ABS Annual Report 2017-2018 (FINAL) by Amman Baccalaureate School

2017 - 2018

ANNUAL REPORT

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

THE ABS GUIDING STATEMENTS

ABS VISION The Amman Baccalaureate School is recognised as a leading pioneer school in the region for fostering a stimulating learning environment based upon the International Baccalaureate philosophy and enhanced by appropriate educational technologies and a rigorous differentiated curriculum.

ABS MISSION The Amman Baccalaureate School is an IB World School that provides a bilingual education in Arabic and English, which, whilst meeting the highest international standards, remains firmly rooted in the Arab heritage. The School is a Jordanian, non-profit institution that promotes international understanding, communication and awareness through embracing other cultures. The Amman Baccalaureate School works towards developing well rounded, responsible world citizens.

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

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‫ﺘﺄﻣﻠﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣﺠﺎزﻓﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣ ّ‬ ‫ﻬﺘﻤﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣﺘﻮاﺻﻠﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣﺘﺴﺎﺋﻠﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣ ّ‬ ‫ﻔﻜﺮون‬ ‫ﻣﻼﻣﺢ ﻣﺘﻌ ّﻠﻢ اﻟﺒﻜﺎﻟﻮرﻳﺎ اﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ‪ُ :‬ﻣﺘﻮازﻧﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣ‬ ‫ﻄﻠﻌﻮن ‪ُ -‬ﻣﻨﻔﺘﺤﻮ اﻟﻌﻘﻞ ‪ -‬ذوو ﻣﺒﺎدئ ‪ُ -‬ﻣ ّ‬ ‫ّ‬

‫‪THE ABS EXPERIENCE‬‬

‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

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‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

‫اﻻﺗـّﻔﺎﻗـﻴـﺎت ا ﺳــﺎﺳﻴــّﺔ ﻟﺒــﺮﻧــﺎﻣﺞ رﻋــﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﻄــﻠﺒــﺔ‪ :‬اﻻﺣﺘــﺮام ‪ -‬اﻟ ّﺘﺴــﺎﻣﺢ ‪ -‬اﻟﻤﺼــﺪاﻗﻴــّﺔ ‪ -‬اﻟ ّﺘﻌــﺎﻃــﻒ ‪ -‬اﻻﻟﺘـــﺰام ‪ -‬اﻟ ّﺘﻌﺎون‬

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service

ABS Guiding Statements The ABS Experience Model AL TARBIYEH Principal’s Introduction Primary School Achievements Middle Years School Achievements IB College Achievements Class of 2018 Highly Selective Acceptances and Offers University Destinations Student Wellbeing and Achievement Additional Educational Needs Co-curricular Activities Athletics Booster Club PTA Staff Professional Development Student Numbers Overview of Income & Expenditure Fundraising Capital Campaign Master Plan and Premises Report Whole School Strategic Plan Objectives 2014-2019: Academic Year 2017-2018 Whole School Strategic Plan Objectives 2014-2019: Academic Year 2018-2019 CIS Major Commendations and IB Commendations ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

1 2 3 7 11 14 17 20 23 27 29 31 35 38 39 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

‫ اﻟــﺨــﺪﻣــﺔ‬- ‫ اﻟﻘــﻴـــﺎدة‬- ‫ اﻟـﻤــﻐــﺎﻣــﺮة‬- ‫ اﻟــﺒــﻴــﺌـــﺔ‬- ‫ اﻟﺪﻳـﻤــﻮﻗــﺮاﻃــﻴــﺔ‬- ‫ اﻟــﻌــﺎﻟﻤــﻴــﺔ‬:‫اﻟــﺮاوﻧــﺪ ﺳـــﻜـــﻮﻳــــــﺮ | روح‬

Table of Contents

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

Principal’s Introduction I am delighted, once again, to say a few words of introduction to our Annual Report for the 2017-2018 academic year. There is no question that 2017-2018 was a wonderful year in which we celebrated many achievements based upon the culmination of all the dedication and commitment of all members of the ABS community over the past few years. At the start of the academic year, the school hosted a full Council of International Schools (CIS) Team Evaluation Visit, which was synchronised with a 4 programme International Baccalaureate (IB) programme evaluation visit (PYP, MYP, DP and CP). Moreover, as a pioneer and pilot school for CIS, ABS was the first-ever school worldwide to host a Team Evaluation using the much more rigorous and demanding revised CIS International Accreditation protocol. As part of this process, therefore, ABS welcomed no fewer than 17 experienced CIS and IB evaluators on the campus for a week, not to forget, also the CIS Associate Director of Student Evaluation and Support, Mr. Chris Durbin, who

“The Board of Trustees and the Leadership Team for recognising the value in developing The outcome of this thorough external the AL TARBIYEH from the Guiding Statements, evaluation was a vindication of all the hard work to create an effective tool to drive strategic of the school, the wise and consistent leadership planning and decision-making.” # of HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan and all the distinguished Board members and, of course, “The Leadership Team for their effective and the wonderful contribution of our students, creative facilitation of the creation of AL TARBIYEH supported by our dedicated staff and committed parents. The final report contained 18 major commendations for the work of the school, with only 7 major recommendations, which, of course, will inform our future strategic planning. Equally as impressive is the fact that the ABS Self-study documentation was described as “meticulous” and is now being used by the organisation as training material as it rolls out its professional development programme for future CIS evaluators. I will, therefore, place each of the major CIS Commendations at an appropriate point in this retrospective. was monitoring the whole process.

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

“The Board of Trustees and the Principal for their commitment to a mutually-respecting and trusting working relationship thereby furthering a conducive learning climate at the school.”# The school maintained a strong focus throughout the year on all aspects of the ‘AL TARBIYEH’ acronym to ensure that wherever

possible the school was fulfilling the aspirations of its guiding statements. In addition, the ABS Experience Model, which encapsulates the important links between the whole school essential agreements, which support student wellbeing, and the Round Square IDEALS and Discovery Framework attributes also was highlighted throughout the year, both at school and at the Round Square International Conference in South Africa. In particular, the school hosted a very successful Round Square Discovery Framework Workshop, with the Chairman and CEO of the Round Square in attendance, in conjunction with the student-led ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

annual Round Square Leadership Conference. Both events were very impressive and showcased the pioneering nature of the school at the forefront of the Round Square Organisation. “The school, for its comprehensive, recent review and refinement, of the ABS Guiding Statements which have created a clear and unique set of values in AL TARBIYEH to guide the school in its future development and identity.” # “The Leadership Team for their provision of safeguarding training and policy development that has clearly established the school as a place where a child's well-being is the first priority.” #

55 out of 56 and an overall average IB score of 43 out of 56, which is a clear 10 marks above the worldwide average of 33 marks out of 56 (2017). We were also particularly pleased that seventy–three per cent of the cohort achieved the much more demanding bilingual IB MYP Certificate, which is an exceptionally high figure, and testament to our commitment to a bilingual educational philosophy. In addition, our IB Diploma Programme results were simply the best ever in the 37-year history of the school. As a largely non-selective school, our students’ performance overall was exceptional, with two students achieving the perfect score of

