We’re ready to go: The First Finding Nemo Kids Rehearsal

BY Mr. Andrew Esdaile

House Lead (Primary) and Cross-Curricular Lead

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This week, our pupils took their very first steps into the world of this year’s Primary Production, Finding Nemo Kids! The atmosphere was electric as the children came together for their first rehearsal—learning songs, beginning to explore their characters, and starting to bring the story of the Great Barrier Reef to life.

Being part of a production is a truly special experience. It is not just about those who take on leading roles, but about the whole cast working together. Every pupil plays a part in creating the magic of the show—whether that’s through singing, acting, movement, or ensemble work. Each role is important, and each child’s contribution helps to tell the story on stage.

Through rehearsals, pupils are developing so much more than performance skills. They are building confidence, learning to support one another, and practising teamwork and resilience. These qualities go hand in hand with our school’s values of respect, responsibility, integrity, love of learning, commitment, and excellence—values which shine through both on and off the stage.

We are so proud of the enthusiasm and positivity shown by all the children in this first rehearsal. With such an exciting start, we know the journey ahead will be filled with creativity, growth, and plenty of “wow” moments as the children prepare for what promises to be an unforgettable show.

???? Save the dates: April 7–9 for the performances! ????

广州英国外籍人员子女学校 | BSG Newsletter - 16th September 2025

Early Years: Nursery

BY Ms. Shauna McCutcheon

Nursery Class Teacher and Year Lead

Over the past two weeks in our Nursery class, we have engaged the children in a variety of activities that support their mathematical development, alongside our broader curriculum in English, phonics, and cross-curricular areas. Our maths learning is guided by the Birth to 5 Matters UK framework and White Rose Maths, ensuring a balanced and effective approach. A key element of our maths learning is integrated into continuous provision, tailored to each child’s interests and thoughtfully facilitated by the teachers.

Over the last two weeks, our maths lessons have focused on building the children’s understanding of counting and cardinality (knowing how many) through interactive activities. For example, outside they enjoyed using their whole bodies to count aloud as they jumped from one numbered chalk circle to the next. This hands-on activity helped them recognise numerals and develop an understanding of quantity in a physical and fun way. They also practised drawing the number 1 with chalk on the ground, which progressed into great drawings and mark making, encouraging fine motor development.

We incorporated familiar stories such as The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears to provide meaningful contexts for numbers. When the children counted three bears, they linked this to everyday items like plates, cups, and chairs, reinforcing practical number use. Role-playing parts of these stories has been particularly effective in supporting both number skills and language development, as children gain confidence speaking and interacting with their peers.

Nursery rhymes continue to be a vital part of our learning, with songs like Five Little Ducks and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom helping children to practise counting up to five and ten. These activities also support the use of fingers to represent numbers, strengthening fine motor skills and number recognition simultaneously.

Year 2 – Maths in action!

BY Ms. Bethan Amena

Year 2 Class Teacher

广州英国外籍人员子女学校 | BSG Newsletter - 16th September 2025

Year 2 have been focusing on becoming fluent in number and place value. Using materials and a range of representations, they have been practicing counting, reading, writing and comparing numbers to at least 100 and solving a variety of related problems to develop fluency.

This week we did practical activities involving concrete maths resources to help the children make connections between the numbers on the page and real-life examples. They used dienes to partition numbers into tens and ones and then changed the method to show several different ways to flexibly partition 2-digit numbers. Working in pairs allows them to share their ideas and develop teamworking skills. What marvelous mathematicians we have!

Learning About Migration and Stories of Belonging

BY Ms. Jennifer Walker

Year 6 Class Teacher

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Over the past few weeks in Humanities, our classes have been on a journey exploring the topic of migration – why people move and how this shapes our world.

We started by looking at migration within China, where many families move from the countryside to cities in search of work and better opportunities. The children were fascinated by the stories and statistics, and many began to make links to people they know who have moved. We will also be talking about migration for trade, and how the clothes, phones, and even chocolate we use every day connect us to people moving across the globe.

To guide our thinking, we connected our learning to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – better jobs and opportunities. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – fairness and equal chances for all. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – how cities can welcome new people and still remain strong.

In English, we are reading The Island by Armin Greder. This is a powerful story about a stranger arriving on an island and how the people respond to him. The children have been having deep discussions about fairness, kindness, and belonging. Many of them were quick to notice how the story connects to real issues in our world today, and to the Sustainable Development Goals such as: SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – treating everyone fairly. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – building safe and just communities.

Through these lessons, the children are learning not just facts about geography and literature, but also how to connect school to the real world. Most importantly, they are practising empathy and respect – qualities that help build a better future.

Secondary Music

BY Mr. Grant

Head of Secondary Music

Year 8 students have started the year by exploring how music can enhance the emotional impact of a film. They have delved into musical concepts such as ostinatos, pedal notes, and discords, understanding how these elements can create specific effects. Additionally, they have learned how leitmotifs can effectively convey the characteristics of a film character. In their first activity, students have been studying the work of John Williams and have been tasked with arranging the Star Wars theme to accompany a scene from the movie 'The Force Awakens'.

Event News

BSG Got Talent Student auditions deadline – 26th September

BSG Young Musician applications deadline - 13th October

IGCSE Music Y10

Students in Year 10 have begun the year by learning the basic principles of composition. This has involved how to cretae a successful balanced melody and how to expand and write interesting chord progressions which involve inversions and entended harmony. In relation to listening students have spent time reviewing basic musical terminology and vocabulary and practised how to use such terminology to discuss and evaluate the musical elements of a range of musical styles.

Secondary PE – Making a splash to kick-start the year!

BY Mr. Thomas Magson

Head of Secondary PE & Sport

The new academic year has seen our Year 8 students make an energetic splash in the pool and set the pitch alight as they continue to develop their sporting abilities during PE lessons. With a curriculum focus on Swimming and Football in Block 1, lessons have been designed to challenge students physically while also building tactical awareness, teamwork, and resilience.

In Swimming, students have been working on refining their stroke techniques across front crawl, breaststroke, and backstroke, with a strong emphasis on breathing control and efficiency. Lessons have highlighted the importance of body position and streamlining, helping students understand how minor adjustments can lead to greater speed and endurance in the water. This technical progression not only boosts performance but also nurtures confidence, ensuring every student leaves the pool with a sense of achievement.

During Football, lessons have been centred around developing first touch, passing accuracy, and movement off the ball. Students have been encouraged to apply these skills in small-sided games, where tactical decision-making and communication play a crucial role. With a focus on both attacking creativity and defensive organisation, Year 8 are demonstrating promising progress in their understanding of the game and their ability to work effectively as a team.

Looking beyond the classroom, excitement is already building for the upcoming Football and Badminton seasons for U14 students. Selected students from the trials will now represent the school in GISSA and PRC fixtures, giving students a fantastic opportunity to test their skills against strong opposition from the Guangdong region. Whether on the football pitch or the badminton court, these events provide a platform for our young athletes to showcase their talent, commitment, and determination to excel in competitive sport.

With the term ahead promising both learning and competition, we look forward to seeing how they continue to rise to the challenge!

Go Rhinos!

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