Si Ri Panya News | 2026–27 Issue 9
30 October 2026
What If We Weren't Afraid to Fail?
When was the last time you decided not to try something because you were worried you might fail?
It's a question worth asking ourselves, and perhaps our children too.
As parents and educators, we naturally want children to succeed. We celebrate their achievements, encourage their ambitions and take pride in their progress. But sometimes, in our enthusiasm to see them do well, we can overlook something equally important: the courage to try something without knowing whether we will succeed.
A child who puts their hand up despite being unsure of the answer, auditions for a performance despite feeling nervous, or attempts a difficult problem for the third time is demonstrating something far more valuable than simply getting things right.
They're learning to take risks, manage disappointment and persevere.
At Si Ri Panya, being Courageous and Resilient are two of our core values. We want our pupils to understand that mistakes are not something to fear or hide. They are often where the most meaningful learning begins.
As we return for the second half of Term 1, perhaps we can all encourage our children to focus a little less on getting everything right and a little more on having the confidence to give things a go.
After all, the greatest opportunities for growth often begin with the courage to try.
Welcome back to Si Ri Panya!
Years 8 and 9 Careers Fair – Wednesday 18 November
Have you ever thought about how your career experiences could help a young person discover their future path?
On Wednesday 18 November, from 1.00–3.00 pm, we're inviting parents to join our Years 8 and 9 Careers Fair and share their experiences with pupils.
Whether you work in business, healthcare, technology, hospitality, the arts, a skilled trade or something completely different, we'd love to hear from you! You don't need to give a formal presentation – just share how you got started, what your work involves and what you've learnt along the way.
Our pupils will have the chance to ask questions, explore different possibilities and discover careers they might never have considered.
Could you spare two hours to help inspire our pupils?
Please email Glenda Clark at glenda.c@siripanya.com to volunteer or find out more. Lunch will be provided before the event as a thank you for your time.
Year 7 History – Stone Age Toolmakers
Following their earlier experiments with fire-making, Year 7 continued exploring life in the Stone Age and the changes brought about by the Neolithic Revolution.
This time, pupils experimented with breaking and shaping rocks before attaching them to wooden handles to create their own tools.
The activity gave pupils a greater appreciation of the materials, techniques and practical challenges faced by early humans. Some impressive results!
Our Guinea Pig Project Is Moving Forward! 🐹
Our Primary Student Council's wish to welcome two guinea pigs to Si Ri Panya is one step closer to becoming reality!
Before we bring them to school, we're making sure they have loving homes during the holidays. We've now created a holiday care rota, and our first family has already offered to help.
Could your family look after our guinea pigs for a week during the school holidays?
We'll provide the cage, food and care instructions. All we need is families who can commit to caring for them during their chosen week.
With a little help from our school community, we can make the children's idea happen!
The Queen's Gambit: Chess Success for Si Ri Panya Brothers! ♟️
Congratulations to Bogdan and Stephan Raskin (Years 6 and 7), who recently competed in two major chess tournaments in Thailand!
At Chess Fest 2026, Bogdan won four of his six matches, finishing an impressive 8th out of 26 players in the Under-10 category.
The brothers also competed in the Thailand Rapid Championship 2026, where they faced experienced players, including adults and chess masters, over three challenging days.
Their mother, Irina, shared that the experience has inspired both boys to practise harder and continue improving their skills.
We're incredibly proud of their courage, determination and willingness to challenge themselves against such strong competition.
Well done, boys! 👏
We love celebrating our pupils' achievements beyond school. If your child has something to share, please let their class teacher know!
Year 5 Science – Preparing for Take-Off!
How can you make a parachute fall more slowly?
This week, Year 5 have been exploring gravity and air resistance, designing their own parachutes and thinking carefully about which materials and shapes might work best.
Each pupil has planned an investigation, considering how their parachute will work and predicting what might happen.
Next week, they'll put their designs to the test! Will their predictions be correct?
Year 4 Explore Ice Melting and Climate Change! 🧊🌍
How does water temperature affect the speed at which ice melts?
Year 4 investigated this question by placing ice cubes in water at different temperatures and measuring how long they took to melt.
Pupils practised using thermometers and stopwatches, recording their results and learning how to control variables to ensure a fair test.
They then connected their findings to climate change, discussing how rising global temperatures could affect polar ice caps and the wildlife that depends on them.
A great example of using practical science to explore a real-world environmental issue!
A New Chapter for Our Primary Library
Our newly refurbished Primary Library is already proving popular with pupils!
With its curved, tiered seating, comfortable cushions and inviting reading corners, the redesigned library offers children different spaces to enjoy books, whether reading independently or sharing stories with friends.
The photographs capture exactly what we hoped to see: children choosing books, settling into their favourite spots and enjoying time reading together.
A welcoming library is an important part of building a strong reading culture, and it's wonderful to see pupils making such good use of their new space.
Sharing the Joy of Reading
One of our Secondary pupils recently donated a wonderful collection of books he has grown out of, giving other children the chance to discover and enjoy them.
His generous donation includes popular favourites such as One Piece, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dragon Masters.
It's a lovely example of thoughtfulness and community spirit. Rather than leaving his books sitting on a shelf at home, he's given them a new life in the hands of other readers.
A small act of kindness that we hope will inspire others to share their favourite stories too!
Our Refurbished ICT Suite in Action
Our newly refurbished ICT suite is already being put to good use, with Year 10 pupils working on their first BTEC Pearson Set Assignments (PSAs).
The redesigned room features 22 individual pupil computer workstations, providing a dedicated environment for digital learning, research and independent study.
For our first Year 10 cohort, these assignments mark an important step in their Key Stage 4 studies, as pupils begin working towards their qualifications.
It's particularly rewarding to see our investment in school facilities supporting pupils in their day-to-day learning, with the new ICT suite already playing an important role.
Year 5's Friday Activity Gallery
🌼 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
Halloween Costume Celebration 30-Oct
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.