I am, of course, delighted that the school continues to focus all its energies on improving the quality and promoting the consistency of its teaching and learning practices across the school. As part of this process, a full audit of our Science provision was carried out, together with a number of other subjects. The school also continues to expand its use of value-added data from the University of Durham Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM), which, after a number of years of successful implementation is proving to be remarkably accurate in providing data on student progress. It is obvious from our IB external examination results for 2018 that our extensive work with teaching and learning, focus on individual student mentoring and support and extensive subject support arrangements is starting to reap major dividends. There is no question that 2018 represented, once again, a truly outstanding year for ABS in terms of external IB results. Our Grade 10 students achieved our best results to date in the IB Middle Years Programme eAssessments, with a one hundred per cent pass rate compared to a worldwide average of just seventy per cent (2017), with two students achieving a stunning

45 points, fifteen students over 40 and no fewer than 46 students over the 35 points mark, which really signifies the watershed for gaining entry to the most competitive tertiary institutions worldwide. Moreover, no fewer than 72 students were awarded the full IB Diploma which represents, for the fourth consecutive year, an amazing one hundred per cent pass rate compared to the usual worldwide average of just seventy-nine per cent. Therefore, as a largely non-selective school, the headline ABS IB

ّ ‫ ُﻣ‬- ‫ ُﻣﺠﺎزﻓﻮن‬- ‫ﺘﺄﻣﻠﻮن‬ ّ ‫ ُﻣ‬- ‫ ُﻣﺘﺴﺎﺋﻠﻮن‬- ‫ ُﻣﺘﻮاﺻﻠﻮن‬- ‫ﻬﺘﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﻔﻜﺮون‬ ‫ ُﻣ‬- ‫ ُﻣﺘﻮازﻧﻮن‬:‫ﻣﻼﻣﺢ ﻣﺘﻌ ّﻠﻢ اﻟﺒﻜﺎﻟﻮرﻳﺎ اﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ‬ ّ ‫ ُﻣ‬- ‫ ذوو ﻣﺒﺎدئ‬- ‫ ُﻣﻨﻔﺘﺤﻮ اﻟﻌﻘﻞ‬- ‫ﻄﻠﻌﻮن‬ ّ

and the ABS Experience Model to embed locally-rooted inter-cultural competencies, and to champion global citizenship.” #

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

Diploma results for 2018 were truly sensational, however, in some ways what is even more impressive is the value-added progress that all our students in the graduating class made, placing the school in the top one percent of all schools using the University of Durham CEM Centre baseline tracking, and showing the clear impact of an ABS education on achieving such outstanding results. Finally, although the entire IB Diploma Programme cohort achieved the highest IB score in ABS history of over 36 points, it is astonishing to note that the ABS top-ten achieved an average of no less than 43 and the top thirty of 40, which places the school amongst the very top performing elite IB DP schools in the world. Moreover, we were also delighted with the 2018 Graduating Class in terms of tertiary progression routes. There is no surprise given the level of results mentioned above that we had one student accepted at the highest ranking university in the world, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), many other top US Schools, almost every “Russell Group” Institution in the UK and, as ever, the very best Canadian universities. In addition, it is worthy of note, that many of the top students from this class, achieved prestigious

places at UK medical schools, which is probably the most difficult placement of all worldwide, with often over 20 applicants for every single place. A full list of the 2018 destinations is included within this report.

heritage while developing them as global citizens.” # “The IB College Team for helping students and parents understand the connection between assessment and learning.” #

“The Primary School Leadership Team for cultivating a comprehensive Assessment Policy that communicates the attainment of knowledge, understanding, skills and behaviour of students’ learning.” #

“The school's Leadership Team and IB College Team for developing students’ intercultural learning and development as global citizens while reviving a sense of awareness and pride in their own Arab heritage.” #

“The Primary School Academic Leadership Team for the investment in Teaching Assistants for the support of language development in students.” #

As our “AL TARBIYEH” acronym demonstrates, an ABS education is so much more than just examination results, no matter how brilliant these might be. We were delighted as usual during 2017 – 2018 with our students’ leadership and contribution to the usual myriad of co-curricular activities, which for 2018 – 2019 have been codified into a whole school co-curricular brochure.

“The Middle Years School Grade Level Leaders, Heads of Department and Curriculum Coordinators for utilising the data collected from the Learning and Teaching audits in all subject areas in order to improve students' learning outcomes.” #

“The Student Achievement Team, for developing a system to collate and analyse the data to drive students’ learning.” # “The IB College for embracing the school's Guiding Statements to engage students in their learning to promote a connection to their

Our major theatrical productions in both the Primary and Secondary phases of the school continue to set the highest standards, whilst our Visual Arts and Design Exhibitions have also displayed the fantastic talent of our students. With the strength of our ABS theatrical programme, it was, therefore, no surprise that three of our IB College students were selected, after intensive auditions, to play significant roles in JINN, the first–ever Arabic speaking original NETFLIX series in the Middle East, with, indeed, one of these students playing no less than the main character in the series, which is an outstanding personal achievement. Our Athletic programme continues to go from strength to strength, with almost over half the school involved in its activities. We are delighted that our Athlete Friendly Education Accreditation (AFEC) from the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) allows us to really support our elite athletes AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

the well-rounded nature of our students and no doubt support their overall wellbeing at the school, which was reflected in an outstanding report from the CIS Team Evaluation Visit in these domains, with many major commendations and not a single major recommendation for student wellbeing at the school. In spite of this, however, we were not complacent and last year witnessed the engagement of the Leadership Team, and Wellbeing Teams (with input from the PTA) with a review and update of a range of wellbeing policies across the school, which were implemented at the start of the new academic year. In addition, we also, once again, carried out a full review of the school day, with the benefits of the later (and more staggered) start for MYS and IBC students being implemented for Primary School students from Grades 1-5. Whilst, this decision had clear educational benefits for our students, it did present the school with a number of logistical challenges, which I am pleased to report appear to have all been successfully overcome, not least through the amazing new pick-up arrangements at 3pm, which have been universally commended. “The school for ensuring a positive and proactive community that is highly committed to the well-being of the students.” #

“The ABS community for creating an outstanding “whole-school climate” and a highly positive learning community, which fully reflects the Guiding Statements.” #

“The ABS community for actively ensuring a high level of trust and well-being that is translated in the teaching and learning of the students.” #

“The Leadership Team for offering various service and charity programmes promoting internationalism and global citizenship.” #

“The school for developing a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy that has been translated into Arabic to serve the whole school community.” #

All these wonderful opportunities contribute to

I am also delighted that we are continuing to

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

make substantial progress with both our Five Year Strategic Plan (see whole school goals in this report) and our Facilities Master Plan for the redevelopment of the campus. The coming academic year 2018 – 2019 will mark the culmination of our existing Strategic Plan, which was fully updated in line with the revised CIS domains and our ABS Experience Model, representing a model of good practice, confirmed by its inclusion as an exemplar of best practice in a recent edition of the International Schools Magazine. As ever a sincere thank you to HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan, Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, and all the distinguished Board members for their leadership and guidance over the past year, to all the staff for their commitment and dedication, and to the parents for their involvement and commitment to a positive home-school relationship. As a school, we are particularly fortunate to be blessed by an exceptionally low-turnover of staff and students by international standards, which ensures that ABS remains a consistent community of learners, aspiring to the absolute highest standards of educational provision. There is no question that in 2017-2018 we achieved this and we look forward to the 2018-2019 academic year with renewed energy and opportunism for yet another highly successful year. “The Board of Trustees and Leadership Team for developing a benefits package which, when combined with a robust performance management system, has contributed to recruiting and retaining a high quality, stable staff, with consequent benefits for students’ learning.” #

