Weekly Update #9, 24 October 2025

The HeadStart 2025 Fundraising Appeal – Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation

In the wake of the 2004 tsunami, a wave of compassion built a beacon of hope: the Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation. What began as a response to tragedy has grown into a loving home for over 100+ children. Today, Phuket Sunshine Village provides not just shelter, but a family, an education, and a future for children in need. This year, we continue that legacy of hope, and we invite you to be a part of it by joining our annual fundraising appeal. Every donation, large or small, helps build a life. It provides everything from daily school lunches and proper uniforms to the new shoes that let a child walk to school with pride.

For the remainder of Term 1, HeadStart students will be working together in their classes to raise funds for this important cause. For our Primary students, the goal for each class is to collectively raise 5,000 THB — enough to support one child with their essential needs for an entire year. Meanwhile, our Secondary students will collaborate to put on the Kindness Fair — held on Friday 14th November — an opportunity to raise funds for this worthwhile cause.

Families who would like to contribute directly to the cause are warmly invited to make a donation at the Admin Office. See the information in the poster below 👇

Community Beach Clean @ Kata Beach CANCELLED

Due to the current weather system over Phuket, we have taken the decision to cancel the community beach clean event at Kata Beach this Sunday, 26th October. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Look out for an exciting new opportunity in November – Mangrove planting – along with our next beach clean event on Sunday 30th November at Nai Harn Beach. Mr. Gratton – Eco Coordinator

Book A Stall For Our Next Friday Market!

We warmly invite you to join us as a vendor! The Friday Market is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the school community and share products that support our values. As part of HeadStart’s commitment to sustainability and healthy living, all items sold must be eco-friendly and/or health-focused.

📅 Friday, 7th November

🕒 14:40 – 16:30

Friday Market Guidelines:

• Eco-friendly theme: Please avoid plastic and foam packaging.

• Healthy food only: No candy or junk food allowed.

• Table booking: First come, first served.

• Parent vendor rotation: Parents may book a stall every other market (unless filling a last-minute vacancy).

• Electricity: Let us know in advance if your stall requires power.

• Set-up time: From 2:20 pm

• Sales start: Parents & Foundation children – 2:40 pm; Students – 3:00 pm

• Market closes: 4:30 pm

• No-shows: Vendors who don’t attend without notice will not be allowed to book again (except to fill last-minute spots).

If you have any questions or would like to book a stall, please feel free to get in touch with Khun Newle in the admin office or email [email protected]. We’re looking forward to another vibrant market season and hope to see you there!

Spooktacular Stay & Play!

Get your best costumes ready for a morning of excitement at our Foundation Halloween Stay & Play! Your little monsters will explore playful sensory stations, create their own spooky crafts, and enjoy festive games in our decorated classrooms. Parents are invited to join in and see all the fun!

The magic happens on Thursday, 30th October, from 8:30 – 9:30 AM in the Foundation Classrooms & ILC. Open to all Preschool, Early Years, and Reception families. It’s going to be a morning full of smiles!

A Day of Spooky Fun in Primary!

The Halloween excitement continues in Primary! On Thursday, 30th October, our Primary students are invited to celebrate by coming to school in their favourite friendly costumes. The day will be filled with fun games, creative themed activities, and plenty of treats as our school transforms for the occasion. It promises to be a day of ghoulishly good fun and memorable moments for all our students.

The Halloween Disco is Back!

Get your best costumes ready! The most spooktacular night of the autumn term is just around the corner—the Secondary Halloween Disco! Our Sports Hall will be transformed into the ultimate party zone with awesome music, exciting games, and, of course, prizes for the most creative costumes.

It’s the one night of the year where students from Year 7 all the way to Year 13, and from both campuses, come together to hang out, dance, and make some brilliant memories. The party is planned entirely by our students for maximum fun, so you know it’s going to be good! We can’t wait to see everyone there for this epic get-together.

Don’t miss out! Join us on Thursday, 30th October, from 18:00-20:00. Please RSVP via the sign-up form recently emailed to parents.

Loy Krathong Celebrations

We are pleased to invite all students to participate in our Loy Krathong celebrations on Wednesday, 5th November 2025. To honour this beautiful Thai festival, students will engage in special cultural activities during their Thai classes, including making and floating their own Krathongs and participating in traditional Thai dancing. Our Foundation students will also enjoy a dedicated Loy Krathong assembly. To celebrate this wonderful occasion, all students are welcome to come to school dressed in traditional Thai costume for the day.

A Fun Morning for a Great Cause: Join the Child-Watch Run for Children!

Every step you take makes a difference. For over two decades, the Child-Watch Phuket Foundation has been a vital safe haven for abused and at-risk children in our community. On Sunday, 9th November, join us for a morning of purpose and solidarity as we run to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Your participation helps fund critical projects that give these children a chance for a safe and healthy future. Let’s come together to show them our support.

