Thank you for a productive Term 2! Fit & Lit: Energising English revision, BSM SEAtizens: Making Waves in Dumaguete, & Hult Future Leaders Challenge

Dear families,

Where has Term 2 gone? It has certainly been a busy one, but also highly productive, thoughtful and creative across the school. It has been a pleasure to see students so engaged in their learning, and to witness the many different ways they have demonstrated progress, resilience and curiosity over the past weeks.

As parents, many of you will have experienced Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) regularly this term. These are an important part of how we build reflection, ownership and meaningful dialogue around learning, and I would be very interested to hear how these have felt from your perspective. Your insights are invaluable in helping us refine and strengthen this approach.

Looking ahead to the next academic year, we will be reviewing a number of areas, including the feedback opportunities we provide for families. We are keen to ensure that our systems are both purposeful and manageable, while also giving you a genuine voice in shaping the school. During Term 3, please look out for a series of feedback forms from the Senior Leadership Team. These will include questions about your overall experience with us, as well as some more specific areas such as uniform, communication, and wider senior school provision. We greatly value your support and honesty in this process, as it plays a key role in helping us continue to improve.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing partnership and engagement with the school. It makes a real difference to the experience of our students.

Have a lovely couple of weeks ahead.

Kind regards,

Mark Attwood

Head of Senior School

English: Fit & Lit: energising English revision

As the great thinker Cicero once observed, “It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour.” That idea was brought to life in our recent Fit & Lit session, when BSM PE Department's Boxing Coach Gabby Flor joined the English Department to combine English revision with mindful boxing exercise.

The session was designed to show students that revision can be active, focussed, and collaborative. Students worked in groups, took part in a series of short physical workouts, and then returned to their tables to complete sharply focused English challenges. The structure encouraged everyone to participate and keep their answers clear and purposeful.

The activities included quotation analysis, debating the most important lines, making links between themes, improving interpretations, and refining analytical responses. The overall aim was to help students see how fitness and revision can work together, not just in the classroom, but beyond it too.

One Year 11 told us: “It made revision feel way more active and less stressful. I actually felt more focussed after the boxing.”

Another said, “I liked that we had to think quickly and work as a team. It was fun, but it also really helped me remember the poems better.” 

We see opportunities like this as an important part of school life. For students and teachers to perform at their best, it is essential that they take care of themselves physically and emotionally, as well as mentally. Fit & Lit was a great example of how movement and academic challenge can come together in a meaningful and memorable way.

BSM SEAtizens: Making Waves in Dumaguete!

Last weekend, our BSM SEAtizens returned from an unforgettable experiential learning trip to Dumaguete (Negros Oriental), where they swapped the classroom for the coral reefs. Our student divers immersed themselves in the world of marine discovery and conservation, proving that they are not just recreational divers but dedicated young sea stewards.

A Deep Dive into Conservation

The weekend was packed with hands-on learning and underwater exploration. Staying at the renowned Atlantis Dive Resort, our students completed a series of dives that challenged their skills beyond leisure diving.  

Highlights of the trip included:

• Coral Restoration: Students participated in active restoration work, gaining a first-hand look at the delicate balance required to maintain healthy reef systems.
• Marine Life Tutorials: Evening sessions focused on species behaviour and the interconnectedness of Philippine marine ecosystems.
• Ethical Tourism: A visit to see the whale sharks in Oslob sparked critical observations. Students evaluated the ecological and ethical implications of wildlife tourism, comparing natural behaviours with human-influenced interactions.

More Than Just a Dive

The feedback from the trip has been overwhelmingly positive. Beyond the thrill of the dives, the students gained a profound understanding of how extreme climatic events and human actions (whether overfishing or illegal fishing to tourism) impact our seas and oceans. They returned with a renewed sense of global citizenship, ready to advocate for sustainable practices and environmental resilience.

We are incredibly proud of our BSM SEAtizens for their professionalism, curiosity, empathy and commitment to the marine environment. A huge thank you to the BSM families and the staff at Atlantis Dive Resort for making this trip such a memorable and enriching experience.

We look forward to seeing how these young sea stewards apply their new knowledge to future BSM SEAtizens initiatives!

Tamara Brunskill & Christopher Kalff

BSM SEAtizens Coordinators

Hult Future Leaders Challenge

The Hult Future Leaders Challenge is a prestigious global competition where students collaborate in teams to solve real-world business problems set by leading international organisations.

This year’s challenge was set by the Barça Innovation Hub—FC Barcelona’s innovation, research, and education division—with a focus on advancing sport through science and technology. Students were tasked with developing and pitching an original product idea to enhance athlete performance.

We are proud to share that three BSM teams entered the competition, competing alongside more than 600 teams from around the world.

One of our teams, Team 4AST (Year 12): Aniella, Anela, Carmen, Ashley, Sydney, and Angie, progressed to the semi-finals, placing them among the top 40 teams globally. They were invited to pitch their idea to an international panel of judges.

Their product, AthFlo, is an innovative app designed to support female athletes by providing personalised nutrition and training guidance based on the stages of the menstrual cycle. Their thoughtful concept, combined with a highly professional and engaging pitch, secured them a place in the global finals.

We are delighted to announce that Team 4AST achieved 2nd place in the world—an outstanding accomplishment that reflects their creativity, entrepreneurial mindset, collaboration, and exceptional communication skills.

Aniella, Anela, Angie, Ashley, Sydney, and Carmen received their certificates during the Senior School Assembly this week. If you happen to pass them by on campus, do congratulate them on their awesome accomplishment.

And to the rest of our students: If this has inspired you, we strongly encourage you to consider joining the Hult Future Leaders ASA and competition next year. Contact Ms Brunskill and Ms Gleaves - they mentor and supervise several Business Enterprise Competitions ASAs throughout the year that are hosted by various universities worldwide. These serve as a fantastic opportunity to apply your entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to real-world challenges, learn from industry experts, and develop experiences that will support your future pathways. 

Tamara Brunskill & Kate Gleaves

Business Enterprise & Competition Mentors

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