Weekly Update #26, 27 March 2020

For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page and You Tube channel. To join the Parent Community Facebook group click here!

I would personally like to thank your staff for the outstanding job being done with the online lessons. In crisis that no one could have predicted, impacting the global population, HeadStart has been able to deliver a quality, online platform for our kids to continue learning. I can only imagine how many hours went in behind the scenes and outside of school hours to make this work. Please pass on my sincere gratitude to the teachers for their efforts in making this happen. -Parents of children in Foundation and Primary

Great work, well done & a big Thank You for ALL you’ve been doing & continue to do to ensure our Community stays safe & open. The cautious manner is a necessity for ALL of US! Also, Thank You to our Headmaster for conveying ALL details in a steadfast & timely manner. We look forward to seeing his happy face once again! -Parents of child in Primary

From what I have noticed so far, the primary online learning is amazing! I am referring to year 3. Ms. Fallows, Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Jackson. These guys are putting so much effort to make it happen. They prepare videos, online classes and homework to be done after the video class. This way my kid listens to the video lecture and only then has time to work by himself to do the homework. Those three teachers are doing a superb job! Those teachers understand that now children, with the limited face time with the teachers, can study by themselves and do homework. The kids have time now for homework. -Parents of children in Foundation, Primary and Secondary

Thank you for doing all you can in this difficult time, teachers and staff are doing so well and impressed how everyone is working together. Stay well. -Parents of children in Foundation and Primary

Click photos to expand.

Visas

We have received some questions regarding visas & 90 day reporting from parents. One of our HR staff (Khun Nui) will be supporting Khun Nuk in supporting families with the documentation they need and advice on handling visa extensions and 90 day reporting over the next few weeks. Contact numbers for both are listed below and they will be able to give you clear advice and support. If you cannot get through to either of these people, please contact Chajeen.

Contact Numbers

At this time, we appreciate that parents sometimes need to talk to a member of staff more quickly that just via email. If it is not urgent, email is still quite often the best way to get a clear answer, however, if you do wish to talk to someone about any issues you have, any questions or any help you might need, please contact the most suitable person in the table attached. If calling, please calling during working hours of 07:30 to 16:30 on a Monday to Friday. If we are called outside these times, we will try to answer, but it may not always be possible. The phone numbers attached are company phone numbers and not the members of staff’s private telephone.

‘Virtual’ Coffee with the Counsellors - Wednesday 1st of April

Grab a cup of coffee and join our school counsellors, Miss Milner and Ms Costa and our Student Support Team Lead Mr Atkins on ‘Well-being Wednesday’ for a ‘Virtual’ Coffee with the Counsellors. This is an opportunity for parents to check in with each other and share their experiences of being at home. What is working for you? How are you navigating life with your child’s online learning whilst running a household? Our counsellors and will discuss five strategies to build resilience, and how to have reassuring conversations with children at this challenging time.

For conversations to be relevant for your experience with your child we are holding three different sessions at the following times. Join us using Google Meets with the following codes;

Please note this is a group chat and community connection. If you need individual support please contact the student support team at [email protected] and we will do our best to listen and help or recommend outside services to support you and your family. Look forward to seeing you all online.

-The Student Support Team

By Ms Gemma Caines, Head of Sixth Form

HeadStart is not the only educational institution transferring to working from home, and universities around the world are continuing with the admissions processes ready for the new academic year. Despite the crisis, HeadStart students are getting offers from around the world, special congratulations to: Marc who has received an offer to study Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of California (San Diego); to Elizaveta who has received offers from Coventry and Brighton Universities in the UK to study Applied Biosciences; to Alexandre for his offer to study Aerospace Engineering at Bath University; to Naomi who has an unconditional place at Amsterdam UAS to study International Business; and to Phet who has been awarded a scholarship to take up his Natural Science studies at the University of Toronto.

Myself and Year 13 have not slowed down and are busily finishing off the last few applications and, with many decision deadlines still to come, we are hoping for more good news to help us through these trying times. Congratulations to all offer holders!

By Ms Hannah Brown, deputy Head of Foundation

I hope this email finds you, and your family well and that you have been enjoying the Home Learning activities from Foundation. The Foundation team have enjoyed seeing your photos and reading your feedback which is helping them to plan more exciting things for the children to see and do.

I have been considering the positives of this sudden change in our lives. For you as parents one of the positive outcomes from this situation that I can see is a developed understanding of how your children really do learn and thrive through play. Having the opportunity to work with you in this way is strengthening our partnerships with you as parents and we are very much looking forward to seeing you all back in school as soon as we can.

If you require any further support please do not hesitate to contact me, or your child’s Homeroom Teacher, and we will respond to you during normal school hours.

By Mr Sam Khan, Head of Foundation and Primary

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to you all for your understanding and support during these challenging times for the HeadStart Community. The current situation is presenting us all with multiple challenges; I know I speak on behalf of all my teaching team when I write that we are grateful for the words of encouragement and appreciation that we have received from many of you over the past days. Teaching is above all about service; service to our community. That is why we choose this work. We are committed to doing our part to support you, and your family during these uncertain times.

Over the past weeks, we have striven to continue to provide lessons, and activities, to ensure that your children continue to be engaged in learning, and to not feel disconnected from their school; their friends and teachers - their HeadStart community.

In a further email to Foundation and Primary parents, I shall share with you how we are further developing our On-line learning provision in Foundation and Primary moving forward. Can I take this opportunity to wish you all a fun and safe weekend.-Mr Sam Khan, Head of Foundation and Primary

By Mr Richard Lukats, Head of Secondary

As we come to the end of our first week of online learning, students, parents and teachers have all developed new IT skills as well as finding innovative ways of delivering and sharing learning. The fantastic team of educators, here at HeadStart, have worked exceptionally hard at ensuring students progress is not affected by the school closure. Teachers are deeply appreciative of the positive feedback they have recovered from parents along with some great ideas to make it even better.

Now that we are all managing the new style of learning so well and that we will be continuing to provide learning in this way up until at least the 20th April, we have worked hard at opening up more subjects for students to take part in from home. Below are the details for the extended programme which is predominantly focused on the Year 7, 8 and 9 students as Y10 -13 Students have been following a virtually full programme already. These additional lessons will begin on Monday 29th March and continue for the foreseeable future.

Daily Physical Activities – One of the critical things for anyone to do when they are spending an increased amount of time being sedentary and in front of a computer all day, is to get up and be active. These sessions are to get students up out of their seats and get a sweat on. They are not compulsory, but we strongly advise students to do at least 20 minutes of physical activity a day. All students in Year 7-13 will be set a 20 minute daily physical activity via the PE department. They will upload these into the Google Classroom for each Homeroom, and these could be done, at any time during the day.

Below are the revised timetables for Year 7-9. Students, should do their online morning registration at 8.00am and follow the timetable provided. Parents, please keep on doing what you have been doing this week; encourage your child to wake up on time, dress appropriately, be active in their learning and talk to your child about what they are learning and have achieved each day.

We hope you stay safe and healthy!

Miss Gill is sending out a huge well done to Year 10 Art students who have adapted quickly to their online learning, particularly Jacen, Noa, Kairui and Anastasiia who have handed in this weeks assignments early. Fantastic first attempts at self portraits and efficient use of the google classroom software! Keep it up guys!