Weekly Updates on 01/03/2024

Dear Parents

This weekend we are proud to be hosting the largest ever NAE regional teaching and learning conference. There will be nearly 200 delegates from across South East Asia, Middle East and India in attendance. It promises to be a great event and some amazing teaching and learning practice shared across our schools.

We are also delighted to announce that the NAE Education team will be joining us and staying in Hanoi on Tuesday 5th March to visit our school. There is an opportunity for parents to come and meet with the NAE education team and there is a sign-up link attached HERE. We hope you will join one of the sessions.

We are making our final preparations for the CIS/WASC visit at the end of March and I am pleased with the progress we are making. The academic team will be reaching out to some parents for further involvement in the next phase of the journey towards even greater school improvements.

As you know I shall be hosting a meeting with parents to outline progress and the school and next steps in our journey to becoming one of the best schools in the region. Please follow the link attached here or scan the QR code below to sign up for my update session. I shall be running the same presentation twice at different times of the day to suit differing needs.

A reminder that we are running summer school again this year. Please see below for the sign up details:

I wish you all a very relaxing weekend ahead.

Learning through Enquiry - one of our school values

The Early Years’ curriculum places huge importance on the process of learning. In order to achieve a successful end product, whether it be a piece of writing or a piece of artwork, there must be a process of learning. Step-by-step learning of skills is taught and adapted for a child’s developmental needs. Enquiry-based learning allows us to support children in their interests and challenge them to achieve more by carefully selecting tasks. This week’s learning in Early Years included the questions, “What makes a Superhero?”, “What will happen next?” and, “Can you find more?”. 

Problem solving through Reflection - one of our school values

Last week, the children in Year 1 engaged in a STEAM challenge as part of the entry point for their new topic, ‘Buildings’. In their houses, the children were challenged to make the tallest tower possible using only play dough, tape and straws. To begin with, both classes explored tall buildings around the world, looking at the different structures before designing their own ideas. After the design process, the children worked in houses to build a tower. Throughout the whole challenge, the children displayed great teamworking skills, communication, and impressive ideas.  

Making the abstract concrete to aid Reflection - one of our school values

In Maths, Year 2 students were very excited to participate in activities on the topic Multiplication and Division. They participated in activities using visual aids, pair/group activities and using technology in learning. 

Communication – building Vietnamese vocabulary

This week, we have learned the new vocabulary of the text ‘Vuon ca cao Muoi Cuong’. The children have worked collaboratively to practice saying, writing, and explaining the meaning of new words. They also enjoyed the ‘Guess my word’ game. 

Global citizenship – educating others about endangered rhinos in Vietnam

In IPC, Year 4 students are working on a project to help save endangered rhinos by spreading awareness and educating others in Vietnam by creating ‘3D posters’, combining everything they have learned this term, with arts and crafts skills such as using ‘papier mâché’, and finally presenting their work in public.

Exploring the past – Ancient Greece

This week, Year 5 examined artefacts and used them to understand what life was like in Ancient Greece. 

Vietnamese perspective through poetry

To start the new poetry topic with the poem "Hạt gạo làng ta" by Trần Đăng Khoa, Year 6 had the opportunity to participate in an activity of making pictures from rice. The students learned about the value of rice grains and appreciated the hard work of farmers. They also learned about the importance of teamwork and cooperation.

School value GLOBAL CITIZEN and ENQUIRY

Global Campus Writing Competition

A huge congratulations to Dinh Duy (pictured with Mr. Sutherland, Head of English) in year 12, who has been shortlisted as a global finalist in this year's writing competition! His entry will now be judged alongside 20 other entries from NAE schools around the world in his age group category; the eventual winner will be judged and chosen by guest judge and author Wendy Shearer.

Regardless of the result, it is a fantastic achievement to make it this far, so the whole BVIS community congratulates Dinh Duy and wishes him all the best in the global round!

School value CARING and INTEGRITY

We are thrilled to announce that our brand-new fitness studio is now open, and both our staff and students are already enjoying its incredible benefits. This state-of-the-art facility offers a wide range of fitness activities and programs designed to promote physical well-being and foster a healthy lifestyle among our students. The fitness studio is yet another testament to our commitment to providing a well-rounded education that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of our students. We look forward to seeing their continued growth and development in this fantastic new space.

School value ENQUIRY, PERSERVERANCE and REFLECTION

Our Year 10 artists have dedicated themselves to crafting captivating self-portraits, drawing inspiration from the renowned artist and illustrator, Iain Macarthur. Despite the challenges and the time-intensive nature of this project, their enthusiasm and commitment has been amazing. Their collective effort has resulted in portraits that are not only accurate but also visually stunning. The transformation is truly remarkable.

School value ENQUIRY and INTEGRITY

I am thrilled to share an exciting highlight from the past academic year involving our enthusiastic Year 10 students. We had not one, but two groups actively participating in the Cambridge Upper Secondary Science competition. They independently crafted fascinating research questions and devised ingenious methods to explore them:

• Investigating the effectiveness of different masks
• What is the ideal storage temperature of melons

Throughout the summer holidays, these young scientists passionately delved into their chosen topics. Upon their return, they eagerly shared their plans, which, once approved, marked the commencement of their thrilling research adventure. The path was filled with challenges, and our students rose to the occasion with remarkable innovation.

The culmination of their hard work wasn't just in the form of a comprehensive research report; they also had the opportunity to present their findings in an engaging and informative manner. Witnessing their presentations was truly a fantastic experience.

Their hard work was rewarded and each and both groups received a well-deserved Gold Award for their outstanding contributions. Their commitment, creativity, and resilience truly shone through!

We eagerly anticipate more of our students seizing such unique opportunities in the upcoming academic year. The journey of discovery continues!

Group 1

• Quang An
• Minh Van
• Nam Khanh
• WonHyung
• Vu Bang

Group 2

• Ha Khanh Chi
• Hiep Huyen Trang
• Thi Luu Ha
• Minh Uyen

Secondary

We wish you all a very relaxing weekend!

Senior Leadership Team from BVIS Hanoi