Weekly Update #16, 11 January, 2018
A warm welcome back to school!
Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming events can be found on the calendar on the website School Life → Calendar but we have outlined upcoming events here for easy reference. For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-18 January | All week | Healthy Living week | In school |
| 15 January | 8:15am | Thai Parents Meeting | Secondary Hall 4th floor |
| 17 January | 8:15am | U-Prep Talk | Sports Hall |
| 19-21 January | All day | DofE Silver G1 Adventurous Journey | Ao Yon beach |
| 22 January | 8:15am | Thai Parents Meeting | Secondary Hall |
| 26 January | 9:00am | Saturday Thai Culture club | Classrooms |
| 26-28 January | All day | DofE G2 Silver Sailing Adventurous Journey | Ao Yon beach |
| 28-30 January | All day | Maths Faculty Week | In school |
Dear parents,
HeadStart is proud to announce the launch of U-Prep, a new service which will provide university preparation, counselling and placement for HeadStart students.
In addition to our ongoing commitment to ensure that all of our students excel in their secondary academic studies and achieve the highest possible grades, the U-Prep team and programme will also focus on evaluating students’ individual strengths, needs and career goals. The U-Prep team will work closely with students and their families to provide the counsel and support necessary for students to successfully secure the right university pathways.
The full details of the U-Prep programme and how it will benefit your child are being presented to parents on Thursday, January 17th at 8.15 am. Please make the time to attend this short 45 minute presentation which will outline the details of the U-Prep programme such as general issues regarding universities, key timings, application procedures and how the HeadStart U-Prep team will guide students and families through this process.
This presentation will be followed by weekly U-Talks. These will be shorter 15 minute presentations designed to give parents information on very specific issues such as how university systems, entrance requirements, costs and applications differ in various countries.
Don’t miss this opportunity to find out more about U-Prep and how it will benefit your child.
เรียนผู้ปกครองที่เคารพ
ทางโรงเรียนมีความยินดีที่จะแจ้งให้ผู้ปกครองทราบเกี่ยวกับการเปิดตัวโปรแกรมใหม่ของโรงเรียน ที่ชื่อว่า U-Prep ซึ่งเป็นโปรแกรมที่จะช่วยเตรียมความพร้อมและวางแผนการศึกษาต่อระดับมหาวิทยาลัยให้แก่บุตรหลานของท่านในอนาคต
เพื่อเป็นการสร้างความมั่นใจและเตรียมความพร้อมให้แก่นักเรียนเกี่ยวกับการศึกษาต่อในระดับมหาวิทยาลัย โปรแกรม U-Prep จะมุ่งเน้นเรื่องการประเมินผู้เรียนเป็นรายบุคคลว่านักเรียนมีความถนัด มีจุดแข็ง จุดอ่อนที่ต้องพัฒนาและมีเป้าหมายในการศึกษาต่อในสาขาวิชาใด โดยโปรแกรม U-Prep จะมีทีมงานครูผู้เชี่ยวชาญที่จะดูแลและให้ความช่วยเหลือนักเรียนและผู้ปกครองอย่างใกล้ชิด เพื่อสร้างความมั่นใจให้แก่นักเรียนและผู้ปกครองว่าจะสามารถเข้าศึกษาต่อในมหาวิทยาลัยและสาขาที่ตนเองคาดหวังได้ในอนาคต
ผู้ปกครองสามารถรับฟังข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมและพบกับการเปิดตัวโปรแกรม U-Prep ในวันพฤหัสบดี ที่ 17 มกราคม 2562 เวลา 08.15 น. ณ โรงยิม Sports Hall นำเสนอข้อมูลประมาณ 45 นาที โดยจะให้รายละเอียดสำคัญแก่ผู้ปกครองไม่ว่าจะเป็นช่วงเวลาในการยื่นใบสมัคร การสอบเข้า การแนะแนวทาง และการให้คำปรึกษานักเรียนในโปรแกรม U-Prep
หลังจากรับฟังข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับโปรแกรม U-Prep แล้ว ท่านจะได้รับฟังข้อมูลที่น่าสนใจอีกโปรแกรมหนึ่งที่ชื่อว่า U-Talks ซึ่งจะเป็นการนำเสนอข้อมูลสำคัญที่ผู้ปกครองต้องทราบหากวางแผนที่จะส่งบุตรหลานไปศึกษาต่อมหาวิทยาลัยในต่างประเทศ รวมถึงข้อมูลด้านค่าใช้จ่ายสำหรับการเรียนต่อต่างประเทศ และวิธีการเขียนและยื่นใบสมัครไปยังมหาวิทยาลัยต่างๆ
ห้ามพลาดโอกาสสำคัญที่จะทำให้ท่านได้รู้ลึก รู้จริง เกี่ยวกับการเตรียมตัวศึกษาต่อในระดับมหาวิทยาลัย กับโปรแกรมใหม่ที่ชื่อว่า U-Prep
Parent Meeting Invitation
We would like to invite all new HeadStart parents to an orientation presentation on Tuesday 15th January, 2018 at 8:15-09:00 in the Primary Hall which is located on the 2nd floor. During the meeting we will give information about the school management team, the curriculum, ASP (After School Programme) and the main school policies. The presentation will be in English and Thai.
