RATED OUTSTANDING BY ADEK AND BRITISH SCHOOLS OVERSEAS
Mr Nigel Davis HEAD OF SECONDARY
BSAK, and its students, have truly shone this year - and this termly newsletter really captures some of these successes.
The recognition and awards that the school has been honoured with this year, and the individual and group successes of its students, have been truly humbling and have filled me with tremendous pride.
It is fair to say that BSAK is riding the crest of a wave at the moment, with awards telling us that we are the Best School in the UAE: with the best sports programme, the best art provision, and having the best Principal in Mr. Mark Leppard MBE.
We have been, once again, judged to be an Outstanding school according to the BSO (the British Schools Overseas award), have been credited as being among the top 10 schools in the Middle East, and top 125 schools in the world by Carfax, and recently we have been awarded the highest possible rating in the ‘Best Schools to Work in’ global survey (Platinum Award).
RATED OUTSTANDING BY ADEK AND BRITISH SCHOOLS OVERSEAS
These awards fly in because of the wonderful young people, and the staff who support them, that you can see and read about throughout this newsletter.
Sometimes, it is right to reflect, and to celebrate. I see this newsletter as an opportunity to do just that.
I wish every student and family a very restful summer holiday - we are truly looking forward to another amazing year starting in August.
MOTIVATION
Please log on to the Wellbeing One Stop Shop and search revision to find tonnes of new information specifically designed for you!
Part of our discussion centered around motivation, more specifically what can we do when our children lack the inner drive that is needed to get them studying at home independently. I think this is something we can all empathize with, even as adults motivation can seem like a mystery some days!
The science behind motivation is complex; numerous brain areas, hormones and
Dopamine as I mentioned is the driving force behind our reward pathways, and behavioural neuroscientists suggest that there are 3 factors that can influence levels in the body; your physiological state, your environment and your past experiences. They suggest the following can help to boost Dopamine levels and increase motivation and productivity.
parent info sides are adapted from MELS lessons on SMART targets)
Listen to music (one study showed a 9% increase in Dopamine when listening to your favorite music, published in
This has far-reaching effects on your child's willingness to approach difficult tasks and helps them to develop long-term motivation. Carol Dweck, a motivational psychologist has conducted studies that demonstrate that when we tell our children they are “smart,” and reward their intelligence-confirming behavior based on achievement, we set them up to shy away from tasks that do not come to them so naturally. On the other hand, if we praise effort, we produce students who approach difficult tasks with the knowledge that their hard effort, not their natural gifts, can and will help them succeed.
When you say finished or perfect without reward, in the future. When you reward effort you encourage your child to keep working hard until they master a new concept, rather than stop when her assignment itself is finished. Ultimately, when you reward hard work, more hard work will follow, but when you only reward an achievement, the hard work often stops when the task is done, Taken from
Ken Schuster. PsyD, a neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, encourages parents to use rewarding activities that would have probably occurred either way but placing them after a set amount of time doing homework. He suggests treats that are easy to provide but that your child will enjoy, such as going for ice cream. He also recommends breaking work up into chunks and using small breaks as rewards for getting through each chunk.
By demonstrating your interest in your child’s school life, you’re showing them school can be exciting and interesting. This works most effectively with younger children who get excited about what you are excited about. With tweens and teens it's important to strike a balance, share your day too so they don’t feel like it's an interrogation and be cautious about getting too involved as this could promote resistance. Taken from ChildMind.org
End of Year Celebration Trip to Ferrari World MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF YEAR 7
Head of Year 8
SECONDARY AWARDS EVENING
Congratulations to all students who won awards at our annual secondary awards evening. It was a fantastic evening celebrating all of our hard working students’ success. Please view more the photos from the evening uploaded onto
BSME DANCE
This year BSAK participated in the BSME Dance competition for the first time.
I was lucky enough to attend one of the days and I was amazed by the talent of our performers. Well done to Aya, Lamar, Mia and Kaila who represented Y8 and finished second overall for their performance.
Karaoke competition. It was so nice to see every Y8 house put forward a song and perform together. The atmosphere in the auditorium was electric with everyone singing along!
With a few of our Y8 students leaving BSAK this year, a group of students came to ask me if they could have a boys versus girls netball game as a send off.
The students arranged the teams themselves and played three thirds with the girls being victorious and the final score being 15-4. Great sportsmanship was showcased throughout the event and it was lovely to see the boys and girls come together through sport!
End of Year Reward Trip to Ferrari World
HEAD OF YEAR 9
For the first time, Year 9 students sat their exams in the auditorium to help them experience what it will be like at GCSE.
Everyone handled this new experience with great maturity and composure and I was very proud with how they got on.
Well Done Year 9
This year, we celebrated numerous sporting successes, including our first BSME dance competition.
A special shout out to Ailish and Fraya from Year 9 for securing 2nd place.
Our sports teams have shown outstanding teamwork and determination throughout the year and we hope to see more of their talents next year.
ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
Congratulations to all of those Year 9 students who won subject and pastoral awards at our annual awards ceremony in the Dusit Thani.
End of Year Celebration
Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence have truly paid off, and you should be very proud of your achievements.
To celebrate the end of the year, we had an amazing day out at Motiongate theme park in Dubai. The trip was a fun-filled adventure with thrilling rides and memorable moments, providing a perfect end to an eventful year.
Enjoy your well-deserved break, and we look forward to seeing you back and refreshed in August.
Our Year 10 students gave an excellent account of themselves, and of BSAK, during their week work experience placements. From seeing a cuttlefish necropsy in the labs at SeaWorld Rescue and Research, to being given the run-around by 4 year olds during PASS football sessions, the variety of the Year 10 experiences has been wonderful to hear about. All students completed a Padlet documenting their reflections, and have used this to update their CV with a summary of the experience they have gained.
WORK
EXPERIENCE
It’s been great to hear students be able to give a bit more detail on their future career aspirations based on how they have found their placements. We’ll be building on this when it comes to considering their KS5 A level / B-Tech pathways in term 2 of Year 11.
SECONDARY AWARDS EVENING
Congratulations to all our award winners this academic and to these Year 10 students for winning the Pastoral Awards: Academic Achievement Caitlin, Endeavour & ResilienceIsla and BSAK Citizen - Navaneeth.
A special well done to the inaugural winner of the Rashad Merhebi Legacy Award for Kindness - Nehha.
End of Year Exams
The whole set-up was designed to replicate what they’ll experience during their GCSE exams at the end of year 11 in terms of rules to follow in the exam hall, and the challenges that exam leave presents when managing their own time and transport to/from school.
Along with being able to showcase the academic progress that they have made this year, our year 10 students' approach to their end of year exams was extremely mature. I am certain that the students will be able to lean on this taste of the exam procedures as we continue our approach to their GCSE exams in summer 2025.
CELEBRATION TRIP TO MOTIONGATE
This term has been dominated by student’s approach to End of Year exams and Work experience. I’d advise all Year 10 students to ensure they spend their summer balancing well-earned rest and relaxation with some reflection on this academic year. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone refreshed and recharged after the summer break.
Year 11 Last Day of Term
In my final speech, I spoke to them about my first impressions of them, 4 years ago on Distance Learning. Impressions that have not faded for me as their Head of Year. That they are a group of students whose enthusiasm is contagious and who have shown the most incredible resilience over what was a hugely challenging time for us all during the pandemic and whose determination has amazed me over the years.
I wish them all the best for that all important results day on August 22nd. I will be in school on the day and look forward to seeing lots of smiling faces as they receive them, inshallah!
It has been an honour being their Head of Year and being a small part of their journey. Thanks to all of you for your support over the years, raised wonderful young people and that is not only testament to the strength of their character as they navigate the teenage years but also, your hard work as parents in the background! It has not gone unnoticed.
OF SIXTH FORM
THE SIXTH FORM SPACES
Due to issues out of our control (it’s been a long wait) the new furniture is now here and our amazing Sixth Form study spaces are fully operational!
SIXTH FORM SENIOR PREFECTS
Message from the Head Boy and Head Girl
Following our appointment of Head Boy and Head Girl, we immediately started working alongside the Senior Prefect Team to strategise how we can constantly embrace the BSAK community.
We have already begun to consider ways to increase connectivity between year groups and we are extremely excited about implementing these plans and incorporate new ideas.
Our aspiration to create a notable impact for the upcoming year will drive our motivation, and hopefully, the changes we introduce will make a difference in the following years.
CELEBRATING BSAK LIFERS
These events honored your time here and marked the beginning of new adventures. Whether it's university, apprenticeships, or entering the workforce, I'm confident that each of you is well-prepared to take on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Enjoy your well-deserved summer break, and remember that you will always be a cherished part of our @BSAK Oaks.
Wishing all of our Year 13’s the best of luck for future!
