Dear Parents,

I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage at BISC. For some of you, this is not the first time to have a child in FS, and for others, this will be a brand new experience; either way, I am certain that you will be pleased with the exciting changes to our new-look school.

Last year the Foundation Stage classrooms and garden areas were redecorated and re-equipped to enable your children to receive the highest quality experience available. These improvements continued through the year as more resources arrived.

At BISC EYFS, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of best practices in early childhood education. All of our FS teachers are highly qualified and trained in the UK, able to deliver a curriculum that encompasses the best of the British Early Years framework. Our aim for our children is that they settle into the class routines, enjoy coming into school, and make friends for life, as well as acquiring a love for learning. We try to ensure that children leave FS speaking English with a high level of confidence, allowing them to access the Year One curriculum. Alongside this, we offer a new Arabic language curriculum, which the FS children receive daily. These classes are run in exactly the same way as the regular classes; the children are taught Arabic through a play-based, investigative programme, and having operated this programme for two years, we have noted a marked improvement in the acquisition of the Arabic language.

In November 2022, the structure of the FS1 day was adjusted to offer a range of exciting activities until 15:00 each day. These include Arabic, Music, Movement, Science and Cooking amongst other things. This extension to the FS1 day has contributed to the remarkable results achieved by the FS1 cohort last academic year.

In FS2 we continue a play-based learning curriculum, while adding some more teacher-led elements. We teach a structured programme of phonics and reading. To achieve greater progress in reading, we have purchased a wide range of new books from the Oxford Reading Scheme. In addition, all classrooms have a well-equipped reading corner.

The Foundation Stage at BISC is a happy, vibrant place, which offers care and respect for all the children as they begin their BISC journey. In recognition of the achievements and progress the children make during their time in FS, we culminate the FS journey with a vibrant Graduation Ceremony.

Kind regards,

Margaret Cashman

Head of Foundation Stage

The Foundation Stage comprises of two year groups for pupils from 3 to 5 years old.

Foundation Stage 1

There are three classes in FS1:

• F1C, Margaret Cashman
• F1Y, Ryah Younis
• F1B, Chyan Blackwood

Foundation Stage 2

There are four classes in FS2 :

• F2S, Lorraine Stevens
• F2G, Jane Godfrey
• F2H, Hayley Starrs
• F2L, Leila Hopwood

Foundation Stage Teaching Staff

Children in FS have Arabic once a day with their teacher, Hala Abdallah.
They attend Music classes twice a week with Veronica Bievz.

We have a Foundation Stage Behaviour Policy and Codes of Conduct for Pupils, Parents and Staff which we expect the community to adhere to at all times. Good discipline is based on a clear and shared understanding of what is expected and, with this in mind, all members of the BISC Community are required to follow the code.

Behaviour Policy

Pupils are expected to be: Ready, respectful, and safe.
Teachers are expected to be: Proactive, fair and consistent.
Parents are expected to: Collaborate, respect and support.
Full information can be found in the Behaviour Policies on our website: https://www.bisc.edu.eg/policies.html

Communication 

If you need to contact the Foundation Stage at any point during the day, you could either call the School Landline on 38270444 Ext 403.

Parents can email class and subject teachers, and the Foundation Stage Office staff, directly. Class Teachers will answer emails within 48 hours on school days. If you need more time to discuss matters of concern, please arrange an appointment with the relevant teacher.

Foundation Stage Administration Staff

For a full staff listing please visit the school website at https://www.bisc.edu.eg/our-staff.html

Parental Concern

If you have a concern, then the first point of contact at school is your child’s class teacher. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your meeting, you should then see the Head of Year after which, if the issue is not resolved, you can see the respective Key Stage Coordinator. Finally, the Key Stage Coordinator will refer you to the Head of Foundation Stage. If you still feel your concern is unresolved, then you have the opportunity to speak to the Principal. The diagram below illustrates the escalation of concerns:

The Foundation School follows the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ England and Wales curriculum.

Our Early Years Foundation Stage is based on four main principles:

A Unique Child: Children in the Foundation Stage are all treated as unique individuals. Our similarities and differences are celebrated. In Foundation we find and foster children's special interests and give them the opportunity
to express themselves.

Positive Relationships: Children in the Foundation Stage are taught to build relationships with their teachers and peers that are safe, positive and fun. They learn how to forge lasting friendships and how to negotiate through many
problems in order for them to succeed together.

Enabling Environments: Children in the Foundation Stage are given environments that are engaging and exciting for them to foster a love of learning from an early age. The environments that are created are safe and secure in order for
the children to feel confidence when developing.

Learning and Development: Children in the Foundation Stage have an excellent framework that covers the seven main areas of learning. Children develop and learn in different ways and rates and the children are helped and supported in order to make excellent progress.

Assessment

Children in Foundation Stage are continually assessed by the classteacher. Teachers identify what an individual child has learned and plans for next steps in their development. At BISC each child is treated as an individual, as children develop at different rates. Children are assessed against Early Learning Goals (ELG) at the end of Foundation Stage 2.
For more information about your child's curriculum in FS1 and FS2, please read this document or contact your child's teacher.

The Foundation Stage (FS1 and FS2) provides a play-based curriculum, organised around three prime and four specific areas of learning:

Prime Areas:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children are provided with experiences and support which helps them to develop a positive sense of themselves, respect for others and social skills.
This provides the perfect platform to build a love of learning.

Physical Development

Children learn to improve the skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement with activities to develop gross and fine motor skills.
Along with physical activity, children learn about making healthy choices to influence their own wellbeing.

Communication and Language

Children improve their communication and language skills by listening well, paying attention and using opportunities to speak and retell stories.
Children are encouraged to ask questions, and elaborate their ideas using a vast new range of vocabulary.

Specific Areas

Mathematics

Mathematics is delivered through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that the children enjoy using and experimenting with numbers. Children will develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and learn vocabulary to describe shapes, spaces and measures.

Literacy

Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write simple words and sentences. Children are given
access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest and foster a love of literacy.

Understanding the World

We foster a love of the natural world around us and teach children to understand their place in the world. Children learn an appreciation for their community and can talk about their family and friends, and how to respect and celebrate similarities and differences.

Expressive Arts and Design

Expressive Arts and Design enables children to develop their creativity through music, art, roleplay and construction. The children are encouraged to build a base of skills that allows them to express themselves creatively.

Contact Details

BISC is located within the Beverly Hills Compound in 6th October City, approximately 22 km from central Cairo. The School’s contact details are as follows:

*Please note that the dates of Islamic holidays may be subject to change.

For up-to-date information please visit https://www.bisc.edu.eg/term-dates.html 

At the beginning of the year Parent Information Meetings for each year group are held, to present the year’s curriculum programme. These meetings also give parents an opportunity to ask questions and receive clarification on curricular, organisational and other matters.

• The school calendar can be viewed using your Engage account.
• The weekly BISC Bulletin is published on Engage every Thursday.
• Curriculum Overviews are posted on Google Classroom every term explaining what curriculum work the children cover in each subject.
• Google Classroom is used to send examples of your child's learning. It is updated weekly.

Furthermore, we provide several opportunities for you to share in your child’s learning, through various organised class and school events, including:

Theme Days

Children are often invited to bring their learning to life with Theme Days. Children may be asked to dress up, or bring something special from home. We will give parents plenty of notice to help you to support your child.

End of Year Performances

At the end of the year, FS1 pupils will perform in a Theatre Production, including singing and dancing. In FS2, the year will also culminate in a formal graduation ceremony.

Parent Workshops

Teachers will deliver workshops to parents on various aspects of the curriculum, how children at BISC are learning and how to best support them in their learning at home.

Reporting

Informal conversations can be had with your child's class teacher at drop-off and pick-up but for any concern or clarification, please request a meeting with your child's class teacher or specialist. Formal reports will be given to parents at the End of Term 1 and the End of Term 3.
There will be Parent-Teacher Meetings in October and March; you will be invited to make an appointment to meet your child's teachers.

Educational Trips

The curriculum at BISC is extended and enhanced in a variety of different ways; educational Trips are an integral part of the curriculum and are linked to planned units of study. We require your permission to take your child out of school and will send you letters to obtain this.

Pupil Collection Procedures

Pupils can only be collected by parents and nominated carers. The FS children can be collected from 14:50 each day. Please note that on Thursday, school finishes at the earlier time of 14:50, so please adjust pick up times accordingly. If you have older children at the school, please collect your FS children first.

Changes to Collection Arrangements

Please notify the class teacher via email if you need to adjust drop off or collection arrangements.

For pupils who come by car, please also inform the Junior School reception: jsreception@bisc.edu.eg. 
For pupils who come by bus, please also inform Mr Ashraf Gad, Transport Manager: ashraf.gad@bisc.edu.eg 

Please try to let us know by 10:00.

The office and the Transportation team will ensure the Class Teacher and the Security Manager receive your request. Please include in your email: pupil’s full name and class, details of new arrangement etc.
Note that Bus Supervisors are instructed not to accept parent messages about transport changes.

Absences and Attendance

Please notify the school as soon as possible to inform us of your child’s absence by emailing Class Teachers. BISC school policy on attendance, viewable on our website, requires 95% attendance during any academic year.
Letters will be sent regularly to parents of children whose attendance or punctuality are causing us concern.

If your child is sick, you may speak to the school doctor, Dr. Manal, on 01111121989 who can advise you about the best time for your child to return to school.

Punctuality

Lessons start promptly at 7:55 every day, please ensure that your child arrives on time. If a child has a valid reason for arriving late, then this must be communicated by a parent to the class teacher and Iman Madbouli iman.madbouli@bisc.edu.eg  .

Equipment 

Children should bring the following items to school with them each day:
• 1 school bag
• 1 snack and lunch
• 1 change of clothes, including underwear and socks
• Library folder on class library day
Children should not bring toys, games or electronic items, unless specifically asked for by their teacher. Mobile phones and smart watches are not allowed.

Play Times

The school has high quality, safe, interactive play facilities, specially designed for the different age ranges within the Foundation Stage. There is a morning break time, as well as a lunch break when children can play freely. Teachers, teaching assistants and support staff supervise and ensure the pupils’ safety.

Progression Through The School

Towards the end of Term 3, FS2 children will be given the opportunity to learn about Year 1. They will visit the Year 1 classrooms, playgrounds and where possible, meet their new teachers. Similarly, FS1 children will visit the FS2 facilities and meet the FS2 team.

Birthdays

If you wish to send in cupcakes on the day of your child’s birthday, please email your child’s class teacher to request permission the day before. The teacher will then ensure the cupcakes are distributed.
We do not allow birthday parties in school and party/gift bags are not permitted.
If you have party invitations that you would like to hand out, please do this at the start/end of the day with your child.

Lost Property Room

Please ensure all your child’s clothes, school caps and PE Kit are clearly labelled with your child’s name. Please see the BISC uniform requirements under the Uniform section of the Parent Handbook.
BISC has a Lost Property Room (open daily), where lost items are stored. This is located near the Rosemary Theatre. The School cannot be responsible for items of clothing that go missing. Children should only visit the Lost Property room when accompanied by their Teaching Assistant or Parent.

Healthy Nutrition

BISC is committed to promoting healthy nutrition. The School regards a healthy diet as an important educational issue, fundamentally linked to pupils’ life-long health and safety.
Pupils have time allocated for a snack in the morning and afternoon. Parents are encouraged to send their children to school with healthy snacks.

Regular Hydration

All pupils should bring a filled, named water bottle to school each day. All pupils are required to have their water bottles in their classroom and to bring their bottles to PE lessons and break-times. The School has water dispensers to allow children to refill their water bottles.
Water bottles are essential as the school has removed plastic cups following an initiative from the children to reduce plastic waste. Fizzy drinks are not allowed. Please do not send any type of drinks to school in glass bottles.

Critical Incident Plans and Emergencies

The School has Critical Incident Plans as part of its standard procedures which are continually reviewed and developed. Pupils and staff are made aware of these plans and they include procedures for campus lockdown; earthquake and fire procedures; and transport accidents.
Should the fire alarm sound before 08:00 or after 15:10, all persons on campus should move directly to the sports field.
Security will not allow anyone to enter the campus and sweep the building to check all rooms.

Should the fire alarm sound during the school day, pupils will be subject to standard fire procedures.

If there is an emergency, of any nature, we will contact you. We must have up to date contact details and we will ask you to complete a data form at regular intervals. Please ensure that any changes to your contact details are given, in
writing, to eman.gamal@bisc.edu.eg in order to update our records.

School Doctors and Clinic

We have a full-time school doctor and nurse who deal with all accidents and injuries. They are responsible for informing parents if children need to see a doctor or go home during the school day.

We advise you to save our Medical Centre number, 01111121989 so you do not miss an important call. Please contact Dr. Manal, if you have any questions or concerns:  Manal.Moaaz@bisc.edu.eg 

Please note that we need you to inform us of any infectious medical condition such as measles, mumps, hepatitis, scarlet-fever, rubella, meningitis, head lice, chickenpox etc. your child has so that we can communicate information to
the parent body if needed.

School Shop

Parents can buy school uniforms on site. The uniform shop is located on the side of the Cafeteria building.

The uniform shop working hours are as follows: 08:00 - 15:30 (except Fridays & Saturdays)
Uniform Manager contact details: Mrs. Karine Fattal, 012-22188440 or karine.fahmy@hotmail.com

Uniform for Foundation Stage 1

Winter Uniform for Foundation Stage 2

Summer Uniform for Foundation Stage 2