Principal's Updates
Principal's Updates
The first half of Term 2 has been an incredibly inspiring start to 2026, filled with moments that truly highlight the spirit of our school community. Watch Mrs Hallatt's update video to look back at what we have achieved together.
17 February sees the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse. The Year of the Horse indicates rapid change, fresh opportunities and a fast pace of life. We all process change differently, but we will support each other along the way.
Have a wonderful half-term holiday. Happy Lunar New Year!
Announcements and Reminders
Important dates for your diary can be found in the school calendars:
Monday, 23 February will be a school day, following the Day 2 timetable to make up for the day missed due to the typhoon in September. Please view the full arrangements in this letter. Please note that Tuesday, 24 February, will continue as Day 5 as originally scheduled.
Monday, 9 March is a staff CPD day; there will be no school for students on this day.
School photos will be distributed during the week of 23 February to all students who have placed an order. If you missed the sibling photo opportunity in November, please use your student email to log in and fill out this form before 27 February for the catch-up session in March.
ESF Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Parent Brochure are available on the school website here. You can find these documents under the "Safeguarding and Child Protection" tab.
Find Your Purpose, Realise Your Potential
High Tech and Cultural Trip to the Greater Bay Area will be an immersive experiential learning opportunity for students in Years 9-13. Please find the details in this letter and express your interest through this form before Tuesday, 24 February.
ESF Art Competition, themed Tomorrow, is calling for student proposals. All students are encouraged to submit their proposal before Monday, 23 February. Please find the details here.
WIS Bazaar WIShing Tree offers WIS community members the opportunity to learn something new. Our PTA invites parents, teachers and students to donate their time and talent to lead workshops. To participate, please use this form.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) will host its annual Open Day on Sunday, 8 March. Both the Wanchai Main Campus and the Béthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pok Fu Lam will be filled with creativity and talent. For more details, please visit their website here.
Weekly Highlights
Our Sports Day was more than just a celebration of athletic strength and sportsmanship—it was about the unique house and community spirit shared by our students and staff.
We hope everyone enjoyed the house spirit and athletic atmosphere at today’s Sports Day. We look forward to sharing photos from the event in our next newsletter.
The entire school came together in the Sports Hall on Thursday to celebrate the Lunar New Year and Chinese culture.
Students from our school and Kennedy School delivered spectacular performances, featuring festive music, solo dance and a thrilling lion dance that echoed throughout the hall with great energy.
Our teachers and staff also performed a festive dance to extend New Year greetings to our students and families.
As part of their CAS project, some students hosted booths at our recent mini Chinese New Year Fair to raise funds for our community partners. We are incredibly proud of our students for demonstrating such compassion and entrepreneurial spirit.
Our PTA’s Lunar New Year workshop was a festive hit. Students and staff gathered at the celebration corner to DIY their own festive decorations, including traditional rubbing with ink brush calligraphy and handmade ornaments.
These past two weeks of Lunar New Year activities have been a vibrant celebration of culture and community. Thank you to our students, staff and parents for bringing such prosperity and creativity to our halls.
On Tuesday evening, Year 11 students and their parents teamed up for a fun I&S Quiz, planned by the Year 13 BTEC Business students along with Mr Ellis-Rolfe. This parent engagement session also provided much-needed fun for the Year 11 students as they head towards their final exams.
Well done to our Year 13 BTEC students and congratulations to the winners. Thank you for the support from our Individuals & Societies Faculty.
Shark Week was a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in entertaining and educational activities—including a design competition, a daily quiz, and a raffle. Students also deepened their understanding through an ocean-themed documentary, learning valuable lessons about the importance of keeping our vital ecosystems in balance.
Earlier this term, our Year 12 IB DP Film students took part in the Babel 48 film challenge, where they were tasked with producing a complete film in just 48 hours from the moment they received their prompts. This intense competition put their creativity, technical skills and teamwork to the test.
Out of 18 total entries, two finalists from WIS have been selected to move on to the International Competition. The global winners will be announced at the 3rd Babel Film Awards this March.
International Competition Finalists:
Letting Go: Diya (Director), Safiya (Cinematographer), Aaron (Editor)
The Globall: Bernice Pang (Editor & Director), Charmaine Kwok (Cinematographer), Mikayla (Sound Designer)
While the finalists head to the international stage, all qualified entries are eligible for the Audience Award. You can support our young filmmakers by voting via this link (Deadline: Friday, 20 February).
The following WIS teams are eligible for your vote:
The Trail: Samuel (Director), Kai (Editor), Oliver (Cinematographer) and Ronnie (Sound Designer)
The Final Set: Milo (Director), James (Editor), Luke (Cinematographer), Xavi (Sound Designer) and Joshua (Scriptwriter)
The Fight For The Last Table: Suyi (Director), Hatty (Editor), Esther (Cinematographer), Natalie Knight (Sound Designer) and Jaime (Scriptwriter)
Back & Forth: Joel Pearce (Scriptwriter), Isaac (Editor), Tarun (Cinematographer), Douglas (Director) and Jayden (Sound Designer)
Our Year 13 IB DP Music students completed their final performance exam on Wednesday. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the families who joined us in the Auditorium to support our students as they reached this significant milestone in their Post-16 journey.
In the latest student leaders' newsletter, our student leaders provide updates on their ongoing work, reflecting significant improvements made by listening to student voices.
In the latest Student Leaders' newsletter, our leadership team
Head Students: Launching the Anti-Bullying Programme to foster a safer school environment.
