The BISC Newsletter 27th February 2025

School Hours During Ramadan

We wish all members of the BISC community a blessed month .... Ramadan Mubarak!

School hours for students during the holy month of Ramadan will be from 8:00 to 13:45; the adjusted school time will start on Sunday 2nd March. No After School Activities will run during Ramadan except those for Year 11 and Year 13 academic interventions.

Senior School News

IB News

Last weekend, our IBWISE workshop provided a valuable and productive experience for our Year 13 students, equipping them with key insights and strategies to support their exam preparation. These workshops are a golden opportunity for students to refine their understanding, clarify challenging concepts and gain expert guidance as they approach their final IB exams.

This weekend, we are excited to host IBWISE workshops for Maths AI HL and Biology, where students will once again benefit from specialised support, tailored to their needs. We look forward to another engaging and impactful set of sessions that will help our students build confidence and maximise their potential in these key subjects.

Stars of the Week

Year 7 - Malek E

Year 8 - Nawara K

Year 9 - Malaka S

Year 10 - Eman H

Year 11 - Jaida S

Sports Achievements

Massive congratulations to our Year 7 boys, Omar K and Hassan K. They both participated in The National Judo Championship last week and won gold medals.

Omar won 1st place in the 60kg category, while Hassan won 1st place in the 66kg category.

Book Week

This week, we celebrated books in the Senior School by showcasing our love of literature.

We started the week with a Senior School Book Week Quiz where the Houses competed against each other to showcase their reading supremacy. In the end, the awarded points were:

• Water: 37
• Air: 32
• Earth: 31
• Fire: 28

Some thoughts on the Book Week Quiz from our Year 8 students:

Throughout the week, we also had our Senior School students read with the Junior School pupils, showcasing their love of literature and why reading is so important.

Thursday, we also saw our Senior School students dress up as their favourite literary characters, promoting their love of reading through their chosen costumes.

Finally, we had our ‘Caught Reading’ competition, where students took pictures of themselves in unusual places, promoting that reading can happen anywhere and by anyone!

الاحتفال بأسبوع الكتاب في فصول اللغة العربية

احتفالًا بأسبوع الكتاب وتعزيزًا للقراءة، نظّمت فصول اللغة العربية في المدرسة الإعدادية والثانوية مجموعة من الأنشطة المتميزة.

- أقيمت مسابقة تفاعلية بين الصفوف، تمثلت في البحث عن الكتاب الصحيح، عبر مطابقة الغلاف بالنبذة الدالة عليه.

- استقبل طلاب الصف الثاني عشر الكاتب عمر طاهر بعد أن قرأوا فصولًا من كتابه صنايعية مصر. شاركهم الكاتب فكرة الكتاب والدوافع وراء تأليفه، كما أتيحت لهم فرصة لطرح أسئلتهم عليه. في ختام اللقاء، قدّم الكاتب ثلاثة من مؤلفاته لأفضل ثلاثة طلاب طرحوا أسئلة عميقة ومميزة.

تنظيم مسابقة "تعبير كتابي" لكتيب باللغة العربية عن مصر يقوم بتأليفه طلاب المدرسة

أطلق برنامج مصر والشرق الأوسط هذا الأسبوع مسابقة للتعبير الكتابي حول مصر، باللغة العربية، ويساهم فيها كل طلاب المدرسة. وسيتنافس الطلاب في كل السنوات في كتابة تعبير عن موضوع معين يتعلق بالهوية المصرية (أكلة مصرية، حدث تاريخي، شخصية تاريخية، عادة مصرية، مدينة مصرية). وسيتم اختيار أفضل المخرجات في كل صف دراسي لنشرها في كتيب عن مصر. 

Arabic Classes Book Week Celebration

In celebration of Book Week and in support of reading, Arabic classes in the Junior and Senior schools have been engaging in a number of activities:

• an interactive competition, challenging students to find the correct book by matching its cover with a relevant synopsis.
• Year 12 students welcomed the renowned author 'Omar Taher' after reading excerpts from his book Sanayee‘at Masr (The Industrialists of Egypt). He shared insights into the book’s concept and the motivations behind writing it. Students had the opportunity to ask him questions. 

