Weekly Update #11, 10 December 2021
| Dates for Your Diary |
Upcoming events can be found on the website under School Life → Calendar and are outlined here for easy reference. For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page and YouTube channel.
| Date | Time | Event | Who for? | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 December | 8.30-10.00am | Preschool Christmas Stay & Play | Preschool families | Foundation building |
| 8.15-9.15am | Year 11 Mock Exams & Future Plans | Year 11 students & parents | Secondary Hall 4th floor | |
| 15 December | 8.30-10.00am | Early Years Christmas Stay & Play | Early Years families | Foundation building |
| 8.00-12.30pm | Blue House Winners Prize | Blue House students | Year 1-4 in school/ Year 5-13 Central | |
| 16 December | 8.30-10.00am | Reception Christmas Stay and Play | Reception families | Foundation building |
| Christmas Activity Day | All students & teachers | |||
| 17 December | TBA | Parent/Teacher Conferences | Parents & Teachers | To be announced by email |
| 20 Dec - 4 Jan | School Holidays | All |
| Announcements |
Christmas Carolling for Last Week of school
Come and sing or clap along as our Primary pupils will bring some festive cheer through their carols in the atrium every morning at 8.00am and afternoon at 3.00pm.
House Winners - BLUE TIGERS
Please remember that all BLUE TIGERS should wear their House Shirts on Wednesday, 15th December. On this day the Blue Tigers will be participating in their House Prize; a movie and a sizzler / pizza lunch. -Mr Carter, Athletics Director
ASP Booking for Term 2
Booking your child’s after school programmes (ASPs) for Term 2, through the Parent Portal, will begin in the last week of this term and will remain open throughout the holidays. Remember that all ASPs are now allocated on a ‘first come-first serve’ basis. A tutorial on how to book your child’s ASPs on the Parent Portal can be found HERE. Attention: be sure to click on term 2 activity lists.
Please take some time to read through the ASP Policy and Procedures posted on the website in order to familiarise yourself with the After School Programme.
In order to avoid parents receiving multiple emails with confirmations regarding what ASPs a child has been enrolled in, all parents will receive one email on the 7th of January directing them to the Parent Portal where they can check a child’s ASP enrolments. If you require assistance or would like further clarification, please contact Ms Anisa van der Laan by visiting the front office or writing to [email protected].
Important ASP Dates Coming Up
| 07 December | ASPs can be previewed on the Parent Portal |
| 13 December | Online Booking for Parents & Secondary students opens on the School Portal at 09:00 am |
| 05 January | ASP Fair in the Atrium from 14:00 -16:30 to present some of the fee paid ASP programmes |
| 06 January | Online Booking closes at 21:00 pm |
| 07 January | Term 2 ASPs are enroled |
| 10 January | ASPs begin |
Year 11 Mock Exam briefing for students and parents
On Tuesday 14th December we invite parents of Year 11 students to attend a presentation on mock exams and future plans. This will also include an opportunity to ask questions. The presentation will be 08:15-09:15 in the Secondary Hall (4th Floor).
The mock exams will take place during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of next term, and you will find out your results at the parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday 2nd February. Your teachers will discuss with you some targets to improve and their thoughts on your suitability for their subject(s) in Sixth Form. -Ms Jennifer Blackweir, Deputy Head of Secondary (Academic)
EAL Parent Workshop
Thank you to everyone who came and participated in our EAL workshop on Thursday the 2nd and 6th of December. It was fantastic to work with you all and help you get the most out of HeadStart’s FastForWord programme. If you missed these workshops - don’t worry! We are more than happy to go over it with you at a time that is convenient. Please email [email protected] to arrange a meeting. Alternatively, I will now have office hours for drop-ins from 3.00- 4.00pm every Thursday in the Primary EAL room on the third floor.
| Top University Applications |
This year HeadStart has seen two students take the plunge and put their hats in the ring for places at the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading places of learning which consistently tops university rankings. Competition is intense: around 16,000 candidates are chasing just under 3,400 undergraduate places. Our two applicants have impeccable achievement records and work ethic so are well placed to apply to places of this calibre.
We are proud of them for having the strength of character to prepare for these applications amidst their actual AS exams. We, and they, know a fifth of applications do not make it to the interview stage. However, they have displayed resilience and ambition which is to be admired. The students and the school have worked hard to prepare for these very competitive places and we now wish them the absolute best. -Ms Indu Bedi, Head of Sixth Form
| BTEC Experience Blog |
Nemo Senpin
“My name is Nemo Senpin, I am here to talk about my experience with being in the BTEC programme and why both my parents and myself decided to choose BTEC for my studies.
First of all, I wasn’t a student who would get straight As in every subject. When it came to exam time I would panic and wouldn’t know what to do or how to revise for the test. My brain would just freeze and ‘go take a walk in the park’ until the exam was finished. This always happened up until Year 10 when Mr Lukats and Ms Blackweir had a meeting with both my parents and me about what BTEC is and how it can benefit someone like me. They explained that in BTEC there are no exams, just assignments to do each term and for most assignments I had a week to prepare and complete the work. This would help me not worry and stress so much. It would also improve the quality of my work and the grades I would get.
