parent essentials

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At BIS HCMC, it’s not just our students who love being part of our community – our parents do, too. Our school is a vibrant, welcoming place to be, where both you and your child will thrive. 
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KEY DATES: 2024 - 2025

Here are some important dates for your diary.
Calendar
Parent Essentials | BIS HCMC - Preparing for School

PREPARING FOR SCHOOL

We’ll make sure your child is ready for their first day.  

Parent Essentials | BIS HCMC - Preparing for School
Primary parent handbook
Our Primary Parent Handbook contains useful information about routines, activities, and expectations on our Early Years and Infant and Junior Campuses.
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Secondary parent handbook
In our Secondary Parent Handbook, you'll find everything you need to know about life on our Secondary Campus, as well as details about upcoming events.
Parent Essentials | BIS HCMC - Preparing for School
Parent portals, school policies and useful documents
You can track your child's learning journey, view school reports and sign up for CCA's on our parent portals, iSAMS and SchoolsBuddy. You'll also find lots of valuable documents as well as our key school policies.
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The school day
Every day is filled with exciting learning experiences, which our teachers plan around a set structure and routine.
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School bus
Our school bus service covers several districts of Ho Chi Minh City, providing a safe and efficient way for your child to get to school.
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School uniform
Our school identity shines bright thanks to our practical uniforms, which students wear with pride.
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School Lunch
Healthy, nutritious, and delicious: our onsite cafés, bistros, and canteens provide the fuel our children need to learn.

You can check out our school lunch menus across the whole school and Secondary parents can top up their child's meal card on line.


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University guidance
Our College and University Guidance Department will support your child on their journey to top universities across the globe.
Parent Essentials | BIS HCMC - Preparing for School
Living in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling city that's rich in culture and history. Our comprehensive guide contains lots of useful information, including top tips on where to eat.
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DISCOVERING TALENTS, IGNITING PASSIONS

Our co-curricular programme offers something for everyone, with more than 100 activities to choose from on each of our three campuses.
Discover our co-curricular activities
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Sports
Your child will get moving, compete against friends and other schools – including for our Barracudas swim team – and enjoy an extraordinary range of after-school activities.
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Sports

Whatever their passion, your child will find an activity they love on our sports enrichment programme.

Our early years children are introduced to different dance styles, learn to swim, and play short tennis, football, and badminton. Our primary students hone their benchball, netball, dodgeball, basketball, and cricket skills, and get active at our kick-boxercise and dance classes. And at secondary school, students have an unparalleled choice of clubs, ranging from judo, spinning and Zumba to American football, volleyball, and cross-country running.

As well as recreational clubs, we run regular training and squad sessions for our BIS HCMC athletes. Our sports teams take part in SISAC (Saigon) and FOBISIA (Asia) tournaments, as well as prestigious national and international competitions. This includes our Barracudas swim team, which competes at a high level both at home and abroad.

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Visual and Performing Arts

Our performing arts programme prepares your child for the world stage, cultivating creativity through drama and dance.

Our visual arts programme will challenge your child's imagination through painting, creative drawing, illustration, photography and more.

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Performing arts

Our students enjoy a truly world-class performing arts experience, enhanced by our collaboration with The Juilliard School. Budding actors and creatives learn from our specialist instructors and artists in our purpose-built spaces, nurturing outstanding talents and developing new skills.

There’s something for everyone at our creative after-school clubs as well, including hip-hop, K-Pop, and Chinese traditional dance groups. Your child can take part in class and whole-school theatrical productions, too, ranging from High School Musical and The Lion King to Bonnie and Clyde.

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Music
Both talented and aspiring musicians will flourish on our specialist music programme, which offers a myriad of opportunities.
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Music

Music can play a transformational role in your child’s development, promoting cultural literacy and inspiring creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

We offer a broad range of musical experiences. From Peking opera, orchestral, and big band ensembles to ukulele, rock, and jazz clubs – there’s a world of artistic opportunities to explore on our after-school enrichment programme. Your child can learn an instrument, perform at our Tea Time Recitals, sing in our school choir, and take part in our Battle of the Bands competition, too.

We also encourage our talented singers and instrumentalists to compete against other performers in the Young Musician of the Year competition.

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Technology
Our pioneering STEAM programme challenges our students to ‘invent the future’, solving real-world problems and embracing their curiosity. 
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Technology

Our approach to STEAM reimagines learning in new and extraordinary ways, as our students explore the infinite possibilities of science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths in our state-of-the-art DREAMS labs.

Your child can join one of our specialist clubs, which include mega machine robotics, 3D building, physics explorers, and coding, where they'll attempt to solve unique challenges. Designing zero gravity exercise devices, drafting prototype habitats for astronauts on Mars, and using computer programming to control a robot fleet, encourage every student to think creatively and critically. They’ll also experience the excitement of the annual Nord Anglia STEAM Festival.


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Community
Your child will learn about themselves and others, making a tangible difference in school, in our community, and on the international stage.
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Community

Our students make a positive impact on the world through social outreach projects, global collaborations, and hands-on community action.

Your child will research, debate, and explore global issues – including the Sustainable Development Goals and Rights of the Child agendas – through our collaboration with UNICEF. They’ll come up with ideas and challenges to raise money and awareness for our brilliant community partners. And they’ll support the causes that matter to them by joining our clean-up, CURE (which raises awareness about oceanic pollution), or global issues after-school clubs.

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Language and culture
Our international community is home to children and families from more than 55 countries, inspiring a lifelong love of language and culture.
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Language and culture

Alongside our modern foreign languages curriculum, students can choose to take Korean lessons, practice their Vietnamese speaking skills, or even volunteer to teach English at local schools. 


We offer an array of opportunities for our students to immerse themselves in different cultures, too. Your child can learn a traditional Chinese fan dance, explore cuisines from around the world, and try Kung-Fu. And at international events throughout the year, students, parents and teachers come together to share food and take part in uplifting cultural activities.


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OUR PARENT COMMUNITY

Our parents have built a warm, accepting, and united school community, where new families are welcomed with open arms and everyone feels included. Our volunteer Parent Teacher Groups lead the charge, organising fun get-togethers and events throughout the year, as well as raising money and supporting local good causes.
FIND OUT MORE

Loving #BISHCMC?

If you’re loving your experience so far at BIS HCMC, why not leave us a review? 

We can talk all day about how much we love BIS, but our prospective parents want to hear from you too! Your insights and experience are so valuable to other parents when deciding the best school for their child.
 
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Early Years & Infant Campus
Our youngest students play to learn – and learn to play, igniting a love of discovery and exploration, and laying strong foundations for the future.
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Junior Campus

Our blended British and International curriculum inspires a sense of wonder, empowering your child to be the best they can be.
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Secondary Campus
Personalising their own curriculum, our students achieve incredible success. In 2023, 70% of our graduates were accepted by one of the world’s top 100 universities.
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Weekly Updates

Read all of the weekly updates from our three campuses. 
SEE OUR UPDATES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • What size are your classes? And will my child get the right level of support from your teachers?

    Our class sizes vary. Typically, each class has an average of between 12 and 22 students. Our youngest learners benefit from very small class sizes, with a teacher/teaching assistant to student ratio of 1 to 5. This ensures each child gets the care and attention they need to thrive.

    Our sixth form classes are also small, with an average of just 12 students. This guarantees your child will receive the best possible support through their IBDP journey.

  • Can my child learn an additional foreign language?

    Yes, of course. While all our lessons are conducted in English, we also offer a variety of modern foreign languages, including Vietnamese, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. You can request your child’s preferred language at the time of enrolment.

