Christmas Newsletter
December 2020
Head of School's Message
I am very pleased to share with you our end-of-term newsletter. Whilst this first term has certainly not been the one anyone anticipated, the warmth and vibrancy of the school community has shone through.
Whether it has been seeing children on Zoom or happily walking through the gate in the morning, it has been wonderful to see ICHK foster such a great joy in learning.
On a personal note, like everyone, I look forward to a less eventful year in 2021. I shall however forever remember 2020 for one huge positive, as the year I had the pleasure of becoming part of the ICHK community.
I am sure you will see from this newsletter that despite everything 2020 has thrown at us we have been incredibly busy as a school and some wonderfully positive things have been occurring.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a great holiday and a happy and healthy 2021, in which we all can flourish.
Staff
We have been pleased to welcome a number of new staff members to our team this term.
Derek Pinchbeck has joined us as Head of School, Melissa Sweeney as PE and Outdoor Learning Teacher, Jacinda McLeod as a Kindergarten teacher, Kerry Xu as a Chinese Teacher, Victor Chan and Michael Salcedo as learning assistants, Jennifer Empson as a part time Literacy Support Teacher and Mabel Lam as Executive Assistant. Cassandra Li extended her existing role to include being part time Mathematics Support Teacher. All have brought a wealth of experience to our school.
This term we say farewell to Krista Matich who will be returning to her native New Zealand. Krista has been a wonderful class teacher of Years 3, 5, 6 and will be greatly missed by staff, students and parents alike. We thank her for all her contributions at ICHK and wish her every success for this new chapter.
Teaching and Learning
Over the past year our entire curriculum has been refreshed, and this term students have been enjoying a series of new and exciting Units of Inquiry.
In Nursery, students have been exploring routines and habits for learning. In Reception, students have been talking about the concept of ‘belonging’, exploring their place in the world by looking at relationships and cultural backgrounds. This has served as their introduction to character strengths, with links to our PERMA-H positive education model.
Year 1 students have been taking a new approach to the study of symbols and how they are used to communicate. The Unit has strong links to our English, Chinese and Maths curricula, as they begin the Year 1 reading, phonics and writing programmes.
In Year 2, students have been learning about different types of communities, how they are organised and the rules and responsibilities of people living and working in them.
Year 5s have been learning about space, researching scientific phenomena and finding out about Earth's place in the universe.
A new Big History unit has been completed in Year 6, with students delving into origin stories from around the world, the Big Bang and some of the major stages of life on earth. Other new units for this year group include transitions, changes in life and how these moments are celebrated in different cultures; and group culture and how it is developed around common beliefs and behaviours.
Across the school wellbeing, creativity and nature have been embedded as central pillars of learning and teaching and stronger links have been forged between classroom learning and outdoor activities.
The changes link our educational programme more closely with our vision, which is to be a leader in outdoor education, innovation and wellbeing.
In the early years and lower school, there is more focus on play based learning, and from Kindergarten to Year 6 there is a greater emphasis on creativity, ensuring that our core values are at the heart of everything we do.
Online Learning
New distance learning programmes have been developed this term, and our new learning platform was rolled out.
Toddle has been specially designed by IB educators for the PYP, and features regular, live snapshots of learning. Portfolios can be accessed via the platform, and we have been very encouraged by the positive feedback from parents, staff and students.
Well-being
Student happiness is central to all our teaching and learning, and there has always been a strong emphasis on well-being at ICHK.
We are renowned for the nurturing environment we have created, and our curriculum supports the link between personal, social and emotional wellbeing and achievement in learning.
Over the past year, emotional well-being has become even more of a focus, as we have worked to support our students through the challenges associated with the pandemic.
During our distance learning, ‘Well-being Wednesdays’ were introduced which included a wide range of fun learning activities including cooking, arts, crafts and stories. Teachers met with parents every week to ensure that students felt well supported.
Throughout the term, positive education lessons and activities have been held, as we strive to build resilience and confidence in our students and ensure that school is a fun, safe and welcoming place for everyone.
Community
One of the central pillars of our school is the community and the unwavering support over the past year has helped sustain us during extremely challenging times.
Parents have shown us great support, and we have worked together to get through the many trials connected with campus closures and online learning.
Our students have amazed us with their resilience, enthusiasm and commitment, strengthening as learners and adapting to changing circumstances.
Our staff have embraced the situation with energy and dedication, playing a critical role in ensuring that our children have continued to receive the best educational experience possible.
We thank everyone for their strength and resolve, and the part they have played in maintaining and developing positive relationships across our community.
Chinese Learning
Chinese is a very important part of our curriculum, and there is a strong focus on language learning across the school.
Our experienced teachers deliver an exciting and comprehensive programme, centred around a well-balanced combination of traditional skills and interactive activities.
Our curriculum focuses on the four main skills of speaking and culture, reading, listening and writing, and lessons are enriched with songs, role-play, stories, games and technology.
