and school spirit.

A standout achievement came from Yasmin, who captured two golds, two bronzes, and one silver in her individual races. Her outstanding performance earned her the special trophy for the second highest overall score.

The highlight of the meet also included the Girls’ Relay team of Yasmin, Ada, Eloise, and Polina. With strong teamwork and determination, they raced to first place in both the 200m Individual Medley Relay and the 200m Freestyle Relay, securing two gold medals for HeadStart. We are incredibly proud of all our swimmers not only for their medals and trophies, but for their hard work, dedication, and the spirit of unity they brought to this year’s Games.

Congratulations to Aaron (6 Yellow) who won first place in U10 Boy’s Singles at the 2025 Phuket Student Badminton Tournament

Congratulations to Serene (6 Yellow) who won the Gold Prize in Section 3 of the Free Program Infant A Vocal at the Osaka International Music Competition DVD Audition as well as the Silver Award Violin Category B at the MAV International Music Competition 2025

Congratulations to Andy (6 Yellow) who received the Preliminary Gold award from the Victoria International Youth Painting Competition