Dear parents,
Welcome to our first Parent Update of the Summer Term, I hope that you all enjoyed a restful and enjoyable Spring break. It has been lovely to see all our young learners back on campus today looking refreshed and re-charged after their holiday, and all set for a busy and productive term ahead.
Due to the holiday, this week’s update will be shorter than usual, and each campus update will focus upon what is ahead for all learners and parents in the coming weeks. I am sure that, like me, you will feel that this academic year seems to have passed in a flash, with the IGCSE and IBDP summer examinations, and summer vacations, almost upon us. We have much to celebrate having had such a successful Autumn and Spring Term, and all staff will be working hard to provide many memorable experiences for all our students this term before we end the year on the 21st June.
Examination Season is upon us!
None will be working harder right now than our Year 11 and Year 13 students as they prepare to begin their individual examination programmes. I am sure that these dedicated learners will have spent much of the recent holiday working through their carefully planned revision schedules with some time taken out to relax and maintain their own wellbeing. I am sure that all parents of children facing exams next week will be feeling a level of concern, I remember vividly my own son’s experiences and how difficult this was for me to be a virtual bystander having been very active throughout his learning journey leading up to this point.
It is one of the most difficult times for us as parents, and you may feel that there is little that you are able to do to ease the anxiety that you can see building as your son or daughter progresses towards that first exam. But you have a vital role to play, and it is important you help them to recognise that worry, anxiety, and stress are natural at this time, that this is normal, and then help them to maintain a positive mindset through the use of praise, reward, and your own positivity towards them. Your child has gone through an exceptionally strong period of preparation and support leading up to this year’s examinations and this will help them to perform to their best on the day – they might need to you to remind them.
Do all you can to praise and reward them at the end of each exam day, feed them well when they get home, offer to help them plan and organize for their next day, checking exams and timings before they are too tired or grumpy to do this themselves. Make sure that they stay hydrated and get enough sleep, keep routines simple for them and provide them with as much unconditional encouragement and support as you possibly can. They will love you for it, just maybe not right away!
Our examinations begin on Monday 22nd of April for our Art candidates, with the main IBDP and IGCSE written examinations beginning later in that week. I wish all our exam cohort students a successful and rewarding term ahead and look forward to celebrating their academic results with them in August.
Head of Primary appointment
Following an extensive and robust global recruitment and interview process involving over 70 applicants, and with many contributions drawn from across the school community over the final face-to-face interview process held over two days in March, I am delighted to be able to announce that we have appointed Mr Stephen Sharma as Head of Primary from August 2024.
As a current Head of Primary within one of our other Nord Anglia schools, Regent’s International School Pattaya, Stephen has already had significant leadership experience at this level and will bring a wealth of expertise and insight to add to that which already exists within the school. Prior to joining Regent’s, Stephen honed his leadership capabilities as Deputy Head within one of Nord Anglia’s largest schools, NAS Dubai, and is held in the highest regard across our organisation as a regular contributor in the development of Primary teaching practices, and to our NAE leadership programmes.
Alongside his leadership credentials, he brings with him a wealth of previous teaching experience to our school having taught and led across all stages of Primary provision, from Early Years through to Year 6. Stephen is immensely excited by the prospect of moving to Hong Kong in the summer, along with his wife Clare and their two daughters, Ayla and Ava, who will be joining Year 7 and Year 12 in Kwun Tong at the beginning of the Autumn term. We know that you will join with us in welcoming them all to Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong.
I would like to thank all staff, and parents, for your unswerving support within this process and I know that Stephen will be keen to have a personal opportunity to meet and introduce himself to you at the beginning of the new academic year.
PTA Summer Carnival
Our PTA Committee and PTA members have been working hard putting the final touches to their planning and preparations for the forthcoming Summer Carnival. I would like to extend a warm invitation to all parents and families to join us in the Kwun Tong Campus on Saturday 27th April for a day of family games, food, fun and a chance to add to the summer carnival atmosphere. Information on the event and ticket sales are included in this week’s update. I look forward to seeing you all on the day in support of our Parent Teacher Association.
On that exceptionally positive note, I will leave you to enjoy the rest of this weeks updates. Have a fabulous week ahead!
Kind regards,
Kenny Duncan
Principal
