Chaofah City
Chaofah City
Weekly Update #11, 8 November 2024
Outstanding Learner Awards
HeadStart International School Phuket continues to set the standard for academic excellence, with remarkable achievements in both IGCSE and A Level results. The school’s commitment to fostering a rigorous and supportive learning environment has enabled students to excel in these internationally recognized qualifications.
The Outstanding Learner Awards recognize exceptional achievement in Cambridge and Pearson exams, including IGCSEs and A Levels. These prestigious awards celebrate top-performing international students worldwide, highlighting their academic excellence, commitment, and hard work. Recipients of these awards demonstrate outstanding performance across various subjects, setting them apart as future leaders in education.
In the 2024 IGCSE exam series, HeadStart students achieved outstanding results, with many securing top grades across a range of subjects; however, three students stood out – not just at HeadStart, but throughout the whole of Thailand, Asia and the world!
In recognition of his academic excellence, Conor Bowens was ranked 1st in Thailand across his 8 examined subjects, including coming Top in Thailand in English Literature. At the same time, Berta Palop Roca used her creative excellence to achieve the highest mark in Asia for GCSE Art & Design. Finally, not content with mastering Thailand and Asia, Daniel (Yichen Ma) bested every other candidate across the globe in iGCSE Mathematics! Daniel didn’t drop a single mark across 2 separate higher maths papers and is duly recognised as Top in the World in that subject. All three truly remarkable achievements!
In the 2023-24 AS and A Level series, our Year 12 and 13 students also excelled with 32% of students achieving an A* or A grade. Standing out were our Head Boy, Krit (Krittat Phaisamran), and Selly (Hyunji Lee), who were recognised with the High Achievement Award in Thailand for AS Level English Literature and A Level Chemistry respectively. And last but not least, Kirill Kochetkov was ranked Top in Thailand in A Level Mathematics. Once again, outstanding achievements of which we are all proud!
These accomplishments reflect not only individual student talent but also the effectiveness of HeadStart’s comprehensive curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and global citizenship. The school’s tailored approach to education ensures that each student receives the support they need to thrive academically. With a dedicated team of educators and a stimulating academic environment, HeadStart prepares students not just for exams but for lifelong success.
HeadStart International School Phuket is not only the outstanding school on the island of Phuket but is now a leading institution in the region, offering students a pathway to exceptional academic and personal achievement.
Announcements
CAPA HeadStars present “Evita”
HeadStart International School proudly presents Evita, the powerful and iconic musical that brings to life the remarkable story of Eva Perón. Set in mid-20th century Argentina, Evita follows Eva’s journey from humble beginnings to the heights of political influence as the beloved yet controversial First Lady. Her dedication to advocating for the poor and championing women’s rights left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire and intrigue. Narrated by Che Guevara, the famed revolutionary, Evita explores themes of ambition, love, and power through unforgettable music, inspired performances, and captivating choreography.
We warmly welcome you to come and join us for an unforgettable performance of Evita by our very own CAPA HeadStars. Tickets are now on sale for this event which takes place in the Sports Hall at Chaofah City campus from 6:00-8:00pm:
If you encounter any issues during the booking process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]
Christmas Fair at Chaofah City Campus
With the festive season fast approaching, it is time to start preparing for our Christmas Fair. This wonderful community event will take place on Thursday 12th December from 1:30-3:30pm. The CAPA department have already got our Primary classes rehearsing for their festive performances, and our events team are busy making plans for our Christmas Fair stalls. If you are interested in offering a Christmas-themed activity or have Festive Season products to sell, please contact Khun Boss at [email protected] to reserve a tent. We look forward to hearing from you.
Upcoming Events
Odd Socks Day 2024
As part of raising awareness during Anti-bullying Week, students, teachers, support staff and parents are all invited to wear ODD SOCKS throughout the day on Tuesday 12th November. The odder, the better!
