Weekly Update #5, 25 September 2020
| Dates for Your Diary |
Upcoming events can be found on the website under School Life → Calendar and are outlined here for easy reference.
For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page and You Tube channel.
To join the Parent Community Facebook group click here!
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September | 3.30pm | ASPs and Academies begin | |
| 29 September | 8.15am | Year 1 Parent Meeting | Secondary Hall |
| 30 September | 10.00-11.00am | Reception Parents ‘Stay and Play’ Session | Foundation playground |
| 02 October | 2.00-4.00pm | Friday Market | Atrium |
| 06 October | 8.15am | Phonics Workshop for Early Years/Reception/Year 1 Parents | Secondary Hall |
| 07 October | 3.30-5.00pm | Year 7 Parent/Teacher Consultation | TBA |
| 12-19 October | All week | Mid-term break | |
| 20 October | 8.15am | Parents Meeting: Introduction to Sixth Form | Secondary Hall |
| 21 October | 8.15am | Secondary Wai Kru | Sports Hall |
| 22 October | 8.15am | Primary Wai Kru | Sports Hall |
| 23 October | 8.15am | Foundation Wai Kru | Sports Hall |
| 3.30pm | 24 Hour Divathon OFA Book Launch | Swimming Pool | |
| 24-25 October | All day | DofE Bronze Training (Group 1) | Ao Yon Beach |
| 27 October | 8.15am | Parents Meeting: Introduction to BTEC | Secondary Hall |
| 29 October | 8:15am | Parent Committee Meeting | Conference Room |
| 30 October | TBA | Halloween Activities | TBA |
| 31 Oct - 1 Nov | All day | DofE Bronze Training (Group 2) | Ao Yon Beach |
| Announcements |
ASP (After School Programmes) Enrolment
If you have received a ‘Confirmation of Activity Enrolment’ email this means that your child has successfully enroled in your selected ASP and the activity will begin on Monday, 28 September. If you did not receive an email regarding an activity that you signed up for, this ASP may not have met the minimum number of students required or for some other reason has been cancelled. If you would like to enrol in another ASP, please contact the office to see what is available. Invoices will be sent out by Friday, 25 September and payments are due by Saturday, 3rd October. As always, please contact Ms Anisa in the front office if you have any queries. You can also write to her here [email protected]
Security Access Cards Must be Used Starting Monday
As you may be aware, the turnstiles at the entrance/exit of the school have been opened and senior members of staff have been on duty to make sure no unsupervised children are able to leave the premises without a parent or older sibling to accompany them. As of Monday, when ASPs start, the flow of traffic leaving the building should ease and the turnstiles will be closed. We, therefore, urge all parents and students to make sure that your security access card is ready to be used when exiting the building in order to keep the traffic moving in an orderly fashion.
HeadStart Foundation Photos Facebook Group
We are very pleased to inform parents that, following the results of a recent survey, we have created the HeadStart Foundation Photos Facebook group! As you are aware, the teachers take many photos of the children during the day to help with assessments of learning through play and experiences. The aim of the Facebook Group is to provide a way for you as a parent to see more of your child’s day at school and to further support your understanding of the EYFS framework. If you wish to join the group please follow the following steps;
- Go to the Parent Portal and write down your child’s unique admission number. You will find this information right under your child’s name.
- Follow this link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3414778038581592
- Request to join.
- Complete each question carefully, make sure your child’s name includes their first, last and nickname.
We hope you enjoy seeing the photos of your children!
Intermediate English Classes on Offer
Are you interested in improving your English communication skills? Join Mrs Myriam Adams on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 3.30pm in the Language 5 classroom on the 3rd floor. Classes are designed for intermediate level students. The first class will start on Tuesday the 29th. It’s not too late to join! For more information contact Ms. Myriam by writing to [email protected]
| Parent Meetings |
UPrep Talk: Your Child’s 5 Year Plan
Welcoming all parents who are interested to join our UPrep team for a talk on “Your Child’s 5 Year Plan”. The meeting will take place on 1st of October at 8.15am in the Secondary Hall. Our UPrep team will give a general outline of what families can be doing to prepare for university applications starting from Year 6!
Coffee Morning Invitation
A special invitation to a coffee morning on 5th of October at 8.15am in the school coffee shop. Meet one of the founders of Steps and hear about their mission of employment equality and why your support creates social impact. The presentation will be made in Thai.
