KGIS Weekly Newsletter 15 June 2023

THE KNOWLEDGE

A Message from the Executive Principal

As we approach our final week of the academic year, I would once again like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your ongoing support. This is our final full newsletter of the year, and I hope that you have enjoyed the opportunity to read more about school life each week, as well as to understand more about the curriculum your children are following via the weekly overview documents.

A reminder to all parents that school ends for students on Thursday 22nd June. We have an exciting week of celebrations ahead as we reflect on our many successes this year! I look forward to seeing many of you at our various Graduation ceremonies, and our Student Awards Ceremony The final day of school will be a non-uniform day for students, in exchange for a charitable donation of OMR 1. All students will enjoy class celebrations on the final afternoon, and many will also enjoy our first ever 'KGIS Has Talent' show!

Parent can collect their child's end of year report from the Reception on Monday and Tuesday next week between 8:00am and 4:00pm. The report will be presented along with a summer pack containing work for the holidays, and lots of key information about next academic year. Any packs not collected will be given to students to bring home on Wednesday and Thursday

Wishing you all a restful weekend!

Ms Liz Stanley Executive Principal

Key Dates

Please make a note of the following important dates:

Monday 19 June: KG2 Graduation Ceremony (9:00am)

Monday 19 June: Grade 5 Graduation Ceremony (1:30pm)

Tuesday 20 June: Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony

Wednesday 21 June: Term 3 Academic Reports published to parents

Wednesday 21 June: Student Awards Ceremony (2:30pm)

Thursday 22 June: Non-Uniform & Class Celebrations Day for all students

Thursday 22 June: Last day of Term 3 for students

Please click here to access the Academic Calendar for this year

Please click here to access the Academic Calendar for next academic year

Learning

Overviews

Clickonthelinksbelowtoaccessthelearningoverview,homelearningexpectationsand assessmentdatesforeachgrade:

KG1 KG2

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10 (no overview due to IGCSE exams)

Extra-Curricular Activities

a-Curricular Timetable for this term

Extra-Curricular Activities

Due to different trips and events taking place next week, there will be no Sport ECA's before school (7:00am8:00am) or after school The Grade 1 and 2 Cricket/T-Ball/Rounders Club will still go ahead on Sunday 2:30pm3:00pm.

Model United Nations

Our Model United Nation students enjoyed a busy and challenging workshop this week The workshop was the result of another collaboration between the MUN Directors of KGIS, The Sultan's School and Downe House. The aim of the workshop was to further sharpen our students' writing skills in terms of writing position papers, opening speeches and resolutions. Students were shown examples of MUN text types and then given an opportunity to write their own.

Our students now feel more prepared for their first MUN Conference, taking place in November at The Sultan's School. The workshop also provided an excellent platform for cultural exchange and fostering friendships among the participants. Through interactive activities and discussions, the students gained valuable insights into global issues and enhanced their diplomatic and negotiation skills. The collaboration between the schools not only enriched the learning experience but also laid the foundation for future MUN endeavours!

Extra-Curricular Activities

As the year draws to a close, we would like to celebrate the tremendous achievements and growth of the KGIS Swim Squad It has been an extraordinary journey, filled with dedication, perseverance and countless memorable moments. The team has demonstrated excellence in numerous competitions throughout the year. Their determination, discipline and passion have propelled them to reach new heights. We couldn’t be prouder of their remarkable achievements!

Our students have competed in a number of competitions throughout the year where many Gold, Silver and Bronze medals have been awarded and we have seen many of our students compete at a high level. The team have not only competed in school competitions such as in the U11 BSME Games and the Muscat Primary Schools League in which our U9 team were victorious, but many other competitions in and around Muscat where they have represented our school when competing for the Nautilus Swimming Club in the Sohar Cup, Nautilus Annual Meet, BSM Meet, and Nautilus Invitational Swim meet to name a few. We are very proud to announce the lifting of the Sohar Cup for our swimmers Jahongir Marvarov and Wathiq Mbaye who were both champions of their age groups in the top level Oman competition!

We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Nautilus Swimming Club for their brilliant dedication and guidance. Their expertise and tireless efforts have played a pivotal role in shaping our swimmers into their full potential. The Nautilus Swimming Club has provided our students with top level coaching within our PE curriculum, Swimming Academy sessions and their club sessions that they deliver everyday after school.

KG News

KG Update

As we quickly approach the end of the academic year, this week has been about making lots of special memories and having fantastic fun with our little ones! The children (and grown ups) all had a wonderful time at Fun Block on Monday They really amazed us with how sensible they were on the buses and as we lined up to walk through the mall. The KG Team were so proud of each and every one of the children!

We are looking forward to seeing you on Monday 19th June for KG2 Graduation in the Multi-Purpose Hall at 9:00am The children have been working incredibly hard in rehearsals and cannot wait to perform for you! Have a wonderful weekend.

Primary News

A Message from Mr. Ian, Head of Primary

Hoping that as always you are all well and getting ready for our summer break in just another week. Lessons are ongoing so please ensure that your children are attending on time and every day. We are still covering vital curriculum content and it is hugely important not to allow your child to miss any school this month.

Looking back over the year gone by, we have covered a huge amount of ground and as we wrap up the final weeks, it is very important to thank our teachers for all of their hard work and dedication to your children’s educational progress.

Our teachers have spent countless hours preparing lessons and resources, very often at home in their own time, just to ensure that your children have the best possible learning outcomes and learning experience

Furthermore, our teachers have consistently demonstrated their commitment to our children's social and emotional well-being. They have provided a listening ear, offered words of encouragement, and helped our students navigate the challenges they have faced during often difficult or uncertain situations and experiences. Their dedication to our children's holistic development has not gone unnoticed I am sure by you as parents.