Nicholas Carter
My name is Nick Carter and I am from Kent, in the UK. I came to Thailand in 2015, after 6 years of living and teaching P.E. in Stockholm, Sweden (where it snows for six months of the year!). So, it is fair to say that I was ready for a completely different climate change, as well as cultural change. My sporting background is very diverse. I grew up with a passion for playing football but, later, in my teens, I discovered baseball. I made my debut for the Great Britain national baseball squad at the age of 18 and played with the squad for the next 14 years. I also trained as a professional contemporary dancer and toured nationally and internationally for 7 years in numerous dance companies. Although I have many other sporting interests, I want to make it clear that P.E. teachers are not just whistle blowing, basketball bouncing individuals, as I released my first fictional novel (in June, 2015). However, participating in sport, physical activity, and leading a healthy lifestyle are very important to me, and I’ve enjoyed imparting my knowledge in teaching and coaching environments for over 20 years. I am delighted to be HeadStart’s Director of Sport and my fundamental aims are for our students to continue to experience a really diverse range of physical activities, all the while having loads of fun through being active. For example, HeadStart pupils will participate in the following sports activities in either curriculum time or in our fantastic After School Sports programme: Basketball, Netball, Football, Rugby, Athletics, Swimming, Badminton, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Softball, Rounders, Yoga, Dance, and Gymnastic activities (amongst others). If you have any questions, you can email me at – [email protected]
P.E. Department News
Marathon Success
Gemma Brain competed in the Karon 6.5km race over the Xmas break and I’m delighted to announce she came 1st in the Under 18 ladies category. Mr Paice also competed in the same race and came 1st in the 19-29 male category. Well done, Mr Paice and Gemma!
Academy Football Information
We continue to promote the positive inclusion of girls football, which now includes girls training during the academy slot on a Wednesday. This has meant that the schedule for the boys teams have had to change slightly. Here is the new schedule for the training sessions in Term 2&3:
| Monday | U9 & U13 | |
| Tuesday | U9 & O15 | |
| Wednesday | U11 / U13 | Girls Football (beginning Wednesday, 16th January) |
| Thursday | U11 & O15 | |
| Friday | U9 & U11 / U13 |
What’s Coming Up?
In a few weeks time our senior Basketball squads will be competing in an invitational tournament to be hosted at HeadStart. Teams participating will be HeadStart, Phuket Satree and Kathu Wittaya. I will let you know the dates/times when the schedule is finalised.
Lastly, next week will be ‘Healthy Living Week’ at HeadStart. During the week we will be educating and promoting to the students about healthy eating and how to lead active, healthy lifestyles. Healthy Living Week was introduced during this Friday’s assembly and will run all next week, including things such as:
- House Quiz - Health & Fitness
- Healthy snack options
- Fitness testing in PE classes
- Healthy food and active lifestyle posters in the lunch hall and cafe
So, it looks to be an exciting…and very HEALTHY week in store!
Foundation Department News
A warm welcome back to all our families this week. Our children have returned energized and enthusiastic and it has been wonderful listening to some of their holiday tales.
Next week Foundation will be taking part in the whole school Healthy Living initiative. We would like to celebrate the healthy options our families are already making and next week will be suggesting a ‘snack of the day’. In order to start getting some House points on the board for this term, we will be giving out House points to all Reception and Early Years children who can bring in a recommended snack of the day.
On Monday we will be starting off with fruit. Children bringing in fruit to school on Monday will be given House Points. Let’s keep the healthy ball rolling all week and see if we can get all of our students and families joining in with Healthy Living Week.
Wishing all of our children a very happy Children’s Day tomorrow and I look forward to seeing you all next week.
