Dear Parents, This half term has seen the school campus open up to enrich the experiences of our whole community. Additional face to face parent meetings, sports days and residentials have seen parents welcomed into the campus and students thrive beyond their classroom walls. There are plenty of visual references to these memory-making moments over the coming pages. One of the weightier pieces in this edition comes in the form of our ECA article - see the section on ‘Community’ for further details - where we try to tackle some of the misconceptions around the ECA programme and system, as well as what we have done in response to yours’, and students’ feedback, in an evercommitted mission to enrich and inspire our student body through our extra-curricular programme. Also in this edition, find out about how we support our students as they embark upon their journey into the secondary school (see ‘Opportunities’) and how our students continue to enhance the school experience for their successors even after they leave (see ‘Excellence’). We hope you enjoy finding out more about our incredibly busy half term! Sarah Reynolds
Sarah Reynolds Principal
Wellbeing
February 2024
GET IN THE ZONE To support our primary students in developing skills to manage their own wellbeing, leaders from the primary school have rolled out a school-wide strategy called the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation is a proactive, skills-based approach to helping children understand, talk about and regulate their own feelings. By grouping feelings into four common zones students can help to understand the physical manifestations of different feelings, why they are helpful and how they may hinder us, as well as how to move back to a comfortable emotional state. The benefits of emotional regulation are many and varied and include improved mental health, developed emotional intelligence, improved chances of academic success, increased empathy, improved behaviour, greater resilience, and greater problem solving and critical thinking.
Wellbeing
February 2024 The way in which this is approached evolves based on our students’ ages. In Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 students use the text ‘The Colour Monster’ to help identify their feelings through the feelings personified as characters found within the book. In Key Stage 2 students will learn using the language of the Zones of Regulation, which in Upper Key Stage 2 moves to ‘Window of Tolerance’ once their initial ZoR learning is secure. Through Positive Education lessons students learn about the four different zones and identify different behaviours that belong to each. They then move on to practice strategies for each zone and personalise their wellbeing toolkit with what works best for them in each zone. Primary classrooms have the Zones of Regulation on display along with suggested strategies for each zone. Mrs Davidson, Assistant Headteacher overseeing Pastoral Care for the primary school can see the benefit of this strategy already after only a few weeks of its implementation: "The Zones of Regulation is a remarkable tool that enriches children's emotional vocabulary, develops confidence when articulating feelings and empowers them to ask for support when they feel dysregulated. It enables children to connect changes in their bodies with emotions and already we can hear the children identifying which zone they are in. It is also a fantastic tool for restorative conversations as it allows children to make connections between actions and the way they were feeling at the time, helping them to understand how to make a more positive choice when they experience that feeling again.”
MOVING ON UP Our wonderful Year 6 students had the opportunity to experience life in Year 7 earlier on this term. They spent the whole day following a typical timetable of a student in the secondary school as part of a carefully planned, year-long transition process. We place great value in spending time providing students with opportunities to help them feel prepared and confident for the next phase of their education, whether that is from FS to Year 1, from Year 11 into the Sixth Form, from the Sixth Form to university, or this transition from Primary to Secondary. Nurturing a culture in which healthy and positive working relationships are key drivers of enabling each child to achieve the best outcomes they can, this transition day provided students and teachers the opportunity to begin to build those great relationships which will be at the heart of their future success. In addition to getting to know some of their likely teachers for next year, students also experienced the normal secondary school dynamic of moving between classrooms every period, and the associated learning which goes with that regarding independence, collaboration and individual and collective responsibility.
Opportunity
February 2024
Each student participated in 6 authentic secondary lessons during the day, sampling from English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, French, Spanish, Art and Drama as distinct academic subjects. Many thanks to all the students for their curiosity and eagerness to learn, in what was a thoroughly enjoyable day for both students and teachers alike. Throughout the rest of this academic year, there will be several more opportunities for our Year 6 students to learn more about ‘life in Secondary’ and ensure they start their Secondary School career on the best possible footing, feeling positive and secure about the next phase of their school careers.
