Chaofah City
Chaofah City
Weekly Update #9, 25 October 2024
Announcements
Stay Connected with the HeadStart Community
As our school and its amazing programmes continue to grow, it is really important that we keep you, the HeadStart community, informed about what is happening. If you are reading this, you already know about our regular Weekly Updates – a place to get important announcements, find out what’s coming up and what’s been going on in and around school. Many of you will also likely follow us on Facebook – Facebook Cherngtalay Campus and Facebook Chaofah City Campus – where we frequently post about upcoming events and reflect on the many successes of our students.
Now we bring to you the official HeadStart Instagram accounts, a great platform for sharing visual content, allowing us to showcase to you and the rest of the world the incredible array of activities and events taking place across both our campuses! To follow us, just scan the QR codes below 👇.
Nakita’s Pop-up Cafe Already a Huge Hit!
As many parents and children will already know, in partnership with our good friends at Nakita’s, our brand new pop-up cafe is now open for business! Located in the Atrium at the main entrance, it is open from 7:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Offering a range of your favourite Nakita’s drinks, including fresh coffee, smoothies and fruit juices, as well as a selection of delicious baked goods, this latest addition to our ever-growing campus promises to be a huge hit.
Nakita’s Pop-up Cafe Rules and Regulations
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Nakita’s Cafe accepts payment in cash and by QR code only.
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Parents are welcome to use the cafe from 7:30-9:30am in the morning, and from 2:30-5:00pm in the afternoon. If you have an appointment to meet with a member of our Admin or Academic teams at any other time of the day, you are welcome to wait at the cafe.
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Students from all year groups are welcome to purchase products from the cafe at the start (7:30-8:00am) and end (3:20-5:00pm) of the school day when accompanied by a parent.
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Students taking the school bus are NOT permitted to purchase products from the cafe before leaving school.
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Primary students are NOT permitted to purchase products from the cafe between 8:00-3:20pm. From Term 2 onwards, an exception is made for Year 6 students as part of their transition to Secondary school.
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Secondary students are permitted to purchase products from the cafe at morning break (10:15-10:35am) and lunchtime (12:30-1:25pm). Secondary students must make their way quietly and sensibly to the cafe via the second floor walkwayin the Foundation and Primary building; they mustNOT pass through the ground floor Foundation Indoor Learning Centre (ILC). Secondary students are reminded that making use of Nakita’s Cafe is a privilege and this can be removed should they not follow the above rules.
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HeadStart reserves the right to impose sanctions on any students who do not abide by the rules and regulations laid out here.
Access Road Works Update
As mentioned in a previous Weekly Update, over the half-term break HeadStart undertook work to fix the drainage system at the bottom of the access road where it meets Srisoonthorn Rd. This has led to a significant improvement in the state of the road surface and resolved the flooding issue. With shared responsibility for this project, Kajoniet School had committed to widening the road and improving the road surface but they did not finish this during the break and have confirmed they will do so in December. Over this coming weekend, HeadStart has committed to pouring and compacting gravel on the side of the road and we will re-paint the lines again, ensuring road users are aware of the different lanes and their respective usage. We appreciate the patience of our parent community as we look to resolve the issues relating to our access road.
Recovering Lost & Found Items
Our Lost & Found cupboard, located outside the School Nurse’s room, is getting rather full! We would be grateful if parents could pay it a visit with their children once in a while to ensure anything that was once lost is once again found. We would politely remind all parents and students that, before the end of term, we will empty the Lost & Found cupboard and donate the items to charity.
Upcoming Events
Russian Language Day
On October 26, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, the Day of the Russian Language will be held at our Chaofah City Campus. We invite everyone interested to participate actively. Please note that on this day, each child must be accompanied by at least one adult family member. We look forward to seeing you at the Day of the Russian Language!
Sincerely, The Russian-speaking Team at HeadStart School
26 октября с 9:00 до 12:00 будет проводиться День русского языка в Сити-кампусе (Чаофа). Приглашаем всех желающих к активному участию. Обратите внимание, что в этот день ребенка должен сопровождать как минимум один взрослый член семьи. Будем рады видеть вас на Дне русского языка!
