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As we approach our first half-term break, I’m excited to spend quality time with family and friends from around the globe. My sister, a teacher in Finland, often shares insights about their education system, which is deeply influenced by Pasi Sahlberg’s philosophy, emphasising ‘equity, well-being, and joy in learning.’ This approach enhances student engagement and holistic development, encouraging students to take greater ownership of their learning, creating a more engaging and personalised educational experience.

As we approach half term, I want to reflect on our journey together in embracing diversity, inclusion, and belonging here at BIS Abu Dhabi. These principles are at the heart of our community and it is truly inspiring to see how our Equality, Diversity, inclusion and Beloning (EDIB) lens shapes our experiences every day. As the regional EDIB Lead for Nord Anglia in the Middle East, I feel fortunate to connect with exceptional practices across our nine schools. In this role, I actively promote EDIB initiatives, sharing best practices and supporting school champions in creating inclusive environments that empower all students and staff.

Turkan, Tia, and Renad – our student Social Impact team – returned from Houston in June. The final part of their Houston experience was to provide feedback to the school’s senior leaders about what they had learnt during the UNICEF training and to propose their ideas for change.

This week, our senior school students had the opportunity to think about life after BIS Abu Dhabi. On Wednesday, we welcomed the IDP University Fair, featuring over 50 leading universities from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and Ireland in the Falcon Academy Sports Hall. It was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 11, 12, and 13 students to talk, discuss, and get excited about what lies ahead.

As we finish our fourth week of school, it’s amazing how quickly time has flown by! We are settling into new timetables, and our new staff members are finding their feet—just like many of our new students and families. The start of a new academic year is always a time of adjustment for students, teachers, and parents. However, the community spirit and teamwork demonstrated by everyone have ensured that this transition has been smooth and positive.

EDIB stands for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. At The British International School Abu Dhabi, we are committed to giving our students an experience that is inclusive and representative of all nationalities, genders, abilities and religions. In essence EDIB is an extension of our school’s core values: Kindness, Honesty and Respect.  

Thank you all so much for welcoming me into the BIS Abu Dhabi family. I have been utterly amazed and humbled by the number of you who have shown kindness and support towards me as someone who has so recently arrived at the school and in the UAE. Thank you! BIS Abu Dhabi is a wonderful school – when I visited in February, I was so impressed with the students, staff, facilities, and Mr. Cocker’s vision that I could not resist applying for the position of Head of Primary. Now that I am here, I can only say that the school is even better than I had realised, and I can see where the students get their lovely characteristics from.

Jasmine has been a valued member of the BIS Abu Dhabi community since she joined the school in August 2015 in Year 5. After nine remarkable years, she has graduated with an outstanding 41 points out of a possible 45 in the IB Diploma Programme. This exceptional achievement places Jasmine among the top-performing students at the school this year, and her dedication and hard work truly paid off.

As we step into the new year, I am filled with excitement and optimism for what lies ahead. This term has begun with such promise, reflecting our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student flourishes through our dedication, care, and passion for excellence. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the team members who have worked tirelessly over the summer. Their efforts have been crucial in ensuring we continue adding value to our community. 

One in every three grades (33%) was awarded at the world-class level of 9-8, showcasing our students' ability to excel.  One in every two students’ grades (50%) awarded was at grade 9-7, highlighting the exceptional performance of our students.

Joana joined the BIS Abu Dhabi community on 29th August 2022 in Year 12. After just two years at the school, she has graduated with an exceptional score of 42 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This impressive achievement is a testament to her dedication, resilience, and hard work throughout her time at BIS Abu Dhabi.

Gemma joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family on 28th August 2019, beginning her journey in Year 9. After five transformative years at the school, she has graduated with an exceptional score of 40 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This remarkable achievement reflects her dedication, resilience, and hard work.

Katalin joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in 2021, starting her journey in Year 10. After three memorable years at the school, she has graduated with an impressive score of 39 out of a possible 45 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This outstanding achievement is a testament to her dedication and hard work.

Owen joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in 2017, starting his journey in Year 7. After seven memorable years at the school, he has graduated with an impressive score of 43 out of a possible 45 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This outstanding achievement is a testament to his dedication and hard work.

Angelina joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in 2018, starting her journey in Year 8. After four memorable years at the school, she has graduated with an impressive score of 39 out of a possible 45 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This outstanding achievement is a testament to her dedication and hard work.

Younes joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in 2013, starting his journey in Year 3. After 11 years at the school, he has graduated with an exceptional score of 44 points out of a possible 45 in the IB Diploma Programme. This outstanding achievement is a testament to his dedication and hard work.

Students studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at The British International School Abu Dhabi once again performed significantly above the global average. A total of 76 students at The British International School Abu Dhabi studied for IB exams this year. As well as achieving an outstanding pass rate, the students ’ average score was 33.6, exceeding the global average of 30.32.

As part of a response to the rapidly changing nature of education, Nord Anglia is pioneering a research-informed, innovative approach to metacognition in the classroom. This approach deepens students' self-awareness of their thinking processes and the learning strategies they can use to achieve success.

The end of the year is a time for reflection and celebration, as well as an opportunity to look ahead. During the last weeks, we have celebrated students at the Sports Awards Assemblies, welcomed fathers sharing time with students in the Early Years team, enjoyed end-of-term showcases across many year groups, attended IB presentations, participated in a Science Fair hosted by the Science CCA, and watched the Dance Production, BISAD’s Got Talent Show, and the Music Open Mic event, to name but a few.

In 2014, Mrs. Lowe arrived to teach at the British International School Abu Dhabi, excited to work with the Physical Education Department (PE) to implement and embed Dance within both the curriculum and the CCA programme. Schemes of work were created for FS1 to Year 9 and all PE teachers received professional development training to understand the fundamentals of Dance, to discover the importance of Dance, and how movement can be creative and powerful.