Yearbook 2020-21

CONTENTS INSIDE THE ISSUE

5

7

48

50 52 54

9

Message from the Head of First School

Message from the Head of Junior School

Message from the Principal

Message from the Head of Lower School

Message from the PYP Coordinator

Desert Ants

Desert hares

Grade 2

Grade 2

ARABIAN horses

Kingfishers

64 66 68 70 72 74 Salamanders falcons

eagles

Starlings

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 4

Grade 3

88 91 92 93 House Competitions in the Junior School

Junior School Music

Junior School Art

Grade 4

Grade 4

98

Message from the Vice Principal Curriculum

Computing and STEM

108 110 116 120 122 124 JAVI HOUSE

YIBIR HOUSE

House Art

140 142 Graduation

IBMYP Personal Projects

MYP Grade 9 Activities

150

Founder’s Day

IBMYP Service As Action (SA)

152 Facility Staff Interviews

UAE National Day 2020

170 172 178 180 182 184 The Library

Senior Societies

Coding for Girls

Extra-Curricular Activities

Competing in the London Young Musician Competition

Creative Writing

11 12-45 Message from the Head of Early Years

First School

ARABIAN WILD CATS

Arabian Gazelles

Circus Noah Chadderton

Grade 2

Grade 3

ART

What have we learnt this year?

46

Pre KG 1 to Grade 1

56 58 60 61 62 Grade 3 Work Abdul Kazam’s Magic Show

Message from the Deputy Head Junior School

The Rabit’s Tail Myra Sobit

76 78 80-85 86 88 Grade 4

Grade 4

126

102 104 106 130

Message from the Vice Principal Director of Studies

Message from the Assistant Principal, Head of Sixth Form

THE BIG FOUR

Reflection on Grade 5

Grade 5

100 Message from the Vice Principal Pastoral Care

HOUSE CAPTAINS

grade 5

HAFEET HOUSE

JAIS HOUSE

132 134 Message from the IB Coordinator

Grade 12 Comments

158 160 162 164 166 164 The Arabic Department this year

The Art Department this year

First Day At School

Why Should You Read Literature From Different Cultures?

English Subject Week

The Geography Department

188 189 190 194 Travel Writing Grade 6

NLCS Staff Ramadan Fitness Challenge 2021

The History Department

MYP Language Acquisition E-portfolio 2021

Message from the Principal “We need to constantly be challenging ourselves in order to strengthen our character and increase our intelligence.”

H.G.Wells For many of us, the past year has been one of looking back and looking forward, rather than enjoying the present.

The last year has posed many challenges, but, here at NLCS Dubai, there has been an undoubtable strengthening of characters, for all our community. The students have shown the rest of us how to be adaptable and flexible; how to still keep a smile on their faces and display an enthusiasm for life. The grown ups have all found it a little harder, mainly because we like our routines and are more set in our ways. When I have walked through the school, I have witnessed this adaptability firsthand, and it has been a wonderful way to keep perspective. To see the students embracing their own challenges with such positivity has been inspiring.

The year began with the opening of our Phase 2 extension, with 40 new classrooms, including Science labs and seminar rooms for the 6th Form. It also included a 6th Form Common Room and work area for the Grade 11 and 12 students and two new House Spaces. This means that each House in the Senior School now has its own dedicated space for assemblies and other activities. The Junior School has a new First School Library, which post restrictions will provide an engaging and inspiring space for reading and research. A new playground for the First School was opened and the First Floor Lower School Playground was resurfaced and had new equipment installed.These new spaces have been a blessing this year and have afforded us much needed space to accommodate the current protocols.

One thing I am very excited about is what is on the horizon for us here at NLCS Dubai. We have so much to look forward to in the new academic year. Our numbers are continuing to grow and this means our community grows stronger and stronger.The number of students in the Senior School is beginning to balance with the Junior School and this will provide further opportunities for academic enrichment, external connections, the growth of the academic societies and leadership. One of the things that characterises an NLCS education is the 6th Form student’s role in leading and demonstrating academic ambition and enrichment, which is at the heart of our ethos; and through this, inspiring the younger students and showing the way for those that follow.

The offers received for our 2021 graduating Grade 12s are incredibly exciting, with our first Ivy League College offers, alongside offers for Medicine and scholarships to a number of US universities. Our students have also received offers from LSE and a host of other Russell Group Universities.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the NLCS Dubai community on the way we have supported each other and made a success of this last year.

Thank you to the teachers who have maintained a strong NLCS ethos, despite the guidelines we have worked within. I know you will be so excited about a return to a full compliment of ECAs, House Competitions and enrichment, whenever that takes place.

Thank you to the students for your inspiration and enthusiasm, while many around you have wavered.

Thank you to the parents for continuing to work in partnership with the school and for your help in adapting to make a success of the past year.

Our lives are a constant opportunity to challenge ourselves and become better people, while enjoying all that life has to offer. When things are tough, living in the moment is harder, but we must all make sure we take each day as it comes and remain positive and thankful for the privileges we have.

I have managed to write this without mentioning any viruses and I leave you with the opportunity to celebrate all that has been achieved this last year, reflected in this wonderful yearbook, but also to look forward with hope, promise and ambition as we move into the next.

James Monaghan Principal NLCS Dubai

Message from the Head of Junior School It seems incredible that we are at the end of our fourth year. It has certainly been a different school year for us all, as we have adjusted to our ‘new normal’ and a new way of doing things. We have all had to embrace the challenges but it is important to view every challenge as an opportunity - an opportunity to do something in a different way, to be creative, to explore options and embrace the change.

This year we were delighted to open our extension as the school continues to grow. This additional classroom space has been invaluable, allowing us to create a dedicated computing zone, as well as having additional playground spaces alongside the extra classrooms.

Opportunities to enhance the students’ learning experiences have continued this year. As I reflect on our daily life in school (always being mindful of the safety of all in our community) and the programme of events we have been able to offer, I look back with pride. We have held Virtual Mini Exhibitions, Themed Weeks, Celebration Events, Sports Days, House Competitions and school wide events, such as Pinktober and the International Picnic. The enthusiasm, resilience and commitment shown by the students this year has been exceptional and in particular their support and encouragement for each other. I am justly proud of them.

A huge thank you must also go to our wonderful team; the dedication, resilience and effort that they have put into this past year have been incredible.

It has certainly been different not having our parents in school and this has made it even more testing to create a community feel. I would like to personally thank all of our parenting body for their loyalty and commitment to NLCS Dubai. Their support never ceases to amaze me.

As we look forward to our fifth year, if I have learnt anything this year, it is that we cannot predict what is yet to come. All I can say is – keep safe, look after yourself, your family and your friends and remain optimistic.

Emma Navin Head of Junior School NLCS Dubai

Message from the Head of First School Starting a new school, or moving to a different year group, is both an exciting and nervous experience for students, parents and even staff. I too had these mixed emotions at the start of this academic year, moving from my role leading a First School in the UK to one in an international setting, here at NLCS Dubai.

Despite the unusual circumstances we have found ourselves in this year, it truly has been one of enjoyment and discovery on my part, thanks to the wide mix of nationalities, languages and diverse cultures all working together at NLCS. International Day was a perfect way for this to be recognised, with the students arriving at school in their traditional dress, with a range of cuisines and most importantly – smiling faces. Seeing the delight on students’ faces as they master a challenge in Maths; successfully throw a ball at the target in PE or write a sentence independently for the first time, are significant moments and ones we are proud to be a part of.

The heritage of NLCS is another element that has stood out for me this academic year, and being part of the planning team to ensure another successful Founders Day Celebration for both students attending school on site, and those distance learning, gave me the opportunity to further enrich my knowledge of our history. Sharing this with the First School students as part of our assembly programme, through our KG2 Victorian Schooling re-enactment day, plus wearing shades of yellow on the day with our origami daffodils on show, was an enjoyable event for us all.

I look forward to next year, revisiting these significant events, being part of some new ones, and continuing to work with our NLCS family to give our First School students the best start to their educational journey.

Rebecca Fernandes Head of First School NLCS Dubai

Message from the Head of Early Years The year of 2020-2021, Unrecognisable to everyone, A year that caused many fears, Yet the children have been frontiers, Not even a single tear.

It is natural to think of all that they have missed, Visitors, free play, school trips don’t exist, Yet when you say, “How was your day?”

You’ll be amazed at what they say, Dinosaurs and messy play, Stories, sing along songs, Friendships, rights and wrongs, All show what they take away, And the memories they have to stay.

Despite the challenges all have had, Nothing makes me more glad, Than seeing Pre-KG count, scribble and weave, Form letters, start to write and read, Whilst KG1 work to explain and reason, Resilience forming- they won’t be beaten, Letters, notes, stories they scribe, Whilst developing their little tribes.

So, let’s not forget what Covid didn’t take away, The children have all flourished anyway, Sometimes it’s the small things that last, And despite all, they have had a blast.

Nathalie Allen Head of Early Years NLCS Dubai

Butterflies Pre KG

12

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Harris The Butterflies All around the world, schools have been devoted, To figuring out the safest way to teach children during Covid.

Our little class of Butterflies was separated into Bubbles; Bubble 1 and Bubble 2 meant the fun was double!

Now before I talk about how much I love my class, I must first say how wonderful our TAs have been – top class!

Miss Veronica and Miss Cora, thank you very much, Your support has been invaluable, and I’d like to say as such Now on to the children – where do I begin?

We’ve got super smart Mourad, Leon,Yibole; and Saoud – he’s a twin!

Arhaan is super clever, and Abdalla loves fast cars, Celine can sing in French and Arabic and Naavya is a star!

Maryam is sweet and kind, lovely Leticia has very curly hair, Arin likes a muddy puddle, while Esme loves her teddy bear!

Kian is very thoughtful, and Scientist Spencer is super clever, Aarav is a fireman and Akira’s the cutest ever!

Danya loves rainbows to paint, and Christian loves to read, While Rithvik loves the dinosaurs, for William, whales and colossal squid take the lead!

My little class of Butterflies, thank you for being wonderful, all through our work and play, I will certainly miss you a lot, as you brighten every day

www.nlcsdubai.ae

13

TURTLES

Pre KG

14

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs.Veličković My dearest Turtles Class, I can’t believe the time’s gone so quickly. Well, you know what they say- time flies when you have fun! And who could forget events like STEM week, Rainbow Day, National Day and our favourite- Glittery Thursdays? I have enjoyed watching you grow, play and learn and I am so proud to have been a part of your preschool year. It is absolutely fascinating how dedicated and disciplined you have been to your studies, as well as friendly and kind to all members of NLCS community.

You are each amazing and wonderful and each of you has such an amazing personality. There have been so many moments to remember and so many lovely friendships made throughout the year. We have laughed all together so much at all your funny, witty comments.

I am glad to see my wide-eyed lemmings grow into confident, capable and affectionate little humans. I hope that you will continue to enjoy school with the same excitement and love for learning that you have now. Keep making good choices and work hard every day. Always remember, you are each absolutely precious and it has been an honour to be your teacher.

Good luck next year, you are going to be amazing!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

15

Sparrows

Pre KG

16

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs. Mitchell Ten months of possibility, of potential Countless ways that each of you have flourished and thrived From your first steps into the classroom, our place for discovery You have learned and you have grown Shaping new friendships, forming new memories Learning to play; learning through play Each in your own unique way On a voyage through the world around you and the world within you.

At the start of your journey, Your future a promise, your present a gift It has been a pleasure little Sparrows of 2021

www.nlcsdubai.ae

17

CAMELS

KG 1

18

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Scanlon What an amazing year, All these KG1 Camels deserve the biggest cheer!

They began with laughter, determination and resilience, And all grew in height, knowledge and experience!

As we began, excitement was all around, New Camel friends were quickly to be found.

A spectacular class, sparkling everyday, Never do we want any of them to go away!

They learnt about themselves, the community, endangered and extinct species and our feelings, Through these Units, all minds grew and became like springs!

Taking on new knowledge, questioning and challenging what they knew, In all areas of the curriculum, each camel FLEW! We were sad to say goodbye to Amber and Ms. Saja in the year, But luckily for us Amin, Ayeza and Ms. Zaiba did appear!

Each of you adding your own little sprinkle of magic to our class, Twenty amazing people, none will surpass.

To Amber, Harith, Alice, Grace, Yaseen, Ayeza, Ariana, Jason, Laith, Ridhvi, Amelia, Noura, Sienna, Masha, Nizam, Nyra, Amin, Maxi, Dina and Moroti Thank you for being the people you are, We love you and know you will all go far.

Shoot for the stars, nothing less do, You are all superstars, through and through!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

19

Leopards KG1

20

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs Parsons Well my little Leopards ….

The year that bubbles, social distancing and mask wearing became the norm.You all adapted so amazingly and took it in your stride, with a big smile of each of your faces. You have not only impressed me with your resilience and determination but also your kind hearts and caring nature. You have given Mrs Carol and me memories to last a lifetime.

Sienna: You have such a big love of learning. I love the big smile on your face when you overcome a challenge.

Amy: I love seeing your beautiful smile each morning as you skip through the door!

Aashvi: Your amazing ability to solve a Maths problem faster than a calculator!

Inara: Your sense of humor and energy always put a smile on everyone’s face!

Advyait: Your amazing facts and knowledge about the world around us.

Iliana: You have become such a beautiful, mature young girl! I have loved watching you grow in independence.

Mark: I love listening to your fantastic weekend news, full of adventures and of course your amazing facts about Dolphin Fish!

Jai: You are kind and caring to everybody! Not a day has gone by where you were not helping somebody in class with their learning.

Liam: Your happy and bubbly little character. I love listening to your funny jokes and stories that always put a smile on my face!

Mariana: The determination and resilience you show when tackling challenges!

Luca: Your cheeky smile brightens up everyone’s day! I love the excitement on your face during science experiments!

Sofia: Your infectious smile and laugh and the sparkly accessories that you love to wear to school!

Sophia: You have the most beautiful smile and caring nature.You have grown into such a confident young girl.

Misha: You have such a big kind, heart! You care about your friends so much and always make sure that everyone is okay.

Lara: You have an amazing little mind full of knowledge and wonder and your love of reading and stories!

Leo: Your amazing drawings and how confident you were to join our class!

Rayyan: Your big smile as I greet you each morning and how kind you are to your friends!

Amaya: How brave and resilient you were to join our class through Zoom!

Nirvaan : How brave you were to join our class in Term 3 and your love for maths and numbers!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

21

Flamingoes KG1

22

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Redmond Once upon a time in an Arabian Desert, there was a class full of fantastic Flamingoes at NLCS Dubai. The Flamingoes were hardworking, charismatic students, who embraced every learning opportunity that came their way.

The fabulous Flamingoes faced many challenges, from social distancing to transitioning between teachers, but they took it in their stride and showed everyone how resilient they could be. Over the year, they grew from shy individuals to inquisitive learners who strived to achieve their best to become magnificent mathematics, wonderful writers and curious investigators.

In the blink of an eye, the year passed quickly and the flock became experts in organising themselves, expressing their emotions and being a good role model in the community. Every special event, whether it be International Day, World Book Day or Diwali, the Flamingoes came dressed to impress. Laughter and joy could be heard for miles when the Flamingoes put out a blazing fire having a water fight. These Flamingoes had a passion for Irish Dancing and performed this every morning with beaming smiles on their faces.

Everyday their teacher was amazed by the loveable Flamingoes’ friendship for each other and humorous comments. As bubbles changed each half term, the group adapted and became the best of friends. They included each other in their role plays and made little notes for each other to show they cared. Beautiful acts of kindness were spotted everywhere.

As the academic year came to a close, the Flamingoes were prepared to take flight, spread their wings and reach new heights in their next adventure. The Flamingoes knew that as long as they stayed true to themselves and embraced every opportunity that came their way, they could live happily ever after.

www.nlcsdubai.ae

23

DOLPHINS KG 1

24

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Booth This year has been one to cherish for the Dolphin Class! It all began back in September after a long time away from the classroom, but that did not stop them. With butterflies in their tummies and smiles on their faces, the Dolphins were ready to delve into KG1 life and more importantly, be together (despite being in bubbles!)

The children quickly adapted to all types of learning, whether that be face to face or online and approached these scenarios with enthusiasm. From making magic potions via Zoom, to taking on the role of a firefighter and putting out a ‘fire’ in the playground, they demonstrated their ever-growing resilience.

It has been truly amazing to see the Dolphins develop academically and watch as they apply a variety of skills in a range of contexts. A highlight has been the many hunts around the school we have been on, searching for 3D shapes, materials, patterns and many more, all whilst applying their Phonic knowledge and recording their findings.

This year has brought about some challenges, and whilst not being able to celebrate in the normal fashion, the Dolphins have managed to successfully take part in a range of activities and festivities with zeal. From making diva lamps when celebrating Diwali, to eating their very own ‘international picnic’, they have all been such wonderful experiences that will last a lifetime.

My Delightful Dolphins have become such independent, caring and imaginative children who are so eager to learn. I am so very proud of all you have achieved and I cannot wait to see you flourish in KG2!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

25

Whales KG 2

26

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs. Gray The Whales Class have been on a journey of learning, through all aspects of school life. Personally, socially and academically, all the students have committed themselves to being the best that they can be. The students have strived to excel in all they do, trying to challenge themselves daily. I would often hear, ‘I am challenging myself, Mrs. Gray’. Each time hearing this made me so proud that the students wanted to do better for themselves and were always trying their best.

Adaptation throughout this year has been key for the students’ success; from beginning the year coming to school on alternate days, being in bubbles, (which have changed throughout the year) desperate at times to be with their peers on the ‘other side’, to having a full week out of the classroom and embracing online learning. I have been extremely proud of every one of them and the resilience and dedication that they have shown.

Year highlights have been ‘STEM’ week. The children thoroughly enjoyed the variety of activities throughout the week. From making circuits to designing a seed that would end world hunger, the children showcased their made products at the end of their unit of ‘How We Organise Ourselves’.

The students have enjoyed specialist lessons for PE, Music, Computing, Arabic and Modern Foreign Languages in Mandarin, Spanish and French. It has been a pleasure to be their teacher in KG2 and as they leave their KG days behind them, I wish them all the best and encourage them to continue with their dedication and commitment to their love of learning.

www.nlcsdubai.ae

27

Meerkats KG 2

28

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Tomlin Meerkat Class, the time has come for us to say goodbye We’ve had so much fun this year- it really has flown by!

Ellie- you have a smile that brightens up the room Khaled- you made us laugh so much, especially on Zoom!

George, you are a chatterbox and a bookworm too, Henry, you are knowledgeable about every animal in the zoo!

Aiden, you are so happy and care about your friends Lian, you are bubbly and fun and know all the latest trends!

Isla, so gentle and sincere, you really are so kind Seungchan, a boy as comical as you would be very hard to find!

Zayn, so kindhearted, we will miss your wit and quirky ways Mustafa your silly stories have kept us laughing for 190 days!

Mishall, your helpful, loving nature is beautiful to see Anas, so easy going and relaxed- I think we all agree Shrey, you are so motivated and an awesome mathematician Miraya, a ray of sunshine, always calm and ready to listen Marya, you always try your best in everything you do Matthew, our chatterbox, and awesome artist too!

Maanvi, our little gymnast, you are a joy to have around Layan, a master at the monkey bars, in you, a star we found.

I have never been so proud of such a wonderful group of children Each and every one of you are truly one in a gazillion.

Whenever you feel you want to give up, hold your head up high Miss Tomlin and Miss Rizza know that you can reach for the sky.

www.nlcsdubai.ae

29

Tortoises KG 2

30

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Ali It has been such a wonderful this year for Tortoise class.We have had some fantastic displays of learning from a caring, happy group of children, filling the classroom with so much joy and energy. From the moment the children walked through the door back in September, I knew we would have a fantastic year together and it has been a pleasure watching every single child grow into an independent, resilient, positive little person. They have grown up so much over the course of the year and I am excited to see how they will develop further as they move into Grade 1.

Maxwell – You are a kind and generous soul who has shown such a strong attitude this year. I am so proud at how hard you work and all you have achieved.

Amir – You have grown in confidence this year and have shown excitement and enthusiasm in all that you have learnt.

Patrick – You fill the classroom with positive energy and your cheeky smile is always there to brighten up the room.

You are a kind and happy soul and I am proud of all you have achieved.

Emili – Your smile brightens up the faces of those around you.Your positive attitude is infectious and I am so proud of all you have achieved this year.

Ahmed – You have a fantastic little mind filled with knowledge and wonder. You are inquisitive and it has been wonderful watching you grow in confidence.

Humaira – You are a kind and happy soul who is always there to help others if they need it.You are a fantastic friend to all children in the classroom.

Adam – You have grown in confidence this year and your personality really does shine through. You have a fantastic vocabulary and I am excited to see you develop further.

Prisha – You are a kind and happy soul who is always there to help others when they need it. You have shown resilience this year and a fantastic attitude to learning.

Abdulla– Your cheeky smile and inquisitive mind bring a fantastic energy to the room. Your funny responses to questions or ideas always put a smile on our faces.

Isabel – You are kind, caring and mature with a fantastic attitude to learning.Your imagination will follow you anywhere you may go.

Leo – You are a kind and caring soul who is a fantastic friend to others.You demonstrate maturity on a daily basis and I can always rely on you to be a role model for others.

Robert - You are a sweet, kind boy who is caring to everybody.You are a born leader who is supportive and helpful.

I have loved teaching you and watching your fantastic mind grow and develop.

Lingrui – You have grown into such a confident young girl with a cheeky character. Your positive attitude has shone through and it has been wonderful watching you progress throughout this year.

Zoe – You are a sweet and caring child with a fantastic attitude to learning.Your humorous nature is always brightening up the room. I love seeing your smile and listening to your jokes.

Alessia – You are growing in confidence each day and I have loved watching your sweet personality shine through.

You are a kind and helpful friend to those around you with a beautiful soul.

Li – You are a ball of energy who brightens up the classroom the moment you walk through the door. You have demonstrated resilience and have taken on any challenges of the year in your stride.

Yousef – You are a kind and caring boy who is always there to help those around you who may need it. You have an inquisitive nature and your knowledge about the world around you blows me away.

Yui – You are a popular little girl who is a great friend to others.You have such a wonderful sense of humor and you brighten up the faces of all who you come across. www.nlcsdubai.ae 31

oryx KG 2

32

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Collins Krish - Charismatic, caring. Can always make me smile with his cheeky grin and causes everyone to be happy and joyful.

Hongcheng - Humorous, headstrong. Has settled well into the Oryx class and hunts down the answers to any question he is given.

Brian - Brainy, bubbly. Believes in himself and believes in his friends by supporting them and always trying his best.

Adam - Ambivalent, authentic. Always ready to take on new challenges with a smile on his face and keeps our entertainment alive with his stories and news.

Kventin - Caring, kind. Can ask a million questions a day and is always inquiring then applies the content of his questions to improve his work.

Serena - Super, successful. Smartly challenges herself at any given time by always dedicating herself to any task.

Meredith - Merry, magnificent. Might be the best problem solver on the playground and has a numerous amount of best friends.

Sienna - Sweet, sophisticated. Sees the creativity in everything and successfully uses her imagination to keep us excited.

Martha - Modest, masterful. Manages to always use her manners when anyone is speaking to her and is meticulous in her presentation.

Advik - Angelic, awesome. Always makes us proud with his amazing running and his ability to answer questions clearly.

George - Genuine, gifted. Gallantly can attack any ‘naughty’ wizards using his imagination and determination whilst also gaining knowledge in the classroom.

Yousuf - Young but mature, yearly successful. Yesterday, and everyday, Yousuf demonstrates respects to everyone he meets and will always ‘go the extra yard’.

Antoni - Awesome, active. Able to accurately work on his problems and doesn’t stop until they are solved.

Seb - Self- reliant, successful. Suitably able to speak maturely and in detail about any subject we are discussing with enthusiasm and joy.

Yuto - Yearly achiever, yearning answers. Yes, Yuto is a fun loving, dedicated member of the Oryx class. Yikes ‘y’ words are difficult!

Aliya - Ambitious, amazing. Always keeping the class passionate about the world’s issues and being aware of her own viewpoint and beliefs.

Sahana - Stimulating, stylish. Successfully bringing sunshine into the class when she shares her opinions and keeps us interested in her imagination.

Maddie - Magnanimous, memorable. Managing to meaningfully exude creativity throughout her work and being a bright and joyful member of the class.

www.nlcsdubai.ae

33

Arabian Wolves KG 2

34

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Brookes The Amazing Arabian Wolves!

Thank you for bringing your kind hearts, big smiles and shining personalities to KG2 this year. Every day you have become more resilient and determined to succeed in school, overcoming the challenges of the changing world around us. Miss Raquel and I have loved watching you grow, learn and laugh. We are so proud of all that you have achieved!

Here are some of the little things that we will miss: Aarav- Your enthusiasm to improve your reading and your fist pumps when you score 10/10 in your spelling test!

Haya- Your big, beautiful smile and how you dance around the classroom.

Alanoud- Your chatterbox nature and excitement to answer a question during carpet time.

Stanley – Your determination to always do your best work and the incredible kindness you show to all your friends.

Lahcene – Your super imagination and amazing facts about animals.

Zak – How you always celebrate the achievements of others and the determination you have shown to solve tricky problems.

Aryeveer - Your big smile and perseverance when joining a new school.

Cleo - Your creative writing and beautiful matching illustrations.

Jawaher - How you twirl and jump to celebrate your amazing achievements.

Rian - Your curiosity for the world around you, your infectious giggle and spectacular weekend news.

Sami - Your determination to spell every word correctly and perseverance to improve all your work!

Malaika - Your kind and gentle nature and determination to always ensure your work is perfect.

Lea - Your passion for learning and of course all the delicious Cake Bloom cakes.

Yusuf - How you are a walking, talking fact file and your enthusiasm to answer questions.

Vir - Your incredible passion for Science and Maths and dedication to find out more about the world.

Arhaan - Your friendly morning greetings when you walk into the classroom.

Zavi – Your charming, sparkling smile and how you use vocabulary beyond your years.

Cole - Your incredible passion for music, scientific knowledge and amazing robot drawings.

The Arabian Wolves class is full of characters who are wonderfully joyful, caring and ambitious and they will continue to walk through their NLCS journey with success, curiosity and a lot of sparkle!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

35

Parakeets Grade 1

36

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs Johnson Proud moments teaching, the Parakeets class have been so memorable right from the start, They have all shown their passion and a love for learning, especially in Unit of Inquiry, Maths and Art. Achieving their full potential with a positive mindset for success, Always being risk-takers showing they can perform to their very best.

Resilient and adaptable to any changes they have faced along the way, Creating many wonderful memories that will always stay.

Amazing designs created for the Grade 1 upcycling fashion show, Our International picnic with outfits from around the world, from India to Mexico.

Kindness pom-poms shared, reflecting how they show their friends they care, Excitement for winning ‘Dojo Star’ or an adventure with Harry the class bear.

Energetic in the Dubai Fitness Challenge, showing their love of exercise, Winning the best class overall was such a delightful surprise.

Enthusiasm about life beyond Earth, when an alien landed in the classroom, An adventure making outstanding rockets and launching them back to the planet Neptune.

Thinking from others’ perspectives in our debate on deforestation, Sharing our cultures and beliefs in information texts about celebrations.

Students who have flourished throughout their time in Grade 1, We wish them every success in Grade 2, as their learning journey continues on.

www.nlcsdubai.ae

37

Geckos Grade 1

38

YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Hammond “

Going on holiday?” her Scottish Granny asked.“No, I’m moving

to Dubai to teach the Grade One Geckos!” she replied.“Geckos!

Real life Geckos?” Granny wondered. Miss Hammond wondered what they would be like too, but she soon found out…

E

very morning the Geckos greet Mrs Randev and me with a smile so big we can see it in their eyes. A very different school year but the Geckos adapted so well that they thrived. Giving 100% to every challenge faced; being inquirers and risk takers and always working as a team.

C

reative talents were shared this year, from making towers and bridges in STEM week, to building rockets for our alien to get back to space. We especially loved making our own yummy desserts during instruction writing. Don’t forget about the fashion show – what serious moves!

K

indness spread when we started to make changes to stop palm oil plantations and when we were so open-minded when sharing all of the festivals and events we celebrate. We found beauty in all of our differences and learned from each other every day.

O

ne in a million kind of Geckos with huge hearts, playing games in the playground, showing dances and telling stories. Together, you are all super writers, readers, creators, mathematicians, athletes, researchers, scientists, musicians, learners, teachers and most of all friends.

So now it’s just a chance to say, hey Attentive Aya, Memorable Manal, Happy Hamda and Animated Adyant, Shining Sarah, Jolly Jana, Joyous Joshua and Neat Naila, Kind Kyaan, Inspiring Imran, Knowledgeable Kabir and Marvellous Mahi, Brilliant Bella, Stunning Savanna, Ambitious Aaron, Radical Rayaan and Radiant Rashid, and hey Delightful Zaara and Wonderful Yusuf (where alliteration becomes trickier!) – thank you for being so amazing and remember to always follow your dreams!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

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Badgers Grade 1

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mr. Roberts

The school looked so different with desks separated and masks on faces.

Hallways filled with spots on the floor, school was not quite the same as before.

Eager little Badgers entered school on their own, the first day back, a step into the unknown.

Before they knew it, they’d climbed up the stairs, found their new classroom and sat down in their chairs.

And just like that, after months of being at home, they were back in school, no more learning alone.

Determined to learn and make some new friends, meet their new teachers and try out new pens.

Getting into the classroom was just the first task, Mr Roberts and Mrs Tomasik had lots of questions to ask.

Everyone quickly learned heaps of new names, making fresh friends and playing new games.

Right then they all realised that despite all the masks, social distancing and handwashing tasks and that School was a bit different, our friends stayed the same, brightening our day and that’s why we came.

Confident learners are what they’ve become, finding out about fractions, division and sums.

Learning at school about inventors and celebrations, as well has habitats across many different nations.

And now as we’ve reached the end of the school year, you needn’t be worried or filled with fear.

Students in Grade 2 live just down the hall and with your new teacher, I’m sure you’ll have a ball.

So get ready for an adventure with your new class and friends, although we’re saying goodbye we’ll soon meet again!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

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Stingrays Grade 1

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mr. Morgan

S is for the stingray superstars of 2021, T is for talented Tanvi who always tries hard, I is for intelligent and independent, N is for neat and tidy like Hevanika, G is for gifted and graceful like Ms. Aayesha, R is for resilient and respectful, A is for amazing like Armaan, Y is for ‘you owe me dojo points Mr. Morgan!’

S is for special and sensible, A is for articulate and ambitious like Layan and Catherine, R is for rapid reading expert like Kiran, E is for empathetic and expressive like Dylan, A is for artistic and amusing like Caleb, L is for lovely Leonard and Layal, who have better handwriting than Mr. Morgan!

L is for likeable Leonardo and Loay, A is for awesome and adventurous, M is for magnificent Maxwell and Mikael, A is for astonishing and aspiring, Z is for Zinny and Zara who are zippy to help others, I is for inquisitive Danyal and Hussan, N is for a nurturing and teaching.

G is for goodbye and good luck for Grade 2!

www.nlcsdubai.ae

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Red Foxes Grade 1

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Sautter Together for almost a year, How the days have really flown, Now time has brought us here, I’m so proud of how you’ve grown.

To our learners who are at home, We have missed you both this year, But seeing you on Teams each week, Has given us great cheer.

In our class of Red Foxes, Who all reach for the skies, We have Adam AR and Aurelius, They can spell words of any size.

Henri, so creative with your Art, Lara, sharing amazing stories you have written, Kabir’s videos, cooking from the heart, Izzy and Elaina, love their kittens.

Viraj impresses us with his knowledge of cars, Anika and Hesham are budding scientists, Veer and Reem are sporting superstars, Adam A, one of our amazing pianists.

Ziqi’s smile lights up the classroom, Rodina brightens each day through.

Mimi and Chloe, you continue to bloom, Adil, we love sharing stories with you.

With many happy memories, You have made my year so bright, Now it’s time to say goodbye, Before you all take flight.

I will miss you all a lot, When we go our separate ways, You have made me smile so much, Each and every day.

So this is to say a big thank you, And I wish you well for your adventure in Grade Two.

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Message from the Deputy Head Junior School As I write my first entry for the Yearbook as Deputy Head of the Junior School, I have reflected upon the last 12 months. This time last year, I was sat in my office watching the rain pour down the window panes. I could have not envisaged what this year would bring and what an unprecedented year it would be.

I came to NLCS Dubai expecting the extraordinary and I have not been disappointed. I feel a real sense of pride in what has been achieved. It has been a privilege to get to know our remarkable students and their families and work alongside the amazing Junior School staff. Despite the challenges faced, teachers have delivered an outstanding educational experience and it has been great to see the students grow in confidence, become risk takers, adapt and show endless enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Highlights for me include listening to our talented musicians playing seasonal tunes; the Dubai Fitness Challenge, particularly the teacher obstacle race, and STEM week, during which students got to explore the wonderful world of Science, Design, Technology and Mathematics. Above all though, what has been most special to me is becoming part of the NLCS Dubai school community, into which I have been welcomed so kindly.

As I look ahead, the following extracts from ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy feel particularly pertinent.

“Those are dark clouds,” said the boy.

“Yes, but they will move on,” said the horse, “the blue sky above never leaves.”

“When the dark clouds come…keep going.”

“When the big things feel out of control, focus on what you love right under your nose.”

This storm will pass.

Just like the characters in this story, we have found ourselves together, in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing our fears and discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, and friendship. Our students have expressed courage in asking for help, demonstrated strength in community, shown resilience, compassion and the embraced power of kindness.

Thank you for a brilliant year and I wholeheartedly look forward to welcoming the students and families back for the next academic year when the blue skies are back once again.

“Sometimes,” said the horse.

“Sometimes, what?” said the boy.

“Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent!”

Michaela Carney Deputy Head Junior School NLCS Dubai

Message from the Head of Lower School It is hard to believe we find ourselves again, at the end of another incredible academic year. Our 4th year of operation, a year in which we have overcome obstacle after obstacle to ensure we can continue to provide a true NLCS educational experience for our students. Whilst school life continues to look very different to that which we have been used to in the past, the buzz of learning and inspiration is still very much filling the classrooms and corridors of the Lower School at NLCS Dubai, as well as online for our distance learners. Treasuring and celebrating these precious moments is so important, and for this reason, the yearbook is an important time capsule, ensuring these memories and lasting impressions live on far beyond the end of the academic year.

The pages in this yearbook showcase the incredible year our Lower School community has enjoyed. To me, they are reminders of the fact that so often we find the students we are trying to inspire, are the ones that end up inspiring us.

As I write my final entry for the Yearbook, as Head of Lower School, I reflect on the four incredible years that has been the journey of the Lower School so far. Orchestrating the growth of our Lower School community, into what it is today, has been an absolute pleasure and a privilege – the saying ‘from little acorns, mighty oaks grow’ has never been more fitting. Being part of the founding team to support this, is an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime.

This year, our school community has continued on a journey, as we return to a more normalised mode of learning, adapting to the different way of life that has been placed upon us. Despite everything, our students have continued to astound us with their adaptability and their eagerness to achieve. Whether they have been with us in the classrooms, or online, their passion for learning has shone through. I have to congratulate both staff and students for the continued success of the Lower School, despite the myriad of challenges that living and working through a pandemic poses, particularly in schools.

From a pastoral point of view, it has been wonderful to see the students interacting with each other, interacting with their teachers and working collaboratively in person, after so many months of lockdown.

I don’t believe as educators, we have ever been so thankful to be back in our learning environment with the students.

The past four years have been some of the most rewarding of my career thus far. It has been an honour to be part of the founding team of NLCS Dubai, and get to know each and every family that has joined the Lower School since I arrived in Dubai in 2017. The first cohort of Lower School students will be moving onto their Senior School years at the end of this academic year, so it feels a fitting time to close the chapter on what has been a hugely significant part of my life. I will miss much about NLCS Dubai, most notably the students. We are privileged to be part of such a diverse school community, where individuality is celebrated. We have created a place where students thrive and where learning is at the heart of all we do. Everyone is welcomed warmly, well known, and given the platforms they need to succeed.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole school community for their overwhelming support and friendship during my time at NLCS Dubai. I wish you all the success for whatever the future may hold for you all. I would like to end with a quote that deeply resonates with me, as it is what all our teachers strive to be for our students, making NLCS Dubai the truly special place it is today.

“We come across many people who leave their imprints on our lives. And then there are those who leave a lasting impression on our soul, shaping us to become who we are…”

Sahana Kamath

Hannah Smith Head of Lower School NLCS Dubai

Message from the PYP Coordinator The IB states that ‘the PYP is an example of best educational practice globally, responding to the challenges and opportunities facing young students in our rapidly changing world.’ Even amidst the uncertainties and continued changes over the past school year, the students, staff and families of the Primary Years Programme have continued to thrive. Here at NLCS Dubai, we truly embody that spirit of the IB and embrace its vision and mission.

As one of the founding members of the NLCS Dubai team, I reflect upon the immense progress and growth that the school has seen since it opened its doors in 2017, and how we have grown into a successful, vibrant IB World school. As NLCS’s first school to offer the PYP, going through the process of IB authorisation, was certainly a highlight of my career. Ensuring that we all collaborated and worked together to showcase a shared vision with the IB, but also embedding the values of NLCS, was a key feature of the success of the process. With outstanding staff and an incredible cohort of students and families, we were able to also offer collaborations with the other IB world schools and host IB network events here, even though we were only in our infancy.

Agency and Action, two key components that make an IB education stand out from the rest, are embedded within the curriculum and environment. This journey, of allowing students to have voice, choice and ownership over their learning, has been steadily fed into the culture of the school, creating passionate, enthusiastic and inquisitive learners, teaching them how to learn, how to research, how to become inquirers and citizens of the future. From the PYP assemblies and incredible exhibitions, to the students ever growing agency over their learning, there has been a remarkable shift in the way we not only teach, but how we learn.

Even in the midst of this pandemic, and the associated changes and challenges that this has brought, the students have questioned and have sought to find answers or better understandings of an incredible range of concepts and ideas, including those specific to the pandemic, as they make sense of their ever-changing world. PreKG inquired into the fundamentals of play and explored the vital importance of this concept.

Throughout the First School, concepts such as communication, identity, processes and change have been explored through Journeys, Inventions and Communities.

Within the Lower School, innovation, diversity, consequences, wealth, and power have been concepts explored through inquiries into World Economics, Sustainability of the Earth’s resources, Energy conversion and so many more. In response to the changing face of education, their findings have been shared in incredible showcases of various Exhibitions, based both online and within the classrooms.

The Grade 5 Exhibition is something that I have been incredibly passionate and proud of. This celebration of learning in the PYP has gone from strength to strength as our students rise through the school, each year showcasing the consolidation of an education fed through inquiry, critical thinking, and producing such high academic standards, this event is most certainly a highlight of their education that no student will ever forget.

I will truly miss the community that is NLCS Dubai. As a result of the outstanding and challenging education that the incredible staff here provide, students demonstrate the agility and imagination to respond to new and unexpected challenges and opportunities, build their critical thinking skills as well as nurture their own curiosity in areas they have interest in. Our students are true Global Citizens, and I am very proud to have been part of the success story that is NLCS Dubai.Thank you to each and every one of you who has made my time here so memorable, I feel truly privileged to have been part of such a incredibly inclusive, diverse and forward-thinking community, and wish every single member all the success that you all deserve.

Catherine Schmidt PYP Coordinator NLCS Dubai

Desert Ants Grade 2

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Worthington

Going to Grade 2 was a big change, Ready to learn but in a new way.

Always having fun but with a mask on, Desert Ants are number one!

Entering school everyday There was Mrs. K smiling away, We’re ready to learn and ready to grow, Our friends by our side Determined to learn, how to divide.

Eager to read many new books Setting standards about how this looks.

Everyone trying to be their best Reflective, knowledgeable, principled and the rest This year has been really great And as it ends, we say bye to our mates.

Now we look forward to Grade 3 To progress in our learning Showing how happy we can be.

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DESERT HARES Grade 2

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs McGinn

Distant learning to Everyone returning Such an eventful year!

Engaged with your studies Reunited with buddies, all incredibly Thankful we’re here.

Hares you are wonderful, And progression’s been bountiful Really well done to you all! You’re Exceptional beings who I’ve loved everyday Seeing, fond memories we will always recall.

GOOD LUCK DESERT HARES! I WILL MISS YOU ALL XXX

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ARABIAN WILD CATS Grade 2

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Brisbane Dear Arabian Wildcats, I want to say a huge thank you and well done for everything you have achieved this year. Even though this year has been unpredictable, you have demonstrated such resilience and strength. In a year full of change and uncertainty, you have brought kindness and determination and you all deserve the great success you have achieved.

It has been such a pleasure and privilege getting to know each and every one of you. Your stories have kept me entertained every day and your love of learning has made this such an enjoyable year for me too. I have been hugely impressed by your work ethic and motivation throughout Grade 2. Your enthusiasm for solving the Maths Problem of the Week and your determination during STEM Week are just some of the things that have stood out for me this year. In a year that has required you to be balanced and principled like never before, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you grow and learn.

Many new students have joined the Wildcats this year and it has been wonderful to see how quickly you have all become part of the team and made great friends. This just goes to show what a wonderful group of kind and caring students you are and I encourage you to keep these valuable traits as you continue on your journey through NLCS. Our learning this year has provided you with brilliant pathways for the future and I have loved hearing about your goals and ambitions. Whether you want to be a robotics engineer or an explorer, I know you will achieve spectacular things.

I wish you all the best of luck next year and onwards.

Remember… take a breath and keep going!

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Arabian Gazelles Grade 3

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Roberts As I look at you now, at the end of our academic year, I see that you are not the same students who walked into the Arabian Gazelles’ classroom in September. Now, I see more confident, resilient, more socially aware students who are ready to flourish even further and take more responsibility for your choices in Grade 4.

If I reflect on what has been achieved throughout the year, I can see the incredible journey we have been on together, a journey in which you have embraced all of the exciting opportunities, demonstrating your passion for learning with laughter and smiles.

Welcoming you all back into school after a long period of time distance learning, it was never more important to commence the year with a range of fun getting to know you activities so that firm friendships could be made, personalities revealed and hopes and goals for the new school year could be set.

In lessons, you have demonstrated the learner profiles in a multitude of ways.You have been risk-takers when tackling open ended tasks. You have been thinkers in Maths when displaying a range of strategies when problem solving and reasoning. You have been communicators when confidently presenting your NGO pitch presentations. You have been principled in your daily actions throughout the year, and most importantly, during these unprecedented times, you have been caring with your peers. There are too many examples to give here, but I certainly know that your knowledge, understanding and skills have grown from strength to strength through our inquiry-based approach.

I wish you all a restful summer break and I am confident that your new teachers will beem with pride as they get to know you in Grade 4, as I have done this year.

You are all unique, special and amazing students, and I will miss you all!

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By: Noah Chadderton Arabian Gazelles, Grade 3

Fun Fair arriving – anticipation Children laughing – elated Voices mumbling – chattering Ferris Wheel turning – spinning Flags waving – fluttering Carousel horses galloping – dizzy Tent flap open – inviting Magic show beginning – conjuring Faces shocked - amazed Eyes wide – hypnotised Fairy lights twinkle – glittering Mouths open wide – gaping Baby still – gazing Audience quiet – concentrating There was a cough, a whisper, then a deafening SILENCE!

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

GRADE 3

WORK M’S A Z A K L U ABD

MAGIC

SHOW

e, experienc A magical inspiring filled with ks! ishing tric and aston

d Ad d re s s a n T im ing :

2:30 p.m. th ebruary 2021 F Tuesday, 11 ity, Dubai C le b a Sustain

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journey d gracious “ A rich an magic.” e world of th h g u ro th eviews - Circus R

ss, “Speechle urprised, stunned, s ce the audien m r fo ore!’’ screamed ulf - Arabian G

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ck. Face a b g n i n r u re is no t e h t , t r a dare… p u s o n i y a f i t r s u t c e k Once the d buy tic n a s r a e f t s your darke

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

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Salamanders Grade 3

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Miss Morgan Dear Salamanders, We have reached the end of our year together and what a year it has been. Unique and memorable are words that come to mind when I reflect upon our time in Grade 3. However, this is not simply because of the current situation we are in, but because of every one of you. You have brought a sense of joy to each day with your positive attitudes, willingness, creativity and humour.

It has been wonderful to witness how you have grown over the course of this year and the maturity that you have shown. In September, you returned from online learning to a school that must have appeared quite different to the one that you had left. The way in which you have adapted to the new routines and the challenges of learning in these unprecedented times, has been nothing short of remarkable, and for which, you should be very proud.

Although we have not been able to welcome visitors, go on trips or take part in assemblies, that has not stopped us from creating memorable learning experiences. From the day spent as passengers on the boat to Ellis Island to creating your own mini exhibition using Padlet, you have embraced all opportunities given to you with enthusiasm and determination.

I am extremely grateful that I have had the opportunity to get to know each of you and your individual personalities.You are kind, thoughtful, creative and unique students who have been a true pleasure to teach this year. Continue to aim high, believe in yourself and know that you are capable of great things. I wish you all the very best in Grade 4 and beyond.

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falcons Grade 3

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mr Mounsey We often think that, ‘This will be a year I won’t forget,’ and undoubtedly this will be true this time.

This was the year the Falcons’ Class wore masks, sat socially distanced and had a Cat Party (ask them to GoNoodle).

The year Arsha and Zuhair completed every level on TTRockstars! The year Abdul and Maya amazed us with their drawing. The year Thomas B and Thomas T both impressed us with their writing and Riad stunned us with his handwriting!

This was the year that so many students such as, Tahmineh, Josh, Lorenzo and Iza made us laugh with witty stories on a regular basis and Amal too, with stories of horses and dreams. This year Daniela and Yimo raised up their voices to share their ideas and the year that many, including Selma, Ben and Kai demonstrated personal growth, in independence and confidence.

This year Hamza read the classics and the comics with equal pleasure. This was the year Ahmed, Rahil and Olivia asked thought-provoking questions that regularly benefited our inquiry.

This year, Olympia and Zayd returned from online learning and our class was reunited and whole.

This was the year the Falcons class worked long and hard to be the best they could be, under incredibly unusual conditions, and each and every one of them should be proud of themselves for the incredible effort they made, the work they produced and the achievements they had.

Just making it through the year was hard for some, however, the Falcons did it in style.

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eagles Grade 4

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Ms. Schools I have had the most magnificent year with Eagles 2020 – 2021.They have been a dream to teach and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing them grow into independent, expressive, courageous, inquisitive individuals. Their inner motivation, principled behaviour, willingness to challenge themselves has shined across the school. Specialist teachers always commented on this and this praise always make me feel proud to be their teacher.Throughout the year, we welcomed many new students with Sarah, Thomas, Shahraan, Xiaoxiao (Sophie), Zifei (Fiona) Yashar, Xiaohan, Adam and Aman.

Although, some may have felt new, they are all true NLCS Dubai students, who have found a transformed love of learning through the IB Curriculum and pastoral support that we provide here at our school.

Eagles Class studied six units named, ‘Messages, ‘Relationships, ‘Exploration, ‘Energy’, ‘Economics’ and ‘Conflict’ this year and many of them would agree that they enjoyed preparing for the Exhibitions on Padlet where they made videos and Presentations for their final projects! Grade 4 could not partake in any school trips this year due to KHDA guidelines however, we enjoyed listening to the guest speaker parents from across the grade about their businesses communication tools and explorations around the world. In addition, we hosted two Exhibitions online through Padlet, to parents and peers, to share our incredible work from the units – ‘Relationships’ and ‘Economics.’

Throughout the year, the students experienced periods of Distance Learning, when they studied all their lessons at home through a device.Through the weekly homework assignments, they became experts at working independently, using Microsoft programs such as Teams, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word and navigating online tools to facilitate their learning. Furthermore, they developed an online identity, responsibility, ownership and e-safety skills. In addition, they accepted the new Covid rules of wearing a mask, following social distancing guidelines and working at individual desks. Although this was different, they all managed to maintain friendships and connect with others through Zoom calls.

I have many favourite moments of the year but my best memory was the G4 Sports Day, when I observed the students show their supportive and competitive nature.They cheered each other on and demonstrated an adoration for PE. Thank you students for a tremendous year. I wish you all the best of luck for Grade 5!

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Starlings Grade 4

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mrs. Dear Dear Starlings, I wanted to write to you all to share what a fantastic year we have had and to reflect on some special memories!

It has been another roller coaster year for us all but I am sure that we are on our way up back to level ground.

This year, you have all shown resilience, maturity and optimism towards everything you have done. As a class, you have persevered with your learning, laughing and joking every step of the way. As individuals, you have embraced everything that you have had to do and taken the challenge of a socially distanced education well within your stride.

You should be incredibly proud of everything that you have achieved because I know for sure that I am.

Our year started with our unit learning about ‘Messages’. You explored how people can create and manipulate messages and wrote some fantastic tales of fear! You then inquired into ‘Health and Relationships’ and how they impact learning. I was so impressed with the exhibition that you produced for your final projects. In the New Year, you researched a vast range of explorers and had the opportunity to listen to some special guest speakers who had been on adventures of their own. The biographies that you produced were well researched and clearly presented.

For the fourth unit, you demonstrated your fantastic scientific skills when investigating the different types of energy and how they are converted. Throughout the last term, you delved into the world of business for the penultimate unit, exploring ideas around import and export and created amazing business plans of your own. For the final unit of Grade 4, you were mature when sharing ideas of conflict and gave wonderful solutions for resolution in a range of situations.

To end this letter, I just wanted to say how thankful I am that you have all been such amazing pieces of the 2020-2021 Starlings puzzle. We have had the most incredible year and I wish you all so much luck in the future. I know you will all be absolute superstars in Grade 5! Keep working hard, keep laughing and keep being you!

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ARABIAN horses Grade 4

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mr. Beasant Dear Arabian Horses, Firstly, I would like to thank you all for such a brilliant first year at NLCS Dubai. This year has been one I will never forget – moving to Dubai has been life-changing and I have been extremely lucky to inherit each and every one of you as members of the Arabian Horses 20/21 class. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know each of you and having the opportunity to help you progress and push you to be the best you can be.

You have all worked extremely hard and should be very proud of your efforts. Individually, you are all extremely special but it was lovely seeing you come together as a group, strengthening old friendships and making new ones. Not a day has passed this year whereby we haven’t smiled and laughed together – this is so important!

I have enjoyed those moments immensely and it’s quite rare to have a group of students who can strive academically but also laugh their way through the day – we have managed this together by being a great team and working for each other – so again, I can only thank you for this.

This year, your journey has taken you through many different areas of the curriculum. At each stage, you have demonstrated the key learner profile attributes that we as a school hold so close. Each of you have been Thinkers, Open-minded, Knowledgeable, Inquirers, Risk takers, Balanced, Caring, Communicators, Principled and Reflective in your day-to-day accomplishments at our school.

I cannot express enough my gratitude for the level of trust and respect that has been shown this year and I wish you all a brilliant Summer break and the best of luck as your journey at NLCS Dubai continues in Grade 5.

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Kingfishers Grade 4

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

Teacher: Mr. Gibbons Dear Kingfishers, Firstly, I would like to thank you all for making my first year at NLCS Dubai so enjoyable. I have had a fantastic year with Kingfishers class of 2020-2021. I am so proud of the learning journey you have all embarked on this academic year.

I informed the students at the start of Grade 4 that my ethos is to make the learning fun and enjoyable for them. I truly believe we have thoroughly enjoyed the year. We have all learnt a lot from each other and laughed along the way. As the year progressed, you have all been developing your sense of your own global identity and have formed a better understanding of how the world works.

Kingfishers have had many students join the school and the existing students did their upmost to welcome them and help them settle in to their new life at NLCS Dubai. New friendships were formed and old ones strengthened. Ideas were shared and knowledge was passed on. Different languages were spoken and many questions were asked.

My highlight of the year has been Sports Day, when so many of the Kingfisher students excelled in so many events. Some of you were pushed outside of your comfort zone and you flourished.

It has been a pleasure to guide and support you all this year and to see the outstanding progress you have all made. Considering the time spent out of school through distance learning and the adaptations that needed to be made to remain safe in school, I could not be happier with how you have adapted and persevered. I am immensely proud of each individual student in Kingfishers class because each one of you at one point of the year has faced adversity and you showed unbelievable resilience to overcome and conquer. I wish you all the very best for the future.

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Grade 4 Grade 4 students explored the central idea ‘Art is a powerful tool to raise awareness of environmental issues’ focused on the endangered animal species in the world, creating as a final artwork, these amazing charcoal and chalk animal portraits.

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YEAR BOOK 2020-21

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What have

WE LEARNT

this year?

Grade 4

Iqra Dutt - (Kingfishers Class)

When we were learning the topic “Explorers” in the Unit of Inquiry, we had a few guest speakers: Tiago, Fernanda, and Mr Gauba. They spoke about what they did as explorers and where they went. Tiago and Fernanda talked about places they went for exploring: The UAE; England; India; Brazil; Portugal; Spain and more. Vinod Gauba and Dylan spoke about their journey up the most popular, tallest mountain called Mount Everest. They said it was not easy and there was less oxygen at the top of the mountain. We were all satisfied with the facts we did not know. In our other new topic of unit inquiry, we learned about how companies sell online and there were more delightful and pleasant guest speakers: Camilla and Mike Davis. Ms Camilla talked about her sports brand called “Grit and Tonic” and how they advertise on Instagram. Mike Davis talked about his work in the HSBC bank and its banks all around the world.

Asjad Jameel - (Kingfishers Class) The themes for the guest speakers were ‘Exploration’ and how they concurred their journeys, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the heights of Mount Everest and into the deathly jaws of the jungle. As they expressed their journeys through the world, it made me feel like I was with them, experiencing it. As Dylan’s dad talked about Mount Everest, the chillness crawled up my spine and I was breathless. The astounding guest speakers influenced and enhanced our learning paces due to the fact they provided us real life examples and situations we will have to face when we are advancing towards it. Thanks to them, we were able to receive additional types of information. In addition to this, Grade 4 were extremely fortunate to have these guest speakers. Overall, all the guest speakers volunteered to speak to us while they have work to do, they sacrificed their time for us, so they deserve a huge round of applause.

Simar Bhasin - (Eagles Class) Student council is an amazing opportunity! Firstly, you get a chance to persuade your fellow classmates on why you are the best candidate. This really helped me in school when we needed to write a persuasive letter, I knew exactly how structure it. After the votes were collected in and they announced the winner, whatever the results were I was proud of myself. The suspense… shivers trickling down your spine. “Drumroll please,” bang bang bang, “Simar and Raiyaan!” As soon as the winners were announced, everybody immediately stood up and congratulated everyone.

As you were chosen, your grade depends on you to make smart and careful decisions. Every Tuesday, all the student council members meet up to introduce new and exciting competitions! You get to communicate with others, make new friends and get to show dedication and commitment. Sometimes, student council have been in the Junior School assemblies.We introduce the new house competitions and told everyone how the Student Council makes an impact to the school. Most days, student council members come together to generate new ideas and make posters on a specific topic, additionally you get to meet and socialize frequently with people in Junior School. Finally, you get to portray different skills such as leadership and open-mindedness and get to have a wonderful experience and adventure.

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Deborah Hameau - (Eagles Class) In the Unit 2 Exhibition, the students had a choice to choose between sleep vs lack of sleep, virtual and physical play, mindfulness and stress or healthy relationship vs unhealthy relationship. They worked in either a pair or a group of three. The students showed lots of excellent work and good research. They also showed good behaviour working and listening to other children’s presentation. They also answered the question related to the topic with amazing responses. The students made posters and an iMovie on the Padlet. As well as this, they also went around to different classes to see other people’s wonderful hard work. Many of the students showed awesome thinking skills, research skills and self-management skills. Many of the teachers were also enormously proud of the student’s work. When they went home, many parents enjoyed looking at not just their own child’s work, but everyone’s wonderful work.

Tabitha Riddler - (Arabian Horses Class) During STEM week, Grade 4 students completed numerous activities on a daily carousel: one class would do Technology and the next day they would do Mathematics, for example, ensuring all students had the opportunity to explore all of the exciting activities provided. On Mathematics day, we attempted maths problems and perplexing puzzles that left some of us bewildered. Science sessions concentrated on students preparing and performing an experiment where we constructed parachutes, and models, to protect an egg from cracking as it sailed from the top floor of our Atrium! In engineering, we focused on exploring bridges and how their structure affects stability. Using knowledge provided by previous learning, we created our own straw bridges that we tested for steadiness by balancing a white board eraser on our structures. Finally, during technology we assembled mini windmills following an example from “The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” our unit text. We then tested these outside in the wind, we were surprised to how much wind there was despite Dubai’s harsh climate, and measured the amount of electricity it created. Over all, STEM week was an extremely enjoyable event; I especially enjoyed building a windmill and generating electricity.

Yuehao (Elsa) Wang - (Arabian Horses Class) During STEM week, students of Grade 4 have participated in countless activities. Every day, each class would complete different project: Engineering, Technology, Mathematics and Science. On Science day, we formed an experiment where we assembled parachutes and models to prevent our egg from cracking as we let it drop from the top floor of our Atrium! In Mathematics, each person was handed a math worksheet where we endeavoured to solve all the challenging problems that the worksheet had provided for us. During Technology day, we worked on little windmills based on our English topic text: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind. We were put in groups where we came up with ideas of how we could generate electricity using the windmills.

After the windmills were constructed, they were tested outside where there was wind, and we found out how much electricity they could make! Lastly, we had Engineering.We had to create a steady bridge made of straws in between two of our tables. Then we tested the stability by putting a whiteboard eraser on our design. To conclude, STEM week was a truly enjoyable event, it allows our creativity to flow.

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Caracals Grade 5

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Teacher: Mr. Phee As this academic year draws to a close, it is amazing to think of all the challenges that the Caracal class students have overcome in this far from ordinary school year.

When we returned to school in September, there was an overwhelming feeling of excitement amongst the class to be back in school learning with friends, instead of behind a computer screen. But this ‘new normal’ was different to any teaching environment that students and teachers had ever seen before. Temperature checks on the way into the building; masks worn at all times, and a whole new list of rules and requirements that we all had to learn and adhere to. But, as with most obstacles the Caracals faced this year, we rose to the challenge and adapted to this new school environment.

Our first unit of the year on Leadership, gave many of the children an opportunity to become leaders in the Junior School. It was inspiring to see the way that the students created their own manifestos in the hotly contested elections to become House Captains. We were also very proud to see so many Caracal class members become elected as House Captains and Deputies. Johnny Akiki as House Captain of Jais, Claudius Tyake as House Captain of Javi and Anaya Suri as Deputy House Captain. Serra Yesilhark as Captain of Yibir and Rania Imam as Deputy. Lastly, Maya Vickers as House Captain of Hafeet and Falak Jalal as Deputy.

As the year progressed, the Caracals continued to impress and amaze me with the wide variety of talents and skills that they demonstrated in their PYP Units of Inquiry. From exceptional IMovies produced, to fantastic dioramas made of Ancient Civilisations and board games made to show global inequality. The Caracals have approached each of these projects with curiosity and enthusiasm, always striving to produce their best possible work.

A review of the year would not be complete without mentioning the fantastic PYP learning Exhibition that the G5 Caracals completed. It really was magnificent to see the passion and drive that the Caracals displayed towards their investigations and anyone who visited the Exhibition websites made, could not fail to be impressed.

So as the year comes to a close, it is with a heavy heart that I will say goodbye to my G5 Caracal class of 2020/2021.

You have inspired me, made me laugh and filled me with pride. Good luck in the next steps of your learning journey and I wish you all every success in the Senior School.

All the best

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Desert Hedgehogs

Grade 5

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Teacher: Miss Ougham A bright, sunny day back in September 2020, NLCS Dubai threw open its doors once again to classroom learning, after a long time away from school.Twenty-four eager and excited children rushed into the Hedgehogs classroom and our journey together began. Since then, we have been on a fabulous adventure together: from our House Elections, to an action packed STEM week, participating in academic societies to presenting our fabulous end of year Exhibition and so much more!

I have enjoyed watching the progress the children have made and have witnessed them growing together as a community each day, both in confidence and in personality. They are natural risk-takers in all that they do, embarking on new challenges with ease. They have developed each of the IB Learner Profiles well, becoming an inquiring and knowledgeable class.

Despite the obvious challenges of the year, I have been impressed with the resilience that the Hedgehogs have shown.

They have embraced the changes well and have shown how independent they can be.They motivate each other every day, showing the community spirit of NLCS in all that they do.

A highlight for all the Hedgehogs, was our spectacular PYP Exhibition.We were so proud of the projects we produced, showing off our collaborative skills and producing amazing work about our subject passions, showing off our artistic skills! I loved the creativity that shone through each and every one of the class, showing our unique talents and interests in the performing arts, architecture and design to name a few.

I wish the Hedgehogs class the best of luck in their future endeavors, and I am so proud of everything that they have achieved this year and I know you will have the best of times at Senior School and beyond. Remember our class motto- always challenge yourselves and never give up! You will all achieve great things.

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OWLS Grade 5

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Teacher: Ms. Ahn This year, we have been on a tremendous journey of self-development and learning as the oldest students in Junior school. My class, you, have been a great role model for the rest of the Lower school students in all that you do. It has been an honour and a privilege to watch you all grow into the exceptional students you are today.

Indeed, like our class name, you have become knowledgeable, fierce and risk-taking learners ready to take flight into Grade 6.

I cannot believe the time has gone so quickly that we will all be taking a next step into our future. Well, you know what they say – time flies when you are having fun. Reflecting on this year, there are many moments to remember. Who could forget the dizzying start to the year with all the new rules and boundaries, the often said phrase of “social distance”, the STE(A)M week of the innovating challenges, and the amount of preparation went into the Grade 5 Exhibitions website.

I am sad to say goodbye to Owls and NLCS Dubai at the end of the year, but I cannot emphasise how delighted and lucky I was to have been your teacher. As you continue through life, never forget to keep learning, keep having fun, and always keep your head held high. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” I am proud of you all.

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Amelia Beg My heart had just skipped a beat. Miss Ougham had just told us that she was going to announce the results of the house captain elections. A cheer of excitement and curiosity sprang out from us students! We lined up outside the classroom and gathered in the Grade 5 breakout space. After what seemed like an eternity, finally, it came to Jais. My heart was pounding and my hands sweating. Suddenly, I heard her call out Amelia Beg and I jumped for joy.

I’ve always wanted to influence and inspire people. It was in Grade 2, when I joined NLCS and I always looked forward to running for the house elections. I like to think of myself as a very democratic leader, as I always wanted everyone to have a say before I made a big decision and I try to please everyone by compromising wherever possible. I felt that every decision that I made was vital for the members of Jais as it affects them as well as the entire school community.

One of the most memorable lessons was when we researched and analysed the different styles of leadership such as autocratic, transformational and democratic leaders. We also studied great leaders such as Martin Luther King and Barack Obama’s speeches and identified what made a good speech; which helped me personally, when recording and drafting my speech.

Our school elections were similar to the process for any democratic elections modified for social distancing for COVID 19. The first round was where we had to write about how we would be a suitable candidate for the role.

There were some very aspiring and brilliant submissions in this round, making me feel exceptionally lucky to make it through. The next round was a lot of fun as we were challenged to be creative using videos. People took many different approaches on this, which made it very interesting and entertaining to watch.There were a lot of funny and extremely well made videos, which were watched by the entire Junior and First School.

This election process taught be how fun it is to take part in a clear, transparent and creative election process. I found teachers as a whole to be very encouraging and supportive throughout the entire process. Personally, it was probably the highlight of Grade 5. The role has been challenging but extremely rewarding as I’m able to not only influence school leadership teams but also represent Jais community.

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House Captain Elections Maya Vickers - Grade 5 Caracals House Captain, taking role of your house and leading them to success. I never imagined I would get the spot as House Captain of Hafeet, in this piece of writing I will be explaining my experience and what it was like to step up as a House Captain.

The first step was done online, Anyone who wanted to become house captain could put themselves forward, I knew it was a huge role in the school. At this stage, I was just trying out, I never thought I could make it! There were many other Hafeetians trying out, all of them were amazing competitors. There were so many of Grade five trying out as well as me; to cut it down to 4 per house must have been an extremely hard decision.

The next part of the House Elections included writing a few lines on an excel page about why you think you were fit to be a House Captain. It was quite simple, but you had to make the words you said count, if you wanted votes, you had to work for them!

Finally, you had to make a video all about why you should be House Captain. The video was short and snappy, but it was going to be the final part of the elections, so it had to be the most amazing video of your life! The way it worked was we made a video and all the videos were sent to all the classes and the students from every house watched the videos and voted for the person they thought was best as a House Captain. It was fair to say that everyone’s videos were amazing, mine definitely was not the best.

Then it was time, result day. Everyone was very tense, I was extremely nervous. And our teacher Mr Phee, being Mr Phee, kept it a secret until the very end of the day. Everyone sat with their fingers crossed that they had got the part!

When my name was read out as House Captain, I was in disbelief! I never actually thought my dreams would actually come true! It was the most amazing feeling of my life! The other House Captains are all amazing companions and a very well done to everyone that tried out!

One more thing, GO HAFEET!

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on Grade 5 By: Samara Mahajan

Now that I come to think of it, this year really has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I walked into NLCS as a Grade 5 student in September 2020. I can’t believe I endured almost 4 months of distance learning and made it!

During those four long months, I longed to go back to school, to meet my friends, to learn properly. I am always on a screen now, but after online learning, I couldn’t bear to even look at the Teams application. Spending a whole year full of sanitizer and wearing masks was quite challenging, but now I can’t imagine going to school without them.

The year started in an extremely odd way - all our desks were so far away from each other and I could hardly talk to anyone near me. It was so weird for me, seeing as I has spent my whole school life sitting on joint tables, collaborating with my friends, and doing group work. Doing almost every lesson independently was a struggle for me and I couldn’t help feeling the urge to get out of my seat! Luckily, after the first term, COVID-19 restrictions became less harsh and school was much more enjoyable, I could have fun with my friends while staying safe.

I still can’t believe that I went through a whole school year with a mask! I don’t know how I will get used to not wearing one. I can’t wait for the virus to end, and I certainly can’t wait to have school back to normal again!

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House in the Junior School By: Lisa Garrett Students in the Junior school have had the opportunity to take part in House competitions this year. The competitions have been varied and Covid safe, so have been a little different but have still provided the opportunity for Houses to come together for some healthy competition.

The Spelling Bee, Maths Challenge, Sports day and Skipping events have all been in school. Get caught reading, Christmas decoration, Poetry and Talent competitions all took place at home, with the students entering via video.

Students have tried themselves out in many if not all of the competitions and have experienced triumph or disappointment along the way. House Captains have been valuable leaders throughout the competition, assisting with ideas, advertising events as well as counting points.We will finish off the year with House music, when we hope to bring the finalists live via video link. Well done to all those who have taken part in an event this year. I wonder who will be lifting the cup?

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Junior School

By: Collette Peoples The great Claude Debussy once wrote, “works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.” What a fitting quote for Junior School music students this year. While our music curriculum was adapted, this did not halt creativity. In fact our students pushed through these barriers to reach new heights. Students created and composed using body percussion taking inspiration from bands such as Stomp and The Body Percussion Show. A musical highlight in term one was our special festive performance by Miss Magdalena in the atrium.

Again, while we were limited in what we could do, our students focused on the can- what can we do? To quote a lovely grade one student, “it was just magical to hear the music ringing through the atrium.”

STEM week provided our students with the opportunity to investigate how important technology and science has been on music with the creation of a ‘keyboard banana’. After our winter break, there was much joy and elation to have the use of a music room for our lessons. This opened up a new world for our students- for many it was their first time in 11 months to play musical instruments.What a joy to finally make some noise; I mean music! As this goes to press, we will be relishing the Junior School House Music Competition. Students will watch the live music echo through the PAC from the comfort and safety of their classrooms. Who will impress the judges? Who will our secret guest performer be?

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By: Kahli Johnson

It has been inspirational to observe the wonderful creations of artwork that the students have produced this year. They have shown their unique style and creativity using a variety of mediums and techniques. Around School, two amazing displays have been created.

The first art collaboration focused upon National Day, which highlighted the significance of celebrating 49 years since the Emirates united. The theme reinforced a clear message behind the artwork, where the students from each class collaborated on their ideas to decorate two feathers. The collection of feathers were then arranged to create the iconic ‘Falcon’, inspired by the artwork of Fats Patrol (a Canadian artist whose artwork is displayed in Downtown Dubai). In addition, each class also made individual designs to create bespoke art in the shape of 4 and 9, these were then placed together to create a large 49 for the National Day video footage.

Founder’s Day was the focus of the second art collaboration. To ensure this was memorable for the students, they found out more about the history of Frances Mary Buss before they began creating artwork based on her favourite flower ‘The Daffodil’. Each child created a small daffodil in a design of their choice. All the creations were added to a collage to create the three flower heads on daffodil sculptures. Individual creations were also added to a Founder’s Day display, on which they showed their skill in water colour, pointillism and sketching. Sustainable resources were also used to link to the theme of the ‘Environment’, some of the 3D daffodils were made from plastic bottles.

Art is such an important part of the curriculum and the talent that the students have in the Junior school is clearly evident. We will look forward to observing more inspirational artwork in future projects.

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Computing and STEM in the Junior School By: Natalie Powell This year has provided us with lots of opportunities to explore and stretch our ICT skills from home and school. We have collaborated in new ways and really explored the extent of being able to complete activities remotely.

In School, the students have embraced some of our new technologies in their lessons such as 3D printing, control and programming with robotics, and creating fitness trackers with Microbits. In March, we held our first NLCS STEM week, which proved hugely popular and enabled the students to tie together the STEM subject disciplines through a week of practical activities. We saw robot races, structural designs made with both practical materials and in 3D Augmented Reality, and even bananas turned into keyboards that we coded to play tunes.

It’s been an exciting year to look back on with impressive skills being shown from our students all round.

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Message from the Vice Principal Curriculum “Don’t wish for someone else to do later what you can do now.” Wynton Marsalis As well as being arguably the finest jazz trumpet player performing today, Wynton Marsalis is an eloquent, passionate public speaker. He is also the source of much of my own inspiration, when I reflect on the values which I believe help establish outstanding personal characteristics. Indeed those staff and students who were able to maintain focus until the end of my final assembly of the year, will bear witness to the impact he has had on my own values as a teacher. His words in this quote, prompting action in the face of inaction, reflect a key element of the NLCS philosophy: the expectation that every student will take responsibility for challenging themselves and will embrace the opportunities they are afforded to the fullest. There has certainly been compelling evidence of that on show this year.

From an academic perspective, the development of our growing range of student published journals and magazines has given me great pride. Reading expertly written articles on topics as broad as religious tensions in India, identity politics, radioactive waste and schizophrenia written by students of all age groups, has been evidence of the talent and commitment that exists within our student body. In the Nicholten series of lectures, students have held their own against our teachers in delivering thoroughly researched and thought provoking talks on topics ranging from the power of tech giants to the concept of love.

Whilst students across the school have displayed their passion and commitment for learning, none have done so to quite the extent of our graduating grade 12 class; they have embodied the ethos of our school, and the values we aim to instill in our students, wonderfully. A community all of their own, who look out for and challenge each other in equal measure, they have proven themselves to be excellent role models for our younger students. Watching this group grow in maturity and confidence over the past twelve months has given me great personal pleasure as well as professional pride. By the time the year was up and running, every individual had fully embraced the high expectations we hold for them; stood up to the challenges they faced and proved they deserve to move on to the incredible opportunities that now lie before them at some of the world’s finest universities. I wish them all the very best for what I have no doubt will be immensely exciting and prosperous futures.

Richard Snape

Vice Principal Curriculum NLCS Dubai

Message from the Vice Principal Pastoral Care As I prepared for my first steps into NLCS Dubai from NLCS Jeju, I did not imagine that we would be beginning the year in circumstances new to us of all.With masks on our faces, desks measured two metres apart and choruses of ‘stay socially distanced’ it certainly felt like it was going to be a year like no other.

And so it was, but in a much more positive, spirited and exhilarating way than I could have ever imagined.

Our NLCS Dubai spirit has shone through these tumultuous times and our key values of Care, Courtesy and Consideration have remained the stalwart of all we do in the school. We still pride ourselves on our House system, seeing it as a family within our larger NLCS Family - this is something that has remained at the heart of our School. Our Sports Day was a particular highlight as it involved every single student competing as a team, with vigour and determination, aiming to win that coveted Sports Day trophy. The House Music event showcased an outstanding array of talent, with students coming together to perform individually or as part of a group, design artwork and even compose their own original piece. The levels of creativity, combined with the sense of team spirit, showed what the House system means to us all.

The sheer fact we were able to proceed with so many exciting House opportunities demonstrates the dedication students and staff have, and the importance of our House families.

Our ‘temporary’ form tutor groups remained in place for the whole year and thus the care for all students became doubled with a horizontal system and our House system. The way our students have responded to this – with great resilience and determination – shows the strength and adaptability we have here in the School, and is certainly something of which they should be very proud. I would like to thank all of the students for rising to the challenge of uncertainty, and all of the staff for responding with vitality and resolve, keeping the care of our students at the very core of what they do, day in day out.

Our Founder’s Day, National Day and International Picnic Day celebrations emphasised what a truly global community we are, built on key traditions and heritage. Whilst these were more muted affairs, the performances, speeches and activities showed our community spirit and sense of belonging. I only hope we can build on this and return to larger scale festivities in the next academic year. It will be so wonderful if we can have parents entering back into the School building and, hopefully, I will be able to relinquish my duties as a traffic warden!

As we pause and take the opportunity to reflect back on the past year, I would like to thank the whole School community for welcoming me into the NLCS Dubai family with such care and warmth. It shows the true strength and character of a community when they overcome challenges together. I am excited to see what next year, and the years to come, bring as we continue to grow, flourish and thrive together.

Frances Powell

Vice Principal Pastoral Care NLCS Dubai

Message from the Vice Principal - Director of Studies It truly has been another extraordinary year at NLCS Dubai! As we expanded into our superb new extension, we welcomed new students and teachers and navigated the rapidly changing times we now live in. Despite all of this change, it remained palpably clear that our shared love of learning, continued drive forwards and our unwavering pursuit of excellence remained unchanged.

As the Academic Societies programme evolved, a raft of journals have demonstrated the ability of our students to work collaboratively to produce academic writings that explore their passions. Embodying the ethos of the NLCS family, and the vision of former NLCS (UK) Headmistress Joan Clanchy, we are proud that our students are committed to, and understand the value of, furthering their education beyond the syllabus.

Developing our wider understanding of all that we do is of such importance and underpins the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate. This year, I was especially proud of our Grade 10 students, who were our first cohort to sit the MYP on-screen examinations. Through this experience, they will not only have had the opportunity to demonstrate their learning, but also to be awarded with their MYP certificate.

Within our teaching community, a passion for learning has also continued to colour all that we do, and I have particularly enjoyed working with eight of our teachers who have formed the School’s first cohort to embark on the National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership. In recognition the commitment of our teachers, it was also impressive to report that this year three members of staff gained the prestigious Fellowship award from the Chartered College of Teaching.

As the year draws to a close, and we reflect on the challenges and success the year has brought, we look forward with real zeal to the coming academic year, and the opportunities it will afford us. My thanks go to the students and staff of NLCS Dubai and all that you do to make this such a special place to work and learn.

Marco Zambonini Vice Principal (Director of Studies) NLCS Dubai

HAFEET HOUSE Emma Dawson Assistant Principal, Head of Hafeet House In a year that has been like no other, the Hafeet motto, Our Strength is in our Pack, has never been more important or resonated more deeply. Our wonderful Hafeetians have been true to our core values of Care, Courtesy and Consideration, as they have worked their way through another incredible year here at NLCS Dubai.

I am immensely proud of each and every one of them.

House Competitions have taken on new, temporary Covid-10 compliant formats, and our fabulous students have stepped up and given 100% in everything they have tacked.

Public Speaking and Debating is an area in which Hafeet truly shine! We had the calm, yet convincing approach of Marta and the senior speakers. Our Junior Team were formidable, undefeated and winning their section – Elyes was a force to be reckoned with, ably supported by an incredible team of Grade 7s and 8s. Sanaa’s research and writing is to be commended, as is the leadership of Hannah and Whabs in bringing them together via Teams calls in the evenings.

The Spelling Bee was a high-tension event, with students under pressure, but Hafeet performed with confidence and accuracy. In House Photography, the work submitted by Hafeet was absolutely beautiful. Responding well to the theme, the quality of work was both inspiring and thought provoking.

The sports competitions were fiercely fought, and this year conducted within grade level bubbles. Despite not having the typical support from other grades, our mighty team of Hafeet worked relentlessly in both the Endurance Challenge and Sports Day. The speed of Marta, Jules and Karl in the 6th form led to several track victories, as did the speed of our younger students, with Gaspard and Lewis dominating the Grade 6 running events. Sami and Alex have been fantastic additions to Hafeet, bringing speed, determination to the Grade 7 cohort. I was most impressed with students who stepped out of their comfort zone and took on challenging events to support and contribute to the House. Yash in Grade 8 and Sarah in G11 were notable in their efforts with the long distance events. Being part of something bigger than oneself was truly epitomized during this incredible sporting week, by so many.

House Music took on a different format to also comply with the Covid-19 regulations. Hafeet took this in their stride and were outstanding. The innovative House Logo from Agata and the incredible House Poster from Sherley set the tone for what was to come. Beautiful solo performances from Benjamin, Elyes and Yijin were an absolute joy to list to. The House Song has huge input with over 40 students contributing the lyrics. A special thank you to Nishka for so skillfully editing and putting everything together. Karl, Elly and Grace collaborated with dedication and finesse to compose and perform the musical score. I hope everyone was as moved and impressed with their incredible work as we were.We are already looking forwards to House Music next year and the exciting possibilities in store!

As our second cohort of Grade 12 are finishing their journey with NLCS, Dubai, we wish them well on the next exciting chapter of their adventures, knowing that with the skills, knowledge and compassion we have seen over the past 10 months, they will undoubtedly go on to have a hugely positive impact on the world around them.

A fabulous year again, where Hafeetian hearts have shone through, where the support of our extended Hafeet community has been more evident than ever and where we have truly seen the Strength within our Pack.

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Alexia Embedoklis - Hafeet House Captain 20/21 This year Hafeet has really embodied what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Everyone has done their very best for the House.As our motto says,“Our strength is in our pack.” Therefore, it has been amazing to see students embodying this by continuously contributing to the house. Members of Hafeet have been putting themselves out of their comfort zones to help out and it has been inspiring for all other students and teachers.

Whether it has been when we only had three girls in G10 for the endurance challenge or when the whole House came together for House Music, despite the strict COVID restrictions, the grit, determination and incredible work ethic of all members is what makes Hafeet. This year has been filled with amazing new experiences and I am very grateful to have even been appointed this role.

Marta Todd - Hafeet House Captain 21/22 As House Captain, this year has been both a privilege and a challenge. As the year begins to come to an end, a time of reflection begins.What have we achieved? What have we learnt? And what can we do to accomplish what we set out to, next year? One of the joys of being a Hafeetian is the feeling of family, however with Covid19, it has been particularly challenging this year. Our vertical house system has been removed, and now we finally can understand its importance. The lack of integration and connection with the students from the other grades was something that was noticeable. Although, as always, we took it in our stride, and have seen some great achievements this year.

From public speaking to debating, and sports to House Music, I am incredibly proud to say that all the Hafeetians should be proud of themselves and all they have achieved this year. Alexia, the previous House Captain, had done a fantastic job of uniting all the students, as well as establishing a nurturing and persevering environment.

While I am fairly new to this position, and still learning my way around, I am proud to represent my House and everything it stands for. My aim for Hafeet for the upcoming year is to re-introduce the connectedness of the students within Hafeet, and as always strive for success. But, as a member of Hafeet, I know success is not always about winning the House Competitions. It’s about working together as a team, doing the best we can and enjoying every minute of it. I am delighted to be the House Captain for Hafeet in the upcoming year, and I hope it will prove to be a successful one. www.nlcsdubai.ae 105

JAIS HOUSE Chris May Assistant Principal, Head of Jais House What a wonderful year so far for the ever-smiling Jais bears. Coming back to ‘in person’ learning at the start of the year was certainly a challenge, especially as we were unable to have our vertical form tutor groups due to Covid restrictions and KHDA regulations. However, even though we were not together in person, we, as a House, decided that we would stick by each other and really push for success in all that we do, in the face of physical separation. This challenge was met, and to be honest, smashed out the park under the leadership of our former House Captain Anoushka, Vice-Captain Jiwoo, Sports Captain Annant, Assistant Captain Avdesh and Assistant Sports Captain Maxima. Well done and thank you for your tireless efforts at such a tumultuous time.

Back in September, and throughout the year, we have welcomed many new members to Jais. I have been so impressed with how existing students have welcomed them into the family. I have also been very pleased at how well our Grade 6 students have coped with a move to Senior School in the most strange circumstances. We all hope that soon we will be able to return to our House forms and build back the incredibly close-knit community we hold so dear to our hearts in Jais.

This year has also seen us lose some outstanding members of the House. Firstly, I want to pay tribute to our outgoing G12 graduates who, apart from a few wobbles, coped admirably with the uncertainty of exams. We all wish you a wonderfully successful future and hope that you will keep in touch via our new Alumni programme (created by Elias who happens to be also in Jais!). We also lost some amazing younger students this year, either because they are off to boarding school or leaving the UAE.We shall miss you and know that even though you may not be physically in the House, you will always remain a part of the Jais family. Once a Jais Bear, always a Jais Bear.

This year has certainly brought its challenges especially with trying to maintain a meaningful House competition system whilst we are all physically separated. However, when faced with a challenge, a Jais Bear will always find a solution! We have, so far this year, claimed victories in House Quiz, House Games, House Photography, House Endurance, House Chess and we have reclaimed our House Music trophy (after losing it for one year).To celebrate only the wins would be unfair of me as so many students have stepped outside their comfort zones to represent Jais and I could not be more proud of each and every one of them. For those who haven’t tried themselves out this year, take a leap into the unknown next year. As I always say, you gotta be in it to win it! At the time of writing, we still have lots of opportunities to shine both individually and as a house and we remain hopeful of our first overall House Trophy win in 2021!

As is now tradition, I want to welcome our 2021/22 team. As we complete the academic year and look forwards to 21/22 we welcome Isabelle as House Captain, Josefina as Vice-Captain, Elias as Sports Captain, Naba as Assistant Captain and Leggy as Assistant Sports Captain. I am confident that the skills and enthusiasm they bring to their roles will stand us in good stead in the coming terms.

Many of our students have also gained roles in the many committees and societies that we have at NLCS Dubai. If restrictions are lifted, the opportunities to lead, take part and explore will be endless and I hope everyone grasps these opportunities with both hands.

Last year I said they adversity often brings out the true character of people. I think over the last twelve months, all of Jais have proven me right as they have remained loyal, committed, strong, wise and most of all we have had as much fun (in a socially distanced manner of course) Bring on the 5th Year of NLCS Dubai.

GO BEARS!

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Anoushka Ranjit - Jais House Captain 20/21 This year has been extremely eventful for the Jais bears. From mastering the art of photography, to running continuous rounds for the Endurance Challenge, each and every member of our House has demonstrated an umpteen amount of courage and resilience.We started off the year with an amazing victory, as each of the members in our House got the opportunity to showcase their intellectual side during House Quiz. Although we started with victories, we did encounter a few losses, nonetheless, we never let them bring us down and continued to approach each competition with the same enthusiasm and spirit. Regardless of whether we emerge the overall victors, each Jais member should be extremely proud of everything they have achieved for both themselves and their House.

Isabelle Seow - Jais House Captain 21/22 To be the Jais House Captain is such an amazing opportunity. The role of House Captain is such a prominent and important position; I really think it’s an honour to be able to lead the House this year. The House system has been a huge part of my experience as a NLCS student; everyone is so committed and competitive, it makes all the House Competitions so much fun. Being able to know so many people within our House is one of the best parts, and being given the opportunity to lead them is even better in my opinion. I’ve been a part of NLCS since it opened in 2017, and seeing the House grow into what it is today has been so amazing to see. Each previous House Captain’s leadership has been different and has shaped us as a whole, each having a unique impact on the house. I hope that my leadership and opportunity as House Captain inspires and shapes Jais in the same way as I have seen before and that we shall continue to thrive and win the House Competitions. www.nlcsdubai.ae

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JAVI HOUSE Emma Carney Assistant Principal, Head of Javi House As we reach the end of another fantastic year, there is a huge amount for Javians to celebrate! Over the course of the year (incredibly challenging for us all), Javi have maintained our ‘Everything is Possible’ approach to each and every competition. I am so proud of every single one of my 90 students! Positive, caring, compassionate and determined; you are an absolute delight to work with.

Now, onto our highlights! Starting with Public Speaking which, despite the result, saw Humaira achieve almost full marks for her speech on Fairy Tales and their often unhelpful take on society and gender, and Ed making his Public Speaking debut, shining in his role as Chair. Very well done to all involved.

As for Debating, what an incredible performance from both our Junior and Senior Teams. Our Senior Team of Mehdi, Ilyes and Nadya, reached the Final where they were unlucky to lose to an extremely experienced Yibir team. Once again, Nadya had never debated before, but stepped up and answered POIs with great confidence and skill. We were extremely proud of her performance alongside Ilyes and Mehdi- revelations in their debating prowess! The Junior Team of Gisela, Syrah and Saanvi were equally entertaining, erudite and fantastic!

With the Book Trailer competition and Spelling Bee- we won both! Ismail gained the highest points total for his fantastic trailer and we smashed the Spelling Bee! It was an incredibly challenging competition, with all Javians taking part. In House Photography, we were unlucky to miss out on first place by just a couple of points, but Mireille’s beautiful image won the People’s Choice Award. The quality of Javi’s photography was commented on by all.

Javi have also had to overcome some real disappointments this year. In both the Endurance Challenge and Sports Day, we were confident of victory, especially having won the Grade 7, 9 & 10 events. It was not to be however, despite some incredible performances. Sohaan smashed the Boys 80m record, Mehdi and Zayd continued to shine in the long distance events and our Grade 8 girls destroyed the field in their relay. There were victories in the Field Events for almost all Javi teams and I cheered myself hoarse across the week, being reduced to tears by the sense of Javi team spirit! It was clear just how much Javi care about each other and this is what our House is all about. In Music too, although we were disappointed with the outcome, we were incredibly proud of the performances.

Special mentions should be given to Ria and her beautiful design which won ‘Best House Logo’, alongside Suemin’s stunning Phoenix poster. Gisela’s original piece was well received and the whole team played and sang beautifully.We will be back next year for sure!

Finally, in what is now my last term as Head of Javi, I wanted to emphasise just how much I adore my job leading this wonderful community of students, parents and teachers. A huge thank you to my team of tutors and attached staff who have remained positive and supportive despite all the challenges 2020 threw at us! And to the parents who are an integral part of Team Javi, thank you for being so positive, understanding and dedicated to the school.

To the students, please don’t ever lose your wonderful zest for life, your energy, your humour and your dedication to all you undertake. These attributes will serve you all as you move forward in your academic journey, and into your future careers.

Good Luck Javi. I cannot wait to visit and hope to keep in touch with every single one of you!

Never forget that ‘Everything is Possible’! Miss Carney, Head of Javi.

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Lucie Benn - Javi House Captain 20/21 When I was appointed as the Javi House Captain during the first lockdown in March 2020, I said that I wanted to bring the House closer together and give everyone a chance to feel like part of a community, outside of their year groups. At this point in the year, we did not expect lockdown to extend past the two-week mark, however, it soon became apparent that my goal of bringing the House together may not have been possible in the way I had first hoped.

I had to quickly adapt my tactics for retaining everyone’s strong House spirit in order for us to properly take part in the new online House Competitions. These included House Drama, House Art and House Creative Writing to name a few. I would say this was probably my main highlight of being House Captain, as it was amazing to see so many members of the House taking part from home, leading to us winning the first ever online House Trophy!

Another highlight of being House Captain was House Music 2021. This competition was different to the usual evening of performances of solo and group pieces, and unfortunately we weren’t able to perform a House song.

However, I loved seeing everyone’s talents in the pre-recorded livestream and although we didn’t win, everyone came together to congratulate our musicians and I could feel an incredible House spirit.

I would like say a huge thank you to Miss Carney for being the best Head of House and supporting me in my role this past year. Finally, thank you to all members of Javi for continuing to participate in the competitions even when all of our lives had changed drastically, and I wish you all the best for the future!

Alice Duncan - Javi House Captain 21/22 As the new Javi House captain, I am super excited about this upcoming year and everything it has in store for us as a house! This past year has been a challenge for everyone, as I’m sure you’ve heard before, and I feel as a community, we all need something to lift our spirits – the House Competition fits perfectly in this situation! Mainly due to all of the fun and engaging activities, myself, along with the other House Captains, have prepared for you!

Being new to NLCS Dubai this year, I have gotten to know many parts of the school and have built numerous relationships between myself and my peers. I have felt incredibly welcomed into the community by various teachers, including Miss Carney, and I feel extremely privileged to be able to write to my fellow Javi students as their House Captain for 2021-2022. Javi’s motto “Everything is Possible” really speaks out to everyone who has big dreams and aspirations, stating that as long as you work hard and work smart, you can achieve anything you want in the future.

In my case, if you had told me two years ago, I would be moving across the Globe to Dubai for two years, I never would have believed you, but now I’m here and living my absolute best life. This coming year, I would like to show you all that if you want something and you work hard for it, you can achieve it.

My aim and goal for the year is to unite and strengthen the Iinter-house relationships across the year groups, and hopefully if restrictions are eased slightly, have some fun collaborative work between us! I am a big believer in ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ and that effective cooperation makes it much easier to reach our desired result www.nlcsdubai.ae 109 – in this case it’s the House Competition!

YIBIR HOUSE Laura Dunn Assistant Principal, Head of Yibir House This year, every member of the Yibir community has demonstrated that they are truly ‘Ready for Anything’. In the year that has redefined the word ‘resilience’ time and again, our wonderful students and House staff have constantly readjusted to find solutions to the problems before them. I have been privileged to get to know each of the students in my house, and count myself incredibly fortunate to have been welcomed so wholeheartedly in to both Yibir House and NLCS Dubai. I would like to say thank you to all of the parents, students, and staff who have helped to make my first year in the UAE such an enjoyable one.

Yibir have had a successful year in our modified House Competitions programme. Despite the requirements for social distancing, some new competitions, and everybody getting used to being back in school again, we were able to secure wins in several key competitions. I would like to thank and congratulate all members of the outgoing student leadership team for their guidance and willingness to work around this wide array of challenges. I would also like to thank all students who took part in any and all aspects of the house competitions – without your dedication, enthusiasm, and vast range of talents, we would not have performed as well as we did. I would like to extend particular thanks to Anshul Sinha, Yibir House Captain for 2020-21, for his calm approach and leadership of students.

As a house,Yibir were the overall winners of Sports Day 2021; this is a fantastic team achievement, and one that wouldn’t have been possible without each and every one of you. Whether you participated in one event or many, provided support and encouragement to our athletes, or applauded the efforts of students from other houses – well done! A special mention must go to Grades 6 and 8, and the Sixth Form for winning their respective year group competitions. I would like to thank Layla Mehanna, Sports Captain 2020-21, and Imaad Bandali, Junior Sports Captain 2020-21, who were superb in leading and encouraging all students to take part in events. Some of our athletes also broke some school records: Eva Joudrey (8N) broke the U15 girls record for the 250m, and Elodie Hall-Palmer (6L) broke the U13 girls 500m record. Congratulations Eva and Elodie!

Whilst we weren’t able to take the overall crown in House Music, we did secure the win of the Original Piece category. The lyrics to Rheanna Kaur’s original composition, ‘Far Away’, will stay with me for years to come. This competition showed the true depth of the wonderful creative talents that we have as a House community; thank you to all the students who contributed to each aspect of this competition.

The Public Speaking and Debating competitions saw further wins for Yibir.These showed our analytical, intellectual, and critical thinking prowess and capped off a successful season of inter-house competitions. Thank you for the hard work of the research teams as well as those students taking part on the day.With such a talented community of students demonstrating sporting superiority, musical mastery, and verbal victory, I am confident that next year we can improve upon this year’s already sterling performances. Finally, congratulations to our graduating students.

You will always remain members of the Yibir family, and we look forward to welcoming you back to school in years to come to hear of your successes and experiences at university and beyond. You are all a credit to yourselves, Yibir, and our wonderful school.

To our departing house staff, thank you for your dedication and hard work. You will all be missed. For all of our returning staff and students, have a very pleasant summer and a well-deserved rest.

Let’s make sure that 2021-22 is even better than this year!

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Anshul Sinha - Yibir House Captain 20/21 NLCS has allowed me to develop in all aspects of my life. But within that, Yibir has truly felt like my home. When I first joined the school, the idea of the Houses, House Competitions, and the vertical tutor group system was certainly new for me (having come from an American school). Over time, I grew to not only look forward to House events, but to cherish them as the highlights of my time at NLCS. I can still remember during my first few weeks at the school, as I interacted with members of Yibir, engaging in each other’s narratives and passions (whether it be academic, artistic, or athletic), I was astonished by the diversity and intellectual curiosity of the House.

It has truly been an honor to serve as Yibir’s House Captain for this academic year.

My tenure as House Captain began during the first lockdown, back in Spring 2020. Despite the adverse circumstances presented by distance learning, members of Yibir still exceeded all measures, demonstrating unrivaled enthusiasm and resilience in House Competitions and community events. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, I may not have been able to interact with new pupils in person as much as I had hoped, but even during our virtual meetings, watching members of the House grow and flourish, especially within our unique vertical House system, has truly been a pleasure. It is no exaggeration but rather a statement of fact that Yibir brings together a rare combination of talent, brilliance, and ingenuity, unparalleled by any other house. I have no doubt in my mind that even as I leave NLCS for higher education, as always, Yibir will embrace the new opportunities ardently and come out on top once more.

Suha Kidwai - Yibir House Captain 21/22 It sounds somewhat cliché, but I owe a great deal to my house. I am grateful, not just for the friendships, perspectives, and opportunities it has presented me with over the past four years, but how it has allowed me to grow.Yibir has carried a ubiquitous presence in my life at school and I’m so fortunate to have been given the privilege to serve as House Captain this year. Despite the Covid-19 restrictions, our achievements in the Sports, Arts and speaking competitions throughout this year have shown Yibir’s ability to maintain both enthusiasm, and resilience in the face of adversity. Part of this of course, can be owed to Yibir’s leadership structure and support from various teachers, both of which have provided constant encouragement to Yibir, acting as sources of optimism for the whole house to draw upon, most prominently on Sports Day and the Endurance Challenge.

Though we suspected there would be an element of challenge in the process of integrating new members of the school community into Yibir, I have been pleasantly surprised; the vigour with which Grade 6 students have thrown themselves into a variety of inter-house competitions has been astounding, and I am thrilled to be able to feel confident in my belief that this competitive spirit will remain constant. Despite the fact that we shall not have the opportunity to display our notorious aptitude for netball for the foreseeable future, there is much to look forwards to in the upcoming term; our ‘try-yourself-out’ approach ensures that every student has the opportunity to explore potential passions and talents. I hope to come closer to a time where all of Yibir can come together to celebrate just how far they have come.

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HOUSE

Ben Smith House Competition Coordinator Never have the students of NLCS Dubai shown greater fortitude, resilience and perseverance then they have done this year. It has been a challenge for students to reintegrate themselves into the familiar surroundings of school, due to the unfamiliar circumstances we all find ourselves in; it is a challenge they have all risen to with real gumption. It is for this reason that the achievements of the students in this year’s House Competitions are even more impressive, bearing in mind the difficulties we have faced in simply organising and carrying out these much loved events.

The House Captains have led their Houses valiantly, utilising the extensive resources lurking in the exciting pool of talent that they have at their disposal. Many students have even taken the opportunity to try themselves out at new activities, unlocking hidden talents and encouraging the development of the skills that are examined over the course of the annual House Competition Calendar. Anshul, former House Captain for Yibir, picked a promising and youthful debating team who did themselves proud in the Junior House Debating Competition, complementing beautifully the seasoned experts on show in the Senior age category. Suha, Yibir House Captain for 2020/2021, will look to continue the good work accomplished by her predecessors as she moves into the next academic year. Anoushka led the Jais House Music Team to glory by scouring her House for students with hidden musical and technical talents, eventually compiling a fine array of expertly executed musical performance videos. Izzy has now taken over the Jais mantle and is already showing signs of being an excellent role model for the younger students in her House. Marta is leading the Hafeet revolution by getting her House motivated, helping them to see the benefit in self-belief, helpfulness and teamwork; an ethos that Hafeet have especially embodied in the sporting competitions earlier in the year when Alexia was in charge of the team. Lucie passed the Javi baton over to Alice earlier this year, who has continued to approach the House Competitions with meticulous planning and precision. Evidence of this can be seen in the tactics employed in the Endurance Challenge and House Chess, this was accompanied by excellent results in House Art and the new Book Trailer Competition.

It has been a real honour guiding the students of this wonderful school through the impressive variety of House Competitions over the last three years, as well as being an extremely rewarding experience. And this one has certainly been a year of high points; a year where students have come together to stand hand in hand (not literally of course) in the face of adversity, proving that NLCS Dubai can, and will continue to be, a place that allows individuals to develop in a competitive yet supportive environment.

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HOUSE ART

Adiya Dossanova - Grade 9 Hafeet

Lucia Hadati - Grade 9 Javi

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Christianna Trinity Oduneye-Braniff - Grde 8 Yibir

Safa Khurshid - Grade 7 Javi

Salayla Elmasry - Grade 9 Yibir

Hyejin Jegal - Grade 8 Yibir

Agata Roman - Grade 6 Hafeet

Jiwoo Lee​- Grade 11 Jais

Max Mays Duncan - Grade 8 Jais www.nlcsdubai.ae

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Lara Ackigoz - Grade 11 Javi

Kyra Francis - Grade 6 Yibir

Sophia Both - Grade 6 Javi

Tanisha Mehrotra​- Grade 10 Jais

Tala Aslan - Grade 6 Jais

Suemin Park - Grade 7 Javi

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Leonardo Schipani​- Grade 8 Jais

Hyejin Jegal - Grade 8 Yibir

Zahra Manji - Grade 7 Yibir

Suemin Park - Grade 7 Javi

Sannat Odhrani - Hafeet Grade 8 www.nlcsdubai.ae

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IBMYP Personal Projects Grade 10 students worked independently to develop a Personal Project as part of their MYP Qualification.

Students must create a highly challenging project, which addresses a global context over the space of an academic year. The challenges presented to students this year did not hinder their progress and, in fact allowed for more innovative projects to be produced, factoring in restrictions in place due to the pandemic. Here are a few projects completed this academic year.

Alya Lootah Goal: How can I create a digital directory for materials used in architecture that are locally sourced within the UAE in order to address the need for improving sustainable practices within the region?

Global Context: Globalisation and Sustainability

Cecilia Haykal Goal: Exploring the Long-term Psychological and Societal Effects and Impacts of Conflict Global Context: Identities and Relationships https://ceciliahaykal014.wixsite.com/website/my-project

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Naya Khalid Al Bustami Goal: “Travel With Naya” to create a website that communicates the beauty of Jordan and to encourage tourists to visit the country.

Global Context: Personal and Cultural Expression https://naya-bustami.wixsite.com/website-4

Kais Ali Goal: “An Advanced Custom Built Computer” Global Context: Scientific and Technical Innovation

Ilyes Zeraiki Goal: Practical Guide to Achieving Sustainability as a UAE Resident Global Context: Globalisation and Sustainability

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MYP Grade 9 Activities Original Design for a Pavilion for Expo 2020 In their Activities lesson, Grade 9 developed their ATL Skills through producing an imaginary Pavilion for Expo 2020 on the theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” linking to one of the sub-themes - sustainability, mobility and opportunity. The final Pavilion designs were judged by Structural Engineer Mona Vasigh, who has 17 years of experience in Middle East and West Africa in multi-national companies – Aurecon, Meinhardt, Hyder/Arcadis, Norr, Structural Group/VSL, RMJM & Schlumberger. Her last project was working as a Senior Site Structural Engineer on CoEx Exhibition Center, Expo 2020’s main exhibition hall. Another of Mona’s accomplishments was her appearance on the National Geographic Mega Structures Documentary as a structural Engineer for Abu Dhabi Leaning Tower, setting a Guinness world record as the most leaning tower in the world.

Grace Lee - Grade 9 Hafeet The winner of the Grade 9 Expo Project, as judged by Mona Vasigh was Grace Lee: ‘Great drawings - the student has provided both exterior and a section through the building to show the interior.The concept report tells a story of each level and the idea of past, present, and future in each level, which is very creative and unique. Great Job - I like how the concept tells a story.’

Grace designed a pavilion based on Mongolia.

‘This design has the shape of the lotus (if you look upside down), because the national flower of Mongolia is a lotus.

If the building is looked at the upper view, it looks like a ger, which is a Mongolian traditional house. There is a big spiral stair inside the middle of the pavilion, which makes it look more modern.There is the historical section at first floor, and there will be escalator/elevator to go up to 2nd floor. To emphasize how eco-friendly the history was, the spiral stairs won’t be on the first floor. On the 2nd floor, it will demonstrate Mongolia in its current state, and how much they have developed from the beginning. The 3rd floor will represent the future of Mongolia, and what they are expecting to happen. On the 4th floor, there will be an observatory section, which could be used to watch the stars, or the colored light from the stained glasses, which may be a photo booth for people.’

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Ipek Kucukerdogan - G9 Jais Highly commended: ‘Great sketch, which shows very good hand drawing skills. The glass roof will bring light, however in this climate will make cooling of the space more challenging. Considering this is a Greece Pavilion, best to use White and Blue for elevation. Finally, this could have been perfected by adding few interior details to your sketch. Great job!’

Wanyi Ruan - G9 Yibir Highly recommended: ‘Great report, the concept’s evolution and inspiration has been clearly demonstrated.The interior details needed a little more attention. Great work!’

Wanyi designed a pavilion based on Taiwan.

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IBMYP Service As Action (SA) “We show empathy, compassion, and respect.We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.” (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014).

Our students have engaged in all four types of service learning this year:

Direct service Students have had interactions that involved people, the environment or animals. This year Lewis and Henry Stobwasser took part in the ‘Raising the Zanzi-bar’ project to build a playground and five classrooms with Fathers and Kids Camping.stars, or the colored light from the stained glasses, which may be a photo booth for people.’

Indirect service Though students did not see the recipients during indirect service, they verified that their actions would benefit the community or environment. Petra Keeney undertook 10 weeks of open water diving courses and certification in order to dive the Persian and Arabian Seas of Dubai and Fujairah to raise awareness about marine conservation and cleaner oceans.

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Advocacy Students spoke on behalf of causes or concerns to promote action on issues of public interest. Students advocated for Mental Health, COVID-19 prevention, staying healthy amid restrictions among many other interesting topics this year.

Research Students collected information through varied sources, analysed data and reported on topics of importance to influence policy or practice. A number of NLCS Dubai students carried out extensive research as part of the school’s delegation to the 53rd annual The Hague International Model United Nations conference online.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

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THE BIG FOUR Frances Powell - Vice Principal Pastoral Care This year has seen the ‘Covid Big 4’ hand over the new Big 4! This occurred during our Founder’s Day ceremony.

Our distinct values of compassion, responsibility and integrity were passed down to the new Grade 11 leaders.

Being a part of the Big 4 is a prestigious opportunity for students who espouse the ethos of the school through their actions and character. As rightly said by David Li, ‘they are the bridge between students and staff’. I would like to thank Sakina, Sam, Hyemin and David for all of their efforts in leading our student population in very unique circumstances.

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Our new leadership system has provided many opportunities for students to lead and/or participate in many areas of school life. Our new Big 4 will oversee these key aspects of our school to ensure a sense of cohesion occurs across the school.

Enrichment Ambassador – Franco Kanaan Senior Student (Sports Teams, Nicholson Lectures, School Events, Student Council) Wellbeing Awareness Ambassador – Hayat Alibhai (Wellbeing Awareness Group, Sadiq) Global Awareness Ambassador – Nadya Keeney (Eco-committee, Charity Committee, UAE Champion, Service Groups) Societies Ambassador – Jaehyun Jung (Society Chairs, Societies) We wish them all the best in their journey as key student leaders in the school.

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What it means to be a

BIG FOUR Franco Kanaan - Senior Student Having been given the opportunity to represent the NLCS community as a member of the Big 4 is an immense honour, only made greater by the significance of leadership in our community here at NLCS Dubai.To me, this role is far greater that the external image it portrays. Being given a position in the Big 4 is an opportunity to represent my peers, the student body and the wider school community; one which I am working to do ably and with the best intentions of the school and the members of its community in mind. Something which seemingly enriched my desire to meet the students wants and needs, was the highly competitive application and selection process. To have been chosen ahead of many with equal ambitions as myself gave me a greater drive and sense of obligation to ensure everyone is still given a voice and equal representation in the school.

Looking further into the role I have been given, the emotions were heightened when I was told that I would also be given the title of Senior Student; one of my largest ambitions going into the Sixth Form. For this reason, I hope that myself and the rest of the Big 4 are able to create a sense of inclusion and togetherness, despite the largely undesirable situation the world is still facing at the moment.

Moving forwards, I hope that I am able to help make the transition back to the ‘old normal’ smooth and exciting.

Through my role as Enrichment Ambassador, I hope to be able to open up new opportunities for everyone to get involved in the school community and make all the events that we were unable to hold this year bigger and more enjoyable for everyone; I think it’s safe to say we’ve all missed the feeling of normality!

Jaehyun Jung In the midst of this gruesome pandemic, I decided to apply to the role of Big 4 and I was fortunate enough to get the position. It is a role of responsibility, trust and importance and a crucial bridge between students and teachers.

I had to make sure I performed my duty as a student, as well as lead them and represent their opinions and ideas.

However, this was quite peculiar during a pandemic. While still trying to fulfill my job, as someone who interacts with other people, having to socially distance myself from others and not mix with other grades, was indeed frustrating and challenging.

It was difficult for me to be a bridge between people when I couldn’t talk to them in the first place. I knew what my grade wanted but that was only one out of seven grades that I had to listen to.

Being a Big 4 in itself is already a big responsibility to bear and with the pandemic, it was harder for us to perform our best, but I believe I was able to grow more as a leader and as a better student. Personally, I had to harder to reach out and connect with others and I had to rely on other sources, such as using Teams calls, asking Heads of Houses and teachers. I am in charge of Senior Society, and this lead me to try and be creative and think of a solution myself, instead of relying too much on others. I learned to adapt and overcome difficulties and manage my time and workload.

I still have a long way to go to become a better leader but through this experience, I can confidently say that being a Big 4 is a stepping stone towards a being an improved person, with more confidence and learning to cope with the weight of being a leader.

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Hayat Alibhai Being a Big 4 member to me is so much more than just the title. The name of student prefect shines on any university application but, to be completely honest, that never fascinated me. It was never the reason I applied, moreover, the reason was that I wanted to give back to the school, a school that has done so much for me; told me I could be excel in whatever I chose, in whichever place I chose and whatever path I chose. It taught me that I could be excellent, I could achieve any goal I set my mind to and most importantly, it believed in me. And that is the reason I applied. To be that guiding voice for the younger me who didn’t believe in herself.

Being a Big 4 member means that you represent the school – not out of responsibility or obligation, but out of pride. It means you dedicate yourself to enhancing the wellbeing of students, not because your title suggests it, but because you care. It means that you are the full embodiment of the role model you wished you had.

I remember walking in to Mr. Monaghan’s office, absolutely terrified of the results that were to come, only to be met with a huge smile that didn’t rub off my face until weeks later. It is one of my greatest triumphs and will continue to deliver such an immense sense of pride and achievement, knowing that I have made a significant impact on my school. A school that is truly like no other, in the best way possible.

Nadya Keeney “What even is the Big 4?” That is what my friend asked me - she goes to another school. “It’s like your version of Head Girl or Prefect,” I replied. However, now that I think about it, Big 4 is a lot more than Head Girl or Prefect.

Yes, all the titles have very similar responsibilities in common: undertake the role as an ambassador, show up to events, make speeches - but in this school, being Big 4 means to be someone compassionate and caring. It means you are influential, making a significant impact in the school community, whether that is through academic expertise or other interests. You must be someone full of great willingness and infectious energy, always going beyond to contribute.

As the Global Awareness Ambassador, my role is to oversee the Charity Committee, Eco-Committee, and Service Action Activities. As someone passionate about our world, and taking care of it, this was the perfect role for me.

In each of the committees, there have been exciting events that have happened and exciting new plans that are coming up in future terms.

This year, the Charity committee held a big Ramadan Food Drive where care packages and food donations were brought in from students. From this, over 800 workers were provided with Iftar meals - a substantial number!

Compassion, a character our school endures, and being Big 4, allows me to drive these acts further. The Ecocommittee plans to have upcoming competitions, as well as various projects in regards to recycling and food composting. Service as Action throughout the IB program, and CAS in the DP, is also an essential part of building this character. I can ensure that everyone is taking a part in giving back, whether that is for the community, nationally, or on a regional stance. Many students have completed projects from educating the school community about Autism awareness to multiple marine beach clean-ups fulfilled.

Working closely with the other members of the Big 4, as well as the Senior teachers and Mr. Monaghan, has made me perceive the school in a very different way. As a student in previous years, I haven’t had the feeling of being dependable like I have now. Being Big 4 gives me much more responsibility where I can channel my nurturing and eager character to work with all different types of people: students, teachers, and the Senior staff to make an impact on our school community.

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Message from the Assistant Principal, Head of Sixth Form When I first agreed to accept the new role of Head of Sixth Form in November 2019, I naturally began to imagine what life would be like arriving at NLCS Dubai nine months later in August 2020. Needless to say it didn’t quite pan out as I thought it might have. Who’d have thought that we would be living in a world where Sixth Form assemblies would be banned, let alone whole school ones? For many, you may think of 2020 as an ‘annus horribilis’ and one that is best forgotten. However, whilst pandemic life has presented us with many challenges, it has also provided us with the opportunity to show just how resilient, creative and determined we are as a school community.

If there is one thing to say about our graduating Class of 2021, it is that they are very adaptable. Quite ironically, ‘uncertainty’ has been pretty much the only thing that they have been certain of this year. With the ever changing landscape out of their direct control, they could never really be sure of what was coming next. No better illustration of this came in the manner in which their IBDP examinations were cancelled.

Having worked so hard over the previous months on the assumption that these would be completed as normal in school, they were whisked away at the last moment in yet another wicked turn of their COVID-19 journey. However, by this point in the year they had been through enough uncertain moments to be able to adapt and keep moving forward. “Just keep swimming” was the mantra and I think I can safely say that they have done more than their fair share of swimming this year.

However, whilst this year has been a challenge it has not been without plenty of successes and positives to look back on.The Sixth Form now have their very own space to call home with a new Common Room now completed in the building extension complete with a quiet study space for them to make the most of their study periods. The Class of 2021 have received an array of fantastic offers from universities all over the world, which is all the more impressive considering the spike in applications for tertiary education that we have seen this year. They were also able to enjoy their graduation ceremony in person, albeit with parents watching online, as well as celebrate their final day of school together. The result of this being that I am now the proud owner of a lovely fish who will be a reminder to me to be mindful of my catchphrases in future!

Grade 11 have also begun their journeys into the depths of the Diploma Programme and they too have grown through this process. As Grade 12 stepped away from the leadership roles of the school, it has been very pleasing to see the new crop of students progress into these roles. They are already building on the foundations of their predecessors and are pushing forward with their agendas, helping the School community and beyond to further success. I would like to pay particular tribute to the Big 4, House Captains, Society Chairs and committee leaders for the positive contributions that they have made to school. “Much is required from those to whom much is given” and nothing brings me greater joy as a teacher to witness students serving others. That is the mark of the true leaders.

As we look forward to a relatively more normal 2021-22 academic year, I would like to wish our departing students the very best of luck with their future endeavours and mandate them to come and visit us again soon.You are always welcome.

Alistair Wood Assistant Principal Head of Sixth Form NLCS Dubai

Message from the IB Coordinator Dear DP students, We keep hearing that this has been the most challenging year ever. In September, we were delighted to return to school, but nothing was as it used to be. First day hugs were forbidden, due to social distancing and smiles were hidden behind masks. It was not easy; many of you felt overwhelmed, confused and constrained by a tight timetable after months at home.

However, instead of focusing on what you could not do, you have focused on modelling grit, creativity and growth mindset in the face of uncertainty. This year, you have embraced “the power of yet” and the many opportunities created for innovation and adaptation.You have grown by accepting the challenges and trying, one day at a time. It’s like a genie out of the bottle, and I don’t think you can put it back in. It might not be the outcome you expected, but it is a wonderful one, nevertheless.

House competitions, laboratory practicals, individual orals, societies, CAS experiences, the Art exhibition, ToK presentations, theatre solo pieces, music performances, virtual trips, student-led assemblies and many other activities have thrived thanks to your enthusiasm, teamwork and determination. They might have differed from what was initially planned, but you partnered with your teachers and made them work.

I would like to congratulate G12 on your graduation. Go out there and make us proud. Be hard-working, empathetic and brave. Finally, my last advice as DP Coordinator: there are no CORE subjects in real life, only electives. Choose wisely.

Sara Saavedra IB Coordinator NLCS Dubai

GRADE 12 Reflections

Mira As members of one of the first graduating classes of NLCS, graduating during a period of much uncertainty, we’ve all bonded through our shared experiences. The friendships I have formed throughout my time at NLCS Dubai are friendships that will last a lifetime. I will miss all the incredible people I met along the long winded way to graduation.

Mireille I joined NLCS in 2018 and it has been a journey. While I had initially braced myself for a rigorous DP programme, which would involve many tests, I am honestly shocked to write that I have somehow passed these three years of my life, without taking a single external exam. Regardless, NLCS has been home to many memories. From taking part in Debating and winning many competitions and trophies, to expanding my MUN resumé and chairing various advanced committees both here and out of school conferences, to being asked to sing at the opening of NLCS Singapore. Developing friendships and opening doors, my time in NLCS will always have a special place in my heart.

I hope all generations of our NLCS community continue to enjoy their time here.

Yijin NLCS Dubai was my first chance of being an international student, one who had never experienced foreign life.

When I came to this school, I was fascinated by Budge Square, long corridors, and significant modern buildings.

To begin with, I hated having to get up at 6 o’clock every morning, hated to walk into the classrooms, and hated having to speak in English. But now, I feel I am like an ‘Early bird who catches the worm’, a good walker, and a good English learner.

I want to give myself a round of applause. There were many happy days, sad days, annoying days during the past four years, but now Dobby is Free! Senior school graduation is not an end but a starting point of my real life. My life begins now.

Line Never knew I would be here: graduating (hopefully) without any external exams. However, this does not mean I regret the past two years. They were two years of friendships, successes and kahoots. Two years of wearing sneakers, eating dumplings for lunch, and matching my outfit to my mask.

Tanya My experience at NLCS has definitely been very unique. I never realised that being a founding member meant that I was joining a school in which I was expected to do so much. My first year consisted of being House Captain of a House of 24 people; being Chair of a brand new Math Society and featuring as the antagonist in the school play, in which I was able to punch one of my friends in the face - truly an experience that will never be forgotten. My first year was extremely fun to say the least.

The following years I was able to see the school expand exponentially, which only brought on a lot more excitement to House Competitions. My favourite memory was my final sports day in Grade 12, in which we were isolated to grade groups and our 6th form were put together. My friends in Jais and I were convinced that we would come fourth, considering that we had the smallest boy to girl ratio in our grades and we decided that we were just going to have fun. It was surreal to see all of my Jais friends’ jaws drop as we were announced as the 6th form winners at the end of the day. Despite my IB experience being academically challenging throughout my final two years (especially with a global pandemic in the middle), I will always reminisce my time at NLCS as being filled with smiles and laughter.

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Sam My parents always told me not to just ‘study’ in school but to ‘learn’ – to learn how to dream, to explore, and to challenge. And NLCS Dubai allowed me to do just that. If not for NLCS Dubai, I wouldn’t have even imagined leading the Literary Society for four years; I wouldn’t have even imagined performing a musical or portraying a 7-year-old kid in front of an audience on stage; I wouldn’t have even imagined representing our school community as House Captain of Javi or member of the Big 4. And, on top of all that, I wouldn’t have met all the amazing people that will now be part of my life forever. So, it definitely was one hell of a ‘learning’ curve.

Anshul There are not enough words to describe my time at NLCS.When I first came here in Grade 9, I was lost. Everyone was new, and the first interactions were quite uncomfortable. Through participating in House and community events, I truly felt at home. I feel indebted to not only give something back but to also leave a small mark of my presence that will in turn better the community that I have grown to cherish. Although it may feel weird to no longer send teachers emails at four in the morning, I cannot think of a more rewarding way to conclude this academic year.

Sehyun These past four years were arguably not only the most difficult, but also the most exciting I’ve ever faced in my life. I’ve cried more, I’ve learned more, and I’ve grown more. I still remember NLCS Dubai back in 2017, when everyone tried to adapt to the new environment. Looking back, it is quite disappointing how I lacked confidence in myself. Things that I had to confront didn’t get easier. At first, I tried to avoid these problems in life. However, I soon realized that this was not the right decision to make. So, I kept working, working hard enough to be admired by other people. And now I’m here, successfully graduating from Senior School and beyond thrilled to be joining the real world.

Alexia When I joined NLCS, I thought I would sit two formal sets of exams, now I’m leaving and I haven’t even done one.

The only proper formal assessment was learning how to keep a one meter distance with the person infront of me during a daffodil procession for Founder’s Day, which I also only managed to do twice, although I attended the school for four years. Even though throughout these years we had to adapt to unexpected changes, I still leave NLCS with great memories. From managing to link a trip to Motiongate with Physics, to analyzing James Bond movies in English; the many hours spent counting the money raised from the Charity Committee pink events, to even our last day of school - I am thankful for all my experiences in NLCS.

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David My memories of my time at NLCS Dubai date back to January of Grade 9 when I first joined. Having recently moved countries, this was a difficult process for me, but I soon discovered how welcoming and supportive the staff and students were. As the years went on, the School gave me numerous opportunities to enhance my skills, such as leadership, public speaking, academia, and sports. In particular, I value my tenure as part of the Big 4, as well as my stints as House Captain for Javi, and the athletics awards I’ve been able to achieve. Now, at the end of Grade 12, I feel incredibly grateful for my time spent at NLCS and will cherish the friendships and teacher relationships I made here forever.

Shalini Four years ago, I was convinced that being forced out of my comfort zone by moving to an entirely new place and to a new school had to have been the worst decision made. Little did I know, it would be one of the best.

The idea of living in a big city with my parents was all very new for me, especially after abruptly leaving what I considered a comfortable life in a boarding school in India. On the first day, I remember standing in the atrium feeling overwhelmed with all the new faces , voices and my uncomfortably large blazer falling off my shoulders. All whilst my father tried to adjust my tie- another thing I wasn’t used to. However, over the years to come, I learned to embrace this feeling of overwhelmingness. The past four years changed me, whilst still being introverted; I am confident enough to be a part of the voices that once scared me. Having the opportunity to grow with this school has made me proud of what I have accomplished in this short time and I’m glad to be walking out with a graduation gown fit for me.

Mahnoor I stood there from a distance, watching countless blue-clad workers in tractors set the piling of a building, which was soon to be my school. The lack of an actual campus only fueled my skepticism of joining a school in its first year of operation. A few short months later, I entered School on the first day ever, knowing exactly how stiff and awkward the uniform looked on me, feeling vulnerable to the judgmental glares of my new classmates. The recent shock of moving countries had not yet set in, and I tried my best to stay afloat in this intimidating environment.

Four years on, reflecting on this, I couldn’t feel any more different. The merits of being in a small year group, full of numerous nationalities, and guidance from ardent teachers permeated me through the years without even knowing. Each phase of my education at NLCS Dubai has been an invaluable learning curve, equipping me with skills for life beyond school. Although my Senior School experience has been far from normal, thanks to the pandemic, I will always hold many fond memories of my time in this school with me.

Hyemin Graduating as the class of 2021 could be seen by some as a huge disappointment . But graduating at NLCS Dubai as the class of 2021 is what makes it special. All the messages on Teams asking whether there will be a live lesson, the ring tone of the teams call and the silence that follows a teacher’s question will forever be a unique experience. My favourite aspect of the school will most definitely be the vertical House system; I was able to communicate with the grades below and above, which helped boost the House spirit. I am thankful to have graduated on a high note amidst the pandemic, as well as having to leave the school being the best version of myself.

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Tiwa My experience at NLCS Dubai started as a very new one for me. Almost everything was different – being in a new country, new environment, new curriculum, and the list goes on. I have definitely grown a lot over the last four years (not just in my obvious physical appearance), but in a way, I’ve been able to come out of my ‘shell’ that I joined with. For me, some notable memories could be trying myself out for the basketball team, even though I had never played the sport before, and more recently, struggling to brainstorm ideas for the Sports Society with my friends during quarantine. Even though I am not usually one to talk a lot, I do think that I have grown and have developed relationships with both my classmates and teachers that I will cherish in the future.

Lena This year, albeit an unusual one, has provided us with lots of opportunities to explore and stretch our ICT skills from home and school. We have collaborated in new ways and really explored the extent of being able to complete activities remotely. In School, the students have embraced some of our new technologies in their lessons such as 3D printing, control and programming with robotics, and creating fitness trackers with Microbits. In March we held our first NLCS STEM week which proved hugely popular and enabled the students to tie together the STEM subject disciplines through a week of practical activities. We saw robot races, structural designs made with both practical materials and in 3D Augmented Reality, and even bananas turned into keyboards that we coded to play tunes. It’s been an exciting year to look back on with impressive skills being shown from our students all round.

Karl My experience at NLCS has allowed me to really develop as a person. Coming from a very different background, I would have never imagined taking up so many different roles around the school. From being Chair of the Computing/Engineering society, to coaching the basketball team, to even representing Hafeet by performing in front of the entire NLCS community. When I first arrived at NLCS in grade 10, I never expected to enjoy learning and being challenged by the great teachers that have definitely prepared me for the next chapter of my life. I will really miss the friendships created and the staff that have supported me throughout this amazing journey.

Thank you NLCS for everything!

Raeesah When I first joined NLCS, little did I know that as a shy and quiet grade 9 student, I would soon make some unforgettable memories with extraordinary people. As a founding member, I have had the opportunity to see everyone grow and be the people they are today. I initially found a new school quite intimidating, but I cannot express the amount of fun that I have had over the last four years. From the 2018 Italy trip and the exciting Grade 9 Motiongate trip, to our final yet chaotic moments in DP, our grade has been together through it all and I am so proud to be a part of the class of 2021.

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Lucie My time at NLCS Dubai has been shorter than some others- just two years of Sixth Form, but I have felt welcomed and part of the community since day one. Moving from the UK to Dubai was a big step for me, and the thought of having to start over at a new school and make new friends was pretty daunting. However, after my short time here, I have had some incredible opportunities, made some great memories, and met some of my best friends.

One of my favourite moments at NLCS Dubai was taking part in the Sixth Form production of ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ at the start of Grade 11. It took a lot of rehearsals and probably too much last minute line memorising but we managed to pull off an amazing performance that was so fun, and enabled me to get to know my new friends better in a different environment to the classroom.

Alongside my education, I’ve had some amazing opportunities since joining this school and I have been able to make so many fond memories during my time here that I will never forget.

Annant My ambitions were undefined; for me, playing sports was my sole passion, whilst academics was simply just a requirement;As a matter of fact, I never even thought of applying to a competitive course at a prestigious University.

At NLCS Dubai, my goals and ambitions were defined, a structure was set towards the future, and I could excel, not only in academics, but also in sports at an international level. I questioned myself and my ability at times, but NLCS showed immense faith in me and today I am passionate about things I never would have thought about in Grade 9.

Alhena Senior school is always tough. And yet, I have still found moments of joy in my experience - and am leaving the happiest I have ever been. Memorably, my History and English DP lessons have been the most interesting. Despite going off on a tangent more than enough times, knowledge that I have acquired studying Homefire or the Castro Regime has been insurmountable.

My favourite moment was receiving my first Level 6 in a Physics SL exam. I worked incredibly hard in Physics and achieving that grade consolidated my efforts.

The relationships I have fostered with other students and teachers have grown tremendously, and I hope that I can stay in contact with all of them. To all of you nervous about Senior School, you will make the best memories of your life in these four years. It’s best you cherish them.

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Anoushka NLCS has taught me a huge amount in the past four years. It has taught me to be resilient, passionate and has helped me grow into a confident individual. Although I faced several challenges over the past few years, I was able to overcome them with the help and support of my teachers and friends. Whilst we, as ambitious students, have a strong academic drive, we have been able to create some of the best friendships and memories. Having experienced a range of events, from accomplishments to failures, they have all contributed to the most memorable Senior school experience. NLCS has not only given me the opportunity to find my true passion but has helped clarify my ambitions for the future. I will forever be thankful for the constant encouragement and indescribable experiences.

Sakina NLCS has provided me with a space to grow, flourish and explore my academic and extra-curricular choices.

Not only has it made me ambitious, I have been able to make life-long friendships and everlasting memories.

With the advantage of being offered leadership roles such as House Captain, and a member of the Big 4, I have developed skills of communication and organisation, which have, in turn, favoured me throughout my schoolwork and especially through preparation for exams. I am extremely grateful for the warm and inviting environment created by the teachers that allowed for the embellishment of my confidence and aspirations. I will forever keep in mind how I was taught to aim for the highest possible achievement, regardless of the extra effort that was needed and hopefully I will apply this lesson in the future.

Maryam My four years at NLCS have been rewarding in the most unique ways possible. Having been given the platform to mould into the person I am today, I was able to learn lessons along the way; some I will never forget. Initially, my journey in the school was a challenge, trying to navigate your place in a new school all over again was both intimidating and inspiring. I was able to start afresh, not knowing at the time that this was exactly what I needed.

Establishing a strong connection with a group of friends I would now consider family, and a set of encouraging teachers that helped pave the way to my success, I will be eternally grateful for NLCS to help me discover the young woman I am today. A person who is confident, ambitious and passionate about the world we live in. I will cherish the small moments of laughter and kindness, whilst learning and appreciating the big moments of failure and success too. I started my Senior school career with the uncertainty of what could come from this small, yet interconnected community and I am able to leave with the feeling of knowing that NLCS (although not your typical school), was an opportunity for me to grow as a student, friend and most importantly an individual.

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G R A D U AT I O N It was with both delight and heavy hearts that we bid a fond farewell to our Grade 12 students at a small, but perfectly formed ceremony in our beautiful atrium. Parents sat at home, watching the live stream of the event, and Heads of Houses had the opportunity to thank each and every student for the wonderful contributions they have made to school life.

There were a few highlights. The first of which was Mr Wood’s continuation of his famous saying, ‘Just Keep Swimming.’ A catchphrase that earnt him the prize of his newest companion – Mr Fish.

Mr Wood’s Swimming Metaphor As became quite a catchphrase in your final year here at NLCS Dubai, I would often tell you to “Just keep swimming”. Just keep swimming was the mantra and boy did you keep swimming. Michael Phelps has nothing on you lot.

At the start of G11, it probably felt quite easy, like you were swimming in the shallow end, never far away from the safety of familiar content or challenge. But as you know, the more you waded into the waters of the DP, the deeper it became and soon you were far from shore.

Admittedly, there were definitely times when you may have felt that you were drowning, with a storm raining down all around you with the crashing waves of internal assessments, homework, CAS reflections, university applications, essays and the like, pushing you down beneath the surface. However, you did indeed just keep swimming, continued to move forward and, in doing so, have learnt to develop the skills to become better students. On the side-lines, we as parents and teachers have hopefully given you the life-rafts and floatation devices when you’ve needed them. We’ve also tried to encourage you to be more efficient with your stroke rather than thrashing around in the water. You need to work smarter not harder is a phrase I’m sure you have a heard a few times.

And just as you were gearing up for the next storm of the DP examinations, the sun broke through, the examinations were cancelled and you’ve perhaps been able to float a little more on more serene waters over the past few weeks.

And where are we now with my rather elongated metaphor?

Well, having come through the depths, there is now land in sight once more. A new and unfamiliar land of university, of adulthood and who knows what else. No doubt there will be some storms and tough times ahead.

That is the nature of life. But know this, you have the capacity to weather any of these storms and if you’re unsure of what to do next…just keep swimming.

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Another highlight was Mr May’s selection of a poem from the musical ‘Mary Poppins’ – a wonderful reminder that anything can happen!

Mr May’s Poem from ‘Mary Poppins’ Anything can happen it’s a marvel You can be a butterfly or just stay larval Take some sound advice and don’t forget it You won’t know a challenge, until you’ve met it Broaden your horizons , open different doors You may find a you there, that you never knew was yours Grab life by the collar, seize it by the scruff Once you’ve started living life you just can’t get enough Anything can happen it’s official You should choose the super, not the superficial Go and chase your dreams, you won’t regret it Because…

Anything can happen if you let it.

We wish all of our departing Grade 12s all the best in their futures. And, as everyone said, please keep in touch!

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Founder’s Day 2021 Chris May After the last minute cancellation of Founder’s Day in 2020 due to lockdown in Dubai, we set about planning a socially distant, yet meaningful Founder’s Day for all to enjoy this year. It was clear we would not be able to welcome guests and families to our annual celebrations, so we decided to take the celebrations to our wider community, whilst maintaining the traditions and solemnity of the occasion. It was decided to make a film of a full Founder’s Day service, so the call went out for musicians, readers, poets and creatives to make this year’s celebration just as special as previous years. The old and new Big 4 made their video for our sister schools in London, Jeju and Singapore (with rather fetching daffodil themed masks) and the whole school geared up for one of the most important days of the school year.

As we couldn’t welcome our community into school, we decided to decorate the outside of the school with bunting, balloons and banners. Just as we were ready to celebrate the end of term and Founder’s Day, we, along with all of the UAE, fell silent to mourn the passing of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance. As part of our solemn duty and out of respect for the Al Maktoum family, the balloons, bunting and banners were removed and Founder’s Day was re-scheduled to open the Summer term with a celebration.

So, the first day back after Spring Break, two weeks later than originally planned, our students came together (in their grade bubbles) and our community settled down on their sofas in their own homes to watch our wonderful 2021 Founder’s Day film. The theme for this year’s Founder’s Day was Environmentalism and Stewardship of Planet Earth. Mr Monaghan, in his speech referred to the global issues facing us all and how each and every one of us has the responsibility to not only be aware but also to take action so future generations can enjoy the benefits that we have been fortunate enough to receive. In lessons, students were reminded of the overarching importance of sustainability and for our service, we adapted elements to reflect the passion that NLCS Dubai has for environmentalism. In the First School, students celebrated with a colour themed day, some beautiful artwork and of course their own film with readings and poems.

In addition to our film, poems, music and artwork Mrs Tayfour, our School Librarian also curated a wonderful exhibition on the history of North London Collegiate School since the mid 1800’s which was enjoyed by students and staff within school and also by parents and our wider community via Mr May’s digital exhibition.

Not only did the day feel as ‘real’ as possible but it will also serve as a historical record of the times we live in for future generations of NLCS students.

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Our Unique Sphere

by Haniah Bandali - Grade 5 Caracals Mother nature has blessed us with wonderful planet earth It’s a beautiful and gorgeous place since its birth From the mesmerizing oceans filled deep with fish and shells To the purified clear water in cyan wells It’s come a long way The rustled bright yellow daffodils lay In the forests and gardens we must look after Or else there will be none in the hereafter We must protect our earth without causing too much harm Or else well be left without much of its charm Our air, our atmosphere, our ozone, we must not pollute Recycle, Reuse and reduce, we must salute Our oceans, our forests, our deserts, we must take care Our amazing earth that we share Beautiful planet Earth is our home So gorgeous full of blue and green Let’s all work together to keep it clean

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Founder’s Day Speech 2021 James Monaghan - Principal

On Founder’s Day we celebrate and remember the work of those School leaders, members of staff and students who have come before us.

Unfortunately, we were unable to celebrate Founder’s Day in the usual way in 2020 and again this year, 2021. I very much hope that this time next year I will be standing here in front of the community, celebrating a return to those events we all treasure as part of our annual celebrations.

Each year a theme or particular subject is chosen, and we trace its influence on the School through time. During the recent months, human awareness has been heightened, with an even greater focus on social media and global events. The environmental impact of the current situation has had some positive news, which has allowed us to be acutely aware of what is possible if we all make the right decisions as individuals, communities and nations as a whole.

Climate change is one of the most important threats facing us all today. The wildfires in Australia and the United States; the rise in temperatures in the Arctic and the Antarctic; the widespread bleaching of coral in our oceans; the increasing intensity and frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms; the increased threats from extreme weather events over the past 100 years, all point towards a change in our planet’s regional and global climate patterns; these present us with a level of disruption and challenge that modern humanity has not faced before.

How we live alongside each other, and the billions of species of plant and animal life that surround us, should concern us all. Recent developments in scientific thinking have pointed to the dangers that we face – recent philosophical, political and social thinking has shown us that thinking about this issue in different scales – the personal, immediate, local, national and global – and also in different ways (waste / energy / recycling) helps us all to determine the different options we have moving forward.

At our London school in the early days, the School addressed concerns about overcrowding in classrooms, worries about the ever-increasing pollution in the air around the School’s original location in North London and the noise pollution from the traffic, and even about the drains and use of water on the School site.

In the early days of our London school the environment was always a consideration for the Founder. As the School began to grow, it rapidly became obvious that the number of girls wanting to take advantage of Miss Buss’ education were too great to be accommodated in a semi-detached townhouse. Overcrowding was the main challenge and would certainly not have met the current guidelines surrounding social distancing. Then later in the School’s history an opportunity presented itself to buy a site away from the centre of London and move the School out of the busyness and smog of the city for the green fields and healthier environment of the present site in Edgware.

Here in Dubai, we are faced with a number of environmental challenges and as a school, we have begun to make progress in educating and communicating to our community about what it is that we can do to tackle these.

Here in Dubai, the early days were identified with dust from construction and the usual impact that living in an arid environment poses to all of us wherever we live. We had a few challenges with the drains and the sometimes-unpleasant smells emanating from the ground. The London school also had some challenges with leaking pipes and the city summer stench that was often associated with poor plumbing. Thankfully, those problems seem to have abated as the local infrastructure develops.

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The London school did in fact have a number of similar challenges to our school here in Dubai. Transport was developing and with the invention of the combustion engine, the number of cars increased dramatically during the first part of the 20th century. Here is Dubai we have a similar challenge. Our society revolves around the car and while the number of electric cars increases, the price of petrol continues to support a community that is very much based around the combustion engine as well.

The girls in our London school were themselves not impressed by the environment surrounding the school.

One example of this was demonstrated by Olive Gabriel a student who in the 1932 wrote a poem called, night traffic. While we do not have students, who sleep in the school I thought I would take this moment to read her poem as a piece of our collective history.

NIGHT TRAFFIC A myriad wheels are spinning fast, A myriad jar and whirr ; And engines hum and throb and thrum With a pounding, pulsing purr.

The trams roll on with ponderous roar, And the paving blocks resound To the tramp and beat of the horses’ feet As the wheels go trundling round.

Like bluish veils that hang in air The fumes of petrol away, And they twist and swirl with the spokes that whirl, While the hooters blare and bray.

Lorrles that lumber and rumble and crasb, Buses that swerve and jar, Come rattling down to Camden Towa, Where the glaring street-lamps arc.

A myriad wheels are spinning fast, And every axle squeals, And mounting high to the dard night sky Is the hum of the whirling wheels.

(Olive Gabriel, Upper VI.)

While we do not hear the sound of horses’ hoofs very often, if at all, much of that poem written in 1932 rings true for many of us here in Dubai.

Since opening in 2017, NLCS Dubai has set up and implemented a number of environmental initiatives. The Environment Society was formed in Sept 2018. In our second year, the society were the driving force behind creating awareness around the use of plastic bottles. We removed the use of plastic bottles in our school for events and encouraged students to have their own water bottles and water dispensers were installed on all the floors of the school. www.nlcsdubai.ae

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At the beginning of 2020, in our first assembly of the new year, I launched the environment as a focus , giving an assembly on the circular economy and the importance of reusing. Little did we know that the current situation and the Covid pandemic was only a few weeks away. Nevertheless, the messages are still pertinent to us all: Don’t buy that new pair of shoes if the old ones can be resoled. Hold out on buying that new t-shirt if the old one still has a bit more life left in it.

I also wrote to the community encouraging them to car share and to reduce the amount of traffic coming to the school each morning and afternoon.Well, that initiative has had to be delayed for obvious reasons as car sharing is currently actively advised against. One more example of how the pandemic has not helped the environment.

And just before the lockdown a year ago, the environmental society implemented an awareness week for waste food in the school dining hall.The aim was to get people to think carefully about how much and which food they were taking.

The old adage of making sure your plate is empty seems to have been lost in current society. So often do I see food being left at restaurants. Food waste is the single largest household contributor to landfill in the world and generates billions of tonnes of greenhouses gases.

While Covid has brought some disadvantages to the environmental impact here in Dubai, there have been some wonderful and surprising impacts which are there to remind us of what we can achieve as we move out of the current situation.

Some figures put the reduction of air pollution across the world at 25%. Fewer emissions from air travel, which is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases. Fewer people affected by respiratory ailments as a result of cleaner air. During the March to April lockdown in 2020, carbon emissions in the UK dropped by 48%.

Water quality in some of the world’s major rivers improved dramatically with plant and animal life beginning to thrive as soon as levels of emissions and pollution fell. It was very clear what could be achieved and how quickly, if we are to all take responsibility for reducing our own carbon footprints. Immense unintended advantages offered opportunities for unprecedented insights into the ways our natural and urban environments interact.

These insights can help us build pathways to sustainable conservation in the future.

Wildlife began to hit the news during the pandemic, with animals not seen for years appearing in our streets.

There were sightings of unusual visitors to towns and cities. Flocks of flamingos flying to beaches and lakes for the first time, dolphins swimming in rivers, big cats patrolling city streets and turtles returning to some beaches for the first time in decades.

What did all of this tell us? It showed what could be achieved if we all care and we all take the environment seriously.

So what is our environmental future at NLCS Dubai?

All the hard work of individuals in the past, both students, staff and Old North Londoners is hugely impressive – but despite the enthusiasm of individuals and small groups, much much more is required, informed by the latest scientific research and the desire to create lasting and measurable change in our impact on the planet, as well as to continue to educate, debate and inform our School community.

Our main aim is to reduce our Carbon footprint in order to become carbon neutral. When could this be achieved? Some countries are looking at 2030 as a key year for achieving this.The UAE is already moving quickly in terms of energy production with both nuclear, solar and wind power developments being completed.

With a growing school community, we have a challenge, but also a responsibility to engage in doing whatever we can.

Our past is important to us. It provides a context for our work, and a confidence that we are all walking in the footsteps of extraordinary people – but it is of course the future that truly matters.

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It is clear that there are significant technological challenges here in the fight to address climate change – who will be the first to discover a wholly new replacement for plastics? When will we be able to charge our electric cars quickly and conveniently? Who will find the way to achieve commercially useful nuclear fusion? But is the political and individual change required, the bigger challenge?

The behavioural change that is being asked of us all at this time right now is huge - but it is one that we are all able to address. Many of the changes that we need to put in place in order to reduce our carbon footprint require all of us to change our habits and alter our mind-sets. Can we find alternative ways to travel? As you all know, I like cycling and I would love to be able to cycle to work every day safely. What can I do to help? Maybe write a letter to the authorities in support of developing more and more cycle paths along main roads.

Remember our own water bottle? Stop choosing fast fashion? Switch the lights off and turn down our air conditioning? Bring shopping bags to Spinneys? Buy less, recycle more?

We have made a good start but there is so much more we can do … and there is more to come, all while maintaining our commitment to the highest standards of pastoral care and academic ambition.

A message to you, the students, one of your biggest challenges is changing the habits of your parents. They have all grown up in a world where the environment was not as high on the political agenda. You need to keep the pressure up on us to ensure we reach a point of sustainability and harmony.

I have no doubt that we will meet this challenge with great energy, imagination, determination, and humour ¬– qualities that North Londoners possess in abundance!

What we all do now will not only affect our own lives, but those of future generations. It is a responsibility and a challenge that we will not shy away from. As with Covid, the saying, we are all responsible, applies to the environment too.

We can all contribute to a better environment locally and globally and we must take responsibility as individuals if our students and our children are to have a safe and happy future.

Thank you.

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Flag Day , Commemoration Day and

UAE National Day 2020 Every year, NLCS Dubai joins with the rest of the UAE in celebrating Flag Day, falling silent for Commemoration Day and enjoying UAE National Day between November and December. Due to the restrictions in place, we could not hold our usual events, such as bringing families into the school for a creative and culinary extravaganza that is National Day or taking the entire school out onto the field, getting them to make a massive number and taking a drone photo of them. However, Covid was not going to stop us, so Mr May got creative!

On the 3rd November, our Emirati students, along with Mr Monaghan, joined the rest of the UAE in remembering the success and hard work of the founding fathers of the UAE by hoisting the UAE flag at 11am. Students recited the UAE oath and even though singing was not permitted, we all enjoyed the National Anthem outside by the flagpole. At the end of November, we reflected during a moment of contemplative silence to mark Commemoration Day and then, prior to the long weekend we celebrated UAE National Day in a meaningful way.

Each year, since we opened in 2017, we have made the number of the anniversary on the field with all our students and staff. This year Mr May, sadly, put the megaphone and miles of bunting to one side and decided to take the project online. Students, their families and our staff were asked to submit family portraits, which were incorporated into a wonderful animation that represents all of our school community. Whilst we were not able to be together to celebrate in our usual way we know that everyone felt part of our celebrations. Maybe next year Mr May will do a 49 and a 50 just to keep the tradition going!

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Being in bubbles and socially distanced provided us with a problem for the actual National Day week but we saw this as an opportunity to immerse ourselves in Emirati heritage, knowledge and culture. In the First and Junior Schools, students work hard to contribute to a series of collective art works, which will remain on display in their respective areas. In the Senior School, we decided to keep all our lessons running but theme them over the two days to reflect four chosen areas of focus: The History of the UAE, Emirati Culture in 2020, The UAE: A melting pot of people and The future of the UAE. Each subject was asked to deliver deep and meaningful subject based lessons but with a UAE twist. It has been wonderful to see teachers take up this challenge and we know the students really enjoyed focusing on the nation they all call home.

To conclude our celebrations, the entire Senior School worked hard to make their contributions towards our Ghaf of Gratitude, which our Art Department worked tirelessly upon. It was wonderful to see how this permanent Art installation grew from a seed to a wonderful collaborative artwork.

We would like to thank all staff and students who have worked so hard to overcome our current restrictions to make our festivities this year as meaningful and as enjoyable as possible.

Bring on the ’50 on the field’!

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FACILITY STAFF INTERVIEWS In this year’s Yearbook, we wanted to celebrate all the wonderful people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the school runs efficiently and safely. From the security guards, to the facilities staff; from the cleaners to the receptionists, we are so lucky to have such an experienced and caring team behind us. Without them, the school would not be the amazing place it is.

Megan Swagerty - Senior Operations Manager Megan Swagerty has lived in Dubai for eight years but joined our NLCS Dubai community in January 2020. Facing the global COVID pandemic right from the beginning of her job, she shared her story with us.

Q: What do you do as the Senior Operations Manager of NLCS Dubai?

A: Long story short, I deal with all the problems: different contracts, bus programme, catering service, school uniform, security team, cleaning service, and more. As the Senior Operations Manager, I overlook all the external workers working in NLCS Dubai.

Q: Do you feel like your job is challenging?

A: Often, even the tasks that seem simple from the outside require a lot of work. For instance, the simple task of changing our school uniform supplier results in me looking at 50 different shades of blues to find the perfect NLCS blue colour to represent the school, accompanied with endless chains of emails being sent back and forth.

However, despite all these challenges, it is also very rewarding to see my work positively influencing the school community.

Q: What is the best part of working in NLCS Dubai?

A: It most definitely is working with my team. They are people that I can 100% count on, and they are the most supportive teammates. Everything is taken to the next level in NLCS Dubai, and naturally, high expectations are set for our team as well. I believe we overcome all the unexpected issues we face on a daily basis because we fully support each other at all times.

Gibin George - Operations Manager Gibin George, having been in Dubai his whole life, joined the NLCS Dubai community as our Operations Manager three years ago.

Q: What is your job like and do you enjoy being an Operations Manager?

A: I have to deal with events, help with facilities, organise parking areas, and more. I could probably say that our team is the one that “makes it happen”.

To be honest, at times, my job is quite challenging. I always have to deal with complaints whilst working behind the scene, so when my job is done properly, sometimes it goes unnoticed.

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But this job really taught be how to become a good team player. It’s also very rewarding to see people using the facility I helped to set up.

Q: Did many things change since you joined NLCS Dubai?

A: Yes, most definitely. When I first joined the community about three years ago, we had significantly fewer students and teachers; all parents could park in the school and organising events was much easier.Yet, we had to set up many new things from the very beginning. Now, being part of a bigger community, there definitely are new challenges, but the vibrant and caring nature of the NLCS Dubai community keeps me on my feet. Even though the students can cause problems I have to solve, I miss them when they are not here.

Q: Would you recommend this job to others?

A: When I first joined NLCS Dubai, I was in my early 20s as I just graduated from college. I am thankful that I got to be part of this community as all the students, staff members and parents constantly try to get to know each other more and give back to the community. This is why I think more people should consider working in the education sector.

Ivan Ssenono - Security Guard Ivan is from Uganda and has been working as a security guard for 5 years. He joined NLCS in 2017, when it just started.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai? What do you do?

A: I’m a lead guard in the security team at NLCS. Q: How long have you been here?

A: Since the beginning.

Q: What’s is like to work at NLCS Dubai?

A: NLCS Dubai became like a home.We work with a team of different people but we are all cooperative, and it makes us feel like a family. In general, with the parents - there is a connection we have with them, which makes it feel like a home. I really like it.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: I would say everything. I just enjoy everything because I just love working here.

Paschal Igwe - Reprographics Officer Paschal is from Nigeria and is 32 years old.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai? What do you do?

A: I’m a reprographics officer. I’m in charge of so many things, such as: exams, making sure the exam resources are available and making sure that the teacher’s work is intact for them to be able to use them during class.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: This would be my third year. www.nlcsdubai.ae

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Q: What’s is like to work at NLCS Dubai?

A: It’s a family. NLCS Dubai has been like a very good community.They are helpful, considerate, and you won’t ever feel like an outsider.The connection is just extraordinary.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: Being with people. Mingling with people. Sharing experiences and conversations and getting to know everyone.

Toheeb Opeyemi Rasaq - Office Assistant Rasaq is from Nigeria and has been with NLCS Dubai since 2019.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai? What do you do?

A: I’m an office assistant. I just assist everyone in the school. It’s nice working here at NLCS Dubai.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: Almost two years.

Q: What’s is like to work at NLCS Dubai?

A: I love working here! Since I joined NLCS Dubai, everything has been good; and I am very happy and appreciate everyone because everyone assists one another in this school. It’s really nice.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: I’m proud of the job. I still wish to move ahead, because you can’t just stick to one thing. I’m still looking ahead for other opportunities.

Mumekaa (Rashid) Matano - Office Assistant Rashid’s full name is Mumekaa Matano but his religious name is Rashid. He has a high school education and comes from Kenya. He is a Muslim and is 30 years old. He is married with two sons.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai? What do you do?

A: I work here as an office assistant. I normally serve coffee, distribute papers, deal with deliveries and arrange them in the school, help in the library, the IT department and the Music department - and serve all the staff in the school, including the teachers and the admin staff.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: I have been working here for 5 years. I started with the school when they opened in 2017 on September 10th.

Q: What’s is like to work at NLCS Dubai?

A: I really like to work here. I enjoy it.

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Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: I wanted to join IT back home, but decided not to join. I am happy here!

Malwamga Rashida Rashida is 24 years old and works as a cleaner. She is Ugandan and has a certificate in fashion design.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai? What do you do?

A: I am a cleaner.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: I have been here for 2 years and 6 months.

Q: What’s is like to work at NLCS Dubai?

I really like the building, and the classes are nice. Also, some students are friendly. I am proud of my job!

Neetu Malhotra - Junior School Receptionist and Parent Liaison Neetu Malhotra joined the NLCS Dubai community as a parent since the beginning and became our Junior School Receptionist around 3 years ago.

She first moved to Dubai 8 years ago, and shared her story with us.

Q: What was it like to move from London to Dubai?

A: When I first moved to Dubai 8 years ago, I was 6 months pregnant. The intense heat made the experience even worse, and I first thought the people here were not so nice. But the longer I stayed, the more it grew on me.

Q: What did you do before becoming a receptionist in NLCS Dubai?

A: I used to work at home doing family business, but as my children grew up, I wanted to work outside my house but somewhere not too far away from my children. Hence, applying for a job in NLCS Dubai was a natural process for me.

Q:What is your job like here in NLCS Dubai and do you enjoy working here?

A: Apart from my usual work as the Junior School Receptionist, I also am a Junior Parent Liaison. I talk to Junior School parents about their concerns and complaints, always trying my best to make the NLCS Dubai community a better place for the students. I especially enjoy my job as it is not only convenient to be close to my own children, but also as the school itself is filled with amazing students, staff and parents.

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Karmel Nader Al Sayed - Senior Receptionist Karmel joined us here at NLCS Dubai in October, 2020, after working as a KHDA coordinator in one of GEMS Schools American Curriculum for three years.

Q: What is your role at NLCS Dubai?

A: I am part of the Senior Team reception, where we are responsible for supporting Senior Parents with the information they need, answering their questions about our school and passing the information to the teachers and the students. We monitoring student attendance and are responsible for sending weekly information and letter for Senior Parents. As I am an Arabic speaker in the school, I also give support to other teachers by translating some materials or attending meetings to support the Arabic speaking families.

Q: What is your favourite part of the job?

A: As a brand new mum, having the opportunity to learn more about dealing with students’ emotional and academic situations is very interesting and it’s been good to see things from other parents’ perspectives.

Princess Tarin, - Junior School Receptionist Princess Tarin joined the NLCS Dubai community in 2018 as the Junior School Receptionist. This is her 10th year in Dubai, and she shared her story with us.

Q:What did you do in Dubai before joining NLCS Dubai and what made you change your career path?

A: I worked in customer service for a long time, but frankly, I got bored with this job. Whilst looking for better opportunities to change my career path, I happened to drive by NLCS Dubai. Thinking that the school looked nice, I went into the school’s website, applied for the Junior School Receptionist role, and was lucky enough to get the job!

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: The kids for sure. I love being a receptionist and spending time with the kids. They are amazing. You would not think you are working; it’s more like a family. And the kind staff members make the experience much better as well.

Q: Do you still get stressed whilst working?

A: It sometimes is a little stressful dealing with so many people every day. It definitively is often physically and mentally challenging. But the kids’ smiles always make up for all this, and to be honest, my previous job in customer service was much worse.

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Alina Bou Mansour - Senior School Receptionist Alina Bou Mansour joined the NLCS Dubai community 3 years ago as the Senior School Receptionist. She has been in Dubai since 2001, and shared her story with us.

Q: How did you become a receptionist here in NLCS Dubai?

A: I used to be an Emirates flight attendant, but wanting to spend more time with my family, I became a yoga instructor. I’ve been a yoga instructor for 8 years, and whilst leading the yoga ECA in NLCS Dubai, I could feel the familylike environment within the school. I ended up applying for the job and here I am!

Q: What do you have to do as a Senior Receptionist?

A: I have to make sure everyone who should be in school is in school and follow up if not. I also forward messages to different part of the school community, answers calls, prepare for fire registers, receive deliveries to the school, and more. My job keeps me very busy but it is also very rewarding.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: I love the constant interaction with the school community and beyond. The kind and welcoming students, staff and parents make my job 10 times better.

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The Arabic Department this year Rasha El Said - Head of Arabic In the Arabic department, we are keen to raise the portfolio of the Arabic language at NLCS, reflecting on our practices and developing our methods to get the best out of our students.

We are constantly working on enhancing reading Arabic across the department and to do so, we introduced a number of very effective platforms. The most interesting features for these platforms are the wide selection of books with variable levels. It is a great way to introduce our students to different topics that are culturally related.

We are excited that our students, from across the school, read around 10,000 Arabic books from different levels and watched over 11,000 educational videos this year. In addition to that, Arabic A students took part of the virtual Chevron competition.

Teachers presented debates in classes this year for both Arabic A and Arabic B. Debates provided students the opportunity to work in a collaborative and cooperative group setting. By having students discuss and establish their points of view for one side of an argument, they are able to determine new information based on research and put the language they have learned into action. Teachers introduced points of debate, for example the pros and cons of technology, the importance of maintaining our learning of modern Standard Arabic and the pros and cons of social media.

Grade 7 students enjoyed learning how to write film reviews in Arabic. They learned about elements of criticism and they watched short films that educate about different aspects as bullying, positive thinking and acceptance.

Due to covid restrictions, technology was a constant part of Arabic classes; we used different apps that encouraged independent learning and delivered training, presentations, meetings and quizzes. We also introduced typing to MYP students, which is an effective and essential skill, MYP students now are confident with using Arabic keywords to type their answers and their essays.

This year the Arabic department focus was to encourage speaking in Arabic among students. We wanted to shed light on the importance of speaking to help improve the detailed aspects of the language. Students were encouraged to research and pre- prepare speaking presentations based on topics they learned. They were given the capacity to connect and to present their views in front of others in order to improve their confidence. The curriculum was also full of real life situations that encouraged students to take part in dialogue and interactions.

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Quran Competition Winners

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The Art Department this year This year, our Graduating Grade 12s exhibited some incredible work. Here two of these students reflect on their experience of taking this subject for their Diploma Course: My journey through taking Visual Arts has changed immensely over the last few years, with multiple low and high points. Looking back to when I was in Grade 6, I didn’t see Art as a subject but rather as a creative getaway.

Similarly, even today, my opinion of what Art is to me hasn’t changed. This being said, my technical skills and ability to create meaningful work has come very far. Although I have always been able to express my feelings through my Art, during DP I have been able to focus on issues that hold a lot of value to me and have further been able to express this using my own style. The process of planning a piece is always frustrating as there are multiple changes but the outcome is always very rewarding.

Shalini Kumar IB DP art has been both a refuge and treadmill. I found comfort in exploring my own ideas and creating my own work. However, this independence has also lead to stressful last minute changes, one of which was committing to a theme halfway through the second year. Above all, these past two years have taught me to “continue experimenting even when I thought I was done” and as a life lesson, “to step out from my comfort zone”.

Line Sato Bouziri

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Line Sato Bouziri Shalini Kumar

Line Sato Bouziri Shalini Kumar

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English Subject Week

Mrs Younge - , Head of English Have you ever paused while writing, to second guess whether you need to use an apostrophe, to consider whether a colon or a semi-colon will work or to go back and add in a capital letter you might have forgotten? As the proverb states ‘to err is to be human’ and so, it is very likely that the answer to this question is: Yes. Punctuation is something that is an inevitable part of our written discourse, with its crucial role as the signposts that make words in print make sense. Consequently, when it is incorrectly added or absentmindedly omitted, the results can be disastrous, as students at NLCS Dubai discovered during our English Subject Week this academic year.

The week started with the ‘Breaking News’ that Mr. Patel had been murdered (disclaimer: this was not true but was all in the name of creativity) by a punctuation criminal! The felon transpired to be none other than Mr. Zambonini (also not true, though he tells us he sometimes misses a comma!) after a spate of punctuation errors that encouraged dreadful acts of crime, thus proving that punctuation can make a huge difference. Following Mrs. Younge’s assembly, which discussed punctuation errors and looked at punctuation in great works of literature, students were soon readily debating how far punctuation in the modern world matters. Some took the ‘prescriptivist’ view that omitting punctuation would lead to the disintegration of our language while other, more ‘descriptivist’ followers decided that, if you know what it means, then punctuation does not really matter. Here, I hasten to add that the entire English department of course follow the prescriptivist school of thought!

The week continued to spark debate, following Mrs. Edden’s Nicholson lecture, in which she caused us to think about the engendering of the fairy tale. Her exploration of ‘Red Riding Hood’ and its different depictions from the Brothers Grimm through to the feminist re-write by Angela Carter, sought to challenge the common misconception that fairy tales are harmless, certainly cause for thought in this modern time. Perhaps next time we read a fairy tale we might think about it a bit differently.

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Other events included a range of activities in tutor time, from daily English facts, wider reading challenges and Kahoot quizzes, through to Kung Fu punctuation, where students battled it out in a tournament to display their punctuation skills. Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) was also a huge success, with students indeed dropping what they were doing, even on the sports field, and reading! The week culminated with an assembly from the Literature Society, who gave some fantastic reading recommendations in their bid to expel common misconceptions about reading.

The week was a huge success, with students and teachers alike enjoying the opportunity to see English in a fresh light and we certainly hope that it will make people think more carefully about those full stops and capital letters next time they put pen to paper!

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The Geography Department

Charlotte Spurway - Head of Geography On Monday 16th November 2020, the Geography Department at NLCS Dubai successfully launched and led its first virtual fieldtrip.The Grade 7 cohort would normally be visiting Kite, Sunset and La Mer beaches to investigate the effectiveness of different hard and soft coastal engineering methods but instead, faced with Covid restrictions, students took part in the fieldtrip virtually.

The Grade 7 Geographers took part in the event in the PAC where the Geography staff led an exciting morning of coastal fieldwork! This included a session where students were using GIS and Google Earth Pro to measure and look at groynes, rock armour, sea walls and beach nourishment across the three field sites. Students were able to also complete methodologies as they watched the Geography team in action. The Geography staff went with tape measures, stop watches and other field equipment to carry out the methods on the student’s behalf. Students watched these pre-recorded sessions to complete a range of Bi-polar surveys and field sketches, which they will use to successfully prove or disprove their four hypothesis.

On Tuesday 26th January 2021, the Geography Department led another successful virtual fieldtrip. The Grade 6 cohort would normally visit JBR and Marina Walk and walk along the transect recoding various fieldwork at eight different sites.

This term Grade 6 were investigating the impacts of tourism in many locations around the globe and using the JBR and Marina Walk transect to assess how footfall, environmental quality and the appropriates of the sites link to tourism. Students were able to complete their methodologies as they watched the Geography team in action once more. This included a session where students were using pre-recorded videos to complete a range of Environmental Quality Surveys, Index of Decay Surveys, Land Use Surveys, Footfall counts, and field sketches.

This all goes to show that nothing can stop our NLCS Geographers!

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The History Department Helena Wilson - Head of History This year, the History Department have continued to give the students creative and thought-provoking ways of exploring a whole range of historical periods and important historical questions.

G6 completed a balloon debate of significant Muslims in the golden age of Islam. They were also given the opportunity to write in a cuneiform style, with a ‘chopstick’ stylus to make their wedge shaped script, as part of their study of Ancient Mesopotamia.

Following the Winter Break, and as Grade 7 were studying the Industrial Revolution, they were asked to combine their historical, entrepreneurial, and public speaking skills to produce a historically accurate Dragon’s Den/Shark tank style pitch. Students each chose an inventor or innovator from the Industrial Revolution and vied to win the backing of their classmates by explaining the benefits and drawbacks of their inventions and ideas. There was a wonderful array of outfits (and accents) which helped provide students with a memorable way to learn about some of the life changing developments of the 18th and 19th centuries ranging from Edison’s lightbulb to Pasteur’s Germ Theory.’

Grade 8 students studied how far an unequal and unjust society can lead to conflict.Well done Grade 8 for leading discussions on this statement, bringing in pertinent examples from across the world.

Grade 10 students were Speed Dating, teaching each other about social cultural and artistic developments in the 1960s. They were assessing whether an event in society shapes art or art shapes society. Which way is it?

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MYP Language Acquisition E-portfolio 2021 Reneh Nanda - Grade 10 En tant qu’élèves de 10ème année, nous avons réalisé nos portefeuilles électroniques. Cette année, le contexte mondial du PEI se focalisait sur « les Identités et Relations ». Ainsi, notre séquence comprenait cinq thèmes principaux : la culture, les traditions, les croyances, les voyages et la langue. Nous avons donc approfondi nos connaissances de ces thèmes en utilisant une variété de ressources et compétences comme, entre-autres, des discussions, des articles, des reportages et des films documentaires. Lors des leçons, nous avons exploré et maîtrisé les techniques grammaticales afin de parfaire l’écriture de la langue cible. Ces recherches nous ont effectivement permis d’améliorer nos compétences mais également de comprendre davantage le monde qui nous entoure.

Tout au long de cette séquence, nous avons étudié l’importance de la tolérance, de l’ouverture d’esprit et de la compréhension des autres ainsi que les différents modes de vies. Nous nous sommes interrogés sur notre identité et nos relations y compris les relations intergénérationnelles. À cause du virus de la Covid-19 nous avons pris conscience de l’impact des restrictions sur notre vie et la capacité que nous avions à nous adapter à de tels circonstances. Nous avons constaté l’importance des relations humaines qui se sont avérées plus essentielles que nous ne le pensions lors d’une pandémie mondiale comme celle vécue cette année. Ces relations ont existé sous différentes formes d’expression : la langue, les coutumes et les traditions. En fin de compte, le portefeuille électronique était un voyage, une exploration qui nous a donné l’opportunité de découvrir nos capacités et notre maîtrise de la langue étudiée.

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Grade 10 students completed their Modern Foreign Language course by producing a Language Acquisition e-portfolio.

This year, the MYP global context focused on ‘Identities and Relationships’. Our e-portfolio unit comprised five main topics: culture, traditions, beliefs, travel and language. We deepened our understanding of these topics by using a variety of resources and skills such as discussions, written articles, documentary films, and reports. During our lessons, we explored and mastered grammatical techniques and complex structures in order to improve the complexity of our writing.Thanks to our work, we became more proficient and knowledgeable but equally we now have a better understanding of the world around us.

Throughout the unit, we studied the importance of tolerance, being open-minded and understanding others and different ways of life. We spoke about our identity and our relationships, including intergenerational relationships.

Because of the Covid-19 virus, we became aware of the impact of restrictions on our lives and the ability we have to adapt in such circumstances. We have seen the importance of human relations, which have proved more essential than we thought during a global pandemic like this year.These human relations have existed through different forms of expression: language, customs and traditions. Ultimately, the e-portfolio was a journey and an exploration that gave us the opportunity to discover what we are capable of doing with the language we have learnt.

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The Library

Hanadi Tayfour - Senior Librarian Being a challenging academic year, our school library adapted well to ensure that it continues to be a safe welcoming learning space.We applied all the required measures recommended by KHDA and the IB organization, keeping our students’ wellbeing and safety an absolute priority.

Starting by reconsidering our instructional space, we set up work surfaces and chairs to accommodate social distancing; sanitized stations around the libraries and implemented innovative ways to promote reading and resources circulation.

Our library collection of around 18000 titles is held on the Heritage library system- similar to our sister school in London.We successfully completed the project of migrating all of our collection to be cloud based, thus accessible outside our school premises to our school community. Thus, students and staff were able to browse our holdings and select their preferred title and email their request to the library. The item was ready for collection the next working day.

The Journals and Periodical section witnessed new additions to meet the inquisitive minds and satisfy the subject passion: Economics, Business, World affairs, Science, Sports, Photography, Astronomy, Geography, and IT to name a few. In addition to magazines in Arabic, French, Spanish, and German.

The library mirrors the school events: Create displays of themed books related to units of study or academic week. Generate buzz and excitement around those topics and help students to choose from. Our main goal is to support our students; we ask students on their interests and pull several books for them to choose from and create reading lists around popular topics. We thrive to personalised learning environment that takes the whole child into consideration.

As a school, we participated in all Emirates Literature Festival competitions and attended most authors’ sessions.

It is a great opportunity for our students to take part in a nationwide festival. From letter writing, to poetry, to reading competitions, our students enjoyed the challenges.

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Our Fourth annual Winter Book Fair was virtual this year. The available collection was displayed online for our eager readers to choose from. It listed books in multiple languages to cater for PreK to Grade 12. Orders were made online and the gift-wrapped books were received and distributed taking all the safety measures into consideration. It was an excellent way to end Term 1 and make sure everyone was enjoying reading during the holidays.

Reading is good for stress and relaxation, Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses literature to support wellbeing. This involves using poetry, literature and song lyrics to help engage young people. The library offer our students ownership and autonomy and help them feel part of a school community.

Continue Reading, Learning, Enjoying, and be ready for next academic year! Digital resources are available online throughout summer holidays.

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Senior Societies Rebellion! Passion! Explosions! NLCS Science Society Jiwoo Lee - Grade 11 Jais The NLCS Science Society is a society built to celebrate the ubiquitous nature of Science and re-kindle the passion and excitement felt in our very first Science lesson by showing the various real-life applications and introducing branches of Science beyond the conventional fields of Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.

What have we done?

The NLCS Science Olympiad was our society’s main focus during the last two terms. With the collaborative effort and cooperation of all 16 societies, we have created challenging questions that show an aspect of Science used in all sectors – ranging from medicine and computer science to the more obscure music, film, and art.

Our Plans for The Future Science Society is planning on hosting the third and final round of the Olympiad: Scientific Debating, in which students will have the liberty to explore the evolution of humans; the passive-aggressive dispute between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla; or the ethical issues of making it to the moon.

After the completion of the exciting Olympiad, we are planning to launch a multitude of exciting projects, such as a new Science Society zine, a week-long summer course about astronomy, and an aeronautical engineering talk showing the different ways a penguin can achieve her air bound fantasies.

Our society’s engine will keep running with vigor until all NLCS students can discover their own spark of passion in Science - be it in a field theoretical or practical, ‘trendy’ or niche, under-researched or lucrative. We aim to foster interest and show the palm-sweating thrill of a split second before the moment of “EUREKA!”: the instant when juvenile ideas metamorphose into avant-garde ingenuities.

Until the day NLCS is enriched with enthusiastic scientists scurrying around the lab, challenging the ethical implications of a company’s production method, and staying up the night to theorize about something infinitesimal or astronomical, our society’s work will never stop.

Head Mad Scientist, Jiwoo Lee

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Geography Society - Alice Duncan, Grade 11 Javi Why study Geography? How does studying Geography help me in the future? These are questions that often float around many students’ minds as they come to choose subjects or extracurricular activities. There are certain ways people perceive Geography - that it’s all about maps, compasses and named places around the world – of course those are all important in their own right, however, there is so much more to learn about the world, past and present.

In Geography, there is something for everyone, ranging from tectonics and natural hazards, all the way to migration patterns and globalisation. This wide spectrum of topics and ideas allows people to find their niche and their passions – this is what the Geography Society is all about!

Being the Vice-Chair of the Geography Society, I have seen many students find their passions in the subject. We have held weekly presentations, led by the student members of the society, better benefitting them by developing their speaking and presenting skills, as well as giving more depth to their knowledge around the subject of their choice. Over the past term, we have listened to talks about aquaculture to globalisation and all the way to volcanoes – there has been a wide range of knowledge shared around and it has been great to see so many students stepping outside of their comfort zone! In the Geography Society, we learn about all the different aspects of geography – human and physical – giving the younger students an insight on Geography in the IB program, better preparing them for their future studies.

We build passion, while continuously supporting the students and encouraging them to find their enthusiasm in the wonderful world of Geography!

Literary Society - Sam Lee, Grade 12 Javi Back in 2017, when I was first asked to lead the Literary Society – which was my second choice of preference – I was disappointed. As a Korean kid who couldn’t even speak much English, it seemed like an impossible task. However, after four years, Literary Society has become such a crucial part of my school life and one of my proudest achievements in NLCS Dubai.

Leading an academic society is a rare opportunity where students are fully in charge; they get to be creative with their decision making process. This is why students get to gain different skills by leading their society; for example, by leading the Literary Society, I learnt how to be persistent. At the beginning, there were times where only one or two people came to our meetings. During online learning, it became harder to gather new members and organise events. Yet, despite all the challenges we faced, we continued having meetings every week and there were times when we filled an entire classroom with just our members. This was the result of our persistence.

I truly believe that the Senior Society programme is the perfect example of all the core values of NLCS Dubai coming together. Students get to find their passion and explore beyond the school curriculum.The senior students get a chance to be mesmerised by the interesting thoughts of the younger students. And the society leaders get chance to feel a sense of accomplishment by positively influencing the school community. www.nlcsdubai.ae 173

Economics Society - Franco Kanaan, Grade 11 Jais I think it’s safe to say that this year has been extremely successful for the Economics Society! Coming into the role of chairs of the Economics Society, myself and Hassan both expected difficulties given the restrictions that were put in place. Nevertheless, we made it our goal to push through and persevere with our ambitions, despite the hurdles we knew we would face. In my opinion, it was that very drive which led to the unmissable presence of the society; a drive which we can guarantee you were aware of as the myriad of posters placed around the school was unmissable. From talks to quizzes and even gameshows, we did it all as a society – however, my personal favourite event was the debate: an opportunity for six keen economists to get involved in the society and show their passion for and knowledge of the subject. However, we were also able to demonstrate the nature of the school’s societies system, having hosted our twists on BBC’s Question Time and the gameshow University Challenge – the blend between academics, subject passion and fun was evident.

Whilst we did struggle to get intergrade involvement due to the restrictions in place and the nature of our events, this has only served to broaden our ambitions for the coming half-term and the next academic year. However, despite this, serving as chairs of the Economics Society has been a very enjoyable and insightful experience, one which not only allowed us to explore and broaden our passions for economics, but also gave us to the privilege to give our peers a platform to widen their knowledge and perception of economics and its importance in the world we live in.

Economics Society - Hassan Mathani, Grade 11 Yibir Over the course of this year, the Economics Society has developed into an energetic fortnightly meeting of like-minded individuals. From general discussion circles to debates and staff quizzes, we have been relentless in spreading passion for the subject we adore so very much. We began the year with low expectations as the shadow of pandemic restrictions loomed over us. However, with great perseverance, we planned out fifteen society events to be hosted over the year with participation and attendance from staff, the Sixth Form and younger grades.

Of our most entertaining evenings was without a doubt our mock BBC Question Time where we had our very own Mr. Graham play the part of his fellow Scotsman Andrew Neil, interviewing three students in character, mimicking policy ideas of notable politicians of our day. It was particularly humorous when Vladimir Putin was asked about specific economic policy in relation to Crimean occupation to which he replied: ‘I don’t know about any Russian occupation my friend!’ As part of our mission of society integration, we frequently recorded events and put them up on Teams for the benefit of the younger grades.

It has been a fabulous year for us, one that has been thoroughly engaging in debate and conversation. Special acknowledgments must be given in honour of the committed members of the society who, without fail, would join us on a Wednesday evening as well as the staff who persisted with our frequent yet probably bordering-irksome emails.

We have grand plans for the future: more debates, more competitions and more economics. We hope you’ll be there to join us. So, here’s to another year of supply, demand and damn externalities!

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Languages Society - Marta Todd, Grade 11 Hafeet Languages society has hosted many exciting events this year.We started the year off with a fantastic interview with Mr. Lloyd, a development manager living here in Saudi Arabia. The interview followed the theme of how language directed his career and shaped his work life. Mr. Lloyd currently speaks English and Mandarin fluently, and is learning Arabic, and is a true model for those interested in pursuing languages.

Modern Foreign Languages week gave our society a great opportunity to get active! Across the week, we enjoyed and supported various activities and events that were held during lunch times and form time. This gave us the chance to learn new things about different languages. On Sunday, we saw the launch of MFL week with Mr Li’s assembly; leaving us all thinking about how our identity is influenced by the languages we speak. Additionally, German students from G6-10 attended a lunchtime talk from a guest speaker. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the German reunification, Frau Landmesser, who grew up in the former socialist East Germany spoke about life for ordinary citizens under totalitarianism and her flight to West Germany. On Monday, bursts of nihao filled the corridors, with students trying out Mandarin. In tutor time, everyone enjoyed a Kahoot Quiz- testing their knowledge about a wide range of languages.

After school on Monday Mrs Kanyerezi hosted a wonderful Nicholson Lecture about the Power of Language. Mrs Kanyerezi investigated the definition of language and its role for better or for worse in the lives of individuals and societies. She also examined the ambiguity of language and some of the more recent attempts to combat examples of sexism and racism intrinsic in our communication systems. Tuesday, was our Spanish day, followed by French Day on Wednesday. We also spent time teaching our classmates our mother tongue languages and it was truly impressive to learn about all the different languages, cultures, and dialects that formed the students’ identity. And finally, the Modern Foreign Languages week finished with myself and Jiwoo leading an assembly based around how language shapes our identity.

The Languages Society at NLCS Dubai has collaborated with the Languages Society in London, Singapore and Jeju this year to create a very special NLCS Languages blog. We look forward to further collaboration next year. Our main society events for this year concluded with one final interview- Nada Sardouk, the Director General for the Ministry of Tourism in Lebanon. Ms. Sardouk played a large role in the education system in Lebanon, specifically in her work as a Pedagogic inspector for the Central Audit Authority, and a Professor of French Language and Literature, Faculties of education, health and tourism of the Lebanese University. However, her passion and dedication to languages is only intensified when you learn that she taught in Lebanon during the Civil War, throughout a time of violence. I am happy with everything Languages Society has achieved so far this year, and we hope to continue this passion in the upcoming year.

Arabic Society - Ryan Essudeen, Grade 11 Yibir I arrived in Dubai knowing nothing about the Arabic language and I saw an unfamiliar world around me, I thought choosing Arabic as my second language would help me understand the culture around me better, and I was right! After studying Arabic for a few months, I started appreciating the finer aspects of the language, for example, learning the feminine and masculine structure for words which I found difficult to understand but as I learned more, everything fit together like a puzzle. After studying Arabic in this school for two years, I joined the Arabic Society and soon became the Chair. This was a big opportunity for me as it allowed me to become more involved with the subject and also improve my leadership skills.

One of the first things I did as the chair was start preparation to launch the 2nd edition of The Arabian Journal, which is a magazine that the Arabic Society released annually. We had to choose a theme for the magazine and after a lively discussion with the members of our society, we decided Arabic Culture and Literature would be most appropriate since we live in a country that celebrates their culture and literature religiously. Normally magazines will be printed and distributed throughout our school but this year we had Covid so, we decided to make the best out of this situation by opting to create our magazine virtually.This provided a lot more opportunities for us, adding videos and audios, creating an overall interactive experience for our readers.

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Every year our school celebrates National day by having an Arabic Week. Under normal circumstances we would have plenty of fun and exciting activities planned but this year we had to prioritize safety of the students and follow social distancing protocols so Shahd from grade 11 and Naya from grade 10 volunteered to create a fun video that we could play for the school.

Another highlight of this year was having the pleasure of talking to Dr. David Wilmsen, a professor of Arabic from the American University of Sharjah. Our conversation was very interesting and enlightening as Dr. Wilmsen has a background in Arabic Language and Culture which spans over two decades, over which he developed an unique perspective about the language. Our conversation was recorded and replayed for Senior Societies.

Music Society - Sarah Turner, Grade 11 Yibir This year, the Music Society is being led myself and Nadya Keeney.We welcome any keen musicians and music admirers passionate to learn more about the world of music. The society has had musicians participating who play a range of instruments, from strings, percussion to even vocal! The Music Society is a medium where such students can expand on their existing musical knowledge or even if you just like music. Examples of this can be seen through our society discussions, talks, presentations, and enjoyable activities.

The focal point of the Music Society is we aim for our members to become the best of their musical potential. In order for this, it’s important that, as chairs, we provide society members with an understanding of the Music world as well as immersing themselves in it. For example, Nadya and I have created multiple talks on Music history, the importance of Music in culture, how Music influences us, and much more.

Overall, this year has been full of all kinds of achievements in our society. We’ve been especially pleased with the increasing interactiveness we have had with our members. From implementing unique Kahoot quizzes, to watching TedTalks and having members pose debates. Some of our most interactive talks were about ‘How can emotion be shown in music?’; ‘Iconic time periods of Music’ and ‘What is perfect pitch?’ In the end, music is really all about connecting with each other and expressing ideas. Ultimately, this is the root of what makes our Music Society. We’ve been thoroughly impressed by the amount of devoted talented musicians!

Lastly, please remember if you feel you aren’t a musician but still love music, you are always equally welcomed. Nadya and I hope that next year we will be able to attract more members that share similar interests and passions in music.

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Art Society - Reneh Nanda, Grade 10 Yibir In Art Society this year, we have tried our best to explore Art from beyond the classroom and to interact with forms of Art that may be relevant in the future, as we delved into Art that relates to the world around us.

Our intention this year was to use Art as a medium in order to help enrich student learning and to help others understand how to develop links between different aspects of their knowledge, such as between Art and Geography or History; this would enable them to become much more able, global citizens. We did this by exploring all different forms of Art, like sculpture and digital art, to name a few, and not restricting ourselves to the more common forms of Art, such as drawing and painting.

In order to do that, we linked the forms of Art we talked about and delved into to the MYP Global Contexts, such as Identities and Relationships and Globalization and Sustainability, thus allowing our lessons to benefit those who partook in every possible aspect. This is because students were given the materials, like tutorials and step-by-step guides, to be able to traverse through the varying, meandering and grasping routes within different art forms and see how there are bridges to other and supplementary aspects of their lives.

We held meetings and posted videos, tutorials and PowerPoints every week in order to spread knowledge about the different forms of Art and their beauties, as well as share tips we learnt along the way through our years in MYP art.

An example of a tip would be ways to achieve the correct proportions when drawing hands.

Moreover, we tried to make Art as relevant as possible to the students and introduced the use of digital art, working within the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, we paid special attention to things we thought might intrigue our fellow students, such as tips on drawing hands and drawing portraits. We also looked at the relationship between art forms and the environment, thus relating to different interests amongst the people within our Art community.

All in all, this year has been engaging and we have tried our best to bring the society together through our shared love and passion for Art, whilst bearing the restrictions placed on us due to the virus in mind!

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<h11> CODING FOR GIRLS </h11> Shahd Elbassiouni and Veeva Gathani <p> “Bring girls into the conversation is probably the best, most effective way to improve our society’s problem-solving capacity” </p> *Girls enter the chat*

Greatness = [Creativity.,Curiosity.,Capability.]

For x in range (0, len(greatness)):

if x == creativity, curiosity, capability: print(“EVERYONE possesses it.”)

else: print(“Coding allows its unravelment.”) <p> Coding for Girls focuses on raising awareness among girls/women of the (at the moment) male-dominant field: Computer Science.

37 percent of computer scientists were women in 1995. It’s JUST 24 percent today. It’s diminishing like icebergs in Antarctica.

This first struck us when Mr. Dunn told us that we are the first female students he had ever taught! that = truly shocking Therefore, this led us to create Coding for Girls as quickly as Fugaku (world’s fastest supercomputer). Students learn, grasp, and master important concepts that exist in the coding world. We are overjoyed to have any and every student even if they haven’t sailed the sea of programming yet public class WhatYouWillAchieve {

public static void main(String[] args) {

System.out.println(“ - Learn to consider yourself as a computer scientist.

- Get exposure and problem solving techniques to project management.

- Build a sisterhood in a safe and supportive atmosphere.

- Learn more about other tech women worldwide.

- Learn the basic fundamentals of computer science for a variety of programming languages.”); } } We all will achieve this through learning a range of languages, including Java, Swift, Scratch, Python, and so much more.

For new programmers who have little to no experience in Computer Science, Coding for Girls supports them by firstly teaching from scratch and in addition, provides challenges to keep them engaged and interested.

In the future, we hope to expand Coding for Girls to the lower grades, so that they can develop an interest in computer science at a younger age, because learning something at an older age is more difficult than learning it at a young age.

We would also like to invite all of the girls, with or without prior Computer Science background, to join us in order to expand their knowledge and introduce them to new career opportunities they can take in the future. </p> EXIT

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Extra-Curricular Activities Nicola Woodroffe - Director of ECAs The NLCS ECA programme was re-shaped this academic year to comply with current Covid situation.This provided the opportunity for whole Grade ECAs in the Senior School and individual class ECAs in the Junior School.

In the first term, after-school sporting opportunities were the main stay and, as the academic year progressed, the programme expanded with students accessing a broad range of opportunities, including fitness, badminton, basketball, volleyball, football and cricket.

Our external provider,Apex, ensured that tennis and swimming could also be part of the expanding ECA programme.

The introduction of the Apex swim select session enabled students from Grades 2-11 to return to swimming in an NLCS environment. Swimming continued to be, by far, the most popular activity beyond badminton and football.

Students trained before and after-school twice weekly with Mr Mosely being the driving force behind the success.

Additionally, through the utilization of the Microsoft Teams platform, the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and the Model United Nations (MUN) ECAs adapted well to online delivery with students accessing the ECA programme remotely. This allowed MUN students valuable time to prepare for the 53rd Hague Conference.

Although the conference could not take place overseas in the Netherlands as originally planned, this did not curb the enthusiasm of twenty-eight Grades 6-11 NLCS Dubai students who prepared diligently to make the most of the first NLCS Dubai invitation to this prestigious conference. NLCS Dubai students performed well in the four-day international conference, gaining invaluable international delegate experience, whilst working from a different time zone and remaining carbon neutral!

Meanwhile, in Term 2, a lunchtime Micro ECA programme was launched, which allowed Departments to offer additional opportunities to develop and deepen subject passions, with some occurring as an al fresco socially distanced grade lunch. The popular History ECA, “Who would you be and why?” took place in the Budge Square and was highly attended by Grade 6 students who appreciated both the academic stimulation and the fresh air. Additionally, the inaugural NLCS History Magazine, led by students in Grade 9 and Grade 11 was published at the end of Term 2.

The articles provide some stimulating reading on interesting topics. For those Micro ECAs which operated online, the opportunity demonstrated how collaborative learning could be so very fruitful, even in times of a pandemic. The Geography KawKab Magazine ECA engaged over twenty, mixed age grade students who accomplished writing seven articles in the space of a few weeks! Other Micro ECAs such as piano duets, violin and German as well as music theory and fitness classes before school also added diversity to the programme.

In Term 3, exciting progress by the newly formed Senior School Eco-Committee, gained traction through NLCS family collaboration. NLCS Dubai divided their efforts into two working parties, Global Awareness and Events, and the connection with NLCS London inspired the students to act local and think global, embracing the 2021 Founder’s Day environmental awareness theme. The Physical Education Department diversified with the popular addition of Handball, a new sport for NLCS, which the students thoroughly took too and enjoyed applying their new found skills to the new House Handball competition. Handball worked alongside football, swimming and other established sports, drawing in over 170 senior students weekly to sport.

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Grade 6-9 Senior Students also benefitted from additions a Drama/Musical Movement ECA inspiring students for next years’ Senior School musical production. Art activities including felt making, painting, mural and Procreate.The traditional Maths club were complimented with a new cryptocurrency ECA, based on the fundamentals of what is a cryptocurrency, discussing current events in the crypto and its impact Finance, Education and Medical research to solve genetic disorders. An online first aid qualification was introduced for Grade 9 upwards, to equip students with CPR, AED and general first aid skills.

During term 3, the Junior School programme also expanded offerings and the Grade 1-5 took place in class bubbles. This provided the class teachers opportunities to take other classes and develop relationship with other students in problem solving, MUN, creative writing, Dance fitness, ball games and swimming.

Student engagement rose through the academic year and it was a delight to see students embrace learning outside the classroom learning opportunities, demonstrating their enthusiasm to maintain an NLCS broad and balanced education, even during these very challenging times. Despite the obvious COVID boundaries, it was a delight to see over 250 students try themselves out on a weekly basis, nourishing their beyond the classroom curiosity and undertaking exercise to maintain their physical and mental health during the pandemic.

Furthermore, this year we saw inventive ways to enrich the classroom experience. This was exemplified by the Geography Department who produced virtual field trips for various Grades as staff pre-recorded video content from Dubai to facilitate data collation, which great significantly enhanced the curriculum learning. Meanwhile the Junior School made connections online to develop their curriculum learning and to replace day trips. Key speakers included professionals discussing how they used social media to communicate with their businesses and notable explorers, which enriched the associated units of work.

Next academic year, new ECAs are ready to be launched. In the Senior School these include; creative writing, textiles, papermaking, 2D design, percussion, history film club, French radio and Spanish speaking clubs. In the Junior School, students can look forward to new ECAs including; STEAM, multisport, micro-bit computing explorers and the return of more music ECAs. The importance of co-curricular life of the School has never been more important and with a wider menu of opportunities next year, I am confident that students will be keen to make the most of the opportunities at NLCS Dubai as we continue to towards brighter times.

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Competing in the London Young Musician Competition: An Experience Nadya Keeney - Grade 11 Have you ever wondered what it is like to stand on a stage in front of hundreds of people? Or in a room with two of the most reputable musicians in the school, staring at you for ten minutes straight whilst you can merely churn out 70% of your actual potential that you just played five minutes ago? Or how about the times when you are almost hyperventilating and about to go out on stage, for your friend to say, “just turn your nerves into excitement, it’s the same feeling,” like it was that easy? The thought of one momentary lapse of concentration consequently resulting in forgetting the entirety of the next page. It’s only then when you’re acting skills truly kick in - having to remain calm whilst your mind wants to internally explode, trying to remember the next note. That is only a snippet into what it feels like to have performance anxiety, something that I know only too much about.

This year, I competed in the London Young Musician competition, a competition held online (due to Covid) where I competed in the 28-and-under category. For the finalist round, I played the first movement of Antonin Dvorak’s Violin Concerto in A Minor, one of the most difficult selections of my repertoire. Although the competition was online, there was still a tremendous amount of effort put into practicing and preparation for my recording. My performance anxiety was still very present, resulting in having to do two recording sessions and numerous takes of the ten-minute concerto.The take which was chosen for submission, was one I did on the second day, recorded early in the morning at 8 am. Even though I had the opportunity to record multiple takes in the comfort of my own home, the unexpected concentration lapses and the constant worries of a ‘whistling’ E string being played were still very present.

However, what I took away from this challenge, and my previous performance experiences, was all about mindset. To remain calm, you must flow deep into the music and refrain from overthinking.You have to trust yourself and believe that you know what you are doing from all those hours of practice. Constant thoughts and worries when performing can draw your concentration away from the actual task at hand. As an experienced performer, this is something that I and many other musicians, including professionals, still haven’t fully mastered today. Consistent growth and learning is something a musician will always endure and so, the next time you see a performer full of great presence and composure, it is most probably a state in which they are still working towards developing today.

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Creative Writing One of the most incredible aspects of our students is their creativity.

Here are a selection of the different ways that our students have imagined, explored and written about issues close to them.

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Expectation Suha Kidwai - Grade 11 Yibir The wires holding together are tight on the skin So tight my skin is pushed together, wrinkling in the way that skin does So tired it doesn’t even feel like my own skin anymore I’m young, I know Do I? Young. What does it mean? What does youth give us?

Time? Time to turn the damage into good damage?

But there is nothing. I gave nothing.

But is that such a sin when there is nothing to give past this skin?

What is good damage? Damage that you can paint over, Damage you make beautiful, frack some meaning out of, damage people can love; Love so that it has all been for something So that it is not for nothing – I have taken nothing.

Looking, wire opening endings; I have a choice, I know Do I? Choice. What does that mean? What do choices give us?

Everything? Everything to tie to ourselves?

But my skin is tired, everything has been held onto. Nothing can be held onto.

I have gotten nothing.

Skin peels away, it breaks and it spills into the ground; numbers mean nothing to skin.

Does our damage mean anything? To skin, to the wires, to the sky?

Is our Damage just damage?

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The House Music Competition this year saw our first use of Spoken Word poetry. Nishka Nanani, Grade 11, put together this powerful and moving piece to accompany the music in Hafeet’s entry.

Hafeet spoken word poem inspired by ‘Sehnsuch’ She’s always said, Our life’s isolation, like a drift on open waters, is endless.

So endless in fact, that when she rows, she rows till her paddles snap.

Fish splintered; waters reflection cracked.

Still better than going back.

So, she dives her hands down, down into icy cold water; thrusting against the current like skin through broken glass.

All for pushing away the past, The imperfections of a life left behind her.

Alone is where she is, and alone is where she’ll always be, Endlessness is her misery.

Unless…

Eyelids are droopy, the worlds a little hazy.

Grey clouds fill her vision, as her lungs squeeze out last pockets of air. till she’s wrapped, in blankets of salt and water, disposed to the ocean for slaughter.

Unless…

Smells… sweet smells not of dense air but liquid honey, sand so soft its almost runny.

The days anew, opportunities so endless, Open those eyes, witness the momentous.

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On the shores of a new world she awakes, bruises gone; miracles spawn.

The horizon a vision so ethereally perfect. as if its sole purpose a way to mock the imperfections of the world left behind it.

Utopia.

Unless…

The birds flock in the dozens, movements in sync, flawless, perfection.

But with closer inspection, brass cords wrap around the necks of the swallows, so tight, blood dried with harsh wind and the beat of wings.

For such perfection only achieved when bird turns marionette.

When brass cords reach puppeteer in the heavens, no direction is left unclear.

The people chant melodies of the heart, as they march down cobble street paths, true art.

But if ears are strained and attention is well paid, Reluctant are the hands that play the same chords, day in and day out, all for harmony of the crowd.

Such synchronized unison can’t be good for the human condition.

Sun kissed wonderland, gods retreat, beauties namesake, perfection.

Unless…

Now she’s running the opposite direction, from sand to water, realization upcoming like the waves that crash against her torso.

All the yearning in the world, and wishes held under breath, when finally, at fruition are worth nothing.

Swimming back to reality, For every moment she has fallen is a moment she has survived Through gritted teeth she claws for the other side, Every mistake ever made a quirk in the mold She waves at the shoreline, her people wave back Isolation could never divide them, they were united in their imperfections It took one step onto the rough sands of her world to realize, perfection is best found in those things imperfect.

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First Day At School Navya Kumar - Grade 6 Hafeet As I treaded through the empty halls, my sight started to betray me. I was picking up pace and walked more quickly in the ruffling school uniform. My shirt swayed in the light breeze, engulfing me. The backpack on my shoulders weighed me down, causing bad posture. Could I be more nervous? I didn’t think so. Posters swarmed around me and ignited a spark of pride inside my heart. I don’t think any other school is so balanced academically and extracurricular wise. There were posters presenting leadership positions, competitions and suddenly I felt competitive and determined to do something to leave a mark on this school. There wasn’t a single soul in this horrible and nerve-wracking corridor until a person walked past me and that’s when everything went horribly wrong…

The teacher was thin and had hair that was neatly tied into a bun all held together by a ginormous clip. However, there were a few rebel strands, flying out being a traitor to the rest of the teacher’s hair. It was blonde and had streaks of light brown and insultingly grey. The teacher had V shaped glasses placed upon her translucent, endearing, bold and cerulean eyes. They had a special strangeness to them. Waves lapped at the corner of her pupil. Intriguing colours fused creating an ocean. Perhaps the teacher’s life was an ocean, salty but sweet. I gazed deeply into her eyes, trying to figure out the intricate pattern and story behind them that was engraved in her soul, but a distorted sound filled the blurry background. The noise filled the air again but no it wasn’t a sound it was a voice! I looked to see the teacher’s lips moving!

I abruptly came back to reality, smoothed my hair down into my scalp hoping to look neat and tidy since this school loved tidiness and hoped strands wouldn’t fly out like they do every time at 7am in the morning. I had gotten so wrapped up with my own thoughts about the teacher in front of me, telling me off or giving me a punishment, that I forgot I was standing still in a place colder than Antarctica. I am sure that there were goosebumps pricking all over my skin and tiny hairs standing on end. Well, that’s a great first impression to a teacher: A pathetic, jittery, disobedient, and out of this world kid, except I was nothing like that.

I stood up straight and asked, “could you please repeat that...” The nervous teacher replied, “Good morning could you please tell me where the science lab is?” I inhaled a deep breath and croaked out, “Good morning the science lab is just around the corner!” I pointed towards the end of the corridor and suddenly felt as light as the breeze.

I stared as the teacher wandered away. If possible, I would’ve drifted away. I don’t know why I felt like this but suddenly the room had warmed up and I felt rejuvenated as if a thousand light bulbs lit up inside of me.This school had a special touch to it that made someone with a sour mood on a Sunday morning transform into a person exploding with a sea of joy. Little did I know that this school year was to be my best.

Farewell NLCS Gina Liderth - Grade 6, Javi

I’m Gina, and I am a student in grade 6. I have been at NLCS for 2 years now, starting my journey here in grade 4. Since then, I have developed as both a student and a person, discovering new talents, making new friends, and learning new things.

This year I am leaving the school, moving onto my next journey in Dublin. Whilst I am looking forward to cooler weather and being closer to friends and family, there is so much I will miss about NLCS. I will miss my friends and the community we created, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 and online learning. I will miss the teachers who supported me and pushed me to always be my best. I will miss sports activities and events such as Sports Day and representing the school in competitions and I will always remember being part of my House community, Javi, even if we do not win every competition. I am very sad to be leaving NLCS and will always remember this part of my life.

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Why Should You Read Literature From Different Cultures?

Asa Mittal - Grade 10 Yibir What are the last few books you have read? Do most of them come from the same culture, or were they written by authors from different parts of the world?

The world of literature is diverse and vibrant, with works inspired by the slums of Mumbai to the opulent Russian court. There are many famous literary languages and cultures. It can be overwhelming to comb through and read works from all of the cultures out there. Many readers tend to stick with texts from one or two countries, mainly from British and American authors. There are two nations at the forefront of literature that produce fantastic pieces. However, it is essential to explore further and step out beyond your comfort zone. You may have read Charles Dickens and Edgar Allan Poe, but have you read Fyodor Dostoevsky and Rabindranath Tagore?

Some of the most famous literary works come from India, Spain and Russia. Arguably the most renowned poet in the East is Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win the Nobel prize in literature. His poems explore love and the internal conflicts that plague us. Spanish literature has brilliant works like 100 Years of Solitude written by Gabriel Marquez. It is the most famous novel in the genre of magical realism. It is a story about the pattern of violence and inequality in post-colonial Latin American history; that conveys the turmoil that plagued Latin America.Another famous novel is Crime and Punishment, written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is a psychological study of a conflicted criminal mind in 19th century Russia. These are just a few examples of the vast array of diverse works in our grasp. Literature is a melting pot that allows us to explore different parts of the world and other periods in time.

Reading works from different cultures aids us in becoming more open-minded and becoming global citizens.

When we read a text from a particular culture, it helps us understand that culture.When we pursue diversity and understand different perspectives, we become more knowledgeable. We can draw parallels and connect to other cultures, which is crucial in developing global unity. Our world is going through a crucible; it is more important than ever for us to stick together. Diversifying our reading helps do this. Perhaps you need to shake up your reading list and step out of your literary comfort zone.

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Travel Writing Grade 6 This year, we have all missed our usual travels to far-flung corners of the world. However, Grade 6 have now brought travel to us, through their amazingly evocative travel pieces.

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Costa Rica Youssef Ben Mlouka - Grade 6 Javi Hiking up the Irazú Volcano felt like I was a spider crawling up a boiling pot of stew. The gentle breeze of dry magmatic gas pervaded my nostrils with an arid, sulfuric stench. Although walking up to the crater was relaxing, my mind was permeated with the appalling and nose-piercing smell stemming from the magma beneath me.

Although this gas could be toxic, I’d heard that it only really had an effect on humans at a much closer span from the crater. I had brought an astonishingly bulky face mask to wear at the peak of the mount, as I did know about the toxicity of the gas before my ascension to the tip of Irazú. Getting used to the disgusting smell was difficult, but achievable, so finally, my body accepted the gases.

What did cheer me up and motivated me was seeing all the wildlife on the volcano. At this point, I was at about two thirds of the way up, and apparently, this location was also where all the reptiles, insects and birds resided.

A plethora of colours shifted positions before my eyes; snakes, frogs, toucans, they were all there. Butterflies fluttered upon me with their tiny, paper-like flight organs: so little, yet so elegant. The infinite hues on their gentle wings were penetrated by the bright and golden rays of sunlight. Lizards were climbing up the gargantuan tropical coconut trees with their reptilian legs and dagger-like claws.Toucans’ wings flapped in the air, creating a fresh jet of oxygen, that eliminated lots of the volcano’s magmatic smell from my face. An impenetrable silence invaded the jungle, causing me to hear the relaxing, heterogeneous sound of earthworms and mountain crabs crawling and digging through the moist soil and degraded leaves.

I carried on walking on the harsh landscape, looking desperately for the edge of the crater. Five minutes washed by, then I realised that my skin was frying in the heat. A different kind of heat. Not clashing down from the sun, but rather seeping up from the ground, almost like a flood leaking from the sewers. Small pebbles tumbled down, it was almost like the rocks were seeking my curiosity; they seemed to be getting closer to me as they progressively rolled down the hill. Out of pure stupidity I picked up one of the rocks coming straight from the hottest part of the volcano. Despite seeing the waves of temperature radiating around the stone, I picked it up.

As my fingers stroked the surface of it, they shrivelled into what looked like a dead leaf: grey and dry. It stung as if thousands of wasps were digging their stingers into my hand. I definitely felt like I needed help, so I begun to turn back and down to the ground. I forgot about my fingers, and then thought about my decision. My gut feeling deep down told me to continue escalating Irazú, I couldn’t stop there. So that is what I did. Ten minutes straight of walking back up, three and a half hours of walking in total. And there it was.

An immortal heat surged over my body like a tsunami. My blood boiled beneath my skin and flesh at the sight of it. The lava popped and bubbled eternally, and sparks of fire snapped and crackled in the ghastly smelling air.

The stench from earlier came back, and this time stronger. I could not overcome it, breathing from my nostrils was like a death wish. The crater of the volcano was terrifying, but still mesmerizing. Surrounding it was an extremely scorching ring of boulders, looking like a web of stone creating a ceremonial body of calefaction.The molten magma swirled all around the mammoth circle of blaze. My eyes strayed away from my mind, as to get just a little closer to the source of warmth...

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Vancouver Anika Hoda - Grade 6 Hafeet As I walked towards the park, I saw the most mesmerizing plants and trees in the world. I walked towards them.

The alluring petals were stained with the stunning colour of ruby and emerald and they swayed gently in the soft breeze. Some of the trees had a straight trunk and a bush-like tiara of leaves and branches, while others were slightly wider and covered with twisting green vines. The amount of intricate detail of patterns that were embroidered gently and carefully on the delicate petals of the beautiful flowers was simply unimaginable. I was very lucky to witness the blooming of some amazing plants as well.

The flowers swayed in the faint puffs of air, it was a bit cold and somewhat wet around me. It seemed like a chilly day.The sky was a soft grey with clouds covering most of the sky, however, it started clearing up to reveal the vivid blue sky above. Now, the fluffy white clouds, gentle sunshine and the cool breeze had made me feel as if I was in a fairy tale. I was surprised at how suddenly the weather cleared up as if I had asked it too. The leaves danced happily in the refreshing breeze and I walked past them to see the highlight of this park...

Finally, I was at the bridge. It looked extremely fragile as if it was going to break any second, I took a step forward, another, and then another and I was on it. Surprisingly, it was stable. Stable enough for me to walk on it anyways.

I was halfway done with crossing the bridge but then I fell... the uneven wooden base of the bridge along with the tight and somewhat secure ropes caught me and prevented a catastrophe. I ended up with a few scratches thanks to the texture of the ropes but I could only blame myself. Then, I looked below me and saw the most beautiful sight..

I looked down to discover the most beautiful waterfalls coming together to form one translucent body of water.

As I stared down into the stunning lake, I gasped at the reflection of my face that I had not realized was crumpled in a shocked expression from the lovely waterfalls encasing my spirit. I was considering jumping from the bridge into it but decided that it was best not to (for my own safety).This luscious and flourishing area definitely earned a second, visit but that’s for the future.

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Bali Kyra Francis - Grade 6 Yibir The sound of water dripping from the frangipani tree echoed inside my head. The tranquillity of this lagoon took over my mind. I finally found the place to just relax. And then I realized that I was surrounded by lush foliage that had the most strangest colour of green, yet it fit so perfectly with the vicinity. I took a seat next to a banana tree, and as any normal human being would do, I plucked a fully ripe banana, that had the most beautiful colour of yellow- a one I have never encountered before. Slowly but surely, I took a small bite off the top. – it was delicious.

As I was talking in the view, a small breeze flew by, causing the trees to put on a little show.They waved and danced so gracefully in the wind that it put a smile of my face- finally there was something to smile about in this world.

Smiling away, I realized leaves were dangling into the crystal-clear water, making me stand up, and walk towards it.

My toes settled at the edge of the water. I was too scared to go in, not knowing what was under me. I waited around 30 minutes at the bay- still no sign of me going in... But then I took a deep breath in and plunged myself into the water; at this point I realized there was absolutely nothing to worry about.Views of seaweed and corals, coloured just like a rainbow, flashed through my head.The taste of water was trickling down my throat.The water was the most vibrant colour of blue I have ever seen, surrounded by flourished islands that looked so abandonedjust like a pirate ship. Salty but obscure, the aroma of the sea filled my nose. It was somehow so strong that it was unpleasant. I went in deeper and deeper until something hit my toe- I was scared now. My heart in my mouth. I held my breath, once again, determined to find out what hit my foot...

As I dived into the aquamarine, glistening water, I saw nothing but a group of neatly aligned shells. The patterns on them were so unique that I thought I might have discovered something that no human has ever seen before. I was so relieved. Haven’t you ever had the feeling when blood has just rushed through your body after you were petrified to death? - That’s how I was feeling. I put on a snorkelling mask and with full of passion, I started to explore. As the sand started slipping away from the bottom of my feet, the more shells there were, imbedded throughout the sea floor. Around 10 minutes later, a gleaming, iridescent shell caught my eye. It had the colours of a mermaid tale. When I held up the shell to the sun, it was like they were best friends- they fit so perfectly together. Uneven lines were spread along the whole entire shell, spikes emerged from the back of it – she was a masterpiece.

Eventually, the soft, miry sand was no longer at my reach, but I continued to explore, which was quite unlike me.

Then, I spotted something I thought I would never see, a school of fish! They were all so different. They were all so distinctive. One of them reminded me of nemo; bright orange, white stripes vertically placed along his body and even his dreamy little eyes. The multi-hued fish darted around playfully, amidst the colourful corals. I watched in silence just for a few minutes to take in this once in a lifetime view- it was stunning! www.nlcsdubai.ae 193

NLCS Staff Ramadan Fitness Challenge 2021 Edward Mosley - Head of PE Although this year has not seen the many successes and disappointments that come through student representation in school sport and the local DASSA leagues, we have been able to find a silver lining. Each year during the Holy Month of Ramadan, all extracurricular activities cease, and our school day becomes shorter. As such, this provides a rather unique opportunity for the staff at NLCS Dubai.

Under the banner of ‘The Ramadan Fitness Challenge’ we have seen an estimated 75 NLCS staff, including teachers, teaching assistants, administrative staff and the facilities team come together in a range of sport and exercise. The aim of the challenge was to burn as many calories as possible, using personal fitness trackers to then upload totals to a leader board. For those staff that thrive on competition, this was the perfect motivator. For others, they were happy to attend sessions and keep active for the joy of sport and benefits of exercise. The challenge hopes to inspire a positive change in the lives of our staff to prioritise their health, fitness and wellbeing.

Although we had a leader board and there was an underlying competition, this is not what the Ramadan Fitness Challenge is really about at NLCS Dubai. It is about community, and connecting with each other in a way we do not usually get the opportunity to do so. Evidence of this could be seen on the badminton court in a doubles game made up of staff from the senior team, facilities, administration and a teacher. Other activities included yoga, aerobics, football, netball, interval training and dodgeball. Sport has the power to break down all other barriers and bring people together like nothing else can. It levels the playing field, allowing people to connect and get to know one another on a different level. As a school, we always put the wellbeing of our students first and foremost, and rightly so.Yet the Ramadan Fitness Challenge dedicated a small portion of our day, each day during the Holy Month, to the wellbeing of our staff community. Wellbeing is a collective responsibility that relies on connection, knowing your colleagues and feeling valued. We must remember that for staff to ensure the wellbeing of students, they must first have a high standard of wellbeing themselves. I think we took some positive steps in this direction during this challenge.

Yet it was a challenge after all, and as such, there must be winners and losers.The calorie burn competition was hard fought, with the leader board changing on a daily basis as staff put in additional sessions of exercise in the evenings and weekends to get an edge on their competition. Congratulations to our podium finishers for their monumental efforts during the challenge.

Male Category Female Category 1st – Matt Dunn – 75,949 calories 1st – Laura Dunn – 72,002 calories 2nd – Jon Mounsey – 73,954 calories 2nd – Rebecca Michaels – 60,776 calories 3rd – Ben Smith – 73,557 calories 3rd – Jen Durston – 58,318 calories Finally, a thank you to all staff that attended sessions and found time to be involved, contributing to an excellent atmosphere of sport and exercise for our community.The biggest thank you of all goes to those staff that facilitated and led sessions for others, without you it simply would not have been the same.

We look forward to Ramadan 2022, with a larger staff community and a new challenge.

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