Chaofah City
Chaofah City
Weekly Update #3, 5 September 2025
Celebrating 5, 10 and 15 Years of Service at HeadStart
Together we proudly celebrate HeadStart’s Long Service Award honouring our dedicated employees within the Support Staff department who have served the school for 5, 10 and 15 years. This post is a tribute to the commitment, passion, and loyalty that have shaped HeadStart into the vibrant community it is today. Each milestone represents countless moments of hard work, collaboration, and care for our students, families, and colleagues. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our awardees for being the pillars of HeadStart’s success. Your service has left a lasting impact, inspiring all of us to strive for excellence and to continue building a school that feels like home.
Message from Jelo, School Nurse
I feel fortunate to be a part of such a supportive and inspiring team at Headstart. Working here has significantly boosted my confidence, allowing me to grow not only in my role as a school nurse but also in my passion for nurturing and supporting the students at HeadStart. I am genuinely excited about the work we do here and look forward to many more years of contributing to our incredible community.
Message from Ple, Nanny in Foundation
Throughout my 15 years working at HeadStart, I have gained a wealth of experiences that I cannot find anywhere else. I have enjoyed a lot of fun and the boss is kind and is like family to me. One of the greatest joys of this job is the relationships I’ve built. From the kids to their parents and my colleagues, I’ve made connections that have lasted for years. Seeing former students return to visit or hearing from parents years later is such a rewarding feeling
Message from Rung, Housekeeping Staff
I am happy to give my best at work every day, thanks to the opportunities given to me by the school management, which have allowed me to have a good future. Throughout the past 15 years of working, HeadStart has become my second home. I truly wish to continue working here for a long time, as the school provides good benefits, great supervisors, and supportive colleagues. The main reasons is that I love my bosses, I love the children, and I love this wonderful community of teachers.
Message from Kai, School Driver
The opportunity I have received from the school has been truly valuable for both my life and my family. This school has given me many good things including experiences, human connections with colleagues, mutual respect, and financial stability that has improved the well-being of my family. I am deeply grateful to the management for granting me this opportunity and for providing a better life for me and my family. Thank you.
Announcements
An Important Message from our ECA Team
Invoices will be raised next week on Monday 8 September at 16:00.
Please note: invoices for Fee Paid ECAs cannot be removed once raised. Check your child’s ECAs carefully!
A Reminder: Policy & Procedure for Lost Items
Please find here information about Lost & Found:
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Personal property such as school uniforms, shoes and water bottles found around school will be cleared and brought to the nurse’s office.
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Valuables such as phones, wallets, keys and watches, found around school will be cleared and brought to the front office where admin will store the item in a locked cabinet until claimed.
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All lost items will be cleared from the Lost & Found cabinet (outside the nurse’s office) in the middle and at the end of the month.
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The items will be stored in school storage and donated to charity at end of every month.
HeadStart University Fair 2025
Get ready for an incredible evening of exploration and opportunity at the University Fair hosted by HeadStart International School Chaofah City campus:
📅 Date: Monday 22nd September
🕗 Time: 17:30 to 20:00
📍 Location: Sports Hall, Chaofah City Campus
Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in a vibrant showcase of global higher education as top universities from around the world will gather in one place, offering you a unique chance to connect with representatives, explore diverse programs, and find your perfect fit.
But that’s not all — our event features engaging and interactive workshops designed to help you make the most of your academic journey. Discover the secrets to creating an outstanding Art Portfolio with expert advice, or gain valuable insights into the competitive fields of law, hospitality and business, or discover pathways to studying in Australia, Asia, Canada or the UK. This is more than just a fair; it’s your gateway to the future. Whether you’re just starting to think about your options or ready to make important decisions, this event is tailored for you. Bring your family to explore the boundless possibilities that await you.
Mark your calendar and join us for an evening filled with inspiration and opportunities. We look forward to seeing you there and helping you take the next step towards your bright future! HeadStart International School Phuket—where your future begins.
To sign up, confirm attendance and book a workshop, please scan the QR code in the poster below 👇. You are also welcome to pop by on the day to speak to any of the reps at the Fair.
