Thursday May 2015 Issue 89 Thursday, 15th 21 June 2017 Issue 129 GENERAL GENERAL
NURSERY
KG FS
PRIMARY PRIMARY
SECONDARY SECONDARY
PARIS SCHOOL CLINIC
RIS: AWARD OF CIS ACCREDITATION Only 1 of 3 UK curriculum schools in Dubai to receive full CIS Accreditation
DATE
EVENTS
June
Thursday, 15 June
Nursery to FS - Certificate Ceremony
Thursday, 22 June
Students' and Teachers’ last day
Thursday, 22 June
Nursery Rainbow Day
Tuesday, 26 June
End of Ramadan & Eid Al Fitr*
Tuesday, 27 June
IGCSE Examinations end August
Wednesday, 30 August
New Students’ orientation
Thursday, 31 August *
Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha*
September
Sunday, 03 September*
Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha*
Tuesday, 05 September
All students return
Thursday, 21 September*
Hijri New Year*
End of Year Update, 2017 I must begin by offering my appreciation to the many parents, students, colleagues and Advisory Council members who continue to provide such unfaltering support to me and the wider school community throughout the year. Raffles International School is such a very strong and vibrant place to learn and work. It draws its strength in part from being a family school rooted in our local community. RIS is dedicated to providing a high quality international education for its students and meet the school’s vision in the commitment ‘to provide world-class education’. Our British Schools Overseas Report describes the high quality of education in Foundation Stage with ‘Children in the early years make outstanding progress’. In addition, ‘the good progress pupils make in English continues through the secondary phase and leads to standards that are above those expected. Observations of the quality of progress in mathematics is worth quoting at length, ‘the progress made by pupils in mathematics is good. Progress across Key Stage 1 is good and, as a result, by the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is above that normally expected for their age. This good progress continues through Key Stage 2 and so pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is well above that expected for their age. Pupils in the secondary school also make good progress and they reach standards that exceed the expectations for their age. In science, ‘secondary, pupils’ progress is good overall and some is outstanding’. Furthermore, ‘those pupils who speak Arabic as a first language are making much better progress than previously and are reaching higher standards’. In sum, ‘the arrangements to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety are outstanding’. In February, I received the news from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) that twenty of our students are amongst the top achievers in the Middle East in English, mathematics and science. Each year thousands of children across the region sit assessment tests International Benchmark Tests (IBT) 2016 – International Assessment for Improving Learning in English, mathematics and science and this year we have done even better with twenty students from Primary and Secondary scoring 100% and they will soon be presented with their Honour Certificates and Award for Excellence. In addition RIS students participated in the Innoventures Education Arabic A/ B and Islamic Competition and our Primary and Secondary students won twenty of the top awards. Our students have attained assessment levels above both the Middle East and International Average Scale Score in Arabic A, English, mathematics and science. Such excellent news is indicative of the achievements of our students and in turn, a reflection of the quality of teaching and learning at our school. I would like to sincerely thank the teaching staff and of course the students for their conscientious and dedicated approach in the preparation for the assessments and their exemplary conduct and application throughout this period.
In May, 2017 our school welcomed eleven educators from around the world representing the Council of International Schools. Only last week I received notification of our CIS accreditation Award and circulated the official letter and concluding statement to the community. CIS felt that the commendations far outweighed any areas in which the school was deficient. In particular;-
The effective working partnership that that has been forged between the Governing body, the CEO and the Principal that has overseen and upheld the school’s successful growth and development. The school’s strong sense of direction and purpose developed through the work of the SLMT and embraced by the entire school community, and the ‘learning community’ culture evidenced in the drive for continuous self-improvement at both a professional and school wide level. The school community’s clear and unified approach to embracing international and intercultural appreciation and understanding. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the entire community in achieving this prestigious award. Looking ahead to August, 2017 we will embark upon the next exciting stage of our development with the opening of Year 12 (subject to final KHDA approval) and the introduction of Advanced Supplementary and Advanced Levels (AS and A levels. All of this demonstrates our commitment to providing the best education to your children and international recognition of our journey of school improvement, ‘Towards Excellence’. The achievements and successes are of course, a tribute to the hard work and application of the students involved but none of their success would be possible without the professionalism, support and dedication of their teachers and support staff throughout this period. It is also due to the care, patience and perseverance of each and every parent that is committed to their child’s education and success. The achievements and successes of this academic year have, of course, been a credit to our students and staff. At the same time we are reliant on parents who care deeply about the education of their children and make huge sacrifices in order that their children enjoy the opportunity and benefit that comes from attending RIS. The cultural, musical and sporting life of the school continues to flourish as our students take full advantage of our many co- curricular and extra-curricular opportunities. Celebrations such as National Day, Winter Concert, International Day, to ‘Reading with Dad’ and the Mother Tongue programme see the RIS community at its very best. Our Art Department continues to flourish and just one indication of the success of our students was “The Next” art competition which ran across all our four IVEI schools receiving over two hundred entries. RIS had eight winners from a total of thirty which makes it clear that our students are extremely talented. On the occasion of declaring 2017 as ‘The Year of Giving’ by the UAE government a group of students during CCA created a large mural, the design of which was inspired by the official logo with symbols and colours that reflected the meaning of ‘Giving’. Students across the primary and secondary school were also invited to create a poster which would be used to promote this initiative around RIS. However it did not just stop there, on International Day the department with the help of some of our Year 6 students raised over 4.000 dirhams for the Innoventures ‘Give’ charity by selling student artwork. Another achievement for the arts was the international trip to Italy. A group of twenty-two students went to Venice, Milan, Florence and Rome. They had the opportunity to view and appreciate the work of masters such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and also visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The trip was a fantastic experience for the students as they gained exposure to the art, food and culture of Italy. Our Music Department endeavours include the productions of Peter Pan, Tatty Bogle and Treasure Island. We now have over sixty two students participating in our orchestra and choir. The secondary students attended the workshop conducted by Mr. Neil Harbisson who is world’s first totally colour blind artist. Our choir performed with this renowned artist at Dubai Colour Symphony Project at JBR. RIS won the second and third positions respectively in X Factor – a talent show conducted by the Innoventures Education. This year RIS had thirty-five different teams with nearly five hundred students participating in extra-curricular sport, with a significant increase in female participation in
particular. We saw our highest DASSA entries and enjoyed our most competitive seasons to date. In IVEI competitions RIS was consistently in the top 3 or above, with the crowning jewel being our dominant badminton teams. PE now delivers a greater depth and breadth of specialist lessons from nursery through to GCSE, with huge progress having been objectively tracked in student fitness levels from Key Stages 2- 5. All these activities are able to occur through the dedication and commitment of both the staff and students in exploring ways of improving oneself and learning more outside of the classroom. Along with other staff that left us at the end of the academic year, whether for promotion, retirement, seeking a new challenge or returning to their home countries, I would like to pay tribute to them all and wish one and all, every success in their endeavours wherever that leads. I would also like to especially thank my Senior Leadership and Management Team for their continued collaboration and support. I would like to take this opportunity to place on record my appreciation and best wishes to Mr. Matthew Barrett, Deputy Head and Mr. Ian Plant, Deputy Head who are moving on to take up new and exciting challenges in the UK and UAE respectively. Key developments and investments include: 1. New multipurpose hall for examinations and physical education. 2. New shaded play area on the first floor to create more space for students during break and play times as well as sports lessons. 3. Nursery play area - soft flooring and cycle track markings that enhances the teaching and learning. 4. Secondary School science laboratory equipped with sink, gas, eye wash, shower and fume cupboard 5. Science Lab prep room access created between two rooms (F041 and F039). 6. Secondary EAL extension room 7. First floor gym fixed with blinds 8. Sports Hall ceiling with safety nets 9. Secondary School art room installed with new sink 10. Redecoration of all internal/ external areas 11. Installation of additional CCTV cameras to increase surveillance in and around the campus, including the new seven classrooms. 12. 18 door vision panel fixed to enhance student safety I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all parents and especially members of PARIS for their continued involvement, engagement and support of the students and the staff throughout the year. This is only one excellent example of parental commitment and engagement in the education of our students. Other notable examples include: parent volunteers for our reading programme, Circle of Culture, parent guest lectures, Young Enterprise, Dad’s Week, class representatives, mother tongues programme, Self-study committees as part of our CIS accreditation, parent focus groups and parent representatives on the Advisory Council. This really is the RIS community at its very best-when parents are engaged and involved, everyone benefits - students, parents, families, teachers, schools and communities – and our school is enriched as a positive place to teach, learn and grow. The range and diversity of the school’s many trips, visits and tours, the confidence and composure of our students, the ongoing improvement in standards of academic achievement and attainment and the dedication of the staff are what make RIS so special. Michael William Clack Principal
RIS: AWARD OF CIS ACCREDITATION Only 1 of 3 UK curriculum schools in Dubai to receive full CIS Accreditation Internationalism/global mindedness appears to be at the heart of the Raffles International School. Students are happy and see themselves as learners, leaders and potential leaders.
At the end of last week I received the wonderful news that RIS had been awarded full international accreditation by the Council of International Schools. This means the RIS is only 1 of 3 schools offering the UK curriculum across Dubai to receive such prestigious recognition. CIS Accreditation ensures that the school meets the CIS Standards for Accreditation which examines the areas of school philosophy and objectives, teaching and learning, governance and management, faculty and support staff, student support services, facilities and resources and student and community life. Higher education institutions recognise immediately that a CIS Accredited School meets globally-recognised standards and promotes values and skills that they are seeking in students. The Accreditation offered by CIS is also recognised by various government and non-government agencies in a number of countries. Major Strengths of RIS The effective working partnership that that has been forged between the Governing body, the CEO and the Principal that has overseen and upheld the school’s successful growth and development.
The school’s strong sense of direction and purpose developed through the work of the SLMT and embraced by the entire school community, and the ‘learning community’ culture evidenced in the drive for continuous self-improvement at both a professional and school wide level. The school community’s clear and unified approach to embracing international and intercultural appreciation and understanding. RIS is a wonderful community school where community values are authentic at all levels of the school. Establishing a community ethos at such a large school is a challenge, but one the VT feels that RIS has met. It is evident that there are excellent relationships between students and teachers characterised by mutual respect and an understanding that they share the community that is RIS. Students are happy and see themselves as learners, leaders and potential leaders. RIS has made significant progress and is responding to the changing world, specifically among the growing number of international schools in Dubai during the past several years. The school has clearly defined its mandate in Dubai. Finally, I wholeheartedly agree with the concluding statement from the CIS Visiting Team, that along with colleagues and the Board, I ‘should be very proud of the high-quality community school they have developed in RIS’. Michael William Clack Principal
Counselling Department
Due to the recent horrific world events, the Counselling Department thought it would be relevant to relay information on how best to address these incidents to children. One of the most important messages for children of all ages to understand is that parents and caregivers stress to their children that they will do all that they can to keep them safe, and that their children are safe with them now. As Hilary Ann Salinger (Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist) states ‘…reinforcing the good things about your environment: for example, that you don’t live in an earthquake zone, or that violent attacks are very rare, before going on to discuss the news item.’ Please see an excerpt of an article from www.babyandchild.ae, ‘Manchester attacks: How to talk to your little ones about the big bad world’, of which Dr Rose Logan from Lighthouse Arabia (wellbeing centre in Dubai) offers her advice on what to say to children regarding the recent world attacks: Reach out to others In the wake of such attacks it is absolutely normal to feel that the world is less safe and to become more vigilant about your own safety and mortality. It is helpful to reach out to family, friends and others to discuss your feelings. They will quite likely have had a similar reaction and it is comforting to know that you are not alone in how you feel. Remember the rarity of such events It is also so important to recognise that such events are rare and that is why they generate so much coverage and send shockwaves around the world. It may feel like they are becoming more frequent if they are now happening where you live or where you are from as they have a greater personal meaning, but sadly they have always happened all around the world although thankfully rarely. "Children pick up on emotions and hear more than we might imagine or wish" Do not pretend it is not happening Children pick up on emotions and hear a lot more than we might perhaps imagine or wish. If we do not make explicit what is happening and most importantly, what is happening to those closest to them, they will draw their own conclusions based on what they feel and hear. This may include their parents’ own emotions and reactions. This does not necessarily mean presenting them with the detail, rather sitting them down and letting them know that something very sad has happened. Avoid complicated or worrying language and keep the conversation age appropriate. Offer them reassurance and comfort.
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Be age appropriate You can tell a child of any age how you feel but probably around the age of two they will start to have some understanding of emotions such as sadness and how to respond appropriately to someone feeling that way. If you wait for your child to bring questions up, they may already have developed a picture in their own minds of what has happened or is going on. Of course you can invite questions but offer some understanding of the situation as soon as you can. Limit mainstream media In general, mainstream media news is not appropriate for young children and even with older children caution should be exercised. Coverage is at times graphic and distressing and the language may be confusing or hard to understand. There are some news programmes specifically for children that present information in a manner that is age appropriate. There are also publications such as The Week that publish a children’s version. It is good for children to understand the wider issues at play in the world but it must be presented in a way that is accessible, child friendly, and age appropriate in content and language. Put things in context You cannot shelter them from everything, especially once they start nursery or school, but you can talk about the things they see and hear and help them work out how they can still feel safe. For littler ones it might not be world events but just something in a story: if you read stories with monsters in for example, you can ask them to consider that not all monsters are scary. Or perhaps you get them to think about what they would do if they met a monster in a familiar place like the supermarket or the dinner table and have fun making up conversations! You can help them develop a little tool kit of things they can do if they feel scared such as hugging a favourite teddy, talking to Mum and Dad, imagining the monster with googly eyes or singing a funny song. Pre-empt worries about other 'dangers' It is natural that when terrible world events happen we might start to worry about other potential threats, such as 'stranger danger'. I think it is good to introduce language about strangers early, as soon as you feel your child’s language will facilitate a conversation. This will most likely coincide with the time that their independence is growing and their exposure to people beyond the family and other caregivers is increasing. This does not necessarily require a discussion about the potential consequences initially but may do as the child gets older and starts to understand the difference between good and bad. You know your own child and can gauge how they respond to your conversations. "Build awareness but do not create fear" Keep conversations brief and playful but with a serious note and of course keep language age-appropriate and stay away from creating fear. You are trying to build awareness and equip them with the confidence to manage situations should they arise. It is important that you don’t just tell them not to go with strangers but that you also coach them so that they know what they can do if someone they do not know approaches them.
Recognise when it's time to seek help It is normal to feel shocked, scared and worried at this time. It is likely that many people will feel deeply saddened by the news and in particular the deaths of young children. Some of the images and reports in the news may be extremely harrowing and may be difficult to put to one side. The fact that the recent events in Manchester targeted families and children may make you feel that you want to keep your children and loved ones closer and may make you cautious about where you go in the short term. The UK is a place that many people in the UAE have been to and come from and so it is likely to feel even more shocking if you have a personal link to the area. Events such as these raise questions about our own security and mortality and that of loved ones. These thoughts can be unwanted and distressing and may prompt us to reach out to loved ones. It is important to express what you are feeing and support those closest to you. Younger children may express or display signs of anxiety distress and regressions in behaviour may occur. They may experience nightmares and become clingier, or they may complain of physical symptoms such as stomachaches. Please feel free to contact the Counselling Department at RIS if you feel that your child may be continuing to experience distress and we will endeavour to help all that we can. Mrs. Jacynta Hodges Head of Counselling
June 2017: Awareness Month - Processing Speed Students who have processing speed difficulties often struggle with challenges at home and in school. Processing speed involves how quickly stimuli or data is received to the brain (through the senses), the information is understood or analysed, and feedback or output is given as a result. By boosting your child’s memory, you will automatically be increasing the processing speed. Here are some games and activities to stimulate the brain and aid in memory retention.
Logic Puzzles
Crossword puzzles and sudoku are helpful also because the more the student manipulates letters and numbers in a fun, non-threatening way the faster they will become at using them.
Jigsaw puzzles
The brain processes the visual picture and must recreate it; add the challenge of cut out pieces to work with, and your child will surely sharpen his/her brain power.
Learn an instrument
Learning an instrument is personally rewarding and involves eye and hand coordination, as well as memorization. The brain is exercised by going between reading the notes, recalling what the hand position is (in the case of piano), and then the process of actually striking the note.
Simon Says
You can play the electronic version of this game or play it with other individuals. The goal is for the child to follow the directions of “Simon” who gives a command. In the electronic game, the child must follow a sequence of lights and sounds and play it back exactly. This strengthens memory.
Boggle
The goal of this game is to unscramble the letters to create as many words as possible in a short time.
With brain building games and activities, students can increase processing speed.
“All Children with special needs just need a little help, a little hope and someone who believes in them” Faryal Saeed Head of Learning Support
Dear All, As a part of Reader Development Activity among students, Library had introduced “Summer Reading Challenge “ for the long summer months. Entry Form available on the website and in the Summer Packs to be downloaded. The fully filled up Entry Form to be handed over to the Home Room Teachers after the Summer Holidays. The Library will announce THE WINNERS of different year levels in September 2017. Grand prizes in the form of Book Vouchers awaits YOU! Kindly share this to each and every one. Thanks & Regards, Ms. Susane Joseph Librarian
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Dear Parents, Grandparents and Extended Family, Parents are the primary educators of their children and should be centrally involved in their child's experiences and development. We try to ensure that every interaction with our parents is based on a caring, professional relationship and respectful acknowledgement of the feelings of you as parents and those of your children. At our Nursery, we realise that it is imperative we gain the trust and confidence of our parents. We want you to be happy with what we do and how we do it. We also pride ourselves in understanding the importance of instilling confidence and enthusiasm in your child from an early age. Effective communication means there is a two way flow of information, knowledge and expertise between parents and our teachers. Creating strong parent partnerships has always been an incredibly important aspect of the early year’s foundation stage and a central aspect of ensuring a child can reach their full potential. However, parents are becoming increasingly busier with often both parents working so these partnerships may not be as strong as they could be. Unfortunately, there are some barriers that may be encountered when trying to build parent partnership, such as
Time – This is one of the biggest barriers to parents and practitioners not having the spare time needed to have deep conversations and regular meetings. Work – Many parents work long hours and often the child is in the setting because they need childcare rather than for a great start too early education. For this reason, many parents appear disinterested.
It is important to overcome these barriers and to build good relationships so that the children can feel safe and secure while in the nursery. Seeing their parents talking to their teacher, makes a child feel that this adult (the teacher) can be trusted. Trust and security is important for our children to explore our environment and meet learning goals. Early learning experiences are crucial and at the heart of this early development lie successful parent relationships. It is also equally important to have shared realistic expectations for each child. Some parents may have their expectations set too high whereas others may be unsure what their child should be achieving. That is where having regular discussions around development and behaviour are important for gaining shared expectations and continuity for the children.
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As this academic year draws to a close, I would like to wish all families a safe and relaxing summer break. We look forward to seeing our children in September. Garima Kapoor Assistant Head Early Years Natalia works with the combination of Toddler Knobbed Cylinders
Nursery Concert practice
Thalia paints a butterfly using water colours (Topic - Insects)
Nursery Concert
Shared Reading Session in our Toddler’s class
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PRIMARY SCHOOL Dear Parents, It is difficult to believe we have come to the end of the academic year, so soon. The children have completed another year of the UK Cambridge programme and are now ready to continue onwards and upwards through the curriculum. Teachers spend an average of four to eight weeks every autumn reviewing and re-teaching material that students have forgotten during the long summer break. Many students lose the equivalent of one to two months of reading and mathematic skills during the summer. That does not mean that children should be doing mathematic worksheets and studying vocabulary lists to preserve the skills they have learned during the school year. Summer is the perfect time for children to discover that learning is fun and can happen anywhere. “You don’t want your kids to think that learning is only something that happens in places called schools,” says Susan K. Perry, author of Playing Smart: The Family Guide to Enriching Offbeat Learning Activities for Ages 4-14. “Rather, you want them to grasp that learning is fun and can go on all the time, anytime, anywhere, with handy materials, not only based on the instruction of an actual schoolteacher. The summer is a great unstructured mass of time to try out new things and explore interests that do not necessarily fit into the school curriculum.” Keeping the brain active over the summer, will give your children a head start in September and encourage a healthy work ethic when starting school again. Here are a few ideas you and your child can do over the summer time. You will also find some Summer Packs on our web site by clicking ‘Learning’ then ‘Resourses’.
Clip, paste and write about your family adventures A family vacation is a perfect opportunity to create a trip scrapbook that will be a lasting souvenir of family adventures. Collect postcards, brochures and menus from restaurants and tourist attractions. Encourage your child to write descriptions of the places you visited and tell stories about your family’s escapades. Or suggest a scrapbook on your child’s favourite sports team or a chronicle of his year in school. The scrapbook might contain photos with captions, newspaper clippings or school mementos. Make chocolate mousse or build a bird feeder Toy stores and craft shops are full of kits for making things, from bird feeders to model airplanes to mosaic tableaux. These projects teach children to read and follow directions, and offer the added benefit of creating a finished product. Science experiment books encourage children to observe and ask questions while providing hours of hands-on fun using scientific concepts.
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Get Baking What child would not be inspired to bake cookies or make chocolate mousse? A cookbook geared for children is a good place to start. Ethnic cookbooks provide an excellent way to explore the food of other cultures, and open up conversations about how people do things differently in other parts of the world. Children are much more likely to eat something strange if they make it themselves. Become an investment guru or a mathematic wizard Summer is the perfect time for older children and teens to learn about the stock market and the value of investing. A good way to get started is to investigate publicly held companies that teens are familiar with, such as Apple Computer, eBay or Nike. The Motley Fool “Teens and Money� Web site is devoted to helping teens learn about saving and investing. It is also possible to help your teen get a head start in Secondary math by doing mathematics puzzles. Have a happy and productive summer, spending quality time with your little ones.
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FS News Education is not what the teacher gives: Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual. It is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences upon the environment.” –Maria Montessori (The Absorbent Mind) The Montessori environment further aided the children’s development by helping them to grow in independence giving them the freedom to learn within a controlled environment. It provided the children with materials to learn through working with concrete materials in Language, mathematics, Culture, Sensorial and Practical Life activities. The Early Years Foundation Stage frame work allowed for the children to explore their social capabilities through imaginary play, enabling them to be creative and express themselves through dress up, role play and other such activities. Over the past academic year, through these hands on experiences provided to the children it has been a delight to watch as they have grown in leaps and bounds. Further facilitating their development was the support received by yourselves, the parents, who took the time to come into class rooms to listen to children read and also to talk about your culture and the country you originated from. It was a partnership that provided the children with numerous opportunities throughout the year to have fun and grow whether it was on field trips or other events. All these experiences and much more have made the educational process of FS the success it is. As we draw near the end of the academic year, it is clear to see just how far our children have come holistically. This year would not have been made possible without your continued support for which we say thank you. FS Team
Year 1 News As we reach the closing weeks of the academic year, students start to reflect both on their achievements this year, and what they will be looking to achieve in the next academic year. As they head into Year 2 our students will be more mature, responsible and focused on their academic aspirations. As we are expecting all this self-evaluation to take place individually it is a priority that RIS as a whole school self-evaluates as well. We as teachers often look at the day to day running of the school and are mainly focused on teaching and learning but it is important to consider the ‘bigger picture’ when evaluating the school as a whole.
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Year 1 has seen many new changes and additions throughout the year. We have introduced a new approach for ‘Letters and Sounds’ phonetic programme this year with the aim of boosting the children’s phonetic knowledge and preparing them to be fluent readers. There are six overlapping phases in which the children are split up each morning. The children have been exposed to different phonetic blends and diagraphs. We have seen immense improvement in the children’s phonetic knowledge. In creative writing we have added different genres including, instruction writing, fact-finding missions, recounting events, postcards and we have had an extra focus this term on rhymes and poetry. The children are thoroughly enjoying writing a wide range of their own poems. This term, Year 1 is doing a lot of abstract work in mathematics. In the last few weeks the children have been working with time, sorting and organising data and halves of small numbers and shapes. This is to prepare the children for the transition to Year 2. Year 1 Team
Year 2 News The home to school partnership is arguably the most important partnership fostered in a child’s education. RIS adopts a child centered approach to our parental partnerships. With the child at the centre we ensure that they feel supported and challenged educationally both within school and at home. This type of effective home school partnership is fostered through good communication, building good relationships and providing a welcoming, supportive environment for both parents and students. In Year 2 we have many lines of communications with parents. All teachers send a weekly email with the weekly chronicle attached. This is where important curriculum information and upcoming events are detailed. We also have weekly drop in days in which parents are invited to come in and talk about their child’s progress. RIS also has a school communicator which informs parents of whole school events. We aim to provide a welcoming, supportive environment by inviting parents to join whole school events for example, International Day, Reading with Dad and weekly shared reading sessions. Overall, the range of communication strategies provide a learning community where parents, teachers and students are able us to help and support each other and we aim to continually strengthen our partnership with parents. Year 2 Team
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Year 3 News It is that time of the year once again. It is with heavy hearts that we bid our class farewell and wish them all the best for the coming scholastic year. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our fantastic class parents for their constant support and cooperation throughout the year. A big thank you is owed to PARIS who organized lovely bake sales, Teacher Appreciation ceremonies and the wonderful displays of food and culture during the International Day celebrations. Meditation sessions by a Year 3 parent helped our children to manage their stress levels and focus on the examinations. This academic year has been full of wonderful events in which diversity in cultures were celebrated and showcased. Over the year, the children participated in many different activities such as the Spelling Bee, EcoVentures trip, Assemblies, field trips and the Annual Production. The Academics were supported by multiple hands on activities to keep the children actively engaged and motivated. The children enjoyed their regular visits to the Science Labs, investigating different topics thus enhancing their critical thinking skills.
Role plays were organized to support their creative writing, dialogue writing and improve their speaking skills as well as work on their presentation skills. The children enjoyed presenting their posters on famous people from their home country which they researched at home, this helped them improve their confidence levels. Writing post cards on their culture and posting them to each other in the red letter boxes made them aware of each other’s cultures and gave them an insight into the postal systems. National day and book character day were some of the other events which added to the fun and festivities at school. School year was a combination of serious academics supported by meaningful activities. Looking forward to another eventful year of teaching and learning where in, children come from different parts of the world and bring along the aroma and values of their culture. Year 3 Team
Year 4 News Year 4 has continued to work hard and review many topics over the past weeks. Looking back on the year, we can evaluate and assess all that we have achieved and learned. Throughout the year we have gained a vast knowledge of academic topics and cultural topics. In science, we continue to learn about the topic of sound. We have recently created instruments and we have also created sound insulators. A big thank you to parents for sending many recyclable materials in to school to help us create our inventions. Following our Science Fair, the students have become very confident with scientific procedure. After having many judges, teachers, students and parents attend our fair, the student’s presentation skills have evidently progressed.
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In Social Studies, we continue to learn about Ancient Greece. This year we have developed a strong understanding of both ancient civilizations and the current cultures. Circle of Culture has played a large role in developing internationalism within the students. Students have peer taught one another and we have had the wonderful opportunity to have parents from the year group attend Circle of Culture lessons and share their knowledge and experiences of their home countries with us. In English, we continue to develop our descriptive and fantasy writing skills. This week the children created their own characters and wrote about the children’s reactions to fantasy settings such as ‘The Chocolate Room.‘ Year 4 Team
Year 5 News In Year 5 we value the partnership with parents as we depend on them for the success of many of our events throughout the year. This valuable partnership starts before of the academic year when teachers introduce themselves to the parents by email. Weekly electronic communications are sent to keep parents involved with academic content covered throughout the week. It allows the parents to be aware of the upcoming events and new learning topics and it also helps to build a strong relationship between the parents and teachers. Events throughout the year where parents showed their support of the school includes:
Parents Reading – This program has been an extremely successful initiative which has helped to raise the standard of reading throughout the school. Reading with Dad (Mother Tongue Reading) – This year several dads read stories in their mother tongues and students could choose from a variety of languages to listen to. This event was thoroughly enjoyed by the students. International Day – This was one of the most well attended events as it is so popular with the parent community. The parents were at the forefront of this event. It’s success is testament to their dedication.
We have a diverse international community at Raffles International School and this helps us to show case a strong, healthy spirit of inter-culturalism. These events promote the spirit of inter-culturalism further. We offer Mother Tongue lessons in French, Spanish and Russian. All nationalities are afforded the opportunity to express their cultures and language. This has huge benefits for students not just culturally but emotionally, socially and on an educational level. Students share in each other’s culture daily as they play, learn and forge friendships. Inter-culturalism is part of their everyday life, it’s not something that must be done, and it is an intrinsic part of the students at Raffles International School. We would like to thank all the parents for the great partnership and support that was shown over the year. We wish you a happy holiday and safe travels. Year 5 Team
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Year 6 News June is almost over and we are saying so long to our students, staff and parents. It has been a fantastic year filled with events that have brought us closer together. We would like to thank parents for your ongoing support throughout the year, whether it was the field trips, reading, organising Graduation party or Teacher Appreciation Day. We are truly thankful for all parental contribution to the year group. We could not offer such a rich education to our students without the continuing effort and support that you all give. We continued to work through various aspects of curriculum whether it was to investigate the value of Pi or write poems from trenches or create Math board games, we made learning more REAL. We appreciate the dedication of all homeroom teachers, Ms. Shabana Bashir, Mr. Barry Canavan, Mr. Paul Foley, Ms. Hannelie Cranko and Ms. Sarah Mcmahon as well as all specialists teachers who have worked tirelessly to provide the best learning experiences to our children. And the best part was the Graduation ceremony; days of preparations and organisation that went behind making this a memorable event for our students. With the end of the year also come changes and relocation. We would like to take this opportunity to wish those students and families leaving us this year all the best for the future. Year 6 Team
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SECONDARY SCHOOL Partnerships with parents Raffles International School seeks the views, opinions and interests of parents through curriculum information sessions, open days, meet the Principal sessions, surveys and questionnaires, PARIS and general feedback in conversation. With this vast amount of information the school has been able to adapt and modify aspects of the curriculum, assessment and events. With this close partnership with parents, RIS has developed an understanding of what is best for the school and what changes can be made to further improve. Two Hundred and seventy five parents responded to the most recent Dubai School’s Inspection Bureau (DSIB) survey. Almost all parents who responded to the survey expressed their satisfaction with the quality of education provided by the school. Parents reported that they felt engaged as partners in their children’s learning. They spoke highly of the school leadership. At RIS there are a number of mechanisms to ensure that the views of parents are fully taken into account when new initiatives or school development priorities are formulated. The new information system supports the very effective communication between parents and the school. Parents are also supportive of their children’s involvement in international assessments. Parents comment that they are very well informed about their children’s academic progress. Reports to parents provide detail and teacher/parent conferences identify clearly how support can be provided. In addition, each year group provides well received, curriculum information sessions at the start of each academic year. Although RIS has provided much information about the National Agenda priorities, feedback suggest that parents are not always able understand the information. This is something that will be addressed through further consultation with parents and more information sessions. Over the past three years I have worked closely with PARIS to develop relationships that support the RIS curriculum. A very good example of this is the Young Apprentice Project culminating in Family Fun Day. Through this partnership, parents have been able to provide valuable experience and time in supporting our students. For that I am very grateful. PARIS also have supported with many other Secondary School events including bake sales, movie nights, competitions, attendance at KHDA What Works sessions and most recently the Year 11 Graduation. Parental involvement produces measurable gains in a child’s holistic development. As we all know, parents are a child’s first teacher. When a school system values and respects the relationship between a parent and a child and welcomes parents as equal partners in their child’s education, parents and teachers have an opportunity to influence a child to live a positive and fulfilling life. All of this pertains to the work we do at Raffles International School. As this is my last ever SummaRISe article, I would like to thank all parents who have taken the time to read the information I have written about. I would also like to thank all parents of Secondary School students for your continued support over the past three years. I will certainly miss you all and wish your sons and daughters the very best for their futures. Have a safe, enjoyable and relaxing summer holiday. Mr. Ian Plant Deputy Head of Secondary School.
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Year 7 News At RIS we have students and staff from all over the world comprising of over 90 different nationalities. As our website says: ‘We have a truly international mix’. One can therefore define the interaction we have with one another as: interculturalism. Interculturalism can be defined as the intention to acknowledge multiple identities and include all others in regard to matters of diversity and social justice. What does this look like in practice though? In practice it is the ability to have successful communication with people of other cultures and it is about having knowledge and awareness of cultural norms and practices. Within Year 7 tutor time we have been having ‘Circle of Culture’ sessions where we are able to inform each other and celebrate our cultural and linguistic diversities. Pupils typically spend 5-10 minutes sharing fun facts about their countries including: famous landmarks; famous people, including celebrities and historical figures; political systems; geographic facts, such as national birds and national plants and cultural knowledge such as religion, food and norms. The reason why this is so important is because it allows us to further understand each other and feel better connected within our friendships and within our work relationships. Interculturalism is also important when our students eventually apply for their first jobs: In today's global society, there is an increased emphasis on producing college graduates who are "interculturally competent citizens who can engage in informed, ethical decision making when confronted with problems that involve a diversity of perspectives" (King & Baxter Magolda, 2005, p. 571). Year 7 Team
Year 8 News As we come to the end of the year the students breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they have finished their examinations and they can look forward to a well-earned summer break. The students of Year 8 have worked especially hard this year, having completed IBT and GL tests, as well as their end of Year tests. All students should be able to look back across the last ten months with a sense of achievement and be impressed by how far they have come. As they look forward to life in Year 9 they should feel proud in what they have accomplished as a year group; and well prepared for what will come next. While Year 9 will be challenging – the prospect of Cambridge Checkpoint Examinations is sometimes a daunting one – it is a year when many students show their maturity. It has been my pleasure to be Head of Year 8 this year, and as I stated to the students at the start, a simple aim I have for my students is that they should make the year group one that is respected for its maturity and its sensible behaviour. I am proud to say that the majority of students have fulfilled that aim, and I am greatly looking forward to taking them through Year 9. In the meantime though, a happy summer vacation to all. Year 8 Team
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Year 9 News The end of the year is now close. It is has passed rapidly and has seen the Year 9 students flourish into a positive and driven group of young adults. Throughout the year they have taken on challenges set with a ‘can do’ mindset, and have approached their studies and assessments with courage and determination. Their successes have been supported and recognised by parents, from attendance at sports events to the Secondary School concert. Parents should be treated as partners as they are the children's first and most influential educators. Working together the long term benefits of a constructive partnership between parents and practitioners will have a positive impact on a child's development and learning experiences. Fostering strong relationships with our parents is central to ensuring every student achieves their best possible results. With effective and regular communication, each student’s pathway is shared with parents, thus ensuring we are working together a team in the best interests of the students. Parents are usually the first to notice that something is bothering a child; they can pass their concerns to staff who can recognise and help to resolve. This year we have encouraged more face to face interactions with parents with coffee mornings held by the Learning Support department and meetings to discuss interventions with Heads of Year and teaching staff. These interactions have enabled issues to be dealt with promptly and effectively. In addition, success has also been shared via Facebook. The page now has more followers and we are currently in the process of launching the Twitter and Instagram pages as well. We would also like to thank PARIS , our parents association, for all the events they have successfully organised throughout the year; bake sales, Family Fun Day and International Day to name a few. Their generosity in time and donations for awards creates new opportunities for our students. By working in partnership with the RIS staff, these type of initiatives help to create and support opportunities for all and to help build a stronger school community. This is the last edition of Summarise for this academic year. I will not be the Head of Year for this year group next year. However, in my new role I will definitely be highly involved in their academic and personal development. The students have brought me much joy and pride, and I am extremely excited to watch them progress on their next pathway, as they embark on their IGCSE studies. Yet again, if you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact me on bryonyl@rafflesis.com To all our students and parents have a fantastic and restful summer break. For those not returning I wish you the best for your future voyages and for those students returning I look forward to seeing you all in September and hearing about your adventures. Year 9 Team
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Year 10 and 11 News Studies show that students with parents who are involved in their school tend to have fewer behavioural problems and better academic performance. Parental involvement in school life was more strongly associated with high academic performance than helping with homework. The benefits of parents’ involvement do not stop only in the students. There are benefits for the educators as well. Consistent parent involvement leads to improve communication and relations between parents and teachers. Teachers acquire a better understanding of families’ cultures and diversity, and they dorm deeper respect for parents’ abilities and time. Schools that actively involve parents and the community tend to establish better reputations in the community and experience better community support. As this is the last issue of Summarise for the academic year 2016-17, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the parents for their collaboration and support over the year. Special thanks to the Year 11 parents who have attended the graduation of our first cohort of students who have completed their IGCSE qualifications. To all members of the RIS community I would like to wish you a very relaxing summer break. I am looking forward to see you all back in September for the new academic year. For the families who are relocating, I wish you all the best for the future. Year 10 and 11 Team