KGIS Weekly Newsletter 21 September 2023

THE KNOWLEDGE

A Message from the Executive Principal

It has been fantastic to once again see how benevolent our students are at KGIS! This week our ‘Year of Giving’ focus continued with a Grade 9 visit organised by the Islamic Studies Department for students to demonstrate ‘Zakat’ within the local community . Charity begins at home, and positive citizenship encompasses supporting the local, national and international communities. Through our ‘Year of Giving’, we will continue to support local and national charitable initiatives as well as our global initiative to build the mosque in Senegal

As a community school, bringing people together is hugely important to us. We have been delighted to welcome so many parents to the various Parent Engagement workshops that have taken place over the last few weeks, and look forward to seeing more of you as these continue. Next week’s workshops take place on Tuesday at 8:00am and 5:00pm, and will focus on University and Careers Guidance at KGIS. These workshops are for parents of students in all grades as we explain how we start educating students and building aspirations all the way from KG to Grade 12.

On Wednesday morning we will welcome our KG and Grade 1 parents to our celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday, and in the afternoon look forward to welcoming all new families to the school to our ‘New Parent Picnic’. Community remains at the heart of KGIS, and we thank all our parents for the strong partnerships they build with us

Finally, a reminder to all families that the public holiday has been announced and as such school will be closed on Thursday 28th September. I hope that you enjoy the long weekend with your family and loved ones.

Ms. Liz Stanley Executive Principal

Key Dates

Tuesday 26th September: Parent Workshop for University and Careers Guidance (8:00am/5:00pm)

Wednesday 27th September: KGIS KG & Grade 1 Celebration for the Prophet’s Birthday (8:00am)

Wednesday 27th September: New Parent Picnic (3:30pm)

Thursday 28th September: Public Holiday (school closed)

Sunday 1st October: World Grandparent Day (bring your grandparents to school event)

Thursday 5th October: KGIS Sponsored Swim and Non-Uniform Charity Day

Wednesday 4th October: Parent Workshop for Supporting Special Educational Needs

Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th October: KGIS Charity Night Market (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Sunday 22nd October-Thursday 26th October: Mid-Term Break (school closed)

Please make a note of the following important dates: Please click

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10

Extra-Curricular Activities

a-Curricular Timetable for this term

Extra-Curricular Activities

A reminder that our programme of extra-curricular activities has now started for all students. We have a huge variety of activities on offer before school, at lunch times and after school There really is something for everyone! All activities are free of charge and students are encouraged to join as many as possible in order to broaden their skills. Please click on the link above to see the timetable of activities. If your child would like to participate in a particular activity, please ensure that you complete the sign-up forms as follows:

KG and Primary Students should click here to register for an activity

Secondary students should click here to register for an activity

KGIS Year of Giving: Sponsored Swim and Non-Uniform Day

Three talented students are preparing to take on an extraordinary challenge, all for a good cause!

In a display of both athleticism and altruism, three speedy swimmers Wathiq Mbaye, Muhammad Mbaye and Amir Marvarov have decided to complete a whopping 5-kilometre swim to raise funds for our Senegal mosque building project The boys came up with the idea having linked their shared passion for swimming along with their desire to make a positive difference to the community in Senegal.

The trio have dedicated countless hours to training and preparing for this challenging swim, ensuring they are physically and mentally ready for the task at hand, and the 5km charity swim is scheduled for Thursday 5th October 11:30am in the KGIS pool

We applaud Wathiq, Mohammed and Amir for their selflessness, dedication and willingness to go the extra mile, or in this case, the extra five kilometres, to make a difference. We wish them the best of luck on their swim and hope they achieve their fundraising goal.

In support of the sponsored swim, all students are invited to come to school on Thursday 5th October in home clothes. They are encouraged to wear their favourite sports shirt or team colours to highlight the power of sport in action. Students who wear non-uniform on this date will be asked to bring OMR 1 to donate to the charity project.

Any parents who would like to sponsor the students completing the 5km swim can donate their sponsorship amount by clicking here. Parents can also leave their names and messages of good luck when they donate.

KG Update

We have had another action packed week in KG! The children in KG1 are developing their self-help skills wonderfully, they have enjoyed going to the KG Hall to eat their food. The adults have encouraged children to feed themselves and to tidy up their trays when they have finished Well done KG1!

In KG2 this week, the children have started to adapt to the more structured approach to their day. They loved their Music lessons with Ms. Sarah where they explored rhythm and clapping, whilst singing 'Pat a Cake Pat a Cake' They have also taken an active role in PE lessons with Mr Rob where they practised moving their bodies in different ways.

Primary News

A Message from Mr. Ian, Head of Primary

This week we hosted an exciting Science Engagement workshop that had parents brimming with ideas of how to support their child with their Science learning at home! The event featured hands-on experiments, interactive demonstrations, and was led by our Science Coordinator Ms Kerrie. We hope that the workshop ignited parents with a renewed understanding for the world of Science teaching and learning at KGIS, and gave them practical strategies to support their children at home.

