Mr Ian Battersby: Weekly Update 12/04/2019

Wednesday 10^th April will be a moment that will last forever in the memories of our Year 2 children.  It was their turn to take part in the Year 2 production, ‘Hats Off’, and what a performance it was.  The set and the costumes looked fabulous, the singing and dancing was tremendous, and the acting and narration ensured the whole show was a delight for everyone watching. 

YEAR 2 Production

Coffee and Cake Morning

We have a wonderful community service programme at BIS.  Children are involved with many different community partners throughout their education journey.  The focus of this programme is to develop a respectful and caring sense of social responsibility towards other people and the environment on both a local and global scale.  There are a few events across the year when the focus does change to raising awareness and money to support projects.  Ms Samantha and Mr Luke who, along with Ms Reem, lead our community service learning, tell us more about the morning in this post:

Coffee and Cake Morning

British Schools Oversees Inspection

A message from our Principal, Mr Anthony Rowlands:

Dear Parents,

As you may be aware, this week we have been hosting a British Schools Overseas inspection team, who were here to inspect the school against UK standards. In achieving these standards, it ensures that the UK Government recognises BIS as a quality assured British School Overseas. The team of seven inspectors were led by Mr Mark Evans, Managing Director and lead inspector of PENTA International, who were conducting the inspection on behalf of the British Government.

On Wednesday following the completion of the inspection, Mark Evans provided the Senior Leadership Team with some verbal feedback which was extremely positive. The whole inspection team were very impressed with what they saw and heard around the school over their three days. BIS will show up very strongly in the forthcoming inspection report in all nine BSO areas. Importantly, as well as achieving these exceptional standards, the inspecting team were so impressed with how the staff, parents and students interacted within the school community whilst showing such a sense of belonging and trust in BIS. I assure you that we can look forward, with excitement, to an exceptional final report which we anticipate will be published early in May.

I really appreciate the great support that we continuously receive from our parents who make the school so special.

I do hope that you all have some valuable family time over the coming holidays and look forward to seeing you on our return to school in May.

Yours sincerely

Mr. Anthony Rowlands

Join our BIS Baby and Toddler Group

Children can start at BIS when they are 2 years old. Fundinotots is the ‘BIS Baby and Toddler Group’ where parents of children aged 0 to 36 months can meet other parents and allow their children to engage in a range of activities. Fundinotots is based on the new Early Years and Infant Campus.

To find out more about fundinotots at BIS HCMC, please click here.

BIS Community Choir (for parents and staff)

Following a successful term with wonderful performances, we are looking forward to a new term and would welcome new members to come and join the chorus.  Rehearsals are on Thursday 7.00-7.45am (Secondary Auditorium) and Friday 1.15-2.15pm (Junior Music Room), so please come along to the one that is most convenient for you.

If interested please e-mail Mrs Frances Amos frances.amos@bisvietnam.com or visit https://sites.google.com/bisvietnam.net/communitychoir/home for more information.

PTG

To read more this week from the PTG, including details of what to do if you would like to get more involved, please click the link below:

12/4/19 – Term 2 Ends @ 11.50am

2/5/19 – Term 3 Begins @ 8:15am

6/5/19 – Term 3 Clubs begin

7/5/19 – Vietnamese lessons begin

Before and after school waiting area

When waiting to drop off and collect the children at the EY&I we ask for all parents, carers and children to wait on the ground floor only.  We are in the process of installing extra seating in the shaded areas to increase the seating areas for our community at these times.  This rule is in place to ensure lessons and clubs that are running at these times are not disturbed and all children in the building are kept safe.  People sitting around the lower ground floor outside the canteen and along the corridors will be asked to move to the ground floor by our teaching staff.  Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our campus safe.

Online Safety

Keeping safe is priority for us all.  Even when we believe our youngest children are safe, they may well not be if the parental controls and recommended filters have not been installed or applied.  When children search online and watch content using sites such as, ‘youtube’ it is important to have all the safety nets in place.  We advise parents to install content filters and apply parental controls on all devices that our young children have access to.  If you would like any support on this, please contact Ms Mary and I will put you in touch with our ICT teachers to help.

End of Day Procedures

We would like to remind all parents that school identification badges must be shown and worn at all times when on any of our three campuses (including weekend and evening events).  If not, you will be asked for some form of identity and be required to wear a visitor’s badge.  

If you are collecting a child without the child’s ID card, you will need to visit Reception for a ‘Permission to leave slip’ before collecting your child from the classroom and exiting the campus together.  Please note, once your child has been handed over to you at pick up time (both after school and after clubs), the responsibility of your child has also been handed over to you.

We thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students and school site safe and secure.

Stay Vigilant

As in all major cities petty crime does occur, as a reminder to all of us please always take care of your personal belongings, especially when walking between campuses and across roads.

Safeguarding at school – it’s everyone’s responsibility

Personal Photographs

It is every parent’s wish to capture memorable moments on camera of their child at school either performing in an assembly, on their birthday or simply playing with their friends on the playground before the start of the school day.  Any photos that are taken by parents on personal devices must be kept private.  They must not be shared publicly on social media or between non-family members such as, other parents in the school.  By following these guidelines, we ensure our BIS safeguarding policy is adhered to and that our children are kept safe. 

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

If, during your visit to school, you have any reason to be concerned about the safety of a young person, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Leader.

Thank you,

Ms Mary

And Finally…

It has been a busy and productive term with so many highlights; International Week, the Tet celebrations, lots of work with our community partners, the ‘SPLAT’ sessions in F1, F2 and F3, the Spring Fair, as well as the events mentioned in this update.  Running through all of these is the strength of the British International School community. I am very proud to be a part of that community and to look back on all that we have achieved since January, highlighted by the extremely positive comments made by the inspection team in their feedback this week.

Ian Battersby, Head of the Early Years and Infant Campus