As 2020 draws to a close, it has certainly been a year like no other. We have faced numerous challenges, asked so much of our students and parent community, and placed incredibly high expectations on our teaching staff. As Headteacher of the Junior campus, I am incredibly proud of everything that we have achieved collectively as a school community.
Despite the challenges that we have faced, we have been able to host some great events, albeit slightly different to how we would normally have approached them. On Tuesday afternoon, one such event took place; our Primary Christmas Concert. Live streamed to parents and families, not just in Vietnam but across the globe, it was a celebration, a moment to come together and share some festive cheer! More details of the concert, including a link to see photographs and view some highlights can be found further along in this weekly update.
Today, you will have received a letter and instructions on how to access your child’s School Report. This report is different in format to what we have previously shared with parents. Designed, in consultation with teaching staff, and shared with a parents via a webinar for feedback, we believe it will provide much more information not only about your child’s academic progress but more importantly, particularly in this strange year, how your child is doing from a pastoral point of view.
On Wednesday 13th of January and Thursday 14th of January, there will be an opportunity for all parents to meet with class teachers, EAL teachers and Vietnamese teachers to go through the reports in detail, so as to be, better equipped to support your children at home.
Sign up for these parent teacher student conferences will take place in the first week back after the Holidays and you will receive an email with instructions on how to access this sign up on Wednesday 6th January 2021.
Term 2 Clubs are due to start after the holidays. Once again, we have a huge number of activities available for students across the arts, sports, technology, languages and community. On Monday 14th December, the club booklet will go live for parents and children to access. Sign up will take place once we return to school in January.
Indeed, January is going to be extremely busy! In the week beginning January 11th, school photographs will be taken. More details can be accessed below about this. Again, more communication will be shared with parents nearer the time in January.
Our Primary Carol Concert
What a wonderful occasion Tuesday was. Huge thanks to our amazing Music Department who worked with students from across both primary campuses, to produce a magnificent concert. More details of the concert, including some great pictures and sound bites can be found by accessing this post by Ms Anna Hogan, Primary Music Leader.
NAE Creative Writing Competition
Every year, our parent organisation, Nord Anglia Education, hosts its global Creative Writing Competition for all students in the NAE family of schools. This year, the students were asked to research and write a short biography of a ‘climate rebel’, inspired by Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, a popular collection of biographies of inspirational women. Read more about how our students did in this post by our English subject Leaders including who will go forward to the Global competition from Primary.
Year 3 Chocolate Heaven!
Our Year 3 students have been working incredibly hard learning all about the Aztecs, including their most important discovery / invention - Chocolate! As part of their learning, they designed their own chocolate bars including packaging, and created chocolate moulds for these chocolate bars. To do this, they visited the Design and Technology Department at the Secondary Campus, where, under the watchful eye of Mr James Chandler, Design and Technology teacher, they designed and made their fantastic moulds. Find out more about this choctastic journey in this post, by Ms Aziza Williams, Year 3 Leader.
Nord Anglia Virtual Swimming Competition
WE were delighted to hear the news this week that BIS HCMC dominated the NAE Virtual Swim Meet and came out on top!
With many school records broken also, it was a brilliant performance by all our swimmers. Find out more in this post by Ms Emily McClelland, Aquatics Director.
Advent Story Calendars
We hope you have been enjoying our Advent Stories. The link is pinned to the top of each class Seesaw page so you will be able to find it easily each day and enjoy a Christmas story as a family!
Advent Stories
BIS HCMC School Photos in January 2021
Our annual school photography sessions for each campus will take place in January 2021. Further details for each campus will be sent when we return from the Christmas break.
We are happy to advise that we will be partnering with Picture Day, a Hanoi based photography company, this year for school photos. To find out more about Picture Day please follow the link here.
The Picture Day team will be visiting each campus on the following dates.
- Junior Campus – 11-15/01/2021
- Early Years & Infant Campus – 18-22/01/2021
- Secondary Campus – 25-29/01/2021
Sibling photos will be available. A full timetable of when your child’s class will have their photo taken and any other group photos, they may be part of, will be shared in January when we return to school.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
We are constantly looking for ways to improve our school and your feedback is vital to this process. Our annual parent satisfaction survey helps us better understand how we are performing in key areas, including what we are doing well and any opportunities for improvement, and we use these results to inform our strategy. Therefore, the more parents we hear from, the more confident we can be that our action plans respond to your views and allows us to continue providing the best possible educational experience for your child.
The 2020-21 Parent Satisfaction Survey is now live and will remain open until Friday 31st January 2021.
We are once again aiming for a good response rate and need your help to do so.
You can access the survey here.
Health and Safety
COVID Precautions
Just a reminder that all children should wear a mask to and from school, and when not in the classroom (moving between classrooms, playtime, etc.). Please make sure the mask is named and that your child has a spare in their bag.
Children should be bringing a water bottle to school every day as part of their usual routine, but it is all the more important during the current coronavirus pandemic. Please make sure that your child brings their water bottle, with their name clearly on it, every day.
Drop Off and Pick Up arrangements.
Sincere thanks to everyone for your support in adhering to the guidelines for drop off and pick up. In the afternoons for those exiting through Gate C, please do not cross the road to the secondary campus there. Please go to Gate B where guards will assist you. Please note that parents cannot cross the bridge at this time as parents are not allowed in to the secondary campus. Thank you for your cooperation.
PTG
Our PTG have supported the school so well this term and will be continuing with their events next term! Find out more by accessing their final weekly update of 2020 here.
To connect with us personally, or if you would like to support as a volunteer, please email us directly on primaryptgbis@gmail.com
Primary PTG Coordinators
Dates for your diary
15/12/20 Term Finishing 11.30am
6/01/21 Term 2 Starts for all students
06/01/21 PTG Welcome Back Coffee Morning
12/01/21 PTG Newcomer Bus Tour
11/01/21 – 15/01/21 School Photos taking place at the Junior Campus
13th and 14th /01/21 Parent Teacher Student Conferences (PTSCs)
25 – 29 /01/21 International Week at Primary
And Finally,
A reminder that sign up for Term 2 clubs booklet goes live on December 14th. Please look through the choices with your children over the holidays as sign up will commence on January 6th. More details will be sent in the new year.
Have a lovely weekend,
Deirdre Grimshaw, Headteacher of Junior Campus