DIS Yearbook 2022-2023 (Digital)

YEARBOOK 2022-2023

A year packed with memories

Tabl e of Cont ents

Tabl e of Cont ents

Director’s Messagge

I am delighted to welcome you to our Yearbook for the year 2022 -2023. I am so pleased that we have b een able to reintroduce this initiative which aims to capture the action-packed year of the school, as well as pro viding a lasting record for all in o ur community. I hop e that these pages give you a little insight into the year we h ave all enjoyed here at Deira International School.

Over the course of the year, we h ave been focussed on instilling and embedding our core values – those of Respect, Collaboration, Int egrity and Excellence. These are also the values of the Al Futtaim G roup. As I am sure you also agree, if children are to be equipp ed to thrive for the remainder of their lives, they will n eed far more than academic qualifications – important th ough they are. The explicit development of our school culture is intended to help everyone at the school understand the foundations of what we do – the ‘Why’. This work has already brought profound change to the school and I am excited to see how it develops further over the coming years.

This year Deira Int ernational School was judged to be ‘Outstanding’ by the Du bai School In spection Board for the first time. T his is a huge achievement and the con sequence of enormous amounts of work over the last 2 years I am continually humbled by the dedication and h ard work of all ou r staff. This is a constant reminder that, in the words of the internatio nal campaign – Teachers Matter! But it is also important to note and celebrate the crucial role that parents play in their children’s success. Without your suppo rt of the scho ol and your engagement in your child ’s learning, much of the success outlined in this book would not have been achieved. The school is now, rightly, recognised as one of the leading schools within the UAE. I know how proud all of the community are for this achievement and I am hugely grateful to those who have reached out to express this Please do have a look at the report, which is available on the school website, as it wonderfully reflects the school. I would like to pay particular thanks to the Al Futtaim Education Foundation, without whose continued passion and support none of this would be possible.

It only remains for me to wish you a very restful break and I look forw ard to another year of achievement in 2013 -24.

Simon O 'Connor

Chief Education Officer - Al-Futtaim Schools Management Company

Directo r - Deira Internatio nal School

Primary Head Teacher

It has been an absolutely fantastic year in the Primary School. We have achieved so much together and it has been a real pleasure to watch your children grow, develop and thrive across the year. We h ave enjoyed many events as a school community and a highlight for all of us has been welcoming you back into our school building without restrictions, to enjoy large scale community events such as Intern ational Day and the community iftar We h ave also enjoyed seeing you at more personal events too, such as o ur regular Parent Shares, coffee mo rnings and workshops. We are hugely grateful for the support that you have shown us as a school and I know that as go into our next academic year, our DIS community spirit will continue to go from strength to strength

We h ave all felt a sense of pride to ach ieve such a fantastic outcome in this year ’s KHDA inspection and to be judged as “Outstanding ” is a won derful accolade for the school. However, the true measure of our success is the engagement and happiness of our pupils and the impact that this has on their learning and overall development There have been many opportunities this year, fo r children to learn beyond th e classroom and get involved in activities that really do enhance the student’s learner attributes; the school residentials and field trips are an example of this provision and we look forward to ho sting more opportunities next year.

As we come to the end of the year, I hope that you will enjoy this year book and treasure it as a wonderful remind er of how far your child has come and the joy that they have experienced at Deira Intern ational School. We have many plans for developing the quality of our educational provision even further in coming months and years and I feel genuine excitement about how this will impact furth er on our pupils; your children.

Mrs. Gaynor Dale Primary Head Teacher

Secondary Head Teacher

Dear Students, Staff, and Parents,

It is with great pleasure that I am able to contribute to our DIS Yearbook as we come to the end of another eventful academic year. This year h as been a time of growth, change, and accomplishment for all of us.

Our school has been bu stling with a variety of events and activities, and we have much to celebrate. We have had numerous academic successes, including outstanding results in internation al national exams, and our students have excelled in sports, music, and the arts. We have also undertaken many community service initiatives, highlighting our commitment to making a positive imp act on the wider world.

What makes ou r school truly special, however, is our commitment to inclusivity and diversity. We have continued to foster an inclusive culture that celebrates our differences and promotes equity, acceptance, and understanding. Our school community is stronger and richer because of our diversity, and w e are proud to provide a safe and welcoming environ ment for all.

I would like to thank our students, staff, and p arents for their tireless efforts and dedication throughout the year It is through your hard work, enthusiasm, and support that we have achieved so much. I would also like to congratulate all our students on their accomplishments and wish them w ell as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

As we look back on the year, let us celebrate our achievements and cherish the memories we have created. I am excited to see what the future holds for our school community, and I am confident that we will continue to grow and achieve great things together.

Thank you for being a part of our wonderful school community.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Doug Pettitt Secondary Head Teacher

Primary

Foundation stage 1

Each child has worked super hard this year, from Term 1 being Trying Troy to make new friends, exploring our new school and greeting our teachers, to Term 3 where we are Archie Achievers every day to complete the tricky tasks and challenges that our teachers set for us. The students have continually strived to be independent in their daily activities, such as writing their names, counting out amounts and conducting real -life Science experiments. We have learned about the world around us through themes such as ‘Flash! Bang! Sparkle!’, ‘ROAR!’ and ‘Splash!’, exploring new stories, vocabulary and schooltrips.

Shellie Farrell Year Group Leader

Important events throughout the year.

Shellie Farrell.

To expand our learning in FS1, we took part in many different theme days, events and celebrations throughout the year. We really enjoyed learning about and celebrating many different events throughout the year!

We had:

- Minibeast Dress Up Day, filled with butterflies and bees,

- Exciting school trips, such as Oli Oli, Mushriff Park and Agricultural World Gardens,

- We hosted a Tiger Tea Party in class where we all dressed up as tigers!

- An amazing Career’s Day with special guest super-hero parents teaching us all about their jobs,

- National Day celebrations, learning all about the UAE culture and heritage.

- International Day where we explored all the different countries that our DIS community is from.

Foundation Stage 1

Foundation stage 2

Through the themes ‘Flash! Bang! Sparkle!’, ‘ROAR!’ and ‘Splash!’ FS2 read many stories both fiction and non-fiction, explored different countries, conducted science experiments and engaged in role play scenarios. These activities enabled the children to develop their communication skills and further build relationships with their peers. Through independent challenges and adult led activities the children have learnt to apply the learner attributes skills to grow into confident readers, writers, mathematicians and scientists.

FS2 have had so many wonderful highlights this year. We enjoyed taking part in many different theme days, celebrations and events. Such as;

Minibeast Dress Up Day, whereby children dressed up as their favorite minibeasts and explored their life cycles

- Exciting school trips, such as Oli Oli and Pizza Express,

- The Chinese New Year, with older students came to teach us all about the Chinese traditions.

- Career’s Day, with special guest super -hero parents teaching us all about their jobs,

- National Day celebrations, learning all about the UAE culture and heritage.

Caoimhe Flanagan Acting Year Group Leader

Foundation Stage 2

Year 1

Wow! What an amazing year we have had in Year 1!

Summary of the year.

Wow! What an amazing year we have had in Year 1!

Shauna Marron.

Year 1, in our eyes (although we are biased) is one of the most important years in the primary school. Students begin to develop foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and socialisation. This year in literacy, students have developed their writing skills and produced a wonderful book titled All About Animals The children have begun to read fluently and each day we were impressed by their constant eagerness to develop their skills. In addition, the children have become articulate thinkers, expressing themselves with confidence. In numeracy, students have learned to recognise numbers to 100 (wow!). The children can now add, subtract, multiply and divide. Lots of children have been spotted counting in twos and fives in the playground – putting their numeracy skills into real life action. This year, socialisation has been a key aspect of our learning to ensure that the children become holistic individuals. The children have learned how to interact with others in a classroom setting, follow rules and routines, and develop their emotional and social skills. To say that this year has been a success would be an understatement! These amazing children will progress to Year 2 now with the solid foundation for academic and social success. Shauna Marron —Year Group Leader

Year 1, in our eyes is one of the most important years in the primary school. Students begin to develop foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and socialisation. This year in literacy, students have developed their writing skills and produced a wonderful book titled “All About Animals”. The children have begun to read fluently and each day we were impressed by their constant eagerness to develop their skills. In addition, the children have become articulate thinkers, expressing themselves with confidence. In numeracy, students have learned to recognise numbers to 100. The children can now add, subtract, multiply and divide. Lots of children have been spotted counting in twos and fives in the playground – putting their numeracy skills into real life action. This year, socialisation has been a key aspect of our learning to ensure that the children become holistic individuals. The children have learned how to interact with others in a classroom setting, follow rules and routines, and develop their emotional and social skills. To say that this year has been a success would be an understatement! These amazing children will progress to Year 2 now with the solid foundation for academic and social success. Shauna Marron — Year Group Leader

Important events throughout the year of which there is many!

events the year. event —

we made critters.

Our first Parent Share event— we made calming critters.

Our first Year 1—to and the we were so with our

Our first trip in Year —to Ski Dubai.

Attending Beauty and the Beast we were so impressed with the children in our school!

Attending Unstoppable Mewe know that we can do anything!

‘Unstoppable Me’

we know that we can do anyour International

we showed team

work.

Developing our puppeteering skills with Arts International we showed amazing team work.

Year 1

Year 2

Summary of the year.

Jessica Broadhurst

Year 2 have had a busy and exciting year at Deira International School. The Year 2 teachers have continued to be impressed by the children’s perseverance and determination to succeed. As young communicators, Year 2 have thrived at collaborating when working in teams both in and out of lessons. They have developed many Learner Attribute skills such as being principled, reflective and balanced. The children have enjoyed earning House Points this year linked to the different attributes for their House Teams; Saluki, Oryx, Tahr and Falcon.

Following the Year 2 National Curriculum has benefited our children in numerous ways. We have the autonomy to be creative and develop lessons to make the learning fun and memorable! From creating our very own Dragon Books, to investigating materials to protect Humpty Dumpty, to create our own 3D shapes to describe the properties, Year 2 are encouraged to ask questions and become inquirers. Jessica Broadhurst YGL

What a year it’s been! So many fabulous events to engage the children and immerse them in new experiences. A Year 2 favourite has to be Superhero Day! Dressing up as our favourite superheroes, inviting real life superhero parents to school and creating our own Superhero Comic Books online.

International Day was a great opportunity to celebrate our diversity in Year 2 and learn from different cultures. Encouraging children to be open to different cultures developed their open -minded learner attribute.

“My favourite thing about Year 2 is that the teachers are kind and helpful. I feel happy when I play with my friends and when they help me when I find Maths a bit tricky. Lastly, I feel proud when I do my English writing tasks independently. ” Zahra 2A

Year 2

Year 3

Summary of the year.

