Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I hope this message finds you well. Agency and voice are key components of the student experience at KGV. Being able to influence their learning, provide insightful feedback, and develop accountability for outcomes ensures they will continue to build more skills. An example of this will be seen through our Mental Health Awareness Week next week. A passionate group of students have identified an important theme, worked collaboratively to build a strong research base, and used their creativity to develop a range of activities for our student community to enjoy. The key focus will be on movement as part of a healthy lifestyle, and I would like to thank the Student Wellbeing Ambassadors for putting together these fantastic activities.

As well as movement, another aspect of a healthy lifestyle is to have a balanced approach to screen time. It is great to see our students embracing the Disconnect to Reconnect policy, and we are noticing an increase in socialization among them, such as playing ball games and other physical activities during break and lunchtime. We will continue to develop our educational programmes with the importance of managing screen time as part of a healthy lifestyle in mind.

Have an enjoyable weekend ahead.

Best regards,

Mark Poulsum

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The Year 7 Team has been reminding students this week of the importance of packing their bags the night before school to ensure they are fully ready and prepared to learn. We have seen a decrease in the number of students reporting they have forgotten PE/Drama Kits or left laptops or books at home. This is an extremely important skill for students to master, as they become more and more responsible for their learning.

Rubbish and litter have also been a focus as we look at the general care and consideration students have for their school campus. Please can you help us to reinforce these values at home?

Finally, Year 7 students will soon be making their options choices for  Year  8. This involves students making a decision about which Creative Arts subject they will no longer study in Year 8. Students will pick between Music, Drama, Media and Art. Rather than continuing to study all four of these in Year 8, they will continue on with three Arts Subjects. Students will be talking this through with their Year 7 teachers in the first instance.

Thanks and have a lovely weekend.

The Year 7 Team

In our Year 12 assembly this week, Mr Poulsum and our Inclusion & Equity Prefects spoke to the year group about inclusive language and the need for our Year 12 students to live out our KGV values as role models for the rest of our school community.

A reminder that our Year 13 Graduation Ceremony is being held on Thursday 30th May at 6pm in our school hall. Each student is allocated 2 tickets and the tickets will be ready for collection from the Year 13 office from Thursday 16th May.

Please see below the event rundown for our annual Year 13 KGV Graduation Ball, held this year in Hotel Icon on Friday 31st May. Parents are invited to a Welcome Reception from 5:30pm with the meal being served for our students only in the Silverbox ballroom from 7pm. Please note that the event will finish at 11pm.

Event Rundown for Graduation Ball 2024 May 31st 2024 @ Icon Hotel TST

Wishing you a great weekend.

Today was a big day of exams with English and Biology back to back. This is a difficult thing that our students are doing and they are doing it well.

Please ensure your child is getting enough sleep, eating and getting exercise to stay well and healthy during this time.

Coming up we have:

• Saturday - German language
• Tuesday - French
• Wednesday - Comp Sci, History and Psychology
• Thursday - Geography and Maths
• Friday - Business and Chemistry

The exam timetable is here

The exam regulations are here

The Lionel system for Year 8 Options will reopen today to finalise Language and Arts choices. This selection window will be accessible for one week, so please encourage your child to complete their selections promptly.

We invite you to join us in celebrating KGV Mental Health Awareness Week from the 13th to the 17th of May. This year's theme, "Movement: Moving more for our mental health," aligns with the global theme. We recognise the vital role of movement in maintaining good mental health and aim to support all members of the KGV community in incorporating moments of movement into their daily lives.

Students can participate in various activities during breaks, lunchtime, and online sessions throughout the week. These activities have been thoughtfully planned and prepared by our dedicated Student Leaders, including Wellbeing Prefects and Ambassadors, with the guidance and support of our KGV Social Workers.

We encourage you to engage in movement activities at home with your child this week. It could be as simple as walking outside, dancing to your favourite music in the living room, or even incorporating chair exercises while watching television. Every small movement contributes to our overall wellbeing, and together, we can embrace these opportunities to enhance our mental health.

Let's come together during KGV Mental Health Awareness Week to prioritise our wellbeing and celebrate the power of movement in nurturing our mental health. See our KGV Wellbeing Website here.   

There are approaches to learning (ATL) skills within the MYP framework that are connected to mental health awareness. These skills help students develop an understanding of mental health, promote emotional wellbeing, and support the overall mental wellbeing of students. Here are a few ATL skills that are particularly relevant to mental health awareness:

1. Social Skills: Social Skills in the ATL framework involve developing effective communication, empathy, and collaboration. These skills enable students to build positive relationships, seek support when needed, and engage in meaningful conversations about mental health.

