The end of the final term of the year has crept up on us as normal; it feels like only yesterday that we were starting term 3. In no time at all, the amazing Year 13 cohort have left us, examinations are upon us, and it is almost time to pause, relax, and enjoy the summer!
As you will see as you read this Newsletter, so much takes place at BSAK - and what is held within these pages really is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of BSAK opportunities and successes - from academic excellence to sporting triumphs, artistic showcases, and community engagement. As ever, I am immensely proud of our students' growth, resilience, and commitment to excellence.
As we look forward to a well-deserved summer break, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you as parents, for your unwavering support and partnership. I would also like to take the opportunity to say good luck to any students who are moving away to pastures new, and also to celebrate the contributions of the BSAK staff members who are moving on this year.
Fond Farewell
In particular, Heads of Year for Year 9 and 8: Ms. Hand and Mr. Edgar.
Ms. Hand has been a wonderful Head of Year for the current Year 9s since her arrival into the Secondary School. Her care and passion for all of her students is clear to see; she works tirelessly for them, and cares deeply about them all.
PHONE POUCHES
Mr Edgar is a BSAK (and Abu Dhabi) institution, having been at the school since well before any of his Year 8s were born. He has helped to shape the pastoral system at the school, and his lasting legacy that brings joy to all new year 7 students is the ‘no homework for the first half term’ rule! Thank you to both of these wonderful pastoral leaders.
Next year will be the year that Phone Pouches become the norm - taking them away from pockets so that the distraction of FOMO is taken away will provide another small incremental improvement to what we do.
So please both rest up and enjoy adventures over the summer - as we eagerly anticipate another amazing BSAK year starting in August. Finally, please remember the start of next year! The new Year 7s will be starting on Monday 25 August at 7.30am. All other year groups will be starting back on Tuesday 26 August at 7.30am.
Miss Emma Hand
HEAD OF YEAR 9
VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE! TAKE ACTION
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO PERMISSIONS
As you will discover, this newsletter is full of wonderful images of your children - our BSAK Students. Our school, and its media communications regularly capture these moments through photos and videos - and we want this to continue. To facilitate this, we do need to ensure all parents are informed about an important update regarding photography and videography permissions for school activities.
We love to celebrate student achievements and highlight the vibrant life within our school community, and capture moments from various activities: including classroom projects, assemblies, sports events, and school-wide initiatives. These images and videos help us demonstrate the dedication and accomplishments of our students, creating lasting memories and strengthening our community engagement.
Due to recent changes in UAE photo and video regulations, we are now required to obtain detailed consent before including students in any school-related marketing materials. These may include our social media channels, website, newsletters, posters, and other BSAK promotional content. Additionally, selected images may be used in photo albums or displayed within the school to recognise and celebrate student participation. Without full consent, we will be unable to feature your child in these materials.
In July, the school will issue an updated consent form that must be completed by all parents or guardians.
We kindly ask that you review the consent form carefully and ensure its completion before the next academic term. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued support.
If you were not able to attend Dr Yara’s workshop you can find the slides here. Dr Radwan also kindly supplied a host of resources that are specifically geared towards parents. You can find all of these here. Together our parent body has an incredible wealth of knowledge and expertise and I would love to put on more parent workshops like this in the next academic year.
HEALTHY EATING
If you were not able to attend Kate’s talk on picky eaters and eating disorders you can find the slides here.
This term our nurses also delivered an assembly to students in Year 7-13.
Based on these results, topics were discussed such as the importance of having breakfast, eating throughout the school day and how sleep, diet and physical exercise are closely linked to physical and mental health. Taking on board student feedback the nurses arranged for Food Nation to be open early enough for the students to pay for food for breakfast, they also instigated a trial where students were allowed to eat for the first part of form time. To launch this they arranged a breakfast giveaway with Kibsons and Food Nation.
Unfortunately the uptake at Food Nation in the morning was too limited for this to maintain, but the trial of eating in registration was successful and will continue into the next academic year. (TBC basedonfoodnationfeedbackandgoogleformfeedback).
making assembly.
All students in Year 7-10 had a fantastic time making their own granola pots thanks to Mrs Gannon and our wonderful Food and Nutrition team. It was wonderful seeing the children creating something healthy and enjoying a chat together in the morning. They were also amazing at cleaning up!
WELLDONEANITA,Y7
LUNCHBOX CHALLENGE
Focusing on nutrition is not something new at BSAK, it is integral to our MELS program across all year groups. This year our Year 9’s took on the Challenge of creating balanced recipes, cooking for their families and presenting their work to their form groups. Miss Hand has kindly supplied me with 9CH’s recipe book.
Thank you and well done to all those budding Year 9 chefs that got involved!
Creating healthy habits, whether focused on the food we eat, the exercise we take or the mindfulness activities we practice is incredibly important.
I wish all our BSAK families a fun, relaxing and health inspired summer.
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SECONDARY INCLUSION
This academic year has been an incredible one for the Inclusion Team, we are amazed at how well our students have responded to the support which we are providing. We are always aiming high the students show real determination to match this, you should feel very proud of yourselves.
If you have any Inclusion based questions please contact Mrs Marshall on fmarshall@britishschool.sch.ae
Mrs Fran Marshall HEAD OF SECONDARY INCLUSION
Exam time is always a really busy one for Inclusion staff and students.
Access Arrangements
The support which the Inclusion Team provide during this time is called Access Arrangements, these are what we think is helpful for you during assessments and is based on needs.
We now have students working really well with one of our recent additions, an electronic reader programme called TextHelp (Read and Write for Google).
This is a great tool which anyone can use in lessons and at home (but only in exams if it’s one of your Access Arrangements!).
TextHelp has some really useful features such as read aloud, translate and a screen filter. Well done to those students who have been using this independently.
One of the really successful additions to Inclusion Support this year was the Inclusion GCSE Option Block.
At BSAK this is a new and unique way of providing support to students undertaking GCSE courses. This is the first year that this has ever been offered and the response from students has been amazing!
We have really seen the benefits of providing additional support and reducing cognitive load, all of the students taking this option have worked incredibly hard and we can’t wait to see what they achieve in Year 11.
Next year we have a whole new group of students starting this option as they begin their GCSE courses, we know they will make us just as proud.
YEAR 6 TRANSITION
The year group have been doing a fantastic job supporting the Year 6’s in the lead up to the transition process and sharing their own experiences of starting secondary school.
They have stepped up with maturity and enthusiasm.
One of the highlights was the Question and Answer session, where they responded to questions from Year 6 pupils about life at secondary school. Whether it was about finding their way around, managing homework, or making new friends, their honest and helpful answers went a long way in calming nerves and building excitement.
Year 7s also got creative by contributing to our ‘Day in the Life of a Year 7’ videos. These short films gave Year 6 students a glimpse into daily Secondary school life — from lessons and break times to clubs and routines — all told from the perspective of someone who was in their shoes just a year ago.
Their support didn’t stop there. In the MELS sessions, Year 7s worked alongside staff to guide Year 6 pupils through fun, interactive activities that help them understand the structure of the Secondary school day in more depth.
The mobile phone awareness video, starring some of our talented Year 7 students, highlighted the new rules regarding phones in the Secondary school in a fun and informative way.
We’re incredibly proud of the way our Year 7 students have embraced these leadership opportunities. Their involvement has not only helped the new Year 6s feel more prepared and confident but also shown just how far they themselves have come since starting with us last year. Well done to all involved — you're brilliant role models!
Year 7’s were front and centre in last months
Particularly the fabulous Unplugged concert and BSAK Bulls.
In the BSAK Bulls competition, entrepreneurial skills were full steam ahead for the whole of the Secondary school community to enjoy! Delicious cookies, pretzels, drinks and popcorn were just some of the creative, homemade options for sale. It was a brilliant lunchtime.
A huge well done to all of the Year 7s who were
A particular congratulations
Amelie, the winners of the whole competition who won a hefty
The Unplugged concert really was a treat for the senses. The Secondary choir was full of Year 7s, who set the tone for the evening with their beautiful rendition of ‘Hold Back the River’ and with two Year 7 rock also on the bill, it was a wonderful showcase of the talent of this fabulously creative year group.
In June, our students enjoyed an unforgettable celebration trip to Ferrari World Theme Park
A thrilling day packed with excitement, adventure, and plenty of smiles! Our students showed great enthusiasm as they experienced the adrenaline rush of Ferrari-inspired attractions.
Celebration
End of Year Trip
The trip was a fantastic way to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our school community this year. Everyone returned buzzing with stories of their favourite rides and moments — a true highlight to complete the school year!
A well deserved break is now definitely in order
but before you switch off, I just wanted to say what a pleasure it has been getting to know your children. The transition from Primary to Secondary can be a challenge but the Year group have handled it beautifully. They have learnt to develop their independence, resilience and had many opportunities to bond as a year group and look after one another. I hope that Year 8 brings them many more exciting learning opportunities and we can continue to help them develop into brilliant young men and women. I am really looking forward to being their Head of Year in the years ahead and I would like to thank you all for your support from home throughout this year.
As we come to the end of a fantastic year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the achievements and growth of our Year
It has been an incredibly rewarding year filled with hard work, resilience, and a sense of community. From the academic successes to the personal milestones, our Year 8 cohort has shown immense dedication and a
I have no doubt that they will continue to shine and make us all proud. Thank you to all the parents, tutors, staff, and students for making this year
Our students enjoyed a fantastic trip to the Dubai Theatre, The performance sparked creativity and left lasting memories. A big thank you to the Drama dept and staff involved for making the day so
MELS TEAMWORK IN ACTION
This term in MELS and registration, the focus has been on team-building. It’s been fantastic to see students take on a variety of challenges, working with different members of their form to strengthen their communication, leadership, and decision making skills.
This term, Year 9 students have been completing their end-of-year exams under formal exam conditions in the auditorium. This experience has been a valuable opportunity to help prepare them for the expectations of GCSE assessments as they begin their courses next year. I’ve been really proud of how maturely they’ve approached this change and the positive attitude they've shown throughout the exam period.
Year 9 Examinations
Well done to the Year 9 boys who took part in the BSAK Bulls project this term. They showcased fantastic entrepreneurial spirit by creating and selling their own fruit cocktails - one of which I had the pleasure of tasting, and I can confirm it was delicious!
BSAK Bulls: Young Entrepreneurs in Action
It was great to see such teamwork, creativity, and business skills on display.
Sporting Spirit: Beating the Heat
While the hot weather brought after-school sports clubs
This term, Year 9 took part in a fun and interactive nutrition assembly where they created their own granola pots.
SECONDARY AWARDS
The session was a hands-on opportunity to learn about the importance of a balanced breakfast and making nutritious choices to start the day right.
We also enjoyed our much-anticipated annual boys vs. girls netball match during lunchtime - an exciting game with the girls successfully defending their title!
NUTRITION ASSEMBLY
Building Better Breakfasts
Well done to all of our subject winners at the secondary awards this year A special shoutout to our Year 9 pastoral award winners:
Academic Achievement - Oscar | Endeavour and Resilience - Chloe BSAK Citizen - Sophia | Shining Spirit The Amira Al Breiki Legacy Award - Yomna
Our Distance Challenge encouraged students to track their daily steps and boost their physical activity. Many showed real dedication, with impressive step counts logged throughout the term.
Congratulations to everyone who took part and pushed themselves to stay active and consistent.
WORK EXPERIENCE
From June 9th-13th, students stepped out of the classroom and into the workplace for their week of work experience.
From golf courses to nurseries, they gained valuable insight into different careers.
Eating Focus
Well done to all on their efforts.
This term we’ve promoted healthy living across the Secondary School. A highlight was food by Kibsons and Food Nation and the #FuelYourDay enjoyed learning how to make nutritious granola pots - and tasting their own creations afterwards!
AWARD EVENINGS
Earlier this term, we celebrated student achievement at the annual Sports, Music and Secondary Awards. It was wonderful to recognise those who have shown dedication, teamwork, and excellence this year. Congratulations to all award winners, and thank you to everyone who participated in activities throughout the year.
We had some valuable downtime on the afternoon of their last day It was a chance to reflect on their secondary journey, share baby photos, and enjoy some pizza together. The strong sense of community was palpable as the iconic blue school shirts were passed around for signatures.
As we wrap up the year, I’m proud to reflect on a successful term for our Sixth Form.
Year 13s celebrated the end of their journey with final exams, a stunning graduation at Emirates Palace, and the much loved BSAK tradition of the Guard of Honour. They have secured some outstanding university offers and predicted grades, maintaining yet another year of academic excellence. Well done to the Class of 2025! Year 12s have stepped confidently into leadership roles, stayed focused, and are already planning for their futures with real drive and enthusiasm. We look forward to welcoming our new Year 12 cohort in August. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable summer.
YEAR 13 GRADUATION
The Year 13 students marked the end of their school journey at BSAK with a truly memorable graduation ceremony held at Emirates Palace. This landmark celebration was the first of its kind for the school and was generously sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed Al Nahyan. The event was made even more special by the presence of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who presented the Class of 2025 with their graduation certificates. We were also honoured to welcome Mr Edward Hobart, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, as our guest speaker. It was a fitting and unforgettable tribute to the achievements of our graduating class.
UNIVERSITY OFFERS
History, Politics & Economics
BiomedicalScience
Medicine
Management(Accounting&Finance)
Biomedical Engineering
Information Technology Management for Business
MarketingandManagement
Fashion Design Finance
GeographyandEconomics
FilmStudiesandEnglishLiterature
Law (LLB)
CancerBiomedicine
BiologicalSciences
InternationalRelations
Electrical&ElectronicEngineering
Politics and Economics
BiologicalSciences(zoology)
withComputerScienceandMathematics
IndustrialExperience ComputerScience
SportandExerciseSciences
Geography
ChemicalEngineering
Economics
AeronauticalEngineering
CombinedHonoursinSocialSciences
Creative and Cultural Industries
SpeechandLanguageTherapy
Criminology
CreativeandCulturalIndustries
As we come to the end of a busy and rewarding year, I want to congratulate our Year 12 students on completing the first year of their A Levels/BTEC with commitment and resilience.
This year has seen them rise to the challenge of advanced study, begin to shape their future aspirations, and secure some very exciting work experience placements! They should be proud of everything they have achieved so far. I encourage them to take time this summer to rest, recharge, and reflect on their goals for the year ahead. Wishing all of Year 12 a safe and enjoyable summer break!
SIXTH FORM
SENIOR PREFECTS
Senior prefects, especially in Year 13, are key role models and leaders within the school. They help set high standards, support staff and younger students, and contribute to a positive school culture through their example and involvement. This term our current year 12s applied for these roles.
Head Girl
Deputy Head Girl
Deputy Head Girl
Assistant Head Girl
Assistant Head Girl
Assistant Head Girl
Assistant Head Girl
Congratulations to our new senior prefects for 2025/26.
Mohamed K
Jiaming L
MESSAGE FROM HEAD BOY
Having been at BSAK since Year 6, I’m incredibly honoured to have been selected as Head Boy, an endeavour that I sought to achieve since the very beginning; a pursuit driven by my unwavering desire to leave a meaningful impact on the school that shaped me. I recognise that leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility, a role that requires vision, empathy, and the ability to energise collective progress. That’s why I’m dedicated to approaching this role with a philosophy and mindset rooted in conviction and integrity, fostering a culture of unity that carves an outlasting legacy of action. Over the coming year, I hope to represent student voices, contribute to a positive and inclusive school culture, and support efforts that strengthen our shared values of ambition, courage, and resilience.
Year 13 endures an amalgamation of emotions, from the anxiety surrounding university application
deadlines to the academic fortitude required in preparing for mocks and A levels, but most of all, the uneasy realisation that we’re approaching the final chapter of our school lives. Yet amidst these challenges lies a unique opportunity to grow in character and purpose. Such thought, made me realise that leadership is not about doing everything, but about doing the right things well. That being said, I plan to manage my responsibilities by staying organised, collaborating with my peers in the Sixth Form leadership team, and displaying a consistent commitment towards encouraging communication and initiative.
As Head Boy, I hope to inspire future cohorts to relentlessly pursue excellence and fully realise their potential as the changemakers they are destined to become. As John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” This is the legacy I strive to build - one that truly embodies the essence of what it means to me to become a leader.
With that in mind, I look forward to a meaningful and memorable year ahead, and I wish you all a lovely, well-earned summer break.
MESSAGE FROM HEAD GIRL
The role of Head Girl is a role of honour and responsibility; it is beyond wearing a badge or a title, but being a positive role model, giving a voice for my peers and setting the standard for BSAK’s principles. After being in this school for almost 8 years, I feel extremely privileged that I will be taking on this role for the next academic year because I genuinely have built such a strong connection with the school and admire the community and togetherness that we have at BSAK.
As I look ahead to the coming year, there are a copious amount of things to look forward to. First and foremost, I am excited to be working with our amazing selected Prefects team in establishing greater inclusivity, support and empowerment for the school. This year, we already began our weekly meetings, having meaningful discussions about how we can directly modify aspects of the
school for the better, for example, setting a system for tutoring for year groups sitting critical exams like GCSEs. During this process, I have already seen that there is a great opportunity for different year groups to build stronger connections with each other, and will prove to be beneficial for our students.
Another thing we cannot forget… school events! The current Prefect team has been so incredible in creating inclusive events for everyone to participate in, building a legacy for our team to carry on, with events such as the Silly Sports Day followed by a delicious Christmas dinner or even the BSAK Iftar where students connected and celebrated the holy month. Despite the pressure to maintain what they have built, our team is filled with creative minds and I cannot wait to innovate and develop new ideas for our peers to enjoy. Fair warning : sports events are coming your way, and with our year’s competitive streak, things will get heated - in the best way, of course. I mean, I’ve seen people treat the school’s tug of war like it was the Olympics! Just know that next year will be filled with a lot of fun and entertainment and I cannot wait to build everlasting memories with everyone.
I am also aware that with this role comes a great deal of pressure and responsibility, particularly with the fact that we are approaching a critical year where studies and applications are a major priority. I am not taking this role lightly, and so I believe with the correct balance and time management, our team and I will be able to work efficiently together to ensure that our students are getting the attention they deserve, and creating significant and long lasting change for the future generations of this school. ‘Don’t take your foot off the gas until you’re done’ as Mr. Sewill used to tell us in Year 9 form time… I will be using that for sure!
Thank you for this amazing opportunity and get ready for next year!
HEAD OF YEAR 13
GUARD OF HONOUR
As the academic year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate our incredible Year 13 students. Their journey through school has been marked by resilience, growth, and determination, and it was truly special to mark this milestone with our Guard of Honour Day. Staff lined the stairs in a moving tribute as our Year 13s took their final walk through the school, greeted by applause and heartfelt congratulations from fellow students and proud parents. It was a moment filled with emotion and pride, reflecting just how much this year group has meant to our community. We wish them all the very best for the exciting paths ahead and look forward to hearing about their future successes.
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." – Henry David Thoreau