Teachers use interactive teaching tools, ideas and games to inspire students, capture their attention and develop a love of learning, and there are strong links between Chinese and Units of Inquiry.
We are pleased to share a snapshot of some of the learning that has taken place this term.
Students in Year 1 have been given lots of opportunities to experience the joy of learning Chinese. They have been learning through card games, taking part in celebrations of friendship, playing games to learn Chinese characters and practising writing with water on magic paper.
In Year 2, speaking and writing plays a big role. Over the past term students have been taught different approaches about how to express themselves in Mandarin, to develop their confidence and lay foundations for their speech development. They have been building their vocabulary through reading and writing in different units, and starting to learn Pinyin.
Students’ natural enthusiasm is built on in Year 3, and a lively learning environment is created. Students have been learning different body parts and sentence patterns, as well as practising their speaking and writing.
In Year 4, a range of fun and creative activities have been offered, and there has been a focus on verbal communication, including sentence structure, vocabulary and grammar. Students have also been learning how to recognise new Chinese characters and write them correctly.
In Year 5, new approaches have been offered to help students continue to learn Chinese effectively, develop their thinking and writing skills.
In Year 6, students have been enjoying different activities aimed at integrating reading and writing. Home language students have been learning how to enrich their descriptive and travel writing.
The gallery of pictures illustrates some of the wonderful learning that has taken place over the past term.
Sport
Restrictions around COVID-19 have had an impact on sport and PE this term, but we have been working hard to ensure our students remain fit and active.
As we follow strict rules around contact and the sharing of equipment, we have been finding new ways for students to challenge themselves and move their bodies.
A key focus has been reconnecting with each other after a long period spent apart, and enjoying being able to play together in celebration.
Students have enjoyed being back in school, the freedom of our beautiful grounds and large green field, and being active with friends.
Our PE teachers have been devising new games and activities, which all comply with hygiene protocols.
Younger students have been developing key skills including movement, balance and hand-eye coordination. They have especially enjoyed playing parachute games, learning to move their bodies in lots of different ways and working on different pieces of equipment.
Upper school students have been focusing on net games and understanding how fitness is linked to well-being.
A range of sport has been taking place outside of school, and we commend all those who have been able to remain active and involved.
PYP Evaluation
A huge amount of work has been completed as part of our Primary Years Programme (PYP) evaluation.
The process, which is conducted every five years, is aimed at ensuring that the standards and practices of the programme, as set out by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO), are being maintained.
We have carried out a school self-study, and have been visited by two evaluators. They spent time meeting with teachers, parents, students, members of the Board and the leadership team; visited classrooms to observe student learning and studied the school’s scope and sequences, planning and policies.
The evaluation highlighted the culture of communication, adaptability and respect, a strong commitment to the PYP, our approach to inclusive education, our range of learning environments and resources, our outdoor learning programme and our Kindergarten approach to play-based learning as particular strengths at ICHK.
All recommendations from the final report, which is due in the new year, will be used to further develop the strategic plans of our school.
Parent Communication
Good communication with parents is key to the positive relationships we are proud of at ICHK. Although we have not been able to hold parent information sessions at school, a complete online programme has been put together to keep you informed about key areas of our curricula.
From next term, regular online sessions will be held, all aimed at sharing insights into our educational programmes. These will include the PYP and Inquiry Learning, Assessment, Chinese, Maths and Supporting your child with reading.
There will also be a series of sessions run by staff from our secondary school, aimed at sharing insights into the innovative curriculum and the values that underpin the school.
Details of all sessions will be shared in the weekly parent bulletins.
Links with ICHK Secondary
A programme of events to share information about our secondary school has been adapted this year.
Whilst we have not been able to stage our regular information sessions, online presentations have been designed for parents looking ahead to Year 7.
Interest in our secondary school increases year on year, with strong support from primary partners and burgeoning numbers from other schools in Hong Kong.
We are very proud of our through-train pathway, and educators from both schools work in partnership to share expertise and ensure a seamless transition to Year 7.
We hope that we will be able to offer opportunities for students to experience taster sessions at ICHK secondary next year, in line with ongoing guidance from the Government.
Looking Ahead
As we approach the Christmas break, we reflect on a year of campus closures and online learning.
We hope that circumstances in Hong Kong will allow us to return to more normal routines next term, and that at some point in the not too distant future we will be able to return to our regular programme of events, trips, ECAs and partnership activities with our secondary school.
We look forward to welcoming new families to our community and them sharing in the strong community spirit that we are renowned for.
We look ahead to other developments on the horizon, which include new Units of Inquiry being rolled out including a trade unit in Year 5. Students will benefit from a new partnership with members of the shipping industry, the role it plays in Hong Kong and the large role in trade. Year 6 students will be introduced to film-making through a new Technology unit, with the aim of staging a film festival in Term 3.
We approach a Christmas holiday, where because of travel restrictions, most of our families will be remaining in Hong Kong. We wish you all a restful break, in which everyone remains safe and healthy, and we look ahead to a new term of teaching and learning with your continued support.