Save the Date! Yearbook Photoshoot Coming Soon
Our annual photoshoot for the whole school yearbook is coming soon. This is your child’s chance to capture the smiles and laughter they share with their classmates and to preserve memories of friendships, achievements, and experiences at our Chaofah City campus. Our professional photoshoot will take place from Monday 6th October to Thursday 9th October. A timetable will be shared nearer the time.
Upcoming Events
Thai Culture Club @ Chaofah City Campus
Let’s kick off our first term with some fun cultural activities. Inviting all students and parents from Early Years to Year 6 to join our unique program where we learn more about Thai Culture on Saturday 20th September from 9.00am to 12.00pm at our Chaofah City campus.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please feel free to contact your child’s Thai teacher at school.
Meetings & Presentations
Introduction to Foundation and the EYFS Curriculum parent meeting on 02.09.25
Thank you to all parents and carers who attended our Introduction to Foundation meeting on Tuesday. We appreciate your time, engagement, and participation as we explored the Foundation Stage Curriculum together. Your involvement is crucial in supporting your children’s early development and helping them reach their full potential. We’re excited to work alongside you in this important stage of your child’s educational journey, ensuring they have a strong foundation for future learning. Thank you for your continued support and partnership!
If you were unable to attend the meeting, please find a copy of the presentation below 👇
HSC Parent Meeting 03 EYFS Curriculum 2025 26
Parent Meeting: HeadStart Curriculum for Thai Parents on Tuesday 9th September
The Thai Management Team would like to invite our Thai-speaking parents into school on Tuesday 9th September from 08:15 – 09:15 am in the Secondary Hall (on the 4th Floor) for a parent meeting. The topic will be ‘HeadStart Curriculum’. We will share the information of how your child is taught and will give you the opportunity to understand how HeadStart ensures our curriculums are followed to a high standard in order to give you a deeper understanding of the programmes offered. The meeting will be presented in Thai language.
เรียนผู้ปกครองไทย
ขอเรียนเชิญผู้ปกครองไทยทุกระดับชั้นเข้าร่วมประชุมในหัวข้อ“แนะนำหลักสูตรของโรงเรียน” จัดขึ้นในวันอังคาร ที่ 9 กันยายน 2568 เวลา 08.15 – 09.15 ณ Secondary Hall ชั้น 4 เพื่อรับทราบข้อมูลสำคัญเกี่ยวกับหลักสูตรของโรงเรียนที่ใช้ในระดับประถมฯและมัธยมฯ การเลือกวิชาเรียนในระดับมัธยมศึกษา การสอบต่างๆที่สำคัญ เพื่อช่วยให้ผู้ปกครองวางแผนการศึกษาต่อในระดับมหาวิทยาลัยได้ในอนาคต การประชุมจะนำเสนอเป็นภาษาไทยโดยทีมฝ่ายบริหารไทย
UPrep Talk #2 – Your Child’s 5 Year Plan
We understand that supporting your children through the university application process can be a nerve-wracking experience and at HeadStart we would like to offer our support to you as parents. We will be offering a series of workshops designed to inform and support parents through the stages of university application processes. The second of these workshops will walk parents through the 5 year plan that we recommend all students and their parents follow to ensure success. The talk will be held from 08:30 – 09:15 on Wednesday 10th September, in the Secondary Hall (on the 4th floor).
Don’t forget! We also offer informal drop-in sessions every other week (the next takes place on Wednesday 17th September). These will be held in Nakita’s cafe downstairs at the same time (08:30 – 09:15). Our Guidance Counsellors, Mr Roscoe [email protected] and Mr Thomas [email protected], and Deputy School Director, Kru Toom [email protected] will be available at this time.
If you have any questions at all or do not see the talk you would like advertised, please get in touch as we would really appreciate your feedback. Ms Graham – Deputy Head of Upper School [email protected]
Meet the Team
HeadStart Chaofah City’s Thai Department
We are delighted to welcome everyone to meet our dedicated Thai management team and wonderful teachers. Each year, they work tirelessly to organize meaningful and culturally rich events such as Wai Kru, Songkran, and Loy Krathong, allowing our students to experience the beauty and traditions of Thailand. These celebrations create unforgettable memories and foster a deep connection to Thai culture within our school community.