Opportunity
February 2024
TRANSITION DAY: STUDENT FEEDBACK I thought I wasn’t a year 6 anymore; I thought I was more mature and more focused. It made me feel like I was special. - Lujaine It was so much fun walking to different classes and the teachers were nice. I loved the fact that the pH paper changed colours. - Ryan We were asked to do a piece about surrealism, glueing the pieces and pictures of objects together was very fun! Zitong
I felt quite worried because I didn’t know the rest of the school building and there would be much older kids. After I felt relieved because it was so much fun and now I know there is nothing to be afraid of. - Jacob It made me feel more prepared because I realised it was quite fun and not as scary as I thought. - Chase It made me more confident. William
Opportunity
February 2024
Agency
February 2024
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) At Dubai British School Emirates Hills, fostering student agency is a priority. We believe that when students are empowered to take ownership of their learning, they become active participants in their educational journey, driving their own growth and development. One avenue which promotes student agency is the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), a powerful opportunity for students to explore their passions, engage in independent research, and demonstrate their creativity and critical thinking skills. The EPQ is an additional and optional qualification offered to students in Year 12 which is equivalent to an AS Level, or approximately ‘half an A Level’ and carries associated points, and kudos, for university applications. It encourages students to delve into a topic of their own choice, conduct independent research, and produce an extended piece of work, such as a dissertation, an artefact or a performance. The open-ended nature of the EPQ provides students with the freedom to pursue subjects that truly interest them, thereby igniting their curiosity and intrinsic motivation.
Agency Moreover, the EPQ encourages students to become independent thinkers and researchers. Through conducting their own investigations, analyzing diverse sources of information, and synthesizing complex ideas, students develop critical thinking and problemsolving skills essential for success in higher education and beyond. They learn to evaluate evidence, challenge assumptions, and form reasoned arguments, thus becoming active contributors to knowledge creation and innovation. The EPQ also promotes creativity and innovation by allowing students to explore interdisciplinary connections and pursue innovative approaches to their chosen topic. Students have the freedom to express themselves creatively and showcase their talents in ways that align with their interests and aspirations. This emphasis on creativity not only enhances students' confidence and self-expression but also prepares them to adapt to the complexities of an ever-changing world.
February 2024
In addition to promoting academic excellence, the EPQ also fosters personal and social development. By engaging with real-world issues and communicating their findings to a wider audience during the mandatory concluding presentation of their work, students can develop empathy, cultural awareness, and communication skills. The Extended Project Qualification serves as a powerful vehicle for promoting student agency at Dubai British School Emirates Hills. By providing students with the freedom to explore their passions, pursue independent research, and demonstrate their creativity and critical thinking skills, the EPQ empowers students to take ownership of this part of their learning, become active participants in their educational journey, and realize their true potential.
Community
February 2024
Community
February 2024
Community
February 2024
RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK One of the most popular areas of feedback in the parent survey last year was the Extra-Curricular Programme. Utilising that feedback and based on student engagement numbers from Term 1 we made some changes we hoped would optimise the student experience. Below are responses to common sentiments that were fed back from our community. HOW IS THE ECA PROGRAMME DESIGNED? The ECA Programme aims to help students identify, develop and refine their interests, skills, and talents in a wide range of areas including sports, the performing and expressive arts, and critical thinking. It is a termly challenge to provide students with exposure to a range of experiences, as well as honour those who would like to continue to follow their interests in one specific area. The ECA Programme is designed based on the expectation that every academic staff member will lead an ECA, with members of the PE team leading multiple sports ECAs to meet the needs of the programme. The programme is built termly and begins with the consideration for which sports leagues are running that term across Dubai, run by Dubai Affiliated Sports Schools Association, or DASSA.
Community
February 2024
Staff members with specialist sports skills, both from the PE & Sports Department and across the school, are assigned to a squad and the facilities are booked to ensure that all competitive sports have adequate training space and time. Once the programme can ensure that DBS students are provided with the opportunities to compete in the external sports leagues, the School ECA Coordinator looks to match remaining staff skills with students’ interests and ensure that access to all facilities are provided to students of all ages. Analysis of previous club enrolment data influences which ECAs remain on the programme and may require more provision, and which are not renewed. The programme is then built to ensure that a range of disciplines are made available to different age ranges on different days, so that on any given day a student has a range of extra-curricular areas that may appeal to them. Across the week the student should be able to find at least one ECA that they would like to join.
