2022-23 | DBIS Secondary Parent & Student Handbook

Our Core Values

We respect the needs and rights of each member of our community.

● We show care, kindness and compassion to others.

● We are supportive of each other.

● We embrace diversity and celebrate individuality.

● We are responsible and honest in our actions.

● We value personal identity and a global mindset.

Our Mission

We provide an outstanding holistic international education to students in an inclusive and nurturing learning environment. We seek to inspire and empower students to succeed in fulfilling their individual potential as global citizens in a rapidly changing world.

Our Aims

● To promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning.

● To provide a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the international nature of the DBIS student community.

● To encourage internationalism, providing students with the skills, dispositions and knowledge to participate in an increasingly interconnected world.

● To ensure a supportive, happy and secure environment for learning.

● To develop leadership skills and a sense of service to others through a range of extracurricular opportunities locally and internationally.

● To encourage the physical and emotional wellbeing of each individual.

● To use innovative pedagogy and technology to enrich learning.

● To work in partnership with parents, alumni and the local and wider community in the ongoing development of the school.

● To foster a learning community where every student, teacher, staff member, parent and DBIS alumni has an ongoing passion for learning.

THE DBIS LEARNER PROFILE

The DBIS Learner Profile is a set of personallearnerattributesthatareatthe heart of our curriculum and the international education we provide for all our students. We actively support our students with their holistic development inordertopreparethemfortheirlivesas global citizens. We believe that through the development of these learner attributes and skills, DBIS students will recognise that their time at DBIS has resulted in them being exceptionally well equippedtolivesuccessfullyinthewider worldthatawaitsthem.

FOR DBIS STUDENTS

As DBIS students, you will be supported in actively developing these learner attributes in many ways. They are a guide for your holistic and personal development, and by identifying and acting in ways that develop these attributes, you will become more skilful, empathetic and well-rounded young people. Through considered reflection, you will be genuinely prepared for the wider world that awaits you.

FOR DBIS TEACHERS

The DBIS Learner Profile is a guide to support the holistic development of all learners across the three phases of the school. They are common goals that transcend individual curriculum areas and unite us in a shared belief of what all DBIS students can and should become. We embed meaningful learning opportunities throughout the curriculum in order to support this.

FOR DBIS PARENTS

The DBIS Learner Profile demonstrates to you our aspirations for your children. The creation of opportunities to develop these attributes are all around us, and we want to work with you, in partnership, to support your children in the development of these attributes that we truly value.

COMMITTED LEARNERS

Dedicated students who channel their curiosity and develop their intrinsic motivation to learn. As they take risks and learn from mistakes, they grow as resilient, lifelong learners who adapt to their learning environment, establishing mutual respect in pursuit of collective and individual excellence.

MINDFUL LEADERS

Empowered students who build trust to activate and lead others to take action and make a positive difference in the world. They lead with kindness, integrity, honesty and a strong sense of equality and respect for all, nurturing an inclusive and respectful approach to leadership at all levels.

BALANCED INDIVIDUALS

Reflective students who value their sense of self and are aware of their emotions and the impact they have on others. They understand the importance of physical, social and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing and know when to draw on the support of others.

PROBLEM SOLVERS

Adaptive students who think deeply and critically about their learning and apply logic and innovation to identify and solve authentic problems. They set goals, plan and prioritise their approach and keep solution focused as they explore and iterate to discover creative solutions and different strategies.

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATORS

Purposeful students who work together towards a shared goal and promote a collaborative learning culture which is inclusive and celebrates diversity in the perspectives of others. They are confident when working independently but recognise they can be stronger when collaborating together.

RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS

Internationally minded students who act proactively to make a positive difference in the lives of others and to the environment. They are courageous change agents who understand the importance of their role and are proud of the positive contribution and impact they have both locally and globally through service.

CREATIVE THINKERS

Inquisitive students who think creatively and imaginatively, asking great questions in order to enquire and make connections to further their understanding and satisfy their curiosity. They investigate their own lines of enquiry and demonstrate their learning in innovative and creative ways.

CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS

Articulate students who process, organise and coherently express their thoughts and opinions and actively listen and reflect on the views of others. They carefully consider purpose, audience and style when communicating, interpreting and expressing their ideas.

STAFF

The Secondary School at DBIS is managed by specific teams, each of which takes responsibility for an area of the phase’s operations. The list below provides some informationabouttherelationshipswithintheorganisationoftheSecondarySchool.The SecondarySchoolteamisresponsibletotheHeadofSchool,MrStuartBridge.