Event Details:

• What: Child-Watch Phuket 22nd Run For Children, featuring 10.5km and 3.5km distance races.

• When: Sunday, 9th November 2025. Registration opens at 4:30AM, with the first run starting at 5:40AM.

• Why: To raise crucial funds and awareness for Child-Watch Phuket, helping to provide a safe future for children in need.

Sign up today using the QR code below to join one of the two distance runs. And once registered, let us know and we will give you a FREE Team HeadStart t-shirt for each entrant. We look forward to seeing many members of our school community at this local charitable event.

Introduction to Sixth-Form, A Levels & BTEC Curriculum

On the 21st October Mr Davidson, Head of Upper Secondary, and Ms Yardenna Jones, Head of Vocational Education, delivered a presentation to parents regarding life in Years 12 and 13 at HeadStart International School. This presentation introduced the Upper Secondary team, explained the structure of A-levels and BTECs and the benefits of following each pathway, what occurs in the Sixth Form beyond pure academics, and how we prepare students for University and beyond. I hope this slideshow acts as a useful reference point and that the parents who attended are now confident in what will occur when their child joins the Sixth Form at HeadStart.

The slideshow can be downloaded below 👇

Introduction to Sixth-Form, A Levels & BTEC Curriculum 2025-26

Parent meeting: Primary Phonics Workshop for Parents at Primary Hall

Inviting all parents of Year 1 & 2 children to a parent meeting to help you better understand our approach to teaching phonics. Taking place on Tuesday, 28th October 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.

UPrep Talk 5 – Applying to Thai Universities

We are pleased to invite you to our fifth UPrep Talk on Wednesday, 29th October at 8:30am in the Secondary Hall. This session will focus on the process of applying to Thai universities and how the school supports students through each step.

Programme:

• Overview of Thai university options and entry routes

• Key deadlines and application requirements such as SATs and IELTS

• Support available through the school

• Tips for parents supporting students applying in Thailand

We hope you can join us for this practical and informative session in our UPrep Talk series.

A Warm Thank You to our Admin & Secretaries Team!

At HeadStart, our Admin team, including front office and academic secretarial staff, play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our school. They are responsible for managing daily administrative tasks, such as coordinating schedules, maintaining student records, organising important paperwork for our international community and facilitating communication between teachers, parents, and students. Their attention to detail and organizational skills help create a welcoming environment, allowing our educators to focus on delivering high-quality instruction. In addition, our Admin team supports HeadStart’s strategic initiatives, assisting in event planning and community engagement, which fosters a strong sense of belonging and collaboration within our amazing school community. Through their dedication and professionalism, our Admin team contribute significantly to the overall success and efficiency of HeadStart International School, Phuket.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to our Admin team for their hard work, dedication and continued support of the entire HeadStart community!

Secondary Wai Kru Ceremony

On Wednesday, October 22nd 2025, the Thai Department proudly hosted the first major event of the academic year. This cherished Thai tradition is a beautiful moment for our students to formally express their respect and gratitude to their teachers, and is believed to bring good fortune and wisdom as the school year progresses.

The ceremony was gracefully led by Head Boy Conor and Head Girl Seungha, who managed the event with confidence and composure. We were also honored by the presence and support of our Military Service Students, who helped maintain the formal order throughout the proceedings.

The program was rich with performances and heartfelt tributes: Ingfah, Prim, Kwankhao, Pun, Sienna, and Buahom led the traditional Wai Kru song, and Mason led the student’s pledge.Student representatives from each class respectfully presented beautifully decorated flower trays to school management and teachers as a lasting symbol of appreciation and commitment. The atmosphere was uplifted by a moving performance from our CAPA seniors: Ingfah, Taina, Pan, Prim, Jessica and Mr Graham, who enriched the ceremony with a touching song of gratitude.We heard inspiring messages from student representatives Peemai and Vlad, followed by a thoughtful speech from Mr. Pollicutt and a closing speech from our Principal, Mr. Wakeford.

We extend our sincere thanks to all parents for their valuable presence and support, which made this annual tradition truly meaningful and memorable for our entire school community.

📸 You can download a full gallery of pictures here: Secondary Wai Kru Ceremony Photo Gallery

Primary Wai Kru Ceremony

The Primary Wai Kru Ceremony took place on Thursday, 23rd October, a truly special occasion for teachers, students, and parents alike. The event was hosted by our Head Boy Bogdan and Head Girl Kim, both from Year 6, and was filled with memorable moments throughout.

This year’s Wai Kru Song “Pajera” was beautifully performed by a talented group of students: Nida, Zen, Cayla, Amy, Phoenix, Mimi, and Mili. The Student Pledge followed, led by Year 6 student Nida. Student representatives, accompanied by Military Service Students, presented flower trays to teachers and senior management.

