Happy 50th school year, BSM! 🎉 Welcome new families and join our celebrations!

Dear BSM Family,

Happy New (School) Year and happy 50th school year, BSM! 

It has been wonderful to welcome everyone back to campus and to see the energy, excitement, and sense of community that comes with the beginning of a new school year.

^{Tap left or right to see more photos} 

A particularly warm welcome goes to our new staff, students, and families. We welcome 96 new families and 115 students this year—Mabuhay! We are delighted to have you join our BSM family. 

Behind the scenes, an enormous amount of work took place over the summer. More than 30 projects of upgrade, uplift, and development were tackled across campus during the holiday break. We are hugely grateful to the many BSM teams who worked so hard to ensure that the school was ready for the return of our students. 

And, of course, this is no ordinary school year. BSM is beginning its 50th year.

Our anniversary celebrations will begin in earnest this month with our New School Year Community Welcome for all parents and staff on Friday, 21 August at 05.00pm. Please RSVP here

Please also join us for our 50th Birthday Assembly, which will be held at 07.50am on Wednesday, 26 August, followed by a Parent Coffee Morning. 

Across the year, there will be many opportunities to celebrate the people, experiences, and traditions that have shaped BSM over five decades, while also looking confidently towards our future.

The start of the year has also reminded us of the challenges of Manila’s wet season. PAGASA data show that August and September will be among the wettest months in recent history, with the continued risk of periods of heavy rainfall even as conditions are expected gradually to become drier through September and October. At BSM, our focus remains on safe, high-quality face-to-face learning, and any variations will be communicated timeously as per our policies. Please see the parent portal here for further information.

The recent challenges faced by communities across Manila and the Philippines are an important reminder to be grateful for what we have and mindful of those whose lives are affected by flooding, earthquakes and other significant events. Gratitude should not simply be something we feel, but something that shapes how we act towards others.

Our BSM character is explicit, and I hope we will continue to act with kindness, integrity, and respect towards one another, our school and our wider community, and to celebrate our sense of belonging through learning, friendships and shared experiences.

Courage comes from within, but it is strengthened by the people around us, our families, our school and our community. As we begin this 50th year together, let us grasp those opportunities and relationships with both hands.

Have a fantastic year, BSM.

Martin van der Linde 

Head of School

Notices

School Bus Service Update 

For families interested in availing of our school bus service, Philkor Dynamics is offering a Guest Rider Pass, a flexible option to consider before committing to full-term rates.

Rates range from ₱350.00 to ₱550.00 per way per rider, depending on location. 

To sign up or for more detailed information, please email busservice@britishschoolmanila.org or visit Mercy Salmo, Bus Coordinator, at the Level 1 Finance Office.

ID Photo Update for Parents

During Term 1, the school will begin issuing updated IDs for parents. No action is necessary, as we will use the photo we have on record for you; however, if you are interested in having a new photo taken, please sign up here.

Kindly note that this is not a photo shoot, and the purpose of the image taken will just be for the updated identification card.