Weekly Highlights 12/01/2024

Mr. Simon Higham, Principal

Dear Parents

Welcome back to the first Weekly Highlights of 2024 and the first of this new school term. I trust that you all have had a great break – wherever this was, either in the city or further afield.



I also welcome our new families to BVIS who have just started their BVIS journeys. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or feedback – we're always here to listen and help support in any way that we can.

OTOS – Outstanding Teachers for Outstanding Schools.

This week, I am writing to you from a very cold UK where I am currently attending the Nord Anglia Education recruitment event, called OTOS – Outstanding Teachers make Outstanding Schools.

Our recruitment for teachers for August 2024 began back in October 2023 and before the Term 1 break, we completed many online and face-to-face interviews to ensure that the best quality teachers are employed at our school.

OTOS gives us the opportunity to connect with other NAE schools across our Southeast Asia and Middle East Region, to discuss potential candidates and offer those shortlisted, a face-to-face interview and for those recruited, a start to their induction process.

A candidate checks in, waits for their interview/induction meeting within the designated meeting area and interviews/meetings take place in individual rooms. 

I am pleased to report that we are nearing the completion of our recruitment process for the next academic year, with both the quantity and quality of applications to our school being of a very high quality.

I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday 15th January, when I will return to school.

Your Feedback Matters - Parent Satisfaction Survey 2023/24

This week, we have launched our annual Parent Satisfaction Survey that year on year, helps us better understand how we are performing in key areas. These include what we are doing well and any opportunities for improvement, and we use the results to inform our ongoing strategy.

Some of the key findings from last year’s survey were:

• 94% of families think that their child feels safe at school
• 92% of families think that the school provides a stimulating learning environment
• 91% of families think that their child is happy at school
• 91% of families think that the school promotes healthy lifestyles to their child
• 91% of families think that they have been accepted into a warm and welcoming community 
• 90% of families think that their children are making good progress at school
• 90% of families think that their children are making good progress in learning English

From your direct feedback both last year and in previous years we have prioritised development that include:

• more opportunities to improve parental awareness of and participation in our Nord Anglia Education programmes such as: Global Campus, Global Expeditions, Juilliard Performing Arts and UNICEF
• upgrading our classrooms and additional teaching spaces
• upgrading our Music, IT and STEAM learning spaces
• utilising and enhancing our Canteen and outdoor social and play spaces.

The more parents we hear from, the more confident we can be that our action plans respond to your views, allowing us to continue providing the best possible educational experience for your child.

This weekend, please ensure that you complete the survey once on behalf of all of your children. The survey can be accessed by all parents through the link found in the email sent to you at the beginning of this week. If you are unable to access the survey or would like support in completing it, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Thao Nguyen (Director of Admissions and Marketing) thao.nguyen1@bvisvietnam.com who would be happy to assist.

Our aim is to have a 50% response rate and I thank you in advance for helping us achieve this.

School Photographs - Update

Please look out for and read carefully the information sent to your email Inbox about how your child(ren’s) individual and class photographs can be viewed and purchased. This year, payments can be made either online or in cash. Ask your child(ren) about the hard copy order form that they will be bringing home.

We are expecting a Pret a Portrait representative to be in school next week, in the primary playground at both drop off and pick. They will be able to assist you in the ordering process.

Academic Calendar 2024-25

Next year’s academic calendar can be accessed using this link from our School Website.



Other important parent information can also be accessed via our ‘Parent Essentials’ section that is also on our School Website. Please take a few minutes to look through this resource and how it can help support you as a BVIS parent.

Upcoming events in Primary

1. 16/01/24 @8:30 – Healthy Habits Workshop for Upper Primary Parents
   
   
2. 18/01/24 @8:30 – Healthy Habits Workshop for Lower Primary Parents
   
   
3. 19/01/24 – Interim Reports issued
   
   
4. 23 & 25/01/24 – Parents Evening Meetings for B and I classes
   
   
5. 25/01/24 @8:30 – Maths Workshop for Year 1 and 2 Parents 
   
   
6. 30/01/24 & 01/02/24 – Parents Evening Meetings for V and S classes

Upcoming events in Secondary

1. 16 – 24 /01/24: Mock examinations for Year 11, 12 and 13 students
   
   
2. 16 – 19/01/24: Trips week for Year 7, 8, 9, 10 students
   
   
3. 24 – 29/01/24: International Awards trip for Year 12
   
   
4. 25-27/01/24: Year 13 Bio Trip to Cat Tien
   
   
5. 28/01/24: Tet Fair
   
   
6. 31/01/24: Tet Assembly 

Upcoming events Across the Whole School

1. 02/02/24 @15:05 – School Closes for the Tet holiday
   
   
2. 05-19/02/24 – Tet Holiday, School closed
   
   
3. 20/02/24 @08:30 – School Resumes

Contact Us

Should you wish to contact your child’s Class Teacher(s) or Form Tutor directly, we encourage communication to be written in the language you most feel confident to use. 

Parents may also find it useful to contact their child’s class teacher(s) or form tutor directly for all individual queries about their academic work/social and emotional wellbeing in school.  Individual contact details can be found in the Parents' Handbooks or via our Primary/Secondary Receptionists.  

Thank you for taking time to read this week’s Highlights – as always, they will be delivered to you via email each Friday during term time to help support you engage and connect with our school and find out what’s taking place across our BVIS community.

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend ahead.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

The health, safety and wellbeing of our students remains the number one priority at BVIS HCMC.

Should you have a concern for the welfare of any child in our school, please refer to our Safeguarding poster below: