SUMMER TERM 2021/2022
THE BRITISH SCHOOL AL KHUBAIRAT
SECONDARY NEWSLETTER britishschool.sch.ae
SECONDARY NEWSLETTER CONTENTS P03 P05 P06 P07 P10 P13 P15 P17 P18 P20
A Message From The Head Of Secondary, Miss Woulfe Wellbeing Message From Ms Cooper, Assistant Head Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 A Message From The Assistant Head Of Sixth Form, Mr Thompson Sixth Form Poet Laureates
MISS TERESA WOULFE THE HEAD OF SECONDARY “If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” Paulo Coelho It feels surreal that this will be my final message to you as I leave BSAK and Abu Dhabi for good at the end of this academic year. This year has seen the gradual introduction to pre pandemic measures and I for one have welcomed these. With the reintroduction of face to face assemblies, concerts, sports fixtures, competitions and exhibitions, the life blood of BSAK is back!
We are very excited to see the progress on the Phase 5 building which will become our Science and Innovation Centre. This will allow us to renovate and reconfigure some spaces in the main building and give more space to our Sixth Form students. At this time of year, we say farewell to many of our students and their families. Wishing you all the very best in your new schools or universities and I hope that you will always stay part of the BSAK community through our BSAK Old Al Khubairat Society (BSAKOAKS) Please do keep in touch with us and other alumni by clicking here: www.BSAKOAKs.org to join.
FAREWELL TO SECONDARY STAFF We also say farewell to staff who are moving to a different school or back to their home country. Many thanks to the following staff for their contribution to BSAK during their time here, I wish them every success in the future. Mr Thompson - Assistant Headteacher; Mr Hall - Director of Music; Mr Sultan - Arabic teacher; Mrs McKie - MFL teacher; Mr Carr - Maths teacher and Head of Year 8; Mrs McDonald - Maths teacher; Mrs Whitfield - Geography teacher; Mr Bannister - English teacher; Mrs Krauss Learning Support teacher; Mr Moseley - DT Technician; Mrs Fahey - Drama Technician; Mrs Al Kaisi - Arabic Learning Assistant; Mrs Davies - Lead Science Technician
I am delighted to inform you that we have filled all of these positions and details of new staff will be shared with you at the start of the new academic term.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to you all for the way you have supported the BSAK community throughout the year. Wishing you all a wonderful summer break. Eid Mubarak. Ma’a as-Salama MISS WOULFE When a member of staff as special as Miss Woulfe leaves a school, it is always a day tinged with sadness. However, we must remember how instrumental she has been in so many recent BSAK successes. Pretty much every decision made at school has to pass by her office for discussion and clearance - and this means that all of the incredible activities our students do have been agreed to by Miss Woulfe. She has been such an advocate for our students, with every decision she makes based on what will both push and support our students to be the best they can be. Many of you will know that Miss Woulfe has a wonderful (and terrible) sense of humour (she has to as she is an Aston Villa fan!), and is a life-long fan of Bruce Springsteen, who she is looking forward to seeing next year on his European tour! Mr Nigel Davis, Deputy Head
MS NICHOLA COOPER ASSISTANT HEAD Why is Wellbeing Important? Recent years have seen the importance of mental and emotional wellbeing surge, especially within schools. Students have to navigate complex stressors and pressures within many different aspects of their lives and although stress is a normal and healthy response to difficult events, it's vital they know how to control and manage this. Whilst it can be easy for schools and families to be more focused on short-term victories such as results from end of topic tests or end of year exams these short-term results cannot compare to the life-long advantages of positive wellbeing. In fact studies have shown that the greatest predictor of adult happiness at 16 years old is not the GCSE grades they receive but their emotional wellbeing score at that age. At BSAK we have made a commitment to putting wellbeing at the forefront of what we do and prior to the exams I shared our padlet and the resources designed to help “reduce anxiety through effective revision”. In this newsletter I invite you to read through the following tip on how to promote high self esteem at home. The advice has been taken from the NHS website and KidsHealth and is designed for parents.
Put simply, those that feel better can learn better
You can find further wellbeing resources on self esteem using the padlet.