SECONDARY LEADERSHIP TEAM

Simon

HeadofPrimary soakley@dbis.edu.hk

DeputyHeadofSecondary(Academic)

Jason

Louise

Oakley

Broderick AssistantHeadofSecondary(Pastoral) jbroderick@dbis.edu.hk

Tyrrell HeadofSixthForm ltyrrell@dbis.edu.hk

HEADS OF YEAR

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12 & 13 (Sixth Form)

UNIVERSITY & CAREERS

KarinaJohnson

kjohnson@dbis.edu.hk

NeilO’Maonaigh-Lennon nomaonaighlennon@dbis.edu.hk

TraceySmal

tsmal@dbis.edu.hk

AmrithPrabhu aprabhu@dbis.edu.hk

NicholasMoore nmoore@dbis.edu.hk

LouiseTyrrell ltyrrell@dbis.edu.hk

University & Careers Guidance Counsellor

LEARNING ENHANCEMENT

Head of Learning Enhancement

EAL Coordinator

HEADS OF DEPARTMENT (WHOLE SCHOOL)

Performing Arts

Physical Education

Learning Technologies

Mandarin & Modern Foreign Languages

HEADS OF DEPARTMENT (SECONDARY)

English

Humanities

Science

Mathematics

RichardKoenig

SerenaClark

MinoliSamarakkody

ChristopherPreddy

JonFudge

NicolasNg

MyraMi

ColetteJones

TomBoddington

KaiGlenister

AdamReid

Design & Technology, Visual Arts, Computer Science

HannahSussams

TEACHING STAFF

Art & Design

Art & Design, Design & Technology

NatashaJohnstone

ChrisReinhardt

Business SandraHacker

Business, Economics

Design & Technology, Computer Science

TomBoddington

HannahSussams

Drama, English JackPiggott

English ColetteJones

English, Humanities

English

English, Humanities

VandanaSrivastava

LouiseTyrrell

AndrewBuddery

French, Spanish AnaisFenning

Geography, Humanities

History

History, Humanities, Travel & Tourism

Learning Enhancement, Business, Travel & Tourism

LaraScrimgeour

KarinaJohnson

RebeccaBoddington

TraceySmal

Mandarin Myra(Ting)Mi

Mandarin

Mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics

Media Studies, English

Music

Physical Education

Physical Education

Physical Education

FionaMak

AdamReid

AmrithPrabhu

DavidJohnstone

SarahLewis

JordanWarburton

ChristopherPreddy

SusanneClark

PeterRoberts

JamesLugg

TEACHING STAFF

Psychology, Science

NeilO’Maonaigh-Lennon

Science MyraPyne

Science KaiGlenister

Science JamesKane

Science NicholasMoore

Science

Science, Mathematics

LauraNubel

WendyThomson

Spanish RichardKoenig

SUPPORT STAFF

Support Staff

Receptionist (Secondary)

Receptionist (Sixth Form)

GaryLai&FionaYu

JoeyLee

EricaDeGuzman

ASSESSMENT & REPORTING

Theprimarypurposeofassessmentshould betopromotestudentlearning.Weaimfor high-quality teaching and learning, and at theheartofthisisreliable,valid,accessible and timely assessment, underpinned by our growth mindset belief that all pupils cansucceed.

Ourassessmentsfocusontheeducational outcomes that matter most, not just on those things that are easiest to test and quantify. The assessments provide information to improve the quality of the learning experienceandsupportimproved outcomes for students’ educational attainmentandachievement.

Feedback on assessments is recognised as critical to student development and is provided on all forms of assessment. Fundamentally, feedback should consider the students’ current attainment and progress and how further progress can be made. Each student in the Secondary school receives at least three reports per year, the content of which changes

according to the developmental needsin the respective year groups. The reports provide a snapshot of academic development as well as information pertainingtoattributestolearning.

PARENT–TEACHER–STUDENT CONFERENCES (PTSCs)

Therewillbeoneannualafternoon/evening PTSC per year group. At all other times, parents are welcome to book appointments with tutors regarding any matter.

PTSCs are aimed at giving parents an insight into their child’s attainment level and progress in all subjects. Areas for improvementarealsohighlightedtoensure parentsandstudentscomeawayfromthe conference with clear targets. Appointments run for five minutes, and students are positively encouraged to attend in order to engage in learning conversations and to reflect on progress andareasforimprovement.

ATTENDANCE

Our mission calls upon us to fulfill an individual’s potential. Regular attendance isaprerequisiteforsuccessinschool,and those who are not in class will miss important learning opportunities. Poor attendancecanleadtounderachievement, and absence can have a detrimental impact on student progress and overall academic development. It is vital that we worktogetherwithfamiliestoensure every child is in school and being challenged to meettheirpotential.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE – TERM TIME

We are aware that due to the nature of some of the work-leave restrictions our parents have, families may make the decision to take their children out during termtime.Althoughsomeholidaysmaybe considered educational, your child will still missoutontheteachingandlearningthat their classmates will receive during the holiday. Students returning from a term-time holiday are also unprepared for the lessons, which build on the teaching they have missed. The extra time it takes forateachertoassistastudentincatching upalsohasapotentialimpactonother

students in the class – this is something we all have a responsibility to avoid. If a familydecidestotaketheirchild(ren)outof school during term time, the online StudentAbsencefromSchoolDuringTerm Time application form should be submitted.

EARLY DISMISSAL

If a student wishes to be dismissed early from school, they must collect a blue slip from either the Secondary receptionist (where parents have notified the school of an arranged appointment) or the nurse (for instances when a student has had to visit thenurse’soffice).Studentsmustbringthe blue slip to the Main office to collect a leaving sticker, which records the student leaving the premises. This sticker must be showntothefrontguardondutybeforethe studentcanbeallowedtoleaveschool.