  • Do you offer after-school activities?
    Yes – lots! Your child will choose from more than 100 co-curricular activities, ranging from the arts and sport to the environment and community outreach. Through our extensive range of clubs, your child will nurture their talents and discover new passions, building confidence beyond the classroom.
  • Do you provide a uniform?

    We do, yes. Your child’s uniform is included in their tuition fees. You'll receive a new uniform set at the start of each academic year. This includes five tops, three pairs of shorts or skorts, one PE set, one hat or cap, plus swimwear for our early years and primary students. You can buy school bags and replacement items at our uniform shop.

    To support our sustainability goals, our Parent Teacher Group offers a uniform swap shop service as an alternative to purchasing new replacement items.

  • Will you help us settle into school life?

    At BIS HCMC, we truly are a community. As well as supporting your child to settle into school, our Parent Teacher Group will quickly make you feel at home, too, and you’ll be invited to lots of fun family events throughout the year. We are more than happy to help you connect with other families so please do ask our admissions team for contact details. Please check our dedicated Living in HCMC page for top tips on getting set up!

    If your child needs a little extra support, we have a dedicated Advice, Support and Counselling (ASC) team that will help your child to settle into school too.

  • What is the area around BIS HCMC like?
    Our school is located in Thao Dien, which is a predominately expat area of Ho Chi Minh City. Thao Dien has several international and Vietnamese restaurants and cafés to choose from. There are a multitude of modern apartment buildings with excellent facilities. You’ll also find lots of family events and activities in the area, as well as amenities like supermarkets, banks, gyms, and boutiques.
MORE FAQS

NEWS AND EVENTS

News image Choral Singing Day - Choral Singing Day Blog | College and University Guidance | Music and Drama
Choral singing with Tim Rhys-Evans MBE, renowned UK Vocal Teacher, Conductor and Musical Director
Last month it was an honour to welcome Mr Tim Rhys-Evans (MBE) to BIS HCMC for three days, to run a series of unique ‘Choral Singing Days’ for our students and wider community, as well as workshops  on university and career opportunities in the fields of music and performing arts. Mr Rhys-Evans is a renowned vocal teacher specialising in choral conducting and is currently the Musical Director at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and leader of the National Youth Choir of Wales. He is also the founder and musical director of the famous choirs; 'Only Men Aloud', 'Only Boys Aloud', 'Only Kids Aloud' and 'Only Girls Aloud'. 
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News image BIS HCMC Graduates of 2024 are now joining top universities around the world - University Destinations 24 News | Academic Results | College and University Guidance | Success Stories | Whole School
BIS HCMC Graduates of 2024 joining top universities around the world
Congratulations to our graduating class of 2024 who are embarking on the next chapter of their educational journey, at some of the top universities across the globe.  From Harvard University and UCLA in the USA, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London in the UK, Korea University and Seoul National University in South Korea to National University of Singapore, The University of Sydney, University of Toronto and University of Amsterdam, our students are off to the best of the best!  Not to mention other top Universities in Australia and Korea as students are currently applying and receiving offers for a February 2025 start at universities including University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales and Yonsei University.
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News image Moon Festival 2024 - Moon Festival 2024 Blog | Events (EY&IC) | Events (JC) | Life in Ho Chi Minh City | Junior Campus | Early Years and Infant Campus
Embracing the culture and traditions of our host country Vietnam: Moon Festival 2024
Last Tuesday 17th September our Early Years and Primary students and staff excitedly came together to celebrate Moon Festival. Also known as Mid- Autumn Festival and ‘Tết Trung Thu’ in Vietnamese, Moon Festival is a significant cultural event in Vietnam. It’s held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the year. This is also one of the highlights of international school life here at BIS HCMC as we value and respect the significance and embrace the culture and traditions of our beautiful host country, Vietnam.
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FIND OUT WHAT MAKES OUR SCHOOL SPECIAL

Visit us in Ho Chi Minh City and you’ll meet our world-class teachers, get a feel for our holistic learning environment, and explore our outstanding facilities.

Enquire now
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