KGIS Weekly Newsletter 27th September 2023

THE KNOWLEDGE

A Message from the Executive Principal

This has been a very special and busy week at KGIS as we celebrated the Prophet’s birthday through a series of special assemblies and our KG and Grade 1 parent event on Wednesday morning. Our Universal Islamic Values form a central part of the curriculum at KGIS as we strive to not only develop students academically but also to develop their spiritual, moral, cultural and social awareness.

Celebrating key events in the Islamic calendar is important to the whole school community. For our Muslim students and families, events such as these help us to learn more about our faith inculcating a love of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) For our non-Muslim students and families, these events are an opportunity to learn more about the Muslim faith of the country they live in, and to explore the similarities and differences between their own beliefs and those of Muslims.

We are a diverse international school community with tolerance and acceptance of others at our core This can only be achieved through continuous learning opportunities that give us a deeper understanding of different beliefs, outlooks and perspectives.

We look forward to another community event on Sunday 1st October when we celebrate World Grandparents Day! Students in KG to Grade 8 are encouraged to invite their grandparents for a tour of the school. Grandparents of students in KG and Grade 1 are invited to visit at 8:00am, and grandparents of students in Grades 2 to 8 are invited to visit at 2:00pm

Wishing you all a restful long weekend!

Key Dates

Please make a note of the following important dates:

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 (8:00am and 5:00pm)

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 click here to access the Academic Calendar for this 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

Extra-Curricular Activities

Click here to access the Extra-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

Sports Fixtures

U9 and U11 Girls’ Benchball at AGS: Sunday 1st October

U11 Boys’ Football and Basketball at Royal Flight: Tuesday 3rd October

U11 Girls’ Football and Netball at Royal Flight: Tuesday 3rd October

Please note that on Tuesday 3rd October Primary Benchball, Skittleball and Dodgeball is cancelled after school due to the above fixture taking place. Secondary Netball is also cancelled on the same day.

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

Following last week’s newsletter announcement, we now have FOUR talented students are preparing to take on an extraordinary challenge, all for a good cause!

Yaseen Mbaye will be joining his three speedy swimming counterparts, Wathiq Mbaye, Muhammad Mbaye and Amir Marvarov to complete a whopping 5-kilometre swim to raise funds for our Senegal mosque building project. This is especially amazing news as Yaseen is only in Grade 1 and has committed himself to this challenge! The 5km charity swim is scheduled for Thursday 5th October 11:30am in the KGIS pool.

A reminder that 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.

KGIS Year of Giving

KGIS Year of Giving

Grade 9 ‘Zakat’ in the local community

Charity begins at home! In support of our KGIS Year of Giving, our Grade 9 students participated in a project to support needy families within our local community. The project was organised by our Islamic Studies teachers, Sheikh Ibrahim and Ms Kholoud

The students raised money to buy fresh and frozen chickens, and other food items to distribute to families in need. Demonstrating ‘Zakat’ in action and ensuring that Islamic education is linked with the student’s daily lives in a practical way, the students gained first-hand experience and insight into the challenges faced by many families locally.

These practical projects help students to develop their empathy, and broaden their outlook. They teach students to show gratitude for all that they have, and to thank Allah for their blessings We look forward to many more loca initiatives we have planned throughout this year!

KGIS Year of Giving

Prophet’s Birthday Celebration

Thank you to all our KG and Grade 1 parents who came to school on Wednesday morning to enjoy a programme presented by the Arabic and Islamic Studies Department in celebration of the Prophet’s birthday. Parents saw Qu’ran recitation, speeches, poetry readings, songs and even a competition presented by students from Grades 1 to 12. The programme was followed by some light refreshments kindly donated by Azima Catering.

P G and Grade 1 classrooms to see what their children have been le mic calendar, and to join in with some art and craft activities!

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rents donated generously i p everyone who supported u

KG Update

This week in KG the children have started some more formal learning. In KG1 we have introduced our topic 'All About Me', the children loved exploring paint mixing and selected different shades of colours to create a self portrait We have focused on lots of language through action songs such as, 'Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes' and 'If You're Happy and You Know It'. In PE the children have recalled different parts of their bodies through games such as Simon Says, they particularly enjoyed following instructions to place the ball on their head, knees, toes etc.

In KG2 the children have enjoyed their fantastic Arabic lessons with Ms. Najat, they have explored language relating to themselves and their families, therefore, mirroring the English topic. Ms. Najat has started to introduce phonics to the children and they have used lots of different manipulatives such as playdough and pegboards to replicate the associated letters

The children are ready for a well earned rest over the long weekend, well done everyone!

Primary News

A Message from Mr. Ian, Head of Primary

Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful holiday weekend on this joyous occasion of Mawlid al-Nabi.

It was a very short week but a very busy one this week with lots happening in lessons as well as some very important events to celebrate the Prophet’s Birthday. Mr. Tom and Sheikh Ibrahim led a very special assembly this week to celebrate. I was very impressed with the deep knowledge shown by our students about the Islamic faith and I would like to commend the Arabic and Islamic Studies Department for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that our students are well educated in the Holy Qu’ran and Islam.

It is very important to continue to highlight that September has been the month of Benevolence in KGIS and it is fitting that as we close September and the month of benevolence that we celebrate the most benevolent of all, Prophet Muhammed (Peace be Upon Him).

We had a wonderful turnout for the KG and Grade 1 celebration of the Prophet’s birthday where our Grade 1 and KG children sang songs and had a craft morning. Parents were able to see first-hand some of the important activities children learn about during Arabic and Islamic lessons in our Early Years Department.

Grades 1 and 2

This week Grade 1 had a lot of fun in Arabic lessons with Ms. Mona. They practised their sounds and phonics in preparation for reading and writing. Well done to Alaa who even got to be the teacher for the lesson! I am sure the children learned lots from her!

In Grade 1 we have been learning about our senses as part of our Science unit This week we focused on our sense of sight. We read the story ‘Lucy's Picture’ which is about a little girl who made a 'feely picture' for her Grandpa because he could not see The children enjoyed recreating their own 'feely' picture using different materials that we could feel if we could not see the picture. Then the children had fun closing their eyes and guessing what the picture was using their hands instead.

In Ms. Rachel’s classes, children have been learning numbers bonds to 10 and making the link to help number bonds to 20. They are also learning to make a leaflet using pictures from under the sea and short and snappy sentences.

Primary News

Grades 3 to 5

Students from Grades 3 to 5 attended the celebration assembly for Mawlid al-Nabi.

Secondary News

Message from Mr. James, Head of Secondary

It was a very special week at KGIS as we celebrated the Prophet’s Birthday. The culmination of these celebrations were a special KG and Grade 1 event. Led by our talented Secondary students, the event was a true testament to their dedication and commitment. We are immensely proud of the organisation and professionalism displayed by our students throughout the entire process. The celebration of the Prophet's Birthday holds great significance in our school community It allows us to come together as a diverse and inclusive community, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among our students. This event serves as a reminder of the values of love, benevolence, and peace that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) exemplified throughout his life.

I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Secondary students for their outstanding efforts in making this event a resounding success. Their dedication and hard work is commendable. We also want to express our appreciation to the staff members, particularly, Mr. Ibrahim Al Ramli, who supported and guided our students throughout the planning process.

It was also great to see a lot of parents attend our University and Careers Guidance Parent Engagement workshop. This session was open to parents of all grades and it was wonderful to see a mixture of Primary and Secondary parents. The session was delivered by our University and Careers Advisor, Mr. Antony and it was an extremely informative session. The main takeaway parents took was the importance of engaging with Unifrog, alongside their child Having joint conversations with your child is crucial Unifrog is an excellent tool, provided by the school, that aids in this process. If you would like more information about Unifrog, please email Mr. Antony directly.

Finally, it is fantastic to have the opportunity to meet all our new families at the New Parent Picnic. One of the most important aspects of KGIS is our strong sense of community and family. All parents are always welcome to come and see us, and we warmly welcome the strengthening of the school-parent partnership

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: Humanities and Social Sciences Spotlight

Grade 11 AS Sociology students adopted a practical approach to demonstrate their understanding of organic analogy by using their artistic skills to enhance their exploration of the topic. Students creatively utilised their artistic talents to illustrate the concept of organic analogy Through their imaginative expressions, they showcased a deep understanding of the topic, making it more engaging and visually informative, enriching the learning experience for both peers and educators.

Grade 10 Psychology students are currently learning about lateralisation of brain function. They incorporated this into a debate: Do male and female brains function differently? As you can imagine, this sparked a heated debate! This discussion ignited passionate viewpoints, allowing for a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding brain function and the broader societal discourse on gender and neuroscience.

Grade 12 Psychology students focused on different types of attachment around the world and how there are different cultural attachments. Each student brought in a national dish from their chosen country to represent their research into cultural attachments.

Secondary News

Grade 8 Geography students have been discussing the important topic of Plate Tectonics Students worked in groups and used a homemade board-game to illustrate their understanding of this geological phenomenon. This hands-on approach enhanced their engagement, fostering a dynamic learning environment that encouraged exploration and deeper understanding.