🌱 PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE 

Beyond the Classroom: Autumn Excursions 2026 

Dear Parents, 

What a wonderful month of adventure, discovery and learning it has been for our Senior School students! Some of the most meaningful lessons in education happen beyond the four walls of a classroom and our Autumn Excursions have provided students with opportunities to explore new places, challenge themselves, strengthen friendships, and create memories that will last long after their school years. 

From Grade 7 in Moganshan, Grade 8 in Yangshuo and Grade 9 in Sanya, to Grades 10-11 in Thailand, our students enjoyed a rich variety of experiences that encouraged resilience, teamwork and personal growth. At SSIS, we believe that education is about developing not only academically capable students, but also confident, compassionate and globally minded young people who can step outside their comfort zones, embrace new challenges, and appreciate the world around them. 

Well done to our Grade 12 students for their hard work, focus and commitment throughout Incursion Week. While their younger peers were away on excursions, our graduating students remained on campus, making the most of this valuable time. And, from what I heard, their sleepover was certainly a memorable one!  

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated teachers and chaperones whose commitment, care and enthusiasm made these experiences possible. We are grateful to our parents for their continued trust and support. 

To our students, we hope you have returned with wonderful stories, stronger friendships, greater confidence and memories to treasure for years to come. After all, education is not only about what we learn, but also about who we become along the way. 

📚 Growing a Love for Reading 

As we approach November, I would like to encourage all our Senior School families to make reading a priority at home. 

In a world where screens, social media and digital entertainment compete for our children’s attention, developing a love for reading has never been more important. Reading is not simply about improving English grades. It develops vocabulary, strengthens comprehension, encourages critical thinking, builds empathy, and supports learning across every subject. 

Reading is a lifelong habit, and parents play an important role in nurturing it, even during their teenage years. 

📖 10 Simple Ways to Encourage Reading at Home 

⏰ Make reading a daily habit. Encourage your child to read for just 15–20 minutes each day. Small, consistent habits make a difference. 

📚 Let them choose what they read. Novels, biographies, graphic novels, sports articles and magazines all count. Choice encourages enjoyment. 

👩‍👧 Be a reading role model. Let your child see you reading. Children are more likely to value reading when it is part of family life. 

📵 Create screen-free reading time. Set aside a short period each evening when phones, tablets, and televisions are switched off. 

💬 Talk about what they are reading. Ask questions such as, “What surprised you?” or “Would you recommend this book?” “What did you learn from this book?” 

🏡 Make books easily accessible. Keep books around the house, visit libraries, and explore free e-books and audiobooks. 

🎯 Connect reading to their interests. Whether your child loves football, science, fashion, technology, or history, there is something worth reading about. 

🌍 Encourage reading in any language. Reading in a child’s home language also develops literacy, confidence, and a love of stories. 

🤝 Read together as a family. Share an interesting article, discuss a news story, or even choose a book that you can enjoy. 

🌟 Celebrate reading, not just results. Praise curiosity, effort and enjoyment rather than focusing only on the number of pages or books completed. 

A Small Challenge for November 

I invite every SSIS family to make a commitment to 20 minutes of reading each day throughout November. 

That is just 20 minutes away from screens and distractions, and 20 minutes invested in imagination, knowledge, language, and personal growth. 

As educators and parents, we share the responsibility of helping our young people become confident, curious, and independent learners. By working together, we can build a culture where reading is not simply something students have to do, but something they want to do. 

Let’s make November a month of reading, discovery, and curiosity across our SSIS community! 

Ms. Shireen NAIDOO 

SENIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL 

GRADES 7 & 8 | LSP UPDATE 

OCTOBER 2026  •  AUTUMN EXCURSION SPECIAL 

Learning Beyond the Classroom 

This October, our Grade 7 & 8 students left the classroom for their much-anticipated Autumn Excursions. From outdoor adventures to moments spent supporting one another, these trips offered opportunities to build confidence, strengthen friendships, and create shared memories. 

GRADE 7  |  MOGANSHAN 

Students braved a range of outdoor activities in Moganshan, and these photographs capture teamwork on the ropes course, group challenges on the field and time spent on the water. It was a chance to try new things, encourage classmates, and enjoy learning together in a different setting.

STUDENT VOICES  |  GRADE 7 

G7 Scarlett ZHANG 

I had many new experiences with my fitness, for example kayaking. We also visited a school for children with disabilities where I participated in activities with them and learnt many things from them like having patience. Overall, I had a wonderful time in Moganshan. 

G7 Esther CHO 

We had a lot of fun kayaking, hiking, and other challenges. I learned so many things there. I also had the opportunity to get closer to my friends. 

GRADE 8  |  YANGSHUO 

Students headed to Yangshuo for an excursion filled with adventure and shared experiences. From challenging outdoor activities to kayaking against the striking natural landscape, the trip offered plenty of moments for students to work together, step outside their comfort zones and make lasting memories. 

STUDENT VOICES  |  GRADE 8 

G8 Katherine WANG 

这次去阳朔，我印象最深刻的就是美丽又值得探索的洞穴。在那里，我们欣赏到了在山洞里栖息的蝙蝠以及一些奇特的矿石。矿石有长的，暗淡的，黑白相间的，甚至还有像宝石一样亮晶晶的。最后一天篝火晚会的时候，我们举办了一个小型的talent show，很多同学争先恐后的上去表演。有的跳舞，有的唱歌，还有一些上去演了一部短的舞台剧。我觉得这次excursion非常好玩和享受，希望明年的比今年的还要有乐趣！ 

On this trip to Yangshuo, what left the deepest impression on me was the beautiful and thoroughly captivating caves. There, we marvelled at the bats roosting within the caverns and at some rather extraordinary minerals. The minerals came in all manner of forms — elongated, dim, black-and-white striped, and even glittering like precious stones. On the final evening, at the bonfire gathering, we held a small talent show, and many of our classmates vied with one another to go up and perform. Some danced, some sang, and a few even put on a short stage play. I found this excursion thoroughly enjoyable and delightful, and I do hope next year’s will be even more fun than this year’s!

G8 Nolan MIAO 

So, the excursion was really fun. We did unique and special activities such as kayaking and swimming in the lake. The experience in Yangzhou was outstanding. It was good and I would recommend that students always go on excursions. 

COMING UP  |  PARENT–TEACHER CONFERENCE 

28 November 2026 

We look forward to connecting with parents at the upcoming Parent–Teacher Conference. It will be a valuable opportunity to discuss students’ progress, celebrate their growth and identify ways we can continue supporting their learning together. 

Any Questions? Feel free to get in touch with me:  
Yvonne TAN, LSP Coordinator 
yvonne_tan@ssis.asia 

GRADES 9 & 10 | IGCSE UPDATE 

Learning Beyond the Classroom 

This October, our IGCSE students left the classroom behind for their Autumn Excursions. Each trip combines challenge, adventure and service, giving students the chance to learn new skills, test their courage and show care for others. 

GRADE 9  |  SANYA 

Students spent their week in Sanya trying a range of new activities. They learned to surf, which for many was a completely new skill. River tracing and the Tree Top Challenge pushed them to be brave and to encourage one another through each obstacle. There was also plenty of time for beach volleyball and pool games. 

A highlight of the trip was our Service-Learning visit to The Bright Connection, a centre for children with cerebral palsy. Students spent time taking part in activities with the children and practised empathy and compassion. Before the trip, students also ran a donation drive. 35 students contributed more than 65 art supplies, which we presented to the centre during our visit. I am so proud of the students for this. It was so heartwarming! Thank you to every student and family who donated. 

STUDENT VOICES  |  GRADE 9 

G9 Vivian DU 

Surfing was very good because we learned a new skill we had never tried before. In community service, we learned how to help people not treated fairly by the world, and in the river tracing and tree-top challenge, I got to see some people really push themselves. 