In the ceremony’s most touching moment, Primary students expressed their gratitude by presenting flowers and thank you cards to their teachers, with some students joined by their parents. Following this heartfelt gesture, CAPA Junior delivered a wonderful performance of “Shine” by Take That, our thanks to Mr. Graham for coordinating this. The student speeches were given by Year 6 representatives Nora and Alisa, followed by an inspiring address from teacher representative Mr. Jamie Robertson, who shared his personal journey into teaching. Miss Hark, Head of Foundation and Primary, concluded the ceremony with her closing remarks.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all parents for your support and participation in making this event so meaningful. Your presence helped our teachers feel truly valued and appreciated. Thank you.

📸 You can download a full gallery of pictures here: Primary Wai Kru Ceremony Photo Gallery

Foundation Wai Kru Ceremony

On Friday, 24th October, the Foundation Wai Kru event was a heartwarming celebration bringing together children, parents, and teachers in a beautiful display of gratitude and appreciation. Miss Danielle and Kru Tiya served as MCs for the event, which was filled with warmth and affection throughout.

This year, Patther, Prim, Roman, Phoebe, Annabelle, and Bhudyn excelled as student representatives, presenting Flower Trays to Senior Management and the Thai Teachers. Patrick and Zackie delivered touching speeches from memory in both English and Thai. They were followed by Miss Lucy, our devoted Early Years teacher, who shared a wonderful speech celebrating the love of teaching and culture.

The ceremony’s highlight was the Reception students’ charming performance of “I want to say thank you,” which expressed their deep affection and gratitude for their teachers through song and dance. Our appreciation goes to Kru Poy, Kru Tiya, Kru Lookpla, and Kru Wendy for their dedication in preparing this performance.

We extend our sincere thanks to all parents for their steadfast support. Your involvement from bringing flowers to actively taking part in the ceremony brought warmth and joy to this meaningful occasion. Together, we celebrated our teachers’ dedication and created wonderful memories for our Foundation community.

📸 A full gallery of pictures will be shared next week.

Raising English Literacy in Phuket: HeadStart Students Lead the Way

HeadStart was proud to host the Sunny Side Up English Camp during our half-term break. This was an inspiring English literacy event, bringing together children from across the island to learn, connect, and grow through the power of language. Supported by student volunteers from schools all over Phuket, the event reflected a shared vision for improving English fluency among young people with the long-term goal that every child in Phuket will be fully fluent in English by the time they turn 18.

“When we share what we know, we lift others up. Helping younger students improve their English is also helping Phuket grow as a community that can communicate confidently with the world.” – Seungha Lee, Head Girl

The event marked another milestone in Phuket’s ongoing journey toward developing a generation of confident, capable, and globally connected youth. With schools, government leaders, and hospitality partners all working hand in hand, the island is shaping a future where every young person can express themselves fluently and proudly in English. As part of AIHM’s broader mission to support community learning, we are proud to stand alongside partners like HeadStart International School and Minor Hotels, uniting education and hospitality to inspire lifelong learning, leadership, and opportunity across Phuket.

Wow! What a Week for CAPA Junior!

Not only did our CAPA Junior stars truly “Shine” in the Wai Kru ceremony performance but today has seen the big reveal of the cast list for Disney’s Moana Jr., their big show to be held in March 2026. This has been a really popular choice and a show with such a strong and powerful message that we can’t wait to share it with you.

Mr Graham and Coach Claire have been working super hard with the group and the progress made has been exceptional in such a short space of time. The audition process took place just before the holiday with Miss Tunstall, also part of the expert panel, and so the students have been waiting (not) very patiently for today! The announcement was made so much more special thanks to the beautiful handcrafted show board, led by the talented Ms. Airl and her very own village of creatives Ms. Narell, Mr Endly, Ms Shea, Ms Marijoice, Mr Francis and Ms Charmaine, who all did this in their own time to make this a real occasion for the CAPA Junior cast. We’re looking forward to seeing more stunning creative art work as the primary school prepares for a themed exhibition during show week. And don’t forget that the Year 4 students will also be dancing in the show – it really is a whole CAPA affair!

We are so very proud of all the work everyone has put into Moana Jr already and can guarantee you that it is going to be an incredible show – they are seriously impressive! A huge well done and good luck goes to every single member of CAPA Junior as we springboard from this amazing first performance into the real start of the rehearsal process – it’s going to be an incredible journey…we can’t wait to see just How Far You’ll Go! Ms Howells – Director of CAPA

October Chess Tournament Results

Another great day of chess! We had 32 competitors this time, and among them 6 amazing U-8 players who showed incredible talent and sportsmanship. So much concentration, clever tactics, and passion on every board! Check out the results from our latest tournament:

Winner:Tigran (9 Blue Cherngtalay)2nd Place:Georgiy (6 Blue Chaofah City)3rd Place:Luka (12 Blue Chaofah City)Best Girl:Poppy (9 White Chaofah City)Best U-8 Player: Prach (3 Blue Chaofah City)

And a huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club Phuket and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. Our next tournament will be held on Saturday, 8th November. Note, this will be also open for Parents, Teachers and Students! See you there!

