Parents Survey - A Message from the Principal

Parents Survey - A Message from the Principal Our school has developed in many ways over recent years and this is evidenced every day by the successes of the students. My thanks firstly to all the parents who took part in our annual Parents Survey last term. Having a wide range of parents completing the survey is really useful in getting the best picture of views on the school.

Our school has developed in many ways over recent years and this is evidenced every day by the successes of the students. I am very pleased to report that the survey also echoes these successes. There are 38 questions in the survey and the scores achieved were up in nearly every category, something particularly notable as this is compared to some already excellent results from the year before.

Highlights of the survey focused on the following areas, all of which gained scores well in excess of 90%:

My child feels safe at school
My child receives a quality education
The stimulating learning environment 
Academic progress and achievements
And, perhaps most importantly, the quality of the teaching

There are many special events and added opportunities at BIS Abu Dhabi, however we also spend a great deal of time focusing on employing outstanding teachers and on giving each student the best possible experience every day. It is a nice reinforcement of this that the key aspects of a school, such as those listed above, come out so highly.

Other areas highlighted included some specific changes made this year. It is nice to see some of our recent developments having a quick impact, something we are of course always looking to achieve:

The increase in the quality and range of opportunities beyond the classroom

The expanded bus service, particularly the CCA buses now on offer

Recognition of successes beyond academic progress via the BISAD Diploma

Healthy lifestyles, both in terms of improved catering and in health education

Curriculum communication due to the new Curriculum Bulletin which is sent out monthly in Secondary

So…. what next? Well, the survey indicated a couple of key areas for us to focus on and it was pleasing that this matched plans within school too:

Improved performing arts facilities – these are next on our building plans (there is a lot to live up to after Les Misérables!)
Increased parent information and guidance. In particular we recognise the need for more opportunities for parents to find out about what their children are learning and the modern ways learning takes place. We will be expanding our communication on this and offering more opportunities for parents to understand how best to help their children with their learning. 

Once again, can I please express my thanks to all parents for their feedback. Although we are all very proud of what the students are achieving at BISAD, the partnership between the school and parents remains ambitious to raise the bar even higher. I have no doubt this will lead to even greater success for the students next academic year.

Patrick Horne, Principal