.png?h=69&w=500&rev=6672ae46fb154ef695c9c2fe7db57a46&hash=AA0B4798E16E4631F1CBDD81C1306AAC)
Mr. Simon Higham, Principal
Dear Parents
This week, our school has again been vibrant with a wealth of different learning opportunities. Following two very successful and fun packed weeks of #LoveBVIS, we have even more to celebrate in terms of success, smiles and a determination to achieve the best outcomes across the whole of our school community.
This week, I had the pleasure of attending an U19 football match against another school from the city. In the end, the result was a 1-1 draw which, in my view was a fair result. However, what really impressed me was the determination and passion displayed by our BVIS students.
Michael Jordan, the famous American basketball player said:
‘If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.’
This is what I saw with all our players on the pitch on Monday and what I see each day across our school. Having the ability to keep going and to not necessarily try harder.......but try smarter is the way in which we continue to be successful within BVIS.
I would like to thank all the U19 football squad, and their many supporters for showing me what true determination really means. I loved seeing the BVIS Bulldog spirit and of course, it made me feel very proud.
This weekend, please take time to ask your child(ren) these questions:
1. This week in school, how have you shown determination and true perseverance?
2. When you have shown determination, what did you achieve that you thought you’d never be able to achieve?
3. Looking ahead, what do you need to persevere with and who can help you achieve success?
4. Who do you most admire, either from the past or the present day, who have shown determination to succeed?
Our BVIS Early Years students had an exciting and energetic Sports Day 2025! With the enthusiastic support of parents, teachers, and friends, our little athletes bravely took on various challenges such as running, jumping, ball throwing, and balancing – and they did an amazing job!
Read more about this event and see some amazing pictures of our youngest members of the school community, in this post from our School Website.
On Saturday 15th March, BVIS proudly hosted the Senior Level World Mathematics Competition, bringing together 92 talented mathematicians from 11 schools across Vietnam and beyond. It was a thrilling and challenging day of problem-solving, collaboration, and competition.
Congratulations to our team for their incredible efforts and outstanding attainment. More information can be found in Mr Bates’ Highlights!
Congratulations to all of our Year 6 students who recently returned safely (and tired) to school, following last week’s residential visit to Magagui. Read about their exciting visit in thier ‘Madagui Adventure Journal’ and also check out some incredible photographs of the trip in this post.
Additionally, a more detailed write-up can be found in Ms Mary’s Highlights.
.png?h=350&w=999&rev=59915f8e402f44ad848483379c17ecb5&hash=0B180714BF8196A044848045AB5182AB)
Should you wish to contact your child’s Class Teacher(s) or Form Tutor directly, we encourage communication to be written in the language you most feel confident to use.
Parents may also find it useful to contact their child’s class teacher(s) or form tutor directly for all individual queries about their academic work/social and emotional wellbeing in school. Individual contact details can be found in the Parent's Handbooks or via our Primary/Secondary Receptionists.
As always, we thank you for your continued support of our school and the wider school community and wish you a very peaceful and productive weekend ahead.
.png?h=70&w=500&rev=6f9cf8d5b1384f7080cd73957e09ccb2&hash=6A89366EA6086A80F8147CBB681E87F8)
Mrs Mary McAloon, Head of Primary
Last week was the Year 6 students’ residential trip to Madagui. There was a sense of excitement and anticipation for the valuable experiences that awaited them in the forest as they embarked the buses on Tuesday morning. During the week they created so many special memories to last a lifetime. On Monday, students spent time reflecting on what they had learned, their most memorable activity and what they would like to experience again.
At school, we see the importance of taking time to reflect and consider what worked well and what could be even better next time. This is a skill that we teach students to ensure they know how to reach optimum learning techniques and continue making exceptional progress.
Huge thanks go towards the team of teachers who chaperoned the students throughout the trip and a special thanks to Mr Ben Hulbert, Assistant Upper Primary Phase Leader, who led the residential trip. Congratulations to all our Year 6 students who embraced every experience with enthusiasm and ambition.
This week the whole of primary focused their learning on the school’s value ‘Global Citizenship’. Each year group explored two different countries looking deeper than the tip of the cultural iceberg. They learned about the traditions and way of life in the selected countries. In the upper primary years, they considered the impact of elements such as climate, on the way of life for those living in that country. During the week students showed thoughtfulness and empathy during class discussions as they developed an understanding of the similarities and differences to their own lives. In the lower primary years, students absorbed themselves into the routines from the countries they were focusing on. For example, On Monday Year 1 had a unique lunchtime following the Japanese cultural tradition named, kyūshoku. This is the daily routine of school lunches, in which students themselves are responsible for the jobs at lunchtime, including serving and cleaning up. Each class prepared for the experience by considering the jobs that children would need to do. The assigned jobs included, serving different dishes, cleaning tables prior to and after and sweeping the floor.