Community
February 2024
WHY CAN’T SPORTS SQUADS RUN FROM TERM TO TERM? Sports squads change depending on which leagues are available that term. This year, in response to greater demand, we have added more recreational sports opportunities in terms where leagues are not running. Additionally, training will take place in the term preceding the competitive league, either via an ECA or in curriculum time.
WE NEED MORE SPORTS! We have increased our offering this year – below is the incredible list of sports that our staff provide via the ECA schedule. Sport
Squad/ Recreational
Term
Year Group
Boys/Girls
Badminton
Squad & Recreational
23
Year 3 - Year 13 *additional sessions added Boys & Girls this year
Basketball
Squads
3
Year 5 - Year 9
Boys & Girls
Cricket
Squads
3
Year 7 - Year 10
Boys
Cross Country
Squad
12
Year 3 - Year 12
Boys & Girls
Cheerleading
Squad & Recreational
123
Year 4 - Year 7
Mixed
Dance
Squad & Recreational
123
Year 3 - Year 6
Mixed
Gaelic Football
Recreational
2
Year 4 - Year 7 *currently under trial
Mixed
Football
Squad & Recreational
123
Year 3 - Year 13 (squads term 1) Secondary DASSA cup competition term 2 (new this Boys & Girls year) *additional sessions added this year
Water Polo
Squad & Recreational
23
Year 7 - Year 11
Netball
Squad & Recreational
12
Year 4 - Year 13 *additional sessions added Girls this year
Rounders – Senior
Recreational
1
Year 11 - Year 13
Girls
Rounders – Primary
Recreational
2
Year 3 - Year 6
Mixed
Rounders
Squads
3
Year 11-13 term 1 Year 5 - Year 10 term 3
Girls
Rugby
Squad & Recreational
12
Year 5 - Year 13 *additional sessions added this year
Boys
Swimming
Performance Squad & Select Squad
123
Year 3 - Year 13 *additional squads added this year
Boys & Girls
Volleyball
Squads & Recreational
12
Term 1 recreational Years 7-13. Term 2 squad training Years 7 - 13
Mixed
Boys
Community
February 2024
Other sports we facilitate coaching and opportunities for include: gymnastics, golf, skiing, aquathon, athletics, tennis, karate, and kickboxing. Opportunities outside of the DASSA league include: DC 10s (rugby) BSAK 7s (rugby) BSAK 7s (football) BSME Games (athletics, swimming, netball, basketball and football), BSAK 7s (netball), BSME volleyball.
WHY AREN’T THERE SPORTS SQUADS FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS?
The school day is designed to be intentionally shorter to support the needs of Foundation Stage students’ age and developmental needs. The school introduces ECAs from Year 1 where students are more able to positively engage with an extracurricular programme. Childcare is available through ISM, an external provider. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE GET ALLOCATED MORE ECAS THAN OTHERS?
The software used by the school aims to ensure that all students are allocated to at least one ECA, which it does by shuffling all options made by all students to maximise the chances of all students receiving a place on at least one of the ECAs they have chosen. It is not carried out on a first come, first served basis. Once this is done the ECA coordinator tries to maximise engagement with every ECA and manually ‘fills’ the session, so that as many opportunities are offered to as many students as possible. However, this is only possible where parents have selected multiple ECA options for different days, and where minimal options have been selected this does result in variation between the numbers of ECAs different students have been successful in securing. If you find your child has not been allocated an ECA at all, please email: ecas@dubaibritishschool.ae and we will do our best to rectify the situation. This may happen where only one club has been selected, and we cannot guarantee that a space in the ECA will be provided. Where this is the case, we will work to find an alternative with you.
Community
February 2024
Once the system has allocated ECAs and the ECA coordinator has manually filled based on all families’ first priorities, we then share any available remaining spaces in any ECAs, so parents can log back into the system and request to join additional ECAs. To receive more ECA allocations, parents should select more than one activity per day. The system allows parents to choose up to three activities each day which will maximise the chances of confirming multiple ECAs across the week. WHY AREN’T THERE MORE ECAS? The programme each term includes over 90 ECA opportunities for students across the school (not including squads), which is more than a typical offering of a school our size. All Teachers and Learning Assistants contribute to the programme, which is not typical of other schools, and students have the opportunity to lead ECAs throughout the school as well. Opportunities requiring more specialist input are provided via external ASA providers which enriches the ECA curriculum programme further, taking the total number of opportunities to over one hundred. We are proud of the number of clubs our students have access to, and will continue to seek community feedback to ensure we are moving in the right direction.
Access All Areas Students in Year 11 and Year 13 have been busy over the past few weeks sitting mock examinations, or ‘mocks’ as they are affectionately referred to, as part of their preparations for their GCSEs and A Levels coming up in the Summer Term. For all students, these formal sessions require students to perform at their best for a sustained period of time and are sat in carefully managed conditions to give every student the best chance of success; but what this looks like for a neurodivergent student may look different to a neurotypical individual.
‘Access arrangements’ is the term given to how exam conditions may be adapted to ensure equitable access to a formal exam sitting for students who face challenges in their learning. Access arrangements can include the provision of: additional time supervised breaks a personal scribe a laptop
To ensure these special provisions are utilised equitably, strict identification procedures are listed by the exam board which must be evidenced by the academic team prior to the student sitting the exam and be ready for invigilation at any point. This ensures that no student is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged against another. The identification process may involve Educational Psychologists, medical professionals or other specialists who are recommended by the school, after which an application is made to the necessary exam board for approval.
For access arrangements to truly benefit students with additional needs Jackie Baxter, Head of Inclusion, explains that it is important for students to have plenty of opportunity to practise exam technique with these arrangements in place, so early identification of need is crucial. “As an example, it can actually be to a student’s detriment to have a scribe if they don’t have a good understanding of what the scribe can or cannot do. For example, in some exams when using a scribe, you also have to articulate all the punctuation you expect and so need to be ready to do that when dictating. If you are not experienced at using a scribe in that way students can actually risk losing marks unnecessarily.” Her advice? Engage with the school as early as possible so that there is plenty of time to work out what works best for your child long before they get to an exam. Teachers from the primary school through to the secondary school will work with you and your child to help them in their day to day learning, and build systems and practices that will ensure their success when it comes to crunch time.
Excellence
February 2024
There are many yardsticks by which the success of a school might be measured and those we choose to focus upon say much about what we value about the developmental journey of young people. The onward endeavors and achievements of a school’s alumni by virtue of their knowledge, skills and developed character traits indicate the extent to which it may have fulfilled its core purpose of preparing them for adult life. Furthermore, the ongoing relationship a truly outstanding school nurtures with them demonstrates its commitment to creating a enduring sense of belonging to something special and creating a legacy which furthers its distinctive ethos.
With over 17 years of service to our community we have an extensive alumni body representing a wide array of academic, personal and professional success. We are very fortunate that many of our alumni return to visit us on a regular basis to reminisce and to share their experiences with our current students. Last term we heard from Elena (Class of 2020) who is reading environmental studies at Leeds University. Elena told us about her current work placement as well as reflecting on the aspects of her DBSEH experience that prepared her so well for her next steps towards realising her aspirations.
Excellence
February 2024
Christina, currently in her second year studying law at Oxford, and Jia Wen, studying Computer Science at Monash University (both Class of 2022), kick-started the new term for our Sixth Form students with an assembly on university applications and tips for settling into undergraduate life. Shortly afterwards we were joined by former Head Boy (2019-20), Dami, and fellow former student, Tahia, now a PE teacher, who dropped by to tell our students about their university experiences and the importance of developing personalised organisational and study habits early on in school life to make the transition to undergraduate study and painless as possible.
Cyrus (Class of 2013), a law graduate and entrepreneur, recently spoke to our Secondary and Sixth Form law-school aspirants about the importance of networking, extra-curricular interests and soft skills for professional success. His wisdom was very well received, with many students left even more inspired by the success of someone to whom they could so easily relate.
More recent alumni, Jacob, Srishti, Daniel and former Head Girl, Laila, from the Classes of 202123, also took time out from their winter break to come along and say hello to their former teachers and younger students and to regale us with their experiences of starting university life in the UK. They had lots of great practical advice for our sixth formers who are in the process of making their applications. We hope to see these wonderful individuals and their contemporaries back at DBSEH again to tell us about the next chapters in their exciting personal and professional journeys. Moreover, we look forward to building a bigger, stronger and even more interconnected network of alumni across the world who continue to extend our legacy and play a leading role in guiding the next generation of DBSEH learners.