Weekly Update Back to School Edition, 15 August 2025

School Calendar for the Academic Year 2025-26

HeadStart Becomes FOBISIA Member School

We are excited to announce that HeadStart International School, Phuket, has recently become a proud member of FOBISIA (The Federation of British International Schools in Asia). This prestigious affiliation reflects our commitment to providing our students with the highest standards of international education and fosters closer connections with leading British international schools across Asia. Membership in FOBISIA offers us access to a wide network of educational excellence, professional development opportunities for our staff, and the chance to participate in collaborative events and competitions that enrich our students’ learning experiences.

Being part of FOBISIA offers numerous benefits for our school community. It allows us to exchange best practices with other member schools, stay updated on the latest educational trends, and collaborate on innovative projects. Additionally, our students will have more opportunities to participate in regional sports tournaments, academic competitions, and cultural exchanges, helping to boost their confidence, global awareness, and leadership skills. We look forward to leveraging these advantages to further enhance our school’s programs and to continue providing a vibrant, inspiring environment for all our students.

Stay in Touch: Whole School Communications

We’d like to remind you that important school news will now be sent directly to your inbox via email from our Heads of Department and teachers. Every Friday afternoon, you will receive a link to our Weekly Update on the school website, which includes vital announcements about meetings, upcoming events, and key dates for your diary. The Weekly Update also highlights student achievements, both in and out of school, along with exciting activities and projects happening around campus.

For quick updates and reminders in English, Thai, Russian, and Mandarin, please scan the QR codes below or displayed on our ‘Information and News’ boards around campus to receive regular important updates. Don’t forget to follow our social media outlets for lots of pictures and videos showcasing the school in action here: HeadStart Chaofah City Facebook Page.

Thank you for staying connected with us!

Parent Parking at Chaofah City Campus

Please be informed that this academic year there are new parking protocols for parents. This includes the under Skypitch parking lot and a new, expanded external parking area to the north of the school site. Please see the below plan which shows areas reserved for staff (shown in yellow) and parents (shown in white). Once parked, parents and students can make their way to the main entrance via the covered walkway.

With work on our third sports pitch ongoing, we will continue to operate a drop-off area at the main entrance to the school. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we make improvements to our school site.

Access Card Arrangements

Please find here Access Card arrangements for this school year:

• Starting August 2025, the school will no longer issue access cards for Foundation and Primary students.

• Parents can still use their own access cards to enter and exit the school site as usual.

• New parents still get their parent access cards to enter and exit the school site as usual. Please ask at the admin office if you do not yet have a card.

• All current Foundation and Primary student access cards will be deactivated from the turnstile system for the academic year 2025-26, and will no longer work.

• School will provide student access cards only for new Secondary students (Years 7 – 13), which can be used at the turnstiles. Returning Secondary students can still use their existing access card.

Please do not hesitate to contact our admin teams regarding parent access to the school site: [email protected]

Parent Fitness Classes

Join us for another action packed year of parent fitness classes with our brilliant trainers, every morning from 08.00-09.00am in the fitness suite on the 2nd floor above the Sports Hall. These classes are free of charge and have been organised to promote healthy and active living within our community. See you in the gym! In addition to our free parent classes, Coach Jordi is also available for private individual and group training sessions.

👉 If you require further information about parent fitness or private training sessions, see the fliers below or contact Coach Jordi by writing to [email protected]

First Friday Market of the School Year

If you are interested in sharing your unique products with our ever-growing community, why not book a stall at our first Friday Market of the school year. We are always on the lookout for vendors focused on healthy, locally-sourced food, sustainably produced products and reused or recycled materials. This promises to be another wonderful community event taking place on Friday 5th September 2025. Contact Khun Boss in the Marcom office or email [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Getting Prepped for the New School Year

Over the last week, our academic staff both returning and new have been busy getting prepped for the start of the new school year. With new classrooms and facilities to prepare, in-house training to complete and new teaching teams with bonds to form, our Chaofah City campus has been a hive of activity and excitement.

An Exciting Year in Store for Secondary Science

This year marks an exciting period of growth for the Science Department, with the addition of three new laboratories and a number of talented new colleagues joining the team.

In Physics, Dr Simmonds and Mr Jones bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm, while in Biology, Mrs Owen joins Mr Guarino to further strengthen our provision. Chemistry is expanding too, with Mr Richards working alongside Mrs Marsh to broaden subject expertise and support more students. We also welcome Mr Simons, who will be leading our new BTEC Applied Science course, providing a valuable vocational pathway, and Mr Davidson and Mr Wells, who will launch the new BTEC Engineering course.

These programmes will open fresh opportunities for students, combining academic knowledge with practical, career-focused skills.

To support this expansion, we are delighted to welcome Khun Dear, a highly qualified technician who will work alongside our senior technician, Khun Yui, ensuring that the new labs are fully equipped and ready to inspire learning.

The additional laboratory spaces will enhance hands-on practical work, accommodate more specialist teaching, and give students greater access to the latest equipment and resources. With our new team members, expanded curriculum, and state-of-the-art facilities, we are looking forward to a dynamic and innovative year for science at HeadStart. The Science Faculty Team

PE & Sports Teams Refresh their Lifeguarding Skills

A big thank you to P’Pik and her team from the Thai Lifeguard Association who ran our PE & Sport Department’s Lifeguard training this week.

Your children are in good hands and we’ll see you all poolside soon! Mr Francis – Head of PE