All you need to know about Foundation Stage at The British International School Abu Dhabi

All you need to know
about Foundation

Stage at The British
International School

Abu Dhabi

Welcome to The British develop a strong, positive sense of self
International School Abu - feeling about their abilities as learners
Dhabi where children of while forming constructive relationships
all ages develop and grow with others and becoming confident
following a British based communicators.
international curriculum.

This guide is specifically about our Early We follow the British Early Years Foundation
Years, a community of young children aged Stage curriculum framework, which we
from three to five years old taking their first believe provides children with the best
and formative experiences at school. possible start to their schooling and sets high
In this guide we share our educational expectations for their development at school.
philosophy which is that of allowing young We believe in the partnership between
children to grow in confidence through the of home and school where communication
sharing experiences which enables them to is easy, frequent and open. We ensure
be happy, to thrive, to grow, to be challenged that development planning is centred on
and to progress. the individual needs of each child and is
At BIS Abu Dhabi we believe that there are informed by regular ongoing observational
no limits to what the children in our care can assessment. We share these observations
achieve. We are ambitious for their futures. weekly with you.

We very much look forward to being able to In our Early Years children look forward to
meet with you in person and talk more fully show-casing their many talents throughout
about how we might be able to share in your the year and this takes shape in many forms
child’s education. such as a winter production, class showcases
In our Early Years Department, children and stay and play for parents.

Every child deserves the best possible start
in life. The privilege of joining a premium
and contemporary international school
will provide experiences that enhance their
potential and have significant impact on
how they embrace future opportunities as
confident, successful and ambitious learners.
Much of your child’s experiences are
individual and exploratory in Early Years and
assessment is central to effective education
as we track and respond to your child’s
learning.
We use an online learning journal
called Seesaw. This app records photos,
observations and comments of your child
in line with the Early Years Foundation
Stage. Parents will have constant access
to this journal and be able to reflect on
success while building pride in learning
and considering ways for continuing
improvement.

The Role of our Staff Areas of interest can vary from transport to
The teachers, teaching assistants and celebrations, life under the sea to traditional
support assistants are our greatest and stories from around the world, the state of
most important resource at BIS Abu Dhabi. weather to dinosaurs and minibeasts.
It is through their warm and supportive We follow your child’s interests so this may
interactions with our adults that children vary from class to class but within each area
develop in all areas of the curriculum. of interest all areas of the curriculum are
Our teachers guide the children in their care covered so that children can make links in
by facilitating learning, asking questions and their learning. A child who has been reluctant
supporting your child’s ability to carry out to write in one topic, may discover their
skills or tasks independently. calling in another!
Curriculum We balance our approach with more formal
Here at BIS Abu Dhabi we value the child’s lessons to challenge and engage the students
natural desire to explore and learn. Staff such as Mathematics, Literacy and Phonics.
support them in doing this by creating an All students will be given a reading book
enabling environment and using quality to share and explore with you at home
interactions. within the first three weeks of starting
Staff look for opportunities to allow learning FS2. Developing a love of reading is very
to take place through child-initiated play. important to us here at BIS Abu Dhabi as
This concept is referred to as ‘in the moment’. we believe it enhances the imagination and
creativity that all children need to be fully
successful learners.

Outside Classroom
Trips and visits are an important part of the
learning and we take full advantage of our
local surroundings.
Trips offer great learning opportunities
through hands on experiences as well as the
learning gained through the
preparation and reflection after the
experiences.
We have two purpose-built outdoor
environments that enable the children to
explore opportunities outdoors in a safe
and secure way. They are age-appropriate
for FS1 and FS2 students and will encourage
a range of skills and experiences. All of our
classrooms open up onto the outdoor area
enabling the children to free flow between
the classroom and outside space.
children will experience a wide range of
exciting activities over the course of the year
and there are many occasions for celebration
such as National Day, World Book Day,
International Day and many more!
We are always keen to invite parents and
family members to school to share their
expertise and their cultural experiences to
enhance your child’s learning.
We have regular ‘stay and play’ sessions
where you are invited to join in with your
child’s learning and discover all the different
activities that they do.

Specialist Subjects
For Early Years children, the continuity
provided by a single class teacher is vitally
important.
However, our EYFS children also have the
advantage of taking part in specialist subjects
such as Arabic, Music, PE and Swimming.
These subjects are taught by our specialist
teachers and teaching assistants within their
classrooms or in specialist facilities.
After a settling in period, EYFS children have
weekly PE lessons and will start by developing
their spatial awareness skills. During the
termly lesson blocks they practise ball skills
and games, dance, responding to music
and gymnastics including the use of large
and small equipment. We provide weekly
swimming lessons for FS1 and FS2 children.
These sessions are based around building
confidence, water safety and correct stroke
development through games and simple
instruction. Our purpose built smaller pool for
the younger students, enables them to have a
more successful lesson in a safe environment.
Children also receive 2 sessions of Arabic per
week. The lessons are taught by our specialist
language teachers engaging all children
through songs, daily routines, visual aids and
stories.

Contact us to learn more
about our school.