Weekly Update #37, 23 June 2023
Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming events can be found on the website under School Life → Calendar and are outlined here for easy reference. If you have questions or require further assistance please email [email protected]
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 June | 2.00-3.30pm | Secondary Awards Ceremony | Sports Hall |
| 27 June | 12.30-1.45pm | Primary Awards Ceremony | Sports Hall |
| 2.30-3.30pm | Year 6 Graduation Ceremony | Sports Hall | |
| 28 June | 4.30-6.30pm | Sports Awards Ceremony | Sports Hall |
| 29 June | Last day of school activities/House Winners Prize | ||
| 30 June | 8.00am-3.00pm | Parent/Teacher Conferences | |
| 01 July | First day of the summer holiday |
Summer Camp Dates
| Week | Date |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10-14 July |
| Week 2 | 17-21 July |
| Week 3 | 24-28 July |
| Week 4 | 31 July to 4 August |
Just a few spaces left! If you are interested, contact us at [email protected]
| University Offers |
Congratulations to Vivek Khanal who has received offers from University of Fort Lauderdale (NAIA division 1 college), Concordia Ann Arbor (NAIA division 1 college), (Partial Scholarship), Calvary University (NCAA division 2 college) and Pfeiffer University (NCAA division 3 college). He has also had offers and partial basketball scholarships from Prep Schools including TMG Prep, Believe Prep Academy, Franklin Prep, Prestige Worldwide Prep, Action Sports Academy, Florida Coastal Prep, Loyalty Prep, New Rock Prep. Vivek has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2010 and is a keen Basketball player. Watch out for him in the NBA’s!
Congratulations to Fabian Blunt who plans to study Psycology and has received offers to study at UWE Bristol, Westminster University, Anglia Ruskin University, Birkbeck University and Kingston University. Fabian has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2021 and has been a valued member of our school community, helping to plant mangroves and build dams, supporting our sustainability goals.
Congratulations to Chuyi Gu on his offer to study Business management at Lancaster Leipzig University. James has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2019 and has been an active member of the school community, supporting numerous BTEC events such as bake sales for charity. James is also a keen basketball player.
Congratulations to Tanawat Tongchat who has been accepted to study at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). Shokun has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2018 and has supported the school community through his participation in numerous BTEC events to raise money for charities such as Phuket Sunshine Village.
Congratulations to Yingge Liu on her offers to study Engineering from Edinburgh, Manchester, Southampton, Warwick, Nottingham, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University Hong Kong and Chula. Linda has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2018 and has been an active member of our school community as a Prefect and Head of the Eco Committee and has organised multiple events for recycling as well as monthly beach cleans. She has also regularly helped in the school library and is an absolute superstar!
Congratulations to Salina Buffin De Chosal on her offer to study Media at Thammasat University. Salina has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2015 and has been an active member of the school, holding roles such as Prefect and Student Council member.
Congratulations to our graduate Nikita Kasatkin who is applying to universities and plans to study Fine Arts (Acting). Niki has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2011 and is one of our CAPA HeadStars. He has achieved his LAMDA Gold Medal (Level 3, Grade 8). Watch out for him on the big screen!
Congratulations to our graduate Jessica Jungjai, who will be applying to universities in Australia to study Biomedicine. Jessica has been enrolled at HeadStart since 2015 and has been an active member of the school community as a Prefect and within her wider community, teaching English to school children in her hometown and working with The Shine Project.
| Primary |
Battle Reenactment
Year 4 has been learning all about the Romans this term. We finished the unit with a battle reenactment of the civil war between Julias Caesar and Pompey the Great. We marched through the school in formation, enroute to the top astroturf pitch, where the battle took place. The pupils put in great effort to create their own shields and swords (a few even managed to create helmets), and their behaviour was excellent throughout, even mid battle! -Jamie Robertson
Year 5 Design & Technology Hands on Experience
In an exciting and hands-on experience, the Year 5 students were presented with a remarkable opportunity in the Design and Technology workspace. They delved into the art of woodworking to create their very own personalized wooden tags using laser cutters to cut intricate shapes out of wood. The students then painted their tags with vibrant and expressive colors. To add a touch of individuality, the students then utilized the school’s vinyl cutter and using their imagination, crafted custom stickers to embellish their wooden tags, making them a one-of-a-kind product. They then finished by applying varnish to protect the work and seal on the stickers.
