Weekly Update #24, 28 February 2025

Announcements

HeadStart Yearbook Sponsorship Opportunities

Dear Parents,

The 2024-2025 HeadStart Yearbook is underway! 📸 Support our school community and promote your business by advertising in our special full-colour, magazine-style yearbook, reaching over 800 copies.

Advertising Options:

• Half-page ad: 5,000 THB

• Full-page ad: 10,000 THB

• Full-page inside back covers (limited): 12,000 THB

🗓️ Submission deadline: 20 March, 2025

📁 Format: PDF, TIFF, JPEG (CMYK, 300 dpi)

If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

HeadStart Bag and Cap – Available Now!

As we approach the hot season, now is the perfect time to invest in a HeadStart cap for your child. With HeadStart branded school bags also on offer, please visit our school shop to stock up on your child’s school supplies.

HeadStart Cherngtalay Campus Goes Solar

We are proud to announce the latest development in HeadStart’s commitment to being a sustainable, environmentally conscientious centre for learning – HeadStart Eco-School.

With the installation of solar panels on the roof of our covered astro-pitch, our Cherngtalay campus is now in part powered by solar. Following in the footsteps of our Chaofah City campus, where 80% of our total electrical consumption comes from green, renewable and sustainable energy, we are fulfilling our goal of Sustainable Learning for a Sustainable World. We have also taken steps to reduce our energy consumption by installing motion sensors in classrooms to control aircon units, ensuring our learning spaces remain comfortable for students while at the same time reducing electricity usage.

To find out more about our school’s commitment to sustainability, including in-school projects like our growing gardens and recycling activities, and island-wide community collaborations, including our monthly Beach Clean events and food donations to the Scholars of Sustenance, visit our website:
https://headstartphuket.com/en/our-school/sustainability

Upcoming Events

HeadStart’s Academy Teams Getting Ready to Make a Difference

Happening tonight and tomorrow, our 24 Hours to Make a Difference sporting fundraiser event splashes off at 20:00 tonight (Friday 28th February) at our Chaofah City campus! Donations are in and students young and old are getting geared up for 24 hours of sporting fun!

So, come and join us for this unique sporting event to raise funds for our Term 2 and 3 chosen foundations! All academy students, coaches, and parents are invited to participate from 20:00 on Friday, 28th February to 20:00 on Saturday, 1st March 2025.

Event Highlights:

• Swim Academy 🏊‍♂️: 20:00 Friday – 08:00 Saturday

• Football Academy ⚽︎: 08:00 – 20:00 Saturday

• Basketball Academy 🏀: 14:00 – 20:00 Saturday

Final 3 Hours (17:00 – 20:00): Fun games with parent & staff teams

BBQ & Refreshments: Celebrate with free food (pre-order required) from 18:00 – 20:00. All proceeds from refreshments will go to our charitable foundations.

Nominated Foundations:

Youth Football Home, Phuket: https://www.facebook.com/youthfootballhome/

North Andaman Network Foundation: https://www.andamannetwork.org/

All funds raised will be equally shared between these two amazing foundations.

Come Join Us – Community Beach Clean at Nai Harn

Join this month’s HeadStart Community Beach Clean at Nai Harn Beach. This Sunday, 2nd March, meeting at the Sea Breeze Cafe at 9:30am. Wear your House shirt to win points for all attendees.

Careers Fair 2025

On Monday 3rd March, HeadStart International School Chaofah City Campus will host a Careers Fair for our Year 11, 12 and 13 students. This is an opportunity for our oldest students to gain an insight into the working world and career options before making important decisions about their post-secondary school pathway. From 08:00 – 10:30 in the Secondary Hall (4th floor).

International Day 2025

We are delighted to extend a warm invitation to all our families to join us for our International Day celebrations. This event promises to be a vibrant and culturally enriching experience, showcasing the diversity that makes our school community so special.

📆 Date: Friday 7th March 2025

⏰ Time: 14:30-17:00

📍 Venue: Chaofah City Campus

Our International Day event will feature a colourful array of cultural performances, international cuisine, interactive exhibits, and a warm atmosphere of unity. It’s an excellent opportunity for us to come together, celebrate our global community, and foster a deeper understanding of the rich tapestry of cultures represented at HeadStart.

We would be honoured by your presence as we celebrate diversity, promote cultural exchange, and strengthen the bonds that make HeadStart International School a truly international learning environment.

Political Standpoints

This is a polite reminder that International Day is not a forum for pushing political agendas. The event is designed for everyone to come together in a show of kindness and respect, and to demonstrate a sense of community.

Celebrating Peranakan Culture at International Day

Our Thai community representatives would like to invite all Thai families – children, parents, friends and family – to share our unique Peranakan culture this International Day. With 70% of Phuket’s local population believed to have Peranakan ancestral origins, a vibrant culture that combines Chinese and Malay traditions, this is a great opportunity to celebrate our local traditions and culture and what makes Phuket so special!

CAPA Junior presents Peter Pan…Set Sail for Neverland – No Flying Lessons Required!

Join us on 26th & 27th March at 5pm as our CAPA Junior HeadStars take you on a swashbuckling adventure full of mischief, magic, and maybe even a bit of fairy dust! Soar with Peter Pan, escape Captain Hook’s ridiculous plans, and clap extra loud for Tinkerbell—she insists.

This isn’t just a play—it’s a delightful tale of sword fights, pirate chases and lost boys’ stories, with music that will have you ‘hooked’ faster than Hook himself!

Mark your calendar, grab your fairy wings (or pirate hats), and dive into the magic. Tickets go on sale from 3pm on Friday 7th March before the crocodile’s clock strikes—tick-tock, tick-tock!

Meetings & Presentations

Phonics for Early Years & Reception Parent Meeting

Inviting all parents of Early Years and Reception children to a parent meeting to help you better understand our approach to teaching phonics. Taking place on Tuesday 4th March 2025 in the Primary Hall starting at 8.30am. At this meeting, you will have an opportunity to understand how phonics is used to develop early literacy skills, and look at ways that you can support your child’s development at home. We look forward to seeing you there.

HeadStart Alumni

Luna Ducasse – Class of 2023

My name is Luna Ducasse, I graduated from HeadStart in 2023 and I am now in my second year of my Bachelor’s, studying Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands. Next year I will be completing my minor in Journalism and hopefully will go on to pursue a Master’s in Journalism. I currently live in a student apartment with 8 people and it is so much fun!

Apart from my studies, I am in a band called ‘Freak Accident’ with friends and I am also the Head of the Music Committee at my university’s student association, this means that I organise events like open mics at the university. In my spare time, I have also been taking a music production course in the evenings which I have really been enjoying. In my free time I love going out with friends or going for a walk in the park. This city is never boring and you can always find something to do so I have loved my time in Groningen so far!

University Offers

Kristina Lashchenova – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 4

We are excited to share that Kristina Lashchenova has been accepted to the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, where she will be pursuing a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. Since joining HeadStart in 2015, Kristina has been an active and dedicated student, contributing to various aspects of school life. She played a key role in CAPA productions as part of the backstage team, ensuring smooth performances behind the scenes. Her commitment to community service is evident through her volunteer work and involvement in the school’s summer camp, where she helped create enriching experiences for younger students.Congratulations, Kristina! We are incredibly proud of your achievements and wish you all the best in your studies and future endeavors. Other offers received: University of Manchester, University of Sussex (Brighton), Goldsmiths (University of London), University of Greenwich (London).

Eva Ducasse – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 3

We are delighted to share that Eva Ducasse, who joined HeadStart in 2014, has been accepted to AIHM in Bangkok to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
Throughout her time at HeadStart, Eva has been an outstanding contributor to school life. As a House Captain, she showcased exceptional leadership, inspiring her peers and helping to foster a sense of community. Eva also played a key role in school CAPA productions, introduced innovative ideas such as managing vending machines, and generously shared her skills by teaching gymnastics to younger students in after-school sessions as part of the ECA programme. Congratulations, Eva! We are incredibly proud of your achievements and wish you the best in your studies and future endeavours. Other offers received: CETT University, Spain; HTMi, Switzerland; EU Business School.

CAPA News

Live Lounge lights up the City Campus

We were treated to a doubly spectacular Live Lounge at lunchtime on Tuesday 11th February, with fantastic musical talent once again on display for all to see. Primary students joined for their second Live Lounge and wow – they brought the energy and joy to get people up and dancing!
Secondary then took to the stage with some new faces, which was wonderful to see – Live Lounge is definitely the place to play….wait until you see Battle of the Bands next term!

This is a fabulous opportunity to experience the joy of sharing both the preparation process and performance, especially with more bands playing and groups singing together this time. A big thank you to the Music Department who continue to inspire, nurture and support the wonderful students who performed – Mr Graham, Mr Hanby, Miss Victoria, Kru Nok and Mr Arthur. Also, a big shout out goes to Al in Y12 who provided sound and tech support. Well done to everyone who performed – you rocked! The CAPA Team

PE & Sports News

Sports Day 2025: A Week of Thrills and Triumphs!

This year’s Sports Days were an action-packed celebration of athleticism, teamwork, and house spirit. The events kicked off with Years 3-6, where the Green Dragons put on an impressive display to claim victory.

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Year 3 to Year 6 Sports Day 2025

Thursday was filled with excitement as both Year 1 & 2 and Foundation took to the field. The Yellow Cheetahs sprinted to success in the Year 1 & 2 competition, while the Blue Tigers roared to victory in the Foundation stage.

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Year 1 & 2 Sports Day 2025

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Foundation Sports Day 2025

The week concluded with the Secondary Sports Day, where the competition was fierce. With only 15 points separating the top three houses, it was a thrilling battle until the very end. In the end, the Blue Tigers showed their dominance once again, securing the title for the second consecutive year.

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Secondary Sports Day 2025

A huge congratulations to all participants for their dedication and effort, and a big thank you to everyone who helped make Sports Day a success!

HeadStart Panthers VAP Team in Friendly Action

The HeadStart Panthers VAP U11 Boys travelled to KIS before the half-term break for a friendly round-robin football festival. This match provided an excellent opportunity for the VAP team to engage in competitive football.

It was wonderful to witness the players’ development, and their hard work on the training pitch truly shone through. We hope to organise more friendly fixtures for them this half-term. Well done, boys! Coach Paul – Football Coach

HeadStart Hosts 3×3 Basketball Tournament

HeadStart International School hosted an action-packed and high-energy 3×3 basketball tournament, kicking off with the girls’ competition on Monday. Teams from BCIS, BISP, HeadStart, UWC, and KIS brought their A-game for an exciting PISAC event. The girls’ teams from HeadStart placed 2nd and 4th, showing great skill and determination. The boys’ tournament followed on Tuesday, where HeadStart’s boys won their pool in group play but were eliminated in the Quarterfinals of the playoffs. This thrilling tournament marked HeadStart’s first-ever 3×3 event, offering an unforgettable experience for all involved in the international school community.

ECA News

What an incredible showdown of strategic brilliance at the February edition of our ongoing series of Chess Tournaments held at our Chaofah City campus! Relive the magic and see who emerged as the Chess Master of February 2025:

🏆 Champion – Georgiy – Year 5 City Campus

🥈 Runner-up – Luka – Year 11 City Campus

🥉 Third Place – Mark – Year 9 Cherngtalay Campus

Huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club Phuket and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. Next tournament will be held on Saturday 15th March! See you there!

Thai Department

Celebrating a Centuries Old Thai Traditional Art Form

This week, we were honored to welcome Kru Kanok Chupak, a well known Thai educator in Phuket and former School Director of Shrewbury and UWCT, along with Kru Boem, a Thai dance and drama expert, to introduce and demonstrate ‘Khon’, a traditional Thai performance art that has been celebrated for centuries. Known for its intricate masks, graceful movements, and storytelling through dance and music, ‘Khon’ is a treasured cultural tradition of Thailand. In Thai class, our Year 9 students had the incredible opportunity to participate in a demonstration of basic ‘Khon’ performance. They stepped into the tradition by dancing along and fully embracing the experience with laughter, joy, and lots of fun.

