It is encouraging to see students showing concern and leadership with ideas about how they can make a difference to the world around them, be it within our community or globally. We really want to encourage our students to think beyond the little bubble of their friendship group and to take advantage of new activities; finding out about what is going on around the world and bringing this to their studies.

We are an IB school, and as such we encourage our students to develop an enquiring mind in line with the IB Learner Profile. This is not applicable only to our Sixth Form students, as these ways of learning and thinking are integral to every child’s learning journey, from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 13.

As you will see, the profile aligns closely with BISC's vision. A key element in learning is risk-taking, and the consequence of this is that we will get things wrong, but what is important is how we learn from these mistakes to develop further our ideas and understanding. We celebrate success at BISC but we also recognise the importance of trying, taking risks in our learning, and moving forward.

This is recognised by many of the world’s most successful thinkers, entrepreneurs and academics whose famous words I remind you of:

"Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think." and “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” Albert Einstein

"It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure." Bill Gates

Prophet's Birthday on Sunday

This Sunday, 15th September 2024, is a national public holiday in celebration of the Prophet's Birthday, so I hope that all our community will have a very enjoyable long weekend and that students return to school on Monday 16th September rested and reinvigorated for school!

Message from the Head of Senior School

Here at BISC, holistic education is at the heart of our vision and mission. We want our young people to grow into responsible, well rounded individuals. After School Activities (ASAs) are an integral part of that goal. They allow our young people to explore new interests and discover their passions. Did you know that one third of Nobel Prize winners in Sciences were/are also artists in their spare time, unlike average scientists? There is a well-documented link between the arts and the ability to think creatively in Sciences and Business. Did you know that Steve Jobs took a calligraphy class which inspired him to create the sleek designs that Apple is renowned for? We encourage you to motivate your children to try something new and creative this coming term. Our upcoming musical ‘School of Rock’ and the COBIS Art competition are two examples of the opportunities offered. Thank you to all the parents who have already completed the After School Activities sign up. Please be reminded that the deadline for it is this Saturday, 14th September.

This week was a busy one for our Year 13 students, as they sat their September assessments. These assessments are crucial for their learning, as subject teachers reviewed their progress from the Year 12 End of Year exams, in preparation for their IB exams in the summer. They approached their exams with resilience and optimism and we are very proud of them. As our Sixth Form students enter the busy period of university applications, we are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a University Application workshop for parents on Tuesday 1st October. This will cover everything you need to know as a parent for your child applying to the US and UK. Please save the date.

I would like to remind all parents that attendance to all lessons is compulsory and medical appointments should be scheduled outside school hours whenever possible. Historical evidence shows that students with an attendance of 95% and higher tend to achieve better grades than those whose attendance falls below this threshold. We are currently reviewing our attendance and punctuality protocols and will share updates shortly. We are particularly keen to focus on rewarding the many students who attend school every day. We hope you can support us with celebrating these students in due course and encouraging your child to be in school on time daily. In the meantime, I would like to wish you a restful long weekend.

Senior School After School Activities Begin on Monday

After School Activities will start for Senior School students on Monday 16th September. After School Activities will continue weekly until Thursday 12th December. The timings are from 15:20 to 16:20. 

Here you can see the Term 1 After School Activities (ASAs) for the Senior School. There is an exciting variety of activities available for Years 7 to 13, with an emphasis placed in Term 1 on enrichment activities. It is part of our mission to ensure that the young people at BISC enjoy a rich and rounded educational experience underpinned by a wide range of ASAs. It would be wonderful if you could support us by encouraging your son and/or daughter to select at least one activity they have not tried before.

The sign up process is open on the Engage Parent Portal until 18:00 on Saturday 14th September.  

SparxMaths 

This week, our Maths department introduced a superb new homework platform called SparxMaths.

The software creates tailored tasks, unique to each Senior School student, based on their abilities and recall. This makes the homework simultaneously challenging and attainable for every student who uses it and provides teachers with a clearer view of the class progress. 

Just hours after the first homework was launched on Tuesday evening, we had our first set of pupils level up! Congratulations to Omar and Zakaria in Year 7, Charlie and Maryam in Year 8, and Hassan in Year 11.

Year 7 Science

Mr Menghis' Year 7 class were implementing the practical skills they have learnt over the past two weeks to conduct an independent experiment on heating and changes of state.

Year 10 Economics

Students in Mr Maher's class were challenged to design and plan the construction of a zoo this week; building a business plan to maximise space and revenue.

Year 11 Spanish

National Coding Week

To promote Coding at BISC, from 16th to 19th September during the second break, the Computing department will run a series of exciting Coding challenges in room L101 for any of our Senior School students to pop along and join.

Students of the Week

Congratulations to the following students, who were nominated as Students of the Week by the Pastoral team:

• Year 7 - Matthew
• Year 8 - Seif Y
• Year 9 - Lara I
• Year 10 - Youssef Z
• Year 11 - Dima 
• Year 12 - Mathilda 
• Year 13 - Kaixin 

News from the Sixth Form

This week, we would like to highlight the importance of being PRINCIPLED as part of the IB Learner Profile attributes. A principled learner acts with integrity, honesty and respect for others. They are committed to fairness, justice and the well-being of the community. By fostering a culture of principled learning, we are empowering our students to become responsible and ethical citizens.

As we near the end of the assessment window for Year 13, we commend our students for their hard work and dedication. Their efforts have been commendable, and we wish them the very best as they prepare for their upcoming examinations.

Year 12 students have successfully transitioned into their new subjects and are settling into their classes. The IB curriculum, with its emphasis on critical thinking, inquiry and global perspectives, is challenging yet rewarding. We are proud of their progress and commitment to academic excellence.

