The BISC Newsletter 12th June 2025
The BISC Graduation Ceremony - Class of 2025
On Friday 30th May 2025, Tbe British International School, Cairo celebrated the achievement of Class 2025 who completed their IB Diplomas. It was a proud, inspiring and memorable occasion. The ceremony was made even more special by the presence of our distinguished Guest of Honour and Keynote speaker, Mr Ban Ki-moon, the eighth Secretary General of the United Nations.
Families, teachers and friends gathered to celebrate this special occasion.
Calendar Update: Islamic New Year
In accordance with the official holidays agenda, published on the Egyptian Presidency website, we would like to update you that Thursday 26th June 2025 is a holiday on the occasion of the Islamic New Year. Wednesday 25th June will therefore be the last day of this academic year.
As is customary, the last day of school is a half day, whereby students finish school at noon; student buses leave the premises at 12.15. We urge parents of students who do not use the buses to arrange prompt transport home for their children.
We wish the whole BISC community happy holidays.
Senior School News
Good Luck, Senior School!
Last week, all Senior School students started their end-of-year examinations. We know how diligently they have prepared, and we are confident in their abilities. Wishing them all the best of luck!
The Senior School is excited to share a significant development for our Post-16 students! Last week, we officially launched a new, additional academic pathway: the option to complete A-Levels! This fantastic new offering will be available starting September 2025, giving BISC students even more choices for their post-16 education.
Reminder from the Senior School Library
Now that this year's reading targets have been completed, please ensure that books are returned to the library. Textbooks should also be returned after the end-of-year exams.
Year 7 and 8 Art Exam Preparation
Year 7 students have been researching packaging and product design in order to complete their own branded candy box for the upcoming end of year exam.
Year 8 students have been busy working very hard at break times to complete the final designs for their African style masks. In their end of year exam, they will complete the final constructions.
Stars of the Week
Year 7 - Yusef Sh
Year 8 - Mona E M
Year 9 - Aisha H
Year 10 - Youssef E S
Junior School News
Key Stage 2 Assembly - Stars and Mathematicians of the Week
We proudly announce our Key Stage 2 Stars of the Week:
3O: Selim M, 3M: Hana M, 3B: Karim E, 3F: Abd El Salam, 4D: All of 4D, 4B: Omar E, 4W: Mariam S, 4F: Mohamed C, 5S: Nicole M, 5C: Nour E, 5B: Fadel M, 5D: Amaya H, 6F: Youssef B, 6i: Ismail H and 6M: Zeina A.
And our Mathematicians of the Week:
Year 3: Naomi B, Year 5: Nael D and Year 6: Amina C.
Year 1 English
Over the past weeks in Year 1, we have been on an exciting mission to catch the Evil Pea - the mischievous villain from the Supertato story! The pupils have thoroughly enjoyed using their detective skills to search for clues and come up with creative plans to capture him.
We began our journey by collecting evidence, recording ideas and designing booby traps to catch the elusive Pea. Following the Talk for Writing approach, the pupils used their literacy skills to retell the story and create story maps, helping them to develop a clear understanding of story structure.
Building on this foundation, pupils then wrote detailed character descriptions and produced eye-catching wanted posters to help in the hunt for the Evil Pea. They focused on sentence structure and used a range of adjectives to create vivid and engaging descriptions.
A key focus throughout this unit has been understanding what makes a good story. Year 1 pupils have explored story elements in depth, including characters, settings, problems and resolutions. This scaffolded approach has supported their development and equipped them with the skills needed to write their very own superhero stories as the final outcome.
Here are some fantastic examples of their work!
Junior School Class Music Performances - Year 2
To mark the end of a very musical year, our Year 2 pupils presented wonderful concerts to parents in the Junior Music Room. The event featured instrumental performances, joyful singing and the world premiere of the pupils' very own compositions, beautifully linked to their Around Our World topic. The pupils were fabulously led by Mr Shaun and supported by their dedicated TAs and Miss Amal, the music assistant. It was a delight to see their creativity and confidence shine - an inspiring celebration of their hard work and learning!
Cairo Swim Gala
We were delighted to host the Cairo Swim Gala with visiting teams from BSE, Al Alsson, AIS West and MBIS.
The BISC team took to the water with energy and determination, competing in a range of events, from relays to butterfly, front crawl to backstroke. For some, it was their very first time competing at such a level, offering a valuable opportunity to build resilience and grow through the experience.
Karim's Cairo Opera House Performance
Karim’s solo performance at the Cairo Opera House echoed with the grace of his growing confidence and ever-developing gift on the piano. Well done, Karim - we are proud of you!
Year 6 Practical Science - Explore the Microscopic World
Year 6 pupils have recently completed an exciting microscopy unit as part of their preparation for the Year 7 science curriculum. Throughout the unit, they used low-power objective lenses to explore a range of prepared slides, capturing impressive photographs of their observations.
Among the fascinating specimens they examined and photographed were onion cells, hydrated chia seeds and various insect parts - sparking curiosity and discussion about the microscopic structures that make up living things.
