KGIS Weekly Newsletter 27 April 2023

THE KNOWLEDGE

A Message from the Executive Principal

Dear parents and carers

Welcome back again to the start of Term 3 and Eid Mubarak once again! It was good to see your children returning after the Eid break on Tuesday, looking rested and happy. I hope the holiday provided you the opportunity to spend some special family time with your children.

Our Operations Team were busy over the Spring Break and Eid holiday working hard to continue to make improvements to the school campus. We are very proud of our developing Early Years Garden and Play area, which recently has seen the addition of new grassed areas, spaces for children to grow and look after their own plants, additional shading, a climbing wall and a fantastic 'mud kitchen' for outdoor play! We have many exciting further additions and developments to the school campus and facilities planned for the Summer Holidays, and next academic year. As always, we remain committed in ensuring excellent levels of investment back into the school whether in the recruitment of high quality teachers, facilities or educational resources and technology to improve the opportunities for your children

As we have now returned to normal school hours following the Holy Month of Ramadan, I am pleased to remind you that our wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities are running once again as normal. Please do take a look at the updated schedule by clicking here, and discuss the options available with your children We hope to see as many students as possible benefitting from the huge range of enrichment on offer!

Ms Liz Stanley Executive Principal

Key Dates

Please make a note of the following important dates:

Wednesday 10 May: Academic Review Day for Grades KG1 to Grade 9

Sunday 7 May: A Level Examinations start

Sunday 14 May to Tuesday 16 May: British Schools Overseas inspection

Sunday 14 May: IGCSE Examinations start

Sunday 21 May: Grade 11 Oman Bilingual Diploma examinations start

Sunday 21 May: Examinations for Grades 6 to 9 start

Thursday 29 June: Last day of Term 3

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

Extra-Curricular Activities

a-Curricular Timetable for this term

Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities resume as normal this week. Please use the link above to see the timetable for Term 3.

Inspired Student Competitions

We are pleased to share details of two Inspired global competitions that are open to students. Please do encourage your children to participate!

KG Update

We have had a wonderful first few days settling back into KG life! Over the past few months our KG children have been working hard on being independent and less reliant on our Support Team and their teachers when in the Canteen. We are particularly proud of how independent the children are becoming at mealtimes. They are enjoying their delicious food, using their cutlery, carrying their own trays, cleaning up after themselves and mastering pouring water! Why not ask your little ones to help with mealtime jobs at home? We are sure that they will impress you as well!

A Message from Mr. Ian, Head of Primary

It was lovely to welcome you and your children back to school after our Eid Holiday. I hope you had a restful and blessed Ramadan and Eid. We have a busy final term ahead in KGIS and as we return to a full timetable the importance of being on time for school is as important as ever. As teachers, we see first-hand the significant impact that punctuality has on a child's education and overall well-being.

Firstly, arriving at school on time sets the tone for the day It allows students to enter the classroom calmly, prepared, and ready to learn. When a child arrives late, they may feel flustered and disorganised, which can lead to a chaotic start to the day This can disrupt the entire class and lead to a loss of valuable instructional time, particularly during Homeroom time where children have valuable teaching and independent learning time. Missing Homeroom amounts to over an hour and a half per week or two full school days per month!

Secondly, consistent lateness can negatively affect a child's academic progress. Arriving late often means missing important information and instructions given at the beginning of class, which can result in a child falling behind their classmates. Furthermore, a child who is frequently late may feel discouraged and disengaged from the learning process, which can have a long-term impact on their academic success.

Finally, being on time for school teaches children the value of responsibility and accountability. By arriving on time, students learn to prioritise their commitments and understand the importance of being dependable. These are important life skills that will serve them well throughout their academic and professional careers

In conclusion, I urge you to make every effort to ensure that your child arrives at school by 7:30am each morning It is a small but significant step that can have a profound impact on their academic success and personal growth. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.

Grades 1 and 2

Grade 2 Students have been working recently on representation of number. They have used a mixture of physical and written resources to show their understanding of how number is made up different combinations, how place value affects the number and how to partition numbers effectively. Remember number can be represented so many different ways, not just as digits!

Primary News

Grades 3 to 5

Grade 3 were learning about trust in Drama lessons. They played some drama games which showed the importance of having trust in our classmates and also learning how to be a trustworthy person. Lots of fun was had!

Secondary News

Message from Mr. James, Head of Secondary

I would like to welcome all students and parents back after the Eid holiday and I hope you all enjoyed this precious time with your families. I would like parents to note some important key events coming up. As we progress towards the end of the school year, it is particularly important that the Teaching Team have the opportunity to update you regarding your child’s progress. The next Academic Review Day will take place on Wednesday 10th May from 8:00am to 5:00pm This will be an opportunity to meet with each subject teacher and receive specific feedback on effort, engagement and progress. Importantly, this event is an opportunity to understand your child’s areas of strength and areas for development. The Academic Review Day is only for students in Grades 6 to 9. Your child will receive an appointment sheet. Please ask them to visit each of their teachers to request an appointment. It is important that parents stick to their time slot to ensure fairness for everyone.

As we near the end of the academic year, we would like to inform you about the upcoming assessments for students in Grades 6 to 9. These assessments are an important part of the education process as they provide valuable feedback on your child's academic progress and help to identify areas where they may need additional support. It is essential that your child attends all assessments and takes them seriously. Encouraging them to prepare thoroughly will help to ensure that they achieve their best results We understand that these assessments can be stressful for some students, but we would like to assure you that our teachers are here to support your child every step of the way. We encourage you to speak with your child's teacher if you have any concerns or questions about the assessments. Mr Tom will be sending out a detailed schedule next week. There will also be no Cycle Tests during the month of May to allow students the opportunity to maximise their revision time.