Join Us for Loy Krathong Celebrations on Friday, 15th November 2024
We warmly invite all students and parents to join us for a special celebration of Loy Krathong, a beautiful Thai tradition. We encourage everyone to wear traditional Thai attire to make the day even more special! The event will include Loy Krathong activities in Thai class. Additionally, for Early Years and Reception, there will be a special Loy Krathong Assembly at the Indoor Learning Centre (ILC) from 08:30 – 08:50. For more details, please refer to the poster.
ขอเชิญร่วมกิจกรรมวันลอยกระทง วันศุกร์ที่ 15 พฤศจิกายน 2567 ทางโรงเรียนขอเรียนเชิญผู้ปกครองและนักเรียนทุกท่านร่วมกิจกรรมวันลอยกระทง ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในวัฒนธรรมที่งดงามของไทยด้วยการแต่งกายชุดไทย เพื่อร่วมแสดงออกและอนุรักษ์วัฒนธรรมไทย ทางแผนกไทยได้จัดกิจกรรมลอยกระทงในชั้นเรียนวิชาไทย และสำหรับนักเรียนชั้น Early Years และ Reception จะมี Loy Krathong Assembly ที่ Indoor Learning Centre (ILC) เวลา 08:30 – 08:50 น. รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติมสามารถดูในโปสเตอร์
AquaPanthers Invitational 2024
Over the weekend of Saturday 30th November – Sunday 1st December, our Cherngtalay campus will host its first ever swimming event – the AquaPanthers Invitational (API) – which will see swimmers of different ages from across Phuket and beyond compete. This unique event would not be possible without the support of our Swim Academy Team, our support staff, and you, our amazing student and parent community. We are therefore looking for volunteers to assist with a range of competition tasks, including timing and supporting swimmers. If you are interested in getting involved or what to find out more, please contact our Head Swim Coach, Zak Brown: [email protected]
Meetings & Presentations
End of Term 1 Assessments, Revision, Reports and Grades Parent Meeting on 05.11.24
In our Primary parent meeting this week, parents found out how their children are assessed at HeadStart. We looked at how students are assessed for learning through formative assessment – that continuous cycle of planning, teaching and assessment where feedback is gained through observation, class discussions, questioning, reviewing class work and providing both verbal and written feedback. This type of assessment happens every day and is tracked over time, for each child, against curriculum objectives using an online tool called Learning Ladders. This tracking software gives teachers easy access to data on strengths and targets to work on for individuals, groups or for the class as a whole.
Parents then learned about summative assessments, the assessment of learning, that their children will be doing at the end of Term 1. There was an explanation of how the results from both formative and summative assessment is shared through the HeadStart reporting system. Hopefully, parents left the meeting feeling confident in their understanding of the information that will be provided in their child’s report at the end of this term. Ms Sharma – Deputy Head of Primary (Academics)
End of Term 1 Assessments and Reporting Parent Meeting 5 November 2024
Parent Meeting: Russian-speaking Parent Meeting
Dear Russian-speaking parents,
We would like to invite you to a meeting for Russian-speaking parents. It will be held on the Chaofah City Campus on November 12 from 8:30 to 9:30 in the Secondary Hall.
We greatly appreciate your contribution to the life of our school. Feedback will help us improve the quality of your children’s education. We appreciate your active participation and look forward to your questions and feedback.
Sincerely, Languages Department
Уважаемые русскоговорящие родители,
хотим пригласить вас на собрание для русскоязычных родителей. В Сити кампусе Чаофа оно пройдет 12 ноября с 8:30 до 9:30.
Мы очень ценим ваш вклад в жизнь нашей школы. Обратная связь поможет нам улучшить образовательный путь ваших детей. Мы благодарны за ваше активное участие и с нетерпением ждем ваших вопросов и отзывов.
