I would like to add my congratulations to our Year 6 students for the tremendous success of their production of TWIST last week. It was a truly remarkable event, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of our students. From start to finish, the production captivated the audience and left an indelible impression on all who attended.

One of the standout aspects of the production was the exceptional quality of the singing. Our Year 6 students delivered powerful and melodious performances, demonstrating remarkable vocal skills. Their voices filled the auditorium with emotion and harmony, leaving everyone in awe. The hours of rehearsals and hard work invested in perfecting their vocals were evident, and the result was truly breathtaking.

Furthermore, the enthusiasm displayed by our students throughout the entire production was infectious. From the moment the curtains were raised, their energy and passion radiated on stage, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere. Every member of the cast and crew showed an unwavering commitment to their roles, bringing the characters to life with an incredible level of dedication and professionalism.

The production was a collaborative effort that involved not just the students but also the exceptional guidance and support of our talented teachers and staff; particularly, Ms. Eyres, Mr. Bracey, Ms. Farag and the Year 6 teaching team. Their commitment to nurturing the students' talents and fostering a creative environment truly shone through in the final performance. I would also like to thank the technical teams who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

As we approach the End of Year Examinations, I would like to remind everyone of the importance of good study habits. Firstly, it is important to remember that not all stress is bad and stress motivates you to get things done. Students should be aiming for peak performance rather than heading towards burnout. Secondly, students learn best when they segment their study; research has shown that effective study takes place in 20-minute chunks. 

Students will really benefit from support when they are studying at home. Many parents ask what is the best way to help their child and often sitting with them, going through material and asking them questions is invaluable. Students must take breaks for their mental health and well-being and lastly, sleep! Sleep is so important for students in the run up to the exams.

We are sure that with some of these strategies in place, the students will find that their anxiety levels decrease. 

Year 7 English Projects

Students in Year 7 created some exciting projects based on the Anglosaxon epic poem: Beowulf. The projects ranged from creating their own movie adaptations, trailers, to interviews with the author as well as some informative and analytical posters, focusing on key characters and themes.

Year 9 Descriptive Writing

Some of our Year 9 students have been developing their descriptive writing skills outdoors, examining nature closely and describing their experiences using sensory and figurative language. 

Rock Band in the Studio

Recently our school rock band won a Battle of the Bands contest, and part of their prize was a session in a professional recording studio with George Yacoub, the sound engineer for Amr Diab.

The group had great fun, learning how to record their individual parts and mix a track together - we can't wait to hear the results!

Year 9 Science

The exam season is upon us and we are looking for ways to engage students further in the learning process. This week Mr Kuszynski and the Science Department engaged in a peer teaching strategy with Year 9 GCSE students. 

Peer teaching fosters teamwork and cooperation amongst students, while learning from peers adds enjoyment and new perspectives to the learning process, with meaningful interactions between students of different academic ability.

Key understanding grows from giving verbal explanations of concepts and their applications in both mathematical and qualitative ways. As many teachers know, we don't understand something until we teach it! 

Next week with Year 9, we will be looking at the gaming strategies for productive learning and revision. 

Student Achievements

Congratulations to siblings Malak and Heba for competing in the sprint distance relay triathlon in Soma Bay. Malak completed 20km on the bike and Heba swam 750m in 17 minutes and was second out of the water. Well done, both. 

Theory of Knowledge Week

Next week, we will be celebrating Theory of Knowledge Week, where students will be encouraged to question what they know and how they know it, incorporating this into their End of Year revision. The Theory of Knowledge course is a core part of the IB Diploma Programme and it is important that the skills required for this course are introduced across all year groups early on. This will not only help prepare them for the Diploma Programme, but will also encourage our BISC students to reflect on their own learning, evaluating different perspectives as well as the various methods used to verify knowledge.

Careers Department

Year 13 Universities Choices (Conditional FIRM and Conditional INSURANCE) for UCAS

A gentle reminder to Year 13 students to finalise two choices on their UCAS portal. As of Wednesday 31st May, we still have 10 students who have not selected firm and insurance choices.

