Welcome back to all our families returning after the holidays, I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing break. There are many smiling faces around the campus as students return to their classes and see their teachers and their friends again.
I would also like to offer a special welcome to all the new families joining BIS Abu Dhabi this term. It can be a daunting time for students joining a new school but I know everyone in our community will offer them and their parents a warm welcome as always.
A few key items to flag up at this stage of term. Firstly, please note the accompanying article within this newsletter regarding term dates for next academic year. Click here to view the article. We know how important it is for families to be able to plan travel arrangements so we are publishing the draft term dates today. ADEK will not be officially approving school calendars until May but we are not expecting the start and end dates of term to change.
All parents will have received our re-enrolment forms for next academic year. Places at BISAD are inevitably oversubscribed but we do of course give priority to existing families. Please do return the form as soon as you can so we can guarantee your children places for next year and ensure the classes and teachers are planned accordingly.
Every term is focused on enabling students to maximise their learning and build further on everything they have achieved so far. Within this final term there are end-of-year examinations and assessments for many year groups. Our advice for all students is to start early in reviewing their learning from the year and not leave everything until the last minute.
And finally, related to examinations, a particular mention for our Year 11 and Year 13 students who will undertake their IGCSE and IB examinations this term. Academics are always the major focus, and for these students the upcoming examinations are a culmination of several years hard work. We wish them all the best for the term ahead and a have great confidence that they will match and exceed the outstanding results and success of their BIS Abu Dhabi predecessors.
Patrick Horne, Principal
It’s something I’ve believed for a long time — that learning isn’t predetermined by our genes. It’s about growing, persevering, and learning through the process. I was really mindful of this idea at this week’s wonderful Primary Summer Concert, after which I found myself reflecting on whether these amazing children have an innate talent, or whether they have achieved so much because of hard work and practice.
I believe it’s the latter. These children, their parents, and their teachers all seem to share the belief that by trying and working hard, they will get better at what they do. This is what we call a growth mindset.
This week at BIS Abu Dhabi, we have had the joy of celebrating both ends of the school journey and it has been a beautiful reminder of how we support our students to dream big and grow into their future selves.
As exam season unfolds, there's a special kind of stillness that settles over the school. In the quiet hum of the examination hall, behind the rustle of papers and the soft clicking of keyboards, is a profound truth: we are witnessing a moment that our students will carry with them forever. It is the culmination of years of learning, growth, and perseverance, a chapter closing and a new one ready to be written.
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