С уважением, департамент языков
Halloween
Halloween Stay & Play
Our Halloween Stay & Play event was a truly magical gathering of our entire Foundation community! It was wonderful to see everyone come together, putting in such incredible effort with their costumes and joining in the Halloween spirit. The children had a fantastic time, fully immersed in the festive activities alongside their family, friends, and teachers. The joy, engagement, and connections shared made the day unforgettable. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm, support, and for making this event such a memorable celebration for all! The Foundation Teaching Team
📸 A full album of photos of this event can be found here: Foundation Halloween Stay & Playhttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10jQ2ss04tqdQXQMMUJkpJrFdrXYfwZIa?usp=sharing)
A Frightfully Fun Halloween in Primary
Our Primary Student Council pulled out all the stops to bring a frightfully fun Halloween celebration to HeadStart! Primary students dove into spooky activities, from finding hidden “eyeballs” in slimy slimebola to racing in ghost sacks and pinning noses on the witch while blindfolded! Children also got to strut their spooky stuff on the red carpet, showcasing their incredible costumes and earning house points for their teams. The Primary Student Council members worked their spooky socks off to create a fantastic event, providing an unforgettable Halloween experience for everyone. A huge well done to our council for an amazing day! 👻 Mr Clarke – Year 5 Lead Teacher & Student Council Chair
📸 A full album of photos of this event can be found here: Primary Halloween Activities
Secondary Halloween Party
This year’s Halloween Party for Secondary students, held at our Chaofah City campus, was a not-to-be-missed event! With SPOOKTACULAR games, a HAUNTING soundtrack and SPINE-CHILLING costumes on display, it truly was a “noctis horribilis” to remember!
Sincere thanks go out to our Prefect Teams for organising this Halloween event, including the interactive games – the Welfare Committee’s themed take on the legendary pastime, Eyeball Pong, led by Lena (Year 13) and Naki (Year 12); Guess the Halloween Candies in a Jar from the House Committee, run by Mali (Year 12); the Service Committee’s popular Pumpkin Roll, led by Pear (Year 13) and the gruesome and gory Mystery Box run by Alex (Year 13) and Susanna (Year 12) from the Eco Committee – and to the BTEC Business students, ably supported by our very own Ms Jones, for providing snacks and refreshments. Also, a special mention to DJ Ultraviolet (aka Al in Year 12) for stepping up at the last minute to provide a sensational soundtrack to fit the event!
Huge congratulations to the three costume prize winners:
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Creative – Petr (Year 12)
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Scary – Tais (Year 11)
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Group – The Smurfs (the Blue Crew from Year 12 and Year 13)
We are already looking forward to next year’s Halloween event!
Phuket Sunshine Village Fundraiser
Sincere thanks to our entire school community who just keep on giving! Our Primary classes are taking part in a range of sponsored activities to raise money for PSV – we will update you on their progress next week. In the meantime, a heartfelt thank you to the Hongsyok and Xu families for their generous donations!
Library Fundraiser!
Next week, the library will be hosting a charity second-hand book sale to raise funds for Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation. Come and find great books at great prices and
support a worthy cause. Your contribution makes a difference!
Power of Maths Book Sale
Next week, the Primary team will be selling surplus mathematics books in our school’s atrium area. These books are part of the Power Maths scheme. The money raised by the sale of these books will be shared between our Phuket Sunshine Village fundraising initiative and agreed-upon Primary student led initiatives. The books will be available for viewing and purchasing every day next week; in the morning and after school. Please note that all purchases must be made in cash. A year group set of maths books comprising textbooks and practice books will be on sale for 500 baht (typically six books). Individual books can be purchased for 100 each.
Please do come and have a look at these maths books. They align with our maths curriculum and can be used as valuable practice and revision resources at home. Mr Khan – Primary Principal
Meet the Team
The Housekeeping team at HeadStart International School play a crucial role in maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for both students, staff and parents alike. They ensure that classrooms, common areas, and restrooms are consistently tidy, hygienic, and well-stocked, as well as managing lunchtimes in our canteen, contributing to the overall comfort and well-being of everyone on campus. Their attention to detail and proactive approach in managing a whole range of daily tasks contributes significantly to the wellbeing of our community. Beyond maintaining a clean and hospitable campus, the Housekeeping team also assists with setting up spaces for events, helping to create a positive, friendly atmosphere. They are an integral part of our community, offering shining smiles and welcoming ‘wais’ throughout the school day. Their hard work and dedication are essential in supporting our school’s commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience and inspiring a love of learning! On behalf of our entire school community, we would like to offer our sincere thanks to our Housekeeping team for everything they do!
