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This month, I had the privilege of delivering assemblies alongside Sajid Latif to our Secondary students on the important topic of neurodiversity and hidden disabilities. This subject is particularly close to my heart and is a key focus within our EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging) framework.

On the way into school this morning, I had an inspiring conversation with my daughter about traditions. She shared that the Year 13 students have been eagerly discussing ways to leave their legacy in their final year, and they’ve decided on a wonderful new tradition: the Senior School Camp. This event will give them a chance to camp overnight on the school grounds, connecting as a year group with fire pits, music, food, and memories of their time at BIS Abu Dhabi. This conversation made me reflect on why traditions matter so deeply to us all.

I’ve been really looking forward to attending my first UAE Flag Day and have used it as an opportunity to learn about the flag itself.  It’s been very interesting to do so, as a ‘newbie’ and it has really helped my understanding of the pride that Emiratis have in their country and its national emblems.  I’ve discovered that the flag was designed in 1971 by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, a 19-year-old at the time, as part of a nationwide design contest and it was adopted by the country on 2nd December 1971.  The choice of colours is deeply important, and their symbolic meanings make a wonderful parallel with the work of the school and the values we seek to promote across the community:

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the true spirit of community in action here at BIS Abu Dhabi. Despite the challenges we all face, including personal hardships that may touch many of us, it is heartening to see how our shared care for one another and our collective hope for a brighter future bring us together.

My journey finished this time last year upon the submission of my 12,000-word dissertation, however it started several years earlier with my first application into the master's in international education at King's College London programme. In 2019, my application was approved by Nord Anglia, but I was unsuccessful in the second round at the King's College London stage.  Determined not to let this setback stop me, I researched the course and the college further and applied again in 2020. This time, I was successful in both rounds and was delighted to receive a letter confirming I would start the master's programme in September 2021.

We’re incredibly fortunate to collaborate with one of the world’s top universities for Science, Technology, and Engineering—MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)- through Nord Anglia.

Our students have access to a variety of activities, challenges, and webinars, all available on the Global Campus website under the ‘Activities -> STEAM’ tab. If you’re not a student, you can still explore some of these challenges and webinars on the MIT Curiosity Correspondents YouTube Channel: MIT Curiosity Correspondents - YouTube.

Each month, Ms. Roughley, Head of Science at BIS Abu Dhabi and MIT Middle East Lead for Nord Anglia, will provide parents with updates on upcoming MIT events, helping you encourage your child to take part in these incredible opportunities listed below!

As we approach our first half-term break, I’m excited to spend quality time with family and friends from around the globe. My sister, a teacher in Finland, often shares insights about their education system, which is deeply influenced by Pasi Sahlberg’s philosophy, emphasising ‘equity, well-being, and joy in learning.’ This approach enhances student engagement and holistic development, encouraging students to take greater ownership of their learning, creating a more engaging and personalised educational experience.

As we approach half term, I want to reflect on our journey together in embracing diversity, inclusion, and belonging here at BIS Abu Dhabi. These principles are at the heart of our community and it is truly inspiring to see how our Equality, Diversity, inclusion and Beloning (EDIB) lens shapes our experiences every day. As the regional EDIB Lead for Nord Anglia in the Middle East, I feel fortunate to connect with exceptional practices across our nine schools. In this role, I actively promote EDIB initiatives, sharing best practices and supporting school champions in creating inclusive environments that empower all students and staff.

This week, our senior school students had the opportunity to think about life after BIS Abu Dhabi. On Wednesday, we welcomed the IDP University Fair, featuring over 50 leading universities from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and Ireland in the Falcon Academy Sports Hall. It was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 11, 12, and 13 students to talk, discuss, and get excited about what lies ahead.

As we finish our fourth week of school, it’s amazing how quickly time has flown by! We are settling into new timetables, and our new staff members are finding their feet—just like many of our new students and families. The start of a new academic year is always a time of adjustment for students, teachers, and parents. However, the community spirit and teamwork demonstrated by everyone have ensured that this transition has been smooth and positive.

EDIB stands for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. At The British International School Abu Dhabi, we are committed to giving our students an experience that is inclusive and representative of all nationalities, genders, abilities and religions. In essence EDIB is an extension of our school’s core values: Kindness, Honesty and Respect.  

Thank you all so much for welcoming me into the BIS Abu Dhabi family. I have been utterly amazed and humbled by the number of you who have shown kindness and support towards me as someone who has so recently arrived at the school and in the UAE. Thank you!

BIS Abu Dhabi is a wonderful school – when I visited in February, I was so impressed with the students, staff, facilities, and Mr. Cocker’s vision that I could not resist applying for the position of Head of Primary. Now that I am here, I can only say that the school is even better than I had realised, and I can see where the students get their lovely characteristics from.

As we step into the new year, I am filled with excitement and optimism for what lies ahead. This term has begun with such promise, reflecting our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student flourishes through our dedication, care, and passion for excellence. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the team members who have worked tirelessly over the summer. Their efforts have been crucial in ensuring we continue adding value to our community. 

The end of the year is a time for reflection and celebration, as well as an opportunity to look ahead.

During the last weeks, we have celebrated students at the Sports Awards Assemblies, welcomed fathers sharing time with students in the Early Years team, enjoyed end-of-term showcases across many year groups, attended IB presentations, participated in a Science Fair hosted by the Science CCA, and watched the Dance Production, BISAD’s Got Talent Show, and the Music Open Mic event, to name but a few. 

Earlier in June, a group of our IB students jetted off to Iceland for an unforgettable adventure. Damian Toader from 12A shares his experience of this incredible trip, capturing the essence of Iceland's breathtaking landscapes and unique natural phenomena through his lens as the group's photographer.

 

Dear Parents,

As we approach the end of this term and the academic year, we take great pride in celebrating the multitude of successes our children have achieved. This period has been filled with events showcasing the diverse talents and interests of our students here at BIS Abu Dhabi. From the creativity of our dance performances, our success at sports competitions to the incredible ongoing school trips, from the talent displayed at the BISAD’s Got Talent audition and our Open Mic sessions to the World Scholars Cup and the Quran reading, our calendar has been brimming with opportunities for our students to shine.

At the recent Year 13 Graduation event, I mused on the theme of truth, inspired as I was by the very hard academic work that any Year 13 student must go through to graduate successfully and achieve a place at the university of their choice.   It seems to me that academic work is entirely about truth and our perpetual search for it, although I know many would disagree.  Students in particular generally want a different answer when they ask the question ‘why am I learning this?’.  Students want to know all about the lesson content’s practical application, whether they’ll need this ‘fact’ for an exam, or whether what they are learning will help them get a job.   When I reply ‘we are learning this, because we want to discover the truth about the world we live in….’ I suppose I’m sometimes met with understandable bemusement.  Truth is a strange concept, a tricky one.  ‘Learn this, because it will be on your end of term exam…!’ is a much simpler answer.  But it’s the wrong one.  Teachers shouldn’t be teaching so that students can pass exams, we should be teaching to encourage discovery.  And what do we want young people to discover?  Truth.

Last weekend witnessed a clash of arts events. In Abu Dhabi, Cranleigh hosted the annual BSME Dance Festival, while in Dubai, our sister school NAS Dubai hosted the first Regional Nord Anglia Performing Arts Festival. Students from BIS Abu Dhabi attended both events and gave their all.

At BIS Abu Dhabi, we believe early exposure to languages fosters essential skills, not only in foreign language acquisition but also in overall cognitive development. Aside from our provision for English and Arabic, our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) programme offers primary students specialised MFL classrooms, promoting engagement with highly qualified teachers and encouraging pride through displays of their work. This article explores the advantages of learning languages, details our school’s language programme, and highlights its unique features.