There is always much written about developing resilience in young people. The generation of children now at school have lived through the COVID years and the uncertainty that brought with it has undoubtedly had an impact on them. On the other side of this situation, is a generation of children who have witnessed adults coping with challenges and working in collaboration in order to navigate successfully an uncertain path. This experience has equipped our pupils with skills they can call upon in later years. One of these skills is independence and it can be hard to determine how much independence to give a child and at what age but it is an important step for them to learn how to make decisions for themselves. At school there are many opportunities to develop independence. Giving your child the opportunity to make decisions from an early age will help them make suitable choices later. You can do this by giving them the option between two activities or allowing them to make simple decisions such as what to wear. Giving them the chance to exercise independence during school holidays or at the weekend, also actually helps to build those reasoning skills which in turn has a positive impact on the overall balance of a CAT4 profile. Older children should be encouraged to try new activities, sports or clubs. This will help them learn how to do things on their own and gain confidence in their abilities. Initially, children can be apprehensive about trying something new. There are times when remaining in one's comfort zone seems to be the easiest choice, however it is those times when we step outside of that familiar landscape that we often surprise ourselves. Young people are usually much more resilient and adaptable then we expect. Encouraging them to step into the unknown also builds character and develops personality. These are the traits that set us apart and give us the confidence to live life to the full. Here at JPGS we will continue to offer opportunities to the pupils. From rock bands to adventurous journeys, eco projects to astronomy the list goes on. This newsletter is packed full of reports of activities that have kept us busy this half term. I hope you enjoy reading about them. Mrs Zoe Woolley Headmistress Contents 2 4 5 6 9 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 Heart of Arabia Rising to the Challenge Mad Hair Day Our Junior Dukes Duke of Edinburgh Our New School Council Learning in the School Gardens Let's Connect Annual Sports Days Let's Read Book Reviews Reptile Land in JPGS The Next Half Term Calendar Issue no. 18 Jeddah Prep and Grammar School Newsletter Thursday 16th February 2023 Founded in 1967 Happy Half Term
We were given a unique opportunity to bring the curriculum to life, through the Heart of Arabia Expedition. The trek the four explorers undertook enabled our pupils to draw on geographical skills, do historical research, it inspired English creative writing and provided the stimulus for a number of creative arts projects. Pupils from the grammar school closely followed the journey on social media so by the time the team reached their final night in the desert a number of our pupils were well prepared to go and meet the team and sit down with them to learn first hand about the experience. The journey traced the footsteps of Harry St John Abdullah Philby and highlighted the significant part he played in the history of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi British relationship. As a British School here in Jeddah, this was of particular importance to JPGS. On November 16th , 2022, exactly the same day that Philby came ashore in 1917 the expedition team arrived in the abandoned coastal port of Al Uqair and spent the next 14 days travelling inland by foot, camel and 4WD using Philby’s 1917 notes, book and images as guides. In so doing our journey took us to ancient mosques and forts, meteorite craters, vital waterholes and bustling, modern space age cities. Like Philby, on reaching Riyadh the team took a short break before commencing the second leg of the journey from Riyadh to Jeddah. Each day Reem Philby, Saudi grand-daughter of the great explorer and Mark Evans, team leader, would leave camp just after sunrise to cover as much ground as we could on foot before things got too hot. In the late morning the support vehicles-expertly led by Riyadh based expedition logistician Alan Morrissey would catch them up. They travelled through ever changing, spectacular and remote landscapes, all of which were expertly captured by expedition photographer Ana Maria Pavalache. For Philby leg 2 was a time of great caution. Here he was travelling in a potentially hostile area where the allegiance of the tribes was uncertain and raids were highly likely. Thankfully such tensions are long gone, and the expedition team enjoyed the legendary Arabian hospitality from start to end. Ten days into leg 2 they found themselves shivering amongst a light frost at 6,600ft in the mountains above Taif, within sight of the holy city of Mecca and close to journeys end in old Jeddah, where, like Philby 105 years before, 28-day journey across Arabia came to an end. It was with great celebration that we welcome the team to JPGS, together with our Ministry of Education Liaison Officer, the British Consulate General and Deputy General, Chair of our Board of Governors and members of the media. We also invited pupils from BISJ to join us, as this was a true community event. 2
31 We proudly showcased the work our pupils had completed linked to the topic and also unveiled a commemorative wall mural. Our student ambassadors for the day were perfect examples of what we represent as a school. This was an experience that will remain with our pupils for many years. It is not every day that we get to meet real life explorers! Mrs Zoe Woolley Headmistress
4 It is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our staff that we have been providing our pupils with excellent opportunities to help shape their academic, social, physical, development during this term. As always, I am in awe of the achievements of pupils and the way they embrace school life. I am especially proud of our Year 10 fast track, Year 12 and 13 pupils during the recent mock examinations. Their determination to succeed and discipline during the examinations has been exemplary and I look forward to a very successful IGCSE and A level examination session in May/June. I am also very impressed with our Year 13 pupils and the university applications and offers being received. This year we have 6 pupils applying for Medicine, a number who have applied for Law, Politics, Chemical and Electrical Engineering, Business Management and Computer Science. Apart from the USA and Canada, a number of applied to UCL, LSE, Oxford, Bath, Durham, Queen Mary and Edinburgh. We with our pupils the very best in their future endeavours and look forward to a successful pathway into university. We have also held ‘Celebration of Achievement’ assemblies for all year groups to recognise the overall first term progress, attitude to learning and attainment, culminating in the awarding of bronze, silver and gold headteachers commendation medals to all those top achievers. Thought of the Term - ‘Embrace Life’ “I began to realise how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good, either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.” — Roald Dahl, I hope you enjoy reading the updates from this half terms newsletter and I wish pupils, parents, staff, and governors a relaxing half-term break with your families. I look forward to welcoming you back on Sunday 26th February. Mr Khalil Ahmed FCCT Deputy Head Head of Grammar Rising to the Challenge
51 EYFS Trip to Trio Ranch Mad Hair Day To reinforce our learning about farm animals, Nursery and Reception went on a school trip to Trio Ranch. We enjoyed riding the horses and some were brave enough to feed them carrots! We went inside the stable and saw where the horses eat and sleep. After eating our yummy pizzas, we walked Samsung the pony and groomed him. We will always remember the funny goat who went back hopping to the fields! Mrs Nargas Gulzar Head of Early Years / Nursery Class Teacher At JPGS, the Nursery children have started learning letters and sounds linked to the Read Write programme. To reinforce the letter sound m, we had a mmmad hair day. We had such a mmarvellous time, everyone looked mmagnificent!
6 Our Junior Dukes Prep School pupils from Years 1 to Year 6 have been busy completing challenges for the Junior Dukes programme. The programme has been a resounding success in improving the confidence, perseverance, and organisational skills of our pupils. Participating in the Junior Dukes programme has helped pupils to become more self-assured and confident in their abilities. They have learned to take initiative and ownership of their learning, which has helped them to become more independent and self-motivated. Additionally, the programme has helped pupils to develop a greater sense of perseverance, as they have learned to push through challenges and setbacks in order to achieve their goals. The pupils above have shared their success in a recent assembly and were able to confidently describe how they had learnt skills such as baking, tidying, budgeting and for some Year 6 pupils, even washing and changing their bed sheets. They used their Junior Duke booklets to reflect on how they may use these skills in the future and has inspired many pupils to continue using the skills outside of their challenges. We are proud of them for taking part in this programme and for the progress they have made. We look forward to seeing many more pupils join Junior Dukes in the future. Mrs Saira Ali Year 5 Teacher Assistant Head of Prep Dissecting Hearts in Biology February and valentines day are synonymous with the heart and our Year 12 as biology students delved into the depths of the heart in search of how it works. Students donned their lab coats, gloves and goggles and embarked on their journey. They first examined the external structure of the sheep’s heart searching for the coronary blood vessels and based on the amount of fat present had to determine the health status of the animals. With a careful incision on either side of the heart they were excited to reveal the atria, the ventricles and then atrio-ventricular valves that separated the chambers . It was a wonderful opportunity to examine first hand the structure of the heart and relate this structure to the functioning. Students were curious about the adaptations and were able to see clearly how all the various parts make the heart one of the most remarkable organs in the human body. Mrs Syrie Matthew Head of Science
71 This term, Reception children have been learning about Animals particularly farm animals and have been reading the story Farmer Duck by Martian Waddell. As a class, Reception children have created a story map and been acting out different characters from the story using various props. We have also learnt about all the different animals that you may see at the farm and their babies. This week’s focus has been the life cycle of a hen and looking at how to look after baby chicks. Using our creativity, we made baby chicks using our hand prints and learnt new vocabulary such as ‘incubator, hatched, and temperature’. In Maths, we have been looking at 2D and 3D shapes. We are able to name 2D and 3D shapes and talk about their properties. We have also been putting our skills to the test and balancing shapes together to make different models. Here Child A is making a tower and a boat. Great work, Reception! Ms Yusra Ahmed EYFS Class Teacher A classroom full of curiosity in Science! This week Year 3 were involved in scientific enquiry. We looked at how a mixture of two or more materials can be separated using sieving. This way smaller solids (such as rice) can get through the sieve holes, but the bigger solids (such as Rice and pasta) cannot, so the mixture is separated. Mrs Asmath Azeem Year 3 Teacher Shapes and Life Cycle of a Hen Science Curiosity in Year 3
8 U13 BSME Games Our U13's travelled to Dubai for the U13 BSME Games, hosted at Deira International School. Accompanied by Mr K. McCalla (HoD P.E), Mr M. Hunt (HoH) and Mrs D. Miller (Year 4), JPGS entered with ten boys and ten girls, participating in a range of sports, including Volleyball, Football, Netball and Athletics. Competition was fierce and all teams and students worked extremely hard throughout. Thank you to everyone involved and our hosts over at Deira International School. Well done to all! Mr Keshan McCalla Head of PE JPGS Piranhas travelled to KAUST at the TKS school, to compete in our third annual swim meet of the academic year. Accompanied by Coach Khalaf, Mr D. Kitt, Mr N. Santos and Miss A. Abdulmalik, a total of 34 pupils participated in this event. The highlight of the event was our boys' team finishing in 1st place overall. Thank you to the parents that came to support and all involved!
91 After school on Thursday 26th January, the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award pupils set out in the school bus for the one hour journey to Ghran to familiarise themselves with the terrain in the area around Moon Mountain where they will be completing the Adventurous Journey portion of the DofE. This will involve a practice journey with an overnight stay before the journey itself which takes place over three days with two nights of camping. As well as four and a half hours of walking per day, the participants, who will be divided into two groups, will have to decide on a meaningful area of research for the exploration element of the journey. Provided with maps and compasses, the pupils took turns leading the group around a 7 km course so that staff could assess confidence and group dynamics to assist in dividing up the teams for the AJ. Pupils were also encouraged to use the trip to decide the areas of focus for their exploration. There was evidence of human impact on the environment in the form of old campsites and firepits as well as the presence of herders with livestock. A pair of camel herders were spraying their charges to protect them from tics and a shepherd was moving his herd back to their pen prior to sunset. The area was full of interesting geographical features, with rocks called "Eagle Head" and "Komodo" due to their shapes. Pupils identified one rock formation in the shape of a human head that proved a useful marker for navigation. As the sun set, pupils arrived back at the bus to return to school, feeling much more confident at having experience navigating the terrain and they were looking forward to returning for the Adventurous Journey. Mr Tom McGarry English Teacher/ Head of Sixth Form Duke of Edinburgh International Award
10 Celebration of Achievement - CREST Awards Prep pupils were delighted to receive their much-awaited CREST Awards and badges during our Prep School Assembly. Due to unavoidable circumstances, the delivery of these awards took longer than the expected time and I would like to thank Mr Khalil Ahmad for personally collecting the certificates during his last visit to London. CREST is a UK recognised and British Science Association scheme for student-led project work in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and maths). The aim of CREST awards is to make pupils think and behave like scientists and engineers by designing and developing their own STEM projects on simple everyday topics that relate to them. Prep pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 were registered for these awards. They had to complete eight CREST challenges and record them in their CREST Star/Super Star passport. We saw loads of practical Science and STEM activities happening both at school and at home with hundreds of amazing videos and pictures that were uploaded on Firefly as evidence. This was indeed active learning! We would once again like to thank all the teachers and parents who showed their enthusiasm and support, and kept their children motivated throughout their STEM journey to accomplish the eight challenges. Here is a famous quote from Sir David Attenborough. “Education is not a matter of getting facts and sowing them within brains, but that it is an attitude of mind that you teach children to find out for themselves." So, keep exploring and observing the world around you… Mrs Nahid Hussain Year 3B Teacher
111 Does Air have a Mass? Roman Day BSME Languages Championships 2023 In our school, we provide Arabic in 3 different stages of education; beginner, intermediate, and advancing onto the A level, where pupils are encouraged to speak Arabic fluently, participate enthusiastically in competitions, and achieve first points in competitions such as the BSME. Yara Shouman placed 1st overall in Year 9 Omar Aly placed 2nd overall in Year 6 Congratulations to JPGS pupils for competing in the BSME Languages Championships 2023 and winning the first points. Mrs Reham Tawfik Head of Arabic To launch the history topic, Year 4 had a Roman day where everyone dressed as a Roman character; to accompany the outfits, they made leafy laurel head bands like only important Romans wore. The children made bright mosaics, as the Romans did to decorate their villas and temples. Don’t they look colourful? They learned about the different types of gladiators and put movements to music to mime being gladiators in a battle at the Colosseum. Mrs Doreen Miller Year 4 Teacher During our Science lesson the Year 6 pupils investigated if air has mass. They used balloons to experiment. In the balloon balance experiment, pupils blew up balloons. When they blew-up the balloons, the air entered inside them and made the balloons expand. When they tied the balloons to the scale which they made with measurements and deflated one of them, the balance tilted. The side attached to the inflated balloon was on the lower side, and the side with the deflated one went upwards. The deflated balloon loses its weight. So because of weight, the inflated balloon goes down, and the deflated one goes up on the scale. Using this, we proved that air takes up space and has mass. Mrs Christien Rughbeer Year 6 Teacher
12 A warm welcome to the newly elected Jeddah Prep School Council. It was election day on Tuesday 31st January. A new School Council was elected. At this point we would like to recognise the work of the departing School Council that represented pupil voice well. Through the School Council the following actions have been achieved: • Refurbishments of the changing rooms and toilets • Lunch time menu changes • Inter house activities over lunch time • Prayer area for Prep and Grammar pupils Our new School Council will continue to provide pupils with an opportunity to raise issues, share ideas and take part in discussions that involve all of their classmates in reaching a democratic solution. Pupils at JPGS know that this is their school and their thoughts and ideas matter. Mr Munsoor Shahzad Designated Safeguarding Lead/ Assistant Headteacher Ms Ayesha Riaz Year 1 Teacher Meet Our New School Council 2023 Seif Al Zubaidi 4A Liyana Karanouh 1B Anabia Rafah 4B Hana Akhlaq 2A Danya Farooq 4C Moussa Elsebakhy 2B Faris Alsahsah 5A Talia Al Banna 3A Daniel Whyte 3B Ahmad Darian 5B Musa Ahmed 1A
131 Viraj Lalchandani 5C Omr Abumansour 7Y Sari Bachaalani 9X Omran Bassiri 10Z Farhan Malik 12Y Anmar Alsobhi 6A Karen Halaby 7Z Hazeeq Abdul Talib 9Y Abdullah Binladen 11X Jordan Mathew 12Z Noureldeen Elsayed 6B Omar Siddique 8X Omar Heiba 9Z Leen Bakhsh 11Y Kareem Abdulhadi 13X Moiz ul Haq 6C Aya Bakry 8Y Soona Osman 10X Ziad Kandiel 11Z Abdelrahman Saleh 13Y Hassan Badran 7X Rayyan Master 8Z Saleh Gandeel 10Y Jassem Khlouf 12X Hadiah Al Haddad 13Z
14 During personal hygiene sessions in the school, I discussed the importance of regular hygiene practice and how we can establish a hygiene routine. Maintaining hygiene reduces the spread of illness and the risk of medical conditions caused by not taking care of yourself. It also increases self-confidence and positively impacts personal relationships., When we take care of ourselves, we feel better about ourselves. Remember to: • Keep washing your hand • Wear Clean Clothes • After wearing clothes, wash them with a detergent and dry them immediately after rinsing. Dirty clothes could harbour bacteria that lead to body odour or even a skin infection. • Brush and floss daily • Get restful sleep Create a Routine: In order to maintain good personal hygiene practices, it’s best to create a routine. This way, you’ll make a daily list of things you need to do to stay clean and healthy and make sure you continue to practice proper personal hygiene. Mrs Aya Malkawi School Nurse Hands on Learning in School Gardens Practising Good Hygiene In a recent report, UNESCO identified schools as being an essential part of the current global fight against climate change. School gardens have a somewhat unique place within the school environment in promoting handson learning. The lessons taught through these outdoor learning laboratories impact the types of interactions children have with the natural world for years to come. According to some studies school gardens not only encourage creativity and stewardship, research has also shown that students who participated in garden-based projects at school scored significantly higher on science assessments than students in a traditional classroom-based control group according to Barrett C et al (2015). Year 8 Students in an ecology lesson learning about biodiversity. Students were setting pitfall traps and using pooters to collect an array of insects. Dr Haroon Iqbal Science and Chemistry Teacher
151 Let's Connect Year 10 Work Experience Another exciting week in Prep! This week we have supported international children's mental health week by participating in our Houses, in a range of activities. As the theme was 'Let's Connect,' we started our week of lunchtime fun by working together to create beautiful paper chains that celebrate the links between us. Monday we sang our hearts out in a Prep School sing-a-long, then Tuesday all our fantastic athletes had a chance to shine. The KS2 children had a competition to see which house could score the most goals in basketball, while the younger children also demonstrated their throwing skills using hoops and bean bags. On Wednesday, we calmed events down with some mindful colouring. Again, the theme was 'Let's Connect,' and the children produced some fabulous pieces of work. We ended the week in style by showing our true-selves as we Dressed to Express. In addition to that, we also had Thursday Fitness on the field where the children (again in their houses) ran relay races to gain points. It was amazing to see all our prep children come together to support such a noble cause and to raise the awareness of the importance of mental health. Ms Melanie Widocks Year 6 Teacher In preparation for the Y10 Work Experience which will take place from Sunday 5th March to Thursday 9th March, the Key Stage 4 are working with Y10 students to make sure all pupils have a placement. The process started with PSHE lessons on careers, trends in the world of work, CV and cover letter writing, filling in an application form and interview techniques. In assembly pupils were given an overview of what the work experience journey entails. Pupils were encouraged to explore their career interest and to approach Business organisations to find a placement. The Key Stage 4 team is working very hard to make sure every child gets a place with an area of their interest including Business, Medicine, Law, Architect, Engineering etc... Mr Zakaria Mohamed Head of Key Stage 4 / Teacher of Business and Economics
16 JPGS Annual Sports Days Sport forms an integral part of a pupil’s life at Jeddah Prep & Grammar School. All of our pupils experience a wide variety of different sporting activities through PE lessons, as well as the diverse after-school activities programme that the School has to offer. The ethos of the Sports Department is sport for all, with a focus on progression and enjoyment. We believe that every child should be given the opportunity to develop their potential to the very best of their abilities. All pupils are encouraged to pursue sports in which they are talented or interested. In achieving this we hope that our pupils leave us with a love of sport and a desire to continue participating that will stay with them throughout their lives.
171 Jeddah Prep and Grammar School Book Week will commence on Sunday 26th February when the children return from their halfterm break. We have an exciting week of activities planned and hope that you and your children will be able to get into the spirit of the event with enthusiasm. The theme for the week will be ‘Try Something New!’ where each year group will explore a book that represents this theme in some way. It may be newly published, be a new take on an old theme, or be by a new or different author that they haven’t heard of before. Visit our Book Fair on 26 Feb - 2 March Knowledge Tower Book Fairs are designed to get children excited about reading. From a fantastic selection of expertcurated books to beautiful, artistic displays, this fair will inspire children to become lifelong readers. Purchase books using cash or card Knowledge Tower Educate . Discover . Connect A BOOK FAIR NOT TO BE MISSED
18 Reviewed by Adam Moussa 3A All birds lay eggs which hatch into chicks. Eggs and Chicks is a non-fiction book where I learnt that most birds build nests to keep their eggs safe. They collect twigs, moss and roots and use grass to create a cup shape that is hollow inside. On the other hand, some birds don’t lay their eggs in nests, they lay them on cliffs, sandy beaches, mud or riverbanks. Birds need to keep their eggs warm so that a chick can grow inside. Inside the egg there is a red spot, Reviewed by Mr David Millar Year 6 Teacher Nura and the Immortal Palace is a fantasy adventure story where Nura and her best friend Faisal find themselves trapped in the land of the jinn. The story begins in a remote village in Pakistan where Nura and Faisal have to work in the mica mines to earn money for their poor families. As Nura is determined to find the Demon’s Tongue, a legendary buried treasure, she accidentally causes a terrible accident and must go to find her best friend who is trapped down the mine. In the process, they both end up being tricked by their qareen and have to figure out a way to escape the mysterious jinn hotel and get back home safely. The story is mostly about loyalty to your friends and the importance of caring about family and friends over wealth. It also helps develop understanding of the challenges people face in other parts of the world where not everyone is as well off as we are. I loved learning about a different culture and seeing children with names like those I teach, in a book. I loved hearing and learning more about jinn and about Muslim beliefs. This is an exciting adventure with lots of twists and turns and you can never quite guess what might happen next. The writer has combined great imagination with lots of Muslim folklore and tradition. Anyone would love this story but I think children in our school would love it because they will see themselves and children like them. Anyone who wants t read a story set in a different land or culture will also enjoy it. I would rate this book 4/5 stars In the Prep School we continue to delve into fantastic fiction and explore a universe of great adventures. Here’s some of the great books we have been reading recently. We hope you feel inspired to read some of these books for yourself or to find a book you love and share it with us here next time. Happy reading!
191 Reviewed by Haneen Hamid 6A The story is about Roald Dhal who is a soldier in World War II. On his journey he meets two men Mdisho who is violent and energetic and David Coke who is more helpful and honest. The men help Roald in many ways. Roald Dahl is sailing on the S.S Mantola to Africa, the onset of his life as a Shell worker. On the way he sees new feats. He befriends the dotty major and his Reviewed by Aisha Bilal 3A This fantasy fiction story is about a girl named Amy and the presents that her Uncle Albert gives her. Uncle Albert, who is an inventor, gives unique presents to Amy such as armbands that make Amy fly in the air and a trampoline that also make her fly in the air. The main theme of this story is that we should not be afraid to try new things. Amy was scared of swimming but the armbands that Reviewed by Kenda Hamed 3A This is a fiction book about a dragonfly that lives in a fantasy garden and wishes to be a mammoth real dragon. this grows into a chick. The yolk has the food which helps the chick to grow while the egg white protects the chick. The egg can take between 10 to 75 days to hatch. The chick uses the egg tooth, which is on it’s eak, to break the egg shell and hatch. After hatching, it does not need the egg tooth anymore, so it drops off. I really enjoyed reading this book. I learned interesting facts. I think all types of people will enjoy reading Eggs and Chicks. I would give it 5 stars. Uncle Albert gave her helped her to overcome her fear. The best part of the story was when she wore the armbands and started flying with them. She had to try and not get them wet, but it began to rain. I laughed and enjoyed this part a lot, as the armbands got wet and she fell to the ground. This book is for 7-8 year old. Anyone who wants to have laugh can read it. I would give it 5 stars and recommend it to all my friends as well. wife on the ship. A crash in the desert hurts his head and brings out many problems in his flying days in Greece. I think the theme of the book is bravery because to think Dahl experienced all this in his life is amazing. My favourite quote from the book is “Someone else's success is not your failure.” What I like about the book is that it just all clicks together, it is an amazing sequel to Boy and explains why he became a famous author. At sometimes the book made me feel anxious for Dahl, knowing RAF pilots are quite the daredevils. At some point I remember reading about how he befriended Mdisho and that gave me a sense that this man was there to reassure Roald Dahl is his journey. I think people who enjoy learning about other people’s lives will 100% enjoy this book. I would give it 4.5 stars.
20 Since it is a magic garden his wish becomes true but things do not happen like he visualised. He asked the little fairy and big fairy for assistance. The theme is about loving yourself the way you are and that being important is not related to being small or big. What I loved about the story is when the dragon fly admits that jubilation and gladness is not related to how gigantic you are! This story made me more convinced and self-assured. I think kids 6 -8 years old will love this book. I would give it 5 stars. Reviewed by Maryam Shehzad 3A Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief is a fantasy adventure about a boy named Percy Jackson, set in New York and LA. Other than Percy, characters include Annabeth, Grover, Ares, Poseidon, Hades and Zeus. Percy learns that his true father is Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and finds more people like him, Reviewed by Salim Estaitieh 4C This novel is an adReviewed by Sahar Faisal 4A This adventure story is about a boy who is shipwrecked. It is set on an island and is about boy called Michael and a man called Kensuke. Michael, who got lost at sea when he was sailing with his family, ended up on an island with his dog. The story is about how he survived on an island with a stranger, having no food of his choice and no parents. The book is adventurous and takes you to an imaginary world. It teaches us how to be patient and how to be independent. It made me pleased because something surprising happened at the end. At the same time, the story made me feel sorry for the boy because he had to stay in a cave all alone. A picture containing person, child, lady Description automatically generated I think this book is wonderful for children that love adventures. It is suitable for children aged between 8 and 13. I would rate this book 10/10. venture story for children and includes some great characters including Billy, Jemmy, Jonathan, Betsy and Prince Horace (also known as Prince Brat). Brief Description Prince Brat was always misbehaving and needed to be punished. However, he could not be spanked because it was not acceptable to spank the members of the royal family. Instead, Jemmy was taken from the streets of London and served as the Whipping Boy receiving all the punishments on behalf of the Prince. Prince Brat mistreated everyone including Jemmy but Jemmy decided to run away in the night. Whilst running away, he was stopped by the Prince and the Prince decided to go with him. The two were kidnapped but when the kidnappers found out that one of them was the Prince they demand a ransom. However, the boys escaped from the kidnappers and went home safely. Prince Brat found the he needed Jemmy not as whipping boy but as someone he could trust in his life. I would give this book 4 Stars
211 Reviewed by Daniel Whyte 3B Genre: Fiction, an adventure story which includes characters Captain Underpants™, George Beard and Harold Hutchins and is set in Piqua, Ohio. Robo-George and the Harold 2000 have a big fight with Captain Underpants. George and Harold are always good at using their imaginations and that drives their mean homeroom teacher Ms. Ribble crazy! The book is all about kindness, bravery, and the environment. I loved the low brow humour, the action, and the wedgies. It was stunning, outstanding, and it made me filled with happiness and joy. Rating: 5 Stars half-bloods. He becomes a hero by going on a quest across the US to find the entrance to the Underworld and stop a war between the gods. The main themes of the book are identity and trust. Percy finds out who he is and how he fits into this world that he didn’t know existed until now. He realises he needs to trust and work with others because he doesn’t always know everything and may need help along the way. I loved Camp Half-blood and all the people in the camp, especially Annabeth because she’s such a strong, independent character. I loved Percy’s made and his amusing descriptions of everything he saw. I was glad when Percy made it to Camp Half-blood but sad for him as he had lost his mum. I was happy knowing she was still alive and he could get her back! I was super excited when he went on the quest because it sounded so fun. I was worried when he got in trouble but also captivated because of the intensity while laughing at all the silly things he thought of when he was in the middle of fighting monsters. I think everyone would enjoy this book but especially people aged 8 and up. Rating: 5 Stars Reviewed by Eiman Fatima 3A This fantasy fiction is based on the adventures of a curious girl called Alice. It is set in a forest where Alice follows a talking rabbit down a rabbit hole into a new world where she met many wonderful characters like March Hare, the Mad Hatter, the Smiling Cat and the Queen of Hearts. In the second part of this book on the other side of looking glass she met the character Humpty Dumpty and other friends. This book contains laughter, happiness and joy. The main character, Alice, was always intrigued and I liked her curiosity the most. I also liked observing the different paintings and it was great fun to read short poems as well. I was always excited to know what would happen next while reading this book.
22 Reviewed by Inaya Ahmad 3A This story is a comic fiction based on a dog headed police man called Dog Man. There is a movie being created in the book about Dog Man but things quickly turn horrible. It is a fun comedic graphic novel set in a movie studio, dog man’s house and the police station. The main characters are Dog Man, Li’l Petey, Petey, Sarah and Chief. Dog man needs to go to work immediately because they’re making a wonderful movie about him with tiny robots. However, he is late so a nanny comes to take care of Li’l Petey and tries to teach him some evil. Then a terrible problem happens but 80-HD (the robot that Petey made for him to obey Li’l Petey) helps a lot. I think the main ideas of this book were bravery, kindness, friendship and evil. It made me feel happy when 80- HD was finally fixed but I felt sad when 80HD was thrown out of the wonderful building the movie Reviewed by Klara Al Halabi 3B Book Genre: Fiction This fantasy fiction graphic novel is about a determined girl named Emily and her brother Navin, who move into their grandfather’s house after their father’s death. They discover an Amulet that has powers and are transported into an alternate world where they discover wonderful things. The Amulet introduces us to wonderful characters –robots, elves, foxes, rabbits and cats; all sorts of flying machines piloted by children and robots. This Book made me feel courageous and that anyone should find the courage and means of facing one’s challenges and fears. This book is about fantasy and is accessible to most kids of age 7 onwas being made in. I think this book is for anyone who is 7-9 year old. I felt it was awesome and I would give it five stars! wards. I rate this book 5 stars Reviewed by Basma Hamid 3B This fictional adventure fantasy is about a mouse whose name is Geronimo Stilton and the story describes his heroic adventures to the Fantasy Kingdom. Stilton is amazed to be in the Fantasy Kingdom for the fourth time! Unfortunately, Sterling the princess of the silver dragons is seeking for his help. The theme is about being courageous, kind-hearted and to never give up. I liked how he restored peace in the kingdom by saving the last dragon egg. The writing in the book really makes a bright image in your head and the illustrations are great (it really made the characters look alive.) At first, I felt eager to read the book until the ending, moreover I was glad it ended happily.
231 Reviewed by Mohib Asif 4A The comedy fictional diary is about a boy called Gregory, who writes all about his life in a journal not in a diary. He wrote about his daily routine like what happened at middle school, at home and where he goes. He enjoys playing video games but his Dad wants him to play outside. The main characters are Gregory’s friend Rowly, Fregly and his family. Gregory thinks that one day he will be famous from his writing in the journal and buy whatever he wants. This is a comedy fiction book. I enjoyed reading this book because it is very funny and entertaining. It also uses the words that are easy to understand. I would recommend this book for 7 to 12 years old. I would give it 5 stars! In JPGS pupils were offered a wonderful insight into the adaptations reptiles have to survive and thrive in their natural habitats. Thank you to Ms Kane and Mr Ahmed for sharing their expertise, our pupils had a very hands on and informative experience. Ms Debbie Johnson Lower Key Stage 2 Coordinator Year 4 Teacher Reviewed by Nour Sayed 6B A boy called hope is a book by Lara Williamson, Lara Williamson wrote this book as she had lots of hopes and dreams growing up and wanted to write magazines . Some of the main characters are Big Dave, Mum, Grace, Stan, and Dad. It all started as Daniel saw his dad on TV. His parents were divorced, and his dad was famous. He wanted to contact his father and wanted to share what happened over the years after he left. Malcom(his dad) doesn’t respond but Daniel keeps trying and trying. He wants to find opportunities to meet his father such as sneaking into his office or performing a show for him. The theme about the story is for one person to have hopes and dreams and for you to never give up on them such as the quote from Lara Williamson: “Growing up, I had lots of hopes and dreams.” I like how they managed to add a sense of humour to the book while People who like adventure and fantasy will enjoy this story. I will give the book 5 Stars. also including some useful vocabulary which had helped me in my writing. When it is talking about his dad, it had made me feel pity for Daniel or when it is talking about ninja Grace it sure put a smile on my face. People who need inspirational messages to help them succeed or people who would like to improve their writing would love this book. Reptile Land in JPGS
Thursday 2 Whole School Book Character Day and Parade / DoE Bronze Award Trip / BSME U11 Friday 3 BSME U11 / DoE Bronze Award Trip Saturday 4 BSME U11 Sunday 5 UK National Careers Week / Year 10 Work Experience / Year 7-9 Assessment 2 Week 2 Tuesday 7 All School Council Meeting / Year 12 and 13 Parent Teacher Conference 3.00pm to 6.00pm (Sports Hall) Wednesday 8 International Women's Day / Prep School Parent Teacher Conference Thursday 9 Prep School Council Meeting / Grammar School Council Meeting Saturday 11 Prep School Production-Rehearsal 10.00 am to 2.00 pm Sunday 12 Daylight Saving Begins International Day of Happiness / Prep School Production -Final Rehearsals-10.00 am to 2.00 pm Grammar School Production / Year 7-9 Assessment 2 Week 3 Monday 13 Prep School Production -Dress Rehearsals / Grammar School Production Tuesday 14 Pi Day and International Day of Mathematics / Prep School Production Wednesday 15 Prep School Production Thursday 16 Prep School Production / SAIKAC 1st Swim Meet (BISJ) / Report Teacher Deadline Year 11-13 Friday 17 RSAC U16 Boys Basketball - JPGS / RSAC U19 Girls Basketball-AISJ / SAIKAC 1st Swim Meet -BISJ Saturday 18 RSAC U16 Girls Basketball - TWA / RSAC U19 Boys Basketball -AISJ Tuesday 21 World Poetry Day / Mother’s Day / EYFS Trip -Andalusia Clinic / Report Deadline -HOD / SLT Check Years 11-13 Wednesday 22 Ramadan Starts Wednesday 29 RSAC Track and Field -TKS Sunday 26 Whole School Book Week Year 7-9 Assessment 2 Week 1 Tuesday 28 Talent Show Prep School Council Meeting Grammar School Council Meeting Year 11 Parent Teacher Conference 3.00pm to 6.00pm (Sports Hall) Tuesday 4 Prep Reports Thursday 6 SAIKAC U16 Girls Basketball -ASD/BSD / SAIKAC U16 Boys Basketball- AISR Grammar / Reports / Last Day of ECA’s Jeddah Prep and Grammar School Tel: +966 (12) 654 2354 Email: [email protected] The next Half Term at JPGS… End of Term February 2023 April 2023 Reduce Recycle Reuse March 2023