Weekly Update #32, 9 May 2025

A Polite Reminder – Car Park Safety

This is a polite reminder to all members of our community who drive a vehicle – car or motorbike – to and from school. We kindly request that all motorists exercise caution whenever on the school premises, especially where pedestrians are crossing roads or moving through the school’s car parks. Please respect and follow the directions of our Security staff whose responsibility it is to keep parents, students and staff safe. We appreciate your support and understanding. The HeadStart Team

Playground Safety and Supervision – A Notice for Parents

We pride ourselves on being a community-minded establishment and welcome our families to enjoy our Primary playground space after school. Our playground is a fantastic space for our children to play and socialise.

We would like to politely remind all parents that they must supervise their children when they are using the Primary playground after school. Parents must remain close enough to their children to ensure that they are using the playground equipment safely and not posing a danger to themselves or to others.

Please help to prevent accidents and upsets by following these guidelines:

• Monitoring your child’s play – make sure you can see your child, and your child can see you

• Ensuring your child is using the playground equipment correctly

• Reminding your child of safe and respectful behaviour; encourage kindness and taking turns

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in helping to keep our playground a happy and safe space for all our children. The HeadStart Team

Good Luck to Our Academy Teams

Wishing all our HeadStart Panthers Academy football teams and Aqua Panthers Swimmers the very best of luck as they head to the Bangkok Patana Football Tournament and PISAC Swimming Championships respectively this weekend. Work hard, play hard, swim hard and give it your best with a smile on your face! If you’re up in Bangkok or have a chance to visit the Thanyapura Sports Complex over the weekend, please head over to cheer them on. Go Panthers and Aqua Panthers!

Sports Awards Ceremony 2025

On Tuesday 10th June from 16:30 – 18:30 at our Chaofah City campus, our HeadStart Academy students – football, swimming and basketball – will come together to celebrate the incredible array of sporting successes of our teams and individuals across both our school campuses this academic year. Parents of all Academy students will receive an email and booking instructions for this event next week.

UPrep Talk for Parents – Oxbridge

We’re delighted to invite all parents to our upcoming UPrep Talk for Parents, taking place on Wednesday 14th May at 8:30am in the Primary Hall, 2nd Floor, Chaofah City Campus. This will be the 13th session in the series, focusing on ‘Applying to Oxbridge’. It’s a fantastic opportunity to gain insights into the application process for Oxford and Cambridge and ask any questions you might have. Our aim is to help you understand the requirements and make the journey feel more manageable and reassuring for both you and your child. We look forward to seeing you there.

ขอเรียนเชิญท่านผู้ปกครองเข้าร่วมประชุม UPrep Talk for Parents ซึ่งจะจัดขึ้นในวันพุธที่ 14 พฤษภาคม เวลา 8:30 น. ณ ห้องประชุม Primary Hall ชั้น 2 สาขาเจ้าฟ้า

การประชุมครั้งนี้เป็นครั้งที่ 13 หัวข้อ “การสมัครเข้าศึกษาต่อที่ Oxford และ Cambridge (Oxbridge)” ซึ่งเป็นโอกาสอันดีที่ผู้ปกครองจะได้รับข้อมูลเชิงลึกที่สำคัญเกี่ยวกับกระบวนการสมัครเข้าเรียนในมหาวิทยาลัยชั้นนำของสหราชอาณาจักร พร้อมทั้งสามารถซักถามข้อสงสัยต่าง ๆ ได้โดยตรง

ทีมครูแนะแนวการศึกษาต่อมหาวิทยาลัยยินดีให้ข้อมูลแก่เพื่อทำความเข้าใจข้อกำหนดต่าง ๆ และช่วยให้เส้นทางการเตรียมตัวสมัครเรียนของนักเรียนเป็นไปอย่างมั่นใจและราบรื่นยิ่งขึ้น

หวังเป็นอย่างยิ่งว่าจะได้พบทุกท่านในวันงาน

ขอแสดงความนับถือ ทีมงาน UPrep

Introduction to Military Service for Year 10 Parent Meeting

Welcoming all parents of Year 10 boys who are Thai nationals and therefore eligible for Military Service. This meeting will explain how HeadStart supports your child with this civic duty, the expectations and timetable of events taking place throughout Year 10. See you on Monday 19th May from 8:30-9:00am in the Primary Hall (2nd floor).

Elizaveta Lebedeva – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 7

We are thrilled to celebrate Elizaveta Lebedeva as she takes her next bold step towards a creative future. Liz has accepted an offer to study a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Visual Communication at HMKW – Media University of Applied Sciences, Berlin. A natural leader, Liz served as the General Secretary for Model United Nations (MUN), where she showcased exceptional organisational skills, leadership, and diplomacy. Her artistic talent, combined with her strong sense of responsibility and vision, sets her apart, and we look forward to seeing the incredible impact she will make in the world of design and beyond.

Christien Goyette – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 12

We’re proud to celebrate Christien’s amazing success! Receiving offers to study a BSc in International Hospitality Business from top universities around the world! His impressive list of offers includes Modul University Vienna, Glion Switzerland, James Madison University (Virginia), Colorado State University (Pueblo Campus), University of Greenwich, University of Reading, Nottingham Trent University, Oxford Brookes, and University of Brighton. After careful consideration, Christien has accepted his offer from Glion Institute of Higher Education, one of the world’s leading institutions for hospitality and business — a perfect match for his ambition, global perspective, and passion for excellence. The future is yours, Christien!

Susanna (12 White Chaofah City campus) – Enrolled at HeadStart since Reception

Since joining HeadStart in Reception class, Susanna has filled each and every year with a whole range of extra-curricular activities. Whether it is joining sports teams and academies, performing in productions or dance shows, or fulfilling her interests in a whole range of creative endeavours, Susanna has done it all! This year, she is a Deputy Senior Prefect responsible for the Service Committee and next year, her graduating year, she will be the President on the Interact Committee! What does Susanna love about HeadStart?