С уважением, Русскоязычная команда школы HeadStart
Foundation Halloween Stay & Play
𝔾𝕖𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪…ℍ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥! 🎃 On Thursday 31st October, we will celebrate all things Halloween in Preschool, Early Years and Reception with our Halloween Stay & Play! 🦇 We invite parents to join with their children for a 𝕊ℙ𝕆𝕆𝕂𝕋𝔸ℂ𝕌𝕃𝔸ℝ morning of interactive, creative and fun activities. Parents and children alike, make sure to dress up to join in the fun! 👻
Primary Halloween Activity Day
Halloween is coming! 🎃 Keep your eyes peeled (not literally!) for a whole range of 𝕊ℙ𝕆𝕆𝕂𝕋𝔸ℂ𝕌𝕃𝔸ℝ Primary Halloween activities taking place throughout the day on Thursday 31st October! Don’t forget to dress up for the occasion – be there or be 𝕊ℂ𝔸ℝ𝔼𝔻!
Secondary Halloween Party @ Chaofah City Campus
On 31st October, we will be hosting our annual Secondary Halloween Disco. 🎃 This is an exciting event that is organised by our student leadership and includes games, snacks and prizes for the best contest. 👩🦰 Students in Year 7-13 from both campuses are invited to attend. Students in BTEC Business have prepared special drinks 🥤and snacks 🍧for the evening, so please allow your child to bring some money to enjoy what is on offer.
📍 Chaofah City Campus, Sports Hall
⏰ 6.00-8.00pm
📅 Thursday 31st October
✏️ Sign up form has been emailed to parents.
Child-Watch Phuket 21st Run For Children – Come Join Us!
On Sunday 10th November, we look forward to members of the HeadStart Community, from management and teachers, to students and their parents, joining us for the 21st edition of the Child-Watch Phuket Run For Children. This wonderful local community fun run is sure to give everyone involved the spur to get fit and all in a good cause! With two courses – a 10km run and a shorter 3.5km version – both passing by our Chaofah City campus, our school will be the backdrop to this family fitness event.
To register for the Child-Watch Phuket 21st Run For Children, scan the QR in the poster below. Once registered, you are welcome to join the official HeadStart LINE group to stay tuned for updates and training events. Or for more information, you can contact our Fitness Coach, Jordi, who will be leading the Team HeadStart contingent as we look to get fit and have fun now that the cool season is approaching!
Meetings & Presentations
Helping Your Child with Behaviour Parent Workshop for EYFS on 24.10.24
PSED in EYFS Parent Workshop 24 October 2024
Parent Meeting: End of Term 1 Assessments, Revision, Reports and Grades on Thursday 7th November
We invite all parents of Primary and Secondary age students to join us for our latest parent meeting when our academic team will talk you through our upcoming end of term assessment procedures and reporting processes. It will also be a great opportunity to meet other parents and members of our community. Our Thai, Russian and Mandarin speaking admin teams will be on hand to provide translation services. We look forward to seeing you there! Thursday 7th November 2024 from 8:30-9:30am in the Secondary Indoor Learning Centre (SILC).
Whole Staff INSET Day at Cherngtalay Campus
On Monday 21st October, HeadStart held our annual October INSET (Training Day) for all teaching staff and nannies. This meant over 240 staff had the chance to get together to collaborate on improving their teaching strategies, developing our curriculum and ensuring that the opportunities for our children remain world-class. The training day proved to be a resounding success, with our educators having the chance to have some excellent development opportunities ready to utilise these moving forward with our students.
In addition, on this day and during the mid-term break, a further 40 staff attended training sessions by our friends at First Aid Training Phuket in first aid/Emergency First Response (EFR). The school now has exactly 100 fully trained first aiders on site across both campuses.
Phuket Sunshine Village Fundraiser
Our PSV donation drive has begun in earnest and, thanks to the amazing generosity of our school community, we already have 6 children sponsored since its launch at the beginning of the week. A heartfelt thank you to the children and families of Year 4 Yellow and Year 6 Yellow for their efforts to raise money to sponsor their chosen child and to the Spiridonov, O’Shea and Zhu families for their generous donations!
Meet the 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!
