May I firstly welcome back all students and their families to BIS Abu Dhabi for another year. It has been wonderful to see so many excited faces returning after a long holiday, all looking forward to the next stage of their education.
No doubt many parents will recall the wonderful accolade the school received in June when BIS Abu Dhabi was voted as the most recommended school in the UAE in a survey by WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Our aim this year is of course to make our school even better and the excited faces from the first few days give the teaching and support staff all the inspiration they need to achieve this.
Children spend at least 13 years in full-time education, ultimately leading towards final examinations and then on to “the real world” of University or employment. I am delighted to share with you the success of some of our IB and IGCSE students who all received their examination results during the holiday.
This was the first cohort of IB students and there were some tremendous outcomes in terms of points achieved which led to students securing places at excellent Universities. Three examples are:
The performance at IGCSE was equally impressive with almost 40% of all results at grade A or better. This bodes extremely well for continued success in the future as this cohort of students now commence their IB courses. Three more examples, this time of some of the outstanding achievements at IGCSE:
My sincere congratulations to all our Year 11 and Year 13 students for their fantastic results.
All the excited faces starting school this week have very high standards to live up to but I am sure they can do so and raise the bar even higher.
I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
You might have seen the trend going around - “If I could tell my younger self one thing…” - a moment to reflect, to offer advice we wish we’d heard earlier, or to remind ourselves of what truly matters.
As students prepare to cross some of the biggest milestones in school life, it feels like the perfect time to pause and join in that conversation. But it’s not just our students who are preparing — so are we, as parents. These milestones don’t just belong to them. We’re living every part of it too: the anticipation, the pride, the nerves, and the quiet hopes. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world — to watch them take these big steps, to stay strong when they wobble, to let go just a little more. It’s a milestone for us as much as it is for them — and we’re walking it together.
Finding the right school for your child is a big decision. Whether you’re new to Abu Dhabi, transitioning from another school, or simply looking for the best fit, we know it can feel overwhelming. At The British International School (BIS) Abu Dhabi, we’re here to make that journey as smooth and reassuring as possible. From your very first enquiry to your child’s first day (and beyond), we’ll be with you every step of the way. This article tackles the key concerns families face when transitioning to a new school, offering clear insights into our admissions process to ensure a smooth and informed journey.
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