PARENTAL ABSENCE

Pleasenotifytheschoolifyouareplanning to take a trip out of town for more than a day.Theschoolofficewillrequiredetailsof appointed guardians and emergency telephonenumbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION

LOCKERS

Students in Years 7–11 are assigned a locker number at the beginning of the school year. Students are responsible for thesecurityoftheirlockerandarerequired topurchaseacodedpadlocktobeusedat alltimes.AllYear7–11studentsmustkeep their belongings in their locker throughout the school day. The ten-minute period between lessons can be used to retrieve necessaryitemsforlessons.

STUDENT DIARY

At the beginning of the school year, each studentreceivesaStudentDiary.Thediary is used to record all homework and upcoming activities and events. The StudentDiaryalsocontainsarealmofkey information pertaining to uniform, pastoral care, key dates and other important information. The Student Diary is used as one important form of regular communication between school and parents.

CAFETERIA

Our school cafeteria is open before and after school and at morning break and lunchtime.TheBoardwalkCafeteriaserves hot meals (including a vegetarian option) aswellassnacksanddrinks.Studentscan purchase a swipe card from the cafeteria manager any time, enabling a cashless option when purchasing meals. The cafeteriaalsoacceptsOctopuscards.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

It is very important for the school to have complete,up-to-date informationaboutall of our students and those whom we may need to contact in case of emergency. Please complete the online form

on the Parent Hub if you need to update yourdetails.

LOST & FOUND

Lostandfounditemsareeitherkeptatthe Secondary reception or in the Primary coveredplayground,andstudentscanask at the Secondary reception. We ask that all student clothing is clearly labelled with the student’s name. At specific times throughouttheyear,wewillputalllostand found items on display, and, if unclaimed, we will donate these items to one of our schoolcharities.

MEDICAL CARE

If a student becomes unwell while at school, they will need to take a medical cardgivenbytheirteacherandtakethisto the school nurse. The school nurse will evaluate the student’s medical condition. The school nurse will decide as to when students are required to be collected from school, as directed by the Hong Kong Department of Health. The time of handovertoaparentorcaregivermustbe noted and the classroom teacher made aware.

If a student has a minor complaint or accident, the school nurse will administer first aid and care in the school’s medical room. In the case of a more serious concern, the school will contact the parents and/or emergency services and will make medical decisions based on doctor’srecommendations.Parentswillbe systematically informed if the school contacts emergency services, but it may not always be possible to do this in advance of making an emergency call.

Please note the school nurse is not authorisedtoadministermild medications, suchasparacetamol,tostudents.

Prescribed medication can be administered on completion of the PrescribedMedicationsPermissionsForm

For more details, please refer to the MedicalRoompageontheParentHub.

VALUABLES

Students are asked not to bring valuables into school. Occasionally, students may wishtobringvaluableitemsintoschoolas part of a project or other piece of school-related work. Under these circumstances, any valuables should be giventotheschoolofficeforsafekeeping.

PERMISSION FORMS

From time to time, parents may be asked to sign an online permission form, which gives students advance permission to attendalllocalschooltrips.

UNIFORM

Secondary school uniform should be worn at all times and be in a clean and neat state. There are summer and winter uniform options available at the uniform shop, located at the main campus. The shop is open on Tuesday and Thursday from8:15am–11amduringtermtime.

Formal Uniform

DBIS navy blue trousers and DBIS blue-striped short-sleeved shirt (untucked) or DBIS navy blue shorts and DBIS blue-stripedshort-sleevedshirt(untucked).

DBISnavyblueskortswornwiththeDBIS blue-striped summerblouse(untucked).

Cooler Weather Option

SCHOOL CANCELLATION

Please familiarise yourself with the school’s Severe Weather Policy regarding the closure of school. The school website will display weather warnings and notification of school closure where applicable.

WITHDRAWAL OF STUDENTS

To withdraw a student, please complete the official Student Withdrawal Form not less than 60 days (excludes July and August) before the student leaves DBIS. If studentsarenotreturningtoDBISafterthe summer holidays, official notice must be given60daysbeforethelastdayofterm. Theschoolwillchargeschoolfeesinlieuif theabovenoticeperiodisnotadheredto.

Footwear

Unisex trousers or navy tights with skort and sleeveless or long-sleeved school fleece. ALL-blackfootwearthatmustbeneatand tidy. Multi-coloured trim and laces are not appropriate. Navy or black socks should beworn.

Caps

Caps are required for use in PE lessons, hotweatherandduringoff-campusschool events.

Jewellery & Make-up

Thefollowingjewelleryitemsmaybeworn: awatch,onepairofplainstudsorsleepers (gold or silver) in the lower lobe. Make-up, acrylic and gel nails are not to be worn; clearnailpolishisacceptable.

Hair

Hairshouldappearnaturallycoloured.

Mufti Day

Make-up and jewellery regulations remain the same as for any school day. Clothes must be clean, neat, modest, in good repair and appropriate to the day’s activities. Very short skirts and shorts, midriff/tank tops and torn jeans are not permitted.

Field Trips

Sports uniform to be worn (unless otherwiseadvised).

Hot/Wet Weather

PE kit should be brought to school on extremely hot or rainy days to ensure studentshaveachangeofclothes.

