29th August 2025

Dear Samakee Community,

It was a delight to welcome so many of you to our Parent Welcome Evening last night. We hope you found the meeting both informative and enjoyable. The highlight of the evening was sharing our exciting news: we will be expanding our provision to include Key Stage 4, with Year 11 opening in the 2027-2028 academic year! This decision was met with great enthusiasm by our Upper School students earlier in the day, and we're thrilled that your children will now have the opportunity to continue their learning journey with us in a familiar and supportive environment. We will keep you updated as we develop our curriculum and finalise plans over the coming months.

Samakee Values

At the heart of our school is a deep commitment to high-quality education and the wellbeing of every student. Our name, Samakee, means togetherness, and it is a perfect word to describe who we are. It is from this powerful word that we derive our core values, which form the foundation of our ethos:

Safe: We create a secure and nurturing environment where every child feels they belong.

Mindful: We teach and model reflection, emotional awareness, and thoughtfulness.

Kind: We celebrate empathy, respect, and caring for one another.

Engaged: We foster curiosity, participation, and a genuine love for learning.

We believe that true learning goes beyond academic results; it is about nurturing the whole child in an environment where they feel safe, supported, and valued. This is also why a strong parent-school partnership is so crucial. By working together, we create a unified support system that ensures every child can thrive. Our approach is built on child-centered learning, where we focus on each student's individual needs, interests, and strengths.

Ultimately, our school is special because of our inclusive and supportive environment. It is here that relationships are nurtured, memories are made, and growth is truly fostered.

After School Club Fair

We are thrilled to open our after-school programme next week! A big thank you to everyone who participated in Monday's Club Fair, hosted by our enthusiastic Club Leaders. Once again, teachers and office staff have worked hard to offer a diverse and exciting range of activities. Their enthusiasm and commitment ensure that each child can explore new interests, develop skills, and engage in enriching experiences inside and outside the classroom. We are fortunate to have such dedicated teachers, and we know that their efforts, along with those of outside providers, will make this term's after-school program truly special.

This term, we're offering a variety of ECAs, including sports, creative arts, music, technology, academics, and more. We're confident your child will find something they enjoy and have memorable experiences throughout the term.

Please ensure your child has the necessary equipment and is aware of the time and location of their chosen activities. Our staff will be on hand to provide any support needed.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a fantastic term ahead!

Teaching and Learning Highlights!

EYFS - Dive into discovery!

Our little learners are becoming scientists, exploring cause and effect with our water shoots. They're working together, problem-solving, pouring and splashing to see how water moves. These hands-on activities are a powerful way to spark curiosity and develop essential skills in a fun, natural environment. It's a joy to watch them learn and grow!

Inclusion - Life Skills for Everyday Experiences

Our classroom is designed to feel like a second home, a place where children feel safe, valued, and comfortable. With cozy spaces and practical activities, we create an environment where learning is authentic and joyful. Here, children explore life skills in meaningful ways that connect to their everyday experiences.

Year 4 - Scientists in Action

We kicked off our lesson on states of matter with Mr Martyn in the science lab, thinking carefully about solids, liquids and gases.

Back in class, things got messy (and fun!) as the children made their own oobleck. The big question: is it a solid, or a liquid?

Lots of curiosity, great questions and plenty of excitement for practical science today!

Year 5 - Ukulele

This term, Year 5 is getting ready to learn how to play the ukulele and dive into the world of music. We'll start with the basics, such as holding the ukulele correctly and learning its parts. Soon, we'll be reading TAB and chord diagrams - the secret code to playing thousands of songs. Our focus will be on three essential chords: C, F, and G7, which are the building blocks of many popular tunes. Students will learn to strum, feel the beat, and bring songs to life with their own style.

Year 5 & Upper School - Exploring Thai Language & Culture

At Samakee, learning Thai goes beyond the classroom. Students discover the richness of language, culture, and history in joyful and creative ways from storytelling to practicing beautiful traditional Thai patterns and writing.

Exciting News! Introducing our new monthly English Challenges!

St. Andrews-Samakee is excited to launch a series of monthly challenges, called "The Write Stuff", designed to help our students develop their reading, writing, and oracy skills. We believe that learning is an adventure, and what better way to embark on it than through fun and engaging challenges?

Our first challenge for September is called "Your Ending, Your Story." We can't wait to see the creativity shine as our students craft their unique endings to a given story.

We hope to see as many students as possible participating! Let's work together to instil a love for the English language. Stay tuned for more details about this exciting new challenge.

Awards & Achievements

Chess Success

One of our Y3 students continued to show a strong passion for chess and proudly emerged as the winner of the Carroll Prep Chess Tournament, finishing with a perfect score and no losses. A wonderful achievement to share with our community!

Dance Success

On Wednesday, 27th August 2025, one of our Year 3 students joined a group of young dancers from Dance Plus Academy to take part in the Thailand Challenge Cup Dance Competition, Bangkok. Although the team members were only 4–7 years old, they proudly achieved 2nd place! It was their very first time performing on such a big stage, and they shone with confidence, responsibility, and teamwork. Well done to our talented dancers!

Upper School Credits

Calendar of Events

September

1st - Clubs / ECAs begin
9th - Little Learners Begins
11th - Farmers Market - 14:00 - 16:00
18th - Middle and Upper School Stay Late
25th - Humanities Day
25th - Farmers Market - 14:00 - 16:00

School Events

SAS LINE Communication Platform

LINE is a widely used communication platform in Thailand, and it's a platform that Samakee has been utilizing for quite some time. We encourage all our families to connect with our official SAS LINE account to ensure we can easily disseminate important school-wide updates to our entire school community. Click to add

Monica L Sudhirak

Head of School

Head of School, Monica L Sudhirak: msudhirak@standrews-samakee.com

First School Lead, Tabietha Sudhirak: tsudhirak@standrews-samakee.com

Key Stage 1 Lead, Alice Munenge: alice.m@standrews-samakee.com

Key Stage 2 Lead, Alyssa Pay: alyssa.p@standrews-samakee.com

Upper School Lead, Nicky Page: npage@standrews-samakee.com

“Samakee is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of all students and expects all staff and visitors to share this commitment.”

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