We are excited to be supporting the Oceans For All Foundation book launch. The book “Ocean Colours of Thailand” is a collaboration of photos taken by some of the best divers in the region and has been designed to inspire a love for sea creatures and the underwater world that surrounds this beautiful country. As a school, we are proud to have contributed towards the Thai, Mandarin and Russian translations of the text. Well done to all of the student sand teachers who spent time on this project!
As part of the promotion for this good cause, the Oceans For All founder, David Martin, is inviting all members of the diving community to join a 24 Hour Divathon in the HeadStart swimming pool on the 23rd of October starting at 3.30pm. This has never been done before in Thailand so get involved and show support! You can either sign up for 3 20-minute underwater sessions on the sign-up sheets in the atrium (coming soon!) or sponsor someone who will be diving. Anyone from 8 years and above is welcome! More details to follow in the coming weeks!
To get involved or to become a sponsor email David Martin directly at [email protected]
| Food Service |
A sneak peek at Wednesday’s lunch prepared in house by our food service team. Thank you Chef Pornthep for keeping our tummies full and our tastebuds happy! To see the entire monthly menu, click Here!
▶️ Traditional Khao Soi noodles from Chiang Mai with a choice of chicken or vegetarian curry topping complete with red onions and pickled cabbage.
▶️ Fresh salad bar options along with one already mixed salad, another option of baked vegetables and edamame beans.
▶️ Chicken Teriyaki and the option of brown or white rice.
▶️ Minestrone soup, bread and butter.
▶️ Delicious guava and juicy oranges.
| Student News |
Well done to all of our Primary Student’s of the Month!
| Class 1Y | Xing Yu Li |
| Class 1B | Shiwen Qiao |
| Class 1W | Natrada Charoenpanich |
| Class 2Y | Yasmin Halamandres |
| Class 2B | Jagger Noemie Thebaut |
| Class 2W | Nayana Lucia Bohm |
| Class 3Y | Zoe Bitoon |
| Class 3B | Narit Yongsakul |
| Class 3W | Peerawitch Rojjanatepprasit |
| Class 4Y | Seoha Im |
| Class 4B | Thomas Hauke |
| Class 4W | Eugene Cho |
| Class 5Y | Shaoyuan Li |
| Class 5B | Lucas Leung Yip |
| Class 5W | Amalia Ogay |
| Class 6Y | Abigail Sinclair |
| Class 6B | Jadai Siriwan |
| Class 6W | Rosie Lange |
| Student Achievement outside of School |
At HeadStart we love to celebrate student success in and out of school and we are very proud of our students who have gone beyond the classroom to accomplish some truly remarkable things! For a full album of student success outside of school visit our Facebook page. Well done to…
- Tiger in Year 1 who was the first runner up at the TGA-Singha Junior Golf Championship.
- Jan in Year 3 who got a bronze medal at the Phuket Tennis Competition.
- Namon in Year 3 who was the winner at the TJDJ Tour Golf Competition.
- Timy in Year 4 who won 3rd place in the TOA-BISP Tennis Competition.
Well done to all Headstart students who participated to the 7th CSTD Thailand Dance Grand Prix with their respective dance schools from Phuket! (South Timez, Innergy, PIDA) :
- Pun Suwankumnoet and Buahom Watchaparin in a ballet duo (Honorable Mention)
- Lycia Yeoh (second place with her Jazz ensemble and Honorable Mention in Lyrical solo)
- Eva Ducasse (Contemporary solo & Jazz ensemble)
- Jaya Jungjai (Contemporary solo & Jazz ensemble)
- Aneeta Mettapanyalert (Tap)
| Student Wellbeing |
The Lunch Bunch
Everyday, starting from next week, we have lunchtime activities planned for all Secondary students. These activities have been put together by the student leadership body and our objective is to allow all Secondary students to have a safe place where they can meet, get to know each other, and bond with other students. The activities range from Eco-club to board games, Arts and Crafts and House activities.