Pre-16 Leaders: Organising the Pre-16 Celebration Assembly to recognise student achievements.
Student Ambassadors: Sharing their positive experiences from leading recent campus tours and welcoming visitors.
WISustain recently attended the Environmental Sustainability Conference hosted by Kellett School. The team engaged in hands-on workshops, including deep dives into marine life conservation and practical composting techniques. They also connected with various environmental organisations at the event stalls. It was an insightful experience that provided fresh perspectives on how schools can lead the way in environmental stewardship.
Inspired by the speakers, WISustain has returned with actionable ideas to implement during our upcoming Eco Week (23 - 27 February) and for future initiatives. We look forward to working together as a school community to foster a greener environment and establish a lasting impact at WIS.
Our student speakers and performers enthusiastically shared their passion through public speaking at our recent TEDx event. Their courage and confidence were an inspiration to the school community. Well done to everyone who participated and was involved in organising this event. Thank you to the students, families and staff for attending and supporting our students.
Our Years 10–11 Event Management students delivered Valentine’s roses and messages of appreciation throughout the school this Thursday. As part of their future-proofing course, the students successfully completed an independent project that required them to fully budget, plan, resource, and organise an event from start to finish.
Not only did they spread joy across the WIS community, their hard work also raised vital funds for Bethune House, a migrant women's refuge.
Year 7 student Jason recently competed in the Preliminary Round of the Hua Xia Cup National Mathematical Olympiad Invitational Competition 2026 (Hong Kong Region) and was awarded the Second Prize. Congratulations!
Well done to Year 8 student Neil for winning second prize in the strings category at the 13th Swiss International Music Competition. In addition to this prestigious award, Neil was also awarded a scholarship from the competition.
As we look toward the future of our school, some of our alumni have shared their voices to carry the WIS spirit forward. Read their testimonials above to discover what their learning journey at WIS was like.
Quick links for your bookmarks: Sports Website | Sports Guide | WIS Sports Live
On Tuesday, our U20 girls' football team opened their season with a thrilling 5-goal victory. It was an exhilarating match where the squad showcased exceptional teamwork and technical skill.
The momentum continued on Thursday in a fierce, high-intensity encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw. The team stood their ground against a formidable opponent, demonstrating remarkable resilience. This diverse team—featuring talent from Year 7 through Year 12—displayed incredible courage and unity throughout both matches.
Our U20A Boys also demonstrated exceptional efforts and resilience on the pitch. Facing a challenging draw, they displayed remarkable sportsmanship. Their ability to stay disciplined under pressure and support one another through every tackle and transition was a testament to their hard work throughout the season.
Fitness and wellbeing are highly valued among WIS staff, helping to create a positive culture around taking on personal challenges. Inspired by the energy of our PHE Faculty, Mr Battle recently took on the challenge of the Standard Chartered Half-Marathon.
Following our school Weez Walk events, our WIS staff and their families challenged themselves with the "in one go" mission. Some joined for specific sections, while others completed the full 62km route in one go.
The Weez Walk opportunity has allowed our school community to come together and support one another while raising awareness for youth mental health. If you would like to support the work of Mind HK, the West Island School fundraising page will remain available. A big thank you to those who have already generously contributed.
Our Post-16 team warmly invites Years 12-13 parents to our upcoming information session. This session is designed to provide you with key insights and practical strategies to help you support your child as they prepare for their final exams.
Date: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Time: 9am
Duration: About one hour
Location: Staff Room, West Island School
Please confirm your attendance by submitting this Google form.
We are excited to invite parents to our upcoming PTA Coffee Morning. Our English Faculty will share guidance on how you can best support your child’s literacy at home. Join us to connect with other WIS parents and learn more.
Date: Thursday, 26 February
Time: 8.30am - 10.30am
Location: Staff Room, West Island School
Please sign up through this form.
WIS Bazaar is open to all ESF families, including students, alumni, and their families. Join us to indulge in food and activities as we celebrate our school community together.
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
Time: 11am - 4pm
Location: West Island School
WI$ Coupons are now available for WIS families to pre-order. These coupons will facilitate cashless transactions. Please complete the pre-order form through eNotice on Gateway by Friday, 6 March, at 12pm. Non-WIS families can purchase the WI$ coupons at the event.
You can also give your pre-loved books a second life. We welcome fiction or non-fiction in any language. Please ensure that the books are in good condition and that the content is appropriate for our school community. Please drop them off at the designated box outside the school reception and the car park.
The WIS Bazaar is still open for commercial vendors to team up with our PTA for a wonderful day celebrating the school community. If you are interested in joining us with a market stall, please find the details and submit your application through this form.
Beyond Visual Arts, our Year 13 students will also be showcasing their innovative work from Digital Design and Multimedia Production at their upcoming exhibition. This is a wonderful opportunity to see their final learning outcomes and the high level of creativity they have achieved. Please be sure to stop by and be inspired by their talent at our exhibition opening.
Date: Friday, 20 March
Time: 5 - 7pm
Location: Auditorium, West Island School
Year 11 Celebration
We invite families to campus to celebrate the Pre-16 journey of our Year 11 students. Please save the date and join us as we mark this significant milestone.
Date: Thursday, 16 April 2026
Location: West Island School
Year 11 Formal Evening
Year 11 students will attend their Formal Evening on Tuesday, 16 June, at 6.30pm. We look forward to cheering them on.
Further details will follow.