PE & Sports News
PISAC Cross Country @ BISP 🏃🏻♀️ 🏃
It’s time to get excited for the PISAC Cross Country Event taking place at British International School, Phuket next week. Secondary (Year 7-13) – Tuesday, 29th October 16.00 start Primary (Year 3-6) – Wednesday, 30th October 16.00 start Parents are welcome to come and watch. Go Panthers!
Basketball Squad Shooting Hoops!
Before the half-term break, the Cherngtalay Basketball squad spent the week working on their shooting form. They’re making big strides, shooting big hoops and improving very quickly! Coach Rob – Basketball Coach
HeadStart Football Camp Scores Big with 40 Young Athletes
The HeadStart October Football Camp welcomed 40 young athletes, who were grouped by age and skill for coaching by HeadStart Academy staff. The camp showcased impressive skills and teamwork, particularly during the World Cup Wednesday event. All participants left with smiles and HeadStart Panthers medals. Excitement builds for the next, even larger camp! Coach Frost – Head Football Coach
Aqua Panthers Development Camp Success!
This past week, our Aqua Panthers swimmers had an incredible experience at the Development Camp! With a focus on mastering all four strokes—butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle—along with starts and turns, each swimmer made tremendous progress. Coaches and swimmers alike were thrilled to see the dedication and improvement in technique, endurance, and race readiness.
We couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the Aqua Panthers! Coach Zak – 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. Each day, they enjoyed a variety of fun drills designed to improve their basketball skills, from shooting and dribbling to teamwork and defense. In addition to the on-court action, the kids had the opportunity to watch the movie, “Space Jam”, featuring Michael Jordan and the Loony Toons, which added to the excitement and learning. At the end of the camp, all participants were awarded medals for their effort and participation. The event was a huge success, with everyone leaving with smiles, new skills, and great memories. Coach Mike – Head Basketball Coach
ECA News
Latest Chess Tournament Results
What an incredible showdown of strategic brilliance at our recent school Chess Tournament at Chaofah City campus! Relive the magic and see who emerged as the Chess master of October 2024. It was a day filled with jaw-dropping moves and unforgettable moments. From daring openings to epic endgames, our young chess prodigies showcased their skills to the max! A huge shoutout to all the participants, parent supporters, and chess enthusiasts who made this event a roaring success!
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Champion – Tigran – Year 8 Cherngtalay Campus
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Runner-up – Luka – Year 11 Chaofah City Campus
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Third Place – Bogdan – Year 5 Chaofah City Campus
Huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club, The Playyard Restaurants and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. Next tournament will be held on Saturday 9th November. See you there!
Languages Department
Bringing Ancient Chinese Poetry to Life in Frist Language Mandarin Class
Our Year 5 and 6 students in Mandarin First Language class brought ancient Chinese poetry to life by decorating their classroom windows with beautiful calligraphy. This creative project not only deepened their appreciation of classical literature but also sharpened their artistic skills. Now, their windows showcase inspiring lines of poetry, creating a culturally rich and visually stunning learning space! Mr Banchao Tian – Mandarin Teacher
Foundation
Early Years Explore the Underwater World
The Early Years field trip to Aquaria Phuket was a thrilling adventure for the children, who eagerly explored the vibrant underwater world. They marveled at colorful fish, playful penguins, and majestic sharks, all while learning about marine life and conservation. The hands-on exhibits and interactive displays sparked their curiosity and inspired a newfound appreciation for ocean ecosystems.
Miss Una and Miss Sophie – Early Years Teachers
Primary
Year 1 Get Turned Upside Down!
This week, Year 1 Yellow had the exciting opportunity to go to the Upside Down House! While there, they had the mind-bending experience of seeing their normal lives turned upside down. The children were amazing ambassadors for HeadStart and their parents should feel very proud of their behaviour and manners throughout the visit. Well done! Mr. Williams and Mr Blacklee – Year 1 Teachers
Investigating Solubility in Year 5 Science
Year 5 have been investigating dissolving. The children predicted which substances would be soluble, giving reasons for their predictions. They then tested the solubility of a variety of solids, whilst also considering the variables which needed to be kept the same. Mrs Williams – Year 5 Teacher
Promotions from Around the Island
Important Dates
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