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IMPORTANT NOTES

We were delighted to celebrate our 75^th Birthday Bash with our Greengates community! It was a wonderful day filled with delicious tacos, live music, an amazing Talent Show, sports, games and plenty of fun as families, students and staff came together for a picnic on our school field. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made this special celebration so memorable. It’s great to be Greengates!

Have you read our latest blogs? Discover how Greengates is working towards Social Impact Gold and empowering students to make a positive difference in the world in Building a Better World Starts at School . Plus, explore the lifelong benefits of learning two languages, from cognitive development to global opportunities, in How a Bilingual Education Benefits Children for Life . Don’t miss these two inspiring reads!

Our community came together to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a wonderful morning filled with colour, music and tradition! From the flag ceremony and the traditional Grito de Independencia performed by our Year 10 students to the fantastic dances presented by our Early Years and Primary students, we enjoyed a celebration showcasing the rich cultural diversity of Mexico. Families, students and staff also had the opportunity to come together and enjoy traditional Mexican food and artisan stalls. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made this celebration so special!

NORD ANGLIA GLOBAL EXPERIENCES

Performing Arts Festival 2027 

Students in Years 7–10 have the exciting opportunity to take part in the Nord Anglia Performing Arts Festival 2027, taking place in Orlando, Florida, from 5^th to 9^th March 2027. Hosted at Windermere Preparatory School and Disney Imagination Campus, the festival will bring together students from Nord Anglia schools across the Americas for workshops and performances in Dance, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Voice, Piano, Drumline, Instrumental Music and Technical Theatre. Students will develop their artistic skills while collaborating with peers from across the region.

Registration is open and closes on 12^th October. Families interested in this opportunity are encouraged to review the full information, including participation requirements, travel documentation and registration details, via the link below.

Click here for more information  and registration

If you have any questions contact Victor.Lopez@greengates.edu.mx 

STEAM Festival 2027 

Year 9 and 10 students have the exciting opportunity to take part in the Nord Anglia STEAM Festival 2027, taking place across all four Walt Disney World parks in Orlando, Florida, from 5^thto 9^thMarch 2027. Through dynamic workshops at Disney Imagination Campus, students will explore the intersection of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, from discovering the physics behind Disney rides and attractions to understanding the role of music in storytelling. 

Registration is open and closes on 12^th October. This unique educational experience will give students the opportunity to think like Disney Imagineers, combining creativity, innovation and real-world applications of STEAM concepts. Families interested in participating are encouraged to review the full information, including travel requirements and registration details, via the link below.

Click here for more information and registration

If you have some questions you can send me an email at servando.heredia@greengates.edu.mx. 

OUR PARENT COMMUNITY

Thank you to everyone who went out of their way to make our 1^st Staff Appreciation Brunch a success today! All of our staff enjoyed the wonderful treats and goodies you sent in. We truly appreciate your support!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 75^th Birthday Bash last weekend! The PTA was happy to sponsor three candy bars around the field for everyone to enjoy.

Our first PTA General Meeting and Class Representatives Meeting will take place on Thursday 1^st October at 8:30 am. The meeting will be held virtually. Please join us using this link.

A Message from the Head of Primary

As we move further into the term, there are lots of opportunities for our wider community to get involved and learn more about what is happening across the Primary school. This week we are looking forward to recognising Peace Day, as well as continuing our programme of Greengates Talks for parents.

GREENGATES TALKS

Our Greengates Talks continue over the next two weeks, giving parents the opportunity to learn more about some of the programmes and approaches we use with our students. The school will send links and more information.

Thursday 24^th September | 9:00am
Introduction to IEYC and Tapestry | Nursery and Reception
For our Early Years families, this online session will introduce the IEYC and how we use Tapestry to capture and share children’s learning.

Tuesday 29^th September | 9:00am
Times Tables Rock Stars | Years 3–6
This online session will look at how we use Times Tables Rock Stars in school and how parents can support their children in developing fluency and confidence with multiplication facts.