Lunchtimes

Students involved in physical activities at lunch should change into a school sports shirt.

PE Uniform & Footwear

DBIS Navy blue PE shorts with DBIS PE shirt. Trainers with sports socks. School uniform is to be worn to school unless a studenthasPEduringthefirsttwoperiods of the day or has sports practice before school. Students will change back into their school uniform following their PE lessons or sports practice. This includes shoes.

PE Uniform Protocols

The following procedures should be adhered to in regard to wearing PE kit at school:

DBIS PE kit must be worn to school if a student has a sporting extracurricular activity(ECA).

If a student has PE first or second lesson of the day, they are permitted to arrive in

school in their PE kit. They must then get changed immediately following their PE lesson.

For all other times, students must get changed immediately prior to and after their PE lesson, except lesson 5, where theymaygohomeintheir kit.

Students with an ECA or sports trip after schoolaretogetchangedattheendofthe school day, unless they are told otherwise byamember ofstaff.

During the block of swimming lessons, students must always bring their normal PE kit and trainers as well as their swimmingkit.

In certain circumstances, there may be exceptions to the above points. Parents andstudentswillbeinformedinadvanceif thisisthesituation.

COMMUNICATION

Clear communication between home and school is essential. Our communication system utilises the functionality of the

THE PARENT HUB

All communication to parents regarding upcoming events and information can be found on the Parent Hub. Any calendared event will be notified in the parent bulletin approximatelytwoweeksinadvance.

ISAMS PARENT PORTAL & APP

Parents can access all student-specific information via the iSAMS Parent Portal and app. This platform is used to communicate confidential information about your child, such as school reports and attendance data. The app can be downloaded free from the App Store and Google Play Store. The school code is DBIS, and you will need your personal iSAMSusernameandpasswordtologon.

STUDENT DIARY

Students are required to write all home learningtasksindetailintheirplanner.The planner is to be signed by a parent/ guardianonceaweek.Thisisthenviewed by the tutor, ensuring a strong communication network whereby each student is accountable in ensuring home learning activities are noted and completed.

SCHOOLSBUDDY ACTIVITIES & TRIPS PLATFORM

All information about your child’s extracurricular activities (ECAs), fixtures, camps and trips can be found via SchoolsBuddy. A personal username and passwordtologintoSchoolsBuddywillbe shared with you so you can see all of the activitiesyourchildisinvolvedwith.

following platforms to communicate with ourparentcommunity:

SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Each Friday, the school’s newsletter is emailed to parents. The newsletter provides a snapshot of the week’s events acrossallphasesoftheschool.

DBIS WEBSITE

The school’s website, linked HERE, is a window into the school, giving parents accesstoinformationonallaspectsofthe school’s operations as well as teaching andlearningapproaches.Thewebsitealso provides parents with a link to the Parent Hub

GOOGLE GUARDIAN

The Google Guardian add-on to Google Classroomallowstheschooltoaddtoour communications system and provide all parents with more insight into their child’s online learningexperiences.

CONTINUATION OF LEARNING

Intheeventofaschoolclosure,theschool will continue to operate with all lessons moving into online mode. Students will follow their usual timetable, which will be shared via their Google Calendar. Live synchronous lessons will be delivered via Google Meet according to the students’ timetables. The students will also be sharedalllearningresourcesandmaterials through their existing Google Classrooms for each subject taught. Pre-recorded learning videos and other resources may also be uploaded to your child’s Google Classroom to allow both synchronous (live/real-time) and asynchronous (accessedlater) accessibility.

STUDENT SAFETY

Student safety is paramount to us here at DBIS, and even within our extremely safe Discovery Bay community, we need to

FIRE DRILLS

Fire drill procedures are carried out each term and involve all staff and students. In the event of a fire, all Secondary staff and studentsareevacuatedtothepitch,where classregistersaretaken.Clearprocedures are in place, and staff will direct students appropriately in the case of any situation. Parents are informed by email and SMS that all students are safe following fire drills.

LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES

Lockdown procedures are usually carried out once or twice a year and involve all staff and students. In the unlikely event thattheschoolcampusneedstobelocked down, all blinds and windows are closed, andall staff andstudentsstaysilentlyand safely in a locked area until the all-clear is given over the school tannoy system. Again, parents are informed by email and SMS that all students are safe following anydrill.

ensure that students are ready to act calmlyandappropriatelyintheeventofan emergency.

GUEST VISITS

All ex-students and family members of students attending DBIS must sign in to the Main reception and are required to wear a visitor’s pass at all times whilst on campus. Visitors are not permitted to attend classes with students. This is to ensure learning is not disrupted as well as forinsuranceliabilityreasons.

CHILD PROTECTION

The health, safety, physical and emotional wellbeingofeverychildandyoungperson enrolled at DBIS are of paramount importance. At DBIS, we believe that children and young people, as individuals, have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, free from emotional or physical danger, abuse and neglect. All children and young people at our school are entitled to learn in a safe environment where they receive the support of caring adults and are able to develop a positive imageofthemselvesandasecuresenseof identity. Child protection always comes firstatDBIS;itisourcoreconcern.