The launch of our extra-curricular activities was met with great enthusiasm from both students and parents. From Arts and Crafts to Sports and Debating, there's a club for every interest! It's heart-warming to see our students eager to stay engaged in learning and building new friendships outside of regular school hours.

Next week's Prophet's Birthday celebration event is generating excitement among our students and teachers in KG and Grade 1. This week, students and teachers have been busy preparing decorations, organising cultural presentations, and practising songs to commemorate this important occasion. It's a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about cultural diversity and our key Islamic values.

As always, vibrancy and excitement embody our Primary School this week as we continue to foster a spirit of curiosity, engagement, and collaboration!

Grades 1 and 2

Grade 2 children learned about the properties of rocks in Science lessons this month They learned about different materials and their properties. They were tasked with making their own rocks using a variety of different materials. Well done Grade 2 Scientists!

Grade 2 were very busy this week collaboratively sharing ideas prior to creating a leaflet based on ‘Here we are’ by Oliver Jeffers. There were lots of great ideas shared and discussed!

During numeracy lessons this week Grade 2 children learned about the concepts of one more and one less Children strengthened and deepened their knowledge to apply prior learning and skills to ten more and ten less. They had great fun undertaking different activities to explore and prove number place value.

Grades 3 to 5

Grade 3 have been recapping the life processes of living things and have classified items into the relevant groups. They learned about the different characteristics and qualities of different living things and spent some time making sure that they were put into the correct groups.

This week in Maths lessons we have been looking at place value. We have used dienes to show what a number looks like and how to understand how tens and units are put together

In English lessons we used our inference skills to paint a picture of what we imagine a setting to look like from a story we have heard but not seen. Inference is a vital skill when learning how to understand and comprehend pieces of reading and helps to develop writing skills too.

Secondary News

Message from Mr. James, Head of Secondary

As we enter the end of September, it has been great to see the enthusiasm of our parents eagerly attending the several Parent Engagement workshops we have put on in recent weeks. This week, Ms. Tahnia delivered a great session on Science at KGIS. We also held an IGCSE information session for all parents from KG to Grade 10. It was great to see some Primary parents attend this session as it is so important for all parents to understand the importance of the IGCSE system, as well as learn how they can help their children lay the solid foundations needed for success in Secondary school.

Next week, we have another Parent Engagement workshop! Mr Antony will lead an extremely important session on University and Careers Guidance in the KG Hall. The session will take place on Tuesday 26th September at 8:00am and 5:00pm. This session is not limited to parents of senior students; it is open to parents with students in all grades. We would like to emphasise the importance of attendance for all parents as it provides valuable insights into the university application process, career pathways, and how we educate the students about university and careers from KG to Grade 12 through the curriculum Attending this session will enable parents to gain a deeper understanding of how they can support their child's education and career aspirations.

I look forward to meeting all new parents at our annual New Parent Picnic which will take place on Wednesday 27th September in the KG Hall at 3:30 pm. This event serves as a wonderful opportunity for new families to connect with one another, meet the school leaders, and become familiar with the school community It is a relaxed and informal gathering where parents can ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with other parents who are embarking on the same journey.

Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures

I would like to remind you about the drop-off and pick-up procedures we have in place to ensure your child's safety. For the morning drop-off, all Secondary students must enter through the back of the school. Parents can drop off right outside the back door

For the afternoon pick-up, please note that all students will be accompanied to the Car Park and all parents should park in the Car Park. I would also like to remind you that the Main Gate will be locked from 2:30pm until 3:00pm so pick-up from the front of the school will not be possible.

Uniform Policy

I would like to thank you all for helping us and encouraging your child to follow our Uniform Policy. Another gentle reminder that hoodies are not allowed and students will be asked to take any hoodies off The Uniform Shop now has a full supply of KGIS jackets, in all sizes, which are available.

Secondary News

Teaching and Learning: English Spotlight

Grade 6 have spent this week working in teams and collaborating to investigate the historical context of the novel ‘Holes’. Through teamwork and investigation, they are not only delving into the narrative but also gaining a deeper understanding of the historical backdrop that influenced the story. This approach fosters critical thinking and enhances their appreciation of literature. Keep encouraging collaborative efforts and critical analysis in their studies; it's a great way to broaden their perspectives and develop important life skills Well done to the Grade 6 students for their active participation and exploration of the novel!

The Grade 8’s have been particularly busy in their English this week as they have been investigating some interesting language features. In studying a novel called A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, our students have been learning about contractions, italics, past perfect tenses, onomatopoeia, sentence length variation and adjective phrases to name a few. They are quickly realising the benefits of using these features to further enhance their own writing. Furthermore, to display their understanding, the Grade 8’s were required to create infographics using canva.com – a great tool for composing eye-catching work. They were justifiably proud of their efforts.