Thursday 1^st October | 9:00am
Reading in Reception & Year 1: Monster Phonics
This session will focus on early reading and Monster Phonics, including how children learn to read in school and ways parents can support at home.

PEACE DAY

This Friday 25^th September, we will be recognising Peace Day across the school. Students are invited to come to school wearing white for a non-uniform day as we take time to reflect on the importance of peace, kindness and respect within our community.

NOTES FOR THE YEAR GROUPS

Nursery

As part of our ‘This is Me!’ unit, the Nursery children enjoyed a sensory walk, using their bare feet to explore a variety of textures. They described how the different materials felt using words such as soft, rough, smooth, squishy and bumpy. The children also practised independently taking off and putting on their shoes and socks, supporting their self-care skills and independence. It was a wonderful experience that developed sensory awareness, confidence and curiosity about how we experience the world through our bodies.

Reception

This week, the Reception children learned about different types of families. They proudly shared family photos to practise their speaking skills and build community. They also looked at their own baby pictures and role-played caring for babies, which was a fun way for them to realise how much they have grown and the new skills they have acquired!

Year 1

Year 1 started our new IPC topic, ‘Look and Listen’, with an Entry Point exploring light and sound. The students enjoyed using prisms, kaleidoscopes, magnifying glasses and mirrors to observe light and taking part in a sound quiz. Year 1 started the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by retelling the story around the school and finding a big bear! In maths, we have been doubling numbers within 10. We printed butterfly spots on one side and folded the paper in half to double the amount!

Year 2

After three weeks of brain-boosting adventures, the Year 2 children took part in four different activities that showed how the brain helps us: practising mindfulness, playing the broken telephone game to develop attention and communication, acting out charades to use different thinking strategies and drawing a brain to improve their art skills.

Year 3

Children in Year 3 enjoyed a successful Exit Point for their first IPC unit, Brainwave. They made juggling balls using socks and rice and then practised their juggling skills. The children reflected on the process of learning something new, discussing the challenges they faced and the strategies that helped them improve. We were especially proud of their perseverance and determination, as they demonstrated a positive attitude and refused to give up when things became difficult. What a wonderful way to celebrate their learning and growth!

Year 4

Last week, the children of Year 4 had their entry point for our new IPC unit, ‘Island Life’. The children played the role of castaways stranded on a deserted island. The children needed to use the personal goals of collaboration, communication and adaptability to get rescued from the island. They used their bodies to spell out SOS! Check out their amazing work and don’t forget to vote for your favourite on Instagram! .

Year 5

Last week, to launch our new IPC unit, Investigators, the children arrived to discover that their classroom had been transformed into a crime scene! They found a body outline on the floor, a suspicious spilled liquid and, most importantly, their class mascot was missing! Over the coming weeks, our young investigators will carry out a range of exciting scientific experiments, gathering evidence and testing clues as they work to solve the mystery and uncover what really happened.

Year 6

Bake it is our exciting new unit, and we started it off with a taste test of bread products from around the world. This week we are baking bread in the kitchen and the week after, baking biscuits to decorate in art class. Congratulations to our eight new Year 6 prefects! It was a tough decision after so many wonderful interviews, but we hope our new prefects will be great school ambassadors.

Spanish/Social Studies

As part of our Different Places, Similar Lives unit, in Social Studies, the children in Y4 are learning all about South Africa, exploring its culture, people and beautiful landscapes. What better way to bring the topic to a creative close than with a fun art activity inspired by South Africa!

A Message from the Head of Secondary

Last Saturday, our community came together for our 75^th Anniversary Birthday Bash. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with great food, laughter and the company of so many current and former members of the Greengates family. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the occasion so special. Next month, our students will have the opportunity to celebrate this important milestone themselves with an in-school Birthday Bash, continuing the festivities and recognising the rich history of our school.

In today’s newsletter, I would like to shine a spotlight on two teams whose work quietly but profoundly impacts the lives of our students every day: our English Support Team and our Learning Enrichment Team. At Greengates, we believe that there should be no barriers to learning. Every student deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their starting point, language background or learning profile. The dedication, expertise and care shown by these teams help turn that belief into reality. Through their tireless work, students are supported, challenged and empowered to achieve their full potential, making these colleagues an essential part of what makes a Greengates education so special.

Learning Enrichment at Greengates

The Learning Enrichment team works across the whole school to ensure that every student can access learning, achieve their potential and flourish as a valued member of the Greengates community. We support students from Nursery to Year 13, working collaboratively with teachers, families, school leaders and external specialists to create an environment where all learners can succeed.

Our small team includes Gemma Payne (Head of Learning Enrichment), counsellors Miranda Gallegos, Carmen Schultz and Paola Cortes, and Learning Enrichment Assistants Brenda Castelan and Xavi Martin. Together, we bring a wealth of expertise in psychology, counselling, special educational needs, neuroeducation, family therapy, pedagogy and educational intervention. Our team members hold postgraduate and Master’s level qualifications and have extensive experience supporting students with a diverse range of learning, social, emotional and wellbeing needs.

Our work includes learning support interventions, wellbeing support, exam access arrangements, admissions guidance, collaboration with external professionals and supporting teachers with practical classroom strategies. We act as a bridge between home and school, helping families, staff and students work together to ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

Whether we are providing direct support to students, advising teachers, coordinating with external specialists or guiding families through the next steps when concerns arise, our goal is to help every student make the most of their educational experience at Greengates.

Secondary English Support

The Secondary English Support (ESC) team supports multilingual learners in developing the academic English they need to access the curriculum, participate confidently in school life and become increasingly independent learners. We work with students across Years 7–11 through a combination of targeted English lessons, push-in and pull-out support and collaboration with subject teachers.

Our team works closely with students, families and colleagues to identify language needs, monitor progress and provide appropriate scaffolding and differentiation. We focus on developing students’ skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, while building the academic vocabulary, communication strategies and confidence needed across all subjects.

A key priority this year is strengthening collaboration between English Support and mainstream classrooms so that students can apply their developing language skills across the curriculum. We also continue to promote an inclusive environment that values students’ home languages, cultures and experiences. Through purposeful projects and real-world communication, we aim to help every student become a confident, resilient and increasingly independent global learner.

Key stage 3

Building Peace Through Everyday Choices

On Friday 25th September, our KS3 students will take part in a special Peace Day challenge centred around one important question: How can we build peace through everyday choices?

To mark the occasion, Friday will also be a non-uniform day for KS3, and students are encouraged to wear white. White is traditionally associated with peace, unity and hope, and wearing it will demonstrate our shared commitment to creating a respectful, inclusive and peaceful school community. Clothing should be suitable for a normal school day and follow the school’s expectations for non-uniform events.

Throughout the school day, students will complete seven short activities across their different lessons. Each stage will encourage them to consider what peace means in practice and how their individual choices can influence the experiences of those around them.

Students will begin by exploring the idea that peace is more than simply the absence of fighting. It also requires respect, inclusion, empathy, fairness and a willingness to listen to others. They will consider examples of peace within the wider world before reflecting on what these values might look like within the Greengates community.

As the day progresses, students will examine how everyday conflicts can escalate, particularly when people feel ignored, respond sarcastically or continue disagreements through group chats and social media. They will identify actions that can calm difficult situations and discuss how listening, communicating respectfully and seeking support can prevent a disagreement from becoming more serious.

The activities will also provide opportunities for personal reflection. Students will identify one action they can take to promote peace at school and consider how relationships can be repaired when someone has been hurt by another person’s words or actions. The emphasis will be on taking responsibility, learning from mistakes and making positive choices moving forward.

The day will conclude with students working together in their Houses to create a five-point Peace Accord. Each House will agree on practical behaviours that students can follow to make classrooms, social spaces and the wider school community more peaceful, respectful and inclusive.

Peace is not created through one event or one conversation. It is built through the small decisions we make every day: choosing to include someone, listening to a different perspective, communicating responsibly online, apologising when we get something wrong and responding calmly when we disagree.

We look forward to seeing KS3 come together in white, sharing their ideas and demonstrating that peace begins with the choices each of us makes.

Key stage 4/ IGCSE

Our Year 10 and Year 11 students have made an outstanding start to the academic year, demonstrating a positive attitude, excellent focus, and a strong commitment to their learning. From the very first day, students have approached lessons with enthusiasm and determination, creating a purposeful and engaging atmosphere across classrooms.

During the lesson observations I have been completing this week, it has been particularly pleasing to see the high level of participation in lessons, with students asking thoughtful questions, contributing confidently to discussions, and working collaboratively with their peers. Teachers have also praised the maturity, resilience, and motivation shown by students as they embrace the challenges and opportunities of their IGCSE courses.

This strong start reflects the dedication of our students, the support of our families, and the hard work of our staff. We are excited to build on this momentum throughout the year and look forward to seeing our Year 10 and Year 11 students continue to grow, achieve, and thrive in the months ahead.

Key stage 5/ IB PROGRAMME

Greengates School is deeply committed to ongoing professional development in order to provide the highest quality IB education for our students. As an IB World School, we recognise that effective teaching within the Diploma requires continual learning, reflection, and engagement with best practice from across the global IB community.

Our teachers regularly attend official IB professional development workshops. These workshops allow staff to deepen their understanding of subject-specific requirements, assessment standards, curriculum developments, and the evolving needs of IB learners. This commitment ensures that classroom practice remains current, rigorous, and closely aligned with IB expectations.

Importantly, Greengates is not simply a consumer of IB professional development; several members of our staff actively contribute to the wider IB community. Teachers have served as workshop leaders, supporting and training educators from other schools. This level of involvement reflects the expertise within our faculty and demonstrates the confidence the IB places in our educators.

In addition, a number of Greengates teachers work as IB examiners. Through examining student work from around the world, these teachers develop an exceptionally detailed understanding of assessment criteria, grade boundaries, and the characteristics of high-performing responses. This insight is invaluable in helping students understand what success looks like and how to maximise their achievement.

Being active participants in the wider IB community provides our staff with access to international networks of educators, current educational research, and ongoing professional dialogue. This allows us to continually refine our programmes and ensure that students benefit from approaches that are both internationally informed and grounded in extensive practical experience.

Ultimately, the greatest beneficiaries of this professional engagement are our Year 12 and Year 13 students. They are taught by educators who understand the demands of the IB Diploma Programme from multiple perspectives: as classroom teachers, workshop participants, workshop leaders, and examiners. Combined with Greengates’ long-standing educational tradition and strong record of IB success, this breadth of experience ensures that students receive expert guidance, personalised support, and the best possible preparation for both IB examinations and university studies.

Issue 140 — 7^th October 2026

Club de Golf Vallescondido

Club de Golf Vallescondido is now offering exclusive benefits to our Greengates community! Families are invited to enjoy a special day at the club and discover everything Vallescondido has to offer.
To learn more about the exclusive benefits available to Greengates families and schedule your visit, please contact Wendy Amezcua, who will be happy to help you arrange your day. Contact: ventas@clubvallescondido.com.

Club Mundet

Enjoy an exclusive 50% discount on the registration fee for any membership type, along with a choice of two complimentary months of Fitness Centre access or one complimentary month of the Zona Naranja Functional Training Programme. Please note that the complimentary benefit applies to one person only, including couple memberships.

WEEKLY REFLECTION

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Greengates Talks - Primary - Super Hero Spelling 9:00am to 10:00am(Online)

TTRockstars launch Year 3 - Year 6

Primary Parents Conferences - Dome - 3:00pm to 7:00pm

Celebrations Day of the Dead & Halloween 8:30am - 10:00am

Half Term Break Begins

Half Term Break Ends

Back to School

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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