Through this enriching experience, the Year 5 students not only learned valuable technical skills but also fostered their creative thinking and imagination. This hands-on activity in the Design and Technology workshop has undoubtedly sparked a passion for craftsmanship and innovation, inspiring a new generation of young designers and engineers. -Mr Dean Wells
每年农历五月初五是中国的传统节日——端午节。在中文作为第一语言课堂上，同学们了解了端午节的来源和吃粽子、赛龙舟、挂艾草、制香囊、立蛋等习俗，认识了端午节常用的芳香植物艾草，并用艾草制作了可驱蚊虫的香包。 The Dragon Boat Festival, known as Duanwu Festival in China, is a traditional holiday celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar each year. In our Chinese First Language classroom, students learn about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival and various customs associated with it, such as eating Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), racing dragon boats, hanging mugwort, making sachets, and balancing eggs. They also become familiar with the aromatic plant commonly used during the festival, called mugwort, and make mosquito-repellent sachets using it.
We wish everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival! -Mrs Wenhui Zhong
| Secondary |
Prom
We hope everyone had a blast at the Secondary Prom 2023! You can access all of the photos here → Prom 2023
Dan Marsh
This will be my second year as the Head of Faculty for Science here at HeadStart. I teach Physics at IGCSE and A-level. I completed my BSc Honours degree in Marine Chemistry in 1999, and then a Doctorate in Chemical Physics developing optical fibre sensing devices, both in the UK. I then spent six years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bristol and Nottingham Universities in the field of Nanotechnology, where I worked on designing a range of technologies which depend upon self-assembly at the nanoscale, and was briefly a Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In 2008 I moved into international education as a teacher and Head of Faculty in Kuwait for six years. This is my tenth year teaching in Thailand, having been in Bangkok for eight years prior to moving to the lovely island of Phuket. Whilst in Thailand I have completed a PGCE at Masters level (with Distinction) through Keele University, and also a NPQ in Middle Leadership through UCL’s Institute of Education. I have a great belief in the power of education to enrich and transform the lives of young people, and to prepare them for an independent life in an uncertain future. I encourage all students to pursue a broad program of learning, both formally and informally through the excellent programs on offer here at Headstart, so as to develop their personal resilience and confidence as they progress through school. I am a member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award global training panel, training new Award Leaders, and I pursue my own adventurous journeys in the wilds of Thailand and the wider-world as a keen photographer with a love for the outdoors. You may well bump into me around the island with one or two of my many favourite cameras over my shoulder.
UK National Scientific Challenge
All students in Year 10 earlier this term entered the 2023 UK National Scientific Thinking Challenge. This is a competition run by a group of UK universities and UCAS each year. It asks students to consider a series of difficult problem-solving exercises in scientific contexts and to use their critical thinking skills to work out the correct answer, in limited time. Nearly fourteen thousand Year 10 students from over two hundred schools took part.
Congratulations to all our Y10 students on entering, and for trying their best. Particular mention must go to the students who achieved Bronze, Silver or Gold certificates listed below.
- Bronze: Seung-Ha Lee, Hanna Sariddisuk, Johanna Holmqvist, Mali Bell, Stefan Fabig, Julie Imura, Yejin Lee, Baimon Srikatanyoo and Focus Thanangpol.
- Silver: Berta Palop Roca, Emma Palop Roca, Alexandra de Rosa, Bogdan Polekhin, Steve Tong, Palm Hanpipat, and Federico Solaroli
- Gold: Daniel Ma, Beer Mitisom, Conor Bowens, India Smuthkochor and Baikao Udomkiratak
Congratulations also to the small group of Year 11 students who entered the competition just for fun, and who all achieved certificates, they were:
Alex Qiang, Lena Janicka, Ryan McKellar, Mac Mac Ngernanek, Krit Phaisamran, Luxin Zhang and Erica Ilstam
We very much look forward to entering the challenge again next year - Year 9 are you ready???
Exciting Debate Competition
Our dynamic and engaged debate students recently participated in a captivating showcase of active learning. In front of a spirited audience, they passionately debated two thought-provoking topics: “AI in the Classroom” and “Nuclear Power.” The event was an opportunity for our students to demonstrate their exceptional communication skills, critical thinking, and in-depth knowledge of these pressing issues. The engaging debates provided valuable insights into the benefits and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in education and the role of nuclear power in our energy landscape. We are immensely proud of our talented debaters and their commitment to exploring and discussing complex topics that shape our world. Kudos to everyone involved! -Mr Samuel Kasim
BTEC
BTEC Business student Alex Patterson carried out his work experience placement at Galileo Maritime Academy, a crew training facility that Specialises in the training of professional seafarers and superyacht crew, ranging from new industry entrants to those advancing their careers or needing to update their existing certifications. Alex had hands-on experience as deck crew maintaining the exterior of the vessels and assisting with the maintenance and operation of the yacht’s mechanical and electrical systems. This career exploration has allowed Alex to explore the Yachting industry and consider this as an exciting career path in the near future. -Yardenna Jones, BTEC Coordinator
