Weekly Update #31, 12 May 2023
Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming events can be found on the website under School Life → Calendar and are outlined here for easy reference. If you have questions or require further assistance please email [email protected]
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13-14 May | PISAC - Running / Cross Country | UWCT | |
| 16 May | 8.15-9.15am | Russian Speaking Parents Meeting | TBA |
| 23 May | 8.15-9.15am | Parent Meeting - Reception to Year 1 Transition | Primary Hall |
| 25 May | 8.15-9.15am | UPrep for Parents by Parents- Thai Universities | Primary Hall |
| 26 May | 2.00-3.00pm | Primary Student Council Meeting | Conference Room |
| 27 May | 9.00am-12.00pm | Saturday Thai Culture Club | |
| 30 May | 8.15-9.15am | Mandarin Speaking Parents Meeting | TBA |
| 6 June | 8.15-9.15am | Parent Meeting: Y1 Language Options for Next Year | Primary Hall |
| 7 June | 8.30-9.30am | ‘Our world’ - Stay and Play (Foundation) | Foundation Building |
| 8 June | 8.30-10.00am | Parent Committee Meeting | Conference Room |
| 9 June | Years 11-13 Post Exam Activity Day | ||
| 10 June | 2.00-4.00pm | Dance Recital | Sports Hall |
| Announcements |
ASPs
This is just a reminder regarding the end of term plan for After School Programmes and Academies:
- HeadStart ASPs (academic boosters, sports, clubs, VAPs, EAL) end on the 1st of June.
- Fee paid Programmes (Dance, LAMDA, Tennis, Jiu Jitsu, Robotics, Chess, Instruments) continue until 23 June.
- Academies (Panthers, AquaPanthers) continue until 23 June.
Parent Committee Meeting
Our next Parent Committee Meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 8th. We value your input and would like to invite you to share any points or topics that you would like to be discussed during the meeting. Your participation and feedback are essential in shaping the future of our school community. Whether you have concerns, suggestions, or any other matters that you believe should be addressed, we encourage you to share them with us. Your input will help us foster a supportive and engaging environment for our children.
To ensure that your points are included in the agenda, please email them to [email protected] no later than the 1st of June, 2023. This will allow us sufficient time to review and incorporate your suggestions into the meeting plan. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and commitment to our school. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to enhance the educational experience of our students.
Your Child’s Enrolment for the Next Academic Year
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation for your continuous support and trust in our educational institution. We strive to provide an exceptional learning environment that nurtures and empowers our students to reach their full potential.
In preparation for the 2023-2024 academic year, we kindly request that you notify the front office if your child will be withdrawn at the end of this academic year by filling out the ‘Withdrawal Form’ (available as a download below) by the 31st of May. As per school policy, failure to give notification to the school, will result in not being refunded the Endowment fee. Providing us with this information will greatly assist us in planning and organising the necessary resources, ensuring a seamless transition and a successful educational experience for all our students.
Thank you for taking the time to reply to this request. We value your partnership and look forward to another enriching academic year together. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our administrative office by writing to [email protected].
| Upcoming Events |
| PE & Sports |
- The HeadStart Panthers U13 Boys took on Sanfang Academy this past weekend. There were some fantastic skills on display and high quality football during the game. It was great to see so many parents in support. Go Panthers!
- The HeadStart Panthers U12 Boys welcomed the Rawai Rebels for a friendly fixture. The Panthers showcased their skills and shooting prowess throughout the game showing fantastic determination. Well done boys! - Coach Paul Rothwell
Basketball
- The U16 Boys Basketball players did a great job vs KIS 3V3 games. They made good efforts winning 3 out of 6 games. Honorable mentions: Cheng Cheng & Yuval
- U13 Basketball players 3vs3 vs KIS was very competitive and lots of fun for the team. The team is really starting to learn the fundamentals of Basketball. Great Job! Honorable mentions: Justin, Nathee, Loch, Hugo, Josh
Swim Academy
Great job to the Aqua Panthers on their success at the Sea Eagles Invitational at BISP! Vladimer Rudi really stood out by finaling in an impressive 5 out of his 6 individual events. The team as a whole did an amazing job by smashing their personal records, showing that all the hard work they have put in has truly paid off. It’s fantastic to see such dedication and determination in these young athletes. Additionally, it’s always great to have the continued support of both parents and coaches. Keep up the great work Aqua Panthers! -Coach Brown
| Foundation |
Reception Thai Class
The students were making some fun art works with their own faces as they have been learning about clothing items and colours. They have been using these works for speaking practice.
Foundation Teddy Bear Picnic
I would like to express my sincere gratitude for joining us at the Foundation Teddy Bears Picnic. Your participation made the event all the more special and enjoyable for our little ones. Seeing the smiles on their faces as they played with their teddy bears was truly heartwarming. Your presence and support mean a lot to us and we appreciate the time and effort you took to attend the event. Thank you for being such wonderful parents and helping us create cherished memories for the Foundation children. -Ms Natalie Walker Full album available on the HeadStart Foundation Facebook Group
| Primary |
Kirsty Hark
Hello and Sawadee ka! My name is Kirsty and I am from Manchester in the North West of England. I have a degree in History and Sociology from The University of Leeds, and gained my Post Graduate Certificate of Education at The University of Manchester through the TeachFirst graduate programme. Through my training, I developed a passion for planning creative, challenging and engaging lessons; a passion which has continued to grow throughout my teaching career. I have been teaching now for over ten years and have had the pleasure of being part of the HeadStart community for five of those. During my time at HeadStart, I have taught in each phase of Primary and have worked with so many incredible children and fellow educators. I have also held responsibility for coordinating both maths and science for the Primary phase. Both of these roles allowed me to really develop and nurture my love of curriculum design, whilst also staying up to date with the latest research in teaching pedagogy. After recently completing my NPQ in leading teaching, I am excited this year to continue to develop my passion for teaching and learning through my role as Deputy Head of Primary Academic. Outside of the classroom, I particularly enjoy reading and like to keep active through regular swimming. Since arriving in Phuket, I have also taken up diving which I thoroughly enjoy. I also have a keen interest in history and learning about the past and culture of other places. I therefore love to travel and enjoy exploring the many beautiful places both within and around Phuket. I am thrilled to be working with our fantastic teaching team this year and look forward to us working together to ensure that all children are inspired by their learning and are both supported and challenged to achieve their very best.
Year 6 Residential Trip
Year 6 had great fun celebrating their upcoming graduation of Primary with an exciting and jam-packed residential trip to Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa in Karon. As well as braving the thrilling slides in the hotel’s water park, the children also had the opportunity to visit Phuket Ice Arena, practice their putting skills at Karon’s Dino Park Mini Golf, and take part in our very own Year 6 quiz and talent competition.
The team work, kindness and perseverance displayed throughout the two days was a pleasure to witness. For many children, Ice Arena proved to be a challenging new experience; however, the determination and resilience that the children demonstrated will be sure to serve them well as they embark on their Secondary journey next year. The children also displayed incredible kindness as they supported each other to master their skills both on the ice and on the golf course. It was truly endearing to see the children offering words of encouragement and picking each other up after the occasional slip and slide on the ice! The children enjoyed the challenges that came with these new experiences immensely, whilst also enjoying the cool waters of the hotel’s water park (and the hotel’s resident ice cream shop) as a welcome treat following their activities.
Throughout the two day residential, the childrens’ relationships were strengthened and some new friendships were forged. There were competitions, games, challenges and lots of laughs. All children represented their school exceptionally well and should be proud of both their achievements on the trip, as well as their achievements throughout their Primary career. Full album of photos can be found HERE!
Year 3 ‘Natural Disasters’
This term in Year 3 White we have been learning about natural disasters. Yesterday, we learned all about Earthquakes, what causes them and how to stay safe during an earthquake. Then, we designed our own earthquake proof buildings using the sturdy materials of marshmallows and sticks. Once our buildings were complete, we then tested their ability to stay standing during an earthquake. Only the strong survived! We had lots of fun and improved our engineering skills. - Miss Harvey
Chinese Language Students performance
As the literacy, reading, and text comprehension abilities of Year 2 students in the first language Chinese class have improved, they now have the confidence and interest to try performing textbook plays. Everyone worked together to prepare the props, coordinate with each other, and help each other present a wonderful performance. -Ms Wenhui Zhong
随着同学们的识字能力、朗读能力、文本理解能力的增强，二年级中文第一语言班级的同学已经有信心并且很有兴趣尝试表演课本剧。大家齐心协力准备道具，互相配合，互相帮助，呈现了精彩的首次演出。让我们共同期待日后同学们还有更加丰富多彩的课本剧表演!
| Secondary |
Year 10 this week have been developing their artworks by experimenting with various materials. There’s been lots of digital art, lino printing, spray painting and painting. -Ms Kerrie Nacey
English Exam Prep
Year 10 First Language English classes are now preparing assiduously for the end of year assessments. Unfortunately, Question 3 of the Language Paper- the Extended Response to Reading- can be both challenging and rather dull. The question is assessed for both reading and writing skills, so before diving into the reading part of the question next week, students worked on some of the writing skills: developing an authentic sounding voice in role and a clear sense of their audience and text type. This was an opportunity to develop confidence with public speaking and students’ performative aptitudes as well as having fun with the task. So, enjoy a random selection of randomly selected students speaking in randomly chosen roles, topics and audiences.
We have (amongst others) some videos of the following: the devil giving advice on how to make friends and influence people to doctors; Kylie Jenner sharing her skincare regimen with pilots; King Charles III giving his troops relationship advice. Spot yet more celebrities in the photographs of Joe Biden advising prisoners about the benefits of a romantic dinner and Cristiano Ronaldo beseeching a roomful of rappers to sing more melodiously. -Mr. Pollicutt, Head of English & EAL
AI and Humanities Summer Program
HeadStart Humanities and Computing students (aged 11-18) have been invited by MIT Alumni to join Inspirit AI, the interdisciplinary artificial intelligence program, this July-August. As AI’s impact across education and other sectors expands Inspirit AI has invited our students to join there AI Social Science and Ethics track. More information and sign up can be found below.
Launching AI and Humanities Summer Program by Stanford Alumni
Inspirit AI is a 25-hour project-based AI program that introduces middle/high school students to fundamental AI concepts to build impactful projects across disciplines such as arts and humanities. This year we are excited announce new projects such as Chatbots for Education, AI for Disaster-Aid, Hate Speech Prevention, and more. The program is taught by Stanford, MIT mentors and no CS experience is necessary. Applications for Summer are due May 15th.
