Secondary School Update (22 September 2023)

We are committed to being a place where students truly belong and have ample opportunities to excel academically. We firmly believe that a high-quality CCA programme plays a pivotal role in realising these commitments. By actively participating in CCAs, students can discover their unique talents, ignite their passions, and cultivate a well-rounded personality.

As we embark on this journey, I encourage all students to embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly. Step out of your comfort zones, explore uncharted territories, and seize the chance to discover new passions and talents.

For any questions relating to CCAs, please contact the Activities Office via bis.activities@bishanoi.com.

Chris Newman 

Head of Secondary

Key Dates

• 29th September: Moon Festival Assembly 
• 5th October: Year 9 + 11 Options Evening 
• 7th October: International Festival
• 16th-20th October: Half-term Break
• 31st October-3rd November: Residential Trips 

Pastoral Update on Year 9

Year 9s have had an excellent start to the academic year and are enthusiastic and positive for the year ahead. This year, we are striving to offer more student leadership opportunities and are pleased to announce the tutor representatives who will be the voice of Year 9 and help to drive forward change and innovation in the school. Congratulations to the following students:

Thuy Tien, Bao Han , Anh Khoa, Do Quyen, Thuy Anh, and Quang Minh

Our newly appointed leaders are excited to be part of this team, and we are sure they are going to do an excellent job.

“I’ve always wanted to take part in being a tutor rep because I enjoy working in a team and sharing my ideas to help improve the school. This would also help me gain more confidence and leadership skills. I'm looking forward to helping improve our school and helping all my peers”. Thuy Tien

“There are many aspects to why I chose to volunteer as a tutor representative. The first time I considered this opportunity was after the assembly that the student council held. It really inspired me how they were so confident in front of many people. I truly wanted to become as confident as they were. I’m looking forward to helping our school make many improvements and make others comfortable in BIS.” Bao Han

Students in Year 9 have also been taking part in many other experiences to help develop their confidence and ability to lead. In Tutor Time, students of 9I have been leading their own debates during our ‘Thoughtful Thursdays’.

As Options Evening approaches, Year 9 Wellbeing sessions are focused on ‘The Mind': how to organise ourselves, how to be mindful of our choices, how to balance ourselves and our time, and discovering who we are and what makes us human. As we start to consider subject choices for next year and think about our futures, we are mindful of balance and integrity towards ourselves and others.

Ms. Macdonald

Head of Year 9

Learning Showcase

Hanoi University Fair 2023

On Monday, September 18, 98 Year 12 and 13 students visited BVIS to attend the Hanoi University Fair 2023. This event was an invaluable opportunity for our sixth-grade students to interact with universities that they may not have considered before and gain exposure to the different course choices available to them.

University representatives came to Hanoi from all over the world, including the UK, USA, Australia, and South Korea. Students spent around an hour and a half walking around the BVIS sports hall to speak to over 140 universities, collecting some gifts and advice from multiple admissions representatives.  

Next year, we plan to host this fair at BIS Hanoi so we can bring some excellent universities to our campus for our students to interact with. We work hard here at BIS Hanoi to give some great university guidance to students and to supplement that with opportunities to get face-to-face with universities. We are always happy to hear if there are any specific universities you would like to see. Please contact the University Guidance Counsellor, Joe McKinney, at joe.mckinney@bishanoi.com

Mr. Mckinney 

University Guidance Counsellor

English in Key Stage 3

This term, Year 9 learners have been gripped by their novel studies of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A Victorian-era Gothic classic One of the central themes in this novel is duality. Learners were tasked with identifying this theme in the world around them. In helping them to do so, as a class, we watched the show Predators: Puma on Netflix with the objective of identifying and explaining how duality is represented in nature. This task called on some independent, abstract thinking skills along with vocabulary to effectively express their feelings and thoughts.

English in Key Stage 5

Year 13s have been hard at work sharpening their writing skills in English B. With a large focus on the success criteria they will need to meet in order to achieve certain grades, With this in mind, we have incorporated colours to identify key aspects of their writing with the aim of celebrating their successes while also targeting their areas for improvement.

Mr. Kassebaum

Secondary English Teacher

Science

Students in Science have been working collaboratively to plan their science investigations. We have used trans-languaging skills to allow students time to secure a cognitive understanding of scientific processes and then think about how best to translate this into a logical method written in English. Year 7 and Year 9 students then used these plans to carry out practical investigations and then reflect on how effective their planning process was. Year 7 students made their own acid/alkali indicator solution from red cabbage and then investigated if red dragon fruit gave similar results. Year 9 students investigated the factors that affect diffusion using teabags to model cell membranes.

Mr. Pearson

Secondary Science Teacher