Facets of wellbeing, such as gratitude, hope and emotional regulation have been found to improve academic performance. Students with high levels of hope can overcome failure without detriment to self-worth; gratitude increases students' self satisfaction and is positively correlated with more life satisfaction and social integration. Children can often be over critical of themselves so it's important to encourage them to reframe these comments in a more positive manner. Reframing can help to build a growth mindset and is a cognitive behavioral technique we introduce in our MELs sessions.
How to help your child redirect harsh self criticism An example activity that you could do with your child is below.
Children, and adults often find this activity really difficult, especially in the beginning so you can find some tips on questions to ask on this graphic.
MISS LOUISE MELL HEAD OF YEAR 7 Once again we have had a very busy term with school show rehearsals starting, end of year exams, house competitions and finally a school trip!
MELS LESSONS
Our MELS lessons this term have included revision techniques and preparation for exams, consent in social media and Inclusivity and Respect. Students have reflected on which revision strategies have been most effective, and I hope that they will continue to use these moving forward into Year 8.
A group of volunteers worked together to deliver an assembly and create resources for MELS on inclusivity and respect. It has been a privilege to have them share their own experiences and look at educating others on the issues of stereotypes and misconceptions and the harm that they can cause.
HOUSE COMPETITIONS
With the easing of restrictions we aim to have even more house events in Year 8, including our epic house week and lipsync competitions.
We have, however, been able to enjoy a few competitions this term including 'Welly Wanging' with Easa and Layla getting the double win for Phoenix, as well as Fraya winning our Pet Tok Competition securing points for Griffin. Of course I am also very happy that Year 7 won the overall House point competition, earning themselves the
non-school uniform day!
It only seems like a few short weeks ago that Year 7 students were going through transition themselves and I am so pleased that they have been able to use their experiences to share pearls of wisdom with Year 6 students. Each form nominated a winner in our 'Letters or poems to our Year 6 selves'. We created a video which was then shared with the Year 6 students, and Miss Hand has assured me that the students were so grateful to hear these.
YEAR 7 FOOTBALL
I'm sure you have heard a lot about the boys football league over the last few weeks, thanks to Mr Sewill over 40 of the Year 7 boys have been able to participate in this league every week.
It has been a source of many conversations and the semi-finals and final will be played on Monday 4th July when we will crown the champions. Due to the success of this, we hope to include a girls league next year too.
COMMUNITY TRIP
I am so pleased that we finally got to reward our students with the community trip to Warner Brothers last week. I know we had a lot of fun on the roller coasters, winning capes and teddy bears and eating all the sugar. I was so proud of the way Year 7 students represented BSAK. They are such fantastic ambassadors and I would not hesitate to support trips in the future with them.
It has been an absolute pleasure to support Year 7 through their first year in secondary, to see the way they have involved themselves in every aspect of secondary school and I will miss greeting them every morning at St Andrew's gate and during break and lunchtimes. They never cease to amaze me with their thoughtful insights, or make me smile with their bad jokes. I know that I am passing the torch to Miss Hunkin next year and I have made her very aware of the amazing year group that she is taking on. Thank you for all of your continued support this year. Wishing you all a restful summer break and goodbye to those families leaving us this year.
Congrats to Joude for winning the Y7 top House Points award this term.
MR RUAIRI CARR HEAD OF YEAR 8 As the curtain draws on my time at BSAK it is a perfect time to reflect on what has been an amazing couple of years with the Year 8 students. With Pizza Parties, awards, Warner Brothers trips, music concerts and sporting fixtures returning, I can safely say we are coming out the other side of the Covid regulations that have stifled the start to secondary school for the students. It is amazing how well your sons and daughters have persevered through challenging times and you should all be very proud of the mature young adults they are becoming, I know I am. I wish all of you good luck, and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mr Brammer to the Year 8 team. I know you will love having him as Head of Year and I am sure he will nurture the students' success over the coming year. Good friends never say goodbye, they say see you soon. So to the BSAK community, I say, see you soon.
YEAR 8 SUMMER TERM TOP HP WINNER
The Summer Term top House Point Winner for Year 8 is Emma Clews.
