It is an honour and a privilege to be newly arrived at BISC for the start of another year in such a well-established school. The warmth of your welcome has been lovely. The BISC Campus has come alive since Monday with the welcome arrival of our new students and the return of students from FS2 to Year 13. All staff across the School have been welcoming and were rewarded with happy children who are enjoying the start of their school year, meeting and making new friends as well as engaging with the challenges of meeting new teachers and settling into new classes in a new academic year!

Across all the School there is a sense of purpose within a kind, respectful community and this has been evident in so many ways as witnessed in play, in classes, conversations, support for new students and in the atmospheres and behaviours seen across the day and for example in celebration assemblies. As a community, we welcomed onto the campus parents from FS1 to Year 13 and provided them with opportunities to meet senior leaders and teachers, hear about their commitment to the School, and also to listen to parent views and address their questions. It has been delightful to see the support and loyalty of the parent body and how they want the School to be successful. This is only the start and over the next few weeks, we will be providing opportunities for parents to meet further with us so we can hear from them. There will also be opportunities for all students to express their voices. We will be reaching out to our alumni and we look forward to them coming into school to visit and to share experiences with the students as role models.

Communication is key and we will be ensuring that this is improved so that all are informed about school in a timely and informative manner and can express their ideas and opinions. No school stands still and in an ever changing world, education is evolving to meet present and future needs. Therefore, all need to have ownership and play a valuable role within a dynamic modern community. This year, we will be building on former and new relationships in our community so that we establish a clear sense of identity and live by our values; recognising and supporting the uniqueness of every student and ensuring everyone is celebrated at BISC.

Lynne Oldfield

The First Flag Ceremony of the New Academic Year

This morning BISC respectfully conducted its first Flag Ceremony of the new academic year. The ceremony was led by students with speeches from the Principal and the Head of Arabic Programme and concluded with the all students singing the national anthem of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The Egypt and Middle East Programme

We begin this school year having put together plans to meet the two strategic goals for the Egypt and Middle East Programme: deepening the teaching of Arabic language at our School, and providing our students with the necessary knowledge about the history of Egypt and the region. Our plans for this year include increasing reading and writing activities in Arabic language lessons. We also plan to engage parents in activities aiming at encouraging students to read and speak Arabic at home. Furthermore, we aim to hold an Arabic reading competition across several year groups.

Regarding history, over the Summer break, we have re-designed some lessons for some year groups, plan to invite several guest speakers and organise field trips. We will inform parents and the school community about these plans in due course.

We look forward to a productive year and an enjoyable educational journey. We also look forward to continuous engagement from parents and the school community. 

رسالة بداية العام الدراسي من برنامج مصر والشرق الأوسط

نبدأ هذا العام الدراسي، واضعين أمام أعيننا الهدفين الرئيسيين لبرنامج مصر والشرق الأوسط، وهما: تعميق تدريس اللغة العربية لطلابنا، وإعطاء طلابنا المعارف اللازمة المتعلقة بتاريخ مصر والمنطقة. تشمل خططنا لهذا العام زيادة نشاط القراءة والكتابة في حصص اللغة العربية، كما سيتم إعلام أولياء الأمور – وإشراكهم – تباعاً في أنشطة لمتابعة القراءة المنزلية لطلابنا. نسعى أيضاً لتنظيم مسابقة قراءة باللغة العربية على مستوى عدد من الفصول الدراسية.

فيما يتعلق بمادة التاريخ، فقد قمنا خلال الإجازة الصيفية بتحديث بعض الدروس لعدد من السنوات، ووضعنا خطة لاستضافة عدد من المتحدثين الخارجيين، وتنظيم رحلات سيتم إعلام أولياء الأمور ومجتمع المدرسة بها تباعاً.

نتطلع إلى عام مثمر، ورحلة معرفية ممتعة، ومشاركة مستمرة من أولياء الأمور ومجتمع المدرسة.

Dr Mazen Hassan

Examination Results

In the summer of 2024, students from Years 11 and 13 were engaged in IGCSE/GCSE and IB Diploma Programme examinations.

Particular congratulations go to Maryam, Ali Y, Ali G, Omar and Zeina for securing grade 8 or 9 in seven or more subjects.

Upgraded Facilities

We are delighted to share that over the summer, much maintenance and improvements to our facilities were undertaken across the campus. We are able to start the year with these new facilities in place, providing enhanced opportunities for our students

Message from the Head of Senior School

What an incredible week it has been! Our campus is buzzing with energy as we welcomed new and returning students. On Monday, we opened our doors to new students to BISC and worked with students in Years 7, 10 and 12 to help them find their footing in their new phases. Thank you to all the parents who attended the Induction Meetings and Meet and Greet events for Year 8 and Year 9 students, and for offering me a warm welcome to the BISC community. I have been deeply moved by the kindness extended to me by all the parents I have met so far.

I join BISC from high performing schools and bring more than 25 years of educational experience specialising in raising academic outcomes. My mission is to help our students shine bright, not just in their report cards, but in life beyond school too. I want the young people in our care to make a positive change in the world, both on a local and global scale. I am "a third culture kid", so the idea of being a global citizen is one that is very dear to me. I am always keen on meeting parents and discussing any arising issues so please feel free to book a meeting and talk to me about any concerns you may have.

