Over the course of the school year so far, it has been extremely rewarding to notice the growth that our pupils have already had in such a short space of time. You can really see the relationships they are building with the teachers and peers and the positive impact these are having. These first few weeks of any new academic year are so important to prioritise these key aspects of their school lives so they are ready for the year ahead.

It is with this in mind that we must see the benefit of 'doing nothing' at times. Having free time at home for our pupils is essential if they are to come back to school in the morning ready to learn. I implore to all families to consider the impact of any tuition time outside of school and if it is having a positive effect. The school day is packed full of different subjects that focus on so many different skills. Having time to just 'be' can make the difference in a pupil's wellbeing in the school day.

Please do check out the upcoming coffee morning sessions available to you to see parts of our school ethos in detail. We hope to see you there! As always, feel free to come and speak to us if you have any questions.

Dear junior boarders, welcome back to another fantastic year of learning, growth, and adventure! We hope you had a rejuvenating summer break and are ready to dive into the excitement of the new school year. From engaging classes and extracurricular activities to thrilling events and opportunities for personal development, this year promises to be truly exceptional.

Go for it, junior boarders!

Welcome to our first ever KSS PREP PTA 2023-2024 school year! We're thrilled to announce that our PTA name list has been finalised and will be shared with the KSS community soon. The PTA mission is to foster collaboration between parents, teachers, and the school community to enrich our children's educational experience. Stay connected with us for more updates on meetings, events, and ways to get involved. Your support is the backbone of our success, and together, we can make a positive impact on our school.

What a brilliant few weeks it has been in our 'Skills Academy' Programme. By now, our pupils have settled well and truly into their first phase of activities. When walking around each day, I have observed great progress from our pupils with regards to their learning, whilst the enjoyment and fun of each session is clear to see on their faces.

As well as our skills academy sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, each grade has started their project-based learning, taking place every Monday. The idea behind this is for each class to plan and deliver a project of their choice with the intention of inviting you all in to showcase all of their hard work and efforts.

I am delighted to announce that after the final two weeks, we have a new phase of 'Skills Academies' starting. We have tried to keep a balance of new and exciting sessions but at the same time giving our pupils the option to continue with a small selection of our original activities. More information on our phase 2 'Skills Academy' will be sent out in the near future.

It must be said that we had a difficult start to our Academic House sessions at the beginning of the year: this was due, as you most probably remember, to adverse weather conditions affecting the first couple of Fridays at school. We of course had to contend with typhoons and storm surges, but once the bad weather had cleared, it was my joy to kick start the Academic House activities with a welcome assembly for Prep, and then Senior pupils.

During this assembly, I outlined what we can expect from our Academic House sessions this year: I explained that our Houses are like a second family, and that we should always try to act in a way to honour the integrity of our House, and our fellow House Teammates. Of course, one of the most important aspects that will motivate our pupils is the sense of camaraderie shared through inter-house competition. Pupils can look forward to events on our school calendar that will draw upon their best attributes and team spirit.

I am very much excited to see how our House events materialise across the year, but also the development our pupils will see as they unlock their potential. To this end, I strongly encourage pupils to seek opportunities to build skills out of their comfort zone: whether this is through applying to become a House Captain, signing up for inter-house competitions, or engaging and participating in performances and assemblies to the best of their abilities. It is through our House System that pupils can build the strength of character to go forth into the world and succeed. I look forward to pupils meeting this challenge.

KSS has had a fantastic start in the library this academic year. Our returning students have been exceptional role models, extending their support to their new peers. They have been very helpful in guiding their fellow students through the library and explaining the borrowing and returning process.

In their first library lessons, all classes had the opportunity to explore the library zones - fiction and non-fiction. The students borrowed and returned their first books, beginning or resuming their journey into the fascinating world of literature. To add an extra sparkle to the beginning of the year, we received a collection of new books. Our young readers were excited to explore these fresh additions and found themselves reading and sharing their newfound literary gems with their peers. Among the favourites were science fiction series and graphic novels. Upper prep students have shown a keen interest in adventure stories and humoristic fiction.

Reading has a profound impact on their quality of life, fostering imagination, empathy, and critical thinking. By immersing themselves in stories, students gain valuable insights, broaden their perspectives, and develop a lifelong love for literature.