Secondary Campus Weekly Update 24 Aug 2026

Dear Parents,

It has been a wonderful start to the new academic year, and we are delighted to welcome our students back to school following the summer break. We hope that you and your families enjoyed a restful and enjoyable holiday, with plenty of opportunities to spend quality time together.

What an exciting return it has been for our community. We are incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students in this year’s IGCSE and IB examinations. The results were truly fantastic and reflect the dedication, resilience and ambition of our young people, supported every step of the way by our talented staff and supportive families. Congratulations to all our students on their success, and sincere thank you to parents for your continued encouragement and partnership throughout their educational journey.

This term has also marked another significant milestone with the opening of our new Sixth Form Campus in Hung Hom. It has been inspiring to see our Sixth Form students embracing their chosen pathways in this exciting new environment, while students and staff across the Secondary Campus have quickly settled back into their learning with enthusiasm and purpose.

The year is already off to a remarkable start, and we look forward to sharing many more successes and celebrations with you in the months ahead.

Introducing New Staff:

Sheriza Samtani –Head of Year 8 and History Teacher

My name is Sheriza Wadhwani Samtani, and I am delighted to be the Head of Year 8 this academic year. Born and raised in Hong Kong, I graduated from the University of Exeter and lived in Spain before bringing my experience as a subject teacher, head of department, and pastoral tutor back to this vibrant school community. I am thrilled to lead our students as we embrace our central theme of Year 8 this year: ‘Trailblazers.’ No longer just settling into secondary school, it is time for Year 8 to raise their game and step up as role models, blazing a trail through respect, kindness, and personal ambition. How they show up each day will set the map for other students to follow, and I look forward to partnering with you to support them as they define who they want to become.

Iona Campbell – PE Teacher and Head of Year 11

My name is Iona Campbell, and I am delighted to introduce myself as the Head of Year 11 for this academic year. I graduated in Sport Science at The University of the Highlands and went on to complete my teaching degree at The University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Having recently relocated to Hong Kong, I bring with me teaching experience from both Abu Dhabi and Glasgow. Throughout my career, I have held pastoral leadership roles, including Assistant Head of Year and Head of House, which have allowed me to develop a strong commitment to supporting students' wellbeing, personal growth, and academic success.

In addition to my role as Head of Year 11, I am a member of the Physical Education Department at NAIS HK. I am very much looking forward to getting to know your children and working closely with them throughout this important and demanding year. Together with my dedicated tutor team, I am committed to providing the guidance, encouragement, and support that students need to thrive and achieve their full potential.

Jeff Gilmore – Science Teacher

Hello! My name is Jeff Gilmore and I’m really happy to be joining NAIS HK this year as a Science teacher. I’m originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and started my teaching career in Cardiff, where I worked for three years, before moving to Barcelona and spending the past few years teaching Science at an international school. I graduated in Environmental Biology at Queens University, Belfast before pursuing a teaching career in Bath, UK.

For me, one of the most enjoyable parts of teaching is getting to know my students and creating a classroom where they feel comfortable, enjoy their lessons, and are encouraged to challenge themselves.

Outside of school, I enjoy keeping active and particularly enjoy playing padel, so I’m hoping to find some opportunities to play here in Hong Kong! I’m really looking forward to meeting all my new students, becoming part of the school community and settling into life in Hong Kong. It’s a big change after several years in Barcelona, but one that I’m very excited about!

ECAs/Enrichment – Mr. Rogers

We would like to thank you for your continued support as we finalise arrangements for Enrichment Week. Please note that new sign-ups and changes to trip selections are now closed. We truly appreciate the trust you have placed in us, and we are already incredibly excited for what promises to be a memorable week ahead.

A special thank you to those parents who have completed full payment for local trips and paid the deposit for international trips. Your commitment is greatly valued and helps us move forward with the Enrichment Week planning.

For families with students confirmed on international trips only, please keep an eye on your inbox as final payment amounts will be emailed to you shortly. In the meantime, we kindly ask that you take the following steps to help us secure airline tickets and finalise travel arrangements:

1. Click on the trip link provided for the specific trip your child has been confirmed on.

NAIS HK Y7 Yangshuo Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y8 Chiang Mai Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y9 Siem Reap Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y10 Bali Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y11 Borneo Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y12 Sri Lanka Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Beijing Program Enrichment Week Registration Form
NAIS HK Y10&12 Tanzania Enrichment Week Registration Form

2. Carefully read all instructions on the page.

3. Upload your child's passport details or Return Home Card (Yangshuo and Beijing trips only), and any other essential information as requested.

