Secondary Campus Weekly Update 12 Oct 2026

Dear Parents,

As we approach the half-term break, there is plenty to look forward to in the weeks ahead. Our new Parent-Teacher Conference format will provide greater flexibility for families, our Young Musician of the Year competition continues to showcase the talent and dedication of our students, and preparations are well underway for what promises to be a memorable Halloween Spectacular.

With Halloween around the corner, now might also be the perfect time for families to take a trip to Pottinger Street and start planning those costumes. I am looking forward to seeing the creativity, humour and imagination our students bring to the Fancy Dress Day at the end of the month.

We are also delighted to welcome Ryan Parke to our Hung Hom campus after half term for his parent workshop, How to Help Him. Drawing on his experience working with boys and young men, Ryan will share practical strategies to help parents build stronger, more supportive conversations at home. The session is open to all parents, and I encourage you to register early as places are limited.

Thank you for your continued support. I wish all families a restful half-term break and look forward to an exciting second half of the term.

Parent Teacher Conferences – Mr. Cross

This year, we are introducing a new approach to our Parent-Teacher Conferences. By dedicating time across the school day, rather than limiting conferences to a shorter after-school window, we are able to offer families greater appointment availability and more opportunities to speak with teachers. All appointments will take place online via the SchoolCloud platform, providing greater flexibility for families.

Our Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on:

Thursday 5th November | 8.00am–5.00pm
Years 8, 10, 12 and 13

Friday 6th November | 8.00am–3.30pm
Years 7, 9 and 11

As our Secondary teachers teach across different year groups, all Secondary students will learn from home on both conference days. Teachers will set appropriate learning activities for students to complete independently at home while they meet with families throughout the day.

The appointment booking system is now open for bookings and will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 4th November.

Please click here to book your appointments via SchoolCloud.

To provide an additional opportunity to meet with teachers, we will also hold a follow-up event on Wednesday 11th November from 3.00pm–6.00pm. School will operate as normal for all students on this day. Some follow-up appointments with Heads of Year and our specialist support teams will be arranged at the request of teachers. The booking platform for the follow-up event will open at 5.00pm on Friday 6th November.

Halloween House Friday – Dr. Curley

Monday 26th – Friday 30th October

Something spooktacular is coming to Kwun Tong Campus! Led by our House Student Committees, the Halloween Spectacular promises a week packed with Halloween Spooktacular Fancy Dress, fang-tastic activities, friendly competition and plenty of Halloween fun—with House Points and prizes up for grabs throughout the week!

Students can join a different activity each day:

• Monday: Guess the Sweets in the Jar—how many sweet treats are hiding inside?
• Tuesday: Witches’ Mystery Box—dare to discover what lurks within!
• Wednesday: Pumpkin Hunt—join the search for those elusive pumpkins!
• Thursday: Halloween-Themed Quiz—put your spooky knowledge to the test!

Throughout the week, students can also purchase Halloween-themed bracelets and temporary tattoos for $10 each. Meanwhile, our Tutor Room Decorating Contest will challenge tutor groups to transform their rooms into wonderfully wicked spaces. Which room will be the most boo-tiful of them all?

Friday’s Frightfully Fun Finale!

On Friday 30th October, students have the opportunity to arrive to school in Halloween Fancy Dress. From Wednesday Adams to Ghostface, the Grim Reaper to Zombie Cheerleaders, we are looking forward to seeing the creativity behind the costume with prizes up for grabs!

At lunchtime, the Halloween Spectacular Disco will take over the Auditorium! With Halloween-themed music from the DJ Club, spooky games, a Halloween Dance Contest students can show off their costumes and their most monstrous moves!

Trick or Treat!

Students who come to school in Halloween fancy dress on Friday can also take part in our school-wide Trick or Treat activity. Keep an eye out for pumpkins on teachers’ doors—these mark the places to visit before school, at break time and at lunchtime to collect some sweet treats!

