Si Ri Panya News Highlights (issue 47)
- May 8
- 6 min read
May 8th - Learning That Comes to Life
This week’s newsletter gives a lovely snapshot of what makes Si Ri Panya such a special school on Koh Phangan: a close-knit community, practical learning, and a strong team of staff supporting children from Primary through to Secondary.
From Primary Science Day, where students made rain clouds, lemon volcanoes, string telephones and static electricity ghosts, to Year 8’s hands-on Industrial Revolution activity, our students have been learning by doing — asking questions, testing ideas, solving problems and making sense of the world through experience.
This practical, engaging approach is an important part of how we bring the curriculum to life. We want students not only to remember what they have learned, but to understand it, apply it, and enjoy the process.
As the school continues to grow, we remain proud to offer families on the island an international education that is personal, ambitious and rooted in real community. Thank you, as always, for being part of it.
📸 Whole School & Class Photos – Now Available
We are delighted to share this year’s Whole School Photo, along with the individual class photos, which are now ready to download.
A huge thank you to Frederic from Luna Lounge in Thong Nai Pan Noi, who has once again generously volunteered his time and talent to take our school photos free of charge. Thanks to his kindness, we are able to provide these special keepsakes to families at no cost.
We hope you enjoy looking through them and saving these memories from the school year.
Lemon Volcanoes, String Telephones and Static Electricity: Primary Science Day
This week, our long-awaited special school day devoted to the wonderful and mysterious world of Science finally arrived.
Across Primary, activities ranged from making lemon volcanoes using citric acid and baking soda, to exploring how sound travels through string telephones, investigating slimy non-Newtonian fluids, and even making ghosts move using static electricity!
The point of Science Day is twofold: to enjoy the excitement of hands-on experiments, and to practise the core skills of real scientific enquiry. Students measured, poured, observed, described, recorded and sketched what happened as each experiment got underway — all important tools of the trade for any budding scientist.
Some experiments take time and require observation over days, weeks or even a whole term. Others are instant, exciting, and wonderfully dramatic. Science Day gave our students a chance to experience both the fun and the discipline of scientific discovery.
Year 1 Prepare to Make Rain!
Year 1 began by getting ready to make rain inside the classroom.
There was plenty of observation and quiet concentration, as students prepared themselves to notice everything that was about to happen.
First, Teacher Olivia and the class simulated the formation of a cloud. By using smoke and cooling the air, they were able to observe the beginning of the precipitation process — when water returns to the earth’s surface as rain, sleet, snow or hail.
The class counted a grand total of 76 raindrops. Astounding! Well done, Year 1.
Science Day gives our students a hands-on, accessible and exciting insight into the subject, as well as practical experience of the skills needed to conduct experiments. Throughout the year, students learn how to make a hypothesis, set up an investigation, observe reactions or changes, and record what they notice over a specific time frame.
They also learn how to analyse results, look for patterns, and draw conclusions about why something happened. As their understanding develops, they begin to repeat experiments and change variables to test new ideas or compare different outcomes.
Science Day, then, is much more than a fun school activity. It boosts interest in the subject, encourages curiosity, and helps students develop a deeper understanding of the natural world and the mechanisms behind how things work.
Most importantly, it stirs curious minds — and, for some, may even be the beginning of a lifelong journey into science, future study, or one day, a career in discovery.
Parent View Survey
Our Parent View Survey remains open, and we are extending the deadline to allow more families time to respond.
The questions are based on a recognised set of parent questions produced by the UK Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) and used within the UK school inspection system. They help us gather clear and useful feedback from our parent community.
We do not yet have enough responses to give us a broad overall view, so we would be very grateful for more families to take part.
We kindly ask for one response per family, to be completed by Friday 15 May:
May Holiday Camp
We’re excited to let you know that registration is now OPEN for our next Holiday Camp!
Join us for days full of fun, games, creativity, and new friendships, it's the perfect way to keep the kids active and smiling during the holidays.
Dates: Mon 25th May - Friday 29th May
More info: Check out the Leaps & Beats Facebook Page to see highlights of our previous camps. Spaces fill up quickly, so be sure to secure your spot soon!
We can’t wait to see you there!
Secondary History: Learning By Doing!
As part of our Industrial Revolution topic, our year 8 students took part in a practical assembly line activity to experience, in a simplified and classroom-safe way, what factory work may have felt like during the Industrial Revolution.
By roleplaying rather than just reading about a subject, students have a chance to understand history in a different way, and which may make them think about the modern world in different ways too.
New V-Neck Jumpers Now in Stock
Our new school V-neck jumpers are now available.
They are suitable for both Primary and Secondary students and include the school logo. Sizes available: 5–8 / XS–MPrice: ฿547
Secondary Football Stars
Several of our Year 9 girls competed in a girls' football tournament on Saturday 2nd May at Athletiko and came 2nd place.
They won every game but lost in the final on penalties against ISS from Samui. So close this time, and we hope to organise a return match soon!
Year 9s - Noam, Naia, Roni, Yalley, and previous students Ariel & Noam!
A Strong Staff Team Behind Your Child’s Learning
In Term 3, we carry out our annual staff wellbeing survey. This is one of the ways we ensure that the adults supporting your children are working in a positive, well-supported environment.
This year’s feedback reflects a strong and settled staff team, with positive relationships, a shared sense of purpose, and pride in the work taking place across the school. This sits alongside our Gold Wellbeing School Award and strong staff retention this year—both important indicators of a stable and healthy school environment.
As the school continues to grow, our focus is on ensuring that our systems and day-to-day organisation fully support this strong culture, so that teachers can focus on what matters most—high-quality learning for every child.
Key Dates at a Glance
Looking Ahead: Key events and special days for the school year are published on our homepage.
SRP Music Academy
See Newsletter Issue 35 for full details
Parent & Friend Committee Meeting
See Newsletter Issue 45 for full details
🌟 Weekly Reminders
🎂 Birthdays: Primary birthdays (Years 1–6) are celebrated every Friday at 2:00 p.m. during Enrichment Time. Secondary birthdays (Years 7-11) are celebrated during tutor time.
📖 Library Books: Please check at home for any school library books and return them to either the Primary or Secondary library.
♻️ Bottle Cap Collection: We’re collecting bottle caps for our Precious Plastic Project. Collection point outside the primary gate. Find out more about this exciting long-term project here: www.siripanya.com/precious-plastic-project
🐞 Head Lice Checks: Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat if needed. Children with long hair (boys and girls) should keep it tied up.
👕 Uniform Orders: Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform each day. Uniform orders can be placed online:🔗 Secondary Order Form 🔗 Primary Order Form
🍎 Healthy Snacks: Healthy snacks only at break times. No sweets, crisps/chips or cakes.
🚗 Drop-off & Pick-up:
• Drop-off: from 8:30 a.m. only
• Pick-up:
– Primary: 2:50 p.m. (or 4:00 p.m. for ASA)
– Secondary: 4:00 p.m.
Please be punctual, as some children have been waiting for extended periods.
🌬️ No Idling Zone: Please switch off engines while waiting outside school to support a healthier environment for all.
🤒 Absence & Illness: Please notify your child’s class teacher (Primary) or form tutor (Secondary) if they are unwell or absent.
Si Ri Panya News Highlights — Previous Issues
Explore earlier issues of Si Ri Panya News Highlights via our school blog archive.