Uniform

As a school, we have high expectations for our students in terms of academic performance, behaviour, and appearance One aspect of appearance that we take very seriously is the wearing of school uniform Uniform plays an important role in creating a sense of unity and pride amongst our students, as well as promoting a positive and professional image of our school in the community. It also helps to remove any distractions that may arise from students wearing inappropriate clothing, and allows our teachers to focus on delivering the best possible education to our students.

We expect all students to adhere to the school's Uniform Policy, including wearing black shoes; crocs are not allowed. Students who are not wearing the correct uniform may be asked to change and parents may be called to bring in the correct uniform for their children. Hoodies are not allowed to be worn in school and students will be asked to remove them. School jackets are available in the Uniform Shop.

Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring that your child follows our school's Uniform Policy. We believe that it is an essential aspect of our school culture and helps to promote the high standards that we expect from all our students

Secondary News

Learning and Teaching

Grade 6 have been researching the life of the famous playwright William Shakespeare and why his work has made such a lasting impact in contemporary and modern times. Students presented their own Google Slides projects about Shakespeare and life in Tudor times The research on William Shakespeare and Tudor times presents a wonderful opportunity for cross-curricular learning. By studying Shakespeare's life, students developed a deeper understanding of the historical context in which he lived and the societal issues that shaped his work. This project also helped students develop their research skills, critical thinking, and analytical skills, as they delve into primary and secondary sources and evaluate their relevance and reliability. Furthermore, exploring Tudor times can also provide important connections to other subjects such as History

Our Grade 7 Science students are learning about 'Sound and Waves' in Physics. Students did an amazing job designing a 3D model of the ear and were able to explain the different parts and functions of the ear to their fellow classmates. The study of sound and waves provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the fundamental concepts of Physics. As part of their studies, students were tasked with designing a 3D model of the ear, which allowed them to develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills By explaining the different parts and functions of the ear to their classmates, students were able to develop their communication skills and reinforce their understanding of the physics of sound.

Secondary News

Revision Tip - Does social media have a negative impact on student's grades?

Social media has become part and parcel of our daily lives Students use it to stay connected with their friends, follow the latest trends, and to socialise. It is therefore important that we explore growing concerns about its potential impact on mental health.

It’s addictive

Using social media can lead to addiction because it triggers the brain’s reward system to release dopamine, which is the “feel-good” chemical. Whenever you receive a like on Instagram or retweet on Twitter, the brain receives a flood of dopamine and sends it along reward pathways. While this feels wonderful, it reinforces your need to satisfy this feeling again, making you addicted to these apps Young people can be particularly susceptible to ‘chasing’ likes and this can have a negative effect on their mental state.

It affects your sleep

As social media is designed to be mentally stimulating and engaging, using it late at night can disrupt sleep by making it difficult for users to unwind and relax before bedtime Indeed, a study done recently found that adolescents with high social media use were 68% more likely to fall asleep after 11:00pm on school nights than those with average social media use. Social media's impact on sleep also extends to the blue light emitted by the screen of the devices we access it on. This blue light tricks our brain into thinking it’s still daytime, which causes it to delay the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin, making it more challenging to fall asleep.

It may lead to depression and social isolation

The more we use social media, the less happy we seem to be. In fact, one study found a strong link between social media use and feelings of social isolation. The team of researchers looked at how much people used 11 social media platforms and correlated this with their perceived social isolation. It turned out that time spent on these platforms was associated with how socially isolated they perceived themselves to be Similarly, a new study found a 70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms among individuals using social media.

A

big

reason why social media makes people feel socially

isolated and depressed is because of the comparison factor. As a user scrolls through their feed, they consume many idealised and carefully photoshopped images that lead to upward social comparisons (feeling another person has it better than you), ultimately lowering their psychological well-being.

HOW CAN YOU MANAGE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE?

As we mentioned, social media is a useful way to keep us connected to the world. Therefore, the goal isn't to stop using it completely, but to avoid excessive use that can disrupt your everyday life. Here are some of our favourite strategies to help you develop phone management skills…

Limit your notifications

The “ding” noise from a notification shouts for your attention, which encourages you to check your phone immediately. You may want to change your settings so you can carefully choose what you are notified of and when. This way, you can avoid being distracted by Instagram or Snapchat updates that can wait without worrying about missing an urgent call. Adopting this strategy is also beneficial for the long run, as this can help you get into the mindset that most messages do not require your immediate attention and action

Secondary News

Use apps to help you limit your time on social media

Fight fire with fire using apps designed to help limit your social media use. For example, Forest allows you to set a period of time (say, 30 minutes) when you commit not to use your phone. During that time, a digital plant will grow in the app. If you use your phone, Forest will tell you to get off it or your plant will die!

Put your phone away

Sometimes, it can be as easy as keeping your phone out of sight when you need to focus. Students can do this by giving it to a trusted adult who can look after it for a certain time period or until they have completed a specific task

Stop using phones well before bedtime

Encourage your child to disconnect from technology at night. It is generally recommended that you set this alarm an hour or two before bedtime. This allows you to engage in a night routine that promotes sleep leading up to bed, such as reading a book or practising meditation

FINAL THOUGHTS

In our fast-paced digital world, it can be easy to get lost in the never-ending stream of notifications, posts, and updates. While social media undoubtedly has its benefits, excessive use of it can play a role on mental health. We hope the strategies outlined above can help your students take control of their social media usage and cultivate a healthier relationship with technology.

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