There is a lot of research now that shows that expressing gratitude through saying ‘Thank you’ or even writing letters of appreciation is a ‘pro-social’ experience which we should all commit to doing more often. This simple gesture has been found to improve feelings of well-being for the people expressing gratitude or appreciation as well as the recipients of these messages. This is why last week, we made time during our PSHE and Homeroom periods for our Sixth Form students and Homeroom Teachers to write ‘Notes of Appreciation’ to each other. On Friday, all students and Sixth Form Homeroom Teachers received an envelope with all the notes written to them. Here are just a few photos which capture students receiving their envelopes. What a lovely way to end the week. -Ms Indu Bedi, Head of Sixth Form
Get ready to explore the depths of the ocean, the farthest reaches of space and everything in between! Volcanic eruptions, vampire bats, feathered velociraptors and more await you in “SCIENCE COMICS” our new arrivals to the library. -Ms Mai, Librarian
This week in Early Years, we have been developing our language by learning all about fruits. We enjoyed playing guess the fruit name and some of the children taught us how to say fruit names in their home language too. The children were very excited as they had the opportunity to visit the school library to listen to the story ‘Handa’s Surprise’, the children enjoyed this experience, afterwards they had lots of fun painting lots of different fruits. Then, we made fruit kebabs and learnt all about healthy eating; we discussed that fruit is healthy and what our favourite fruits are. The children cut the fruit themselves and learnt how to use cutlery carefully. We counted the pieces we cut, described the textures, taste, smell and what sounds fruit make when you cut them. During the afternoon, the children inspected the fruit peels and noticed how fruit changes over time. What a wonderful week we have had! We hope you have a great weekend Early Years! -Ms Keeley and Ms Suzi
Year 3 students are enjoying learning how to make animation using a programme called Scratch It. -Ms Mency Regalado
| Secondary School News |
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.
Summarising is ineffably dull. There’s no getting away from this fact. However, it is a necessary skill and represents a sizable chunk of marks in the IGCSE First Language English Paper. Therefore it pays to have students practise it. However, this need not always be in the form of attempting past papers. In order to enliven the experience, Year 11 First Language English students conducted interviews with their favourite teachers in order to summarise….them! Just as with the IGCSE question, they had to display all the relevant skills: use language concisely so they do not exceed the 120 word limit; express themselves in their own words; stay on topic and avoid any subjectivity. Can you match up the descriptions with the members of staff? -Mr. Pollicutt
“Short, bald and well-fed, he is originally from England and went to the University of Loughborough. He and his wife moved to Thailand in 2012 and originally worked in International School in Bangkok, they came to Phuket and started their work at HeadStart in 2014. Many think of him as funny, friendly, convivial and intelligent. He enjoys sports (golf, cricket, football and badminton). Many find his sense of style to be couture, he is usually found wearing waistcoats. His office is on the first floor as he is in the management team and is the Headmaster, but this year he also teaches PE for Secondary. He enjoys being in leadership positions and had an important role for Event Services at 2012 Olympic Games in London”. -Anastasia Gavrilova
“Born in South Africa. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree for Music at the University of Pretoria. Which then she became a co-writer and music producer for the Young African Children. In December 2003, she migrated to London and taught Primary music; becoming the Head of Music in Langley Academy. She has performed in hotels and restaurants alongside Keane and Mumford and Sons. In 2009, her husband and she decided to move to Thailand to travel and work. In Thailand at Bromsgrove, she became the Head of Music and in 2015, they decided to move to Phuket and she became the Director of Creative and Performing Arts for HeadStart and still is today, but took some time off due to her newborn baby, Chloe”. Dongyoon Park
“A teacher for 7 years, now teaching English at HeadStart for 2 years. He has also taught around the UK and Thailand. He is a well known teacher throughout the school. He is from Kent, Southeast England, being born in England he was born with 2 sisters and 2 brothers. He also studied at The University of Manchester. He is now 30 years old and 187 centimetre tall. He is known to be an easygoing teacher. He is now in charge as The Key Stage 3 Coordinator. During his free time, he likes to run, work out at the gym and scuba dive. As a result, he has accomplished 2 full marathons. He also has 3 cats at home”. Pinyo Freiwald
“Over a span of 14 years, he has taught Science in both the UK and Asia. His birthplace is Rochester, Kent in England. Physics is his main subject. He had accomplished his goal of not smashing his head with books because of his frustrations from his students. He has completed a TEFL course then went on to a PGCE. He rides a moped to school every day. To many people he considers to be a relatable teacher. In his free time out of school, he tends to go in for cycling and can often be found photographing as he believes these skills can come to good use on this island”. -Elizabeth Inman
In a throwback to my own school days in the last, er, millennium, students in Year 10 Language and Literature have been partaking in The Wall Game. This cutthroat game requires students to learn a number of sophisticated words which are relevant to their study of Othello. They must define the words or use them in context, as decided whimsically by me, who oversees the game with Nero- like glee. If they get a question incorrect, it is passed on and one of their peers has a chance to usurp them and move higher up the wall. Today Taina Lubrani moved up five whole places, while Charles Callens retained his top dog position. The game is unashamedly competitive and old-fashioned, but is also effective and engaging. Much like me, really. -Mr. Pollicutt