A huge thank you to Kru Kanok and Kru Boem who visited our school to make this cultural experience so memorable. We truly appreciate your time. Sontana Baci (Kru Nee) – School Director

Languages Department

Using Story-telling and Role-play to Bring the Mandarin Language to Life

Year 3 students embarked on an exciting learning journey in Mandarin first-language class! They created story timelines, bringing the text to life while practicing character recognition and deepening their understanding. Through story retelling and role-play, they enhanced their language skills, teamwork, and creativity.

Chinese characters can be challenging, but Year 4 students are embracing new learning methods with enthusiasm! Working in groups, they applied character recognition strategies through discussions, research, and poster-making, confidently presenting their findings. This activity reinforced their learning while fostering independence, critical thinking, and collaboration. Their passion for exploration will keep them moving forward on their Chinese learning journey!

三年级学生们在中文第一语言课堂上展开了一场别开生面的学习之旅！他们亲手制作故事时间线，将课文内容生动呈现。在这个过程中，学生们一边动手一边认读汉字，并加深了对故事的理解。为了进一步巩固学习成果，学生们还进行了故事复述和分角色表演。通过这样的互动学习方式，学生们不仅提升了语言表达能力，还培养了团队合作精神和创造力。

汉字是小学阶段中文学习的重难点，中文第一语言四年级的同学们不畏困难，正在积极挑战学习汉字的新形式！他们以小组为单位，通过讨论、搜集资料、制作海报等方式，将已掌握的识字方法迁移到生字学习中，并自信地向其他小组展示学习成果。此次活动不仅帮助学生巩固了识字方法，更培养了他们的自主学习能力、思考能力和团队合作精神。相信在未来的学习中，四年级的同学们会继续保持这份探索的热情，在汉字学习的道路上越走越远！——Ms Wenhui Zhong

Primary

Year 2 Explore Phuket’s Rich History

Year 2 had an exciting trip to the Phuket Tin Mining Museum, where they explored the rich history of tin mining in the region. The children showed our learner attributes by being inquisitive, asking thoughtful questions about the exhibits, and open-minded as they discovered how mining shaped Phuket’s past. Through interactive displays and engaging exhibits, they gained a deeper understanding of Phuket’s past and it was an amazing way to kickstart our topic for this term, ‘The History of Phuket!’. The Year 2 Team

Secondary

Duke Of Edinburgh Bronze Award Students Kayak to Koh Lon

The first of the Year 10 DofE groups completed their final Qualifying Bronze DofE expedition on the weekend of the 15th February 2025. Students hopped onto a longtail boat and set off for Koh Lon island for the second time. This time, they were demonstrating the skills they had learnt and developed during their practice expedition trip back in January.

Like last time, it was all hands on deck with students setting up camp before embarking on a day and a half worth of kayaking and exploration of the areas surrounding Koh Lon. Students, in smaller groups, planned their own route using newly learnt navigation skills, to cover a distance of at least 8km over the weekend. They enjoyed seeing new sights and observing the differences in the scenery between Koh Lon and Ao Yon Beach. With great teamwork skills, students organised and prepared their own breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and had the opportunity to relax in the evening to a chilled campfire with roasted marshmallows. They got to appreciate the beautiful setting of the nighttime skyline before waking up early to continue with their kayaking journeys the next day. The students were a credit to the school as noted by the staff that accompanied them. A successful trip all round! Mrs Marsh, Mr Brown and Ms Uhure – Duke of Edinburgh Leaders

Year 8 Students Get into Membean

Using the new learning programme ‘Membean’ has allowed our Year 8 students to enrich and enhance their vocabulary. Today, they engaged in ‘Word Wars’, where they had to choose a new word they had learned of late, explain why they hold it in such high esteem and then discover from their classmates ‘rival’ words.

Then came the evaluation- which word would win out in the struggle for supremacy? The original choice or the rival? Speaking, sharing and spelling these words will only be helpful to our students as they continue to become more proficient and precise in their penmanship. Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English & EAL

Membean Word Wars

Success Outside School

ᯓ🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️ Congratulations to Aya (2 White) for completing the 4km Vichit Running Race.

🏊‍♀️ ࿐ Congratulations to Eva (1 White) who competed in the freestyle section of an international swimming competition organised by Shark Swimming School.

Promotions From Around the Island