CURRICULUM

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The Secondary School offers a broad and balanced curriculum covering the first three years of your child’s Secondary education,which appliestostudentsaged between 11 and 14 years old (Years 7–9). Following this period, students then move into their IGCSE and BTEC Level 2 examination programmes, which cover studentsaged14to16(Years10and11). The final phase for our students is when they move into Sixth Form to do their A Level and BTEC Level 3 qualifications, which cover the final two years of schooling(Years12and13).

Students are taught in mixed-ability classes, with the exception of Mathematics, whereby students are set accordingtotheircurrent attainmentlevels and aptitude for the subject. Work takes placebothindividuallyandinsmallgroups.

Mandarin is a compulsory subject, alongside either Spanish or French, throughout Years 7–9, after which one languageisstudiedat IGCSElevel,having being chosen during the options process. In addition to our general subjects, our Year 7–9 students also take our bespoke inquiry-based learning class, Discovery. Thistimegivesstudentsachancetothink andlearnbeyondthecurriculum,exploring newconceptswiththeirteacher.

In Years 10 and 11, we offer a number of different pathways that include BTEC and IGCSE. At IGCSE level, students study a breadth of subjects in the Creative Arts, Technology and Humanities fields, as well as a chosen language and the three core subjects: Mathematics, English and Science.Typically,studentswillstudyeight or nine IGCSE subjects. As an alternative route, and to support more vocational choices,wealsoofferBTECoptions.

In Years 12 and 13, students can choose from a combination of BTEC and AS/A Levelcoursesofstudy,studyingtwo,three orfoursubjectsinYear12.Weencourage students to then take up to three subjects in Year 13, although, in exceptional circumstances, we allow a fourth subject to be taken. Students are able to choose from a wide variety of different subjects andaresupportedintheirdecision-making to ensure pathways are held open for highereducationoptions.

LEARNING FOR LIFE

We believe that promoting the health and wellbeingofourpupilsisanimportantpart of their overall education. One approach weuseatDBISisthroughourLearningfor LifeProgramme(L4L).

TheL4Lcurriculumassistsourstudentsto make safe and informed decisions during their school years and beyond. Skills such as communication, listening, refusal, decision-making and negotiation; critical thinking; building self-awareness; developing empathy; accessing reliable informationorservices;challengingstigma and discrimination; and advocating for rightsareexplored.

TheL4Lobjectivespermeatethroughoutall subjects and form an integral component of the pastoral programme through Tutor Time and assemblies. L4L also offers Relationships and Sexual Education (RSE) lessons, and the content covered during theselessonswillinclude age-appropriate topics such as: the human body and puberty; pregnancy; contraceptives; prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; prevention of sexual abuse; body image; sexting and social media;pornographyandconsent.

CHALLENGE

DBIS follows Professor Françoys Gagné’s definitionofChallenge:asthe possession of natural abilities or aptitudes at levels significantly beyond what might be expected for one’s age, in any domain of human ability. Provision for Challenge students is a school-wide responsibility. All staff are responsible for differentiating the curriculum for Challenge students and will monitor their progress. Teachers will review and monitor the progress made by students in their subject area and the efficacyofresourcesandothercurriculum material.

LEARNING ENHANCEMENT

As an inclusive school, we embrace diversity,differenceandthe uniquenessof every learner and aim to provide all students with equal access to the curriculumandeveryaspectofschoollife. We aim to provide an outstanding holistic international education to students in a nurturinglearningenvironment.

The main focus of the Learning Enhancementdepartmentistoensurethat allstudentsbecomeindependentlearners. Students receive personalised support through a differentiated approach, either on a one-to-one basis or via small-group supportfromstaffinskillssuchasEnglish, Mathematics, study and organisation. Studentsaresupportedtoachievetheirfull potential through pathways that foster independence and resilience, instilling in every individual the confidence to succeed.

The Learning Enhancement Department is also responsible for identifying and assessing students with educational needs.Progressisrecordedusingarange of data to inform planning drawn from

curriculumassessmentmethods,teachers’ own formative assessments and external tests.

The following strategies are employed to ensurethattheschoolmeetstheneedsof thesestudents:

● Smallwithdrawalgroupsforstudents

● In-classsupport

● Social thinking sessions for students with marked difficulties with social communication

● Liaison between the Learning Enhancement Department and mainstream teaching staff (on academicandpastoralissues)

● Special examination arrangements (such as extra time, a reader and scribe or the use of a laptop) for somestudents

● Meetings with parents to discuss intervention strategies, Student Support Plans (SSPs) and/or Individual Educational Programmes (IEP’s),wherenecessary

HOME LEARNING

Home learning is any extended learning that is set by subject teachers which is undertaken outside of lessons and for which the student has primary responsibility. We view home learning as an integral part of the learning process. Werecommendthatallstudentsgetintoa routine of daily study and independent workinaquietstudyareaathome.Home learning tasks are intended to: provide an opportunity for applying learned skills to authentic learning tasks; reinforce and extend learning opportunities; provide opportunities for creativity and problem-solving; support and encourage preparationforassessmenttasks;assistin the development and application of time-management and organisational

skills; and promote an independent and responsibleapproachtolearning.Formore information on our homework guidelines and philosophy, please read the ‘Secondary Home Learning’ document on theParentPortal.

