Admissions are now open for 2025/2026
Contact our Admissions Team today!
Talent (noun): a natural ability to be good at something, especially without being taught.
The description above is the definition of the word “talent” from the Cambridge Dictionary. Synonyms include words such as aptitude, flair or gift.
I mention this definition as we have our annual BISAD’s Got Talent event running throughout this week. There are mini performances taking place each day and it will all culminate in the Grand Final on Thursday. We look forward to seeing yet another amazing array of skills on show!
The name BISAD’s Got Talent does of course come from TV shows such as Britain’s Got Talent, and seemingly a similar one in every country. These are always heartwarming shows and it is great that people get to share their incredible skills and, for many, it has been a route to them using their skills to then become professional. Their dreams do come true in this regard.
However, the word talent is one we should be careful of. Going back to that definition and the synonyms, it suggests people are naturally gifted or they’re not, and they simply have a skill without being taught. In turn that suggests that people can’t improve…. which of course cannot be true!
Every one of the students who has performed this week will have done so much work to improve what they do and to try and get better. Their skills have also surely benefitted from assistance from parents and teachers along the way. Each of these students knows they can do better and each of them knows that other people can help them.
This is true for all of education really. Every student can improve and every teacher believes this. I am sure every parent believes it too. However, we must always be wary of any statement which says things like, “I’m no good at Maths”. Whatever we don’t feel we are as good at, we can still do better. Imagine one day saying, “I used to think I wasn’t very good at Maths but now I’m doing well at it”.
Keep a positive mindset and always believe you can be better. Then work hard with the help of others and you will certainly become better.
Patrick Horne
Celebrating Our Shared Success: A Year of Partnership and Recognition
As we approach the end of a vibrant academic year filled with events, achievements, and memorable moments, I am delighted to share some fantastic news with you all. Our school has been honoured with not one, but two prestigious awards in recognition of our commitment to parent engagement: the MENA Parent Partnership Award and the ADEK Best Parent Engagement Award.
Read on to discover how these awards celebrate our collaborative culture, highlight parent-school partnerships, and support meaningful improvements for our students.
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.
.png?rev=1619813b30a347d9bc71977e2cfe09d2&hash=66B98CDC659BBF07EB36660B4381E1E7)