As an incoming Head of Senior School, I feel deeply honoured to have been appointed to the role and I want to reassure you of my unwavering commitment to excellence. I will base my approach to the role on the principles which have guided me throughout my journey in educational leadership: to create a caring and supportive environment to allow each student to develop and thrive; to develop a strong relationship between home and school so that the students sense our support for them; to encourage our students to commit to their studies and to all the opportunities available to them; and for me to serve the community with integrity, openness and passion. It is a responsibility which I take on with humility and enthusiasm.

I am looking forward to meeting more parents and students in the coming weeks and leading this fantastic Senior School.

Tyla Arabas

Celebration Assemblies

This week, we celebrated the many achievements of students who were in Years 7 to 11 last year, including those with outstanding IGCSE results. It was a pleasure to celebrate their academic excellence and endeavours with parents and peers.

You can see all the photos of the award winners here: Year 8  Year 9  Year 10  Year 11

Induction Meetings

Thank you to all the Senior School parents who came to Induction Meetings this week, for Years 7, 10 and 12. If you missed the sessions, you can review the slideshow on the following links: Year 7   Year 10    Year 12

Sporting Achievement

Well done to Abd El Rahman in Year 10, who won second place at the U15 Junior Golf European Open, played at the famous Golf du Touquet Club in France during the summer.

Upcoming Events

Message from the Head of Junior School

Thank you for your kind messages and warm welcome to the Junior School. I look forward to meeting you at our forthcoming Curriculum Evenings.

What a wonderful start to the year; it has been wonderful to see classrooms full of engaged learners and to see so many parents on site.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as your new Head of Junior School. I  join BISC after an enriching tenure at a Prep School in England, bringing over 25 years of experience in education. Throughout my career, I have been privileged to serve in various leadership roles. My journey in education has also included serving as an ISI Inspector and Safeguarding Governor.

As I step into this role, my mission is clear: to foster a supportive, nurturing environment where every student is encouraged to thrive both academically and personally. I firmly believe that the happiness and well-being of our students are paramount to their success, and I am committed to creating an atmosphere where each child feels excited to learn and confident in their abilities.

I am particularly passionate about the holistic development of our students, ensuring that they not only excel in their studies but also grow into compassionate, responsible global citizens. This vision has guided me throughout my career, and it is one I hold dear as I join the BISC community. I am eager to work closely with both staff and parents to build strong relationships that will support our students in every aspect of their school life.

I consider it a tremendous honour to lead the Junior School, and I approach this responsibility with humility and enthusiasm. I am excited to be part of the future at BISC and to contribute to the school’s ongoing tradition of excellence. Please feel free to reach out to me with any concerns or ideas you may have. I look forward to meeting you all and embarking on this journey together.

I realise that there is a great deal of information for pupils (and parents) to contend with in order to fully enjoy the Junior School experience, so I hope that the Bulletin becomes a handy way of keeping track of what is going on. We will endeavour to collate all information into this newsletter.

I very much look forward to the term ahead, with a sense of optimism, positivity, excitement and challenge and I am looking forward to seeing lots more of you at all the events during the first term.

Johnny Egan

First Day Photography

Junior School pupils were all smiles as we started the new year in good form. Below are some photos we collected as they returned to the classroom.

Curriculum Evenings

Next week, we will host Curriculum Evenings for Junior School. This will give you the opportunity to meet your child’s new teacher, The Head of Year, members of the Junior Leadership Team, as well as other parents.

We will be informing you about the general operations of the school day, your child’s curriculum for the year, assessments, behaviour expectations and more.

We are looking forward to meeting you all in what we hope will be an extremely informative event. The event will start in your child’s classroom and will then move to the Main Theatre. This event is for parents only and children should not attend.

Years 1 & 2 - Tuesday 3rd September, 17:00 - 18:30

Years 3 & 4 - Wednesday 4th September, 17:00 - 18:30

Years 5 & 6 - Thursday 5th September, 17:00 - 18:30

Please head directly to classrooms at 17:00 and then onto the Theatre at 17:30.

Drop-off Time

A reminder to drop your children at the school gates before 07:55.

The School Gates will be locked at 08:00 from next week. Anyone who arrives after 08:00 will need to go straight to the Junior School Office.

Year 1 Notice

The Year 1 pupils have settled very well this week and their independence is already showing. In order to encourage this independence further, we request that Year 1 pupils come to class independently from Sunday. Parents are able to walk them to the bottom of the stairs, but we ask that you do not go up to the classrooms.

For the first few weeks, the Year 1 pupils will not join the flag ceremony until they become fully settled into their regular routines. Thank you for your support. 

Key Stage 1 Assembly

Key Stage 1 pupils enjoyed their first assembly back in the Theatre and were treated to a story by Ms Fellows about helping each other. A big ‘well done’ to all the pupils who won Star of the Week.

Key Stage 2 Assembly

Mr Egan and Ms Farag led the first Key Stage 2 assembly of the year today. Well done to all the pupils who collected Star of the Week certificates.

Upcoming Events

A very warm welcome back to all Foundation Stage parents and children. We are delighted to report that this first week has been one of the most successful we have ever experienced. The children have, more or less, all settled and I would like to thank all our parents for their efforts to encourage their children to come to school knowing that they will enjoy their day. We are very positive that this will be a hugely successful year.

PE Lessons 

Below you will find the days that each class has PE lessons. On these days, please dress your children in their school PE uniform and trainers. A reminder to please label your children’s belongings.

Upcoming Events