WELCOME TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

Welcome to

Secondary School

Academic Year 2018-19



Table of Contents

Message from the Head of Secondary 3
Important information 4
School uniform 5
Equipment 6
School day 7
Form time 8
Curriculum 9
10
Home learning and Houses 11
Communication with parents 13
14
Notes and lockers
Year 7 loves reading!

2

Welcome

It is my pleasure to welcome you to our We are also proud of the care that we give
Secondary School for what I am sure will to all of our students as they mature into
be yet another exciting and rewarding young adults and look to seize the
year for our students here at the British inspiring opportunities that are available
International School Abu Dhabi. to them. Our alumni are now studying a
The relationship between your family wide variety of degree courses in top
and the sta in our school is crucial to universities all over the world and we
the development and academic success truly believe that the skills, knowledge
of the students and we hope that this and experiences which students gain in
booklet will give you all the information our school helps to prepare our students
you need to help your son or daughter successfully for the increasingly complex
have an ambitious and learning-filled and unknown futures that they face.
year in our school. We pride ourselves I look forward to meeting you in the
on the friendly, community atmosphere coming weeks and to celebrating the
in our school so if there are any issues of successes of your son or daughter as the
which you are unsure, or which are not year progresses.
covered in this booklet, do not hesitate Best wishes,
to contact us and we will do our utmost Brian Irving
to assist you. Head of Secondary
Our school has grown year on year and
we are immensely proud of the
academic success that our students
have worked so hard to achieve.
3

Important information

Key Contacts

Reception +971 2 510 0100 N/A

Admissions +971 2 510 0101/ 136/110 [email protected]

Finance +971 2 510 0140 [email protected]

School Nurse +971 2 510 0135 [email protected]

Head of Year 7 and Year 7 Tutors

Year 7 Miss Carey [email protected]
[email protected]
7A Mr Dietrich

7B Mr Shah [email protected]

7C Mr Mohamud [email protected]

7D Mr Fairbank [email protected]

7E Miss Osman [email protected]
7F Miss Funnell [email protected]

Key Dates Parents evening for parents’ of Year 6 students
6A, 6B and 6C to ‘spend a day’ in the Secondary School
Tuesday 19th April 6D and 6E to ‘spend a day’ in the Secondary School
Sunday 24th June Parent and Student Orientation Days
Thursday 28th June
Thursday 30th August *

Sunday 2nd September * First day of Term 1, 2018-19

* Dates might change, please keep checking our social media outlets for updates. 4

School Uniform

Secondary School uniform can be Unless students are undertaking a specific
purchased from ZAKS store in Al Raha Mall. sport, then the normal PE uniform consists
Students from Year 7 to Year 11 are of the BIS Abu Dhabi House polo shirt and
expected to dress neatly and presentably black shorts which can be purchased from
in school uniform. Boys are required to ZAKS store.
wear school trousers with the white school Additionally, proper trainers should be
shirt. Girls are required to wear the white worn. It is important that students bring a
school shirt but have the choice of water bottle, hat and sunscreen when they
trousers or a mid-length skirt. All clothes have PE lessons.
worn to school (uniform and non-uniform Students participating in football must
items) should be clearly labelled with the always wear shin pads and those
student’s name. participating in rugby must always bring
All students are expected to wear sensible the appropriate footwear and a gum
all-black leather shoes (no trainers) and shield. If these health and safety
are asked to come with minimal jewellery regulations are not met then students may
(pair of earrings is acceptable), no nail be excluded from lessons or practices.
varnish, and neat hairstyles. For swimming classes, students are
expected to bring appropriate swimwear,
flip-flops, and goggles.

5

Equipment

Clothing and accessories

School shirt
Trousers or skirt that covers knees
School jumper for cooler days
All black leather shoes
PE Uniform specified by school
PE Trainers (di erent to school shoes)
PE swim suit;

Girls: One-piece swimsuit, swim hat,
flip-flops and goggles
Boys: Swim shorts or trunks,
flip-flops and goggles Swimming hat
for long hair
Hat or Cap (for outdoor use and PE
lessons only)
House shirt

Equipment

School bag (backpack)
Lunch
Drink bottle
School Planner (provided by the school)
USB flash drive
Reading book

Stationery 2 pencils Glue stick
Sharpener Pair of compasses
Pencil case Rubber Protractor
2 black pens Ruler Highlighters
2 blue pens Scientific calculator
2 red pens 6
2 green pens

School Day

87::-4005 Registration and Form
Tutor Period - Assembly
88::-0550 Period 1
99::-5005 Period 2
1100-::5050 Period 3
1101-::1555
1112-::1150 Break time
1132-::1105
Period 4
1133-::5100 Period 5
1134-::4550
1156-::0000 Lunch time

Period 6
Co-Curricular Activity

7

Form Time

What is Form Time

Form time will take place each morning from 7:45am – 8:00am.
As well as registering students, It is used to prepare students for the day ahead. It
engages them in relevant topics such as current a airs and gives them an opportunity
to discuss and present in front of their peers.
During this period, information is given out, such as notices or opportunities for
student involvement. Form time follows a weekly schedule which you can see an
example of below, as well as uniform and communication book checks.

Example Form Time Weekly Schedule

Time Activity
7:40 You may go to your form room. When you sit at your
7:45 seat, take out your homework diary and pencil case.
The National Anthem is played. If you arrive a er 7:45,
you are late.

7:45 - 8:00

Sunday Assembly (main hall)

Monday Reading for pleasure or current a airs

Tuesday Challenge, activity

Wednesday PSME / house / service

Thursday Record of achievement and weekly celebration

8

Curriculum English
Maths
The Secondary School operates on Science
a 2 week timetable. This will not History
impact noticeably on the students Geography
but allows the school to operate Arabic
more flexibly and to more easily Computing
fulfil local guidelines on the Modern Foreign
curriculum. Languages
Islamic Studies
Note 1 Enrichment
Physical Education
Islamic Studies will be Performing Arts
timetabled at the same time Social Studies
as Enrichment Studies.
Islamic students will attend
Islamic Studies, non-Islamic
students will attend
Enrichment classes which will
include life skills lessons and
personal, social and health
education.

9

Home Learning and Houses

Home Learning
In Year 7 Home Learning will be set
by class teachers every day and it is
the students’ responsibility to
record this, and the due date, in
their Planner.
The Planner should also act as a
means of communication with your
son or daughter’s Form Tutor.
House System
New students arriving in Year 7 will
be allocated to one of our four
Houses – Ash, Elm, Oak or Willow.
Students already in the school in
Year 6 will remain with their existing
House. House activities and events
are organised throughout the
school year and all students can
earn points for their House by
producing good work in class or at
home, working well in theirs CCAs or
by contributing positively to the
wider school community.
Students who collect more than 25
House Points can earn Bronze
Certificates, 50 for Silver or 75 for
Gold. Some students even manage
100...!

10

Communication with Parents

The Form Tutor

My Son’s / Daughter’s Form Tutor

Class Classroom No.

Your son / daughter will attend form time every morning. The school is open from 7:30am and
students must be in the form room by 7:45am when the national anthem is played and a
register is taken.

Various activities and information giving take place during the registration period and it is also
an important time for students to use their Record of Achievement document to reflect on their
successes and progress.

If you have any questions or concerns about your son / daughter, you should contact the form
tutor in the first instance.

Other points of contact

Heads of Year:

Year 7 Miss Carey
Year 8 Miss Aubert
Year 9 Mr Anderson
Year 10 Mrs Heptinstall-Lowe
Year 11 Mrs Harvey
Senior School Mrs Collinson, Miss Scott

Concerns about academic matters can be addressed directly to the subject teacher in the
first instance or to the following Heads of Department.

Heads of Department:
English Ms Brazier

Maths Mr Grant
Science Mr Lewis
Modern foreign languages Mr Déposé
Humanities Mr Fairbank

Arabic Mrs Al-Amili
Islamic & Social Studies Mr Haq
Creative and Performing Arts Mr Williams

Physical Education Mr Cochlin
11 ICT Mr Gildroy

Communication with Parents

Teacher Communication
Parents are always welcome to email teachers with questions and/or concerns. When a
parent meets a teacher for the first time they should exchange email addresses so that
correspondence can be shared in this way.

Whilst the sta in our school will make every e ort to speak with you at any time, it is
very helpful indeed if you arrange an appointment at a specific time with the teacher.
All of our sta email addresses are available on the school website.
www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/abu-dhabi/our-sta

We use a wide variety of methods to Weblog
communicate with parents: The weblog is a great place to keep up with
Newsletters events and daily activities, which includes
The most important request is that all many photos. We encourage you to
parents sign up to the newsletter on the regularly visit at:
following URL:
weblog.abudhabi.nordanglia.com
nordanglia.com/abudhabi/newsletters
Social Media
Every week a newsletter is emailed The school also uses social media to
which contains letters from the Principal update parents with messages or to share
and other Heads, updates on events news stories.
that have happened in school,
reminders and upcoming events. If for /britishinternationalschoolabudhabi
any reason you have any issues bis_ad
receiving electronic communications at thebisad
the school please email us and we will @bis_ad
assist you.
Planners
[email protected] When a student begins school in
Secondary they are given a Planner, in
Website which they can record home learning and
Do visit our website regularly where we vital information. It is favourable that the
o en post notifications and news Planner is used as the first point of contact
stories. You can also find a weekly between teachers and parents because it is
calendar on the homepage and a more much easier to manage than emails.
detailed monthly calendar on the
calendar page. 12

bisabudhabi.com

Notes and Lockers

Notes Lockers
A reminder that notes are required On the Second Floor, all students will
from home for: have the chance to obtain a locker for
the year with ample room for books,
Absences (approval is needed from an school bags and a change of clothes.
Assistant Head for leave during term Your child will be provided with a
time). locker key.

Being out of uniform (school and/or If your child loses their locker key,
PE uniform). they will be expected to buy a new
one. Students are responsible for
Being late. their locker for the year and should
report any problems immediately to
Leaving school early (prior to 2.45pm). Mr Stewart.
Please ensure that notes are provided
for all of these reasons as early as
possible. It really helps Form Tutors if
these notes are written in the Student
Planner.

13

Year 7 Loves Reading!

Educational Studies consistently Classics
show that students who read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
regularly are more likely to succeed in Little Women by Louisa M Alcott
school. Reading as a family and The Secret Garden by Frances H Burnett
discussing the stories and books is a
really important activity which will Having A Laugh: Funny Books
help develop analytical skills and Missing, Believed, Crazy by Terence Blacker
creativity. Here are some books that Framed by F. Cottrell-Boyce
our previous Year 7 students have
enjoyed: Sport
Divided City by Theresa Breslin
Ghosts, Creepy Tales And Things That Go Kick O Trilogy by Dan Freedman
02 556 53B40ump in the Night! And Smith Must Score by Peter Hayden

Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie Historical Fiction
Holes by Louis Sachar By Royal Command by Mary Hooper
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Apache by Tanya Landman
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis My Name is Arthur by Philip Reeve Roman

Girl Talk 14
Life at the Shallow End by Helen Bailey
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
Stargirl by Jenni Spinelli

Action & Adventure
The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
Drop Zone by Andy Mcnab

Arabic book series
‫ﺍﻷﻳﺎﻡ ﻃﻪ ﺣﺴﲔ‬

‫ﺍﻟﻠﺺ ﻭﺍﻟﻜﻼﺏ ﳒﻴﺐ ﳏﻔﻮﻅ‬
‫ﰲ ﺣﴬﺓ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺎﺏ ﶊﻮﺩ ﺩﺭﻭﻳﺶ‬

Contact us

The British International School, Abu Dhabi
PO Box 60968
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Behind Abu Dhabi University, E22 Al Ain Road