WEEK WITHOUT WALLS

Our Week Without Walls philosophy centres on providing students with unique opportunities that foster the development of leadership and interpersonal skills. We seek to challenge students in an outdoor setting away from the classroom. Many of the activities will also include a service element that is aimed at developing empathy or understanding of different perspectives.

Theprovisionalplanfor2022–23isthatall Year 7–11 students will take part in Week Without Walls during Term 2 of the

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

ECAactivitiesareakeypartoffulfillingour aimtoprovidea holisticeducationtoour students. Students are expected to contributetowiderschoollifebytakingat least one ECA per term. There is a wide range of sports and physical activities on offer throughout the academic year. In addition to these, there are a variety of non-sporting activities, in particular from areas such as the performing arts, charitable causes, the Student Council andsubject-basedclubs.Studentssignup to sports clubs at the beginning of each term via Schoolsbuddy. Commitment is a key trait of all DBIS students, and we ask thatonceastudentcommitstoanactivity, they attend for the duration of the term/season.

FOBISIA

The Federation of British International

for membership and upholds these same standards for all members through a review cycle that requires an ongoing commitment to excellence and inspection or accreditation by recognised external agencies.

The overall aim of the federation is to promote excellence in education in our schools and to provide opportunities for inter-school competitions and enrichment programmes.

As a member of FOBISIA for over four years,weofferourstudentsseveralunique opportunities to travel and represent our school in a variety of ways. Our highest-performing boys and girls in the PrimaryandSecondarySchoolsareinvited to travel to the international sporting

COSTS FOR OVERSEAS TRIPS

Payment for overseas trips, including all FOBISIA competitions and Week Without Walls, require a deposit in advance to secureflights,followedbythefullpayment priortodeparture.

EDUCATIONAL/FIELD TRIPS

Several subject teachers organise local field trips for various year groups throughout the year. Typically, information will be shared through the Parent Hub, outlining the details of the trip. Students will need parental consent. During the schoolday,ateachermaytaketheirclass off campus for learning activities, and these are considered to be regular class time.

DIGITAL DEVICES IN SECONDARY

The school has a 1:1 technology programme throughout the Secondary School.StudentsinYears7–9shouldbring theirownChromebookorlaptop(withpaid antivirusalreadyinstalledandtheschool’s wellbeingmonitoringsoftwareuploadedby the ITTeam).

StudentsintheIGCSEyears(Years10and 11) are strongly encouraged to bring their ownlaptopsintoschoolgiventhesoftware needs of many of the courses at IGCSE level. Students with legacy school-owned Chromebooks can, however, choose to usetheircurrentChromebookinsteaduntil it reaches the end of its natural life or the endofYear11.

StudentsinYears12and13arerequiredto bring their own device, and it is recommended that this is a laptop, notebook or Macbook rather than a Chromebookasmanyofthecoursesinthe senior years have greater software needs.

Students are required to sign the school’s BYOD(BringYourOwnDevice)Agreement. Students should read and adhere to the school’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for the use of technology at DBIS. All agreements and the AUP are available on the Parent Hub. Please note, it is the responsibility of our students to use their mobile devices in an acceptable way at school. At home, however, the responsibility fallsuponparents,andyour guidance is key. Setting family rules pertaining to the use of mobile devices is encouragedtoavoidmisuse.

The link to the DBIS Secondary School GuidetoLearningTechnologiesdocument canbefoundHERE.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM & G SUITE

GoogleClassroomisaneasy-to-useonline tool. The Google Classroom serves as a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that allows teachers to set work and send information to students in their classes. Sometimes this will be simple class messages (such as ‘Don’t forget to come to the revision session tomorrow lunchtime’),butmoreoftenitisusedasan area for students to access learning materials, share and upload work and collaborate with their teachers and fellow classmates, both in school and at home.

GSuitecomprisesallotheritemssupplied by Google, such as Gmail (email), Google Drive(cloudstorage)andGoogleCalendar. All studentshaveaDBISGSuiteaccount set up when they join the school. These different systems allow the students to contact their teachers, receive messages, organise their work and generally operate as well-equipped and efficient students. For additional information and guidance, please see the DBIS Secondary School GuidetoLearningTechnologies.

APPS & ONLINE STORAGE

All school devices have a number of educational apps that have been pre-loaded to the device. Any apps purchased by the student need to be checked with the relevant subject teacher and should be purchased using the student’s personal App Store account. Whenat school,astudent’sdeviceshould always be logged in to their school account. Games and social networking apps are strictly forbidden. Online storage ofstudentworkshouldbeonthestudent’s schoolGoogleDrive.

PASTORAL & COMMUNITY

TUTORS

Inmostcases,yourchild’stutoristhefirst point of contact for enquiries about academic progress and any pastoral issues. The tutor will know your child the best and will have detailed knowledge of theirdailyroutine.Astudent’stutorspends 20 minutes each day with the whole tutor group and will see each child for a 1:1 tutoring session on a rotating basis. This, coupled with access to each student’s academic overview, ensures a personalised approach leading to strong relationships between all tutors and their students.