2. Self-Management: Self-Management skills encompass self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-motivation. By developing these skills, students can recognise and manage their emotions, cope with stress, and establish healthy habits contribute to their mental wellbeing.

3. Communication Skills: Communication Skills are vital in mental health awareness. Students can develop effective communication skills to express their emotions, actively listen to others, and engage in discussions around mental health topics, reducing stigma and promoting understanding.

5. Thinking Skills: Thinking Skills, including critical thinking and reflection, enable students to analyse and evaluate information related to mental health, challenge assumptions, and develop a deeper understanding of mental health issues.

By integrating these ATL skills into the curriculum, the MYP aims to promote mental health awareness, equip students with the skills to navigate mental health challenges and create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. These skills help students develop empathy, resilience, and a greater understanding of their mental wellbeing and that of others.

Have a great weekend!

Year 9 Pathways Update:

• Individual recommendations regarding Maths, Science, and WIN Pathway will be e-mailed to Year 9 students and parents on Friday, 10th May. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact your child's tutor, who will connect you with the relevant personnel.

• Hard copies of these recommendations will be distributed to each Year 9 student during tutor time on Monday, 13th May. We suggest students keep these recommendations in their bags to reduce pressure to compare or share with others.

• A parental online information session about Year 9 Pathway choices will be held on Thursday, 16th May, from 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

We invite you to join us in celebrating KGV Mental Health Awareness Week from the 13th to the 17th of May. This year's theme, "Movement: Moving more for our mental health," aligns with the global theme. We recognise the vital role of movement in maintaining good mental health and aim to support all members of the KGV community in incorporating moments of movement into their daily lives.

Students can participate in various activities during breaks, lunchtime, and online sessions. These activities have been thoughtfully planned and prepared by our dedicated Student Leaders, including Wellbeing Prefects and Ambassadors, with the guidance and support of our KGV Social Workers.

We want to encourage you to engage in movement activities at home with your child during this week. It could be as simple as walking outside, dancing to your favourite music in the living room, or even incorporating chair exercises while watching television. Every small movement contributes to our overall wellbeing, and together, we can embrace these opportunities to enhance our mental health.

Let's come together during KGV Mental Health Awareness Week to prioritise our wellbeing and celebrate the power of movement in nurturing our mental health. See our KGV Wellbeing Website here.   

There are approaches to learning (ATL) skills within the MYP framework that are connected to mental health awareness. These skills help students develop an understanding of mental health, promote emotional wellbeing, and support the overall mental wellbeing of students. Here are a few ATL skills that are particularly relevant to mental health awareness:

1. Social Skills: Social Skills in the ATL framework involve developing effective communication, empathy, and collaboration. These skills enable students to build positive relationships, seek support when needed, and engage in meaningful conversations about mental health.

2. Self-Management: Self-Management skills encompass self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-motivation. By developing these skills, students can recognise and manage their emotions, cope with stress, and establish healthy habits contribute to their mental wellbeing.

3. Communication Skills: Communication Skills are vital in mental health awareness. Students can develop effective communication skills to express their emotions, actively listen to others, and engage in discussions around mental health topics, reducing stigma and promoting understanding.

5. Thinking Skills: Thinking Skills, including critical thinking and reflection, enable students to analyse and evaluate information related to mental health, challenge assumptions, and develop a deeper understanding of mental health issues.

By integrating these ATL skills into the curriculum, the MYP aims to promote mental health awareness, equip students with the skills to navigate mental health challenges and create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. These skills help students develop empathy, resilience, and a greater understanding of their mental wellbeing and that of others.

Have a great weekend!

Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week, with a whole range of activities designed to raise awareness about looking after their own and their friend's mental health.

1:1 conversations continue during tutor time with a key question being what would be your option choices for Year 12 if you made them now. This is to start them thinking about options and considering our 4 pathways as soon as possible.

We will be making a presentation to Year 10 parents regarding the options process and pathways available before the end of the term.

Dear Parents and Students,

If you have ordered but haven't paid for The Lion KGV Yearbook 2023-24, $150/copy, please pay the invoice on your Parents' App immediately (the deadline was 30 April 2024).

We have to confirm the quantity with the printer next Monday 13 May 2024, and we will not be able to reserve any unpaid copies.

Thank you for your support.

School reference (non-higher education purposes) (Link to policy on Lionel)

The KGV Careers Office coordinates all our student references including exit & summer schools.