Arabic Writing Competition: producing a book in Arabic about Egypt 

This week, the Egypt and Middle East Programme has launched an Arabic writing competition, to produce a book authored by BISC students, in Arabic, about Egypt (its history, culture, places, figures, food, etc.). The purpose is to combine an Arabic writing activity with the theme of Egypt. As part of the Arabic lessons across the whole school, each year group will be given one theme about Egypt to write about (starting from a drawing in Year 1 to a sentence in Year 2, all the way to up to 1-2 full pages in the Senior School). We will then select the best three outputs from each year group and combine them together in a BISC book about Egypt.

الاحتفال بحلول شهر رمضان الكريم

احتفالًا بقدوم شهر رمضان، ألقت طالبتا الصف الحادي عشر جيزيل أ ومنى س، كلمة أمام المدرسة، تناولتا فيها البعد الروحي والثقافي لهذا الشهر. وأوضحتا أن رمضان، وهو الشهر التاسع في التقويم الهجري، يعد وقتًا للتأمل الذاتي، والتواصل، وفعل الخير. يصوم خلاله ما يقارب ملياريّ مسلم من الفجر حتى الغروب، مما يعزز الصبر والانضباط وروح العطاء. من التقاليد الرمضانية المميزة في مصر: الفوانيس، ومدفع الإفطار، وموائد الرحمن. كما أشارتا إلى الفوائد الصحية للصيام، مثل تحسين التمثيل الغذائي وصحة القلب. وفي الختام، أكّدتا أن رمضان هو شهر السلام والتأمل، وترسيخ قيم التسامح والمحبة.

The Holy Month of Ramadan Celebration

In celebration of the start of Ramadan, Year 11 students Gisele E. and Mona S. addressed the school, highlighting the month’s spiritual and cultural significance. They explained that Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time for self-reflection, connection and kindness. Nearly two billion Muslims observe fasting from dawn to sunset; fostering patience, discipline and generosity. Unique Egyptian traditions include lanterns (fanoos), the iftar cannon and charity banquets (Mawa'id Al-Rahman). The students also noted fasting’s health benefits, such as improved metabolism and heart functions. In Conclusion, they emphasised Ramadan as a time for peace, reflection and reinforcing values of tolerance and love.

Senior School Students Photography Schedule

Junior School News

Key Stage 2 Star and Mathematician of the Week

We proudly announce the Stars of the Week; 3O: whole class, 3M: Zak A, 3B: Mariam M, 3F: Hassan E, 4D: Jessy E, 4B: Haya O, 4W: Abdalla A, 4F: Francis S, All of Year 5 (Luxor Trip), 6i: whole class, 6M: Hend A and 6F: Leah E.

And, this week's Mathematicians are; 3F: Solly S, 4D: Hassan S and All of Year 6.

Book Week in Junior School 

Book Week was a fantastic celebration of reading, creativity and learning across the Junior School. Pupils engaged in a variety of exciting reading and writing activities, producing impressive work that showcased their growing skills. The week was filled with artistic expression, dancing and singing; making literacy come alive in fun and engaging ways. Parents and children enjoyed browsing the book fair together, fostering a love of reading beyond the classroom. Senior School volunteers joined in for activities, creating wonderful connections between pupils of all ages.

The highlight of the week was the spectacular costume parade, where children proudly dressed as their favourite book characters or from their chosen decade. The celebrations concluded with a special reading session and a well-earned treat before pupils eagerly shared their work. It was a week of cross-curricular learning, creativity and a true love for literacy - an event to be proud of.