In the final activity, students had the opportunity to prepare their own slides using onion tissue. This hands-on task allowed them to practise essential microscopy techniques and gain a deeper understanding of cell structure and scientific observation.
Over the next period, the focus will shift to developing core science skills, giving students further preparation for Year 7 science next year.
Well done Year 6, for your curiosity, careful work and enthusiasm throughout this engaging topic!
فريق نشاط الدراما العربية يستعد لتقديم عرض "حكايات جحا"
يُعدّ نشاط الدراما العربية من الأنشطة التي تسعى إلى تعزيز الهوية العربية وتنمية المواهب الفنية لدى الطلاب، من خلال تسليط الضوء على التراث العربي وإحياء شخصياته وقضاياه.
اختار فريق نشاط "الدراما العربية" في هذا الفصل الدراسي تقديم عمل مسرحي بعنوان "حكايات جحا"، يُجسد من خلاله مشاهد مختارة من نوادر جحا، هذه الشخصية التراثية الشهيرة التي مزجت بين الحكمة والفكاهة بأسلوب بسيط وعميق.
نحن فخورون بأداء طلابنا، وبما أظهروه من حماس ومشاركة إيجابية ضمن فريق الدراما العربية على مدار الأسابيع الماضية.
ونستعد حاليًا لتقديم العرض المسرحي "حكايات جحا"، بمشاركة 17 طالبًا وطالبة من الصفوف الابتدائية (الرابع، والخامس، والسادس). سيُقام العرض يوم الأحد الموافق 15 يونيو 2025، من الساعة الثانية حتى الثالثة ظهرًا، بحضور أولياء أمور الطلاب المشاركين، وطلاب المدرسة من الصف الثالث إلى الصف السادس، إضافة إلى معلمي اللغة العربية.
The Arabic Drama Club Prepares to Present "Juha’s Tales"
The Arabic Drama activity is one of our purposeful cultural programmes that aims to strengthen Arabic identity and develop pupils’ artistic talents by highlighting authentic Arabic heritage and bringing its characters and issues to life through contemporary artistic approaches.
In line with this goal, the Arabic Drama Club has chosen to present a theatrical performance titled "Juha’s Tales", which brings to the stage selected scenes from the famous tales of Juha - an iconic folkloric character known for blending wisdom and humour in a simple yet profound style. We are proud of our pupils’ performances and their enthusiastic, positive and active participation in the Arabic Drama Club over the past weeks.
We are preparing to present the performance "Juha’s Tales" featuring 17 students from Years 4, 5 and 6. The performance will take place on Sunday 15th June 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00. It will be attended by the parents of the participating students, other students from Year 3 to Year 6, as well as Arabic language teachers.
طلاب الصف السادس يقودون تحية العلم هذا الأسبوع
نشكر كل من نادية د، خديجة ا، زينة ع، منى م وملك أ من الصف السادس، على قيادة تحية العلم هذا الأسبوع.
Honouring Students Who Led the Flag Ceremony this Week
We would like to thank Nadia D (Y6F), Khadija M and Mona M (Y6I), Zeina A and Malak E (Y6M), who proudly led the School’s flag ceremony this Thursday.
الفائزون في مسابقة الكتابة باللغة العربية
على مدار شهرين أُقيمت في المدرسة مسابقة للكتابة العربية، وتضمنت كتابة نصوص باللغة العربية تتعلق بمصر (معالم أو شخصيات تاريخية - أمثلة وأقوال مأثورة - حقب تاريخية - عادات وأطباق من التراث، وغير ذلك من موضوعات)، وقد تم اختيار من ٣ إلى ٤ فائزين فقط من كل صف دراسي، لتُنشر إسهاماتهم في كتاب خاص ستقوم المدرسة بطباعته تقديرًا لجهودهم.
احتفاءً بهذا الإنجاز، تم تكريم الطلاب الفائزين في المرحلة الابتدائية في طابور العلم.
ويشرفنا دعوة الطلاب الفائزين في المرحلتين الابتدائية والثانوية، وأولياء أمورهم، لحضور حفل غداء تكريمي يُقام في المدرسة، لمشاركة أبنائنا تجربتهم، والاحتفال بجهودهم، وتشجيعهم على الاستمرار في الكتابة باللغة العربية.
التاريخ: الخميس 19 مايو 2025
الوقت: 2:30 - 3:30
المكان: بهو المسرح الكبير Theatre Foyer في المدرسة الدولية البريطانية
أسماء الطلاب الفائزين في المرحلتين الابتدائية والثانوية:
الصف الأول: ليان م، زيدان س، عالية ا
الصف الثاني: كندة م، كاميليا ا، آدم ش
الصف الثالث: ماجدة ت، مريم م، سليمان ا
الصف الرابع: جيسي م، مراد ع، فرنسيس ش
الصف الخامس: رقية ا، سعيد ص، شريفة س، لينا ا
الصف السادس: تايا أ، منصور ا، هايلي ش، زاهارا ن
الصف السابع: عمر أ، هنا ق، فريد ا، يوسف ش
الصف الثامن: تمارا ع، ماسة د، إسماعيل ي، علي م
الصف العاشر: عبد الله ع، دانيا ا، سارة ر
الصف الثاني عشر: عمر ع، ليلى خ، ليلى و، لميس ع
BISC Arabic Writing Champions
Over a period of two months, the School organised an Arabic Writing Competition, which involved writing texts in Arabic about Egypt (landmarks, historical figures, proverbs, historical junctures, traditional customs and dishes, among other topics). The best 3 to 4 contributions were selected from each year group and will be published in a special book that the school will print in recognition of their efforts.
In celebration of this achievement, the winning students in the Junior School were honoured during the flag ceremony.
We are pleased to invite the winning students from both the Junior and Senior Schools, along with their parents, to attend an honorary lunch at the School. This event will provide an opportunity to share our students’ experience, celebrate their efforts and encourage them to continue writing in Arabic.
Date: Thursday 19th May 2025
Time: 2:30 - 3:30
Venue: Theatre Foyer, The British International School
Names of the winning students from JS and SS:
Year 1: Layan M, Zidane S, Alya E
Year 2: Kenda M, Kamilllia E, Adam S
Year 3: Magda T, Mariam M, Soliman E
Year 4: Jessy M, Mourad O, Francis S
Year 5: Lina E, Sharifa S, Said N, Rokaya M
Year 6: Taya A, Mansour M, Hailey H, Zahara N
Year 7: Omar A, Hana K, Farid E, Yusef S
Year 8: Tamara A, Masa D, Ismail W, Ali M
Year 10: Dania E, Sarah R, Abdallah E
Year 12: Lamisse A, Omar A, Laila K, Laila W
Library Books
As we approach the end of the Academic Year, we kindly request all pupils to return their library books by Thursday 19th June 2025.
Upcoming Events
KS1 Swimming Showcase 1T and 1N 1E and 1H 2L and 2S 2B and 2F | From 12:35 to 13:45 Sunday 15th June Monday 16th June Tuesday 17th June Thursday 19th June |
Arabic Drama Club Performance “Juha’s Tales” (Parents of the participating students are invited to come) | Sunday 15th June, at 14:00 |
Y1 Exit Point | Tuesday 17th June, at 13:30 |
KS1 Splash Day | Thursday 19th June |
Junior Duke Exit Party (by invitation - with parents) | Sunday 22nd June, from 15:30 to 18:30 |
Year 6 Graduation | Monday 23rd June |
Reports Issued | Wednesday 25th June |
Foundation Stage News
Foundation Stage 1 Production
You will see below that the rehearsals for the Foundation Stage 1 Production are in full flow. The costumes have been ordered, and the excitement is building.
Parent volunteers are welcome to participate as extras at the beginning of the performance; there will be a very short rehearsal for any participants.
Foundation Stage 1 Assessment
Foundation Stage 1 teachers are currently assessing the pupils to compile data to be given to their next teacher. This information provides the Foundation Stage 2 teachers with a good understanding of the children’s developmental level and enables a seamless transition from FS1 into FS2.
Foundation Stage 2 Graduation Ceremony
This half term, the Foundation Stage 2 children have been learning about different instruments in an orchestra during their music lessons with Ms Lina.
They have explored how the instruments sound and used body percussion to create simple rhythms. This has provided a good opportunity to support their listening and coordination skills.
As the term progresses, the children will be learning songs to perform at the FS2 graduation.
احتفالات المرحلة التمهيدية بعيد الأضحى
احتفلت صفوف المرحلة التمهيدية الأسبوع الماضي بعيد الأضحى المبارك من خلال مجموعة متنوعة من الأنشطة الممتعة والهادفة. استمتع الأطفال بقراءة قصة "خروف بلا صوف"، وأنشدوا أغاني العيد التي ملأت الصفوف بالفرح والحماس.
ومن أبرز الأنشطة كانت فعالية "خروف الفشار"، حيث شاهد الأطفال حبّات الذرة تتحول إلى فشار، واستخدموا الفشار في عمل خروف مجسم، مما جمع بين التعلم والمرح، كما استخدموا مواد متنوعة للتعبير الفني حول موضوع العيد.
وخلال النقاشات، تعرف الأطفال على تقاليد عيد الأضحى وتحدثوا عن أهمية مساعدة الآخرين.
Eid Al-Adha Celebrations in Foundation Stage
Last week, our Foundation Stage classes celebrated Eid Al-Adha through a variety of fun and relevant activities. The children enjoyed reading the story "The Woolless Sheep" and sang Eid songs that filled the classrooms with joy and excitement.
One of the highlights was the "Popcorn Sheep" activity, as the children watched corn kernels turn into popcorn and then used the popcorn to create a 3D sheep model - combining learning and fun! They also used various materials for creative expression around the Eid theme.
Through class discussions, the children learned about Eid Al-Adha traditions and talked about the importance of helping others.
Upcoming Events
FS1 Performance | Thursday 19th June, at 13:00, in the Theatre |
FS2 Graduation Ceremony | Tuesday 24th June, at 13:00, in the Theatre |
FS End of Year Reports Issued | Thursday 26th June |