I am so proud of the Preschool children this week. It is always difficult coming back after such a long holiday but they have all returned with smiling faces and had a great first week back. By Ms Danielle Jones
This week the Reception children started a new topic on fairytales. We have really enjoyed using the fairytale castle role play area and getting into character as princes, princesses, magic fairies and dragons! The children also read the story ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and practised retelling the story, writing simple captions using their phonics and following instructions to make yummy gingebread biscuits. The children have had a super first week back and we are all really proud of their effort and positive attitude! By Ms Hannah Kuusik and Ms Candice Smithie
David Pollicutt
My name is David and I joined HeadStart International School in 2018. I am from the UK and grew up in the large port city of Bristol. I studied English Literature at the University of East Anglia, and trained to teach at The Institute of Education in The University of London. I taught in East London for four years, before moving to teach for eight years as Head of English in Viet Nam and China. I am a firm believer in developing students to be natural enquirers, following the Sir Ken Robinson model of best preparing students to use transferable skills for the shifting landscapes of their futures. I seek to encourage an epistemological approach in my lessons, urging students to evaluate the efficacy of the information they consume and the validity of interpretations. I am passionate about literature and will often be chortling at David Lodge’s tragicomedy or swooning at Ian Mcewan’s literary sleight of hand. Outside of the classroom I am a keen student of Philosophy, Politics and Film. I am a particular fan of the intellect and charisma exuded by Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris and the late and much missed Christopher Hitchens. I have a terminal case of devotion to Tottenham Hostpsur Football Club; it teaches me patience and humility.
Secondary Department News
In English this term, Year 8 students are studying the detective novel and former Whitbread Book of the Year winner ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’.
Many of you will be familiar with this fascinating book and will know that, unusually, the narrator Christopher, has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Christopher’s ASD makes his way of viewing the world much different from ours. This shift in perspective results in both confusion and insight, from both him and the reader; and creates effects which are by turn both hilarious and tragic.
The novel is excellent preparation for Checkpoint skills in Year 9, and just as importantly, represents an opportunity for students to reflect on a shared quality which is seen nowhere better than in international schools: that of our shared humanity.
To better understand Christopher’s behaviour, Year 8 were lucky enough to be given a lecture and workshop on 10 January by Mr. Atkins, in which he deconstructed and explained the disorder; invited students to work collaboratively to show their understanding; and fielded a number of insightful questions from an audience who were very mature and focused. Throughout the session, the Year 8s took scrupulous notes using the listening, thinking and writing skills they have learned in English lessons.
The Year 8s will now better understand both the novel and the disorder and I am sure they will enjoy the unit and continue to develop their analytical skills.
David Pollicutt
My name is David and I joined HeadStart International School in 2018. I am from the UK and grew up in the large port city of Bristol. I studied English Literature at the University of East Anglia, and trained to teach at The Institute of Education in The University of London. I taught in East London for four years, before moving to teach for eight years as Head of English in Viet Nam and China. I am a firm believer in developing students to be natural enquirers, following the Sir Ken Robinson model of best preparing students to use transferable skills for the shifting landscapes of their futures. I seek to encourage an epistemological approach in my lessons, urging students to evaluate the efficacy of the information they consume and the validity of interpretations. I am passionate about literature and will often be chortling at David Lodge’s tragicomedy or swooning at Ian Mcewan’s literary sleight of hand. Outside of the classroom I am a keen student of Philosophy, Politics and Film. I am a particular fan of the intellect and charisma exuded by Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris and the late and much missed Christopher Hitchens. I have a terminal case of devotion to Tottenham Hostpsur Football Club; it teaches me patience and humility.
Mock Exam Revision
Year 11s have been revising for their Mock IGCSEs this week in English lessons.
Sadly, despite the best efforts of teachers, I must confess that sometimes my revision lessons can be on the dull side. Usually no new material is covered, and the sessions focus on consolidating existing skills, past examination papers, and grappling with assessment criteria. All of these activities are valid and valuable, and in English especially, I am a huge advocate of active revision: actually doing an activity, rather than some ossifyingly dry and passive process in which a student hopes that skills and information will seep into them through some kind of mental osmosis.
However, the three core skills of analysing, summarising and transformative writing in the First Language English Paper for IGCSE can make revision onerous.
Therefore, to try to make the revision process more engaging and experiential, Year 11 Literature students have been revising the skills needed for Transformative Writing in a collaborative and active manner. As you can see in the video, they certainly had fun in so doing. Do not let the seemingly irreverent and ‘silly’ performance fool you, at work there are some quite sophisticated skills on show. The students had to take an academic written account about Pliny and the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and transform the content for a new P.A.F (a new purpose (to inform and entertain); a new audience (the under sixes); and a new form (a television programme). In so doing, they had to make careful evaluative and creative decision about their language, structure and generic conventions; how could they retain the same content in a way which would be understood by their new audience?
Please watch and enjoy the fruits of their labour this week and see for yourselves how successful they have been in their task. Watch the video HERE
Well done Year 11s and good luck to them all in their Mock IGCSEs.
House News
At the start of term 2 Green Dragons remain in the lead but the other Houses are certainly not far behind and closing in quickly. In this week’s Primary House competition, students competed against the House captains in the game UNO. This was hugely popular, with many students from across the school joining in. In the end it was the Yellow Cheetahs who were named the unquestionable champions having won an impressive total of 26 games! Next week is Healthy Living Week where many house points will on offer. Lets see if anyone can knock the Green Dragons off the top spot!