1:1 TUTORING

1:1tutoringisameetingbetweenstudents and their tutor which takes place on a rotation cycle (approximately once every three weeks) throughout the school year. Tutor teachers are responsible for scheduling time slots with students in advance. These meetings take place between 8amand8.20ameachdayofthe week.

The fundamental rationale behind our 1:1 tutoring programme is to ensure every individual in our Secondary School is well known and that they have an adult they can trust and receive support from in all areas of their school journey.

Students are expected to attend the meetings and will have the chance to discuss their academic subject targets, which they will list in their student diaries withtheguidanceoftheirsubjectteachers and tutors during the first stage of the academicyear.Additionally,HeadsofYear willsharewiththeirtutorteamstheLearner

Profile attribute in focus as well as the current Learning For Life topic to further enhance and provide a well-rounded discussion.

SECONDARY LEADERSHIP TEAM

Heads of Department (HOD)

The Heads of Department are the leaders of learning-specific subject areas. HODs lead planning, initiatives and assessment practices in their respective areas, leading a group of subject teachers. For a full list of Secondary HODs, please consult the StaffDirectorysectionofthehandbook.

Heads of Year (HOY)

The Heads of Year lead and are responsibleforoverseeingand supporting the work of a team of tutors to ensure the wellbeing and academic progress of our Secondary students. They will regularly communicate with parents and share relevantstudentwellbeinginformationwith staff. A student’s HOY will often manage more time-consuming or challenging studentwellbeingissues.

STUDENT TARGET SETTING

All Secondary students set their own academictargetsforeachoftheirclasses. The students in Year 7 to 9 set academic targetsandalsopastoraltargetstosupport their wider social and emotional development.TheYear10–13studentsset Aspirational Targets, which are directly relatedtothefinalacademicgradetheyare aiming to achieve in each of their subject areas. They do this through meeting with their specialist teachers as well as their tutor to analyse statistical data on their past academic performance to support themwithsettingtheirAspirationalTargets. For all of the targets that Secondary students set, there will be a minimum of twoopportunitiesforthestudentstoreflect ontheirtargetsanddemonstratehowthey have shown progress. They will then receivefeedbackfromtheirteacherand/or tutor, which will support them to create follow-upactions.

THE HOUSE SYSTEM

Studentsaredesignatedtoahouseforthe whole of their time in the Secondary School;siblingsareusuallyassignedtothe same house. Our four houses are Lightning, Storm, Thunder and Typhoon. Students will generally stay in the same house (and tutor group) throughout their Secondary School experience, meaning they develop close connections with membersoftheirgroup.Eachhousehasa House Captain, who is elected by their peers and is responsible for coordinating House competitions and aiding the Heads ofYearwithhouse-relatedmatters.

STUDENT COUNCIL

As a school, we deeply appreciate and value student voice and participation. To facilitate this process, the school operates a Student Council that meets regularly to discusskeymattersrelatingtoaspects of school life. The Student Council members are elected at the start of each academic year,andmembersservefortheentiretyof the school year. The School Council represents students from each year group to allow for all community members to haveavoice.

ACADEMIC INTERVENTION

Wearefocusedonsupportingstudentsto allowthemtoachievetheirpotentialandto ensurenoindividuals‘fallthroughthegap’ academically.Weaimtoidentifybarriersto learning at an early stage in order to support students in overcoming any obstacles preventing them from making progress.Thisisasteppedprocessbased aroundstudentperformance,linkedclosely to the report cycle, with a clear timeframe ofactions.

COUNSELLING

The school provides counselling services to assist with low to moderate social and emotional barriers to learning. Parents will becontacted forconsentandinformedof the process. Any counselling sessions initiated by the school will have agreed-upon and clearly understood boundaries of confidentiality. Any information divulged through the counselling will remain confidential unless a student’s health is at risk or there are child protection issues at hand. The appropriate member of staff will then discuss with parents the external options availableif necessary.

DBIS CHARACTER & CULTURE

TheCharacterandCulturepolicycontains a reflective approach to behaviour choices, illustrating steps to success as well as a restorative process enabling there to be an agreed understanding between student and staff member.

Through our character and culture approach, positive choices are promoted at DBIS so that every student feels supported, happy and secure. We recognise that our students are developing. This can mean that students occasionally make mistakes. We aim to put restorative actions in place that guide andsupportourstudentstowardsmaking betterdecisionsinthefutureandalsohelp them to develop a sense of personal responsibility.

FOR DBIS STUDENTS

As DBIS students, you are expected to continually reflect and develop your character throughout the years, always holding yourself accountable to your choices. This will allow you to become self-aware, self-managing, socially aware and able to develop strong, effective relationships as a key cornerstone of your approach to life.

FOR DBIS STAFF

DBIS staff members are here to guide and support the holistic development of all learners across all three phases of the school.

If we witness choices that contravene our school’s character and culture, we address the situation, take responsibility and see it through. We ask for support but lead the discussions and are part of the reparation.

The role of a staff member is to embed and support expected character and culture, using common language and role modelling the values expected of us and our students.

FOR DBIS PARENTS

DBIS endeavours to build a supportive dialogue between home and the school, and we inform parents immediately if we have concerns about their child's displayed character and/or choice(s).

If our school has to use reasonable responses, we ask parents to support the actions of the school. If parents have any concerns about the way their child has been treated, they would initially contact the class/form teacher.

CATEGORY ONE CONCERN

Description of your child’s conduct

The student has demonstrated a low level of misconduct and received a number of remindersabout expectedconduct.

Examples of misconduct (this list is not exhaustive)

● Distractingothersfromtheirlearning

● Notfollowinginstructions

● Discriminatoryracial/sexual/homophobiccomments

● Inappropriatecommentstomembersofourschoolcommunity

● Lowlevelofphysicalviolencetoanotherpersonand/orproperty

● Useofamobilephoneinlessonsand/oraroundschoolwithoutpermission

● Arguing/deliberate,intentionaltalkingbacktoanadult–disrespectful behaviour

Actions taken by staff & students (this list is not exhaustive)

● Asaconsequenceofnotdemonstratingtheexpectedconduct,thestudentwillbe required to meet with the subject teacher or member of staff to undertake a restorativeconversation

● During the restorative conversation with the staff member, the consequences of the student’s actions will be decided; these could include: detention, apology letter,replacingthe brokenitem,parents informedetc.

CATEGORY TWO CONCERN

Description of your child’s conduct

Thestudenthasdisplayedanintentionallevelofmisconductduringschool.

Examples of misconduct (this list is not exhaustive)

● Highfrequencyofcategoryoneincidents

● Repeatedracial/sexual/homophobiccomments

● Intentionallymadeordirectedinappropriatecomments

● Intentionalphysicalviolencetoanotherpersonand/ordamagetoproperty

● Continuednon-compliancee.g.homelearning,uniformexpectations

● Truancy

Actions taken by staff & students (this list is not exhaustive)

● Parentsarenotified

● A restorative meeting will be arranged between your child and either their tutor and/orHeadofYear

● Duringtherestorativeconversationwiththestaffmember,theconsequencesofthe student’sactionswillbedecided;thesecouldinclude:detention,reportcard,social andemotionalcounselling

CATEGORY THREE CONCERN

Description of your child’s conduct

Thestudenthasdisplayedasignificantlevelofmisconductduringschool.

Examples of misconduct (this list is not exhaustive)

● Intentionalracial/sexual/homophobiccomments

● Significantphysicalviolencetoanotherpersonand/ordamagetoproperty

● Inappropriate use of social media within school premises or on school-related activities

● Theft

Actions taken by staff & students (this list is not exhaustive)

● Ameetingwithparentsisarranged

● A restorative meeting will be arranged between the student and the appropriate staffmember

● Following the restorative conversation, the process will allow the student and the staffmembertocometoanagreedunderstandingofthechosenconsequence

● These could include: internal exclusion, fixed-term exclusion, report card, daily commitmenttoafter-schoolreflectionetc.

CATEGORY FOUR CONCERN

Description of your child’s conduct

Thestudenthasdisplayedseveremisconductduringschool.

Examples of misconduct (this list is not exhaustive)

● Racial/sexual/homophobicharassment

● Seriousphysicalviolencetoanotherpersonand/ordamagetoproperty

● Arson

● Extortion

● Possessionofanyillicitsubstancesormaterials

● Carryinganoffensiveweapon

Actions taken by staff & students (this list is not exhaustive)

● Parents are notified and a meeting arranged with the appropriate Secondary SLT memberorHeadofSchool

● At this stage, all restorative plans are adapted relating to the seriousness and frequencyofthebehaviour

● The consequences are one of the following: a fixed-term exclusion or permanent exclusion

CALENDAR

School Dates and Holidays for 2023–2023 can be found on the Parent Hub HERE.

AUTUMN TERM

Thursday 18th – Wednesday 24th August 2022

Thursday 25th August 2022

Monday 12th September 2022

Tuesday 4th October 2022

Monday 17th – Friday 21st October 2022

Friday 18th November 2022

Friday 16th December

SPRING TERM

Monday 9th January 2023

Monday 23rd – Friday 27th January 2023

Friday 17th March 2023

Friday 31st March 2023

SUMMER TERM

Monday 17th April 2023

Friday 28th April 2023

Monday 1st May 2023

Friday 26th May 2023

Thursday 22nd June 2023

Friday 30th June 2023

NewStudentOrientation

AllSecondaryStudentsStartTerm1

PublicHoliday

PublicHoliday

Half-TermHoliday

HalfDayforStudents,MorningOnly (TeacherPDDinafternoon)

EndofTerm1(HalfDay)

StartofTerm2

ChineseNewYearHalfTerm

HalfDayforStudents,MorningOnly (TeacherPDDinafternoon)

EndofTerm2

StartofTerm3

HalfDayforStudents,MorningOnly (TeacherPDDinafternoon)

PublicHoliday

PublicHoliday

PublicHoliday

EndofSchoolYear

SCHOOL HOURS & CONTACT DETAILS

TIMINGS OF THE SCHOOL DAY

SECONDARY SCHOOL CONTACT DETAILS

Website: www.dbis.edu.hk

Secondary Telephone: +85222843030

Sixth Form Telephone: +85239621500

Email: dbis@dbis.edu.hk