Community Chess Day: The 3rd Parent, Teacher & Student Tournament

We invite our entire HeadStart community to our 3rd Parent, Teacher, and Student Chess Tournament on Saturday, 8th November. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents, staff, and pupils to connect and enjoy a day of friendly competition. If you know the basic rules, we encourage you to join. We will have separate categories for parents, teachers, and students. Check-in is at 09:00, and we expect to finish by 14:00.

The ‘Early Bird’ fee is 250 THB (this will double on the day). Prizes are available for top players, all participants receive an award, and (most importantly!) pizza will be provided.

HeadStart Duolingo Competition

The HeadStart Duolingo Competition is officially underway! Running from 21st October to 9th December 2025, this exciting challenge is open to all our Year 7 to Year 9 students in French, Mandarin, and EAL classes across both campuses. The competition is a fantastic way to build a consistent study habit and boost language skills.

The goal is to achieve the highest average XP per student in your class. We encourage everyone to practise every day to help their class top the leaderboard. The prize for the winning class will be a well-deserved Pizza Party! Good luck to all participants.

Half-term Football Camp

The HeadStart October Football Camp was a resounding success, attracting 40 enthusiastic young athletes. Participants were grouped based on their age and skill level, receiving personalised coaching from the dedicated HeadStart Academy staff. The camp provided a platform for showcasing impressive skills and fostering teamwork, particularly during the exciting World Cup Wednesday event. Every participant left with beaming smiles and well-deserved HeadStart Panthers medals, symbolising their hard work and dedication. Anticipation and enthusiasm are growing for the next camp, which promises to be even larger and more impactful. Coach Frost – Head Football Coach

Half-term Swim Camp

What an amazing few days at our Chaofah and Cherngtalay campuses! Both locations were packed with energy, progress, and smiles from start to finish. Our swimmers worked hard and had plenty of fun along the way. From freestyle to butterfly, dives and turns, to dry land and goal setting, every athlete gave their best and showed huge improvement.

We’re so proud of the effort, focus, and enthusiasm from all who joined. It was three days filled with learning, teamwork, and confidence building in and out of the pool. A big thank you to everyone who took part. We’re already looking forward to seeing you at our next camp! Coach Brown – Head Swim Coach

October Basketball Jam!

Our 3-day half-term Basketball camp was a fun-filled event where ballers enthusiastically participated in engaging basketball activities. The players had a great time taking part in a mix of shooting drills, dribbling drills, and team-based games designed to build their confidence and skills on the court. We also included several icebreaker and team-bonding exercises that helped everyone get to know their teammates better beyond basketball. It created a really positive environment where players could connect, communicate, and support each other. Overall, it was an energetic and rewarding few days — the kids showed great effort, improved their skills, and most importantly, had fun. Coach Cruickshank – Head Basketball Coach

Sharing a Love of Reading

Our Library Monitors recently shared their love of reading with our youngest learners during a visit in the library. The older students took turns reading picture books aloud to the Reception class, bringing stories to life with enthusiasm and expression.

The little ones listened with wide eyes and big smiles, joining in with laughter and questions about their favorite characters. It was a wonderful opportunity for both age groups, The monitors practiced their reading and leadership skills, while the Reception students discovered the joy of stories shared by their “big friends.”

A big thank you to our Library Monitors for being such great reading role models! We look forward to more read-along sessions that continue to inspire a lifelong love of books.

Primary Stars of the Week!

This week in our Primary assemblies, we celebrated our Primary Stars of the Week for the learner attribute of Resilience. These fantastic children have demonstrated determination, a positive attitude, and the courage to keep going, even when things felt challenging. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the wonderful example they set for others through their hard work and never-give-up attitude.

Year 11 Options Fair

On Wednesday the 22nd of October our Year 11 students took the next step in shaping their academic pathway into Years 12 and 13. As a warm up for the main event we held a parent presentation in the Primary Hall where we outlined the options process and shared key insights to help families make informed decisions about these important next steps.

This was followed by the main event of the day; the spectacular Year 11 Options Fair. Each subject offered in Years 12 & 13 had a stall where teachers and students were on hand to explain what each subject was like to study at this level. The students and parents were then free to roam the Secondary Hall to see what subjects are on offer and to have their questions answered. We hope that, after this inspiring event, our Year 11s feel more confident and excited about the choices that will shape their Sixth Form experience. Mr Davidson – Head of Upper Secondary