Vanessa Evangelista

Year 3 was a year full of learning, growth, and fun experiences for our students. Throughout the year, students explored a range of subjects including English, Maths, Science, MSCS, Computing and Art through the topics which included the Stone Age, The Rainforest, Entertainment and The Ancient Egyptians. The trips brought our learning experiences out of the classroom and provided students to develop their character and wellbeing. A few highlights have been organising a Circus event for our parents, being risk takers at Aventura and learning new skills at Circus school. Students have also enjoyed our theme days.

Vanessa Evangelista - Year Group Leader

Highlights of the Year

 Dress up days - Stone age, Egyptian

 Dubai circus school, Luis Malaba juggling and diablos workshop, Fontana Circus show, Parental engagement Year 3 circus show,

 Celebrated the launch of FIFA world cup,

 Trips Dubai safari park, Aventura

 CAS launch day, House day,

 Maths Rockstar day.

Year 3

Summary of the year

Joe Lynch-Beddows

Year 4

Year 4

What an incredible year it has been, one filled with memories that will last a life time. The Year 4 teachers have continually reflected on just how lucky we have been to have such an amazing cohort of children to teach. We continue to be inspired by their collaboration, resilience and general thirst for learning. From the start of the year, the children were immersed in our first fluid topic, where English, MSCS, Science and Topic all came together for our big question: Were the Romans risky? The children were quickly involved in our Romulus game, using their knowledgeable learner attribute to connect their learning to earn Roman coins for their classes. It all came together with our first amazing Parental Engagement, inviting our parents in to our student -led ‘Live Museum’. Year 4 ventured out of the classroom, experiencing the La Fontana Circus, Ecoventure and EXPO, creating lasting moments and building friendships along the way too. The ‘Our Planet, Your Future’ topic pushed our reflective children to respond to worldwide issues, and our ‘Pokémon’ topic took our children by surprise, with some even saying ’How is this

eade

Important Days

Roman Live Museum

The Roman Feast House Day

La Fontana Circus

EXPO

International Day

National Day

CAS Day

Year 4 Year 4

Summary of the year.

Peter McLoughlin

Year 5

Year 5

Our Year 5 cohort have had an extremely busy and exciting year which has been full of highlights. Students have had the opportunity to build on their knowledge and skills, whilst also exploring new topics and areas of interest such as Space and the Vikings. Due to Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, pupils particularly enjoyed studying this the topic of the World Cup and were asked to work collaboratively to create a bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Students showcased their risk -taking and communicational skills as they shared their digital presentations with their parents. Our thematic curriculum has enabled students to improve their learner attribute skills such as being reflective and balanced. Displaying empathy for others, students have learned about worldwide issues such Fairtrade and natural disasters which has helped them to become global citizens.

Through individual efforts and whole school competitions, students have enjoyed earning House Points this year for their House Teams; Saluki, Oryx, Tahr and Falcon. Peter McLoughlin Year Group Leader

Important events throughout the year.

Peter McLoughlin

It has been wonderful to see the Year 5 students participate in so many fabulous events that have engaged and immersed them in a range of new experiences that have taken place both inside and outside the classroom. A great example of this was when the students attended the overnight camp where they took part in a range of risk -taking activities such as trebuchet making, kayaking and snorkeling. The children really enjoyed the Viking dress up day and took great pleasure in welcoming parents into school to showcase some of the fantastic work they have produced across a range of subjects.

Year 5 have actively participated and contributed to a range of special events that have taken place in school this year including: CAS Launch Day, Sports Day, Beauty and the Beast Production, National Day visit to Al Shindagha Museum and many more. One of the highlights of the year was International Day where students celebrated their heritage and nationality whilst learning about other cultures from their peers.

Year 5 Year 5

Year 6

Summary of the year.

Charlo�e Tibbe�s

What a year it has been for Year 6! Your last days of Primary School have been spent in the most amazing ways. It has been an honour and a privilege to watch you all learn, grow and achieve so much over the past months. Time flies when you are having fun!

As you continue on your journey through life, never forget to keep learning, keep having fun and to be the best version of yourself at all times.

I am so proud of you all.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart. ”

Charlotte Tibbetts Year Group Leader

Important events throughout the year.

Special Occasions

Charlo�e Tibbe�s

 Refugee Day

 The DIS Hospital

 Dubai Safari Park Trip

 Year 6 camp at Khorfakken

 The Beauty and the Beast production

 Creating our Metaverses

 Year 6 Graduation

 End of Year Celebration Trip

Year 6

Arabic AArabic A

At DIS we understand that Arabic A education is a core subject for Arab & Emirati students at our school and the policy of the U AE We believe that we can make the Arabic language more interesting and fun for our students, and make them able to communicate with the community around them in Arabic. The four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) are a core issue for prime communication. Th erefore, they are central to children’s’ cultural and social development.

The 10 Learner Attributes come directly from the IB Learner Profile and are embedded throughout the Arabic curriculum.

Yasser Ghazal Primary Arabic A HoD

In DIS’ journey towards excellence, the Arabic A department had many distinct roles in implementing active educational strategies and active participation in various educational activities in cooperation with the Al Futtaim Education Foundation, such as the Hamzah Daily Club with its distinguished activities for two hours to develop language skills among our students. We also participated in the activities of the UAE National Day, and we celebrated the International Arabic Language Day in December, we won the second and third place in the Poetry for All competition at the Emirates Festival of Literature

We were very interested in reading skills, so we opened the Arabic library and devoted corners to reading around the classes, in addition to active participation in external reading competitions such as the Chevron Cup and the Bravobravo Ramadan competition.

Arabic B

Arabic B

Summary of the year.

“

effort ” Franklin D. Roosevelt. W hat an amazing year it has been!

this year. Myself, teachers and students were in a wonderful learning progress in Arabic B department.

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin D. Roosevelt. What an amazing year it has been! Happiness, creativity, achievement, and fun were the main titles of this year. Myself, teachers and students were in a wonderful learning journey full of new learning, a lot of challenges and a variety of activities and projects. That was the secret of our continuous success and progress in Arabic B department.

I can assure that parents were with us in this journey in a way or an-parents’ evenings or during coffee mornings It was an honor to lead

I can assure that parents were with us in this journey in a way or another. That was obvious when chatting with them during teacher -parents’ evenings or during coffee mornings. It was an honour to lead such a fantastic and committed team and I look forward for more learning adventures next year

Iman Fattoum– Head of Arabic B

– Head of Arabic B

Y2 students are learning about Homes. They are designing their own homes and describing them

Important events throughout the year.

This year was full of events such as National Day, Celebrating Arabic Language Day, International Day, different outdoor activities and Think in Arabic.

Learning Arabic is not only learning a language It is living a culture and that was evident in all Arabic lessons and activities.

Y4 students are interviewing their class teachers about their life style to be presented in Arabic

Y6 students are using the interactive board to describe their birthday parties in their own wa y

Y9 students are interviewing Mrs Hannon in Arabic after teaching her how to answer in Arabic celebrating Arabic Language Day.

Year 9 students are developing their listening comprehension skills by fun collaborative group activit y

Activities done by the Arabic department celebrating National Da y

Art

Summary of the year.

Harriet Chambers

Pupils leaned a wide variety of art techniques this year.

Art projects were often linked to the topic being taught across their classes.

Year 1: Macaroni Penguins, Aborigional Dot art Koalas, Houksai wave.

Year 2 : Pop Art superheroes, Dragon eyes, Weaving.

Year 3: Henri Matisse Cut out Circus, Henri Rousseau Jungle, Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

Important events throughout the year.

Harriet Chambers

Collage, oil pastels, drawing, patterns, shapes, 3D sculpture, Tracing, drawing, textures, cutting, observational drawing, shading, printing, clay work, water colours.

Year 4: Roman Mosaics, Geometric animals, Clay birds.

Year 5: One Point perspective lettering, Press printing, Water colour drip and splatter art.

Year 6: Observational drawing, Hundertwasser buildings, Perspective

Harriet Chambers Primary Art Teacher

Art

Computing

This year in Computing, we have seen some amazing, innovative and creative digital work in Key Stage 2.

Summary of the year.

Kieran Birrell

Year 3 students have told us all about their online lives, created fabulous stop frame animations, coded a dancing robot and they have used virtual reality and GPS to explore the rainforest.

Year 4 students have made a blockbuster movie, explored internet safety tips, created a podcast on saving the planet and had some magical fun with Harry Potter Wizard School.

Year 5 students have become News Reporters and discussed space exploration, they have learned how to tackle online bullies, created wonderful vector drawings and learned how to become DJ’s by producing unique musical scores.

Year 6 students have learned web design skills, researched the impact of Fake News online, discussed how to make the internet a better place for all and have produced unbelievable virtual worlds in the Metaverse.

Kieran Birrell Head of Computing

Important events throughout the year.

 The new Design & Innovation student leaders were formed

 Primary school laptops introduced to students to help improve the transition skills needed for Secondary

 You Compute Me KS2 teaching FS students how to use new software

 Digital Art Competition for Qatar 2022

 Into the Metaverse showcase

 Save the planet podcast showcase

 Safer Internet Day 2023— ”Want to talk about it?”

Computing

French

French

Summary of the year. Mike Rice

Bonjour la classe !

We have had many new students join us this year, for many of whom French is a fourth language after their native tongues, English and Arabic!

In September we celebrated the European Day of Languages by showing off some of the many languages spoken at DIS, not just from Europe, but also from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In Year 3 the children can introduce themselves and talk about the weather, whilst children in Year 6 have been giving their opinions on each other’s musical tastes. In Years 4 and 5, children can now say what snacks they bring to school and what objects they may find in their school bags.

I consider myself very privileged to have worked with so many bright and talented pupils during my time at DIS. I shall miss them all very much! Mr. Rice—Primary MFL Teacher

French French

Islamic Education

Summary of the year.

Marwah Tarabichi

It's been an amazing year in the Islamic department! Our students have been busy learning and growing in their knowledge and practice of Islam, from showcasing their amazing Quran recitation skills to practicing prayer and wudu, to showing off their creativity in the Islamic Art Competition. There were also some great leadership opportunities for our students this year, as they led awareness assemblies on “The Prophet’s Birthday” and “Ramadan”. Ramadan was a highlight of the year, as students fasted, prayed and engaged in community service projects that exemplified the values of compassion, empathy, and social responsibility.

Important events throughout the year.

Important events throughout the year:

Marwah Tarabichi

 Islamic Art Competition

 Student-led assemblies on the Prophet’s Birthday and Ramadan

 Inter-school Quran Competition

 Ramadan Art Bazaar

 DIS Community Iftar

Islamic Education

Picture

Performing Arts/Music

Primary Performing Arts has had an exhilarating year of Music and Drama classes, live performances, concerts and CC As. From FS to Year 6, the students have expanded their skillset by mastering various musical instruments, learning how to read music and presenting in front of their peers. Singing clubs, DIS Dance Juniors and our much anticipated ‘Beauty and the Beast’ production have provided students with a positive outlet for self -expression and creativity and fostered a real sense of community and collective spirit. We have collaborated with different year groups to integrate our curricula and have enjoyed being an integral part of their parent share sessions.

Deborah Heveran Head of Performing Arts

Important events throughout the year

‘Beauty and the Beast’ Primary School production

Musical Theatre and puppetry workshops with professional practitioners from Arts International

International Day KS1 and KS2 Singing club performances

Whole School FIF A World Cup music video

Winter Fest concert and dance performances

DIS Dance Juniors performance as part of the whole school Trashion Show

Performing Arts/Music

Physical Education

Summary of the year.

Andi Hodne�

As the academic year comes to a close, it's time to reflect on the PE activities that Primary students have been involved in. This year, the curriculum featured a range of activities, including swimming, athletics, gymnastics, rugby, football and dance. Year 5 & 6 experienced volleyball, and badminton for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Each activity provided a unique opportunity for students to develop different skills, incorporate cross curricular links and use the DIS learner attributes to enhance their wellbeing. Overall, Primary students were fully engaged and enjoyed every activity this year.

Andrew Hodnett Head of Primary PE

Important events throughout the year.

Special Occasions

Andi Hodne�

 30x30 Fitness Challenge

 Fitness Champion Trip

 Sports Days

 Year 1-2 Scoot-a-thon

 DASSA fixtures

 Hamdan Swimming Competition

 Aquathons

 Cross Country Competitions

Physical Education

Inclusion Inclusion

This has been an incredible year for Inclusion and one particular highlight was receiving the SENDIA Award for the provision in place for our Inclusion students. After 15 months of working towards the award through a rigorous self- evaluation and action planning process and producing a comprehensive portfolio of evidence, we achieved this prestigious award! We will hold this award for three years Through another verification visit in 2026, we will showcase how we have maintained the award and further enhanced provision.

“At its core, Deira International School is a community, and, like any community, it is essential that everyone understands that they belong I am delighted with this report which recognises not only the continual hard work of our superb Inclusion team, but also the responsibility we all share that all are students are able to achieve. Inclusion is not simply something we do, but more it is something that we are, and I could not be prouder that this has been celebrated in this report ”

-Mr. Simon O’Connor

As a school community, living in such an Inclusive and accepting country we proudly mark and celebrate Neurodiversity on SEND awareness days. October marked world Dyslexia Awareness. The theme for this year focused on reflecting on the barriers that those living with dyslexia face, and how individuals and the education system have continued to break through these obstacles. Term 2 marked the ‘Lots Of Socks ’ campaign which exists to raise awareness of Down's Syndrome. People with Down’s Syndrome are born with an extra chromosome (in the shape of a sock), making them EXTRA -ordinary! Students came to DIS wearing odd socks to show their love and support in celebrating our differences. The final day of term 2 marked Autism Awareness day, but the students wearing blue.

Through these days we hope to celebrate neurodiversity, break down barriers and focus on students strengths.

I genuinely believe the key to supporting our students of determination lies in understanding teachers, parents who never give up and a society that provides them with opportunities.

Lisa Boer ( Assistant Head Teacher Inclusion Lead)

Primary Library

Library

Summary of the year

Our library got a make -over this year, students were very excited for the new furniture and decora-

Michaela Magdolen

Our mission is to inspire every DIS student to become a life -long READER. Michaela Magdolen Primary Reading Resources Lead

Annual Bookworm Book Fair - one of the most popular events taking place in our library

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Summary of the year.

The well-being of students at DIS has remained a priority of the whole community this year. We started the year off in our new classes whilst making new friends and getting to know our teachers. Our Head - teacher assemblies helped us learn about the values and attributes which the DIS community believe makes us a truly respectable and hardworking community We celebrated World Mental Health day in our classes and took part in several activities which raised awareness of the importance of prioritising and speaking about our mental health openly. The implementation of our well-being measurement tool BounceTogether helped teachers create well-being activities within year groups to support students and encourage conversations about mental health. We celebrated Anti -Bullying week, Crazy Hair Day, Odd Socks Day, and Children ’s Mental Health Week to continue encouraging open conversations about our mental health. Through these experiences, children have learnt about the importance of mindfulness, articulating our emotions, conflict resolution, managing big emotions, and many more skills. These all had the common goal to equip students to understand that all emotions we experience are a part of human nature, but the choices we make from that is what helps us live in alignment with our own and our community ’s values.

Important Days

-Introductory Coffee Mornings

-Lighthouse Arabia Parenting Seminar

-World Mental Health Day

-Anti-Bullying Week

-Crazy Hair Day

-Odd Socks Day

-International Visit from Adrian Bethune

-Children’s Mental Health Week

-DIS Wellbeing Festival

Megha Jootla

Megha Jootla Primary School Counsellor

Blurb

Production

Production

‘Beauty and The Beast’ Primary Production’

Deborah Heveran

‘Beauty and the Beast has been an extremely emotional rollercoaster for everyone; full of happiness, excitement, nervousness and amazement. We have learned and practiced so many skills in the past six months and are so grateful for all we have achieved. ’ Zeina and Razan (Year 6 Students)

‘I was truly amazed by the production of Beauty and the Beast! The show was packed full of excellent singing, amazing dancing, beautiful set design and

oryx

Victoria Judge Head of Oryx

What a fantastic year it has been for Oryx! I am hugely proud of all of our students and have loved ever minute of being the for Oryx. We have taken part in many thrilling events through-out the year, I highlight for us was the house launch day where we really saw the sheer excitement and enthusiasm each stu-dent had for their house. Many weeks this year have seen Oryx top of the leader board in terms of house points and house competitions which has portrayed the determination of all of our students to succeed. A huge thank you to our outstanding house captains for their efforts throughout the year; Divyaana Singhvi 6D and Adam Nour 6A. We look forward to next year with bright eyes and swishing tails as the champions!

A day full of chants and cheers! House Launch Day - Enthusiasm and excitement filled the air with activities that engaged and motivated all students. What an enjoyable and memorable experience for all.

Many children have participated in competitions throughout the year such as Chinese New Year, House Logo, Reading Journal design, TTRS, Sports Day, C AS Logo design, and the Ramadan Art Bazaar! Well done to all children who have participated in these events and received House Points!

Saluki

Saluki

Aled Jones—Head

Heads of Houses testimonial

of Saluki

year for Saluki! I am immensely proud of all of the children who have taken part in all the activities this year. It has been an honour and joy to be the for Saluki. We have tried very hard in every event throughout the year and I know there is room for success! I was especially proud of winning the TTRS competition for the month of February! It has been wonderful to have such a buzz from all the chil-dren. Throughout the year, we have been resilient and reflective. I would like to say a big thank you to the house captains Yassin Mohamad and Anika Monga who have had fantastic commitment to this role and have done us proud. I can t wait for next year

Important events throughout the year

Aled Jones

Launch Day was a fantastic day with activities that enthused and excited all of the children. Big House points were up for grabs and we succeeded by winning.

Many children have participated in competitions throughout the year such as Chinese New Year, House Logo, Reading Journal design, TTRS, Sports Day, CAS Logo design, and Ramadan Art Bazaar! Well done to all the children who have participated in these events and received House Points!

The staff also participated in a Sports Day competition and brought back gold for a number of events. Well done Saluki!

Picture

Tahr

Tahr

Ta

Heads of Houses testimonial

Bethany Johnson Head of Tahr ONCE A TAHR ALWAYS A TAHR!

Bethany Johnson

After launching our Houses in the New Year, Tahr really did prove that we were the GOATS - Greatest Of All Time, as we won 2 weeks in a row! Since then, we have been very successful in many house events and competitions this year. I would like to thank all of my fellow DIS GOATS for an amazing year of house points. KEEP THEM POINTS COMING! I cannot wait to continue our successes for next year!

HOUSE CAPTAINS

Omar 6B, Tahr. Razan 6E, Tahr.

Amazing work this year guys, you are super!

HOUSE LAUNCH DAY!

Important events throughout the year

House Launch Day

Bethany Johnson

Sports Day

CAS Day

House competitions: Monthly TTRockstars

Chinese New Year of the Rabbit

Reading Journal Design

Double Day

World Book Day

International Day

Crazy Hair Day

READING JOURNAL COMPETITION

Darius 5E, Tahr: Winner of the KS2 design for the front cover of our new reading journal!

SPORTS DAY

Maahi Saathi 5F, Tahr: First place in the 70m sprint.

Tahr Teachers: Ms Kelly, Ms Johnson (Head of Tahr) & Mr Young

CRAZY HAIR DAY

Haron 5F, Tahr

Nabeel 5F, Tahr

House competitions have been a lot of fun this year, well done to every GOAT who has taken part and earnt house points this year. A final congratulations and well done to everyone who has received a certificate for completing a house point booklet this year, I am very proud of you all.

Murad Alizada, 5E, Tahr. Third place in running 100m.

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Falcon Falcon

Daniel Sayer—Head of Falcon

Wow, what a year for Falcons! I am immensely proud of all of the children! It has been an honour and joy to be the for Falcons. We have won many events throughout the year! I was especially proud of winning the Launch Day! It was amazing to have a strong start and the buzz from the children was wonderful. Throughout the year we have frequently won the most weekly House points demonstrating all the hard work from the children. This has been achieved through a team commitment to succeed. Sama Ghazal and Stefan Nathan, this years House Captains have had a fantastic commitment to this role and have done us proud. I can t wait for next year so that we can continue Soaring to Success!

Launch Day was a fantastic day with activities that enthused and excited all of the children. Big House points were up for grabs and we succeeded by winning.

Many children have participated in competitions throughout the year such as Chinese New Year, House Logo, Reading Journal design, TTRS, Sports Day, CAS Logo design, and Ramadan Art Bazaar! Well done to all the children who have participated in these events and received House Points!

The staff also participated in a Sports Day competition and came out top winning the egg and spoon and the relay race! Go Falcons!

CAS in Action

Furthermore, the CAS programme at DIS also involves community service. Students are encouraged to volunteer in their local communities and engage in activities that benefit others. This can include volunteering at a local charity, organising a fundraising event, or participating in environmental conservation activities.

