Secondary Newsletter

Greetings from the Head of Secondary

Dear RBIS Community,

May has been one of the busiest months of the school year, with our students fully engaged in both academic and extracurricular pursuits.

The bulk of our IGCSE and A-Level exams took place this month, with our final exam scheduled for 13th June. Years 7 to 10 also completed their end-of-year exam week, and I’d like to commend all students for their focus and effort throughout this challenging period. Please note that following the exams, normal lessons will continue until the last day of the school year.

Alongside the exams, May was also filled with enriching activities. Students participated in the Chinese HSK mock exams, the UKMT Junior Maths Competition and the FOBISIA Key Stage 3 Poetry Competition. Our annual Jogathon once again brought energy and community spirit to the campus, and we hosted the final online parent workshop of the year, which focused on helping students manage their time effectively — a timely skill during this exam season.

As we approach the final stretch of the year, students are reminded to continue collecting house points. The competition will officially close on 13th June, and as tradition dictates, the winning house will be rewarded with a special day out. Every point counts, so let's finish strong!

Thank you to all students, staff, and parents for your continued support and dedication.

Tom De Smet
Head of Secondary

Table of Contents

Results of the UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge 2025

Once again fantastic Maths Achievements at RBIS!

We’re thrilled to announce the results of the UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge 2025! This prestigious competition encourages mathematical thinking and problem-solving for students in Years 7 and 8 — and this year, RBIS students truly shone again!

👏 All 11 RBIS students who participated received an award:

🥇 2 Gold
– Monte (Y8) – Best in School
– Thuta (Y6)

🥈 4 Silver
– Tetto (Y6)
– Longlong (Y7)
– Aiko (Y8)
– Janice (Y8)

🥉 5 Bronze
– City (Y5)
– Evelynn (Y6)
– Victoria (Y7)
– Arale (Y8)
– Pingping (Y8)

A special shout-out to Monte, who earned a Gold Award and was named Best in School! 🏆

We’re especially proud of our Year 6 and even Year 5 students who took part and excelled in this secondary-level challenge.

Huge thanks to Mr Reed for leading the initiative and to Ms Parsons and Ms Wild for supporting our younger participants.

The UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple choice challenge. Students are allowed a plain sheet of paper and pen/pencil to help solve the questions; squared paper, calculators and measuring instruments are forbidden. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. The problems on the Junior Mathematical Challenge are designed to make students think; most are accessible, yet still challenge those with more experience.

Students from Year 5, Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 participated in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge on May 2nd.

More British Physics Olympiad Successes

Congratulations to Ahn and Abel from Year 10!

Both students achieved Silver awards in the 2025 British Physics Olympiad's Junior Physics Challenge!

This online competition featured a wide range of thought-provoking questions in areas such as Dynamics, Electricity, Optics, Heat, Waves, Astronomy, and more. While most questions were aligned with the IGCSE curriculum, success required strong general knowledge and a real interest in hands-on science learning.

A big well done to Ahn and Abel for their outstanding achievement—and to Mr Kelly for his support and preparation.

Y.7 - 10 End-of-Year Exam Week

This month our students in Years 7 to 10 took part in their End of Year Exam Week. These assessments, held under formal exam conditions, provided students with the opportunity to consolidate their learning, practise effective revision strategies, and build confidence in a structured testing environment. We were impressed by the mature and focused approach shown by many students throughout the week. Well done to all!

Chinese HSK mock exams

In the first week of May, our school held the HSK Chinese mock exam week. Students from Years 7, 8, and 9 participated in tests at different levels. Most students successfully passed their exams, and some even achieved outstanding results with full marks.

Those who did not pass also showed a positive attitude, expressing their determination to keep working hard and achieve a better score next time.

In addition, students who passed the mock exams can apply to take the official HSK test and earn an internationally recognized Chinese proficiency certificate. This not only demonstrates their language skills but also greatly benefits future university applications, career opportunities, and overseas exchange programs.

Jog A thon

Heavy continuous rain postponed our Jog -A-Thon but we finally managed to get a day without rain.