‫ اﻟ ّﺘﻌﺎون‬- ‫ اﻻﻟﺘـــﺰام‬- ‫ اﻟ ّﺘﻌــﺎﻃــﻒ‬- ‫ اﻟﻤﺼــﺪاﻗﻴــّﺔ‬- ‫ اﻟ ّﺘﺴــﺎﻣﺢ‬- ‫ اﻻﺣﺘــﺮام‬:‫اﻻﺗـّﻔﺎﻗـﻴـﺎت ا ﺳــﺎﺳﻴــّﺔ ﻟﺒــﺮﻧــﺎﻣﺞ رﻋــﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﻄــﻠﺒــﺔ‬

beyond what is normally possible, with our first WAoS Scholarship student graduating this year, but staying with ABS to complete his IB Diploma as per the WAoS and IB pilot programme, which allows for such flexibility for elite athletes due to their intensive training and competition schedules for international and Olympic competitions. The school also hosted the first-ever FC Barcelona Camp in September 2017, which was a great success. Indeed, as I write this report, negotiations are ongoing, for a fully-fledged “Barca Football Academy” to be established at the school from September 2019. Moreover our Round Square, Creativity, Activity and Service and Model United Nations programmes remain of the highest order, reflecting international best practice in these domains.

Stuart Bryan MA (St Andrews), PGCE (Oxon), ACE (Leicester)

# = Major Commendations from ABS Council of International Schools (CIS) International Re-Accreditation Report from Team Evaluation Visit September 2017

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service 11

Primary School Achievements Leadership and Overall Direction The 2017-18 academic year saw the Primary School undertake the joint CIS / PYP 2016 protocol. Students, teachers and parents collaborated in order to complete the self-study documentation. The visiting team made judgments against the self-study documents and compared them to the PYP Standards and Practices and the CIS domains. The overall report commended the Primary School on a number of achievements under the sections of: Collaborative Planning, Written Curriculum, Teaching and Learning and Assessment. Planning for improvement Mathematics In accordance with the Primary School curriculum review findings and school improvement plan, Mathematics was found to

be a focus area for further development. The language of instruction for the teaching of mathematical concepts in the Kindergarten is both Arabic and English. The language of instruction is then solely Arabic for Grades 1-5. After deliberating the advantages and disadvantages of this model, the Primary School have decided to change to English as the language of instruction for Grades 4 and 5 for the next academic year. The validity of our InCAS assessment will also be further enhanced and become more reliable as these adaptive assessments are completed by students, online, in English. We hope that this pilot initiative will prove successful in furthering our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowledge and understanding in this subject area. We will be evaluating its AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Science At the present time, Science provision in the Primary School is incorporated and delivered through the Primary Years Programme via the Programme of Inquiry (POI) Grades KG-5. Both Arabic and English programmes share the lines of inquiry and delivery of scientific concepts and skills which are mapped in our recently

have looked at developing an emotionally literate school and its benefits long term. Hence, the Primary School introduced “MindUP” curriculum to its community with two workshops; the first was training for all Primary School staff whilst the second an information session for parents. We are certain that our students will benefit from the programme by being able to develop strategies to learn without anxiety through problem solving, teacher modelling and coaching, conflict resolution, inquiry and the Arts. DELF Our Grades 4 and 5 Primary School students completed DELF examinations for the first time

A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation process combined with rigorous and challenging objectives has led to a lower staff retention rate in the Primary School than in recent years. A few existing members of staff have been redeployed into roles where their skills and competencies will be more effectively utilised either as Teacher Assistants or Media Centre Specialists. In total there have been 15 new additions: 6x 5x 2x 1x 1x

English Programme Arabic Programme Science Specialists Physical Education Music

adapted and revised 2017-18 Science scope and sequence document. The 2017-18 Whole School Science audit findings indicated that teachers should analyse quantitative and qualitative observations of students through a variety of assessment/ assignments in order to identify students’ errors or misconceptions. It was also suggested that a system for tracking students’ progress against their targets was also required in order to monitor achievement and attainment. The findings will be largely addressed through the addition of two specialised Science Teachers delivering the curriculum across Grades 1-5 for 2018-19. Mindfulness As part of the Primary School Action plan, we ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

this academic year; they were extremely well prepared by Ms Nisreen Izwayyed (Primary French). These French proficiency certificates for non-native speakers are awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify competency in the French language. All students entered passed. Management of staff & resources The Primary School has further focussed on teacher performance and effectiveness through its Performance Management system.

All the new additions to the Primary School have been screened and interviewed by the Head of Primary and the Deputy Head, with all locally hired staff undergoing formal lesson observations by Directors of Programme, Grade Leaders and Homeroom Teachers. It is anticipated that these additions will add value to our Primary School community. Fiyaz Ahmed Vice-Principal (English) and Head of Primary KG1-Grade 5

success during the course of the next academic year and during our programme of inquiry review scheduled for May/June 2019.

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

The MYS had a strong focus on wellbeing, with various initiatives this year, as part of our commitment to Responsibility, Youth Empowerment and Team Work. The Care Group The Care Group was first established in the MYS last year for students who want to help others and to forge links with other students at school. Sometimes, life can get stressful and we forget about how tough it can be for other people in your grade, in your school, in your community and in your country. As a group, the Care Group wanted others to feel appreciated and to know that, even when things look bleak, there is always someone out there who is ready to help.

Group were cutting tomatoes to make ‫ ﻗﻼﻳــﺔ‬in Izwatti, organising the Dafa campaign to create both physical and emotional warmth, organising the Zad initiative to share the holy month of Ramadan with others, picking pomegranates and tomatoes in Ghor and Irbid as an act of exchange to change. Not to forget, of course, the phone diet sessions in school in order to focus on human interaction. Their actions all stemmed from the AL TARBIYEH acronym. They truly fulfilled their mission of change, act, raising awareness and empowering, with passion and great commitment.

Middle Years School Achievements

Some of the highlights of this year for the Care ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

Focus on Raising Awareness and Improving Wellbeing Throughout the year, we were fortunate to have some excellent external speakers on wellbeing issues, such as life coaching, time management, relieving stress, growing up concerns and health issues. We updated many of our policies, and had professional development sessions for staff on effective classroom management, to ensure that the MYS continues to put the wellbeing of students at the centre of school life, as the best way to ensure successful learning and a positive school experience for all. We also have started developing a mindfulness

The Grade 10 students did the school proud by their fantastic work over the last year on their IBMYP Personal Project. Every student had to come up with a product that was the culmination of months of planning, research and development. The culminating experience was the Personal Project Exhibition, where each student was able to share their amazing ideas and innovative thinking with their friends and families. There were projects related to the environment, the arts, Science, community service and technology, to name a few. We also invited younger students to visit the Exhibition during the school day, to inspire and inform them, as they continue their own journey towards the last year of MYP. The MYS building was also particularly colourful this year, with many areas covered in examples of our talented studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; artwork. We are very fortunate to have such an artistic and inspired student body. e-Assessments

curriculum for all students, to be implemented next year. We are happy to see the strong sense of community and family spirit in the MYS, evidenced by the fact that our number of students continue to grow each year, and very few staff choose to leave us.

This is our third year of implementing the full e-assessments. This year went smoothly, with meetings with parents and students, to help us find the most effective way to help Grade 10. We held sessions on time management and combating examination anxiety.

Celebrating Excellence through Creativity

The reintroduction of the pre-mocks, as further practice, and then the mock examinations, were a great rehearsal for the actual e-assessment. Students and staff worked together as one team, to ensure that our students were fully ready for their finals in May.

and

Achievement,

The MYS was able to demonstrate the outstanding creativity and imagination of our students throughout the year. 15

Personal Project Exhibition

MYP Certificate Results 2018 2018 Number of MYP Certificate Candidates

% MYP Certificate pass rate

100%

Average MYP Certificate points

Highest MYP Certificate points

% of MYP Certificate students who received 50 or above

15%

% of MYP Certificate students who received 41-49 points

52%

% of MYP Certificate students who received 28 points and above

100%

% of Bilingual awarded

Certificates

73%

Grade 10 Design students again showed off their original and creative ideas in their e-Portfolio Showcase. The level of ingenuity on display and their skill at making their varied products, were a great example of Excellence. All the e-Portfolio subjects sent samples of outstanding quality to the IB, and we feel confident that we will, again, be ahead of the curve when compared to other schools worldwide. Sarah Byham Head of Middle Years School AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

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‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service 17

IB College Achievements IB Diploma Results The IB College IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) results for the Class of 2018 were the best in the history of the school with a remarkable 100% pass rate for the fourth consecutive year, two students achieving the maximum score of 45 and an unprecedented total of 15 students achieving a score of 40 and above. In addition, the value added report feedback from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) placed Amman Baccalaureate School in the top three schools in the world based on the performance of the Class of 2018. This has confirmed once again the success of the measures put into place over the past few years to ensure sufficient tracking, intervention and support takes place to guarantee that everything is done to assist students to flourish in the IB College.

2018 72

Number of Diploma Candidates

100%

% Diploma Awarded Average Diploma points for candidates awarded the Diploma

Highest Diploma points

% of Diploma students who received 40-45 points

21%

% of Diploma students who received 35 points and above

64%

% Diploma students who received 30 points and above

96% AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Diploma Course Results: 2018 Number of Diploma Course candidates

Average Diploma Course Points

As a consequence of their remarkable results and the ongoing support afforded to students and their parents by the University Counselling Department, the graduates of 2018 have already begun to join previous Alumni in many of the top universities around the world and leave us confident to begin their future studies with a secure foundation in a top IB education. To enhance the preparation of those students wishing to study medicine in the United Kingdom and increase their chances of university offers in an increasingly competitive field, this year the IB College hosted a team of medical specialists from the Future Doctors Programme. This event was delivered by medical specialists and designed to give students an insight into the life of a medical student and as a doctor. Students participated in interactive workshops comprising of basic medical sciences, clinical skills and communications, as well as information and advice sessions on the application process and all important interview. Due to the success of this event and the overwhelming number of students accepted into UK medical schools this year, plans are already in place to repeat it for the upcoming cohort. This year also saw the school secure the Tawjihi Equivalency for the IB Career-related programme (IBCP) and therefore providing renewed impetus ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

for the IB College to provide an alternative university pathway for those seeking a more focussed and practical approach to learning. Work has already begun to encourage our second cohort for this new IB programme, secure in the knowledge that the IBCP is fully recognised by the Ministry of Education. In the area of the Arts, DP Film students entered the Shake Me Up International Film Festival, an annual competition for students based on creating films based on the life and works of William Shakespeare and run by the Prague Shakespeare Company. Their film (a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet) flew through the first round, becoming one of just 25 student teams worldwide to progress to round two and for the second year running Amman Baccalaureate School students have been congratulated for their creativity and skill within the competition as a whole. The Visual Arts Exhibition, which gives Grade 12 students the opportunity to display their examination work, was attended by various local artists who took great interest in the work of our students. A notable increase in the variety of mediums used and the creativity involved in students’ ceramic work were highlights of the exhibition.

The opportunity to engage in such enriching experiences, which take students away from school for short periods, has been made internally possible because of the systems already in place to support our budding athletes. These have been formally established since the

school was accredited as an Athlete Friendly Education Centre. The athletes receiving extra support with material coverage and deadlines have continued to excel this year in the fields of Track and Field and Swimming, including record breaking performances in international competitions which have resulted for some in selection for the Youth Olympic Games in October 2018. The annual trip to Cambodia for the fulfillment of the El Hassan Youth Award (HYA) Gold Award proved once again to be a stimulating and adventurous experience for all its participants. As

Having honed their skills and gained valuable experience on the Amman Baccalaureate School stage, three DP Theatre/DP Literature and Performance students have been selected to appear in JINN, the first Arabic speaking original series in the Middle East to be filmed in Jordan and intended to premiere on Netflix in 2019.

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

students reflect on this often life changing experience we look forward to it becoming a source of inspiration for upcoming student Art work, ToK essays and further CAS activities. CAS projects this year involved students in a variety of creative activities and services to their school and local community. Highlights involved awareness and fundraising for badly needed hospital treatments, mental illness awareness, home renovation for those in need, environmental awareness and student delivered workshops on bullying and social media. Through such initiatives IB College students were actively engaged in making a difference in the lives of others. DP Business Management students put their studies into practice by developing extensive business plans in their class groups on a feasible

business initiative for Jordan. The resulting innovative ideas were presented in front of a judging panel and invited parents and students received accolades for their creativity, professionalism and teamwork. An emphasis on collaboration also characterised the annual student led Amman Model United Nations Conference (AMMUN) which proved to be as popular and was as successful as ever and in a departure from the usual theme based activities; the Group 4 Science Project engaged students in demanding enquiry based tasks to be worked on in teams and involving higher level scientific thinking. The introduction of a competitive element here also proved to be a huge motivating factor and the winning team was presented with a plaque at the End of Year Assembly.

An emphasis on wellbeing and mindfulness has pervaded much of what has taken place in the IB College this year as the effects of academic pressure, relationships and social media take their toll on studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; welfare. This has taken the form of assemblies, workshops, celebrations, new Student Council positions and individual counselling to ensure that students receive support and a chance to develop the tools to live a balanced life style. We look forward to building on our successes and engaging our students in more enriching academic and extra-curricular initiatives during the new academic year. Cathy Souob Head of IB College

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Ivy League Acceptances

Highly Selective Canadian and European Acceptances Acceptance Rate for 2018 cycle

2019 World Ranking

Columbia University

University of Pennsylvania

Name

Name McGill University Trinity College Dublin TU Delft University

Highly Selective US Acceptances

University of Alberta

Acceptance Rate for 2018 cycle

2019 World Ranking

22%

148

27%

Tufts University

14%

237

University of California, Berkeley

15%

University of California, Los Angeles

17%

University of California, San Diego

34%

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

62%

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

28%

University of Texas at Austin

36%

University of Virginia

27%

192

Name Emory University Massachusetts Institute of Technology New York University Northwestern University

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

2019 World Ranking 33 104 52 109

University of British Columbia

University of Toronto

Class of 2018 Highly Selective Acceptances and Offers

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

Class of 2018 Highly Selective Acceptances and Offers

UCAS Medicine Offers

Russell Group Offers Name Cardiff University

2019 World Ranking 145

Name

Acceptance Rate for Medicine

Medical Programme Ranking

Durham University

Brighton Sussex Medical School

10%

King's College London

Newcastle University

5.7%

Newcastle University

141

Queen Mary University of London

4.5%

Queen Mary University of London

119

University of Birmingham

5.3%

3.9%

UCL (University College London)

University of Bristol

University of Birmingham

University of Glasgow

11.5%

University of Bristol

University of Liverpool

8.3%

University of Edinburgh

University of Plymouth

3.8%

154

University of Sheffield

7.3%

University of Exeter University of Glasgow

University of Leeds

University of Liverpool

2018 Matriculation By Country / Region

Europe (10%)

Middle East (4%) US (25%)

164

University of Manchester

University of Nottingham

University of Sheffield

University of Warwick

Canada (24%)

UK (37%) AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

‫‪22‬‬

‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service

University Destinations

Abdel Haleem Shehadeh

McGill University, Canada

Biological Sciences

Abdulla Kola

King’s College London, UK

Economics

Ahmad Lozi

George Washington University, USA

Politics

Ahmad Joumaa Zabadne

University of Sussex, UK

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Alfaisal Al Khaledi

University of Bath, UK

Management with Marketing

Al Harith Ghassib

University College Dublin, Ireland

Medicine

Ala’ Al-Kayed

Gap Year

Ali Ibrahim

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

Computer Science

Ali Al Majali

Brighton & Sussex Medical School, UK

Medicine

Ayah Annab

University of Edinburgh, UK

Law

Baker Hussein

Acibadem University, Turkey

Medicine

Cayden Abu-Arja

University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Architecture

Dania Dekedek

New York University-Abu Dhabi, UAE

International Relations

Dara Fakhoury

University of Nottingham, UK

Economics

Fahed Fanek

Queen Mary University, UK

Medicine

Faisal Al-Tarawneh

Brock University, Canada

Economics

Farah Hijazi

University of Reading, UK

Psychology

Hamzeh Abu-Shaqra

Concordia University, Canada

Management

Hashem Amad

Queen’s University, Canada

Theatre Studies

Hashem Al-Souob

Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

Fine Art

Haya Al Dajani

McGill University, Canada

Biological Sciences

Iman Khayyat

Boston College, USA

Communication

Issa Al-Nayef

Royal Holloway, University of London - Foundation, UK

Business

Issa Smeirat

Loyola University Chicago, USA

Computer Science

Isam Kadri

University of Toronto, Canada

Business

Jenna Haddad

University of Sussex, UK

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Jude Stephan

University of Reading, UK

Architecture

Joud Tabaza

University of Pennsylvania, USA

Business AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

University of Leeds, UK

Journalism

Kamel El-Barq

University of Exeter - Foundation, UK

Business - Foundation

Kamilla Dajani

Erasmus University, The Netherlands

Economics

Kaream Barghouthi

Brunel University, UK

Sports and Exercise Science

Laila Kawar

University of the Arts, Camberwell, UK (Foundation Year)

Graphic Design

Laith Abdeen

University of Sussex, UK

Accounting and Finance

Laith Hamarneh

University of Toronto, Canada

Architecture

Leen Banna

American University, USA

Management

Leen Al-Dajani

Universidad Catolica San Antonio de Murcia, Spain

Biological Sciences

Lina Kherfan

University of British Columbia, Canada

Business

Louay Qubain

Penn State University, USA

Engineering

Luai Kawar

University of Glasgow, UK

Medicine

Maryam Fakhri

University of Toronto, Canada

Business

Merah Al Sarhan

University of Bristol, UK

Law

Mirna Layyous

University College Dublin, Ireland

Medicine

Mohammad Al Masri

Ryerson University, Canada

Business

Mohammad Abu-AlHala

Concordia University, Canada

Management

Mohammad Al Takroury

University of Toronto, Canada

Industrial Engineering

Mohamed Tayeh

University of Toronto, Canada

Computer Engineering

Nadine Al-Yassin

University of Surrey, UK

Management

Nadeen Abu-Taleb

George Washington University, USA

Politics

Najati Nabulsi

University of California, Berkeley, USA

Engineering

Natasha Tadros

University of Surrey, UK

Business

Nemer Shamout

Princess Sumaya Institute of Technology, Jordan

Business

Noor Abdel Nabi

University College London, UK

Law

Noor Al-Qadi

Suffolk University, USA

Business

Noor Nematt

Goldsmit,h University of London

Art History

Nour Shabsogh

University of Nottingham, UK

Business

Nour Al Shami

American University, USA

Graphic Design

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Jumana Al Bataineh

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

University Destinations Omar Haffar

Northeastern University, USA

Engineering

Omar Katkhuda

McGill University, Canada

Biological Sciences

Omar Al-Khatib

American University, USA

Business

Omar Massaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;deh

Westminster University - Foundation, UK

Business

Omar Sheikh Mari

Concordia University, Canada

Economics

Osama Al Nabulsi

Concordia University, Canada

Finance

Rand El Muhtadi

University of Nottingham, UK

English Literature

Rawan Jardaneh

City University London, UK

Marketing

Rina Tadros

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA

Architecture

Saleh Alwer

King's College London, UK

Computer Science

Salwa Malhas

University of British Columbia, Canada

Health Sciences

Samia Al-Faouri

University of the Arts, Central Saint Martins, UK (Foundation Year)

Graphic Design

Sarah Al-Daoud

University of PĂŠcs, Hungary

Psychology

Sarah Biyouk

Gap Year

Seif Eses

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Architecture

Sufian Sartawi

Penn State University, USA

Product Design

Taia Abu Adas

Universidad Catolica San Antonio de Murcia, Spain

Biological Sciences

Tala Khouri

Tufts University, USA

Health Sciences

Tawfiq Abu-Aitah

University of Leeds, UK

Product Design

Widad Dabbas

Gap Year

Yara Nabulsi

University of Bristol, UK

Film

Yasmin Hudhud

McGill University, Canada

Psychology

Yasamin Bakki

Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

Interior Design

Zane Abu Hamdan

Rhode Island School of Design, USA

Architecture

Zeena Edilbi

University of Nottingham, UK

Finance

Zein Sandouka

McMaster University, Canada

Psychology

Zinya Salfiti

Northwestern University, USA

Psychology

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

‫‪26‬‬

‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

Student Wellbeing and Achievement The year 2017/18 was, again, a very busy and immensely productive year for the whole-school Wellbeing Team. We continued to work towards the Wellbeing Development Plan 2015-2019. A number of achievements were outlined in the 2016/17 report, and I am delighted to again outline more achievements for 2017/18. Progress made for 2017/18: Strategic Goal One: School Culture • All policies relating to wellbeing were reviewed and updated this year. This has been conducted through the newly established ABS Wellbeing Committee. This was created to further strengthen our home-school partnership, which was a key goal from our Wellbeing Development Plan. Policies reviewed included: 1. ABS Wellbeing and Health Policy

2. ABS Behaviour Management Policy 3. ABS Anti-Bullying Policy • Further to these, a new policy was also created and introduced to reflect the growing concerns of mobile phone usage; the Mobile Phone and Smart Device Policy will come into effect from 2018/19. • Essential Agreements will be more visible in 2018/19 after a major investment to install visual aids around the MYS and IBC to ensure students are reminded in classrooms, and all other areas around the school. • Student voice was as strong as ever. The Primary, Middle Years School and IB College Student Councils were re-elected, and had a chance to annually revise their Student Council AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

• The mentoring programme was further strengthened this year. In both the MYS and IB College, mentors have been setting academic targets and reflecting on academic performance in a systemic and intentional manner. Health and Safety • In partnership with SAFEcic in the UK, we continued safeguarding training in English and Arabic and all staff members are certified in safeguarding. Next year, everyone will conduct a refresher course.

was the introduction of MindUp, which is now embedded into the wellbeing curriculum. • In the MYS and IBC, a greater focus was placed upon study skills and managing stress that emerge from the pressures of academics and external examinations. Student Achievement Firstly, we would like to take this opportunity to remind the community that we support and celebrate all types of student achievement. This may be athletic, artistic, co-curricular and, of course, academic.

Wellbeing Curriculum • In the Primary School, the major development ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

The baseline results look very promising and are analysed by Heads of Departments, the Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees. Students are clearly making good progress in mathematics and literacy throughout the School. On an annual basis, curriculum changes can take place as a result of the baseline scores.

We take great pride in ensuring we celebrate international mindedness, role-model conduct, contribution to school life and these are all evidenced in our Grade 12 Graduation Awards. KG1 took the BASE test, while in Grades 1-5 students sat the InCAS test. In Grade 6, students took the MidYIS Test, Grade 9 took the YELLIS Test and in the IB College, Grade 11 took the IBCEM baseline test. As is normal procedure now, all results are available upon parental request so that you can better support your children with studying and the Wellbeing Team

• Attendance records were again digital this year thanks to our DoubleFirst Engage platform, and we are pleased to announce that we beat our Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 95% attendance in school.

are happy to discuss the results to provide further insight.

Furthermore, the AEN Department reviewed baseline scores to better facilitate student support if, and when, needed. ABS will produce a separate report analysing our projected scores against actual scores for both the e-Assessment and IB Diploma results in September 2018. Russell Peagram Director of Whole School Student Achievement and Wellbeing/Whole School Accreditation Coordinator (Designated Safeguarding Officer)

constitutions. They made many decisions in the school to benefit everyone. Further to this, students contributed to a large variety of School committees.

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service 29

Additional Educational Needs Capitalising on last year’s success, the Additional Educational Needs Department (AEND) has continued to consolidate and grow its services on several fronts, with the goal of equity in education being at the heart of all that we do. CIS/IB synchronised visit: It is with particular pride that we embrace the commendations below that highlight our focus on learners and learning: “The Additional Educational Needs Department for its continuous support of teaching staff and students, and for its dedication to teaching and to students’ learning.” “The Counselling Department and the Additional Educational Needs Department teams, for researching, identifying and implementing best practices to address the needs of students.”

Exceptional Professionals: A great focus has been placed on the professional growth of team members with both external and internal opportunities being offered throughout the academic year. Team members worked on delivering workshops in their individual areas of expertise ranging in content from the delivery of targeted phonics programmes to Irlen Syndrome.

relationship between vision and learning difficulties, and an additional two focused on advanced morphology work and the use of a specialised writing programme. The AEND team’s passion for supporting exceptional learners was also taken a step further into the community as members of the department visited local schools to deliver lectures on Specific Learning Difficulties and the necessity that schools and universities work towards creating equitable learning opportunities for all students coming through their doors.

The department has also continued in its supporting role of the school’s efforts at increasing the delivery of an effective differentiated curriculum through the support of teachers, departments and the delivery of in-service training sessions for staff across the The AEND’s Dima Al Masri and Eliane school. Abdel-Malek also collaborated with the Princess Sumaya University for Technology’s (PSUT) Guest Speakers were also invited into the school Deanship of Admissions and Registration on to support the capacity building efforts of the establishing the foundations of a Learning department. One session dealt with the Support Office that would serve the student body AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

by providing them Arrangements.

with

Inclusive

Access

Planning for the Future: Looking ahead, the department hopes to establish deep rooted relationships with their counterparts at local and regional schools. With the hope of creating a network of professionals who are able to advocate and drive forward the movement towards equity in education being at the heart of our vision for the future of exceptional learners. To that end, and in collaboration with a local centre that focuses on child development, a conference with renowned speakers from Lebanon is being planned for October 2018. Dima AlMasri Director of Additional Department, MAED.L.

Educational

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Needs

Assessment services: The launch of the department’s assessment services has also been a success and has meant that comprehensive student profiles of exceptional learners at ABS are being created internally ensuring that the delivery of the best possible provision of service is offered. Following this success, an additional three members of staff are undergoing training to become Certified Educational Testers accredited by the British Psychological Association, and two members have been trained to become certified Irlen Syndrome Screeners.

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

Co-curricular Activities Co-Curricular Survey In January 2018, an email was sent to all parents informing them that the ABS Co-curricular Department was conducting a survey as part of a planned comprehensive upgrade to the co-curricular activities offered at school and asked as many parents as possible to complete the survey.

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

‫‪32‬‬

‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

ACTION PLAN

ACTION Set up focus group, invite all interested stakeholders to strengthen ownership and drive way forward with co-curricular activities.

PERSON RESPONSIBLE

COMPLETION TIME

Assistant Principal (Development)

JUNE 2018

• Encourage them to share the nature (or supplier) of the activities parents are choosing for their children to take outside the school. • Investigate reasons why parents recommend an activity that is already offered eg. Taekwondo is suggested but offered – could it be the parent doesn’t know it is offered, could it be the activity is offered to one age range that could be extended to another? Share aspects of the responses with those responsible for co-curricular activities to get their feedback on viability, recommendations etc. fact finding exercise only, not sharing of individual parents comments.

Assistant Principal (Development)

JUNE 2018

Establish a ‘Reflections’ process for all activities where parents are notified by email to provide feedback and students complete a reflection sheet at the close of their last activity in order to gauge the satisfaction level and quality of each activity.

Director for Co-Curricular Activities; Deputy Director of Student Co-curricular Activities; Director of Athletics, MYS Head of Arts

No deadline, continual throughout 2018-2019 academic year

Create a comprehensive menu that includes the following criteria: supervisor/student ratio; learning objectives; risk level; pre-requisites, age range etc. and circulate menu well in advance, so that students can choose their options before seeking activities outside of school.

Director of Co-Curricular Activities, Deputy Director of Co-curricular Athletics Director, MYS Head of Arts

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CAS PROGRAMME ABS strives to expand students’ learning experiences by offering a variety of service projects within the curriculum, after school, Saturdays and during free time. During the 2017-2018 school year, ABS students from Grades 10-12 participated in 20 different service projects. ABS collaborated with many local,

regional and international organisations to successfully accomplish this. El Hassan Youth Award The Bronze, Silver and Gold Award expeditions are as strong as ever. Participation in physical activity, community service and demonstration of required skills account for the majority of the

SEPTEMBER 2018

award, while expeditions make up the remainder. Students record their reflections on ManageBac. El Hassan Gold Award Local and Overseas Expeditions Our annual El Hassan Youth Award/Gold Level Expeditions (local and overseas) with Grade 11 AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

Thirty-nine students participated in the 14-day/13-night overseas expedition to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They experienced the culture, traditions and history firsthand as they cycled 130 km, visited the cultural village, visited a statue factory, toured the war memorial and killing fields where they witnessed the suffering of the Khmer Rouge regime, visited the genocide museum, built 2 huts on Widows Island and taught at a primary school. It was a life-changing experience for all. Round Square Approximately 65 students were involved in the Round Square during the academic year. They held weekly meetings where they prepared for bake sales and the Leadership Summit. Leadership Summit ABS hosted approximately 100 students in the Leadership Summit from ABS and local schools. Round Square Discovery Framework Workshop: ABS hosted the first-ever Discovery Framework workshop in the region. The workshop focused on how to integrate the Discovery Framework in the strategic plan, teaching and learning ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

experiences and in school life. More than 50 adults from Jordan, India, Pakistan, Oman, Turkey, Vietnam, Nepal, South Africa, England, and Australia participated in the workshop. Fundraising: Over JD 893 was raised for the Prince Alexander Fund, which supports RS global service projects. International Conference: Five students from Grades 11 and 12 participated in the RS

Model United Nations THIMUN Hague: ABS students held significant student leadership positions at THIMUN, demonstrating that they are well-versed and equipped with debating skills. International Conferences: ABS sent 16 delegates to THIMUN in The Hague. ABS sent 15 delegates to ASDMUN in Dubai, UAE. Local Conferences: Approximately 113 ABS MUN students attended conferences at local schools. AMMUN XVI was an outstanding conference organised by the AMMUN Team. Approximately 500 students participated from five international and 11 local schools. In-House: Weekly MUN training took place for Grades 8-10 to prepare them for local and international conferences and AMMUN.

International Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. The Principal and Assistant Principal co-presented during one of the Discovery Framework Workshop sessions, where they explained how the Round Square Discovery Framework attributes are incorporated into the strategic plan and teaching and learning. Laureates and Leaders for Children Summit Twenty-two students from Grades 8-11 participated in the 2nd annual Laureates and Leaders for Children Summit, held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea, bringing together visionaries to interact with and work for the children’s rights to have a free, safe and educated childhood.

Sandy Abu-Arja, Ed.D, MA.Ed, BSc.Ed, BSc Assistant Principal (Development)

students were a huge success. Thirteen students participated in the six-day/five-night local expedition that began in the north of Jordan and progressed southward to Petra and Wadi Rum. Those who participated hiked over 11 hours through the exquisite landscape of our beloved country. The explorers had the chance to build strong bonds with their classmates while working collaboratively to complete the challenges posed to them. Together as a team, they made a positive difference in our fellow community members’ lives during the service project.

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service 35

Athletics The year 2017/18 was a very busy, but also immensely successful year for the Athletics Department: Structural changes â&#x20AC;˘ Football pitch and Athletics track The new football pitch and athletics track has been a fantastic improvement to our facilities. Due to its high level of specification, ABS has collaborated with the wider community to offer more high level Track and Field meets with the Jordanian Federation than ever before. Further to this, in September 2017, ABS hosted the first FC Barcelona Escola Football Camp. This was very successful and acted as a springboard to continue with a full FC Barcelona Escola in 2018/19.

â&#x20AC;˘ The Stallions Academy The Stallions Academy again grew and included all-year practice across a number of sports. This included Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Dance, Ballet, Basketball and Football (known as the Little League). This year saw a record number of students sign-up and we received immensely positive feedback about the academy. We also introduced Fencing and Tennis this year to the sports portfolio. AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

• Tennis Academy Tennis continues to thrive at ABS; our partnership with Modern Tennis Academy Jordan continues. We are training a number of ABS tennis players so as to form a team. Programme Developments The Athletics programme developed to be an all-year sports programme rather than seasons system. Students can practice their favourite sport for almost eight months. Memberships • Amman Athletic Conference (AAC) ABS continues to be a leading member of our local league, the Amman Athletic Conference. • OASIS Activities Conference (OAC) ABS continues as a full member of the international OASIS Conference in May 2018 after the Annual General Meeting held in Abu Dhabi, and will host three OASIS tournaments next year in Basketball, Track and Field and Badminton/Tennis. Fundraising • In partnership with the Booster Club, the Athletics Department raised over 15,000 JOD through the 8-Hour ABS Marathon • In partnership with the Wings of Hope Society, we assisted by hosting the Wings of Hope Basketball Tournament that helps their programme of social and welfare assistance to underprivileged people in Jordan. ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

2017/18 Performance Review • We offered over 38 teams across six sports: Football / Basketball / Volleyball / Track & Field / Badminton / Gymnastics • More than 500 students again showed commitment to various ABS teams • ABS were present in 36 tournaments locally and internationally • Below are our major results: Team

Competition

Rank

U18 Girls Football

AAC

2nd

U16 Boys Football

OAC

1st

U16 Boys Football

AAC

1st

U16 Girls Volleyball

OAC

3rd

U16 Girls Volleyball

AAC

2nd

U14 Boys Football

AAC

1st

U14 Boys Basketball

AAC

2nd

Track and Field

MOE

1st

Track and Field

OAC

1st

Track and Field

AAC

1st

Badminton

OAC

2nd

U18 Boys Volleyball

AAC

3rd

New Partnerships • FC Barcelona In September 2017, ABS hosted the first FCB Escola Football Camp. This was very successful and FC Barcelona were very impressed with the support the Athletics Department provided and, of course, the new football pitch.

Omar Abdalla Athletics Director 36

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

The year 2017/18 was a very busy and productive year for the Booster Club. It was formed as an advisory body to assist the Athletics Department in tournaments and fixtures and also provides support for fundraising activities. The Booster Club is a voluntary organisation and so we would like to thank its members for their time and commitment for such an important part of our Home-School Partnership at ABS. Major Achievements • Providing continued support and guidance to expanding the Stallions Academy (sponsored by ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Mercedes Benz). The Stallions Academy again grew to also include Fencing and Tennis and continued to include all-year practice across a number of sports whilst seeing a record number of students sign-up. • Organising and running the Annual ABS 8-Hour Marathon which raised over 15,000 JOD. • Supporting the Athletics Department with guidance and support for the Wings of Hope Basketball Tournament. • Providing funds to develop and build a new Gym in the Sports Complex that will be available to the school community.

On behalf of the entire ABS community, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and thank all parent volunteers in the Booster Club, who generously gave their time to ensure that ABS continues to improve.

Booster Club

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance 39

PTA Monday Mornings With The PTA Monday Mornings with the PTA continued through 2017-2018 and featured: LEAPS Centre for Learning Disabilities – 2 October 2017 The AEND in collaboration with the PTA invited LEAPS Centre for a successful talk on learning disabilities on Monday 2 October. Around 40 members of the community attended this interactive and highly informative session.

Rania Attallah on Dealing with Stress – 20 November 2017 An overwhelming attendance of ABS parents and staff marked the Monday Morning talk on Dealing with Stress with Rania Attallah on 20 November. The speaker began by defining emotions, actions and needs and went on to emphasise the importance of emotional regulation as means of managing our emotions and fulfilling our needs and others.

Dr Abdullah Kanaan on ‘Jerusalem In Our Hearts’ – 14 December 2017 An overwhelming attendance of ABS students, parents and staff marked the morning talk entitled ‘Jerusalem in Our Hearts’ that was held in the school’s theatre on Thursday, 14 December 2017. HE Dr Abdullah Kanaan, Secretary General of the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs spoke to an emotional audience about Jerusalem’s history and political status, sharing poignant videos and AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

handing out publications aiming at keeping this historical issue alive and close to our hearts.

Support Of School Events And Activities - The PTA continued to hold a small stationery store for students to purchase needed items on an honour basis. This initiative was originally

Dr Justin Patchin – 19 March 2018 The PTA hosted US speaker Dr Justin Patchin, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, on March 19 at the ABS main theatre. Dr Patchin addressed best practices in Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Movie Night – 29 November 2017 The PTA held a private showing of the movie ‘Wonder’ for ABS families and friends on Wednesday 29 November 2017 at Prime Cinemas Baraka Mall as a fundraiser for the PTA. The theatre was full of parents, teachers and students who enjoyed the movie in a comfortable setting surrounded by friends and schoolmates; JD 628 was raised. The movie ‘Wonder’ is based on the best selling novel ‘WONDER’ which tells an incredibly inspiring story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. Karama Day The PTA celebrated Karama Day to mark the joyous occasion on 21 March. Ma’an Band ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

started in March 2016. We hope parents will encourage their students to use this service responsibly otherwise we might consider stopping this service due to continued losses. - The PTA provided the required support for the CIS/IB Synchronised Accreditation Visit, including committee participation. - The PTA provided the Graduation Caps for Grade 12 as is part of the PTA Tradition.

Lobbying Efforts In addition to the above activities, the PTA presented, discussed, lobbied and were involved in various issues of concern to parents, including: - New school day structure - Setting up of a Wellbeing Committee - The new structure of the Booster Club - Issues related to PE and Athletics - Issues related to transition and continuity across all ABS sections - Various academic issues related to classroom policies and teaching - Issues related to discipline and bullying - Issues related to the school’s communication policy - Issues related to shuffling students in the Primary School - Issues related to catering and providing healthier food on campus

Donations A few PTA members joined an initiative established by members of a few of Amman’s private schools to provide essential assistance to underprivileged members of the Jordanian community. The PTA is planning to organise an event to raise funds for this purpose.

Mrs Sana’ Muasher (Lali Kids) – 29 January 2018 The PTA hosted Mrs Sana’ Muasher for a Monday morning talk on 29 January 2018 at the MYS Media Centre. Mrs Muasher discussed the importance of music in children’s linguistic, cognitive, emotional, mental, and physical development. Mrs Muasher also discussed the importance of Arabic songs, in specific, in aiding Arabic language acquisition in children.

performed national songs to which the students and teachers all joined together for dabkeh. Deeritna Catering supplied shawerma and falafel sandwiches and Kunafeh.

PTA 40

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service 41

Staff Professional Development ABS prides itself on being a community of learners where learning does not only take place by students but even more so by the staff. ABS continues to place a big emphasis on professional development as a way to continuously improve the quality of teaching and learning in the school. A full review of the professional development policy and procedures took place to ensure transparency, equity and effective implementation and to confirm that professional development needs are met to further enhance student learning in the school. The review included thorough analysis of the results of the survey that was sent to all the ABS staff. It was great to see that the results

revealed a high level of satisfaction among the staff for the professional development programme at the school. To continue with our strategic plan to â&#x20AC;&#x153;investigate the feasibility of enhancing the educational qualifications of new and existing staff through the provision of internationally recognised professional development opportunitiesâ&#x20AC;?, we are very pleased to announce that 16 ABS teachers finished four units delivered throughout the last two years by professors from the University of Bath who came specifically to the Amman Study Centre at ABS. These teachers whose training was fully funded by the school will soon be receiving AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

• Several IB PYP, MYP, DP and CP workshops organised by IBAEM in Europe, TAALEEM and IBICUS in Dubai and QRTA in Jordan • Several IB PYP, MYP, DP and CP online workshops • World Academy of Sport workshop ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

• EARCOS Leadership conference, October 2017 • Teachers Skills Forum - organised by QRTA Dead Sea, March 2017 • Round Square Conferences in South Africa and Bangladesh • IB Heads Conference in The Hague - October 2017 • Safeguarding Training, ABS - September 2017 • The Arab Thought Forum (TAMAM Project) in Beirut and Amman • IB Curriculum eAssessment Authoring Committees’ Meetings - IB Assessment Centre, Cardiff, UK • English Language Courses, British Council, Amman • Accounting courses • First aid courses • Arabic as a second language course for expatriate staff • Mindfulness training, MindUp Institute, USA University counselling workshops - International High Schools counsellors Summit, March 2018 - GESCO March FAM trip - London, March 2018 - Annual International Florida Five fly, February 2018 - CIS Forum, March 2018 - Discover Ireland's Flagship Universities, March 2018 Our educators continue to be highly regarded by reputable educational organisations and their expertise continues to be sought after in a variety of roles:

• Council of International Schools: Throughout the academic year, 2 senior administrators and 3 teachers and 1 support staff member were invited to serve as members on accreditation teams - 1 chaired a CIS/MSA Team Evaluation visit - 1 co-chaired a CIS Team Evaluation visit - 4 served on Team Evaluation visits • Queen Rania Teachers Academy: Invitations were sent to 2 senior administrators and 3 members of staff to lead IB workshops in Amman, Jordan • International Baccalaureate: Invitations were sent to 13 members of staff to: - lead IB workshops - be trained as IB workshop leaders and site visitors - evaluate IB workshops through the programme field representative role - train other workshop leaders, consultants and team leaders ABS was represented in the following educational forums:

• Round Square Annual Regional Conference in South Africa - September/October 2017 • Round Square Conference in Bangladesh January/February 2018 • IB Global Conference in The Hague - October 2017 Bassma Nimri Vice Principal (Arabic Secondary Grades 6-12)

Programme

and

their Post Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies and IB Educator Certificate. Nine teachers will continue their journey to achieve Masters in Education. A second batch of teachers have now been chosen and will go through the same programme through the ABS University of Bath Study Centre. Participating teachers greatly appreciate the fact that the school is paying the cost of these units from its professional development budget. It is worth mentioning here that the Amman Study Centre also attracts teachers from other schools who benefit from this amazing opportunity. - towards As part of our school’s social responsibility its community, ABS continues to collaborate with QRTA to provide training to student teachers who come to us from government schools to be exposed to the highest standards of teaching and learning. Four student teachers from the Ministry of Education schools in the Kingdom spent a total of nine weeks at ABS as they were being trained by our teachers who acted as their mentors. This programme started two years ago and will continue on an annual basis. In addition to the above opportunity, ABS continues to ensure that staff are kept abreast of the latest educational practices and curriculum updates. 152 teaching and non-teaching members of staff across the whole school benefitted from numerous professional development opportunities that took place in or out of Jordan or online during 2017-2018. These opportunities included the following:

ABS Student Numbers from 2007/8 to 2017/18 1400

1200

Number of Enrolled Students

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

Student Numbers

1000

800

600

400

200

20072008

20082009

20092010

20102011

20112012

20122013

20132014

20142015

20152016

20162017

20172018

Academic Year

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

INCOME 2017 - 2018

Exam Fees 1%

Catering 1%

Other Income 4%

Supply Fees 4% Bus Fees 3%

Tuition Fees Bus Fees Supply Fees Exam Fees Tuition Fees 87%

Catering Other Income

EXPENDITURE 2017 - 2018 Non Teaching Supplies 3%

Capital Expenditure 7%

Insurance and General Admin 4% