Weekly Update #7, 13 October 2023

Mid-Term Camps

There is still time to enrol your child in one of our three sports camps taking place during the mid-term break, from 16-18 of October. We have fun and challenging swimming, football and basketball programmes available and all that’s left to do is sign up by contacting [email protected].

For more information, you can also contact our coaches directly:

• Swimming - write to [email protected]
• Football - write to [email protected]
• Basketball - write to [email protected]

День русского языка (Russian Language Day at Chaofah City Campus)

Здравствуйте, уважаемые родители. 28 октября (в субботу) с 9:00 до 12:00 пройдет день русского языка. Мы хотим уточнить у вас некоторые детали. Пожалуйста, заполните данную анкету. https://forms.gle/TayEXv5t8kQNpcvZ8. С 9:00 до 9:30 пройдет конкурс талантов в атриуме. С 9:30 до 10:05 игры для начальной и средней школы.С 10:10 до 11:00 в Secondary hall пройдет инсценировка сказок. И с 11:00 до 12:00 в столовой будет трапеза за общим столом, где вы можете поделиться с другими гостями блюдом, которое вы принесете. Если вы не записались, вы можете прийти к 11:00 за совместный стол. Будем рады видеть вас на дне русского языка.

С уважением, русскоговорящая команда школы HeadStart.

Halloween Foundation Stay & Play

On Tuesday 31st October, we will celebrate Halloween throughout the Foundation and Primary school day. For our youngest learners, we invite parents to join with their children for a SPOOKTACULAR Stay & Play morning. Make sure to dress up to join in the fun!

Halloween Dress Up and Activity Day

Primary students are also encouraged to come to school dressed to impress (and SCARE!) as they will take part in Halloween activities during one lesson in their timetable and at break times when there will be a range of craft activities to stimulate the senses (and maybe cause a little SHRIEK!).

Parent Workshop - Getting the most out of FastForWord

It was great to see so many parents of our EAL students join us for our FastForWord workshop presented by our distinguished guest, Mr. Naresh Indhewat, who is the director of BrainFit Thailand. An expert on the FastForWord (FFW) reading program, Naresh provided insight into how parents can use this research-based program that is designed to improve language and literacy skills for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students to support their children to improve reading fluency, reading comprehension, and vocabulary skills, which are essential for success in all academic areas. The workshop also provided parents with an opportunity to practise and experience the program firsthand, with expert guidance from Naresh who was on-hand to answer questions and troubleshoot any issues.

Parent Meeting 6: Introduction to Sporting Programmes at HeadStart

Thank you to those parents who joined us for our latest parent meeting hosted by Mr. Carter and his sports team. They explained how our different sporting programmes support students to make progress across the PE curriculum or in their chosen sport through our academy programmes, building strength and stamina as well as skills. The highlight of the presentation was Mr. Carter putting the parents through their paces by first identifying and then stretching their different muscle groups - an integral part of PE learning at HeadStart, for students and parents alike!

To view a copy of the presentation, click on the link below.

Parent Meeting 7: Introduction to Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Programmes at HeadStart

Come join us! We welcome parents to join us for our latest parent meeting when we will talk parents through the different CAPA programmes that are available and offer hints and tips on how to ensure your child gets the most out of these. We look forward to seeing you there! Thursday 26th October 2023 from 8:15-9:30am in the Indoor Learning Centre (ILC).

Each year, as a school community we are committed to raising money for the children of Phuket Sunshine Village. Our goal is to raise 3,000 Baht for each child. This donation will cover a child’s new school uniform, socks and shoes, transport to and from school and school lunch for one whole year. Such a contribution can make a huge difference to the lives of PSV children and serves to strengthen our ties with the local community and develop ways in which we can educate our own students to share the good fortune that we enjoy.

We welcome members of our community to donate individually, as a family, a company or as a classroom. Please consider joining this appeal and donating towards the living cost of a child in need. Our PSV donation drive will begin in earnest after the mid-term break. Contact the front office for more details and get involved today!

Thanks to everyone who made our first ever Friday Market such a huge success! From the various vendors providing healthy eats and treats as well as hand-crafted, sustainably-sourced products to our Year 6 students offering their advice to younger children on the best toys and crafts to invest in, it was a wonderfully memorable way to sign off on our first half-term together. We look forward to doing it all again on the second Friday in November (10.11.13).

We’re thrilled to share a glimpse of our recent Mandarin Language Day held on 7th October at HeadStart Chaofah City campus! What made this event special was the gathering of students and parents from both of our campuses, creating an unforgettable cultural experience. Our activities included vibrant lantern painting and crafting to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, an engaging idiom guessing game showcasing our students’ language prowess, and a spirited traditional Chinese pitch pot contest that had everyone on their toes.

But that’s not all! Our wonderful parents made this event truly exceptional by treating us to a delightful spread of diverse Chinese cuisine. Beyond the fun and games, this event served a deeper purpose. It deepened our students’ understanding of the culture and language while fostering connections and exchanges between parents from both campuses.

We are looking forward to the second Mandarin Language Day event scheduled for Term 2.

我们非常高兴与大家分享我们最近于10月7日在HeadStart举行的中文语言日活动的一瞥！这次活动之所以特别，是因为我们的两个校区的学生和家长齐聚一堂，创造了一个难忘的文化体验。

我们的活动包括庆祝中秋节的灯笼绘画和手工制作，展示学生语言技巧的成语猜谜游戏，还有一个充满活力的传统投壶比赛，让每个人都紧张不已。

但这还不是全部！家长们通过为我们提供多样化的中国美食，使这次活动变得格外特别。

除了娱乐和游戏，这次活动还具有更深层次的意义。它加深了我们学生对文化和语言的理解，同时促进了两个校区的家长之间的联系和交流。

我们期待着计划在第二学期举行的第二届中文语言日活动！

Saving the Planet with My Poo!

You may remember that, earlier this term, our Reception class had a wonderful morning at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, learning about the unique features of these gentle giants and taking the chance to get up close and connect with them. To end our first half-term, we would like to offer a huge thank you to one of our parents, Shirley Johnson, for her incredibly generous donation of individual copies of her own beautiful children’s book, “Saving the Planet with my Poo!”, to our Reception class children. This book is a perfect way to encourage an early understanding of the environment, the nature of recycling to younger children and being mindful of our planet. Many thanks for your generosity, Shirley!

Taking a Break in the Playground

In our Foundation Stage classrooms, play forms an essential part of every school day - no more so than at breaktimes when our children get the opportunity to monkey around their brand new forest-themed playground! Through play, children learn about the world and themselves. They also learn skills they need for study, work and relationships such as: confidence, self-esteem, resilience, interaction, social skills, independence, curiosity, coping with challenging situations.

Taking a Little Wandle into Phonics

The Reception students have been putting in a lot of effort during their Little Wandle phonics sessions. They’ve been actively learning their set 2 phonics sounds, connecting them with pictures that correspond to the initial letter. They are even beginning to blend these sounds to create words. Keep up the fantastic work children! - Miss Danielle

Innovation and Creativity Under the Sea (in Year 2!)

In Year 2, we embarked on an exciting project of creating ocean dioramas. We began by planning meticulously, researching the creatures that inhabit the ocean environment. The students showcased their creativity by crafting underwater scenes with vivid colors and intricate details, from coral reefs to the deep-sea abyss. What truly impressed us was how these young learners used their initiative, coming up with innovative ideas to make their dioramas stand out. In addition, each student wrote two interesting facts about their chosen marine creatures, adding an educational element to their artistic creations. It was a fantastic hands-on experience that not only deepened their understanding of the ocean but also fostered their problem-solving and artistic skills. - Mr. Patel and Mr. Bustillo

Transporting Year 3 Back to the Bronze Age

Year 3 had an awesome time creating some ‘beakers’. ‘The Beaker Folk’ were a group of people suspected of bringing Bronze to Britain. They also brought amazing clay pots which they used for storage and drinking. We had so much fun recreating our own beakers. - Miss Davies

Investigating Dissolving

Year 5 have been investigating dissolving. They tested a variety of materials to find out if they were soluble or insoluble, whilst also considering the variables which needed to be kept the same. - Mrs. Williams

Investigating Electrical Circuits

As part of the Year 5 and 6 Science ECA, the pupils had the opportunity to use electrical circuits to investigate a number of questions like ‘What happens to the brightness of the bulbs when you have three bulbs in your circuit?’ and ‘Can you add more than one battery to your circuit…what is the impact?’ They made Series Circuits and Parallel Circuits and then drew diagrams, using the correct symbols, to show the circuits they had created. - Mr. Williams

Contribute your Creativity to our School Environment

For a creative half-term project, let’s make plastic bottle plant pots that will not only brighten up our school but also promote eco-friendliness. As our next learner attribute for the year is ‘creative,’ this project is an ideal way to express your creativity. Start by decorating your empty plastic bottles with paint, allowing you to showcase your unique style. Once your colourful pots are ready, carefully cut off the top part, ensuring it’s not too sharp. These recycled pots will make fantastic additions to our school’s garden or outdoor spaces, reflecting our creative spirit. We can place them along pathways, on windowsills, or even create a special display area where everyone can appreciate your creative and eco-conscious contributions. It’s a wonderful way to recycle, beautify our school, and inspire others to be more environmentally friendly, all while embracing and celebrating our ‘creative’ attribute. Don’t forget to choose the perfect plants to grow in them, and watch our school environment flourish with your imaginative touch!