All the Secondary students along with Year 6 and some teachers waited for the start to be announced and then they were off. It was wonderful watching our students put such a great effort into their run or walk.

We were raising funds for our Community Service project at Wat Tha Chumnum School which our 6th Form will visit in June.

We collected a fantastic total of 24 839 baht with a few donations still to be handed in,

All the students were given Community Service points for their contributions with House points.

Final online workshop for parents

Time management

Ever feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day? On May 15th, we hosted a Time Management Workshop to support students—and their families—in developing practical strategies for making the most of their time. From setting priorities to managing distractions, the session offered useful tools that parents can also use to guide and encourage effective routines at home.

Some of the most impactful strategies shared included time-blocking, where students divide their day into focused work periods and breaks; the Pomodoro Technique, which uses short timed sessions to maintain concentration; and useful advice about revision strategies, parental support and wellbeing. We also discussed how to build realistic to-do lists, reduce procrastination, and create study-friendly home environments—skills that benefit the whole family.

If you couldn’t make it or would like to explore the techniques further with your child, please contact the school for your own personal copy of the slides. Working together, we can help our young people build habits that lead to success both in and out of the classroom.

Fobisia KS3 poetry competition

"Voices Through Time"

Key Stage 3 Students Find Their Voice in FOBISIA Poetry Competition

This term, our talented Key Stage 3 students proudly took part in the FOBISIA "Voices Through Time" Poetry Competition, an inspiring event that invited young writers across the region to reflect on how voices—past, present, and future—shape our world. The theme encouraged deep thinking about identity, history, and expression, and our students rose to the challenge with creativity, insight, and heart.

Over several weeks, students explored a range of poetic techniques and studied powerful examples of verse before crafting their own original entries. From personal reflections on family and culture to bold commentaries on change and resilience, the resulting poems were thoughtful and imaginative. Each submission reflected the unique voice of its writer—exactly what the competition aimed to celebrate.

We are proud of all our entrants for their effort and originality. Their work demonstrates not only a growing confidence in self-expression but also the power of poetry to connect generations and perspectives. Well done to everyone who took part—and special congratulations to those whose entries were shortlisted or received commendation!

Selected entries:

Year 7: Victoria - "Hands"

Year 8: Janice - "Half-Awake"

Year 9: Pookie - "The Tired Nurse"

Y.7 - 9

What's Going on?

Year 7 Geography

This term in Geography, Year 7 students have been learning all about International Tourism, a topic that’s especially relevant here in Thailand, where tourism is a big part of everyday life. We've looked at what makes tourism grow, the different kinds of attractions people visit, and the good and not-so-good effects tourism can have. As part of this, we watched a documentary about the negative impacts of tourism in Thailand and read a recent newspaper article about droughts on Thai islands, linking it back to our earlier learning about water resources and the challenges of overtourism.

Students have been getting stuck into a mix of fun and hands-on activities, from making creative collages to working together on research tasks. We also spent time revising for our end-of-year exam… now we’re all wondering—how did it go? We’ll find out soon!

Year 8 Art

This term Year 8 Art students are diving into a creative project called "Colour vs Black and White", inspired by the work of Amber Moran, an artist known for her colourful, nature-themed illustrations. Students are using colour and black-and-white contrast to explore ideas about nature and the world around us. They’re also deepening their understanding of the elements of art, especially colour and value; learning how different tones, shades, and hues can create mood, contrast, and meaning in their work. What makes this project even more exciting is that it's linked with their Biology lessons on ecosystems. While learning about how living things interact and depend on each other, students are reflecting these ideas in their artwork.

By combining art and science, students are building both their creative skills and their awareness of the natural world.

Year 9 General Science

This term, our Year 9 students have been diving into the world of electricity in their General Science classes.

They have learned how parallel circuits work and how they differ from series circuits. They’ve investigated how current flows, how voltage is distributed, and how resistance affects the performance of a circuit.

These fundamental concepts not only build their understanding of everyday electrical devices but also lay the groundwork for more advanced studies in physics.

This unit has sparked curiosity and developed problem-solving skills, as students learned to troubleshoot and refine their circuit designs.

Y.10 - 13

What's Going on?

Year 10 IGCSE Business

This term, we have been exploring Topic 3: Marketing from the IGCSE Cambridge Business Studies syllabus in a fun and engaging way.

Students are designing their own chocolate brand and product, allowing them to apply key concepts of the marketing mix: product, price, place, and promotion to their own idea.

This hands-on project helps them understand the theory behind marketing decisions while encouraging creativity, market research (also part of unit 3) and innovation.

Year 11 PE

This term, our Year 11 students are taking on an exciting new challenge in PE: learning how to play Peteca, a traditional Brazilian sport that is as dynamic as it is fun!

Originally created in the state of Minas Gerais, Peteca is a game inspired by Indigenous Brazilian traditions. It has been passed down through generations and today is recognised as a culturally rich and physically engaging sport.

Peteca is played in a court similar to badminton, but instead of using rackets, players hit a specially designed shuttlecock—also called peteca—with their hands. The aim is to keep it airborne and send it over the net to score points, requiring players to develop power, control, and precision in their movements.

More than just a game, Peteca offers a wide range of physical and mental benefits. It enhances hand-eye coordination, improves cardiovascular fitness, strengthens the upper body, and sharpens concentration. Because it's typically played in pairs or small groups, it also fosters teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking.

Our Year 11s have shown great enthusiasm embracing this unique sport, which not only adds variety to their PE curriculum but also connects them with global cultures through movement.

We’re proud to see our students learning, growing, and enjoying every serve and strike!

Year 12 A level Physics

Exam season began in earnest at the start of the month for Year 12 Physics. Students are studying for the International Advanced Level qualification in Physics offered by Pearson Edexcel. The course consists of six units in total. The first three units are designated at Advanced Subsidiary while the last three are at Advanced 2 level. Therefore to gain the A level qualification all six units must be completed.

The course is flexible and exams are offered three times a year in January, May and October. Students can choose which units to take and at what time of year and also opt to retake a module if necessary.

In year 12 students have focused on completing the first three units in the January and May exam sessions. This is a standard and logical approach towards building up the required credits for the international A level qualification. Students noted that the exams were challenging but fair on the whole. Next Year will see the class continue with units 4, 5 and 6 and take their final IAL exams in Physics.

Year 13 PSHE

Exploring Life and Career Choices in Year 13 PSHE!

Our Year 13 students have been engaging in thoughtful discussions and reflective activities as part of their PSHE lessons, with a focus on Life and Career Choices.

One such activity, “Ideal Conditions for Employment,” invited students to imagine their perfect job — considering what motivates them, the kind of environment they thrive in, and the challenges they’d prefer to avoid.

As shown in the photo below, students thoughtfully captured their ideas and preferences, highlighting the kind of work-life balance that suits them best.

This topic is helping students build confidence in making informed, intentional choices about their futures.

HOUSES @ RBIS

4 houses

The RBIS Houses are designed to embody the values and ethos of our school and are an integral part of our school community.

Our Houses' main aim is to provide every student in each house with a sense of belonging within the school community, opportunities to develop social, intellectual, physical and practical skills, a sense of achievement both inside and outside of the classroom including through the fun and excitement of inter-house competitions.

Students are assigned to one of our four Houses when they join the EY, Primary or Secondary sections of the school; entering a system which is designed to develop an awareness of individual and collective responsibility and opportunities for student leadership. Each house has two designated elected House Captains (Primary and Secondary) who will act as representatives for all the students in their house throughout the year by: helping coordinate house teams, organise activities and events and represent their house at relevant meetings.

House events at Secondary (May)

Geolocator

In the challenging Geolocator quiz, many were left scratching their heads to identify different locations based on an image, but in the end, Unicorn came out on top, followed by Lion, then Dragon, and finally Phoenix.

Volleyball tournament

The Dragons surprisingly lost the final to a disciplined Lion House, where Mei stepped in to save the day but Peam from house Lion was definitely the highlight. Phoenix will play Unicorn for third place this Friday!