Year 6 Book Week

Year 6 had a magical time during Book Week, diving into Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with a fun 90’s theme. Pupils explored topics of friendship and adventure, then used their knowledge of Talk for Writing to innovate and personalise the story into their own. Their writing also linked to the nostalgia of the 90’s; drawing inspiration from Nintendo, music, fashion and early technology. It was hilarious seeing their reaction to the cool trends and colloquialisms we lived in back then. In Art, pupils embraced the era’s iconic style by creating vibrant tie-dye T-shirts, reflecting the bold colours and patterns of the 90’s. This cross-curricular experience brought together creativity, storytelling and the excitement of a magical decade; making Book Week a memorable celebration of both literature and nostalgia.

الاحتفال بأسبوع الكتاب في فصول اللغة العربية

احتفالًا بأسبوع الكتاب، نُظّمت عدة أنشطة في فصول اللغة العربية لتعزيز حب القراءة والاطلاع وتقدير الكتاب. شارك طلاب الصف الرابع والسادس في قراءة القصص لطلاب المرحلة التمهيدية، حيث استمتع الجميع بجلسات الحكي والتفاعل مع القصص. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، بدأت حصص اللغة العربية طوال الأسبوع بقراءة قصة يوميًا، تلاها أنشطة مصاحبة مثل التعبير بالرسم أو تقديم ملخص شفهي أمام زملاء الصف. كما تمت دعوة بعض أولياء الأمور للمشاركة في هذه الفعاليات من خلال قراءة القصص للطلاب.

كما استمع طلاب الصف الرابع والخامس والسادس للعرض الذي قدمته لهم مؤسسة أفكا الثقافية "حكايات جحا"، حيث تم عرض أشهر قصص جحا الأسطورية، هذه الشخصية الفلكلورية المحبوبة، من خلال رسومات حية أبدعتها يارا عمرو، وسرد من الحكواتي هيثم شكري، يصحبها موسيقى مينا ناجح.

Celebrating Book Week in Arabic Classes 

As part of Book Week celebrations, various activities were organised in Arabic classes to foster a love for reading, exploration, and appreciation of books. Year 4 and Year 6 pupils participated in storytelling sessions for early years children.

Additionally, Arabic lessons throughout the week began with a daily story, followed by accompanying activities such as artistic expression through drawing or presenting an oral summary to classmates. These activities helped pupils develop their reading and communication skills. Parents were also invited to engage by reading stories to the pupils; adding a more interactive dimension and strengthening the school community spirit.

Additionally, pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 listened to the Juha Tales performance, presented by Afka Cultural Foundation. The show featured some of Juha’s most famous folkloric tales; brought to life through live illustrations by Yara Amr, engaging storytelling by Haitham Shokry and music by Mina Nageh.

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تكريم المشاركين في مسابقة القراءة العربية

تتويجًا لجهود الطلاب الذين شاركوا في مسابقة القراءة باللغة العربية منذ انطلاقها في شهر أكتوبر وحتى انتهائها في 20 فبراير، قامت المدرسة بتكريمهم، بحضور أولياء أمورهم ومعلميهم وزملائهم. وجاء ذلك في إطار الاهتمام بدعم القراءة، وتقدير الجهد المبذول من قبل الطلاب بتشجيع من ذويهم ومعلميهم.  كل الشكر للمشاركين وبالتوفيق للجميع في المسابقات القادمة.

Honouring the Participants of the Arabic Reading Competition 

To recognise the efforts of pupils who participated in the Arabic Reading competition, from its launch in October until its conclusion on 20th February, the school honoured them in the presence of their parents, teachers and classmates to further emphasise the importance of reading. This was in appreciation for the pupils' dedication, supported by their families and teachers. Many thanks to all participants and best of luck in future competitions.

BISC U11 White Games Success

Our talented U11 athletes made BISC proud at the BSME White Games, hosted by Nord Anglia International School - Abu Dhabi, from 22nd to 24th February 2025! 

The standout achievement came from our boys' football team, who dominated the competition going undefeated to bring home the gold medal! Special congratulations to our star player Zain, who was deservedly named 'Player of the Tournament' for his exceptional skill and sportsmanship! 

