2025-26
WELCOME TO RECEPTION
Dear Families,
We are very excited to welcome you and your child to Reception! Your child is going to have so much fun learning and making new friends from all around the world.
In Reception we have three classes led by three class teachers: Miss Louise (Reception Green), Miss Emily (Reception Purple) and Miss Rashy (Reception Orange). Children will also be welcomed by lovely teaching assistants: Miss O, Miss Tik, Miss Ann and Miss Tukta. We work as a team to assist your child as they learn and grow so that they feel happy and supported along their learning journey.
In Reception we will be:
● Finding out about each other.
● Playing in the indoor and outdoor classrooms.
● Learning about alphabet letters and sounds.
● Learning how to write our name and much more.
● Learning how to count and make amounts of objects.
● Most importantly… having fun!
The team is always here to help and we are looking forward to playing with the children and getting to know them. We sincerely hope that your child has a wonderful time in Reception and we look forward to working with you to build a strong, positive partnership.
Best wishes,
The Reception Team
MEET THE RECEPTION TEAM
Louise Lucas Year Leader llucas@bisphuket.ac.th
RECEPTION GREEN
Rashy Khanijou Reception Teacher rkhanijou@bisphuket.ac.th
RECEPTION ORANGE
Emily Joos Reception Teacher ejoos@bisphuket.ac.th
RECEPTION PURPLE
Miss Tik TeachingAssistant
Miss Tukta TeachingAssistant
MissAnn TeachingAssistant
Miss O TeachingAssistant
Miss Hayley Learning SUpport Teacher
THE SCHOOL DAY
Reception children attend five full days from Monday to Friday. The school day begins at 7.50am and we ask that adults take the children to their classroom door. It is very important for your child to be on time as this prepares them for the rest of the day. If children arrive after 8.05am, parents must register their child at the Primary Office. It is important that we have your child’s attendance recorded in case of an emergency.
Home time is 2.15pm and children should be picked up from their classroom door. Please inform the class teacher if somebody else is collecting your child or you are running late. Children that are not collected by 2.25pm will be taken to wait in The Primary Office.
SETTLING YOUR CHILD
The first few weeks, when a child is settling into their new class, is a time of crucial importance to their later happiness. All children are individuals and while some children will adjust fairly easily to the new environment and new routines, others will take longer to feel comfortable and secure. Together with your child’s class teacher we will decide on how best to settle your child into their new environment. This may require you to stay with your child for a short time or for them to attend for shorter periods of time initially. Teachers will reflect each day on how well your child is adjusting and, with the child’s well-being in mind, will make plans for the following day/days. Should your child become very upset you may be asked to come and collect them early.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
Parents are asked to email primary@bisphuket.ac.th before 7:30am if your child will be absent. All absences will be listed as unauthorised until notification is received.
DAILY REQUIREMENTS
All Reception children are expected to wear a school uniform. The Early Years uniform is a blue polo shirt and navy blue shorts or a dress which can be purchased from the school shop. The polo shirt and blue shorts should be worn on the days that your child has PE lessons (no dresses, please).
Children should wear shoes that are comfortable and which they can manage themselves (no laces). We recommend that children wear a closed-toe shoe to school each day, with running shoes in their school bags for the days when your child has PE lessons.
Spare uniforms and underwear should be brought to school each day in a school bag, with a plastic bag for the return of wet clothing.
All items must be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Hats, book bags and water bottles
All children are required to wear a hat when playing outside. These can be left in school during the week and taken home to wash at weekends. We also ask that parents apply sunscreen to their children before coming to school. Please also send your child to school with a simple and easy to use water bottle each day.
COMMUNICATION
It is very important that parents and teachers communicate regularly about each child’s learning and development. Teachers will meet with you during scheduled parent teacher conferences throughout the year. If you would like to speak to the teacher in addition to these parent teacher conferences please arrange a meeting with the teacher. If there are any changes in your child’s behaviour, health or general routines, please let your child’s teacher know. Often, simple changes to a child’s routine e.g. a family member visiting, can have an impact on their behaviour in school. It is good for the teacher to know this information so that they can understand each child better.
In Early Years, we use an application called ‘Toddle’ as a learning platform to document and connect families with their child’s learning and development. Teachers use photos and videos to record and track each child’s individual learning and progress. Teachers will give new parents a link to join and you will be able to access your child’s journal. It is important that parents check Toddle regularly so that they don’t miss any photos or important announcements. Please note that teachers may not be able to check Toddle during the day so if you have an urgent message please contact the Primary Office.
Alongside the Toddle communication, parents will also receive regular information emails from the Primary Principal and the Head of School. Over the year, Teachers will arrange learning workshops for parents and play sessions so that parents can explore the environment with their child.
SNACK and LUNCH
Please inform your child’s teacher of any allergies and food restrictions so that we can arrange for your child to have an appropriate meal. Children are provided with a snack every morning, this is usually a variety of fruit and a pastry. Children are always supported by Early Years staff when eating and staff members eat lunch with the children. At home time, children will be offered a fruit snack. Please do not send food to school in children’s bags or share food with any child apart from your own.
It is important to note that we have a strict ‘no nuts’ policy at our school.
SLEEP
Reception is a full school day with no option to sleep. We recommend that you begin withdrawing naps in the last week or two of the school holidays to give the children a chance to acclimatise to a full day at school.
PLAY BASED LEARNING
Throughout the Early Years, children are actively encouraged to learn through play.
Through play, children can discover their own interests, abilities and limitations; they imagine, investigate and explore. They develop memory skills, build vocabulary, learn new skills and knowledge and learn how to get on with adults and other children.
