Stepping into confidence at BVIS Hanoi

At BVIS Hanoi, confidence doesn’t come from a single moment. It grows, quietly and steadily, through the choices students make and the support they feel every day. For Year 9 student Quynh Anh, that journey came to life on stage.

For Year 9 student Quynh Anh, that journey came to life on stage.

“I'm really proud of all my achievements in drama performances because this year I was cast as one of the main characters in our school musical, The Wizard of Oz,” she says. “I feel like taking part in the musical really made me a lot more confident, and so I'm really proud of myself for that.”

Quynh Anh has been part of the BVIS community since Year 2. Over the years, she’s explored her talents across the arts – from music to drama to creative writing – and says that each opportunity has helped her grow a little more.

It’s not just performance that’s changed her – it’s also the way drama has strengthened her communication.

“I think doing drama also helps me improve my English communication skills,” she says. “I'm quite comfortable switching between languages because my English skills are generally quite good. A lot of the time I speak to my friends in English, so that has helped me really develop my English communication skills.”

Quynh Anh speaks about her love of literature with a quiet passion – especially Shakespeare, who she says she enjoys analysing. But beneath the academic achievement, there's something else that stands out: the encouragement she’s felt from those around her.

“I think the teachers are a lot more open to talking to students, and they help us grow and mature and develop,” she explains. “Lots of teachers really pay attention to all the students, and when I ask them a question they would really help me understand.”

This kind of support is intentional, says Malcolm Wood, Head of Primary. From the earliest years, students are encouraged to express themselves confidently – on stage, in the classroom, and in conversations.

“All the children at BVIS present and are involved in public speaking through their primary schooling. And hearing them express themselves so well and with such obvious enjoyment and confidence, it really shows what good we're doing here.”

For Malcolm, that growth is possible because teachers are deeply involved in each student’s journey – not just academically, but personally.

“Every single one of our teachers and our teaching assistants is involved in extracurricular activities… such as drama, singing, performance of other types,” he says. “We recognise that every child is unique… and we reflect that in the way that we approach them. The relationships that we develop are one to one with every child.”

Quynh Anh’s story is one of many. But it reflects something central to the BVIS Hanoi experience – that when students are supported as individuals, they find their voice. And when they find their voice, they begin to thrive.