On Friday the many international experiences were celebrated in two celebration assemblies. Parents were invited to attend, and students shared their deepened sense of Global Citizenship. Thank you to families who joined us for the celebrations.
This year’s Young Musician of the Year competition is now underway! We had over 50 auditions from Years 3 to 6 over three lunchtimes this week. It was wonderful to listen to so many enthusiastic musicians performing. There were pianists, singers, violinists, xylophonists and drummers. Following the auditions, up to 16 students were selected according to rhythm, notes, delivery and interpretation of the music. The semi-finals will be hosted in 2 weeks and the final in assembly on Friday 9th May. Wishing our semi-finalists all the best and keep practicing!
31/03/24 -13:00: STEAM and Design and Technology workshop for Years 4 to 6 families – Part 2
11/04/25 - 08:45: Year 4 Production
.png?h=69&w=500&rev=dec69d1d0d444bc58f70f4348eb4b251&hash=25B61940D4C9E0AC8400F24E7ACE615F)
Mr Toby Bate, Head of Secondary
We are now almost exactly a month away from the beginning of the examination period for our students in Years 11, 12 and 13.
Many subjects have finished all the material that needs to be covered and are now reviewing and revising some of the challenging content to prepare students for these important examinations.
We strongly encourage all of our students taking final examinations to balance their time in this final month before exams begin. Students need to ensure that they are eating and sleeping enough, as well as getting some exercise so that they can revise effectively.
Your child’s subject teachers will be able to advise them in terms of their subject knowledge and exam technique preparation, but it is just as important that they have pastoral support from the school and additional support from home during this stressful period.
Please get in touch with your child’s tutor if you have any questions about how to effectively support them at home while they prepare for examinations.
Wednesday saw the return of our annual Creative Gala, a vibrant celebration of the artistic journey undertaken by our talented students within the Creative Arts Faculty. This exciting event brought together the disciplines of Music, Drama, and Art, with enthusiastic support from our friends in Media Studies and English. The gala offered a unique opportunity to witness the dynamic process of artistic learning firsthand. We opened our classrooms, providing a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of our subjects and allowing parents, friends, and staff to experience the creativity and dedication that go into developing artistic skills.
Adding to the excitement of the afternoon, we were delighted to welcome Erin Wight, the Curriculum Specialist for Music, who visited BVIS as part of our ongoing Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Collaboration. Ms Wight graced us with a fabulous live performance of a Bach solo piece for viola, showcasing the incredible talent and enriching experiences that this prestigious partnership brings to our school community. The Creative Gala proved to be an inspiring occasion, highlighting the collaborative spirit and exceptional achievements within our Creative Arts Faculty and the wider school. We eagerly anticipated sharing this special occasion with you, and trust that those who attended enjoyed the event.
We are still buzzing with excitement following the Saigon International Schools' Battle of the Bands! It was a fantastic opportunity to share our collective joy of live music-making with the wider international school community. Our very own BVIS band, The Bittersweet, comprised of talented Year 13 musicians Ha My, Kha Vy, Tina, Phuong Nghi, Sophia and Minh Hy, truly shone throughout the event. Their evident love for music resonated with the audience, and they were undoubtedly crowd favourites.
While we proudly took home the top prize last year, this year we were delighted to witness the host school, SSIS, take their turn in the spotlight. This graceful gesture was just one part of a wonderful evening that saw a strong contingent of BVIS students and staff attend, enthusiastically sharing their characteristic community spirit with everyone present. The Battle of the Bands was a truly wonderful occasion, celebrating the vibrant musical talent within our international schools. We look forward to the event next year.
We were delighted to welcome Erin Wight, a talented viola player and Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Curriculum Specialist, to BVIS this week. Erin has been an invaluable asset to our music programme, enriching the musical experiences of our students across all year groups and supporting the ongoing professional development of Music teachers.
Erin has captivated Primary students with an engaging assembly, introducing them to the concept of ostinato patterns and their role in creating a drone. Her live performance at the Secondary Creative Gala showcased her exceptional musical talent, inspiring our students. Furthermore, Erin has collaborated with our F3 students in music lessons, guiding them through creative musical explorations.
Beyond direct student interaction, Erin has actively supported the professional development of our music teachers. She has observed Secondary music lessons, providing valuable feedback and insights to enhance teaching practices. Additionally, Erin has conducted insightful workshops for teachers, focusing on developing "Music Thinking Habits" to foster deeper musical understanding and creativity in our students.
