West Island School Newsletter: WISdom Weekly

Warm Reminders

Road Safety is important for our daily commute. Parents and students, please review these slides to ensure you are using designated crossings when travelling to and from the school.
Sports Day will take place on Friday, 13 February, at the Wan Chai Sports Ground. Families are warmly invited to attend and support our students. Please read the full letter for details.

Find Your Purpose, Realise Your Potential

ESF Composition Competition and Piano Concerto Composition are still open for aspiring student musicians to showcase their creativity and talent. Please sign in to your student account and submit your entries by 9 February.
Lunar New Year Assembly is a great opportunity to celebrate Chinese culture. Please complete this form to let us know which Chinese instruments you play and which Chinese songs you sing.
Horizons Week 2026 Information Sessions for students will continue next week until Friday, 30 January. Please find out more via this link. Kindly note that all year groups refer to the school year 2026-2027.

Wellbeing Redefined

Wellbeing Redefined was a week-long initiative dedicated to challenging our current perceptions of mental health. Throughout the week, students and staff actively participated in a variety of events thoughtfully organised by the Wellbeing Team.

A major highlight was the Student vs Staff Netball Match, which showcased our students' courageous spirit and tenacity. The activity also highlighted the unwavering support provided by our teachers and staff.

During this week, our community enjoyed the opportunity to rest, recharge, and build lasting connections. It served as a wonderful reminder of the importance of mental health and demonstrated how we can all bring positivity to the world around us.

West Island School hosted the Wellbeing Redefined Conference, bringing together WIS Wellbeing Ambassadors and student leaders from King George V School, Island School and South Island School. Through student-led TED-style talks and collaborative workshops, attendees shared best practices and designed and planned initiatives.This day of networking and action-oriented leadership empowered students to return to their respective schools with innovative, student-led solutions for wellbeing and community support.

Week Walk: WIS Relay Team

On Tuesday, a group of Post-16 students and the ESF Senior Management team launched our WIS Weez Walk mission to raise mental health awareness. The team ran the entire route with each student completing a 5km section of the 62km route, demonstrating impressive dedication, teamwork and resilience.

We look forward to maximising this positive impact during our upcoming whole-school Weez Walk and the WIS family opportunity. West Island School has collectively raised over HK$26k for Mind HK so far. If you would like to donate to support Mind HK, please follow this link.

Year 9 Sustainable Village House

This term, our Year 9 Geography students stepped up to the challenge, investigating how we can balance social, environmental and economic needs to create truly "green" urban spaces.

The culmination of this unit saw students applying their knowledge to a local context: the classic three-floor Hong Kong village house. The challenge was to take this standard design and reimagine it as a model of sustainability.

Students were tasked with designing and building a physical model that featured at least five sustainable improvements. To ensure their projects were as eco-friendly as their designs, students followed a strict rule: all models had to be constructed entirely from recycled materials found at home.

The results were nothing short of impressive. Our young geographers showcased a deep understanding of urban planning through

Renewable Energy: Innovative placements of solar arrays and wind turbines.
Water Conservation: Clever rainwater harvesting systems and greywater recycling.
Food Security: Vertical gardens and rooftop "farm-to-table" plots.
Waste Management: Integrated composting systems and creative upcycling.

It was inspiring to see such ingenious solutions to the real-world problems of electricity supply and waste management. Well done to all our Year 9 students for proving that with a little creativity and recycled cardboard, we can build a more sustainable future.

Year 11 Chemistry: Thermite Reaction

Year 11 students explored the fascinating world of redox reactions in Chemistry. To bring the concept to life, they observed the dramatic thermite reaction—a striking example of a fiery, exothermic process that clearly illustrates redox in action.

Building on prior learning, students also analysed their results from experiments on corrosion and rusting. It was a dynamic and engaging lesson that combined theory with memorable practical demonstrations.

Future Proofing: Event Management

Our Years 10 and 11 students in the Events Management Future-Proofing course recently stepped behind the curtain of this massive operation to explore the mechanics of large-scale event planning.

During the visit, students attended an insightful talk delivered by industry experts, bringing the world of events management to life. The session highlighted the diverse skillsets required to manage such a high-stakes environment, focusing on critical business concepts such as market research, return on investment (ROI), and the vital role of contingency planning. By seeing these intricacies in action, students gained a deeper understanding of how problem-solving and teamwork turn a complex vision into a successful reality.

Year 10 GCSE Fine Art Exhibition

During Term 1, our Year 10 GCSE Fine Art students developed impressive skills using the traditional process of working with charcoal. They then completed a large-scale refined charcoal drawing, working from observation of their own photographs of 'Structures'.

They are currently developing oil painting skills and working towards creating a final oil painting. They are a truly dedicated and motivated cohort, and we look forward to seeing their creations come to life.

Year 11 IGCSE Design & Technology

The Cambridge IGCSE Design & Technology coursework is an immersive, hands-on project that challenges students to step into the role of a professional designer. Accounting for 50% of their final grade, this "Design and Make" task requires students to identify a real-world user need and develop a functional solution to address it.

Y11 iGCSE Student outcomes

Over the course of the project, our students compiled a comprehensive design portfolio that documents their entire journey—from deep research and creative sketching to the technical manufacturing of a high-quality prototype. This rigorous process not only tests their craftsmanship and aesthetic sense but also fosters critical life skills in complex problem-solving, project management, and independent innovation.

Model United Nations (MUN)

Well done to all the students who represented WIS in this year’s ISLMUN conference.

Congratulations to Year 10 student Harini, representing the delegate of Sudan, who was awarded Most Improved Delegate in the Arab League.

Honorable mentions were also given to Year 12 students Keira and Chor Xi, and Year 10 student Marco, for their excellent engagement and contributions.

Horizons Week: Student Sessions

This week, students were excited to find out information about the new destinations for Horizons Week 2026. The three student information sessions have sparked curiosity and built a deeper understanding of the itineraries. We look forward to seeing even more students at next week's sessions.

KS Year 6 Visits

As part of our transition programme to help our next Year 7 cohort feel at home at WIS, we welcomed Year 6 students from Kennedy School (KS) to experience a science lesson in a lab this week. It was wonderful to see them learning with curiosity. We look forward to the upcoming sessions over the next few weeks and the language transition next term.

Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards

Last Saturday, Ashutosh, Chu Lam, Lok Yee, and Martha from the 2024–2025 I/GCSE cohort attended the Outstanding Pearson Learner Award Ceremony. They were recognised for their remarkable achievement in achieving the highest marks in Hong Kong and the world. We wish them the very best in their Post-16 studies.

Sports

Basketball

It was a fantastic week on the court for our basketball stars. A huge shout-out to the U14A Boys for their victory in the HKSSF and the U12A Boys for their win in the ISSFHK match. Incredible teamwork and spirit from both squads—well done, boys!

ISSFHK Aquathlon

Well done to the students who represented West Island School in the ISSFHK Aquathlon:

Year 7: Adri, Ethan, Adri, Theodore

Year 8: Bella, Lily, Charlene, Chaska, Sofia (1st in U14 Girls)

Year 9 Brandon, Claire, Hayden, Josef, Lucas, Tai Ting

Year 10 Ellie Ip, Hailey (3rd in U16 Girls) and Marcus (1st in U16 Boys)

Year 11 Marcus Ling, Ziao Chen

Quick links for your bookmarks: Sports Website | Sports Guide| WIS Sports Live

Parent Session

Post-16 The Final Stretch: 25 February

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.

PTA: Get Ready for WIS Bazaar

WIS Bazaar: 14 March

Mark your calendars for an unforgettable day at the WIS Bazaar. Join us to indulge in fun, food, and fabulous activities as we celebrate our school community together.

Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026

Time: 11am - 4pm

Location: West Island School

Donations and Fundraising

The PTA WIS Bazaar Organising Committee is calling for your generous support. Every donation helps fund important projects at WIS and supports our partner charities. If you would like to contribute, please complete the donation form for any of the following:

Cash Donations: To support Bazaar set-up costs and stall expenses.
Silent Auction Prizes: Preferably experiences and larger items.
New Goods for Sale: Such as samples or excess stock from companies.

Collection of Pre-loved Books

Give your pre-loved books a second life! We encourage you to donate your books—fiction or non-fiction, in any language—to support our book stall at the WIS Bazaar on 14 March.

Please ensure that the books are in good condition and that the content is appropriate for our school community.

Drop-off locations:

- Designated box outside School Reception
- Car Park

Commercial Vendors

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 before Sunday, 25 January.

Upcoming Events

TEDxWIS: 5 February

Show up for our wonderful student speakers and be a part of a WIS community that believes in the power of ideas worth spreading. Attendees will even gain priority access to apply as a speaker next year—so make sure to sign up if you are passionate about public speaking.

Date: 5 February, 2026

Time: 5pm - 7pm

Location: Auditorium, West Island School

Admission: Free of charge

Sports Day: 13 February

Sports Day is a celebration of energy and excitement. We invite our students' families to witness the friendly competition and be part of the inter-Dynasty spirit as we create unforgettable moments together.

Date: Friday, 13 February 2026

Location: Wan Chai Sports Ground

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