House ranking

(Based on the HP earned since the start of the school year)

House Point Leaderboard

(Based on the HP earned in May)

House Point Leaderboard

(Based on the HP earned since the start of the school year)

Student achievements

ROUND SQUARE @ RBIS

RBIS is proud to announce it is a global member member of ROUND SQUARE which is a prestigious international organisation with schools in over 50 countries, across six continents.

It focuses on holistic education practices through the following six key IDEALS:

Internationalism: Students are taught to value and respect all cultures, religions and languages. They learn to see themselves as global citizens and are asked to look beyond gender, class, race, nationality and culture to understand human nature.

Democracy: Freedom of thought and speech is greatly encouraged and appropriate forums and channels of communication are in place for students to voice their views. Students are also taught to appreciate the importance of self-discipline and are trained and expected to share in the responsibility for development of the school.

Environment: Round Square students are expected to demonstrate concern for all natural environments, to be aware of proven problems and to play a practical role in tackling environmental issues. Students are taught the interdependence needed to maintain a healthy relationship between human beings and the planet.

Adventure: Building character through adventure, meeting physical challenges and developing an appreciation of the outdoors: these are all central to Round Square schools.

Leadership: Students are taught that true leadership is found in those whose convictions are rooted in personal responsibility, kindness and justice. Opportunities for student leadership in the school community are fostered extensively.

Service: This is the key element utilised by Round Square schools to prepare students for life through the expectation of serving others. Students commit themselves to local, regional and international service projects.

Round Square related events at Secondary (May)

This month students created IDEALS-themed videos as a lighthearted introduction to Round Square for Primary students. Congratulations to the winners:

1st place: Pin Pin, Shan & Nate - Year 11

2nd place: Ava, Haila & Alice - Year 9

3rd place: Pune, Asian & Nokyung - Year 9

Congratulations to the winners! We're sure primary students will enjoy your videos.

Community service at Secondary (May)

The preparation for 6th Form residential at Wat Tha Chumnum School is almost complete. Our students are now planning the English speaking parts of the project and ways of interacting with the children at the school.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our 6th Form students to help children who are less fortunate than ourselves and we are sure they will find it a fulfilling and memorable experience.

Our thanks to the RBIS community for helping us raise the funds to allow us to carry out the complete project. We will share a daily report on our RBIS facebook so everyone can follow what our 6th form students are achieving day by day.

Board games ready - all children at the school will play the games.

A mural idea by Khim - we have 6 murals to paint with help from the children at the school

Make the canteen a better place for the children to eat in - we will watch the progress of this being carried out by workers.

A possible idea for outdoor floor designs; 6th Form are still working on this. Let's see what they come up with.

Amazing, we reached our target of collecting 200 000 plastic tops. Now we move on and our target is to reach 300 000 plastic tops by the end of the next academic year. We can do it!

We have collected a great amount of recyclables but will collect more and have a final "pick up" in June. It wil be a great way to end the year.

Remember the more recyclables you bring in the more community service points and house points you earn.

Community Service points

Who will be the top three students in Secondary?

Last community service points for this academic year will be issued on Friday 13th June; so bring in your recyclables by that date! You have 2 weeks to receive more points.

Community Service Point Leaderboard

(Based on the CSP earned in May)

Community Service Point Leaderboard

(Based on the CSP earned since the start of the school year)

ECA Focus

Mindful Movement - Yoga Flexibility & Balance

In Mindful Movement, students come together to create a calm space where they can move with intention, focus on their breath, and connect with their bodies. Each session is about slowing down, tuning in, and letting go of stress in a supportive, judgement free environment.

In our classes, students are building strength, flexibility, balance, and focus. We've been working on our journey to the splits, slowly increasing our flexibility over time. We’ve also been developing concentration and core control through balance work, learning how to steady the body and calm the mind.

Students build strength by holding poses with control, and we move through gentle spinal flows, paying close attention to each breath and movement. We've explored bridge pose and shoulder stands, learning how to move carefully and safely while challenging ourselves in new ways.

Above all, this ECA is about being kind to ourselves and others, celebrating progress, big or small, and creating space each week to breathe, move, and feel good.

Upcoming events

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