Message from the Head of Secondary

There used to be a stationary shop in my hometown called ‘Partners'. After the record shop, Partners was the second shop we would stop at on our Saturday jaunts on the High Street – someone in the gang always needed a new pen or a compass or a set square for school. The ladies who worked behind the counter always asked us if we needed any post-it notes as we made our purchase – part of their sales pitch I suppose. Whenever I start a new block of post-it notes I think of that long-gone shop and allow myself a happy little memory. 

Of course, it was a well-chosen shop name. Providing stationary to school children really did make them ‘Partners’ in our education and as I opened a new pack of post-it notes the other day, I was reflecting on all the partnerships that our school has, to help support the learning of our students.   

Over the last few days, I have met with Jen Shirley from the Juilliard School of Performing Arts to discuss their support for our Drama curriculum. I watched the staff from North Star Expeditions help our Year 6 students abseil from the top of the school building. Kate from the UK Study Options Company came into school to talk with families about university study in the UK and about forty of our students from Year 4 upwards took part in the pre-match entertainment before the Al Wahda Vs Al Nasr UAE Pro League football match thanks to a growing partnership between the school and Al Wahda FC. 

As part of the Nord Anglia Education Group, we are fortunate to have partnerships with high-profile, world-class institutions such as Juilliard, MIT, Kings College London and even the United Nations. Some of our partnerships are much less high profile, but important to us, nonetheless. Emerging and small businesses in the UAE support our curriculum and our extra-curricular activities on a daily basis. Compass and Fortune Properties provide lunches and clean classrooms for our students and staff, Shanawaz Bus Company gets our students to school and back. 

All these partners – and many more – are an important part of our school and our community benefits greatly from the work they do. But it’s useful to remember that these organisations also benefit from their partnership with BIS Abu Dhabi. The Juilliard School of Performing Arts have stated on many occasions how much they have learned about school-based arts education form our Creative Arts team for instance and all our partners know that they are fortunate to be working with such committed, talented staff whose main aim is an outstanding education for the students in our care. We help our partners to raise their standards – and they know it. 
And that, I suppose is one of the secrets to a successful partnership – bring out the best in each other.  

Now, does anyone need any post-it notes………? 

Chris Lowe, Head of Secondary 

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