Our Thai management and teachers go above and beyond in providing individual attention and care to every student. Their commitment to personal growth ensures that each child benefits from a nurturing environment, both academically and personally. We look forward to another year filled with growth, learning, and the special bond that our students form with these dedicated educators.
CAPA News
Individual Instrument Lessons at Chaofah City campus
We are very pleased to report that our instrument and vocal lesson programme is underway for this year. We have some limited availability as follows for students to join the programme:
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Piano lessons most afternoons both within the school day and after school
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Drum lessons on Tuesday afternoons and after school
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Violin lessons Tuesday and Wednesday during the school day
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Guitar lessons Monday and Friday during the day
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Flute lessons after school
You will find further information and terms and conditions included in the form below. Please kindly fill in this form if you are interested in your child taking individual music lessons and they have availability at the times stated. Headstart City Campus Instrumental Lesson Sign Up August 2025
Please note that the allocation of instrumental lessons cannot be guaranteed as they depend on the student’s timetable and teacher’s availability. Lessons will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. We look forward to supporting your child’s musical development and opening new creative opportunities for them. Ms Howells – Director of CAPA
ECA News
1st Student Chess Tournament of 2025-26!
Inviting chess players of all levels to join our 1st HeadStart Student Chess Tournament of the new school year. Prizes to be won and awards for all players.
🗓️ Date: Saturday, 13th September
🕘 Time: Attendance check 11:00am
📍 Location: Canteen, Chaofah City Campus
To register and reserve your place, contact Coach Dawid.
Academy News
Changes to how our Sports Academy Teams Communicate
Please note that our Sports Academy teams will be moving away from using the LINE App for communicating with parents. Over the next month, we will be transferring over to WhatsApp Channels – a dedicated channel for each of our three academies. We will use these channels for immediate notifications and reminders as well as media from matches, meets and competitions. We will continue to post updates to our LINE Apps during this time (closing on 3o September). This transfer is already underway – scan the relevant QR code below or visit our display boards at school.
The reasons for this change are:
📢 Messaging Power
- All media types are supported: text, photos, videos, voice notes, polls, links, documents.
🔔 Notifications & Visibility
- Parents can turn on alerts if they want instant notifications, but by default updates don’t overwhelm.
📂 Organization & History
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Messages stay in a chronological, permanent feed, easy for parents to revisit.
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Parents can scroll back through the full channel history to catch anything they missed.
🌍 Ease of Use
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Parents simply click “Follow” and they’re in.
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Parents can share the channel link/QR easily, so adding new members/followers is easy.
Languages Department
Exploring Destinations in Year 6 French
In French class this week, our students became explorers! They created colorful posters about destinations of their choice, writing three sentences in French and adding drawings of a local food, a landmark, and an animal or form of transport. A fun and creative way to put their new vocabulary into action!
Foundation
Settling into Preschool
This year’s Preschool children are settling in beautifully! We are now past the early tearful days, and most children are happily walking into school on their own — a fantastic achievement for just the third week of term. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been getting to know our new school routines and exploring activities inspired by our core book Dear Zoo. The children can already recognise the animals in the story and love joining in with the familiar refrain, “So I sent him back!” The Preschool Team
Primary
Stars of the Week in Primary
This week, we celebrated our Primary Stars of the Week for showing the Learner Attribute of being Inquisitive. These children impressed us with their curiosity and eagerness to find out more about the world around them. Some asked thoughtful questions during science investigations, while others explored new books and shared their discoveries with friends. Our teachers celebrated children who not only ask questions, but they listen carefully to the answers. Well done to all our inquisitive learners – your curiosity helps you grow, and inspires others to keep wondering and exploring!
Secondary
HeadStart World Scholar’s Cup Team Goes Global
Following their resounding success in the Regional Round last May, 14 intrepid and intellectual scholars from Years 8 to 11 head to the next stage: Bangkok’s Global Round of The World Scholar’s Cup. Connecting with and competing against over 55,000 students across the world, a select few may earn the chance to qualify for The Tournament of Champions at Yale University in November.
After a year of hard work and preparation in the English VAPP, over the next 7 days both juniors and seniors will face challenges, encounter new experiences and embrace opportunities. Perhaps most importantly, we will do it as a team. Let’s go HeadStart! Mr. Pollicutt – Head of English
BTEC Students Learn About Environmental Responsibility and Innovation in Tourism
Students from the BTEC Travel & Tourism, BTEC Applied Science and BTEC Business courses recently attended the PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) 2025 event, a leading sustainability forum in Southeast Asia focused on environmental responsibility and innovation in tourism. Held in Phuket, the event brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and sustainability advocates to explore solutions for creating greener, more responsible tourism practices. The students had the opportunity to network, gain industry insight, and explore real world applications of their studies in a professional and inspiring environment.
One of the highlights was the workshop titled “Sustaining Destinations: Working with Communities and Nature,” where key speakers including Bernhard Bohnenberger (Co-Founder and CEO of Discover Collection) and Yordying Sudhidhanakul (Founder and GM of Koh Mak Village) shared inspiring insights.
BTEC Applied Science students explored the environmental impacts of tourism and the scientific approaches to preserving ecosystems, aligning closely with their future studies. BTEC Travel & Tourism students gained a deeper understanding of sustainable tourism practices and how engaging with local communities can enhance destination appeal. BTEC Business students benefited by learning about eco-conscious business models and leadership in sustainable enterprise. The event was a fun, interactive experience that broadened students’ perspectives and encouraged them to communicate with professionals and think critically about their future careers. Ms Jones – Lead for Vocational Education
BTEC Students Master New Metalwork Skills with State-of-the-Art Engineering Equipment
Our BTEC Engineering students are getting hands-on experience with exciting new workshop equipment this term! Working on their first assignment, the students have embarked on an ambitious project to manufacture their own Toolmakers clamps, a challenging task that’s teaching them essential manufacturing skills.
After thoroughly investigating the various manufacturing processes required for their project, students have now begun mastering the art of precision machining. This week marked a significant milestone as they got to grips with our new metalwork lathe. The workshop buzzed with concentration as students learned to identify the different parts of the lathe, practiced loading steel bars safely, and mastered the crucial technique of ‘facing off’, preparing the metal surface for accurate machining of different diameters and lengths.
With a new Milling machine tool and inspection equipment also at their disposal, these budding engineers are experiencing the full manufacturing process from design investigation through to quality control. Watch this space for updates on their finished Toolmakers clamps! Mr Wells – Design & Technology Teacher
HeadStart Eco School Term 1 Focus
5xR (Replace, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle): SDG12 – Responsible Consumption.
New year and great news. Head Start Eco School has now been recognised by the WWF, World Wide Fund for Nature (องค์การกองทุนสัตว์ป่าโลกสากล) Thailand, as an Eco School. This prestigious recognition acknowledges the work undertaken by the whole school community to date but also creates a path towards being part of a global organisation working to achieve a more sustainable now and future.
HeadStart Eco School is a way of organising and enhancing our practices as a school and community. Over the coming year we will work to raise Awareness, identify Actions we can take, Assimilate sustainable practices into the classroom and curriculum and Advocate for change throughout the community. We will continue with our internal projects (Paper collection, eco- bricks, ChangeMaker Programme, Clean Air campaign), expand our external projects (Beach Clean, Mangrove and Seagrass planting) and increase the reach of our activities (New student run Eco School website).
Eco Committee Campaigns
Over the next few weeks we will recruit a new cohort of Eco Ambassadors from Reception through to Year 13. New Ambassadors will join existing members, some of which have been driving school and island wide initiatives for the last 2 years. Look out for sign up posters around the school. But if you and your child want to get involved. Feel free to sign up via the GoogleForm here.
Once in place we will begin designing our initiatives and campaigns around the following ½ termly themes:
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5XR = Replace, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.
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Climate
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Water
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Sustainable Communities
As we work towards the WWF Eco School Award we will analyse what the students have said about what HeadStart could do better. From this we will select a single measurable outcome for the year ahead. We are keen to also have parents and the wider community involved in this process. Together we can be ChangeMakers and help bring about the change we want to see in the world. If you are interested in working with us in some capacity, be it as a partner, provider or educator, please contact the HeadStart Eco School Coordinator, Mr. Rob Gratton [email protected]
Community Beach Clean
Back for 2025 are our monthly HeadStart Community Beach Cleans. Dates, location and times can be found below. This year we intend to increase our activities with more families involved and working in collaboration with other schools across the island to build both a network and unified approach to island wide beach cleans. As we build these partnerships and the island wide schedule of beach cleans we will share with you relevant details.
| Date | Time | Location | Meeting Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September | 09:30 – 10:30 | Rawai | We Cafe |
| 26 October | 09:30 – 10:30 | Kata | Kata Surf |
| 30 November | 09:30 – 10:30 | Nai Harn | Sea Breeze Cafe |
| 11 January | 09:30 – 10:30 | Rawai | We Cafe |
| 08 February | 09:30 – 10:30 | Kata | Kata Surf |
| 29 March | 09:30 – 10:30 | Nai Harn | Sea Breeze Cafe |
| 26 April | 09:30 – 10:30 | Saphan Hin | Saphan Hin Temple |
| 31 September | 09:30 – 10:30 | Rawai | We Cafe |
For all beach cleans bring – anti bac, water, sunscreen, hat, gloves if required. We provide recycled plastic garbage sacks and the house points. Last year our overall winning House was Green Dragons.
| Did You Know? | HeadStart promotes Responsible Consumption through minimising food waste. At lunch time students separate their food waste into different bins. This is then collected, every day, by local farmers to be turned into food for pigs and ducks on the island. Food that is served but not eaten is also given to farmers whereas food that is cooked and not served is shared with local families in need through our food partners, Scholars of Sustenance. |
| Something To Think About | Have batteries you need to get rid of? Don’t bin them, recycle them. Head on down to Central Mall and Robinson Mall to find e-waste recycling bins (located by the main entrances). |
| Interesting Links | Making recycling easy here on Phuket |
| Request | For all those items you can’t recycle such as thin plastic bags, wrappers, crisp bags or plastic food wrappers please collect these at home, perhaps in a plastic bag. In the coming weeks we will start a new House Competition: The Eco.brick Challenge. |
Success Outside School
Congratulations to Jia (5 Blue) who won 2 gold medals (U10 Freehand and U10 Hoop) and the 4th place trophy (U10 Individual All Round) at the “Dream Cup 2025”, Vivace Rhythmic Gymnastics International Competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Congratulations to Jao (5 White) who won two gold medals – for Jazz Solo and Ballet Repertoire (both 8-9 years old category) – at the International Dance Competition (IDC) 2025.
Congratulations to Patty (3 White) and Amy (5 White) who both received the Piano Category A: Gold Award and Bay (3 Yellow) who received the Piano Category A: Grand Prize Award at The MAV International Music Competition 2025 (live performance) with the Phuket School of Music.
Well done to Fleur (3 Yellow) who not only took part in the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition but also competed at the Asiarope Olympiad Science Competition (National round) and received a gold medal!
Well done to Diyana (3 Yellow) who won a bronze medal at the Asiarope Olympiad Science Competition (National round).
Promotions from Around the Island
The Dome Tennis Club Promotion
The Dome Tennis Club would like to promote the JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM offered on a daily basis Monday to Friday from 16.30 to 18.30 at the Dome. It is available to everyone, regardless of tennis level: Beginners, Intermediary or Advanced players are all welcome and will be channeled to the appropriate group.
Our offers:
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A package for 10 sessions of 2 hours per session: 9.000 baht
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A single session of 2 hours: 1.000 baht each session
Please contact Khun Flooke at the Dome for further information. Tel: 0896499002. Email: [email protected]
Important Dates
Noticeboard
