Weekly Updates on 8/12/2023

Dear Parents

As we approach the end of a very busy term there is still much happening at the school.

1. Christmas carols at the JW Marriot Hotel

On Sunday our Primary and Secondary students performed Christmas carols at the JW Marriot Hotel. Well done to all involved.

2. Christmas door competition

The Christmas trees are up in school and there is a really nice happy feel around the corridors. It is so nice to hear happy children singing carols and generally enjoying this time of the year after a long hard working term. In addition, a Christmas door competition has been running across the campuses and there are some fantastic designs.

3. Parent satisfaction survey 

This week we launched our annual parent survey and I hope many of you will complete the survey. You will have received and email with full instructions on how to complete the survey. We need as many of you as possible to complete.

• You can access the survey through the link in email from Principal Office sent out on 7th December or communications platform of each section:
  1. ClassDojo: https://teach.classdojo.com/#/schools/57dd504972fbf9331cae2e8e/story
  2. iParent:  https://bvh-isams.nordanglia.com/main/framework

• The survey is available on PC, Mac, tablet, iPad, or smartphone, taking 10-15 minutes, with one response per family needed. 

Your input helps us understand our performance and shape strategies for the best possible educational experience for your child.  As a thank you, send a survey completion screenshot to bvisevent@bvishanoi.com (Please send the screenshot of completion and your child(ren)’s name, class), and your child will receive a small gift from the school.

We will conclude next week with the end of term assembly and I’m looking forward to celebrating with the students.

Please be reminded that school will close for students at 12.30 on Friday 15th December.

I wish you all a very relaxing weekend ahead.

1. Christmas creativity

Christmas is well and truly underway in Early Years and this was witnessed by all today in the Christmas Show. The children have worked so hard in the last few weeks to learn the Christmas songs and actions. I am sure you will agree that they were all amazing and looked so proud too. Photos will be shared on Class Dojo. But the teaching and learning also continues in the Early Years’ Centre through the children’s interests and Christmas activities, working in harmony with each other. This ensures that teachers are able to follow the curriculum, teach skills and development whilst the children remain on the learning continuum (having fun). The ‘Christmas’ work that they produce should always be their own work, demonstrating their own creativity.  

2. Learning about traditional Vietnamese games

The children in Year 1 have been learning about toys and games through their IPC topic. They have had great fun learning about traditional games in Vietnam are now able to explain the rules of “ô ăn quan”

3. School Value

Communication 

As part of their IPC topic ‘Super Humans’, Year 2 showed excellent communication when they went on a ‘5 Senses Field Walk’. They explored different areas of the school and discussed what they could see, hear, smell, touch and taste. It was wonderful to hear them speaking their new English vocabulary with great confidence and excitement!

They also displayed fantastic teamwork and communication skills using time connectives to order events!

Cooperation

Year 3 children have cooperated to solve problems related to multiplication and division. They also have divided counters into equal groups to find product of operations.

Enquiry - Master Chef Cooking Competition

Year Four are learning about the topic of food this term. As part of our Exit Point for the IPC topic ‘What’s on the Menu?’ the children are taking part in a cooking competition whereby they will create a healthy, delicious snack at home and share their masterpiece with the rest of the class. 

The teachers have been very impressed with the delicious food and drinks as well as the professionalism of the Year Four students participating! 

4. Frosty the Snowman

In preparation for Friday’s Christmas assembly, Year 2 also enjoyed coming together to learn English through song and are very excited to perform ‘Frosty the Snowman’ to the whole school on Friday.

5. Space Scientists

Year 5 had a really successful exit point and assembly last week, where they displayed all their learning from this term’s IPC work to the families that came in. The theme was Space Scientists and the children found it a really interesting topic.

6. Weather prediction

Year 6 have been learning about weather prediction in their Vietnamese IPC lessons and have been producing weather reports themselves. They have also been updating a weather report display for Ha Noi in their classroom each morning.