PE & Sports News
U10 & U14 Boys Compete in the Cruzeiro Cup
On Saturday 2nd November, our HeadStart Chaofah City Panthers U10 & U14 Boys teams travelled to BISP to compete in the Cruzeiro Cup. The tournament hosted academy teams and International schools from Phuket and also the PSG Academy from Koh Samui. It was a great experience for both teams and the perfect preparation for the other big tournaments which are coming up this month. We are delighted with the outcomes from the tournament, which saw our U10 Boys claiming 3rd position in the Gold competition and our U14 Boys winning the Silver competition.
Thank you to all the parents who came to support our teams and a massive congratulations to all the boys involved! Coach Frost – Head Football Coach
Thai Department
Year 1 Thai Foreign Languages Students Immersed in Traditional Thai Culture
Year 1 students in the Thai Foreign Language program are learning about Thai culture, focusing on traditional Thai manners and the graceful ‘wai’ gesture. They are practicing how to greet others with respect, adapting the ‘wai’ to suit different situations. Through this lesson, they are gaining a deeper appreciation for the values of respect and kindness at the heart of Thai culture. Kru Bee – Thai as a Foreign Language Teacher
Languages Department
Learning Synonyms in Year 3 Russian First Language Lessons
In Russian language lessons, Year 3 students learn to choose synonyms for words. To successfully master the topic, it is important to reinforce the knowledge through practice. The students learn to work in pairs and independently, completing non-standard tasks. Well done, kids!
На уроках русского языка третьеклассники учатся подбирать синонимы к словам. Для успешного освоения темы важно закреплять знания на практике. Ученики учатся работать в парах и самостоятельно, выполняя нестандартные задания. Молодцы, ребята! Ms Kiiamova – Russian Teacher
Primary
Year 3 Get Creative at Green Grey Art Studio
Year 3 enjoyed an exciting field trip to Green Grey Art Studio in Rawai where they had the chance to to select, design and paint their own unique pottery pieces. The children were highly creative, using a range of colours, tools and techniques to make each piece unique and expressive. Throughout the trip, they showed resilience, tackling new artistic challenges with determination and learning from their mistakes. We were also very proud of how principled they were, taking care of the materials, respecting each other’s work, and helping to clean up at the end. It was a fun and memorable experience and we cannot wait to see their finished creations, the product of all their hard work and artistry!
Primary Student Council Update
Congratulations to our Primary Student Leadership who have all received their bright, shining badges: our Student Council members, Primary Head Boy and Head Girl, and Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl. If you see one of these fantastic children around school wearing their badge, you’ll know they have a very important role to play!
Primary Stars of the Week – Collaborative
This week we awarded Stars of the Week for ‘Collaborative’. These fantastic children have been celebrated for being team players, listening attentively to others, choosing different people to play with, working in pairs, and many many more. Well done to them all!
Secondary
Learning Local Traditional Art Techniques in Year 11
In preparation for their upcoming external exam, Year 11 iGCSE Art students participated in an artist workshop run by local artist Monthian Yangthong. Monthian specialises in printmaking and has a studio in Phuket town that you can visit.
Students were introduced to the techniques of woodcut and lino printing whilst Monthian explained his signature style and how the students could achieve a similar look in their own work. They then began applying this new knowledge by carving their own Lino prints based on individual coursework projects. The results are in process with students continuing to work on these for the next week. Keep an eye out for the results in our end of year art show! Mr Dagnall and Ms Nacey – Art Teachers
Learning the Physics of the Egg-Drop! Challenge in Year 7
Year 7 students have been hard at work in their Physics lessons, delving into the world of forces and engineering. They’ve explored the concepts of gravity, air resistance, and impact, and now they’re putting their knowledge to the test in the ultimate challenge: designing and building egg landers! The goal? To create a device that will protect an egg from a drop from our atrium, safely delivering it back to ground level without a single crack.
The egg drop challenge is more than just an exciting competition—it’s an incredible hands-on way for students to see Newton’s Laws of Motion in action. Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law, often called the law of inertia, states that an object will stay at rest or continue in motion unless acted on by an external force. Year 7 students have used this law to think critically about how to slow down their egg’s descent, harnessing parachutes and cushioned landing gear to counteract the force of gravity.
In the coming days, the atrium will become the testing ground as students drop their creations from a height, anxiously watching to see if their engineering holds up! The egg drop challenge is a perfect combination of physics, creativity, and teamwork, and we can’t wait to see which designs land smoothly—and which ones splat! The Science Team
Constructing Jointly in Year 8 English
The process of Joint Construction is a proven and effective method of collaboratively planning and modelling effective responses to texts. In this activity, the teacher acts as both guide and scribe, nudging and prompting students step-by-step on how to respond effectively. Everyone is involved in making these decisions: one student might suggest how we start, another what the topic sentence’s focus is, a third on how to choose an appropriate quotation. It’s a Socratic approach I use from Year 8 all the way up to 13 and really supports students in their understanding of how to refine their thinking in order to produce better writing. Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English & EAL
Success Outside School
🥇 Congratulations to Nathan in Year 3 and Jade in Year 4 who both competed at the Siam Sports Pro Tennis Academy Phuket Tennis 10s Championship. Nathan won in the U8 Boys competition and Jade won in the U10 Boys category! Great tennis work, Nathan and Jade!
🥇 🥈 Congratulations to Veronika and Sofiia (Year 3), Anna and Jia (Year 4) who all took part in the recent PK Gymnastics Club Rhythmic Gymnastics competition. Veronika and Sofiia won 1 Gold and 2 Silver medals each. Anna finished with a Silver medal for Free Hands and a Bronze medal for Skills. Finally, Jia won Gold medals for individual, her FIG-Hoop routine, Body skill, and Hoop skill, as well as a Bronze medal for a group performance.
🥈 Well done to Proud in Year 3 for gaining a Silver award for Piano Category A, in recognition of her extraordinary dedication and achievement in the field of music performance, at the recent MAV International Music Competition.
Community Links
Scholars of Sustenance Foundation Thailand is pleased to submit the Monthly Food Surplus Donation Report for October 2024. The data below reflects the significant contribution made by the HeadStart community that directly impacts on the lives of people in Phuket and on our local environment. We thank you for your contributions. Should you need any further information regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact us by visiting our webpage: Scholars of Sustenance
Headstart International School Phuket Oct 2024
Promotions From Around the Island
Theatrix Presents – A Christmas Carol: The Panto
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE PANTO is coming to the Junkyard stage next month! Theatrix is bringing you its fifth annual panto, the timeless tale by Charles Dickens of the miserly Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is a rich and miserly money-lender who is known, feared, and hated as ‘the nastiest, cruellest man in all London’, but on Christmas Eve the appearance of his long-dead business partner and a host of ghosts challenge him to change… or else! Will he change? Well, come and see and help him to see the error of his ways and become a better man. You’ll be helped by a host of hilarious characters, including Simple Sally, the dim-witted but well-meaning duo of Dally and Doolittle, a handful of ghosts, and Charles Dickens himself.
See A Christmas Carol in all its glory, pantomime-style, a delight for the whole family that will thrill you as it involves you in the action, chill you with the appearance of one spooky ghost after another, tickle you with the crazy antics of the characters, and fill you with Christmas cheer to take home with you and help brighten the season. Get your tickets now for December 6, 8, 12, 13, or 15.
Important Dates
Noticeboard
