SECONDARY NEWSLETTER
RATED OUTSTANDING BY ADEK AND BRITISH SCHOOLS OVERSEAS
Mr Nigel Davis HEAD OF SECONDARY
What an incredible term it has been.
I realise that the tendency with the whole school Newsletter is to flick to the year group that your child is / children are in, and bypass the others.
I would beseech you to go beyond this and look at the school as a whole, just to appreciate the sheer scale of opportunities that BSAK offers our students - a small part of which is captured in the following pages.
PERSONAL WELLBEING OF STUDENTS
This newsletter exemplifies so many things that take place outside of our normal classroom lessons; but I
The quality in these lessons do not come about by chance, or without huge amounts of dedication and skill; our students are incredibly fortunate.
But these opportunities do need celebratingwhether they be of a sporting nature, performing arts, academic enrichment, or simply to have fun. And one theme that you will notice running through every year group is the idea of looking after yourself.
Personal wellbeing is a vital component of BSAK, and crucial for our young people as they enter their adult lives.
Although for most students, their memories of school will mostly become visions of the sorts of activities in this newsletter, the day to day lessons, which inspire, drive, challenge and engage our students, are the real reason why we see BSAK students walking into school each morning with a smile on their faces.
It is a drive that we will continue to push hard; these young BSAK students are amazingwe want them to be driven, to push their own limits, and to succeed - but we want that with a smile on their face and want them to be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong.
In the article below the author uses an ANT analogy to explain how reframing can be used with children (and adults) to combat With time, practice and habit we can all learn to reframe their thoughts more
EID AL ETIHAD
On Thursday 28th November, BSAK marked this special date in a variety of ways.
The students looked wonderful in their National dress. They participated in a number of different activities and enjoyed an array of different local
The winter break will provide students a much needed break, to have time to relax with their families after an incredibly busy term. It is also a useful time to reflect on the successes of their first term in Year 7. I hope they come back in January, re-energised, so they may continue to demonstrate what an amazing year group they to those who are away and Merry Christmas
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF YEAR 8
Celebrating
It was wonderful to see everyone dressed in National Colours/Dress at our schools November.
am beginning to see a real shift in behaviour that suggests that the majority of
Wishing you a joyful and restful winter break, filled with warmth, laughter, and special moments together. We look forward to the new term and all the exciting opportunities it will bring!
This term, students had a blast at Al Ain Adventure Park, fostering friendships and creating unforgettable memories. It was a few days of fun and adventure that everyone will cherish! Your children’s behaviour was exemplary.
Year 9 Community Project
This term some of our Year 9 students delivered fun and engaging workshops to our Year 5 students as part of their Community Projects. It was great to see our younger students develop their creativity and teamwork skills during the workshops with our Year 9 students inspiring their younger peers.
Workshops ranged from cake decorating to Science experiments, treasure hunts and Just Dance!
Year 9 Taster Day
This term, Year 9 students had the exciting opportunity to explore subjects they don’t typically study, giving them a chance to sample new options before making their GCSE choices. They thoroughly enjoyed discovering
I’m sure next term will be an exciting one with Y9 students making their final GCSE choices. I wish you all a restful Winter break and I look forward to seeing you all at the
Breast Cancer Awareness & Movember Mile
It was fantastic to see students dressed in pink and making meaningful contributions. Your enthusiasm and support makes great difference!
Our Movember Mile has seen students walking or running laps every Friday to support men’s health awareness. It’s wonderful to see such high levels of participation and everyone coming together to make a difference.
In November, Year 10 students shone in the Rock of Ages. With electrifying music, a talented cast, and a dedicated backstage crew, the performance was a Congratulations to all involved for bringing the show to life so brilliantly.
KS4 & 5 Lip Sync
Congratulations to Chimera House for their outstanding performance in the Lip Sync Battle in November. Their energy and creativity won them the KS4 title, and we’re proud of all participants for putting on a fantastic show!
Finally, Year 10 joined in the vibrant UAE Eid Al Etihad Day showing pride and respect for our heritage. From traditional dress to cultural activities, students enjoyed a day filled with festivities and learning.
OF YEAR 11
As well as continuing academic preparations for mocks, early entries and the summer 2025 exams, Year 11 have still managed to contribute to the BSAK community in a multitude of ways. The Year 11 tutors and I are looking forward to supporting Year 11 as they maintain the balancing act between studies and their ongoing exploits outside of the classroom. We will continue to have physical and mental wellbeing as a focus in term 2, coupled with a revision studies MELS module, in order to assist our students in navigating this important term. For now though it is brilliant to be able to reflect upon all the wonderful accomplishments this term.
MELS - Physical & Mental Wellbeing & Team Building
As part of our continuing work on promoting Healthy Physical & Mental Wellbeing, project this term to monitor habits that are conducive to good sleep. The following students were selected from each form as having been the most engaged in the challenge and have won BSAK-branded sleep masks.
We also completed a team-building egg parachute activity. It was fantastic to see Year 11 students working so productively together. KEY DATES FOR YEAR 11 DIARIES
SPORTING EXCELLENCE
ADISSA, BSAK 7s & DUBAI 7s
From having students in the BSAK Under 19 teams for the upcoming Dubai 7s rugby tournament, to continued successes in ADISSA netball and football, Year 11
continue to have an impressive level of variety and success of sporting involvement. There are many other individual successes in swimming, dancing and others that also deserve huge praise.
Isla Smith Eiliyah Bajwa Zara Musa Ghalya Alyousif
38 of our Year 11 students have begun working towards the Silver award, and they spent two nights away in the Dibba mountains during their practice expedition in October. The hard work for them continues with the service element of their award and their assessed expedition in February.
I hope that the hard work in preparation for the recent Mocks proves fruitful for students when results are shared on Friday 10th January.
MOCK EXAMS & SUMMER 2025 EXTERNAL EXAMS
Starting in term 2, we will be working on a long-term project during MELS sessions that encapsulates all the elements of Physical and Mental wellbeing and Study skills covered to date to formulate a personalised plan for exam success.
Please continue to get in touch with your child’s tutor or me if you have any general concerns, or subject teachers for subject-specific queries.
C
OMING TO YOU IN 2025!
UAE University Connect
In October, BSAK hosted an inaugural event exploring UAE universities options. UAE universities continue to rise in global rankings each year, becoming an increasingly appealing choice for students offering amazing opportunities. The event featured interactive networking opportunities including a game of Bingo where students engaged with university representatives to get the answers to key questions to make a line!
With representatives from leading UAE universities, including NYU Abu Dhabi, University of Birmingham Dubai, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi University, and Sorbonne University it was a highly successful community event attended by students from a variety of schools
UAE University Connect
the difference in inspiring future students.
Year 12 have had a busy term, settling into life in the 6th Form. Our MELS lessons have focussed on creating the right study habits, listening and metacognition as well as the importance of sleep and exercise for both physical and mental health. They have really thrown themselves into the opportunities afforded to them, in leadership roles from deputy heads of house to subject ambassadors, representing sports teams or with music and drama commitments. I am hoping that they use the winter break to rest and recharge ready for another busy spring term!
Pink Day for Breast Cancer Awareness month is celebrated every October, providing an opportunity to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection and prevention. Thank you to all students who wore pink to school for pink day.
Congratulations to JNE who were voted 'most pink' form!
Sixth formers took to the sports field for this terms Danceathon! The aim was to keep dancing whilst earning house points as they got into the groove to the excellently selected songs. Shout out to the students who took centre stage to get the crowd moving!
"Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams."
It has been a very busy first term for the year 13 students. Many of the students have taken on leadership roles within the school, they are fantastic role models for our younger students and their positive impact on our school community is clear to see. Our main focus in tutor time has been university applications, with the students applying to universities all across the world. The majority of applications are now complete and many students have already received offers from their chosen universities. For the last few weeks of term students have also been completing their mock exams and they have conducted themselves brilliantly throughout. As we reach the end of term, I'd like to encourage the students to take some time away from studying, enjoy a well earned rest and spend some quality time with their family and friends. Wishing you and your families a lovely break and for all those that celebrate a Very Happy Christmas.
Subject Ambassadors
Our Subject Ambassadors represent their favourite subject, working with Heads of Department to promote the subject across the school community. Our Subject Ambassadors attended the Sixth Form Open Evening, talking to Year 11 students and answering their questions about the subjects they represent and they have also begun tutoring younger students that are finding their subjects challenging. Most recently, our brilliant Science Subject Ambassadors arranged a wide array of activities celebrating of all things science across the primary and secondary schools.
UAE Ambassadors
Our UAE Ambassador team organises events celebrating UAE culture, traditions and history and spreads awareness and knowledge of Emirati culture, looking for opportunities to educate the community about the United Arab Emirates. Some of our UAE Ambassadors spoke to all the secondary students during our recent
Heads of House and House Captains
Our student Heads of House and House Captains arrange house competitions and encourage participation across the year groups. They did us proud this term with their brilliant performance in the Lip Sync competition
Senior Prefects
Our Senior Prefect Team are busy arranging Silly Sports Day, one of the biggest and best social events on the sixth form calendar. The sixth form students come together, dress festively, take part in lots of fun ‘sports themed’ events and then enjoy a Christmas Dinner together.