Our Athletics squad showed remarkable improvement from last year, with multiple medal winners! Hamza N struck gold in the Boys' Shot Put, while Zayd R claimed silver in the Javelin. Tatiana added to our medal haul with an impressive silver in the Girls' Shot Put, showing tremendous strength and technique! Zayd was impressive in the pool, securing bronze medals in both 25m Backstroke and 50m Breaststroke! 

The entire BISC delegation performed admirably across all sports, finishing 7th overall in the competition. Our girls' football, boys' basketball and two Athletics teams secured 7th place finishes, while our girls' netball team fought hard for 10th place. Our swimmers showed tremendous spirit, finishing 11th against strong competition. 

The dedication, teamwork and sporting excellence displayed by our young athletes throughout the weekend was truly inspiring!

Photos from the games can be viewed here, with an unlimited option to download. You can also access the videos from the event: Day 1, Day 2 & the weekend highlights.

Y1T Assembly

Class 1T led an inspiring assembly about ‘Growth Mindset’. They reminded us that with a growth mindset, we can all achieve any goal we set for ourselves by staying positive, believing in ourselves and working hard. 1T certainly did that to deliver such a polished performance.  

Upcoming Events

Foundation Stage News

Stay & Play

BISC hosted our second 'Stay & Play' day last Saturday 22nd February. Despite the unseasonable weather, many new families came to visit and the children enjoyed a sample of all that Foundation Stage at BISC has to offer;  running on the new track, learning an instrument in the Music Room, listening to a story in Arabic and learning about the letter sounds. FS is determined to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) a major part of the curriculum in order to give our youngest pupils the skills to meet the 21st century. The final element of the open morning consisted of our Science teachers, Mr John and Miss Hayley, who created some memorable experiments; creating rainbows, making a volcano, toothpaste for an elephant and an attractive lava lamp.

Dress up Day / Prince & Princess Tea Party

The children of FS1 transformed into charming princes and enchanting princesses, as they gathered for a delightful World Book Day tea party held in the magnificent Royal Palace. The air was filled with laughter and excitement as they enjoyed tea and cakes. This celebration not only brought their favourite storybook characters to life but also created a memorable experience filled with joy.

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Foundation Stage One News

The book chosen for Book Week in FS1 was the perennial favourite “Little Red Riding Hood”. The children were encouraged to retell the story in their own words and dress up as the characters.

Some older children visited the FS1 classrooms to read to the younger children.

During the week, the children began to prepare the food for the Palace Garden Party, to be held on Thursday.

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Foundation Stage Two

FS2 children focused on reading a wide variety of books, nonfiction and fiction, all about their current topic ‘Growth’. They were given the opportunity to read with the younger children and enjoyed hearing stories read by other teachers.

Arabic Book Week

خلال هذا الأسبوع، احتفل طلاب المرحلة التمهيدية (FS) بأسبوع الكتاب من خلال أنشطة ممتعة وتعليمية. استقبلوا الأستاذة بثينة، والدة نجلاء، والأستاذة يارا، والدة ثريا؛ اللتين قرأتا لهم كتبًا عربية شيقة. كما استمتعوا بجلسات قراءة مميزة مع طلاب الصفين الرابع والسادس، الذين زاروا المرحلة التمهيدية لمشاركة حبهم للقراءة. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، جذبتهم عروض العرائس العربية الشيقة التي تناولت أهمية القراءة وحافظت على تفاعلهم وحماسهم. 

This week, Foundation Stage children celebrated Book Week by engaging in educational activities. They welcomed Ms Bothaina, Najla’s mother and Ms Yara, Thuraya’s mother, who read them interesting Arabic books. They also enjoyed special reading sessions with Year 4 and Year 6 pupils, who visited FS to share their love for reading. Additionally, they were captivated by an exciting Arabic puppet show addressing the importance of reading, while keeping them engaged and enthusiastic. 

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Whole School Photography

Please be sure that your child is sent to school in the correct school uniform, including their blazer. You may wish to send a hairbrush for any last-minute adjustments.