Let us continue to support and encourage our students as they strive to be principled learners and achieve their academic goals.

Message from the Head of Junior School

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all parents who attended the recent meetings with their child's class teachers and allowed me the pleasure of introducing the Junior Leadership Team. I trust you found the information shared both helpful and informative. Here are the slides for anyone who was unable to attend.

As mentioned, I warmly encourage you to introduce yourselves to me in person. I will make every effort to be present at the school gates each morning and the majority of afternoons, and I look forward to meeting you. In the interim, I extend my warmest wishes for a restful and rejuvenating long weekend.

Junior School parents will receive a message from Engage today, confirming your child’s After School Activities, which start on Monday 16th September. If you have been successful in joining an ASA, you will see the word ‘enrolled’ under the activity as you log onto Engage. If you do not receive a message confirming your selection, your child will go onto a waiting list for the activity.

If your child does not attend three sessions of an After School Activity without medical notification, they will be removed from the club, allowing other pupils on the waiting list to take part.

International Literacy Day

Celebrating International Literacy Day this week, our Junior School pupils were busy reading, writing and storytelling.

Year 1 pupils were learning and then drawing the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.

The Arabic department provided special activities in their classes, to encourage reading and writing in Arabic. Below are some Year 4 pupils working hard in class.  

Year 5 pupils in Mrs Day's class enjoyed their weekly Library lesson.

Meanwhile, Year 6 pupils took some quiet time to read books in both English and Arabic.

احتفالًا باليوم العالمي للكفاءة اللغوية، قام الطلاب في فصول اللغة العربية يوم الأحد 8 سبتمبر بالعديد من الأنشطة التي تسلط الضوء على عادة قراءة الكتب باللغة العربية، وذلك أسوة بما تم في حصص اللغة الانجليزية وفي تعاون مثمر بين القسمين

قام طلاب الصفوف من الأول حتى الثالث بقراءة قصة "اسمعني" للكاتبة رانيا حسين أمين وقصة "الشمس" للكاتبة أمل فرح، وهما من أشهر كاتبات قصص الأطفال في العالم العربي

اشترك طلاب الصف الرابع في نشاط حول كتابة إجابة لسؤال: ماذا أريد أن أصبح في المستقبل؟ 

أما الصفين الخامس والسادس، فقد استعرض الطلاب على لوحة كبيرة أسماء كتبهم المفضلة، والتي قاموا بقراءتها عبر منصة "أقرأ بالعربية"

ومع نهاية اليوم الدراسي، اجتمع طلاب الصف السادس في فناء المدرسة لقراءة القصص التي استعاروها من مكتبة المدرسة

Ms Faraz, the Author

Well done to Ms Faraz, who has produced a series of children's picture books and was invited to speak at a literature festival in Bradford, England during the summer. She also appeared on local radio, at local bookshops, and in school assemblies; sharing her work and stories of the 'Children of Palestine'. To learn more about the books, please visit this page on Amazon UK.

Keep up the good work, Ms Faraz! 

Junior School House News

Ms Tiernan, the Junior School Head of Houses, is delighted to welcome applicants from Year 6 for the House Captain positions.

The requirements of the role are as follows:

1 Boy + 1 Girl who demonstrate:

• Responsibility
• Creativity / Ideas
• Commitment
• Professionalism 
• Confidence
• Good behaviour

Applicants should:

• Send their applications via email to anne.tiernan@bisc.edu.eg; clearly explaining why they would be great for the role. 
• Video applications are also acceptable.
• Pupils should provide references of two teachers and include their names in their application.
• Applicants should not have another leadership role if they are applying to be a House Captain.

Stars of the Week 

In last week's Key Stage 2 assembly, we celebrated the following Stars of the Week:

Sare 3O, Sulayma 3M, Bodhi 3B, Rashid 3F, Ibrahim A 4D, Farida A 4B, Ahmed 4W, Anton 4F, Crawford 5S, Ellie 5C, Tamara 5B, Georgia 5D, Malek 6F, Lilly 6I, Tatiana 6M

Student Achievement

Hussein in Year 2 was lucky to be a mascot for the Egyptian National Football Team last week. He joined the players on the pitch before the Egypt vs. Cape Verde match and fulfilled a dream.

Upcoming Events

Message from the Head of Foundation Stage

Every Thursday morning, the Junior and Senior School pupils congregate on the school field to salute the flag and sing the National Anthem. This year, Dr Mazen Hassan, the Director of Egypt & The Middle East Programme, invited the Foundation Stage pupils to participate by singing the National Anthem along with the older students.

You will see from the video below how thrilled the children were to sing a song that they are so proud of and in the future, we intend to select Foundation Stage 2 children to lead the salutation, “Tahya Gomhoreyet Masr Al Arabeyya”. 

Our new Foundation Stage music teacher, Ms Tsvetelina Krasteva will be teaching the National Anthem to all our Foundation Stage children so that by the end of the year, we hope to have both Foundation Stage 2 and Foundation Stage 1 joining at the ceremony.

In the classrooms, the children of Foundation Stage 1 have settled in well, can now access resources independently, and are communicating their ideas through play. During the first term at school, the children will have opportunities to engage with learning through play based activities, whilst also beginning to interact with more teacher-led and structured sessions.

Each child visits the Library during the week, with a chance to choose a new reading book.

PE with Ms Tatiana is a highlight of the children’s week. Foundation Stage 1 and Foundation Stage 2 enjoy keeping active and learning new skills.

In Foundation Stage 2, we have been learning the ‘All About Me’ topic; about our faces, hair, eye colour and all the things that we like to do.

Meanwhile, Foundation Stage 1 and Foundation Stage 2 have started Arabic lessons with Ms Sarah and Ms Nayera.

Upcoming Events