Si Ri Panya News | 2026–27 Issue 10
6 November 2026
The People Who Make the Difference
How many people does it take to give a child one good day at school?
It's an interesting question, because the answer is probably far more than we imagine.
There's the teacher who makes something difficult suddenly feel possible. The person who notices when a child isn't quite themselves. The colleague who quietly solves a problem before anyone knows it existed. And the countless people working behind the scenes whose contributions may never be seen.
Some of these moments children will remember. Others they may never even notice.
But does that make them any less important?
Having watched Si Ri Panya grow over the years, I've come to realise that a school is never really the achievement of one person. It's the result of people bringing something of themselves to a shared purpose — their knowledge, patience, kindness and willingness to care.
Our parents are part of that story too. So are our pupils, who give us as much to learn as we hope to teach them.
And perhaps that's the beautiful thing about a school. We arrive as individuals, each with our own strengths and experiences, yet together we create something none of us could have created alone.
Could Your Career Inspire Our Pupils?
Years 8 & 9 Careers Fair – Wednesday 18 November, 1:00–3:00 pm
We're still inviting parents to share their career experiences with our Secondary pupils. Whatever your profession, your story could introduce a young person to a career they hadn't considered!
Interested in joining us? Please email Glenda Clark. Lunch will be provided before the event as a thank you for your time.
Poetry, Parachutes & a Little Magic!
Year 5 have been making the most of our beautiful school grounds this week, taking their English and Science lessons beyond the classroom!
Inspired by their class novel, Tom's Midnight Garden, pupils explored the Secondary School garden on a sensory walk, recording everything they could see, hear, smell and touch. Back in class, they used thesauruses to transform their observations into descriptive, poetic language, experimenting with vocabulary and stanzas to bring their own imaginary gardens to life.
Meanwhile, in Science, it was time to put gravity and air resistance to the test! Working in teams, pupils designed and tested parachutes, timing their descent and investigating how different materials and surface areas affected their results.
Two very different lessons, but both encouraged the same important skills: curiosity, creativity, teamwork and learning through discovery.
A Slice of the Action! 🍕
Year 6 put their Food Technology learning into practice this week with a fantastic pizza-making experience at Cucina Italiana in Chaloklum!
From preparing their pizzas to enjoying the finished creations, pupils developed practical cooking skills, confidence and independence, bringing their Cooking Showcase curriculum to life.
A huge thank you to Fabio and the team at Cucina Italiana, who have generously welcomed our Year 6 pupils for the second year running. Hosting an entire class is no small undertaking, and we're incredibly grateful for their continued support.
If you're visiting Chaloklum, why not pop in, enjoy a delicious pizza and show your appreciation? Year 6 certainly give them a big thumbs up!
You Asked, We Answered! 💬
From school lunches and library books to classroom temperatures and greener school grounds, our Parent & Friends Committee has been sharing ideas and asking questions!
We've brought together the feedback from this term's meeting, along with our responses, improvements already made and plans for the months ahead.
A big thank you to all the parents who contributed. Your feedback helps us make Si Ri Panya an even better place for our children.
Chak Phra Comes to Life!
What better way to learn about a festival than while it's happening right here on Koh Phangan?
This week, pupils across Primary and Secondary explored Chak Phra, a traditional Southern Thai festival celebrated after Buddhist Lent, with colourful ceremonial boats and community celebrations taking place in Thong Sala.
In Year 3, pupils designed their own beautifully decorated เรือพระ (ruea phra, or Buddha boats), bringing this important local tradition to life through art.
Meanwhile, Year 7 pupils developed their Thai language skills by constructing two-part sentences and choosing vocabulary to describe what they might see at the festival.
ผมไปงานชักพระ แล้วก็เห็นเรือพระ
I went to the Chak Phra Festival and saw a Buddha boat.
ผมไปงานชักพระ แล้วก็เห็นการแข่งขันพายเรือชักเย่อ
I went to the Chak Phra Festival and saw a boat tug-of-war competition.
By adapting their sentences rather than simply copying them, pupils practised expressing their own ideas in Thai.
It's a wonderful example of learning that connects directly with life beyond the classroom, helping our pupils understand and appreciate the traditions of the island they call home.
🌼 Reminder: Year 1 Admissions – September 2027
Year 1 admissions are now open for children who will be five years old by 31 August 2027.
Current Si Ri Panya families: Register now for our November sibling-priority pre-assessments. Sibling priority applies to November only.
New families: Expressions of interest are welcome, with school tours available now and group pre-assessments taking place in January 2027.
📧 To register your interest or book a tour, contact admissions@siripanya.com.
Key Dates at a Glance
Secondary Careers Fair - 18-Nov
Primary End of Term Performance 8-Dec
Bugsy Malone - Secondary Drama Performance 29 & 30 April
View all important school dates and events for 2026–27 on our homepage.
Scholastic Book Club – Orders Close 20 November
Don’t forget that our latest Scholastic Book Club is now online at https://world-schools.scholastic.co.uk/si-ri-panya/digital-book-club. There are hundreds of fantastic children’s books to choose from, and every $1 you spend on this month’s Book Club will earn 20¢ for our school in Scholastic Rewards.
Please place your order online by November 20th, 2026.
🌟 Weekly Reminders
🚗 Drop-off & Pick-up
Drop-off: from 8:30 a.m.
Primary pick-up: 2:50 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. for ASA
Secondary pick-up: 4:00 p.m.
Please be punctual.
🤒 Absence
Please inform your child’s class teacher (Primary) or form tutor (Secondary) if they are absent or unwell.
👕 Uniform
Please ensure your child wears the correct uniform each day.Primary Order Form | Secondary Order Form
🍎 Healthy Routines
Please send healthy snacks only, check regularly for head lice, and keep long hair tied back.
📖 Library Books
Please return any school library books to the Primary or Secondary library.
🎂 Birthdays
Primary birthdays (Years 1–6) are celebrated on Fridays at 2:00 p.m. during Enrichment Time. Secondary birthdays (Years 7–11) are celebrated during tutor time.
♻️ Bottle Caps
We continue to collect bottle caps for our Precious Plastic Project. Collection point: outside the Primary gate.Find out more about the Precious Plastic Project
🌬️ No Idling
Please switch off engines while waiting outside school.
📘 Family Handbook
For full school guidance, routines and expectations, please refer to our Primary and Secondary Family Handbooks.
Si Ri Panya News — Previous Issues
Explore earlier issues of Si Ri Panya News via our school blog archive.