CURRICULUM
The Early Years learning experience here at BISP is based on the EYFS 2021 framework and is supported by the non-statutory guidance of ‘Birth to 5 Matters’. It includes:
● The seven areas of learning and development (see next page)
● Assessment through high-quality, age-appropriate observations and discussions with the children
● A strong focus on English language development through quality interactions in a language-rich environment
● A strong focus on self-regulation and executive function to build strong foundations for learning and development
PHONICS
In the middle of Term 1, the children will begin the Read Write Inc. Phonics program. They will focus first on listening then begin to learn the phonetic sounds.
SPECIALIST LESSONS
Library
Children visit the Library once a week to enjoy a story and choose a book to take and read at home. Children can choose a book that they are interested in and must return it the following week to change.
PE
Children will attend two weekly PE lessons. The school’s PE department will run this. The polo shirt and blue shorts uniform should be worn on the days that your child has PE lessons (no dresses, please). Running shoes should be worn, or kept in your child’s bag on PE lesson days.
Music
Each class will have one music lesson per week, run by a specialist music teacher.
Swimming
Reception children will attend a swimming lesson one time per week. For this they will need a swimsuit and towel on the day of their lesson. Swimming hats, slip-on waterproof sandals and goggles are also recommended. Swimming is a very important part of our curriculum and is not optional, unless there is a medical certificate or valid reason for not joining the swimming lessons.
Thai
Reception children are given the option of attending two Thai lessons a week. These lessons start for Thai children in October, then for non Thai children in January. In addition, Thai teachers will spend time in Reception classes each week, supporting the use of the Thai language during the children’s self initiated play.
BIRTHDAYS
We love to celebrate birthdays in Reception. Please give the class teacher at least a few days’ notice and ask for a suitable time slot to bring in a treat for the children. Please ensure all food is nut free. If you are bringing cake, please provide plates, forks/spoons, a cutting knife and candles. For ease, we recommend cupcakes or doughnuts. Please, no individual gift bags.
TOYS
We ask that children do not bring in toys from home. They are easily lost and this can cause upset.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
There are various after school activities available to children in Reception. We ask that parents collect their children at 2:15pm to assist with getting them to their activity. Parents can sign up to After School Activities via Schoolsbuddy. Dave Berman, in the Primary Office, can give you more information about After School Activities. You can go to the office in person or email him on: dberman@bisphuket.ac.th
You are also welcome to email the activity providers directly for further details and costs:
● Learn to Swim: lts@bisphuket.ac.th
● Tennis: glemore@bisphuket.ac.th
● Gymnastics: info@phuketgymnastics.com
● BISP Dance School/Ballet/Cheerleading: swilson@bisphuket.ac.th
SICKNESS
If your child is sick, please keep them at home until they are well again. If they have had diarrhoea or a fever it is school policy that they should be free from medication or symptoms for at least 24 hours before returning to school. We have a Nursing Team that is always present on campus and they will be happy to assist and offer advice. If we believe that your child is sick after being brought to school, we will take them to see the nurse and the nursing team may ask you to come to school to collect them. If children have been prescribed medicine to take during the school day, it should be labelled and taken directly to the school nurse. Teachers cannot administer medicine.
If your child is sick and unable to come to school you can contact their class teacher via Toddle or the Primary Office (076335555).
DRESS UP DAYS
Through the school year we have days where the children dress-up. In November, we celebrate Loy Krathong where the children wear traditional Thai dress. We also have International Day where children can wear traditional dress from their home country, World Book Day where children are invited to dress as their favourite storybook character and Chinese New Year where children can wear something red or Chinese clothing. All of these events are well publicised before the event to ensure you have time to get a costume.
TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS
Teachers will regularly take photographs of children taking part in activities in school and add them to children’s Toddle journal. During enrolment you were asked to indicate your willingness for the school to use these photos of your child. Photography is an important part of our record keeping and communication. Please let us know if there is any reason why your child’s image cannot be recorded. When taking photos of your own child there are often other children in the photo. It is essential you respect their privacy by not using images with other children in them on social media platforms without their parent's knowledge or permission. This is a child safety issue and we ask that you respect this.
I.T. SUPPORT and COUNSELLOR
These services are available for your use. You will find the IT Department and Counsellor Office on the ground floor of the Main Teaching Building (MTB).
For further curriculum information, please contact your child’s teacher or visit the Early Years section of the school website: https://www.bisphuket.ac.th/inspire-learning/early-years/
CALENDAR
KEY TERM DATES
● Term 1: 18th August - 12th December 2025
● Mid Term Break: 14th - 18th October 2025
● INSET Day (School Closed) 20th October 2025
● Term 2: 5th January - 4th April 2026
● Mid Term Break: 16th - 20th February 2026
● INSET Day (School Closed) 23rd February 2026
● Term 3: 20th April - 19th June 2026
USEFUL LINKS
Parent Handbook Linked HERE
This handbook contains all the information you need about your child’s school experience.
Early Years Curriculum Booklet Linked
HERE
The Curriculum Booklet for Early Years contains the learning objectives for the Nursery and Reception children.
Code of Conduct for Parents Linked
HERE
We ask all community members to behave with Respect, Compassion and Integrity. Full details can be found in this code of conduct.
Parent Portal Login Page
Linked HERE
The parent portal can be accessed through the school website. It contains information only available to parents. You will need your account and password details to login.
Schools Buddy
Linked HERE
SchoolsBuddy is where you need to book your child’s after school activities each term. You will need to use your child’s account to select activities. User account and passwords are required.
