Welcome to Year 12/13

Welcome to Year 12 & 13

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

We hope this letter finds you refreshed after the summer break, and ready to commence this exciting year in your (child’s) education! In Sixth Form, we welcome our Year 12 students, who are embarking upon their first year as senior students of the school, and our Year 13 students, who are beginning their final, all-important year at DBIS. 

All of our Sixth Form students have a lot to look forward to this year. Alongside studying for their A Level and BTEC Level 3 qualifications, they can look forward to experiential learning opportunities, competitions and countless opportunities to be involved with leadership roles, which help to sculpt the way in which the day-to-day life of the school operates. Not only this, we also continue into our second year of our house system, and we encourage our Sixth Formers to embrace our DBIS house spirit and continue collecting house points! 

Year 12 & 13 Team

Throughout their educational journey, our Sixth Form students will benefit from the consistent support and guidance of our dedicated Sixth Form team:

Tutors

Please do ensure that the tutors are your first point of communication should you have any concerns throughout the academic year. The Sixth Form leadership will redirect queries to our tutor team. Please scroll down to find our tutors’ introductions.

University Guidance Counsellor

In the Sixth Form we have a full-time university and careers guidance counsellor, Ms Lau, who has a wealth of experience, having worked for many years in the role at ESF schools. Students will have guidance assemblies and one-to-one sessions as well as ‘drop-in’ opportunities with Ms Lau throughout the academic year.  

North Plaza Campus Reception

Ivy is the first point of contact for daily administrative queries involving the North Plaza Campus and Sixth Form student attendance. She will be in contact with you if your child is late or does not attend school without prior notification. 

Head of Year 12

 Mr Jennings oversees the pastoral team in our Sixth Form centre as well as academic progress for Year 12. 

Head of Sixth Form & Head of Year 13

Mrs Boddington oversees the running of the Sixth Form centre, with a focus on high personal and academic standards for our students. 

Year 12 students

At the start of this academic year, our focus for Year 12 is to ensure that they are on track and happy with their subject choices. Conversations are being had with parents and students in relation to the release of (I)GCSE results on 21st August, to ensure that students are well suited to their subject choices. Once academic studies are well underway, students will begin the process of exploring their pathways beyond Sixth Form.

Year 13 students

After the recent release of A/S results, students are already having conversations with teachers about how they move forward in terms of courses they are taking, and, where needed, the opportunity to resit exams in the coming October series. 

Alongside this, one-to-one conversations with tutors are beginning, and Ms Lau is already meeting with students to discuss open applications to universities. 

Unifrog

We are very fortunate to have a subscription to the Unifrog platform – a comprehensive website that allows students to obtain information about university courses all over the world. Our Sixth Form students should make the most of this resource when researching courses, universities, job prospects and destination cities. This is an excellent tool to support university applications, so we encourage you to discuss this site with your child – there is a vast amount that can be explored! 

Success in Sixth Form

An extremely important factor that correlates directly with student achievement is time spent in school. For this reason, we look for students to be punctual and aim to achieve the highest possible attendance percentage all the way up to the end of the academic year. It is imperative that parents avoid taking students out of school during term time, as missing even a few days of A Level teaching can be detrimental.

If your child is to be absent for any reason, then please ensure that you fill in the relevant JotForm (this can also be found under the ‘Parent Information’ section on the Hub) so that no follow-up action is taken. Students are also expected to contact each teacher for catch-up work; it is their responsibility to do this for every lesson missed.

Planned Leave of Absence requests for Secondary students will require approval from the relevant Head of Year.

Accessing the Forms:

Both forms can be accessed through the Parent Hub under the ‘Parent Forms’ section.

Support:

If you have any questions or encounter any problems with the new absence reporting process, please don’t hesitate to contact the IT Helpdesk at [email protected].

Key Dates for Term 1

Looking to the year ahead (circumstances depending), here are some dates specific to our year groups (these will also be communicated nearer to the time).

Year 12

  • Tuesday 26 August: Information Evening (email to follow)
  • Friday 19 September: Book Day
  • Monday 22 September: Y9–13 Sports Day
  • Thursday 2 October: Meet the Tutor
  • Friday 17 October: Last Day Before Half Term Begins
  • Monday 10 – Friday 14 November: Week Without Walls
  • Tuesday 9 December: Winter Concert
  • Friday 12 December: Last Day of Term

Year 13

  • Tuesday 26 August: Information Evening (email to follow)
  • Friday 19 September: Book Day
  • Monday 22 September: Y9–13 Sports Day
  • Thursday 2 October: Meet The Tutor
  • Wednesday 8 October: Short Report Published
  • Thursday 9 October: PTSC
  • Friday 17 October: Last Day Before Half Term Begins
  • Monday 10 – Friday 14 November: Week Without Walls
  • Tuesday 9 December: Winter Concert
  • Thursday 11 December: Mock & Short Report Published
  • Friday 12 December: Last Day of Term

  

Sixth Form Expectations

Dress Code

Students are expected to adhere to the dress code found in the DBIS Sixth Form Handbook. Students who do not meet dress code expectations may be sent home to change, and students persistently breaking our dress code may be subject to our Character and Culture policy (see the DBIS Sixth Form Handbook). 