For students’ privacy, parents must give KGV their permission to release their child’s reference to a specific list of schools they are applying to. KGV only liaise directly with those schools with parents' permission.

To facilitate a smooth reference process, parents are suggested to contact the Careers Office (careers.office@kgv.edu.hk) with a list of institutions and names of teachers nominated to write references. Please allow at least 4-6 working weeks for teachers to work on school references. School references for higher education applications are done in a separate process.

If students are pursuing gifted and talented programmes outside of KGV, they should contact Mr. Krishin Hotwani directly.

KGV Careers & H.E. Team

Careers & Guidance

Our email address: careers.office@kgv.edu.hk

Parents’ Support for KGV Careers Fair and Careers Exposure
The Careers Office organises various opportunities for our students to explore careers options. The annual September Careers Fair and various work experiences are some of them. These could not have happened without our wonderful parent’s support. We are hoping to introduce more opportunities for our students.

For parents who would like to collaborate with KGV, please take two minutes to complete this form here. Our team will get in touch with you to discuss further the opportunities that you may bring to community.

We truly appreciate your support. Thank you!

Year 13
- IBO Result Service. It is a service provided by IB to send final results directly to the institution(s) students have chosen. Students are briefed about the procedures. Students have until 24 May 2024 to complete the request coordinated by the KGV Exam Office. It is necessary for IB students to sign up to this service so that their final IB results will be delivered directly by IBO to the higher institutions as soon as results are released. This ensures no delay in securing offers.

- Universities have started sending out offers. Students are most welcome to chat with their HE Counsellors any time.

- If students plan to take a gap year or apply to Australia after graduation, we would appreciate it if they can inform their HE Counsellors about their plans so that we can support them when it’s time for them to make their applications.

Best wishes to our IB students with their upcoming exams, and to our BTEC students in mastering remainder of their coursework.

Year 12
- Google Classrooms. Our HE Team has set up Google Classrooms for Y12 students for communication on higher education issues.

- Y12s’ 1-to-1 meeting with their HE Counsellors. Meetings have resumed since our return from the term break.

- Y12 H.E. presentation series. We have done presentations on H.E. Refresher, Unifrog, Personal Statement, UK Applications, Advanced Unifrog, HK Applications, Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry & Vet Med so far. Other upcoming presentations will cover these topics: USA Applications (16 May), USA Personal Essays (22 May), Canada Applications (29 May), Non-mainstream destinations (5 Jun), UCAS Setup (12 Jun), and Summer Action Plan (19 Jun). Students have received the presentation schedule via Google Classroom.

Enrichment/Summer Programmes
- Our Careers website has a page that lists known opportunities by region. Check this page for ideas.
- KGV does not take responsibility for the content or quality of external events and courses.
- If students need school references to support their application to enrichment/summer programmes, they should email careers.office@kgv.edu.hk. Our normal lead time for teachers to work on recommendations is 4-6 working weeks.

KGV Careers Calendar
Check our KGV Careers Calendar for known H.E. events. Some highlighted events are:

KGV is not responsible for the quality of any external events. All information is subject to change by event organisers.

Hong Kong
10-11 May: HKEDB Information Expo on Multiple Pathways
18 May: HKUST “Unboxing Admissions”
29 Jun: HK IVE Hospitality “Fun Day 2024”

UK
31 May: U of Bath: Supporting your child’s UCAS application for 2025

USA
29 May: EducationUSA Pre-departure Orientation 2024

Australia
19 May: Australian Nationald University – HK Information Day

Europe
15 & 29 May: EHL Taster Classes
18 May: Bocconi (Italy) Online Open Day
22 May: Bocconi Open Lecture for High School Students – AI Evolution: From Leonardo to ChatGPT

Japan
25 May: Ritsumeikan University Webinar: 2025 Applications for Prospective Students

Others:
16 May: St George’s University, School of Medicine “Introduction to Medicine Webinar Series: Clinical Skills

KGV Careers & H.E. Team

Acquisition Phase 4, had the valuable opportunity to visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The visit was made possible through the generous sponsorship provided by the museum. During their approximately two-hour visit, the students explored galleries 1-7 and the special exhibition titled 'YUAN MING YUAN — Art and Culture of an Imperial Garden-Palace'. They not only toured the exhibits but also completed tasks on their worksheets, which allowed them to gain a more specific and profound understanding of the museum's collection and Chinese history. This activity provided the students with a chance to step out of the classroom and actively engage with Chinese culture and history in an immersive and captivating manner.

13 -17 May