Please be aware that failure to provide this information by the deadline will result in your child being unable to take part in the trip. All required documents must be submitted no later than September 1st, 2026.

We understand that this involves some administrative work, but your cooperation is essential to ensure a smooth and safe experience for all students. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Enrichment Week team.

Thank you once again for your partnership – we cannot wait to embark on this journey with your children!

The Enrichment Week Team

World Scholars – Sienna. C (Alumni)

Our team of 7 scholars went to three different locations in Asia for the 2026 iteration of World Scholar’s Cup Globals! Three juniors made their way to Kuala Lumpur, and four seniors to Seoul and Shanghai.

The event included rounds including debate, creative writing, quiz bowl, and a 120-question challenge paper. With an average of 1300 scholars and 400 teams competing in each round, our teams have accomplished fantastic results, bringing back 50 medals and 4 trophies. Here are some highlights:

• 1st Place Junior Individual Writing: Max Y.
• 5th Place Team Bowl: Hans C., Ruskin F., Siena C.
• 5th Place Scholar’s Challenge - Social Studies: Siena C.
• 15th Place Overall Team: Hans C., Ruskin F., Siena C.
• 18th Place Overall Champion: Siena C.

All our scholars have qualified for the next round at Yale University in November, and we look forward to bringing back more medals and trophies!

NAE Houston Summit – Ms. Kwong

We were delighted that Clayton Y. (Y10), Gabrielle L. (Y10), Aria G. (Y11), and Hono K. (Y11) represented our school at the Nord Anglia Education Summit in Houston over the summer. They joined students from more than 40 NAE schools across over 20 countries and explored this year’s theme, NAE 2030: Making the Invisible Visible, considering how they can contribute as thoughtful and compassionate leaders within their communities.

Through learning from organisations such as UNICEF, World’s Largest Lesson, and Generation Global, as well as sharing their perspectives through Peer Talks, our students strengthened their confidence, communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. They also developed Capstone projects focused on issues that matter to their communities and connected these concerns to the Sustainable Development Goals. Having reflected on the action they would like to take, we are excited to see their Capstone projects come to life through their leadership this year.

Student leadership at NAIS HK continues to go from strength to strength, and opportunities such as this Summit play an important role in nurturing that growth. We are proud of the way our students participated and look forward to seeing how they bring their learning back to enrich our school community and inspire positive change.

NAE Houston Summit – Student Reflections

"I am so grateful to have had been given such a special and a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the Houston Summit with my peers. Being there has taught me so much about social relations, key leadership skills, new environments and even friendship. There, we were taught to step outside our comfort zones and take advantage of every single opportunity presented to us. This allowed me to learn so much about the environment, our community and how our world is not shaped by one person who makes the final decision, but by many whose simple choices shape our society." - Gabrielle L., Year 10

"The NAE Houston Summit pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and try things I normally would have avoided. The Capstone presentation helped me build confidence in speaking in front of others in a relaxed but effective manner. I also learned to collaborate with my peers and prepare us for when we are working within our own community. The student-led peer talks were incredibly inspiring as they showed me that even students just a few years older than me can make a real impact. The summit reinforced the idea that even small ideas have the power to grow into something truly meaningful, echoing the theme of the summit “Make the Invisible Visible”." - Clayton Y., Year 10

"Houston has shaped me as a leader through communication and opportunity. When I was there, I got to meet like-minded individuals who are working towards making a difference or have already started to inspire change. We got to listen to student-led peer talks about projects surrounding the SDGs, and the way most of these projects were impacting the wider community has inspired me to try something similar. Communication is a key life skill; it helps build teamwork, friendship, and ideas, all of which help move us towards a better world." - Aria G., Year 11

Looking Ahead:

• Monday 31st August – Virtual Launch of Young Musician of the Year
• Tuesday 15th September– Year 7 Meet the Tutor Event
• Wednesday 16th September - Year 11 Meet the Tutor Event
• Thursday 17th September – Year 9 Meet the Tutor Event
• Tuesday 22nd September – Year 10 Meet the Tutor Event
• Wednesday 23rd September – Year 8 Meet the Tutor Event

Best regards,

Fiona Thorndike
Head of Secondary