I know you will join me in saying a huge thank you to all of our teachers, our teaching assistants and all others involved in your children’s education and pray they have a restful and relaxing summer break!

Grades 1 & 2

As we come to a close in the year it is important to reflect on some of the work which has gone by in lessons. In February Grade 1 were learning about printmaking and practised their techniques with Ms Briony The children designed a turtle which they then pressed into a printing block. They used printing ink and rollers to make amazing turtle prints!

Primary News

We also look back over events which took place outside the classroom and Grade 2 children had a fantastic time at their Sports Day in February. On the day they were joined by older students in secondary who helped them out. They practised their ball handling skills, striking skills, balance and coordination as well as running and movement. It was a great day and we are sure many happy memories were made!

Grades 3 to 5

Grade 4 were very lucky to visit Arabian Training Institute in Azaiba this week. At ATC, you can train on how to become an Air Traffic Controller The children got to meet First Officer Abdulaziz and First Officer Manal Both are pilots with Oman Air and fly Boeing 7373 MAX aircraft. Manal is one of the very few female pilots in Oman and we were very lucky to meet her! After we watched videos of Abdulaziz and Manal flying, we got to meet Zohair Al Zadjali. He was one of the first Air Traffic Controllers in Oman and he told us all about his life as an Air Traffic Controller. The children were able to see an ATC simulator in action and they cleared fighter jets and airplanes for takeoff and landing! We even had a crash on the runway and children saw how the planes were evacuated! Many thanks to Mr Talal and his team in ATC for having us!

Primary News

In another throwback to work done previously in the year, we remember when Grade 5 were learning about area and perimeter in maths lessons. They took to the schoolyard and measured the length and width of different areas of the playground. They applied knowledge learned in the classroom to work out area and perimeter in real life. We followed up with a discussion in the classroom about how our skills can be used in real life by architects, engineers, builders and even graphic designers!

Secondary News

Message from Mr. James, Head of Secondary

As we move into the last week of Term 3, I would like to begin by thanking you for your continued support throughout the academic year. Your involvement and dedication have played a crucial role in the success and growth of our students. Your constant encouragement and active participation in your child's education have truly made a difference. Whether it was attending parent-teacher meetings, volunteering for school events, or helping with homework, your presence has shown your commitment to your child's learning journey. Educational success can only be achieved when there is a cohesive three-way partnership between the school, the student and the parent. We appreciate the trust you have placed in us as educators and the open lines of communication that we have established.

Although we may be in the last week of school, I would like to remind you that normal lessons will still take place for students in Grades 6-9 Senior students are also welcome to come to school to have small tutoring sessions with their teachers. These sessions can have a real positive impact on students’ progress and give them a head start moving forward. Furthermore, there will be Summer Packs available for all students. These packs will provide an opportunity and stimulus for summer learning. Again, these small steps can have a major impact in the long-term.

In conjunction with normal lessons next week, we also have a number of trips taking place We want to give students the opportunity to celebrate their achievements and in recognition of them completing an outstanding year Grades 6, 7 and 9 will enjoy the refreshing activities offered by Oman Sail on 19 June. Our Grade 8 and 10 students will enjoy the cooler climes of Snow Oman on 22 June

I would like to once more thank you all for your continued support and I am already looking forward to the next academic year where we can again work together for the development of your child.

Learning and Teaching

In Science, our students have been working on Earth & Beyond projects exploring different aspects of Earth and Space, from black holes to the laws that govern our solar system. Thanks to the guidance of Ms. Ambiya and Mr. Graham, students have produced some amazing displays and projects presented today during class time They demonstrated their learning and innovation in presenting their ideas to other students as well as to teachers.

In addition to their impressive presentations, students developed a wide range of skills and acquired valuable knowledge during their Earth & Beyond projects. They honed their research skills, practised critical thinking and problem-solving as they tackled challenging concepts and applied them to their projects Furthermore, students gained a deeper understanding of teamwork and collaboration as they worked together to create their displays and presentations. Overall, this project provided them with a rich learning experience that fostered curiosity, creativity, and a passion for exploring the wonders of Earth and Space.

Secondary News

We were also glad to announce our #ScienceDaySelife winner. Laiba Yasir received the overall prize for her wonderfully creative selfie.

Summer Revision Tip - Atomic Habits: The 1% Gain

The summer break can be an excellent opportunity to refresh, recharge or even reset yourself. Making positive changes to your studies does not have to start with an extreme change. To sustain any improvement you want to see, you should start with small incremental changes.

Focus on the idea that the quality of our habits determines the quality of our lives. If you want to see significant change, you have to start by making small changes in your habits. Breaking down habits into their fundamental components and understanding the impact small habits can have, you can achieve dramatic results. Use the following tips to help you make long-lasting marginal gains:

Make habits obvious: Create visual cues and clear environmental triggers that remind you to perform your desired habits.

Make habits easy: Break down your habits into small, manageable steps to eliminate barriers and make them more feasible to perform

Make habits satisfying: Create immediate rewards and track your progress to reinforce positive habits and increase motivation.

Use habit stacking: Attach new habits to existing ones to take advantage of existing routines and make the new habit easier to implement.

Employ the two-minute rule: Start with a small, two-minute version of the habit to overcome resistance and build momentum.

Focus on identity-based habits: Shift your focus from outcome-based goals to identity-based goals, emphasising the type of person you want to become.

Embrace the process: Place more importance on the daily habits themselves rather than solely focusing on the end result, recognizing that consistent progress compounds over time.

Emphasise the power of small habits: Understand that it is the accumulation of small, consistent actions that leads to significant and sustainable changes in the long run