Study Periods

Students are expected to spend their study periods in the study room and should use the common room and North Plaza shops during their break and lunch times and not our classrooms. 

Punctuality & Attendance

Students who are consistently late to tutor time or lessons will face disciplinary sanctions. Students whose attendance falls too low will have privileges removed and may jeopardise their place in our Sixth Form. 

Learning for Life & Careers Lessons

These will now take place on a cyclical basis every Wednesday morning during tutor time from 8am – 8.40am. Students will have either a Careers or Learning for Life lesson and are expected to arrive punctually. 

1:1 Tutoring

Students and tutor teachers will begin meeting for their 1:1 sessions from Monday 25th August. Tutors will create and share a timetable for these with students. These sessions are incredibly important and valuable for many reasons and attendance is, of course, compulsory. Here are the tutor team who look forward to getting to know your sons and daughters:

Tutor Team Introductions

Samantha Whiting

I am very excited to be joining the DBIS community as a Biology teacher and Second in Department, as I embark on my 19th year in teaching. I recently completed my first international teaching position at Harrow International Bangkok, and prior to this enjoyed eight years as Head of Department and Lead Teacher at Wilson’s School in the UK. I relish combining my passion for Biology with working with young people, supporting them to achieve their academic potential and develop the interpersonal skills and social responsibility that will enable them to both flourish in life beyond school and make a positive difference. I want all students to enjoy the process of learning and to think, speak and write like a scientist, and I strongly believe in linking curriculum content to topical issues and innovation in Science. I am very much looking forward to working alongside my similarly enthusiastic colleagues in the Science department and contributing my expertise to the ambitious plans of the school.

Outside of the classroom, I like to keep active and look forward to combining my passion for running, swimming and nature as I explore the trails and waters of Hong Kong. This is my first visit to Hong Kong and, having heard so many positive accounts, I can’t wait to get started and to meet everyone soon!

Mark Beedham

I am delighted to be joining DBIS as a teacher of Economics and Business. I bring 17 years of teaching experience – three in the UK, two in Italy, and the past twelve in Hong Kong. Throughout my career, I have found that building strong relationships based on respect, trust and shared goals is essential for student achievement and a positive school environment.

Previously, as Head of Economics at Kellett School, Hong Kong, and as a Sixth Form tutor, I developed a deep understanding of Hong Kong’s culture and the needs of its students. My goal is to help students reach their full academic potential and to become adaptable, well-informed individuals, equipped with the essential skills valued by universities and employers.

In my spare time, I enjoy road cycling and mountain biking, and I greatly appreciate having these fantastic opportunities right on our doorstep in Discovery Bay. My three-year-old daughter will also be joining DBIS this August—an experience we are very much looking forward to as a family. We also recently welcomed our second daughter, making for a wonderfully busy start to my new role at DBIS.

Fiona Mak 

My journey with the Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) community has come full circle, and I’m thrilled to be starting my fourth year back here as a Mandarin teacher, having previously left DBIS in 2016 when my family relocated to Singapore.

I bring over 15 years of experience to my role, having earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University of Hong Kong. My teaching career has taken me to various educational institutions in Hong Kong and overseas, including Turkey and Singapore, giving me a valuable global perspective.

When I’m not in the classroom, I enjoy hiking, running, and watching movies.

My main priority is to ensure a positive and supportive experience for all my students. I am committed to doing my best for each one of my tutees, and I look forward to working together to help them thrive. Please feel free to share any information about your child that you feel may be helpful, as it will assist me in getting to know them and identifying their strengths and potential.

Richard Koenig

I am delighted to be returning to DBIS after an absence of two years in the Philippines, supporting my wife in her university teaching, and teaching Spanish in a local school. I have taught a lot of the students in Year 12 and 13 previously, and it is very exciting for me to reconnect with the students, old and new, helping them to continue their learning journey and to look towards building a fulfilling life after senior school.

I have been teaching Spanish and French since 2011 in schools in the UK, the UAE and here in Hong Kong. I have lived in France, Switzerland, Mexico and Guatemala, where I learned to not just love the languages I have taught, but also the rich culture that surrounds and fosters these languages. I will be teaching mainly Spanish this year at DBIS. 

My main goal as a tutor is to build relationships and offer support and guidance so that all the students in my form can feel that they have another person in their corner they can trust and rely on. I have also supported careers and university preparation at DBIS and in a previous school in the UAE. Hence, I am also available for whatever advice I can add to the already excellent support provided in this area by the Sixth Form team and Cecilia.       

In my free time, I enjoy playing in my band, hiking and playing sports like squash and darts. 

Communications

All important information will be communicated via the Parent Hub, with a bulletin sent via email every Saturday morning. Please check this regularly. There may be occasions when more urgent information needs to be sent out to parents, and this will be sent via email. Please ensure you have provided the school with up-to-date contact details. Email Ivy Hui if you need to update your details. 

As always, please do reach out to us if you have any questions regarding your child’s education or experiences in our Sixth Form. 

Wishing you and your families a fantastic year ahead,

The Sixth Form Team

DBIS Hub

DBIS Hub