After the meeting, we decided that I would enrol in the BTEC programme and I chose to do Business, Travel and Tourism, both very good and exciting subjects.
During my first year in BTEC, I was surprised by how busy we were and how many assignments and lessons there were. I have to say that the amount of work is the same as the A level students, but the good thing was that there are no tests none whatsoever, but instead of the test there are assignments that we have to do, that is what is graded to get our end of term and year grades, as I have mentioned before. Although there are a lot of assignments, it’s better for those who are like me who worry about doing exams. From knowing that getting even just one A grade is impossible, to getting A grades in BTEC, the impossible thing becomes possible.
BTEC has also helped to bring out something inside me that I did not know I had: confidence in myself! When it comes to the practical side of the assignment, for example when we had to set up a table and sell our products to students and their parents, in the past I would have been too shy, but with BTEC training I am now able to do more than I ever have and become more confident! I know one thing for a fact and that is that now I am a whole different person from who I was before starting BTEC back at the start of Year 12. Now I can use the skills and knowledge that I have learned from Business and Travel and Tourism.
I have recently filled in an application form for Prince of Songkhla University. I submitted the application and was granted an interview with the Head of Hospitality and Tourism a few weeks ago, and I have been told that they were so impressed with me and my application that I have been accepted to attend university there starting in August 2022, to continue my studies in Hospitality and Tourism. That was not the only good news she gave me, she also told me that I was the first student to be accepted into the university without having to do a pre entry exam. This made me feel very happy and very proud of myself for what I have achieved through BTEC studies.
Because I am not as stressed and worried about doing BTEC the quality of the work I put into my assignment has improved lot, in the first term this year I am working towards a Merit (This is equal to a C in A level terms) and for the next half of the year I am aiming for a Distinction (This is equal to an A gade at A Level).
I just want to say thank you to all of the parents that are here and listening to me talking about how good BTEC is and how it has helped me for the future. Now, Ms Jones doesn’t call me Nemo anymore, now she calls me her success story”.
BTEC Rock Climbing
BTEC Business, Travel & Tourism and Sport visited the Rebel Rock Climbing facility last week helping them complete BTEC assessments in Customer Service in Business and Travel and Tourism and Sport Psychology. There was also some very impressive climbing from all of the students with some facing their fears of heights. Well done all! -Ms Yardenna Jones
| Spotlight on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) |
Over the last two weeks we have been exploring our patterns of behaviour. Patterns are in nature all around us and we tend to follow patterns of behaviour because our brains like to be efficient so they create highways in the brain when dealing with our everyday life and we tend to repeat behaviours. Some of our daily patterns are helpful to us like packing our school bag the night before so we avoid getting stressed when leaving the house in the morning, writing lists to prioritise when we feel overwhelmed, and exercising regularly to aid our wellbeing.
However, some of our patterns can be unhelpful, like shutting people out when we feel stressed, procrastinating when we have work to do, assuming the worst when something bad happens. In order to maintain our happiness, we need to keep our good patterns and recognise the part they play in creating a sense of wellbeing. We also need to look at ways to change our negative patterns. Watch this film to understand the neuroscience behind our patterns of behaviour. The neuroscience behind our patterns and how to change them. -Indu Bedi
| Celebrating Student Success Out of School |
Congratulations to all of the HeadStart students who have achieved excellent results in a variety of academic competitions outside of school. Well done everyone. Keep up the good work!
Kangaroo Math Thailand: Alexsei Gorskikh received the Gold award, Sarita Poudyel (Nae Nae) received the Bronze award,
SASMO (Singapore & Asian School Math Olympiad): Sarita Poudyel (Nae Nae) received the Silver award, Alexsei Gorskikh received The Silver award, Chaiyapat Ngernanek (Tete) received the Bronze award, Chadanit Prachumpan (Fura) received the Bronze award
TIMO (Thailand International Mathematical Olympiad: Sarita Poudyel (Nae Nae) received the Silver award, Alexsei Gorskikh received the Bronze award.
VANDA International Science Competition: Sarita Poudyel (Nae Nae) received the Silver award,
PIMSO (Philippine International Math and Science Olympics) Natchaya Kritchanarat (Kim) received the Gold award, Chadanit Prachumpan (Fura) received the Achiever award, Chadaporn Prachumpan (Jasmine) for participating in the competition,
FM Fermat Mathematical Olympiad Competition: Natchaya Kritchanarat (Kim) received the Silver award, Chadanit Prachumpan (Fura) received the Bronze award, Chaiyapat Ngernanek (Tete) received the Bronze award and Chadaporn Prachumpan (Jasmine) for participating in the competition.
| Rooftop Growing Garden |
Do you want to learn how to grow organic turmeric, eggplant, pumpkin, sweet potato and more? With the help of the Phuket Farmers Club we are growing all of this on our rooftop growing garden and more! #HeadStart #creativity #passion #excellence #growinggarden #EcoInitiatives #sustainability