Year 12 Parents Careers Workshop

The Careers department will host a workshop for Year 12 parents and guardians on Tuesday 13th June starting at 14:10. The venue is the Study Room (IB106) in the IB building. The Careers team will explain the importance of meeting BISC deadlines for the universities' applications and various strategies on how parents can support their children next year in Year 13.

Year 12 Letter of Recommendation Requests via BridgeU

A few Year 12 students have not done the above task which was assigned four weeks ago. Kindly discuss with your child to get this completed, and students must share the BRAG sheet about themselves with their teachers so that they are in a better position to showcase their skills.

Year 1 Musical Performances 

Ms Rula hosted three wonderful musical performances for each of the Year 1 classes on Wednesday, which demonstrated their learning throughout the year in Music class.

Children performed in front of their parents with great confidence, showcasing their beautiful singing voices and ability to play a range of musical instruments, including drums, tambourines, shakers, blocks and xylophones. A great time was had by all, as you can see on the videos!

Year 6 Transition Days

This week our diligent Year 6 pupils immersed themselves in the life of Year 7 for two meaningful days, as a crucial part of their transition into Senior School. This well-considered experience aimed to help dissolve any potential apprehensiveness and familiarise our pupils with the fresh setting, routines, and expectations they'll encounter in their new academic stage.

During these insightful days, pupils had the chance to actively participate in a range of subject-specific lessons, meet the enthusiastic Year 7 teachers, form connections with older peers, and explore the new school environment. The main objective of this transition exercise was to ensure that each pupil feels comprehensively prepared, instil a sense of confidence, and generate an air of excitement about this forthcoming step in their educational progression. 

Below is a video summary of the days and you can also see all photos of the transition period here.

KS2 Reading Challenge

A group of Year 6 children helped to create a video and visited some KS2 classes with Mrs Miah to share their experience of reading. The aim was to promote reading for pleasure and to help children think about choosing a book that challenges them. Thank you to Rasheed, Karma S, Mohamed B, Mohamed S, Eleanor and Tariq. The Year 6 children were joined by Salma who has read a staggering 3,000,000 words this year so far so that she could also share her experience of reading.

Details of the KS2 reading challenge have been added to all Google Classrooms. To take part, children should read a book and create a reading recommendation video. These can be shared and help others to be inspired to read amazing books over the summer holidays.

Here is the video made by Year 6 students to inspire the younger children.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Sarah in Class 3M who competed in the Youth Triathlon this weekend and won first place. She swam 100m, completed a 4km bike ride and a 1km run. Well done Sarah!

Art Exhibition

Parents are cordially invited to view the fantastic work which the children completed as part of our Creative Arts week. The work will be displayed outside the Junior School office and parents will have the opportunity to view the work from 14:30 on Thursday 8th June with their children.

Year 4 and Year 5 PE Workshop

Thank you to those parents who attended the PE workshop. Please find attached the link for feedback: https://forms.gle/G9CR9T5gFWAX96BN9

Key Stage 1 Summer Reading Workshop - Tuesday 6th June 

This workshop will provide parents of students in Years 1 and 2 with tools and resources to best support your child's reading development over the summer. During this workshop, we will share practical advice on how you can help your child consolidate and improve their literacy skills in a fun and engaging way during the holidays.

The workshop will cover topics such as understanding phonics, building vocabulary, improving comprehension, and selecting age-appropriate books. Parents will have the opportunity to engage in interactive learning activities and will receive a list of useful links and resources that they can use to continue their child's reading development at home. The workshop will take place in the IB Common Room at 14:00.

In Class This Week 

Keeping our students safe online is a priority at BISC. We are happy to share advice from the NOS (National Online Safety), to enable parents to understand the pros and cons of various social media, games and digital trends.

This week's advice is about how to use iPads safely.

If parents would like copies of any of the photos you have seen in the Bulletin, please email s706@bisc.edu.eg.