1. ‘Resilient, persistent and full of respect and integrity. Not the characteristics you might associate with a flight of Dragons.

The BVIS Dragons however are a breed apart. Their DNA is built on values, teamwork and effort. Normally this takes a long time to develop, but this week the Dragons have thundered to life with a fantastic string of results in their fixtures. We have had no fewer than eight fixtures this week with two more scheduled for this evening against local derby rivals BIS. The Dragons have won seven of those eight fixtures and we could not be more proud of the work they are putting in.

 The beginning of this week saw all six of our teams run out against St. Pauls with the KS5 and KS4 teams playing basketball and our KS3 teams playing football.

 In Basketball our KS4 & KS5 Boys Basketball teams played their second game of the season. The KS4 team had the pleasure of playing first, and straight from the tip-off it was clear from their early dominance, that this would be a one-sided event. With the scoreboard rising rapidly in the early minutes, the boys settled into a comfortable pattern of play, putting into practice the work from training and eventually this saw them take the win with a huge points haul of 50-9. This particular horde of Dragons is one to watch out for!

With the first job done, energy and expectations high, up step the KS5 team. With a much stronger St Pauls squad and a much closer contest both teams were evenly matched throughout. An early lead from BVIS was clawed back by St Pauls to bring the game within two points. With St Pauls pushing hard and the game ebbing away BVIS did all they could to hold onto their fragile lead. With seconds left on the clock, some aggressive pressing and a last minute steal the Dragons were able to close the game out with a 24-22 win.

This job was echoed at home by the BVIS Girls KS4 team that rose to the occasion and rectified their early season loss with a good victory in the Dragons Den! The Girls KS5 team had a harder afternoon and lost their game to a well drilled St Pauls outfit. Onwards and upwards as the season progresses!!

The KS3 girls team helped themselves to a healthy 3-0 win in their football game with a string of strong performances. Most notably Tam An who delivered a valuable hattrick, deserving of the game ball, to lead her team to a well earned win. The boys game was a much tighter affair on a large pitch with plenty of space. With limited practices the team worked very hard for each other and managed to secure an early goal. As the game developed the Dragons conceded and scores were exchanged between the teams, St Pauls were certainly no lying down. Defensive errors were allowing them into the game and they took a lead in the second half. As individuals began to tire the work rate from the Dragons began to show. Strong work across the board led to chances for Tuan Phong and hattrick hero Thai Anh as the Dragons football team closed the game out with a 5-4 win!

On Thursday, with a day to recover, the KS3 Girls and Boys teams travelled to BIS to play against our sister school. With smaller pitches the game play and tactics had to change and it took a while for the boys to adapt to this. However they finished with a flurry and ran out 3-0 winners with goals from Nam Phong, Thai Anh and Thanh Nam. There were stand out performances from Duc Hieu who stepped into a defensive position and showed real strength and understanding at the back and Nhat Hoang who came into midfield and really added to the game play. The girls faired equally well and ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Hoang Van and Tue Minh.

We are looking forward to watching the game in ‘Our House’ this evening and hope we see some students and staff there to support.

On behalf of all the students involved with the Dragons squads I’d also like to add my thanks to the teachers and coaches for all their time and effort into helping the Dragons develop and grow. Let’s strive towards a Dragons Den that no one wants to come and play in!

2. Our U15s FOBISIA team left to compete in Thailand, we wish them the best of luck!

U15 FOBISIA Review:

Day 1 Athletics and Swimming events:

Athletics performance summary:

Track events:

Boys 1500m – Thanh Nam: Bronze

Boys 100m –  Viet Tuan Kiet: Gold

Girls 300m –  Hoang Xuan: Bronze

Girls 200m –  Hoang Ngan: Silver

Boys 800m – Thanh Danh: Gold

Boys 400m B relay race – Quang Duy; Tri Anh; Minh Hoang; Thanh Nam: Bronze

Field events:

Boys long jump – Ho, Viet Tuan Kiet: Gold

Girls Shot put – Le, Phuong Bao Anh: Silver

Boys Shot put -  Viet Tuan Kiet: Silver

Boys Triple Jump –  Viet Tuan Kiet: Silver

Boys B High Jump –  Nhat Anh: Gold

Boys A High Jump – Nguyen Bao Nam: Bronze

Event Highlight – Athletics 800m

Thanh Danh – The race started relatively slow and the pack stayed tight together, no one willing to take the bull by the horns and put themselves on the line. With a steady first lap, not particularly quick and very tactical, little did the other athletes know that they were playing into Thanh Danh’s hands.

Despite being inexperienced in 800m tactics, our Dragon knew he had the endurance, speed and will to take the race on. As soon as they hit the bell (that indicates 400m to run) Thanh Danh allowed the race to keep going for another 50m before surprising everyone with an unorthodox kick for the lead with 350m to go. This is a long way out in a physically demanding race like this, but it was a great tactic for Thanh Danh.

His initial burst of pace was so unexpected by the rest of the runners that no one reacted and they were all left looking around them. No one had the strength or will to go with him and therefore he left the pack utterly destroyed behind him. With 150m to go in the race he started to flag a little, the pack beginning to try and claw their way back into the race. With Ms Laura and Mr Joe waiting at the corner, urging him to keep going, Thanh Danh held on, refused to give up and was able to somehow maintain his speed, crossing the finish line well and truly on his own, with an incredible time. By all accounts this was one of the standout performances of the first days actions.

I can tell you now that there are not many athletics events that are as painful to endure as an 800m. It is fast and relatively long, a horrible combination. Thanh Danh’s resilience, mental strength, aerobic capacity and (perhaps) his Dragon warrior mentality secured a gold medal and a win in an event that he won’t forget in a hurry. Neither will we!

 The overall stand out performer for the Athletics event was Tuan Kiet with 2 gold and 2 Silver. With limited practices he delivered a series of high quality performances showing a huge amount of effort, determination and really delivered for the team. Well done, we are so proud of you!

Swimming:

With a lot of last minute changes due to unfortunate circumstances, sickness and injuries the whole team came together and showed their true spirit by filling in the gaps in the swimming programme left by those unable to compete. This allowed them as a team to stay in the competition and compete. For this alone we are incredibly proud of them.

 Performance summary:

 25m Freestyle Boys B -  Nhat Anh: Bronze

25m Breaststroke Boys B –  Thanh Nam: Bronze

25m Backstroke Girls A – Thuy Duong: Silver

50m Breaststroke Boys A –Nhat Anh: Bronze

50m Breaststroke Girls A –  Ha Thien Chau: Bronze

 A lot of our other team finishes were 4^th or 5^th and many of them were very close to securing further bronze medals. So overall the ability to adapt and overcome resulted in a much higher points total than we might have expected. That says a lot about the character and values that these Dragons possess.

3. School Value ALL

Year 7 have been giving student led assemblies. They used animations, interviews with teachers and role-plays to explore school values in depth to try and understand why these are important and how they can demonstrate these values in both our personal and school lives! They have been doing a great job!

School Value ENQUIRY and GLOBAL CITIZEN

University visit by professors at Monash University, our students were able to get valuable information about their futures.

Primary

Secondary

Lastly, we will be holding an Open Day on Tuesday morning, 12^th of December. On that day, parents will visit the school physically, meet the School Leadership team and our highly international qualified, experienced teachers, especially have 1-1 with Ms. Colleen Usher – Our internally accredited University Guidance Counsellor to get consulted about University application process and relevant issues. If you and your friends are interested in joining the event, please do not hesitate to contact our Admissions team via hotline 0981 626 100 | kakaotalk: bvishn or register here https://bit.ly/482wXTv

We wish you all a very relaxing weekend!

Senior Leadership Team from BVIS Hanoi