Erin's contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of music education at BVIS, fostering a love for music and nurturing the artistic talents of our students. We are grateful for her dedication and expertise.
This week, the English department selected three outstanding KS3 poems to represent our school in the FOBISIA Poetry Competition. The theme, "Voices through History," inspired students to explore a range of topics, from legendary Vietnamese heroes and pivotal global events to personal reflections on their own journeys.
After much deliberation, three winners were chosen. Kate (9V) and Finn (8S) were named runners-up, while our overall BVISHCMC winner was Kevin (7B), whose powerful and emotive poem on the Salem Witch Trials captivated the judges.
Their poems will now compete against entries from other schools, and we wish them the best of luck.
Well done to all who took part!
As mentioned in the Principal’s Highlights, last week BVIS hosted the Senior Level World Mathematics Competition. The full-day event (8 AM–6 PM) was packed with challenging rounds, collaboration, and high-level problem-solving.
We were delighted to host six schools from Ho Chi Minh City, four from Hanoi, and one from India—highlighting the international spirit of the competition. Students demonstrated remarkable logic, creativity, and teamwork throughout.
Our BVIS students excelled with particular shout out to the following medalists:
A huge thanks to our BVIS students and staff, together with the visiting teachers for making the event a success. We look forward to seeing even more brilliant minds next time—until then, keep solving and keep challenging yourselves!
Monday marked a huge milestone for our Year 11 Design Technology students as they submitted their final coursework! This coursework, which makes up 50% of their overall IGCSE grade, is a unique opportunity for students to apply their STEAM knowledge and skills to independently identify and solve a real-world problem.
The excitement, pride, and sheer relief on their faces were truly inspiring. Over months of dedication, they tackled challenges head-on—researching solutions, meticulously designing, prototyping, and refining their ideas with feedback from peers and clients. The result? Innovative, high-quality final products that showcase their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and craftsmanship.
Well done, Year 11 – your hard work has paid off!
Below are just a few photos and screenshots of the outstanding work submitted, highlighting the wide range of designs, 21st-century manufacturing techniques, and essential learning skills applied by our students.
#FutureDesigners #DTExcellence #IGCSE #STEAM
The links below display the House Sways, which are put together by our House student leaders. As the term progresses different posts and updates will be added displaying the relevant news for each of the Houses.
Dalat - Dalat House News
Hanoi - Hanoi House News
Hue - Hue House News
Saigon - Saigon House News
University Newsletter - University ambassadors News
The Sparx Maths Weekly Champion is the student who is the top XP earner in each year group.
Students earn XP by completing tasks in their Sparx Homework
Compulsory Tasks earn 60-80XP
XP Boost Tasks earn 120-150XP
Target Tasks earn 120-150XP
Independent Learning Tasks earn 100XP
Students reach a new Sparx Level every 10000XP
Huge congratulations go to our Top XP earners this week, who are:
|
Year Group |
Name |
Class |
|
7 |
Ken Duong |
7V |
|
8 |
Ruby Cao |
8zMat2x |
|
9 |
Anna Quach |
9zMat2x |
|
10 |
The Dung Nguyen |
10zMat3 |
|
11 |
Tin Tin Pham |
11zMat3 |
This week’s bedrock champions are:
Year 7 - Nguyen Ngoc Thien Huong
Year 8 - Le Hong Minh Quang
Year 9 - Chung Quang Huy
Year 10 - Vu Do Lan Anh
Year 11 - Do Nhat Minh Anh
Congratulations to all the above students who came up on top in their respective Year groups. A special well done to Mraz who achieved the highest Bedrock points total across the whole of the secondary school for this week!
This week’s champion is...
.png?h=900&w=900&rev=0bed89cdedd04a86a342e3288ae50a3d&hash=6BA7BC6702BD1F0DC9F532B697D761CD)
Congratulations and well-done to Finn!
This week’s Champion tutor group is
Congratulations to 789v/hanoi3 well done!
Congratulations to Hanoi house who are still leading the house point challenge.
07/04/25: Hung King Day – school closed
11/04/25: Season 2 Club break
18/04/25: End of term 2 – finish at 11:30am
5/05/25: First day of term 3 & Season 3 clubs resume
5/05/25: Exam period begins for Year 11, Y 12 and Year 13 students
The health, safety and wellbeing of our students remains the number one priority at BVIS HCMC.
Should you have a concern for the welfare of any child in our school, please refer to our Safeguarding poster below:
