Si Ri Panya News Highlights (issue 48)
- 14 hours ago
- 6 min read
May 8th - Building on Strong Foundations
As we approach half term, it is a good moment to pause and reflect on the work taking place across Si Ri Panya.
For more than a decade, our school has been part of the Koh Phangan community. We are proud of the strong foundations that have been built over time: committed teachers, caring relationships, clear values, international standards, and a school culture where children are known, supported and encouraged to grow.
Strong schools do not stand still. They continue to reflect, review and develop. Through inspection and accreditation processes, parent feedback, staff reflection, student voice and ongoing school review, we continue to strengthen teaching, learning, systems and wider school life.
This work is not about changing who we are. It is about protecting what makes Si Ri Panya special, while continuing to raise expectations and improve the experience for every child.
We see this growth in many small but important moments each week: in classrooms, in behaviour, in the confidence of our students, in the care shown between children, and in the positive relationships between students and staff.
At the heart of this is a simple belief: children learn best when they feel known, valued and connected. Relationships, belonging and a shared culture of care are not extras; they are essential to meaningful learning.
This is one of Si Ri Panya’s greatest strengths. As we continue to grow, we are grateful for the support of our parent community and welcome your involvement, ideas and partnership in school life.
Together, we continue building a school where children are inspired, supported and proud to learn.
Precious Plastic: Small Bottle Tops, Big Ideas
Last Friday, Year 5 students took part in our exciting Precious Plastic workshop, discovering how plastic bottle tops can be given a second life.
The children learned about plastic pollution and recycling before getting hands-on with the process themselves. They weighed and sorted colourful shredded bottle tops, arranged their own designs, and watched as waste plastic began its journey towards becoming something new and useful.
The workshop was a brilliant example of practical learning in action, bringing together science, creativity, teamwork and environmental responsibility. It also helped students see that sustainability is not just an idea we talk about, but something we can actively take part in.
Well done to Year 5 for their thoughtful approach, careful work and enthusiasm throughout the session.
Year 5 Break 'Paska' Bread Together
Year 5 had a fantastic time making Paska, a traditional Ukrainian bread often served at Easter.
The students carefully combined the ingredients, kneaded the dough, and worked together to weave beautiful patterns into their creations. They showed patience, focus and creativity throughout the process, and the finished breads looked wonderful.
Best of all, they tasted even better than they looked!
Year 9 Checkpoint Exams
Our eldest students have reached a huge milestone in their school life: their first external exams.
Students completed their English Checkpoint exams this week, with Maths and Science still to come next week before a well-deserved break for half term.
Remembering how nervous many of these students were about exams only a couple of years ago, it has been wonderful to see how calm and prepared they now seem — although a little chocolate encouragement from their form tutor was surely appreciated too!
We are so proud of how hard these students have worked to reach this point. We hope these exams help them to recognise their many strengths, as well as the areas we can continue to support and develop in Year 10 and beyond.
Global Citizens: Small Actions, Big World – Primary End-of-Term Celebration
Our Primary pupils are exploring what it means to be Global Citizens, and we are delighted to welcome families to our end-of-term celebration on Thursday 9 July 2026.
The afternoon will begin with short class performances in the Drama Studio, followed by a garden exhibition where each class will host a themed gazebo linked to this term’s Power of Reading texts. Pupils and families will take part in practical activities showing how small actions can make a positive difference.
Activities will include creating a Secret Sky Garden collaborative mural, matching animals to their habitats, carrying water through a journey, collecting and sorting litter, receiving a rangoli-inspired hand stencil, and adding an action leaf to the Mama Miti Tree.
Tickets are available from the school office from today.
Performance Times: To ensure all families can be comfortably seated, please attend the performance time allocated to your child’s year group
Year 1–2 families: 13:05–13:15
Year 3–4 families: 13:20–13:30
Year 5–6 families: 13:35–13:45
Families are then invited to visit the class gazebos in the Primary garden.
Global Citizen Passport: Pupils should bring their event leaflet/passport on the day. As they visit each gazebo, they can complete the activity and collect a school values stamp. Pupils who collect all six stamps may visit the Exit Gazebo for their sticker before leaving.
Supporting Precious Plastic Community Outreach: Voluntary donations from the event will support our Precious Plastic community outreach project, helping students transform plastic waste into useful new items and share this learning with students from local Thai government schools.
We look forward to a joyful celebration of pupils’ learning, creativity and community action.
Year 3 Explore Indian Food at Chana Masala
This week, Year 3 enjoyed a rich and memorable International Food visit to Chana Masala in Hin Kong.
The children were warmly welcomed by Nueng, Chef Drigpal Singh and the Chana Masala team, who had planned a thoughtful afternoon of cultural learning, food tasting and hands-on cooking. Students began by learning about Indian food before exploring a range of traditional spices, using their senses to smell, observe and discuss the different aromas and ingredients.
They then had the opportunity to taste a variety of Indian dishes and drinks, including sweet lassi, poha, palak dosa, idli, uttapam, dal, basmati rice and different types of Indian bread. The afternoon finished with a samosa workshop, where the children made their own samosas to take home.
This was a wonderful example of learning beyond the classroom. Through food, conversation and practical experience, the children developed curiosity, cultural understanding and confidence in trying something new.
A sincere thank you to Nueng, Chef Drigpal Singh and the whole Chana Masala team for welcoming our students so warmly and giving them such a special experience.
Year 4 Leads This Week's Primary Assembly with Animal Classification Posters
Each week, a different Primary year group helps the Head of Primary lead our weekly assembly. This week, Year 4 had the chance to present some wonderful animal classification posters they made in Science.
The posters showed how students can identify one type of animal from another by examining key characteristics and using questions and a flow chart.
Questions such as “Does it have a shell?”, “Does it have fur?” or “Does it have a spine?” help students to think scientifically, follow a system, and use evidence to draw conclusions.
Well done, Year 4, for sharing your learning so clearly with the rest of Primary.
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
Primary End of Term Event
See Newsletter Issue 48 for full details
Year 2 Begin Their Cooking and Nutrition Unit
This week, Year 2 began their new Cooking and Nutrition unit with a bread tasting visit to Croissant & Co.
The visit helped introduce the children to their learning about bread, food, taste and texture. In class, students will be exploring different types of bread, how bread is made, and how we can use sensory words to describe the look, smell, taste and texture of food. The unit also looks at breads from around the world and how bread is eaten in different ways and for different occasions.
This first tasting experience gave the children a simple and enjoyable starting point for discussion, helping them think about flavour, texture, ingredients and personal preferences before moving into further practical cooking activities.
🌟 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.