Get those costumes ready, prepare your best dance moves and join us for a wickedly wonderful week of Halloween celebrations!

How to Help Him – Parent workshop with Ryan Parke 8:45am on Wednesday 4th November

Do you often have misunderstandings with the boys and young men in your life, when you were only trying to help? Do you find that boys ‘shut down’ during important or emotive conversations? Would you like to be able to support them in a way that is more engaging and effective?

We are extremely excited to announce that coach, TEDx speaker, and category best-selling author Ryan Parke will be visiting our Hung Hom campus on Wednesday 4th November.

Drawing from over 1,500 sources and his experience coaching hundreds of men, Ryan will be sharing unique insights and offering simple steps to support the males you care about. This talk will reveal:

• How hormones may influence our conversation styles
• Your new simple 3-step strategy for having supportive conversations with boys and young men
• Simple word swaps that encourage openness and authenticity

Sharing a title with Ryan’s category best-selling book, this groundbreaking talk is as practical as it is engaging. How to Help Him has received exceptional feedback from parents, educators, safeguarding leads and counsellors across four continents. You’ll leave with new tools and techniques, allowing you to support the males you care about in a way that is more inclusive, engaging and effective.

Spaces are limited, so please register now to secure your place. We look forward to welcoming you!

Young Musicians Poster with Sign Up – Mr. Sayce

We are delighted to share that this week marks the start of the NAIS Hong Kong Young Musician of the Year Semi-Finals, one of the highlights of our musical calendar. Across the week, students will take to the stage in daily semi-final rounds, competing for a coveted place in the Young Musician of the Year Grand Final on the 3rd of November.

This year’s competition has attracted a wonderful range of talented performers, showcasing the breadth of musical excellence across our school. Students will compete in four categories, each demonstrating outstanding commitment, skill, and passion for music.

In the Beginner category, we congratulate Sun Y (Y7), Riley C (Y9), Kadyn C (Y9), and Advik J (Y7) on reaching the semi-finals. Representing the Intermediate category are Aurora S (Y9), Jayla C (Y8), Justin T (Y7), and Andrew B (Y11). Our Advanced category features Clarissa C (Y9), Aayush D (Y11), Aiden F (Y10), and Melody L (Y10), while the prestigious Virtuoso category includes Linus Y (Y10), Brandon L (Y10), Kyson K (Y11), and Liam C (Y7).

Behind every performance are countless hours of practice, perseverance, and dedication. The semi-finals provide an exciting opportunity for students to share their musical achievements, build confidence as performers, and celebrate their love of music with peers and staff.

We wish all competitors the very best as they prepare for their performances this week.

Regardless of the outcome, each student has already achieved something remarkable by reaching this stage of the competition. We look forward to celebrating their success and discovering which performers will earn their place in the Grand Final on the 3rd of November. Best of luck to all our young musicians!

Looking Ahead – Key Dates

• Friday 16th October – School Closes at 3:10pm for Half Term
• Monday 19th October - Chung Yeung Festival Public Holiday
• Tuesday 20th to 23rd October – Half Term Holiday
• Friday 30th October – Halloween Fancy Dress Day
• Tuesday 3rd November – Young Musician of the Year Live Final
• Wednesday 4th November – Ryan Parke Parent Partnership Event in Hung Hom
• Thursday 5th November and Friday 6th November – Parent Teacher Conferences (home-learning for students)
• Wednesday 11th November – Hung Hom Open Evening/Parent Teacher Conference Follow Up Appointments (school open to students as normal)
• Friday 13th November – Staff CPD Day (school closed to students)
• Wednesday 18th November – Battle of the Bands Final
• Wednesday 2nd December – Secondary School Winter Concert
• Friday 11th December – School Closes for Winter Break – 12:00pm
• Monday 4th January – School Re-Opens

Best regards,

Fiona Thorndike
Head of Secondary