Emma received a 50Dhs voucher to spend at the cafe for lunch with 2 of her friends and a 50dhs voucher to spend at Virgin. Congratulations!
YEARS 7 & 8 AR CLIMBER COMPETITION To support the Accelerated Reader Program for Year 7 and 8s, the Secondary Library Team launched "Be An AR Climber' Competition” I am extremely pleased to announce this year’s winners were from Year 8. Drum roll please....... 1st Highest AR Climber : Noor El-Banna AR Points Achieved : 1017.4 2nd Highest AR Climber : Leena El-Huni AR Points Achieved : 917.5 3rd Highest AR Climber : Aaliya Fazil AR Points Achieved : 735.3
Huge congratulations to you all!
WARNER BROTHERS SCHOOL TRIP
BON VOYAGE MR CARR Thank You for Everything Mr Carr, we have truly appreciated your support since day 1, you have taken us from Zoom all the way to a full timetable in school, you must be super proud of yourself! You will be missed and wish you all the best for the future, maybe in Year 9 we will understand what is said in assemblies. Much Love 8CE! Mr Carr, 8 Chimera wishes you an amazing time on your new journey and a great time in Ireland. We are all grateful for your contributions to our year group and wish you weren’t leaving; we will always remember you and hope you won’t forget us or BSAK . H ere are some random emojis for you to say goodbye. 8CH Wishing Ruairi all the best on his next adventure in Ireland, as a colleague it has been great working with you as our Head of Year supporting the students pastorally. Enjoy the Emerald Isle! 8GR
A school is not just bricks and mortar but the teachers that teach there as their influence extends much beyond the classroom. Thank you Mr Carr, for inspiring us daily and for being the teacher and mentor you were. We will all miss you! 8HY Mr Carr looks after us and helps us deal with our problems. He is too tall, funny, selfless and makes us smile every day. Sometimes he has to be tough on us, but we know it helps us in the long run. Thank you for being a great head of year, we will really miss you. 8PE
It's been fantastic having you as our Head of Year Mr Carr. From ‘Are you Smarter than a Year 6?’ to last week's Warner Brothers trip, you've been there for us and made us laugh at every step. Good luck in your new adventures! 8P H
MRS SARAH NORAY HEAD OF YEAR 9 Increased Opportunities for everyone! This term has seen a return to many things that make BSAK the brilliantly vibrant place it is! We have seen an increase in the amount and range of sports students can be involved in, more House Competitions and the return of the School Show! It was brilliant to see so many Year 9’s auditioning and winning key ensemble roles in the cast. We are having a fantastic time rehearsing with them and I know they will contribute to making this a fantastic return to the BSAK stage!
YEAR 9 PE & DRAMA AUDITIONS
STUDENT SUCCESS POET LAUREATE
YEAR REPRESENTATIVE
The Secondary English Department invited students to apply for the Poet Laureate positions for 2022/23, by submitting poems on the theme of Gratitude. From an impressive number of applications and an exceptional range of poems, we congratulate our KS3 Poet Laureate winner - Areej Fatimah 9PH. You can read Areej’s poem on page 20.
Congratulations to Shaikha Al Hajeri
For securing the role of Year 10 Year rep for next academic year. Year 9 had the highest number of applications for this role and after reading through these strong applications and interviewing 3 of the strongest candidates Shaikha was chosen for the role. I know she will do a brilliant job and look forward to hearing her ideas.
ASSEMBLIES BACK TOGETHER!
Term 3 also saw the reintroduction to Year group assemblies which was kicked off by Year 9.
We have had the pleasure of hearing the talented Ava McPherson and Sara Sheikh sing, accompanied by the very talented Charu Jayavel on keyboards. We have been able to celebrate student success and reflect on important events such as Eid and the exam period. We have also had the pleasure of being visited by lots of guest speakers from Sixth Form, notably this term, the introduction of our New Head Boy Vinuth and Head Girl Reem, whose inspirational speeches I know will have resonated with the Year group. My thanks to everyone who has made the return to live assemblies so stimulating.
YEAR 9 STAFF AND STUDENTS THANK YOU’S, WELL WISHES & GOODBYES First of all, a massive thank you to our six amazing tutors who have been on hand every day supporting and guiding their forms, delivering entertaining, thought provoking activities for them at every step. As a Head of Year, working with such a supportive team has made my job so much more enjoyable. Thank you on behalf of your tutor groups for all you do! A special thanks to Ms Bienka who has recently welcomed a little boy Niko into the world. We wish her all the best and are delighted she will be back in the Year 10 team from September.
A heartfelt farewell to Mrs McDonald who will be leaving sunny Abu Dhabi for the green hills of Scotland this Summer. We wish her all the very best and would like to thank her for all her work as part of the team.
Some more farewells to some of our wonderful students in this year group who are leaving us for pastures new! Shamma Al Romaithi, Taylor Anderson, Charlotte Brittan, Breah D’Arcy, James Gordon, Dominik Jordan, Thomas Reynolds, William Singleton and Miles Miller We wish you every success in your new schools. Please keep in touch.
EOY EXAMS & CHANGES FOR YEAR 10 The Year 9’s conducted themselves in a manner which reflected their maturity and integrity over the exam period and should be proud of themselves for this. The process of preparing for and sitting end of year exams is a crucially important one in my opinion. It is an opportunity for us to teach the students resilience and allow them to prepare for what their all important GCSE and A Levels.
This preparation, we hope, will allow students to feel more confident and composed in the exam years ahead of them. For me, although the results are important, I feel more importantly that this preparation is a fundamental learning experience for them and one that will allow them to take ownership of their own learning moving forward.
GCSE’S YEAR 10! I am excited to follow the year group on their GCSE journey and know that although it is a time filled with more pressure, it is also a time that students really enjoy their education and the freedom that choosing options gives them. I know that with a mature, driven approach to their GCSE’s, Year 10 will be a fruitful year for them all.
TOP HOUSE POINT SCORERS We had joint winners in Year 9 this term. Well Done to Georgina Ramanayake and Mohamed Khalifa. Congratulations to you both.
WARNER BROTHERS YEAR 9 TRIP
Thank you parents for all your support in this challenging year. I look forward to working with you all again closely after the summer and wish you all a happy Summer break. I hope you all get some quality time away from work, to spend with the family.
MR MIKE EDGAR HEAD OF YEAR 10 And just like that, Year 10 is over and we move into our final GCSE year at BSAK in August.
This year has seen some great preparation for the final exams and I am confident that those students who take the advice given and put in the hard work will see it pay off. Year 10 were offered the use of the Sixth Form common room at the end of this term and it was a great incentive for students to get the required grades to receive an offer to join the Sixth Form at BSAK in Year 12. As always, we have some students moving on and would like to wish them the very best for the future, I hope you will always look back on your days at BSAK with fond memories. Wishing everyone an enjoyable and restful summer and I look forward to seeing you all in August.
TOP SUMMER TERM HOUSE POINT WINNER
Our Year 10 Summer Term House Point winner is Mehr Siddique - Congratulations. Mehr enjoyed spending 50Dhs in the school cafe with her friends to celebrate her success this term.
STUDENT SUCCESS OUTSIDE OF BSAK Leya Moddadem was amongst the BSAK ballerinas that wowed Dubai in the Turning Pointe Youth Ballet production of Alice in Wonderland, in the Dubai Opera House. 8 of our students danced beautifully in front of an audience of more than 1000.
Nikolai Acimovic has achieved much success in the cycling arena this year, he has been placed in numerous competitions and is proud to be riding for Abu Dhabi Cycling Club. Well Done Nikolai!
COMMON ROOM PERKS
Year 10 have been given permission to use the Sixth Form Common Room during break time since Sixth Form have been out of school. Staff have reported exemplary behaviour from Year 10 and they are thoroughly enjoyed this treat.
With COVID restrictions lifting this year we were able to hold a community trip and Year 10 made the most of our day out of school to Warner Brothers.
SCHOOL TRIP
YEAR 10 WARNER BROTHERS 2022
Thank you to the Year 10 tutors for their support this year. I wish you all a wonderful summer holiday, see you back in school on 30 August 2022.
MR JULIAN BRAMMER HEAD OF YEAR 11 There has only been one focus for Year 11 this term and this has understandably been exams… The trepidation of the start and the relief of the end…..
SUMMER TERM
Year 11 have been a joy to head up this year; there have been many highlights, actually too many to list in this brief newsletter but my overriding memory of them will be their unity and attitude and how they have developed into a tight knit and more importantly, a caring group. I also would publicly like to praise them for their conduct during the exam season; this is an extremely stressful time and the feedback I had from the Examinations Team was very positive. I wish them all the very best for results day on the 25th August – fingers crossed.
Year 11’s final week in school before exams rounded off with a short video looking back over their time and BSAK and their support for each other was palpable and quite moving.
My best wishes go to our leavers, keep in touch and I look forward to seeing everyone else in the Sixth Form next year. Finally, please can I say a huge thank you to the Year 11 Tutor Team.
YEAR 11 CELEBRATION EVENT - 13 MAY 2022
Year 11 2021/2022
MR ALISTAIR THOMPSON ASSISTANT HEAD With the return of work experience opportunities, face to face university visits, the UCAS and US applications evening and normal assemblies, this term has had a sense of normality about it. Reintroduction of the Lifer's Event at The Club and the opportunity to invite Year 13 parents back to Legacy Day to greet their son/daughter after the guard of honour was also a very special moment to savour. Our Charity Club has also sprung back into life and the work of a group of Year 12 students who have grafted to collect and pack 7970 books for the 'Old books for new eyes' charity has been truly inspiring. I cannot reflect on the year gone by without thanking the staff who have engaged and assisted our Sixth Form students. The student experience is very much determined by the relationships they develop with their teachers, tutors, coaches, support staff and the unwavering support of their Heads of Year, and like anything in life, they get out what they put in. We always encourage our students to take advantage of the plethora of opportunities available to them both inside and outside of the classroom, as as restrictions continue to lift, this will be a strong focus going forward. Every leader relies heavily on being surrounded by loyalty and I am extremely fortunate to have a selfless Sixth Form team who place the student at the centre of every decision they make. Mrs Roughley has had a huge impact in her first year as a Head of Year in the BSAK Sixth Form and and it has been wonderful to work with and learn from her this year. The Year 12 students should all be truly grateful that they have her in their corner next year. After 5 years of unquestionable commitment and passion to the students, Mr Byrne will be leaving the Sixth Form team and I wish him every success as he moves his Liverpool FC memorabilia to a new office to start his new Assistant Head role next year. I can't think anyone who has so clearly 'left the jersey in a better place' than him. As many of you know I will also be leaving BSAK at the end of this term after 14 memorable years, and I do so with a heavy heart and trepidation for what is around the corner. We often refer to the lessons we want our students to learn throughout their journey at the school but when I think of the 'more' streamlined version of me that walked through the doors for the first time in 2008 to the more wrinkled father of three that is departing, I reflect positively on all the lessons I have learned and opportunities I have had over the years, for which I am truly grateful. This is a special school and one that has shaped me as a teacher and as a person, and I am excited about
the future of the Sixth Form. We continue to attract students from all over the city and are still the first choice for many students beginning their Abu Dhabi journey. Student recruitment has become a year long process and next year should see the largest Sixth Form ever. It is therefore fitting that there are new study areas in the pipeline (as part of the extra space available from the new Science and Innovation). I wish you all a restful summer and look forward to watching (albeit it from Edinburgh on social media...) the 'Class of 2023' rising to new challenges next year to shape their own BSAK legacy.
HEAD BOY & HEAD GIRL & SENIOR PREFECT TEAM
Head Boy
Dasnula Ratnayake
Head Girl
Alreem Al Ahbabi
Deputy Head Girl
Gabriella Wark
This term saw our Year 12 students invited to apply for roles within the Senior Prefect Team.
Deputy Head Girl
Dimitra Karachaliou
Deputy Head Boy
Aadi Sharma
Deputy Head Boy
Ahmed Warrad
Assistant Head
Lily-Marie Walter
Assistant Head
Elsie Constantinou
Assistant Head
Scarlett Bridgeman
Assistant Head
Alicia Digby-Johns
Assistant Head
Arthur Weller
The number of applicants was unprecedented and after shortlisting based on application letters, staff comments and service throughout Year 12, 30 students were invited to a teambuilding session, and then 20 were shortlisted and invited to interview.
We wish them much success in their new roles
YEAR 12 UPGE It has been a busy term for the Year 12 students with all students completing university grade prediction exams / AS Level exams and BTEC students also focusing on completing their Year 12 assignments to the highest of standards. We would like to congratulate the students on an exceptionally smooth exam period. They conducted themselves brilliantly throughout, demonstrating the same maturity and commitment to their studies that we have witnessed all year. Now that students have been given their university grade predictor exam results and feedback from the teachers, we hope the summer will offer them an opportunity to reflect and to continue to make targeted progress in all their subjects. They will also need some time off to relax and recharge, as it will be another busy year next year.
A LEVEL RESULTS DAY UCAS Track can be checked from 8 am (UK Time) on results morning.
A-Level and BTEC results are being released on Thursday 18th August 2022.
YEAR 12 WORK EXPERIENCE
Most of the Year 12 students managed to secure an in-person work experience during the final week of school. We looked forward to visiting them at their work placement and hearing about what they have learned.
YEAR 12 APPLICATION PROCESS All of our Year 12 students had sessions and 1-2-1 meetings where they were guided through the UK university process - UCAS. At this stage, students should be familiar with the UCAS application and have completed most of the sections from the form. Overall, it has been an amazing year and we would like to wish the best of luck to all of our students who are going to study in different corners of the world.
If a place is confirmed, UCAS will send you your acceptance letter which will explain your next steps. Additionally, the Sixth Form Team will be available in school on A Level Results Day. We would like to wish all of our students the best of luck with their exam results. Mrs Hutchinson
Mr Thompson
Mr Byrne
Mrs Roughley
YEAR 13 LEGACY DAY On Thursday May 12th, we gathered with the Year 13 leavers in the auditorium to celebrate the end of their time with us at BSAK, and the formal conclusion of their education. Some have been with us for 14 years, others for only two, but BSAK has left an indelible mark on them, and they on us. Students were presented with certificates and mementos, and had the opportunity to spend the morning with their tutors and their peers, to hear thoughtful, funny and emotional recollections and tributes from Aman and Izzy (Head Boy and Head Girl), along with Mr Byrne and Ms Woulfe. Mr Thompson was delighted to present the Outstanding Contribution to Sixth Form award to Moath Ibrahim, for his tireless and selfless work during his time in the Sixth Form. There were also thanks and recognition for the efforts of all the Senior Prefects, and in particular to the students who worked hard to put together the yearbook As a welcome sign of another step back towards normality, we were absolutely delighted to be able to welcome parents back onto the school site to share our celebrations this year. Following the students’ traditional walk down the staircase, and a ‘guard of honour’ for Mr Thompson, the students emerged onto the pitch to be met with their parents and family members, to share their last moments as BSAK students. It was a timely and positive reminder of how community driven BSAK is, and the number of parents who made special arrangements and took time off work to be part of the day, reaffirmed both what we have missed and one of the things that makes BSAK so special.
SAFE TRAVELS MR THOMPSON In all of his 14 years at BSAK, whether as a teacher, Head of Biology, Rugby coach or Head of Sixth Form, Mr Thompson has displayed the same drive and motivation every day - to make the student experience as memorable and successful as it could be. As a Head of Year in the Sixth Form, my job has been both easier and more enjoyable working alongside him for the last five years. During that time, he has directly influenced everything that has been positive in Sixth Form life (and he actively encourages shooting rogue students in the Learning Curve with NERF guns). As well as all that, he continues to be a brilliant and inspirational Biology teacher and a hugely successful rugby coach, leading BSAK to success in the Dubai 7s and more recently coaching the Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1st XV to winning the UAE Premiership. He and his family are returning to Scotland, conveniently and completely ‘coincidentally’ close to Murrayfield, and we wish him the very best of luck. Mr Mike Byrne, Head of Year 13
We wish all of the Class of 2022 well on their journey, and we hope they will come back to visit us as proud OAKS in the future.
Become part of our outstanding #BSAKCommunity and follow us on Social Media @BSAKAbuDhabi
