Weekly Highlight 01/11/2019

Mr. Simon Higham, Principal

Dear Parents,

I would like to welcome all of our BVIS community back to school following our half term break. In particular, I would like to welcome all of our new families who have just started our school. Please note that we are here to help you settle into our forward thinking, caring school and look forward to working with you and your child both now and into the future.

Although we have just begun a new half term, we have had a very busy first week back with a number of exciting and learning enriched experiences for all of our students.

Making a Positive Difference in Tanzania!

After months of planning and preparation, our intrepid explorers arrived in the Nord Anglia Education camp in Tanzania on 22^nd October. On their return to HCMC today (Friday 1^st November) they spent 9 days building and giving their time and efforts to the local community, exploring the local environment and observing the wildlife whilst also gaining a unique experience along the way.

For more detailed information about this once in a lifetime educational experience access this post from our school website.

Thank you to Mr Every and Ms Hardiman for leading this trip and making these experiences possible.

Halloween Family Night at BVIS

This Thursday was the first time we have organised a Halloween Family Fun Night and what a night it was. Our thanks go to all of the parents who supported us in buying tickets and also giving their time to help with the decorations.

The purpose of this event was to help to further bring our BVIS community closer together by working in partnership for the greatest motivation that we have – our children.

We all look forward to our next event together which will be the Christmas Fun Day on Saturday, 30^th November. If you would like to help out in any capacity at this event or in preparation for it, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Thao (Events Manager) – Thao.Nguyen3@bvisvietnam.com

If you have any ideas for future BVIS community events, please feel free to contact me at Simon.Higham@bvisvietnam.com directly as I’d be happy to hear your ideas

Thank you again for all your support – it really does make a difference.

Learning and Performance Institute accredits Nord Anglia Education

Nord Anglia Education (NAE) has announced that it has received formal accreditation from the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), the leading authority on workplace learning with global reach.

Accessed by its 13,500 employees, NAE’s unique online learning platform - Nord Anglia University – is recognised by the LPI as an exemplar for learning and development. This platform is accessed by BVIS teachers on a regular basis to ensure that they have access to quality, relevant and continuous professional development.

To read more about this achievement, access this post from the school website.

Meet our New Teachers

Although we are now well into our new term, we would like to continue to introduce you to another BVIS teacher who is new to our school this year.

Welcome to Ms Lucinda Marsh -Secondary Maths Teacher 

1. Where did you live prior to coming to Vietnam, what role did you have and what was the name of your previous school? 

Prior to moving to Vietnam, I lived in Brighton working as a maths teacher in Patcham High School.

2.   What were your first impressions of BVIS? 

Both students and staff are incredibly welcoming and love coming in to school every day.

3. What were your first impressions of Vietnam? 

Very busy, lots of people and more bikes than I had expected! The people are all so helpful and friendly.

4. What 3 things are you looking forward to doing whilst working and living in Vietnam? 

I am really looking forward to learning more about the Vietnamese culture and language. I am also looking forward to working in a bilingual school and developing my teaching practice.

5. If you could sum up your experience so far in just one word, what would it be?

Inspiring!

Look out for another new teacher in the Highlights in the first week back when we return to school.

For information on all of our teachers in school, please click here to see their profiles on our website.

Important Upcoming dates for your Diary

• Tuesday 5^th November: Year 7 Parents Evening (3.30pm – 6.00pm)
• Thursday 7^th November: Year 8 Parents Evening (3.30pm – 6.00pm)
• Tuesday 12^th November & Thursday 14^th November: Primary Parents Evening (3.30pm – 6.00pm) / B & I Classes
• Tuesday 19^th November & Thursday 21^stNovember: Primary Parents Evening (3.30pm – 6.00pm)/ V & S Classes

Essential School Contacts

If you need to contact school, please use the essential contacts below to ensure that you get in touch with the correct departments in the most effective way:

For all Primary Enquiries:

(028) 3758 0709 / ext. 111

For all Secondary Enquiries:

(028) 3758 0717 / ext. 211

For all Enquiries linked to Admissions: 

(028) 3758 0710

A full list of our school contacts can be found here on our school website.

The health, safety and wellbeing of our students remains the numbers 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:

Ms Rosy Clark, Head of Primary

It was lovely to see everyone back at school this week after the half-term break. We hope you all feel refreshed after the half term break from school routines. There is a distinctly musical favour to this week’s news round-up from Primary:

Hi Ho We’re International Bilingual!

We ended last half term on a bilingual “high” with our special Bilingual Month assembly. Our talented music teachers Mr Fergus and Ms Yen created new lyrics for the song “Hi Ho Silver Lining” which the children sang with great enthusiasm and conviction during the assembly.

Visit to BVIS by composer Lin Marsh

Also just before the holidays, we were delighted to welcome to BVIS composer Ms Lin Marsh who is one of the UK’s most well-respected singing leaders. She travels across the world inspiring children and teachers with her singing workshops and also specialises in composing vocal works for young people. Throughout the day she spent at BVIS, Ms Lin delivered fantastic singing workshops to EYFS and Primary classes. If you would like to know more about her, please follow this link.

Desford Colliery Brass Band Visit

Part of the musical education your child receives at BVIS is to experience at first-hand a broad range of music, both live performances and recordings. Recently all of our Primary children listened to the music performed by our Young Musician of the Year semi-finalists. This week the whole school were privileged to be able to watch and listen to brass band music when Desford Colliery Brass Band visited BVIS from the UK. This band performs all over the world and has won awards for their albums. If you would like to know more about the band and this special type of music, please follow this link.

Mr Jack Rudin, Head of Secondary

Author, Film maker and Everest Explorer visits BVIS

Matt Dickenson has climbed Mount Everest, written numerous books, and made a number of films. We were very lucky to have him come to visit us this week and talk to our students.

KS3 where excited to hear about what life is like climbing the highest peak in the world. He also explained to them that he had become an adventurer because of a childhood love of reading which showed him what was out in the world to explore.

He worked with KS4 and helped them to write the questions that a journalist would use to interview someone about the ethics of continuing to climb Everest despite the environmental and human costs.

For the A level media students, he gave them a firsthand insight into the film making process and explained how the industry works.

It was fantastic to have Matt at BVIS helping students to see what life is like as a writer and journalist and have someone talk so passionately about their love for books and how it has changed their life.

Year 7 and 8 Parents Evenings.

Next week we will have a parents evening for both Year 7 and 8, both starting at 3.30 p.m. in the Main Hall.

• Year 7 will be on Tuesday 5^th November
• Year 8 on Thursday 7^th November

You have already received an email to book appointments with your children’s teachers. I look forward to seeing all of Year 7 and 8 parents next week.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at: Simon.Higham@bvisvietnam.com to give feedback on our Weekly Highlights and how it can be further improved in the future.