Vanessa Evangelista

SECONDARY

Year 7

Year Learning Coordinator—Mr. Joshua Robson

The Year 7 students have made an incredible start to life in the secondary school here at DIS. The transition from Primary school into Secondary school is challenging and our students have shown great strength and resilience throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to see our students establish themselves within the year group and make both social and academic progress.

Throughout the year students have taken part in a range of enriching experiences both within the classroom and beyond. It has been a privilege for me to guide and nurture our students with the support of our amazing form tutors.

A huge thank you to all parents, your dedication to the progress of your children in school is a crucial part in the success of everything we do here at DIS.

Important events throughout the year:

Year Transition Days

Year 7 Camp Trip to RAK

National Day

Rewards Trip to Motiongate

International Day Sports Day

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Year 7

Summary of the year.

Year 8

Year 8

Year Learning Coordinator Samantha Williams

Year Learning Coordinator Samantha Williams

There is never a dull moment with our Year 8 students filling the day to day life at DIS with an abundance of intelligence, uniqueness, talent, intelligence, imagination, mischief and big hearts. I would like to thank each and every one of our wonderful students for making everyday so different, they are continuously teaching me new things, as much as I am hopefully able to support them in some small way too. The form tutors and I have grown to love our one of a kind Year 8 family that has been created. One memory in particular that will always stand out will be the water fight we had on the field during Term 2 Rewards Day. Seeing the students have an absolute ball, soaking each other with water balloons, water guns, sponges and buckets along with drenching us as their teachers too what a day! I think a few of us are still drying out wet socks. Thank you for the memories Year 8, it has been a pleasure!

Important events throughout the year:

Meet the Tutor, Expo Trip, Festive Markets, Motion Gate, BSME Games, Sports Day, International Day, Parent Teacher Conferences, International Day, Literature Festival, Rewards Day, Switzerland Ski Trip, Aladdin Production

Year 8 Year 8

Year Learning Coordinator Gina McDonagh

Year 9

Year 9

The final year of KS3 has been a busy one for Y9. In October the majority of the year group attended Camp in RAK it was a great opportunity to spend time with students out of an academic setting and see them push themselves and support each other. Their community spirit has always been strong with an eagerness to involve themselves in sports teams, school productions and take on leadership roles across the many and varied school events. Year 9 have grown not only as students but as individuals and I look forward to witnessing their continued resilience and determination in KS4 as they embark on the next stage of their academic journey.

Important events throughout the year.

 October– Camp

 November– National Day

 December– Rewards Day

 February– International Day

 March– Sports Day

Year 9 Year 9

Year 10

Year Learning Coordinator Cherelle Pointon

It has been an exciting year for the students in Y10 with them starting their option choices and completing the first part of their GCSEs and BTEC options. Students have demonstrated exceptional efforts and attitudes to learning throughout their learning This year students achieved over 100+ golden and platinum tickets through demonstrating the DIS way . Well done Y10, I have been impressed by the contributions students have made to CC As, leadership initiatives and beginning their Bronze Award in DofE. I look forward to the next chapter of Y11 and I have no doubt they will achieve so much more!

Important events throughout the year.

Meet the Tutor

Autumn Festival / DIS Play

Ferrari World (Business students)

National Day

Festive markets

Motiongate

Rewards Day in school

Aladdin DIS play

IMG world

Year 10

Year 11 Year 11Year 11

Year 11 was more than a year that sat their GCSE s. It was a community created by the students and teachers, in which we all supported, communicated, worked as a team, and taught each other It started with an initiative to create a committee, ‘The Events Committee,’ which was the uprising of our many memorable events. Many of these events were studentled and planned out to perfection, with slight last -minute adjustments, These include events such as Freakfest, Rewards Day, and Prom. All the students who were part of the committee, would gather up ideas and bring them forward to Mr Iqbal who would approve of them and drive on the idea Freakfest was one of our most successful events created, and not only students but teachers enjoyed it too It had a haunted house, with different themes, games, and best -dressed competitions along with many other food, snacks, photo booths, and exciting stations. Moving on, one of our most memorable days was Rewards Day The running, shouting, singing, dancing, and water fights all of which laid out a perfect day; once again a student -led activity that had movies, games, breakfast, pizzas, snacks, water fights, and much more. There have also been multiple international trips with the students going to Borneo and giving back to some of the poorer communities out there and learning how others less fortunate live. Over the spring break many of our year 11 students also went on a ski trip over to Switzerland. Here they learned how to ski, snowboard, live independently, and rely on each other; with late night walks and early morning breakfasts, with snow fights and skiing down trails all day long - they had all experienced a wonderful adventure out in the mountains. We cannot forget the National and International days of DIS, where culture was embodied through food stands, and nationalities were brought together to celebrate the diversity of students, families and staff All these events and many more made our year group what it is today, yet as we move forward in our years left in school - above all we look forward to developing and maintaining this community created.

Year Learning Coordinator Sheikh Mohammad Iqbal

Important events throughout the year.

Launch of events committee

Freak Fest (student led event)

National day

Festive markets (student Led Event)

Motion Gate

Mock exams

Borneo Trip

International Day

Rewards Day (Student Led Event)

Switzerland Ski Trip

GCSE Exams

Prom

Year 11 Year 11

Year 12/IB1

Having just sat their IGCSEs a mere few months earlier, the Year 12s made a phenomenal transition into their first year of IB. They were welcomed back with the official opening of the brand new IB Hub, equipped with everything they need to get through the year –including a social area, personal study spaces, meeting rooms, and more. We saw the rise of competition soon after, with the ensuing of spirited and creative campaigning for the positions of Head Girl and Head Boy which were ultimately claimed by Mimi Hassan and Yousef Al -Saudi, accompanied the newly formed, determined Student Leadership Team. Many students across the year group worked relentlessly to organize and contribute to a variety of initiatives, such as AutumnFest, the Festive Market and National Day. One of these events was the extremely memorable TEDx Youth event, featuring guest speakers as well as TED talks from our very own students. The Literary Soiree, too, provided an evening of insight and entertainment as students demonstrated their talents in writing and music. Each term ended with an exciting rewards day trip: Ski Dubai and MotionGate. There is no doubt that through all this, students bonded immensely throughout the year; we saw this especially during pyjama & horror movie night! Another memorable initiative was the psychology mentoring programme, where a group of enthusiastic IB1s used their experience with GCSE psychology to personally mentor and tutor Year 11 GCSE psychology students, helping them achieve their potential and enhance both their knowledge and passion for the subject. Speaking of passion, it was remarkable to see the amount of passionate students who joined the university societies, such as the Law and Politics society, Medical society, Commerce society, and more. Within these societie oped both professionally and perso skills, knowledge and interest An ex the fantastic CPR, First aid, and AED en by members of the Medical and ties Students also made imperative the next steps of their futures with th ty fairs that were ongoing for the fir We saw university representatives world take the time to visit the IB1s about their campuses, programmes quirements. This, alongside several taining to university applications, pe – as well as a financial literacy cours the year group with a solid found

steps of their lives Progress was also made on the core components of the IB, particularly the Diploma Programme, with days such as C AS launch day and Extended Essay writing day The Group 4 project was another exciting and successful event where students got the chance to use their creativity, collaborative skills, and knowledge of the sciences to create presentations and displays surrounding the theme of the UAE’s mission to Mars. Culture and diversity, perhaps one of the most fundamental aspects of the DIS community, were embraced during International Day. And we can’t forget, of course, the international trips to Borneo and Switzerland that were truly once -in-alifetime experiences for all those who attended. All in all, the 2022-2023 cohort of Year 12s have made incredible progress both academically and personally, and are ready to take the next steps towards what will surely be extremely successful futures, for each and every one of them.

Year Learning Coordinator

Jordan Rawlins

Year 12/IB1

Year 13 Year 13/IB2

IB2 has been an emotional, exciting, but most of all, important year for the students! There have been excellent results, amidst fantastic progress and attainment. Students have led a variety of initiatives around school, most impressively, designing a multi -million dirham IB Hub, comprised of social, collaborative and independent study spaces. They have radiated enthusiasm, community spirit and have been a joy in school. I have never met a more helpful, caring and close-knit year group, where everyone shows respect and gives time to all of their peers. The warmth they display is noticeable, and undoubtedly, the year group have made wonderful friendships which I am sure will stand the test of time. Head Girl, Roxanne Dubash and Head Boy, Daniel Nasri, alongside the ‘Student Leadership’ team, have impressed everyone. They have been esteemed role models and have most certainly left a legacy for the future leaders at DIS. I have watched the year group transform over the course of the IB programme; seeing them flourish and become mature young adults, who are indeed ready for their next stage at University and beyond. The rigorous nature of IB, mixed with the academics, philosophy, critical thinking and the writing of essay’s has them all well equipped and eager to begin the stage of their adult life. There have been some excellent offers, with Medicine, Law, Engineering, Psychology to name a few, from top Universities There are some future change makers here, I am sure. Year 13 it’s been a joy! I am so happy I got to meet every single one of you!! Good luck for the future (not that you need it)!

I will leave you with the perfect quote: ‘Every story has an end, but in life every ending is a new beginning ’

Year Learning Coordinator

Joanne Forster

Year 13 have had a variety of important and fun events throughout the year! This includes an array of university fairs from top prestigious universities, as well as several wellbeing events, such as the first senior movie night at DIS, a celebratory Iftar, multiple reward days, both in and out of school, and even an inflatable obstacle course on their final day in school! Other rewards include trips to MotionGate and Ski Dubai Ad ditionally, there have been other notable events, including the CPR training session organised by the Medicine society, which availed to great success National Day and Flag Day where our brilliant Emirati students gave confident speeches. Taima ’s ‘Trashion’ show which highlighted the harmful destruction plastic and fast fashion has on our oceans and not to forget the TedX event, where Prady and Ismail delivered a thought provoking discussion on the impacts of artificial intelligence

Year 13 Year 13/IB2

Arabic A

Arabic A

Important events throughout the year.

Mounir El Hayek

In the Arabic A department at the secondary school, our year was full of challenges, but it was a year of achievements in spite of that. We achieved the first stage of our plan towards excellence and this appeared in the results of the KHDA report. The classroom and non-curricular activities and participation in external competitions were successful with joyful and exhilarating results

We are proud of the achievements of our students at all levels, not only at the subject level, but also for the personal, cognitive and cultural development that they have achieved.

Head of Department —Mounir El Hayek

Important events throughout the year

- Diversification of group and individual work strategies during the class, inside and outside the classroom.

- Participation in the Arabic Language Day and introducing viewers to our language through social media.

- Participation in the Emirates Airline Festival, where two of our students won first places according to the category.

- Arabic A Reading competition, held every year, and with the distribution of cups and medals to the winners.

Summary of the year.

Head of Department

Arabic B

Arabic B

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin D. Roosevelt. What an amazing year it has been! Happiness, creativity, achievement, and fun were the main words of this year. Myself, teachers and students were in a wonderful learning journey full of new learning, a lot of challenges and a variety of activities and projects. That was the secret of our continuous success and progress in Arabic B department.

I can assure you that parents were with us in this journey in one way or another. That was obvious when chatting with them during teacher-parents’ evenings or during coffee mornings. It was an honour to lead such a fantastic and committed team and we look forward for more learning adventures next year

Iman Fattoum– Head of Arabic B

This year was full of events such as National Day, Celebrating Arabic Language Day, International Day, different outdoor activities and Think in Arabic.

Learning Arabic is not only learning a language It is living a culture and that was evident in all Arabic lessons and activities.

Listening interactive group activities

Our Arabic B students are interviewing Mrs. Hannon in Arabic after teaching them how to answer some questions in Arabic celebrating Arabic Language Day. Interviewing Mr O'Connor in Arabic – Arabic Language Day.

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Job Interview

Commerce Commerce

The Business and Economics department in Deira International school has been an extremely busy one this year. With the department’s relevance to today’s global economy, it has been important as a team that we have provided students opportunities to be able to contextualize what they are learning in the classroom. As a department we have been very active, with various programmes, clubs, and activities throughout the year, to engage our students and helping them develop practical business skills.

These fantastic opportunities have been made possible by the experience, commitment and dedication of our wonderful staff and wider school community. With the recent development of the Commerce Society in IB, we are excited about what opportunities will be provided through the Commerce department next year! Watch this space!

Shauneen Scullion Head of Department

SN AP SHOT OF COMMERCE EVENTS THIS YEAR

Ferrari World Trip How a theme park is run as a business

DIS IB Student entrepreneurs delivered talks and workshops to your younger budding entrepreneurs DIS Staff entrepreneurs delivered talks and workshops to our IB students.

Curtin's University competition

IKEA Trip organized for IB Business students to see how a large origination uses marketing strategies for success.

Heriot Watt Stock Exchange visit

Guest Speakers from industry including corporate lawyer, international musician, CEO medical industry

External workshops How to set up and have an effective and professional LinkedIn presence.

Commerce Society—developed and lead by IB students

Study ing Economics has allowed me to develop critical think ing skills, as I am cons tantly analy zing complex concepts and theories Additionally, it has fostered my inquisitive nature as I seek to understand how differ ent economic systems and structures work. I am a reflective learner and have been able to apply what I have learned in class to real-world situations Khushi Desai IB1 Economics Students.

Commerce

Commerce

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Learning about the motivational theorists was my favorite ubject in Business since I felt like I could use that nowledge in both my pers onal life and future profession I especially apprec iated the opportunity to learn event planning techniques while ass isting with the festive market, and I wholeheartedly encourage other students to do the same in the future. In addition to being fun, organizing global enterprise week helped me expand my perspect ive on business beyond the classroom I also thought the guest speakers' advice was excellent and applicable to everyone's aspirations ” . - Mattea

Fenech,

IB1 Business Management student

Photo above IB2 Business students’ trip to IKEA

Photo below IB1 and IB2 Commerce students interviewing CEO of an MNC

Photo above LINKEDIN Workshop delivered by guest speaker

Photo Below —IB1 Business student, Zeesha Yusufzai, talking to Y10 students on how she successfully set up her business.

Computer Science

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Zenab Tambawala

Well done to all students for a fantastic year in ICT / Computer Science.

It has been really pleasing to see the Year 7s start their studies in the subject so well and we are all excited to see where CS/ICT takes them in their time at DIS.

A huge congratulations to our IB2s who will be very much missed. They have been fantastic students throughout their time studying the subject and we wish them all the vey best for their future endeavours.

Head of Department Zenab Tambawala

Important events throughout the year.

Zenab

Tambawala

Year 11 completed their 1st practical IGCSE exam . They have been fantastic and we wish them well for the remainder of their exams.

KS3 have really enjoyed taking part in Robotics CCA . They have been super creative.

KS5 have been really enjoyed taking part in options day . They have enjoyed being part of a team.

Computer Science

Design & Technology

Design & Technology

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Georgia Foster

Reflecting on this year, it has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Myself and Mr Ullah are thrilled by the outstanding achievements of the year 11 and IB students, who demonstrated exceptional creativity, technical ability, and determination in their coursework and IA projects.

This year has also seen the introduction of our 3D printing suite and Y10 students have worked hard to develop their understanding of using industry standard software to develop innovative outcomes.

Georgia Foster—Head of the Department

Important events throughout the year.

Georgia Foster

Term 1 saw the return of the successful IKEA Makers competition for Y9 students. Students were challenged to design and re -engineer a unique piece of furniture using only the KNAGGLIG box and IKEA components. It was a really tough decision, but well done to Alya Al Alawi who was chosen as the overall winner with her superb bedroom storage piece.

In December the department supported National Day celebrations and Year 10 students had the opportunity to assemble make a falcon as a memory of the day. Students demonstrated their ability to be risk -takers in order to push themselves out of their comfort zone to produce creative outcomes.

Design & Technology

Design & Technology

English

Throughout the year, students at DIS have made outstanding progress in English and have been involved in a number of exciting opportunities. Most notably, our wonderful Year 11 students sat their final iGCSE exam for English Language in January, receiving exceptional grades which reflected their dedication and positive attitude towards their English studies. We are also extremely proud of one of our IB1 students, Jaden Mascarenhas, who won first place in the Emirates Festival of Literature for her short story, ‘My Oldest Friend, My Greatest Enemy.’ Jaden showcased her incredibly moving story at our annual Literary Soiree event, in which a range of students across all year groups shared their talents in creative writing; we also welcomed international author Danielle Tulley to this event, and she provided our students with words of encouragement to continue developing their written skills and passion for English. In Key Stage 3 lessons, students have been developing their love of reading various competitions have been held, including designing a library garden and taking part in the reading review raffle. Our community also came together for the ‘Old Books for New Eyes’ book drive initiative whereby students and their families donated unused books which were distributed to less privileged communities across Africa and the Middle East. Our Year 7 students also enjoyed a fantastic theatre performance of William Shakespeare ’s play ‘ A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ onboard the QE2 ship in preparation for their studies of this play in their English lessons.

As always, we are immensely proud of our students and the community here at DIS, and their wonderful contributions to the English curriculum and events. We cannot wait to see what the next academic year holds!

Jade Hodgson —Head of English

Important events throughout the year.

Literary Soiree

Emirates Festival of Literature

World Book Week

‘Old Books for New Eyes’ charity book drive

Year 7 theatre trip to watch Shakespeare’s ‘ A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Maths

Throughout this year we have seen exceptional attainment and progress across all year groups. Many of our gifted and talented Mathematicians have taken part in the UKMT Maths challenge competitions, producing some very impressive results. The Maths department has hosted a multitude of activities for the students to get involved in throughou year including World Maths Day, Pi Day, an Maths treasure hunt. From Year 6 taster day to celebrating offers onto STEM courses at universi the Maths department are extremely proud of every student here at DIS!

Winners of our World M aths Day treasure hunt

Kirsty Fairman Head of Maths

Eesha taking on the opportunity of leadership in the classroom and teaching her peers counting principles

STEM Challenge 2023 and won 3 rd place out of 156 teams.

A focus in Maths lessons this year has been collaboration. Here our students in Year 8 are using the whiteboards to work as a team to problem solve.

Monish won best in school for the Intermediate UKMT Maths Chall ete in the

Geography

Geography

Summary of the year

Head of Department Andrew Morton

Well done to all students for a fantastic year in Geography.

It has been really pleasing to see the Year 7s start their studies in the subject so well and we are all excited to see where Geography takes them in their time at DIS.

A huge congratulations to our IB2s who will be very much missed. They have been fantastic students throughout their time studying the subject and we wish them all the vey best for their future endeavours.

Andrew Morton Head of Geography

Important events throughout the year.

Andrew Morton

Students from all year groups have carried out very impressive work this year. It ’s been great to see students using technology in their studies by making fantastic podcasts and animations. Our Year 11s have also carried out some fieldwork which lead to fantastic pieces of IGCSE coursework.

We are all very excited for Dubai to be hosting COP 28 later this year and we are already looking at exciting ways that we can be involved!

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Geography Geography

History

Well done to all of our History students this year. This has been both an exciting and rewarding year. Year 11 students produced some outstanding coursework on the impact of the Reichstag Fire and IB students immersed themselves in Historiography and created IAs they should all be very proud of.

Year 7 students began the year investigating the Roman Empire before moving onto the Islamic Golden Age, Medieval Mali and the Ottoman Empire. In year 8, students learned about the Tudors, the Age of Exploration, Empires and the French Revolution. Year 9 students began the year looking at Slavery before moving onto Conflict through time, dictatorships and finishing off their KS3 History education with Rights movements. Our Year 10 IGCSE and IB1 students have made a great start to the course and we are excited to see the progress they make over the next year.

Students commemorated Poppy Day in school and as global society we have witnessed several important historical events including the death of Elizabeth I and the coronation of Charles III.

Students in all year groups have impressed us with the quality of their work, however we were impressed with year 7 when they produced inventions from the Islamic Golden Age, showcasing the risk-taker learner attribute.

Lauren Kelly Head of the Department

Tayma in 8B creating her Explorer ‘Top Trumps’

Mr. Stanley’s IB1 class.

Roman Empire timeline: Marwan, 7C.

History

IB2 students presented key events from the Cold War as a news bulletin, developing the open minded learner attribute.

Lamar in 7B with her Cooling Mat design. Students were asked to design an invention from the Islamic Golden Age and present to their inventions to the class.

Half of Ms. Kelly’s IB2 class.

Ms. Cleland’s year 11 IGCSE class.

Summary of the year.

Islamic A

Important events throughout the year.

Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Head of Department Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Important events throughout the year.

Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Head of Department Mohamad Al Kutich

Islamic b

Islamic b

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Mohamad Al Ku�ch

As we reflect on the academic year, we are delighted to share the accomplishments and experiences of our students in the Islamic department. Their talents, passion, and commitment have shone through in the various activities and projects they have undertaken These pictures are a testament to the hard work, collaboration, and growth that have been fostered within our community. We hope they serve as a reminder of the joy and fulfilment that come from being part of the Islamic department family.

Head of Department Mohamad Al Kutich

Important events throughout the year.

Mohamad Al Ku�ch

Important events throughout the year.

Mohamad Al Ku�ch

The Islamic department has been busy with various events and activities throughout the year, offering opportunities for students to engage with their faith and community. From the holy month of Ramadan to the Prophet Muhammad's birthday and Israa and Miraaj, students had ample occasions to deepen their understanding of Islam's core values and beliefs. In addition to the religious events, the department also hosted a Quran competition and the charity collection and Ramadan Iftaar that encouraged students to enhance their skills and contribution to the society.

Mohamad Al Kutich

Modern Foreign Language

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Asma Oulghazi

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela.

To our dear French and Spanish students,

It has been an honor and a privilege to have been your teachers this year.

We are so proud of each and every one of you for the progress you have made, both academically and personally. Your hard work and determination have not gone unnoticed and we are confident that you will go on to achieve great things in the future. Remember, learning a language is not just about grammar and vocabulary, but also about discovering new cultures and ways of thinking. We hope that our time together has opened your minds to new perspectives and experiences. Mrs Oulghazi Head of MFL

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Mrs Rady and her IB2 Spanish B students demonstrating being Thinkers

Year 9 students completing the tenses challenge board.

Year 9 students being Communicators, revising and explaining how tenses are formed in Spanish.

Mr Stroud and his lovely Spanish Ab Initio class.

Mrs Jacob’s lovely Year 7 class sharing their enthusiasm for Languages.

Mrs Oulghazi’s Year 9 French students being Risktakers, singing Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes in French.

Modern Foreign Language

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Mrs Lostau’s IB2 French B: this is the students ’ last lesson.

Mrs Rady’s Year 8 being Communicators, working on a challenging reading task.

Mrs Oulghazi’s Year 7 being Communicators discussing the school subjects they like and dislike.

Mr Rady’s Year 10 class supposedly practising for their oral assessment but really saying “Hola!”.

Mrs Jacobs Year 11 French class in their final preparation for their upcoming examinations.

Year 7 French students seeking from challenging tasks.

Performing arts/music

This year has been an exciting one for Performing Arts as we ’ve finally been able to get lessons, events and CC As back on track fully with no restrictions for the first time since the pandemic. Students have been able to take part in a range of exciting opportunities like our Arts International workshops and trips taking our GCSE students to the Sharjah Rain Room exhibit and over 50 students to see West Side Story at Dubai Opera.

We have been able to return to the stage this year with a number of incredible performances. We kicked off the year with the House Music Festival and had a range of students from years 7 -11 performing in our DISPlay play festival. Across the year, numerous students have demonstrated their musical prowess in our lunch time Pop Up performances and at events like Autumn Fest, Winter Markets, Ted -Ex Youth and the BSME Games opening and closing ceremony. Most excitingly, we have our upcoming production of Aladdin Jr happening in June and we can ’t wait for everyone to see what our amazing cast have been up to!

Important events throughout the year:

House Music Competition

DISPlay our first annual play festival

Arts International residencies

Autumn Fest

Winter Markets Concert

Sharjah Rain Room Trip

West Side Story Trip

Lunchtime Pop Up Concerts

Aladdin

Chelsie Hemmings — Head of the Department

Performing arts/music

Physical Education

Summary of the year.

Head of Department Mark West

The past year at Deira International School has seen an incredible surge in the participation and success of students in PE and sports. With a variety of activities and events, including basketball, football, rugby and netball competitions, swimming galas, sports days, The Rugby 7s and of course the BSME Games. Students have had the opportunity to explore their sporting interests and develop their talents. The students have consistently demonstrated their passion and dedication, resulting in numerous achievements, such as winning championships and securing personal bests. The school is proud of its students' hard work and looks forward to continuing to support and encourage their love for sports and physical activity in the coming year.

Head of Department —Mark West

Important events throughout the year.

 Dubai Rugby 7s

 Sports Days

 30x30 DFC

 DASSA competitions

 Hamdan Swimming Competition

 Cross Country Competitions

Aquathons

BSME Games

Physical Education

Psychology

Psychology

Summary of the year

Events and Successes

Head of Department Rhiannon Quinton

The Psychology Society engages in various endeavors to enrich the knowledge and interest of its members in psychology and support those who want to pursue careers in the field They collaborated with the Medical Society for a First Aid and CPR training course, which was helpful for those interested in clinical psychology or psychiatric work. They also conduct meetings covering meaningful topics and recently did an in -depth case analysis of Jeffrey Dahmer, using Piaget's stages of development to understand his childhood and its possible impact on his crimes as an adult. Overall, the Psychology Society aims to contribute to the community and cater to the interests of all its members.

Psychology Society

The Psychology Society, launched in May 2021, aims to provide opportunities for IB students interested in Psychology to expand their knowledge on various topics. Weekly meetings have allowed members to communicate and collaborate on modern -day matters related to psychology. The society had a great opportunity of hosting a meeting with a guest speaker who discussed the application process, university lifestyle, and general content taught in a Psychology Bachelor's Program for those interested in studying abroad in the UK. The society's main goal is to provide a holistic overview of psychology fields and prepare enthusiasts for their future university programs or workplace. The society is also launching a podcast for students to have their discussions recorded, edited, and posted on a platform for the entire school to listen to, which will be a great addition to their CV.

Psychology is like a jigsaw puzzle. As you learn the content, you start putting the pieces together which forms our scientific understanding of the mind and behavior.

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— Joud Hussein

Every month our school celebrates Psychology students who have demonstrated an outstanding passion to the subject during their lessons as they continue to express their love, excitement, and engagement to the subject. They have presented a great interest in the topics learned so far and continue to show their progress and effort during their classes

Psychology

Psychology

Psychology Mentoring Scheme

A small group of IB2’s had a fantastic idea a year ago, developing a system that would help Year 11s in developing and improving their skills and knowledge as well as application in psychology. Each IB student had a Year 11 that they would teach depending on their strengths and weaknesses. They had to make resources and assessments to help them understand the content of the topics and structure of the exams

There was a drastic improvement in their results as sessions went on.

Clinical Psychology/Psychiatry deals with the assessment and treatment of mental illness and psychological issues. Forensic Psychology, which is part of the IGCSE content, explores how scientific methods can be used to explain real -life civil, family, or criminal cases, and how nature vs nurture affects human behavior. Lastly, students interested in the business environment can benefit from combining psychology with business. This can lead to job opportunities in HR where they will be responsible for employee wellbeing and motivation within the organization.

Now the IB1s have started teaching their batch of Year 11. Hopefully this outstanding mentoring scheme will continue in the coming years. Currently there are around 7 mentors that are learning new studies and ideas about development and making resources for that topic to teach the Year 11s. The mentoring scheme has made so many students reach their highest potential creating a legacy for the Psychology Department in Deira International School.

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Summary of the year.

Head of Department

Science

Science

This year in Science has seen students reaching for the stars - well, perhaps not as far as the stars, but we have been investigating what life would be like on other planets in the Solar System. The Mars 2117 mission aims to build the knowledge and scientific capabilities that will enable the U AE to realise humankind ’s universal dream of the very first sustainable colony on the Red Planet within the next 100 years. Our students have been investigating some of the challenges that the first inhabitants would face, devising innovative solutions to realise the UAE ’s goal.

This theme was also the focus for this years IB1 Group IV Project a collaborative research project that sees students from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science and Design and Technology working together to solve a real world challenge. Students presented their ideas to SLT and Year 10 students in an exhibition in February. We also had the addition of Astronomy as a stand alone subject for Year 9 students. As part of their Astronomy lessons students have learned about the features of the Moon and the life cycle of stars Mr Stemp has also been holding an Astronomy CC A for interested students.

Michelle Scott —Head of Department

Important events throughout the year.

Curtain University STEM Challenge

IB1 Group IV Project

National Day Mars Base Challenge

Science

Visual ArtsVisual Arts

This year we were delighted to introduce two new IGCSE’s to the department; Photography and Textiles; a fantastic opportunity for our students to specialise in an area of Art & Design.

Our Year 9 students embraced the opportunity to experience both Photography and Textiles at IGCSE level to make informed choices for the IGCSE options.

As part of the CAS launch, students experienced drawing to the sounds of music in the style of Russian artist Kandinsky

Anupa Joshi Head of Department

We were thrilled for the IGCSE and IB Fine Art students to have the exciting opportunity to work alongside British artist, Ian Murphy. The students explored mark-making, surface pattern and texture.

Our Year 10 Photography students had a fantastic and highly successful day photographing the natural landscape at Al Qudra, Flamingo and Love Lakes as part of their IGCSE project.

The Year 6 students thoroughly enjoyed their Art transition days in Secondary School creating felt and macro photography

Congratulations to our IB2 Visual Arts students exhibiting a fantastic range of drawings, paintings, sculpture, film and installation.

Afrida Alam addad

M

Jeeda Hallak

Taima Rustom

Mary Berhe

Mehad Mohamed

Amna Almheiri Najla Al-Ali

Shaheen Dhambola

Year 11 IGSCE Fine Art

Visual Arts Visual Arts

Our Year 11 students have worked tirelessly on their coursework and exam preparation to produce some creative outcomes.

Ian Murphy’s visit to DIS Art Department

Valencia Rozario

Year 6 Transition Day

Year 10 Photography Trip

CAS: Kandinsky Drawing to Music

Shaghayeah Khabazi

Alia Bin Salmin

Isra Maklai Haya Ahil Shokofe Khabazi

Inclusion

Deira International School were pleased to welcome students from 81 different nationalities and try our best to make everyone feel supported. We have many new ELL (English Language Learner) students who love to attend DIS. The ELL community at our school is a vibrant and diverse group of students who come from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. These students are actively engaged in learning English as a second language through the support of their teachers and peers. The ELL community at our school provides a safe and welcoming environment for these students to learn and grow, and encourages them to share their unique experiences and perspectives with others. One of our Year 8 ELL students from Cuba is an expert chess player who competes in competitions all over the world. She recently attended the FIDE World School Chess Championships which was held in Rhodes, Greece. She came an incredible 4th after a marathon of nine rounds from students around the world. We are so proud of Liennys and

This Secondary Inclusion Department Science practical involved a small group of Y11 students leading a group of Y6 students to do the Flame Test chemistry practical Inclusion students all attend curriculum support lessons within the Inclusion Department. The Science curriculum support lessons for this group happen every week. The overwhelming response from both the Y6 and the Y11 students was that they loved the session and really thrive within the Inclusion Department with activities like this one. Within our alternative curriculum pupils particularly love supporting and helping with the younger children. Pupil ’s realised that they are really good at working outside the classroom and they have career options in the future. Enthusiastically, this young girl speaks to Primary staff when she leaves a session by in ‘S t time!’ or even remind here to help tomorrow !

Library Library

As we close the chapter on our this year, it is impossible to overlook the profound impact the library has had on every students academic journey. This cornerstone of our school community has been a sanctuary for students seeking knowledge, inspiration, and solace. The library has served as a hub for intellectual curiosity, fostering a love for learning and a thirst for knowledge.

Beyond its academic offerings, the library has also served as a place of refuge for students seeking a quiet space to study, reflect, or simply escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. It has been a space where students can come together, collaborate, and exchange ideas, creating a sense of community and camaraderie.

As you leave the halls of our school and venture out into the world, be forever be grateful for the memories, knowledge, and inspiration you have gained from the library. You will carry the lessons learned within these walls with you as you embark on your next chapter in life.

Victoria Green School Librarian

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Summary of the year

Important events throughout the year.

The Wellbeing Department works to promote and protect the social and emotional wellbeing of all DIS pupils, families and staff. By partnering with different members of the DIS community, our department works to ensure that all students are academically, socially and emotionally prepared to become empathetic and balanced individuals of the global community. We work proactively and reactively to ensure sound emotional development, which in turn allows pupils to flourish both within the classroom and beyond their time in school. The Wellbeing Department helps develop policies that promote a positive and healthy school environment, such as antibullying policies and disciplinary procedures that support the wellbeing of the students. The department is active in liaising with external agencies such as mental health services to provide information and support to students and staff In the Well -Being Hub we have dedicated space for holistic support for all students in Secondary.

Head of Department Alistair Dale

* Launch of our Wellbeing tracker for students E Pulse

* Launch of our Wellbeing room

* Launch of our Student Wellbeing counsellors

* Mental Health Awareness Week

* Teen to Teen Mental Health First Aid for students

* Wellbeing Festival

* Whole school Counselling Policy

* Coffee Mornings

Alistair Dale — Secondary Counsellor

Clinic

Clinic

At Deira International School we aim to keep our children and staff safe and healthy. We do this by ensuring a secure and caring environment with emphasis on quality care and safety where we foster a sense of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing in compliance with the standards and the regulations of the Dubai Health Authority. The school clinic is well equipped and emphasised on accessibility for People of Determination. DIS employs two full -time nurses and a full-time Physician who oversees the clinic to ensure implementation of all mandated policies and protocols in collaboration with school ’s administrative authorities and school personnel. Health and Safety Committee acts in response to any health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic was effectively handled by implementation of Health and safety protocols and procedures

amayam

Important events throughout the year.

Doctor Rinda

We ensure promotion of general health by encouraging healthy nutrition practices and physical activity.

We treat injuries and provide timely First-aid services.

Children with pre-existing medical conditions have individualized health care plans in place to handle emergencies. Annually general medicals, dental, vision and BM I screenings are conducted for early detection and treatment of abnormalities. Prevent promotion of communicable and non -communicable diseases. Immunization programs are conducted and all details are shared with DHA via H ASAN A system. Health education sessions are conducted to promote knowledge, attitude and skills for making healthy decisions, achieve health literacy and adopt healthenhancing behavior

Careers Counsellor

DIS had its best year for international university admissions, with students receiving offers from 18 different countries! University & Careers Counselling is available every day at DIS with Mr. Dupont, and includes each and every aspect of a university application from course research through final selection. University and Careers support is not only limited to one to one meetings, but also includes workshops on specific topics, university presentations, skill-based sessions, university fairs, and group lessons.

Kevin Dupont University & Careers Counsellor

DIS students also had a fantastic year when it comes to scholarship offerings, with the year group earning six million USD per year in awards to attend some of the world ’s most presitigious universities. DIS has earned admission to various Ivy League and Russell Group universities this year, across numerous courses of study.

DIS was especially proud to partner with Concourse Global Match this year in order to provide additional opportunities for university offers and scholarship, with nearly half of the total scholarship award coming from this platform. In turn, DIS has extended its university partnerships this year to include the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Emirates Academy for Hospitality Management (EAHM), St. George’s University (SGU) and is now offering a dual enrollment programme for students to study university level courses while studying in the IB programme.

Year 13’s scholarship awards, in numbers! Data is of May 4, 2023

Students in IB Business Management and Economics attended a live financial trading workshop at HeriotWatt University in Dubai earlier this year, to learn about ethical trading and effective finance practices for corporations.

Year 11 IB Options Evening

Careers Counsellor

Year 12 & 13 students learned about how to access scholarships and what it is like to study in Canada, thanks to Moustafa Ezz from Huron University!

DIS was proud to welcome 255 universities to campus this year across our numerous events both large and small. This greatly benefited students, as they were able to learn more about potential options, and decide which countries that they would like to study in or apply to

Welcoming Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge.

Ms. Sara Roberts and Ms. Sarah Hales from Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge visited DIS this year to highlight the exceptional caliber of our students and to share tips in how to make a competitive application to these top British universities.

University of Warwick personal statement presentation from M r. Tom Parker, for Year 12 students

Introducing Concourse Global Match

Production: Aladdin Jr.

On the 22nd and 23rd June, Secondary Performing Arts returned to the stage with our first production since 2019: Aladdin Jr. We are thrilled with the spectacular show our students pulled off and can only commend them for the hard work, dedication, talent and enthusiasm they have demonstrated across the rehearsal period and show week. We are so proud of each and every one of them and know the future of DIS Performing Arts is safe in their hands.

A huge congratulations to everyone involved and an enormous thank you to everyone who came out and supported them! This would not have been possible without the tireless work of our Performing Arts Team and a huge and heartfelt thanks goes to Mr. Steede and Ms. Keyworth for the tremendous work they did behind the scenes to ensure our students had the best possible experience while putting on a phenomenal show.

Miss Hemming - Head of Secondary Performing Arts'

Houses

oryx

Oryx House students are inquirers who are curious and engaged in their own learning, seeking to understand concepts and ideas in -depth. They are knowledgeable individuals who apply their understanding across various subjects and disciplines. They are also thinkers who solve complex problems and approach challenges with a positive attitude and a growth mindset. Communicating effectively and creatively is also a crucial attribute for Oryx House students, who value the perspectives of others while expressing themselves confidently. Oryx House students are principled and act with integrity and honesty, demonstrating respect and empathy for others. They are open -minded and embrace diversity while also being caring individuals who seek to make a positive difference in their communities. Oryx House students are risk -takers who are willing to try new things, achieve a balanced lifestyle, and engage in self -reflection to continually grow and improve.

Victoria Green

Mrs

FOREV FOREVER

Captains

Heads of Houses testimonial

House Captains Testimonial

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Green Head of Oryx

Maya Zarour, Zara Ibrahim, Nabil Ali, Eesha Mashruwala, Ahmed Ghazal, Mariam Alawadhi, Aisha Falamarzi, Taim Bader, Naser Al Ruweili.

VER ORYX,

R CHAMPIONS

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Shaikh Abdulla

It has been a great journey during this academic year of 2022 a HEAD OF HOUSE. I have enjoyed working with the students and felt anxious towards motivating my little Salukis. When I reflect on being a DIS staff, I conclude that the experience enabled me to develop my skills, learn more and grow stronger every single day and motivate my students at all times.

Saluki

Saluki

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SALUKI HOUSE CAPTAINS 2022-2023

Saluki Saluki

TAHR

Tahr

ONCE A TAHR ALWAYS A TAHR!!

Ta

As Tahr, we wholeheartedly embrace the belief that 'nothing is impossible!' With this positive attitude, we constantly inspire each other to aim high and strive for greatness both in and out of the classroom. Through hard work, determination, and unwavering support from our peers and teachers, we have accomplished incredible things this year and are bursting with pride about our achievements! At Tahr House, we have a second motto that we hold dear to our hearts: 'Once a Tahr, always a Tahr.' We passionately recite these words at every assembly as a reminder of the powerful sense of community we share. As a part of this family, we are united by a common goal and purpose, and we pursue our interests with passion and enthusiasm. We are incredibly lucky to experience such a supportive and empowering learning environment, where we feel a deep sense of belonging and connection. Ms Rady, Head of Tahr

House Captains Testimonial

Since the house system was created, all members of Tahr have worked incredibly hard to get our house into first place. Last year we were able to get our hands on the trophy that we deserved, and us captains are very proud of the work everyone continues to do to bring more sucs to Tahr. ces

This year we have continued to lead and show our potential and prove why we deserve to be champions of DIS again. We have led house point standings and won many competitions along the way and everyone has contributed so much towards everything. The Tahr Captains are incredibly grateful for everyone ’s hard work and we could not be happier to be part of this great team.

Tahr Captains

Heritage Race Day: The runners

S t Da Th leg d

TAHR

Falcon

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE !!

Rugby Music Competition

BSME Trashion show

HOUSE SHOUT: Winners

Falcon House is back together and stronger than ever. Our students have faced every challenge head on and have seen so many wonderful successes throughout the year. From sports to academics, there is no challenge Falcon House cannot tackle. We are delighted to have won sports day and also placed in the Top 3 for DIS ’s annual Heritage race, along with our many successes all of our House competitions throughout the year, including House Music, Islamic Art and Photo competitions to name a few. Many Falcon students have represented both Falcon House and our school in many events which reflects the dedication, commitment and perseverance Falcon students put into all that they do. Students have continued to celebrate their accomplishments both in school and at home through their C ASports and now have this as a record they can take with them into next year We are immensely proud of all the Falcon students and their achievements this year as we ‘ Soar to Success’ for another year!

Joe Steed — Head of Falcon

This year, we have been able to do extraordinary things in Falcon House (The best house, by a mile). As a House Captain, I have worked on improving student engagement for our fellow falcons by allowing/helping them earn house points through creating a wide range of competitions. I also, as a House captain was one of the winners of the Rangoli contest, contributing to our effort in the house point race. This year we have seen Falcon house rise from 4 th place to a podium finish for the year! Go FALCONS!

Aryan Jain – 8C House Captain

Falcon

National Day

Our 51st U AE National Day celebrations were certainly one to remember with the return of our Gran Souk, live performances and traditional Emirati cuisine. The theme for this year was “The Future Gene tions” as we believe our students are our future leader and creators. We had the flag ceremony early in t morning with the participation of Emirati parents an students. During the day Primary students attend many workshops organised by Arabic teachers Aft the school parents were invited to visit the Souk w their children Students were invited to wear U AE t ditional dress or the flag colours. We also invited th parents to decorate their cars. The community came together and marked the 51st anniversary of a coun try we all love and call home

International Day

International Day this year was much bigger than previous years. The participation was incredible. We started the celebrations with the flag ceremony in which 81 nationalities that we have in school were represented. Most of the nationalities had a stall or/ and a performance by the parents, staff or students. We had the chance to taste different food; learn about different cultures and enjoy the dance and music performances All the students were invited to wear their traditional dresses. They came together at the assembly It was beautiful to see all the colours. We are very thankful to everyone who contributed to this special day. It was a real celebration of diversity and culture.

Festive Market

After being on hold for 2 years due to Covid, the DIS ‘Festive Market’ was back! This event was led by IB1 Commerce and Performing Arts students to form a memorable event. Parents, students from FS to year 13, and teachers from both Primary and Secondary were able to sell and promote their products. With over 50 stalls present the range of goods available was exceptional The biggest aim of the market was to connect DIS to the local community and support small businesses. As one of lead organisers of the Festive Market, this was a great opportunity for me to learn more about event management and helped me step out of my comfort zone. This was an incredible event and we can't wait to make it bigger and better next year with the continued support of Ms Scullion! IB1 student & Deputy Leader of Commerce Society, Nadaa Burud

Ramadan

Ramadan means unity, sharing and understanding. We, as DIS community did our best to fulfill these essentials. We came together at DIS Charity Iftar and donated the money collected to Red Crescent. Islamic department and DISPA worked together to organize the event. We also thought of our community. We provided 1,900 meals to construction works who work next to our school through donations. Students, staff and parents dedicated their time to distribute the food. This was a great example of C AS. We did not forget our support staff We determined their needs and started a donation campaign. The participation was incredible. Lastly, we organised a special iftar for IB2 students. They had the chance to come together one last time before they graduate. Ramadan Art Bazaar organised by the Islamic department was also an important event to keep the Islamic values alive.

Deira International School made history on the 2nd of February 2023 by hosting its first ever TEDx event, TEDxYouth@DIS.

The event was an ode to the power of ideas and the importance of platforms like TED that promote knowledgesharing and innovation.

At its core, TED is a global platform that brings people together to share ideas and knowledge that have the power to shape our present and future. Through its annual conferences, TEDx events, and online platform, TED continues to promote innovation, creativity, and collaboration on a global scale.

TEDxYouth@DIS featured diverse speakers, including our school ’s pioneering students - Ishaq Imran, Srinath Satish, Pradyumna Saligram and Ismail Tambawala. As well as Mr Kwame AA Opoku - a leading futurist and Stefania Brunori - a well-being coach.

Mr Simon O'Conor who gave an eye -opening TED talk on the mercurial Gen - Z.

e success of the event was a result of the tireless efts of the organising committee, the IB1 lead - Khushi Desai and Mrs Keyworth.

DxYouth@DIS provided a platform for students to gage in meaningful conversations, learn from experts their respective fields, and to explore new ideas and rspectives.

Deira International School's first -ever TEDx event was a tament to its commitment to providing its students h opportunities to engage with the world and be a rt of the global community of innovators, and changemakers.

MUN/Debate

Model United Nations (MUN), was filled with challenges, moments of laughter, and the forging of new friendships. At MUN, our overarching goal was to instill in members the essence of MUN, imparting the skills necessary to become fervent debaters, openminded researchers, and global citizens. In 2023, MUN placed particular emphasis on mastering the essential skills and knowledge of MUN, from understanding the procedures, to drafting resolutions, delivering compelling opening speeches, and articulating well defensive arguments. Therein, some of the topics of debate ranged from: the Russo -Ukraine war, capital punishment, nuclear arms and the occupation of Palestine. Overall, the MUN Club has made significant progress throughout the year, and its members have gained valuable skills and experiences that will benefit them in their future academic and professional endeavors. MUN is overall one of the most gratifying experiences to be a part of, leaving you with invalable et hich if t int fu th ed ti

Debate Club this year had an extremely busy schedule. DIS debaters competed in the COBIS World Series throughout the Autumn term, with our A Team winning all their first two round matches with ease. Unfortunately, overall points meant that we did not progress to the final, but finished in am impressive fourth place in the Green league.

In the Gulf Debate Competition, our Senior A T eam were victorious in the Bowl League. They competed across two days, against teams with age and experience on their side. This did not deter our intrepid debaters and their preparation and training meant that they won all their debates. Our Junior and Senior teams were also involved in the Dubai Debate League, winning all but one of their debates Adit Arjun, A kuss L b d Ha hit Sin hal h al si d

Borneo Trip

In the local Tausug language, "Amba", means "Nature", and "Ambasing", means "Beauty". I think the similarity reflects the truly mesmerizing landscape Borneo had to offer and I will never forget the impact the "Amba dukam ah ambasing" (beautiful nature) had.

Elian Inego Rieza Y12

During February break, we experienced a true off -grid living, experience. Sleeping in the heart of the Bornean jungle and helping the environment through conservation projects.

Borneo Trip

Ski Trip

In the first week of Spring Break, 56 students from across years 8-12 and 6 members of staff headed off to the snowy white peaks of Switzerland. It was a week of adventure with all kinds of weather - sno storms and blizzards and glorious sun shine - an some incredible skiing.

We stayed in La Poste and skied on both sides of t mountain. We celebrated Ibrahim’s birthday with meal in the Black Tap igloo at the top of Verbier mo tain and were dazzled by Hamad’s vocal abilities in end of the week talent show.

The week was full of risk taking from people learn to ski for the first time and navigating the slopes, tackling black runs and even getting lost once o twice. We’ll never forget our week in Switzerland a look forward to the next Ski trip!

Ski Trip

Student Leadership

Founded in January of 2023, the DIS School Council is one that promotes respect and collaboration in our community.

Leadership: Meagan Pinto, Eesha Mashruwala & Nourseen Zuraiqi

The DIS School Council aspires to foster a sense of community by bringing students from Year 5 to 12 together, amplifies student voice and striving to achieve a warm and welcoming school environment.

We have partnered with Serve the City, a volunteering company that hears communities and support those in need. They have helped us bring Service opportunities to DIS.

The council has discussed many aspects of school life across primary and secondary, such as but not limited to cafeteria development, house competitions, CAS in DIS and so much more! We wish to connect with our future leaders to design our ideal DIS.

Student Leadership

The Secondary Heritage Heroes have had a very busy year promoting UAE culture to the school and their friends. They have planned National Day for the whole school and we were able to invite our parents back to school for the first time since Covid. They showed how caring they are by organizing a Ramadan collection from FS1 to IB2 to provide items and treats for support staff in the local community. They were leading the way in our Ramadan meal distribution for the construction workers in Al Badia, They participated in the AFEF National Day, performing on stage proudly. They played a key part in ensuring that all students and staff were cultural aware and of the UAE

The Primary Heritage Heroes have had a very busy year promoting U AE culture to their friends in class. They have made videos to teach Teachers how to engage in conversational Arabic. They showed how caring they are by organising a Ramadan collection from FS1 to IB2 to provide items and treats for support staff in the local community. They were involved in our Ramadan meal distribution for the construction workers in Al Badia, handing out meals to the workers while fasting themselves They participated in the AFEF National Day, performing on stage proudly. They played a key part in organizing National Day in school, singing the national anthem on Flag a fabulous help to teachers when plan-

Student Leadership

Here at the DIS Sustainability Council, we are committed to fostering a sustainable future by promoting eco -consciousness and encouraging students and teachers to take actionable steps towards mitigating their environmental impact.

Our mission is to raise awareness of environmental issues and facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices among our members and the wider community.

The Trashion Show was an innovative approach to combine fashion and sustainability

Students created unique and stylish pieces of clothing using recyclable materials. By walking the runway, the students not only showcased their creativity and skills, but they also demonstrated how recycling can be integrated into the fashion industry.

The initiative was further reinforced by the Sustainability Council's decision to use recycled materials for all the decorations, which highlighted the importance of reducing waste and promoting the concept of upcycling.

Leavers for 2023

Goodbye Year 13!

It is always a mix of emotions when we reach the time to say goodbye to our leaving year group. On the one hand, we are sad that we lose such an inspiring, resourceful and personality-filled group of students; but also, we are incredibly excited to see what the future holds for these remarkable young people. I have no doubt that among these students are the leaders of tomorrow, destined to take their place on the world stage, fulfilling the IB vision of being true global citizens, always searching for how to make the world we line in a better place for everyone. We are incredibly proud of every single one of you. You leave DIS as thoughtful, mature and caring individuals and we can't wait to hear about your next adventures and achievements. Keep in touch a part of you will always be DIS!

Helen Wallis - Assistant Head Teacher of IB

Mark West

BSME Games

BSME Games

What a fantastic event the U13 BSME Games was. Not only was this the first time DIS has hosted the games but it was the very first time we had even entered it. 20 schools from the Middle East travelled to DIS to battle it out to become the U13 BSME Games champions! Students competed in Football, Athletics, Volleyball (boys) and Netball (girls) over a weekend and scored points for their respective schools in each event.

The games were played in a spirit of friendly competition, with all teams displaying a strong sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Throughout the weekend, athletes from different teams cheered each other on and congratulated each other on the strated the true values of sportsmanship, and showed that winning was not the only important thing also about enjoying the experience and forging new friendships.

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BSME Games BSME Games

Parental En

Throughout the year we had countless parent events. At the beginning of the school year we had ‘ Meet the tutor events’. Later we had parent share events. Parents had the chance to see the students in their study environments. There had been many coffee mornings in which parents were able to know each other better. In some occasions, like the Winter and the Circus Shows, students performed and parents watched them with great enthusiasm. Parents were also part of many events like the National Day, Festive Market and the International Day. We had many charity initiatives throughout the year like the Donations for Turkey and Syria, Charity Iftar and the Construction Workers ’ Iftar Parents were always very generous and helpful.

During the pandemic parents ’ access to the school was limited. For the very same reason the Parent Council, Parent Association (DISPA) and the Emirati Parent Council were not active for the past few years. The SLT met with the Parent Council members every term. They listed to their voices and took measurements accordingly. DISPA helped with many events throughout the year. They distributed fruit boxes to FS students on the Sports Day to encourage healthy nutrition They gave away great prizes on the Community Iftar. Chinese parents decorated the school on the Chinese New Year. The uniform focus group did a great job by sharing their opinions for

Parental Engagement

Yearbook Cover designs

Bahir Eid 6A

Hannah Joseph 3C

Umar Ahmed 6C

Zainab Abbas Zaidi 2A

Yearbook Cover designs

Ibrahim 6A

Maya Motiurrahman 5B

Sukaina Abbas Zaidi 4B

Myra Upasani 2F

Yearbook Cover designs

Kareem Ali 9F

Layana, Zoe, Julian Sitz

Kareem Ali 9F

Kareem Ali 9F

Arad Mehran 5B

Yearbook Cover designs

Myra Kathuria 3A

Mysha Kathuria 3C

Weddad Sleem 6A

Jad Ahmad 3A

Adam Nour 6A

Drawing by: Hannah Joseph 3C