G9 Rita SHEN 

The excursion this year was very interesting, and I learned a lot about service learning, which was very meaningful. We could help special children, and we were able to do something kind. I enjoyed helping others. All the activities were fun and enjoyable as well. 

G9 Albert YU 

This year’s excursion was so fun, and I enjoyed it a lot. I got to bond with friends over new activities. Surfing was a new skill that I learned and enjoyed. I also learned something new about the world through service learning; I understood that even though people are different in looks, we are the same and we need to always show kindness.

G9 Jeffrey ZHANG 

This year’s excursion was my favourite at SSIS. The activities gave me a lot of passion and excitement, especially surfing. We got the chance to learn something new and improve ourselves during the day. The service learning showed me that in the world there are also different types of people, and it made me feel good to support them and help them. 

Any Questions? Feel free to get in touch with me:  
Jackie Wheelock, IGCSE Coordinator 
jackie_wheelock@ssis.asia 

G11 & 12 | IB Programme Update

Progress, Adventure, and Community 

The IB Programme has been bustling with activity over the past few weeks. From completing first assessments to embarking on exciting adventures and strengthening our community bonds, our students have been thoroughly engaged in all aspects of the IB journey.  

Here is a look at what has been happening. 

Academic Progress Across the Programme 

We are pleased to report that all IB students have now completed at least one summative assessment, marking an important milestone in their academic year. These assessments provide valuable insight into student progress and help inform our teaching moving forward. We encourage students to reflect on their results and use this feedback to continue growing. 

G11 Excursions: Learning Beyond the Classroom 

Our Grade 11 students recently returned from their exciting excursions, which proved to be a rich and memorable experience. These trips offered students the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom, build friendships, and create lasting memories together. We are confident that the experiences gained during these excursions will serve as valuable material for CAS reflections and will contribute to our students’ personal growth. 

G12 Incursion Week: Focused Productivity 

While the G11s were away, our Grade 12 students participated in a highly productive incursion week at school. This dedicated time allowed students to make significant progress on their coursework, including their Internal Assessments (IAs), Extended Essays (EEs), and CAS projects. In addition to this focused work time, G12 students also completed a number of assessments. 

We are grateful to our G12 students for providing invaluable feedback on the incursion week. Their insights will help us refine and improve next year’s programme, ensuring we continue to offer the best possible support for our students. 

Building Community: The G12 Sleepover 

We also hosted our much-anticipated G12 sleepover at the school. The evening was filled with fun games, laughter, and quality time together as students and teachers bonded and got to know each other better. 

Although the original plan was to watch the sunrise together, the monsoon weather had other ideas—an overcast sky meant we couldn’t even see the sky, let alone the sun! Nevertheless, the spirit of the evening was not dampened. The sleepover was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our IB community, and a great time was had by all. 

Looking Ahead 

As we move further into the term, we encourage all students to maintain their momentum and continue making steady progress on their IB components. Thank you to our students, parents, and staff for your continued dedication and support. 

It has been a wonderful few weeks, and we look forward to the many achievements still coming. 

GRADE 10 & 11  |  Thailand

Any Questions? Feel free to get in touch with me:  
Andrew GOW, IBDP Coordinator 
andrew_gow@ssis.asia 

Key Upcoming Dates 

Your involvement matters, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership with you as we guide our students towards a successful future. 

We also warmly encourage all parents to attend our Parent Education Programmes throughout the year. These sessions are designed to help you better understand our subject offerings, curriculum pathways, and university entrance requirements. By staying informed and engaged, you can play an important role in helping your child make well-informed, realistic and achievable choices about their academic journey and future university aspirations. 

Your SSIS Family Benefits and Privileges:

Please check the wide range of benefits and privileges provided by our community partners.
EN: https://www.ssis.asia/privileges-discounts/
CN: https://www.ssis.asia/ssis%e5%ae%b6%e9%95%bf%e5%8f%8a%e8%80%81%e5%b8%88%e4%b8%93%e5%b1%9e%e4%bc%98%e6%83%a0/?lang=zh-hans