Sun, Sea, and Smiles at Angsana Laguna

Our Year 6s had an amazing time on their overnight residential at Angsana Laguna last week! The glorious Phuket sun was shining, the smiles were huge, and the energy was high from start to finish. The children threw themselves into every activity – from kayaking and beach games to competitive water challenges and creative arts sessions. It was great to see all the children working together, cheering each other on, and having so much fun.

This trip was a brilliant chance to build teamwork, show resilience when faced with challenges, and practise kindness to each other and open-mindedness to new experiences. There were lots of laughs, new friendships formed, and plenty of memories made. We’re really proud of how the children represented the school – they gave it their all and supported each other brilliantly. A big thank you to the staff who joined them and helped make it such a special experience.

In the words of one Year 6 student, “The whole trip was fiyah!” The Year 6 Team

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Y6 Residential 2025

HeadStart Cherngtalay Hosts First Major Basketball Tournament

The recent HeadStart International Tournament was a resounding success, bringing together six teams to compete in an electrifying display of skill and sportsmanship. The new facilities at our Cherngtalay campus were packed with enthusiastic fans, air horns, and nonstop cheering from supporters of all schools. After intense matches, BCIS emerged as champions, claiming first place while our very own HeadStart Cherngtalay team secured a hard-fought second. BISP rounded out the podium in third. Congratulations to all the teams, players, and supporters for making this tournament unforgettable! Coach Grant – Basketball Coach

U15 Girls Warm Up for Patana 7s at BISP

The HeadStart Panthers U15 Girls travelled to BISP last week to continue their preparations for the Bangkok Patana 7’s tournament. The girls competed in a tightly contested match and showed just how hard they’ve been working in training.

There were some excellent moments in the game where the team were able to play some nice combinations, creating excellent attacking opportunities. Out of possession, the team, as ever, worked hard to get back into shape and remained compact and well-organised. Well done, girls! Coach Paul – Football Coach

Growing Together: Russian Language, Culture, and Community

On 6th May, Chaofah City Campus hosted a warm gathering that brought together Russian-speaking HeadStart families. In an open dialogue format, parents and a Year 13 student shared personal stories and reflected on the importance of preserving their native language and cultural traditions in an international environment.

Head Girl and Year 13 student, Alisa, spoke about her experience adapting to an international school system — the challenges she faced, what helped her navigate them, and the key differences she observed between Russian and international education. Parents also shared their stories of moving to Phuket, discussed the stages of adaptation, and talked about the choices that helped them and their children adjust more easily and feel comfortable in their new environment.

We are grateful to all participants for their sincerity, thoughtful insights, and contributions to strengthening our school community. Events like this help make our school a place where everyone feels heard and valued. The Russian Language Team

Растём вместе: русский язык, культура и сообщество

6 мая в City Campus прошла тёплая встреча, объединившая русскоязычные семьи HeadStart. В формате открытого диалога родители и ученица 13 класса делились личными историями, обсуждали значимость сохранения родного языка и культурных традиций в международной среде.

Староста школы, ученица 13 класса Алиса Болтовская, рассказала о своём опыте адаптации к обучению в международной системе: с какими вызовами ей пришлось столкнуться, что помогло преодолеть трудности, и какие ключевые различия она видит между российской и международной школой. Родители также поделились историями переезда на Пхукет, обсудили этапы адаптации и рассказали о том, какие решения помогли им и их детям быстрее влиться в новую среду и почувствовать себя комфортно.

Мы признательны всем участникам встречи за искренность, глубокие размышления и вклад в укрепление школьного сообщества. Именно благодаря таким событиям наша школа становится местом, где каждый чувствует себя услышанным и ценным.

Year 3 Explore the Geography of Phuket Town and Around

This week, Year 3 had a marvellous field trip around Phuket Town to consolidate their Geography learning and complete important field work, on location! Their first stop, Vichitsongkram Road by Surakul Football Stadium: here, the students completed a traffic survey by counting the number of vehicles travelling into Phuket Town. They revisited the same place later in the day to complete the same survey at a different time. Next week, the students will be presenting their data and analysing it to see if they notice any patterns.

Next, they went to Khao Rang Viewpoint to record the different human and physical features on the hill and its surroundings, before travelling to Saphan Hin Park to draw a sketch map of the headland and note any interesting landmarks. They finished the trip by learning about the important job that mangrove forests do for the planet and walked around Saphan Hin Mangrove Walkway to observe this fascinating tree and draw a field sketch of it in its natural habitat. The Year 3 students were very inquisitive, pointing out interesting features and asking thoughtful questions throughout. It was a very busy morning – not only did our young explorers broaden their understanding of key geographical concepts but they had a thoroughly enjoyable excursion at the same time! The Year 3 Team

Writing in Role in Year 8 English

Animal Farm is that rarest of beasts (if you’ll excuse the pun); a high concept political allegory but written in the most accessible and inviting of ways by George Orwell. The emotive power of the allegory lies in Orwell’s ability to connect with characters who would otherwise be representations of archetypes in Soviet Russia. As such, it’s fecund ground for writing in role, and students in Year 8 Woolf showed great understanding of both character and themes.

Enjoy these pieces from John, Jenny, Poppy and William.

As an aside, take a moment to read Orwell’s own writing clearly and truthfully.

Orwell proposed the following six rules:

• Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

• Never use a long word where a short one will do.

• If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

• Never use the passive where you can use the active.

• Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

• Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Perhaps in the 21st Century, ‘Never use Chat GPT and pass it off as your own writing’ should be added to this list. Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English & EAL

Boxer s Diary Entry
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