Weekly Update #27, 21 March 2025

All ECAs and Academies for Term 2 Finish on Friday 28th March

This is a polite reminder that the last day for all ECAs and Academy team training this term is Friday 28th March. From Monday 31st March until the end of term, all students will finish classes at 3:20pm.

All Term 3 ECAs and Academies will start again on the first day back after the Songkran break - Monday 21st April.

Last Chance to Get Your Tickets - CAPA Junior presents Peter Pan

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.

Doors to the magic will open at 4.45pm and we can’t wait to see you! Book your tickets now before the crocodile’s clock strikes—tick-tock, tick-tock!

• Peter Pan on Wednesday 26th March

• Peter Pan on Thursday 27th March

Year 11 Work Experience – Hosts Needed (9th–13th June)

We are looking for business owners (parents or associates) who may be able to host a Year 11 student for work experience from 9th–13th June. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain insight into different career paths and develop valuable skills.

If you or your business/organisation can offer a placement, please contact [email protected] by Monday 31st March. Thank you for your support in helping our students prepare for their futures!

HeadStart Umbrella and Water Bottle - Available Now!

It’s hot outside and there’s rain on the way! What better time than now to invest in a HeadStart water bottle and umbrella for you and your family? With our drinking water dispensers located throughout the school, we encourage everyone to reduce their use of single plastic and make use of refillable bottles. On the theme of sustainability, and new this term, we are proud to announce the arrival of our new canvas bags - a great environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic! Please visit our school shop to stock up on your child’s school supplies.

Year 8 Science Fair

We would like to warmly invite the parents to attend the upcoming Year 8 Science Fair, where our students will be proudly presenting the poster boards they’ve been working on throughout Term 2. These displays will showcase their investigations, experiments, and findings on a wide range of fascinating scientific questions.

Some of the exciting projects include:

• What are the best materials to make a solar-powered oven?

• Which frequency of sound extinguishes fire the quickest?

• Does expensive water taste better?

• What is the pH level of things we use in our daily life?

• Does changing the salt make electrolysis more effective?

There will also be a voting opportunity for the best overall project, and we’ll be awarding some certificates during the event to celebrate outstanding work. Please see the poster for details.

Russian Language Day - Term 2

We kindly invite you to fill out this form https://forms.gle/GFKCd5PtPhqjDTHY8 so we can arrange the relevant activities for you. Thank you for your cooperation and support! The Russian Team at HeadStart International School

Будем признательны, если Вы заполните данный опросник https://forms.gle/GFKCd5PtPhqjDTHY8. Благодарим Вас за сотрудничество и поддержку! русскоязычная команда школы HeadStart

Songkran 2025

Join us for a joyous Songkran celebration! Come together for a vibrant celebration of Thai culture at our Annual Songkran Festival on Thursday 3rd April, 2025!

Let’s embrace this beautiful tradition as a community, create unforgettable memories, and enjoy the festivities. Don’t forget to wear your flowery shirts, mark your calendars, and get ready for an amazing time!

Find more details in the poster below:

Songkran Market

To bring to an end another busy and highly successful school term at our Chaofah City campus, we will hold a special Songkran Market. This is your opportunity to try some traditional Thai food and drinks, as well as pick up locally crafted products. See you in the Atrium from 15:00 on Thursday 3rd April.

Secondary Prom - Friday 25th April 2025

Inviting all Secondary students to this year’s Prom taking place at the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Chao Fah Hotel on Friday 25th April. The theme for this year’s event is ‘James Bond - 007’.

Correction to event times:Please note that the Secondary Prom will begin at 17:30 andend at 21:00.

Parent Committee Meeting on 05.03.25

On Wednesday 5th March, the HeadStart Chaofah City Parent Committee held its second meeting of the school year with representatives from the School board and Leadership, including Jazon Edouard, CEO. We are grateful for the contributions and time given by parents representing different sections of our school community. Meeting Notes from this meeting can be found on our Parent Committee webpage, in the ‘Record Keeping’ section: https://headstartphuket.com/school-life/parent-committee

Helping Your Child with Behaviour in KS2 Parent Meeting on 18.03.25

This week in Primary, we held a Parent Workshop on ‘Helping Your Child with Behaviour in KS2’. It was an opportunity to discuss important topics such as behaviour as communication and self-regulation strategies for children. We also explored setting expectations, boundaries, and consequences, as well as the power of giving children behaviour-specific positive praise. Ms Cusworth - Deputy Head of Primary (Pastoral)

Thai Parent Meeting on Applying to Top Universities 2025

Inviting all Thai-speaking parents to a meeting led by our UPrep team on the topic of how to support your child applying to top universities. On Tuesday 25th March from 8:30 - 9:30am in the Primary Hall.

There will be special guest speakers sharing their firsthand experiences, having successfully achieved their university pathways:

• Khun Ae (Kanokporn Ilstam), mother of Erika (Year 13), on preparing for International Law at Chulalongkorn University and Law at Durham University, UK.

• Khun Kai (Nattaporn Sienghen), mother of Pear (Y13), on preparing for Dentistry at KMITL.

The meeting will be conducted in Thai.

Rattanakorn Sienghen - Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 4

We are proud to share that Rattanakorn (Pear) Sienghen, who has been with HeadStart since 2016, has been accepted to study a Doctorate of Dental Surgery at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. As a prefect, senior prefect of service, vice president of the Interact Club, and co-founder of ‘Sunny Side Up’, Pear has shown outstanding leadership and dedication. Additionally, her involvement in Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) highlights her commitment to personal growth and service. Congratulations, Pear! Wishing you success in your journey to becoming a dentist.

Rungradis Ruthirawut - Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 12

We are excited to announce that Rungradis Ruthirawut, known to us as ‘Mhor Mix’, who joined HeadStart in August 2023 (Year 12), has been accepted to study for a Doctorate in Medicine (MD) at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand. As a co-founder of ‘Sunny Side Up’, Mix has demonstrated a passion for community service by helping to teach English to Thai students. His internships at Vachira Hospital and Chiang Mai Healthcare Center, along with his EPQ dissertation on Androgenic Anabolic Steroids and a research study investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, highlights his dedication to the medical field. Congratulations, Mix! Wishing you all the best on your journey to becoming a doctor.

Chadanit Prachumpan - Enrolled at HeadStart since Early Years

We are delighted to share that Chadanit has provisionally accepted a place at Chulabhorn International College of Medicine (Thammasat University), where she will be pursuing a Doctorate in Dental Surgery. Since joining HeadStart in Early Years (2010), Chadanit has been a valuable member of the school community. She has represented the school in the Swim Academy from Year 5 and has been House Captain for Red Phoenixes for two consecutive years. As a co-founder of Sunny Side Up she has contributed to the wider community through educational outreach programmes. Her commitment to excellence in all aspects of her life is evident and we are sure she will achieve highly in her university studies and beyond. We are sure she will make an excellent dentist! Congratulations, Chadanit! We are incredibly proud of you and wish you every success in your studies and beyond.

Foundation & Primary Swim Galas 2025 - Final House Rankings, Record Breakers & A Big Thank You!

Our swimmers gave it their all, representing their houses with pride, passion, and an unstoppable competitive spirit. Every dive, stroke, and finish contributed to an unforgettable season!

House Standings by Year Group:

Early Years: 🐉 Green Dragons – 🐯 Blue Tigers – 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🔥 Red PhoenixesReception: 🐉 Green Dragons – 🐯 Blue Tigers – 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🔥 Red PhoenixesYear 1: 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🐯 Blue Tigers – 🔥 Red Phoenixes – 🐉 Green DragonsYear 2: 🐉 Green Dragons – 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🐯 Blue Tigers – 🔥 Red PhoenixesYear 3: 🐉 Green Dragons – 🐯 Blue Tigers – 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🔥 Red PhoenixesYear 4: 🐉 Green Dragons – 🐆 Yellow Cheetahs – 🔥 Red Phoenixes – 🐯 Blue Tigers

New Record Holders

🥇 Year 1 – 15M Freestyle: Max (1 Blue) – 14.43 (2025)

🥇 Year 3 – 25M Freestyle: Romeo (3 Blue) – 21.39 (2025), Sofiia (3 Yellow) – 20.66 (2025)

🥇 Year 3 – 25M Backstroke: Romeo (3 Blue) – 28.81 (2025), Sea (3 Blue) – 28.23 (2025)

🥇 Year 4 – 25M Breaststroke: Nyk (4 White) – 27.28 (2025), Mimi (4 Blue) – 24.62 (2025)

A Season to Remember!

This year’s swim gala was filled with record-breaking moments, nail-biting finishes, and an inspiring display of sportsmanship. Our young swimmers pushed themselves beyond their limits, proving that dedication and teamwork lead to greatness. A massive THANK YOU to all the parents and families who came out to cheer, support, and celebrate our swimmers. Your encouragement from the sidelines, your enthusiasm, and your unwavering support made this event even more special. Seeing the smiles, the proud moments, and the energy in the stands truly lifted the spirits of our young athletes.

Huge congratulations to all swimmers for their effort, perseverance, and commitment to their teams! Every stroke counted, every race mattered, and every house fought hard to earn their place in the rankings. As we close this chapter, we look forward to next year’s swim gala—where the records will be challenged, rivalries will be renewed, and the competition will be fiercer than ever. Until then, keep swimming strong! Onward to the next challenge! Coach Brown - Head Swim Coach - and the Swim Team

Creating Chinese Character Flashcards in Mandarin Foreign Language Class

In the Mandarin foreign language class, we use a mindfulness learning approach, such as creating Chinese character flashcards and coloring the characters, to enhance recognition and memory of Chinese characters. With the encouragement of factors like Chinese-style classical music and positive dojo points for each section, students enter a positive learning state and focus more on completing their Chinese character classroom tasks. Ms Fang - Mandarin Foreign Language Teacher

Foundation Gets a Visit…from the Police!

The Foundation children had an exciting visit from the police department, where they got to explore a police car, a police truck, and even a police cycle bike! We were lucky to meet two types of police officers, the usual police officers and the transport police. The transport police gave an incredible demonstration, skillfully maneuvering their bike around an obstacle course, which had everyone amazed!

The children also learned about the special uniform officers wear and had the chance to try out some real police equipment. Some even got to experience using handcuffs, understanding that they are not toys but an important tool to help keep everyone safe. Every child had a turn sitting inside the police vehicles and even got to turn on the sirens, what an incredible experience! It was a fantastic opportunity to meet and spend time with the special people who work hard to keep our community safe. The Foundation Teaching Team

Bringing Ancient Greek Myths to Life in Year 5

Year 5 Blue wowed the audience with their fantastic interpretations of famous Greek myths in their class assembly. They collaborated brilliantly, showcasing their creativity by making many of their own costumes and props. Their courage and enthusiasm shone through as they performed in a hilariously entertaining way, bringing these ancient stories to life with humor and energy. It was a truly memorable performance that highlighted their teamwork, imagination, and confidence on stage. Well done, Year 5 Blue! Mr Clarke - Year 5 Lead Teacher

Year 11 IGCSE Design & Technology: Innovation in Action

From imagination to reality, our talented Year 11 students have brought their IGCSE Design & Technology projects to life with remarkable skill and creativity. These final pieces represent countless hours of planning, problem-solving, and precise craftsmanship. Each student’s journey began with identifying a real-world problem and ended with a functional, thoughtfully designed solution. The photos capture both the hard work and concentration during the making process and the well-deserved pride as students present their completed work.

These projects showcase not only technical proficiency but also the development of crucial skills: resilience when facing setbacks, adaptability when materials or processes didn’t work as expected, and the confidence to turn abstract ideas into tangible products. Congratulations to our Year 11 DT students on their outstanding achievements. Mr Wells - Design & Technology Teacher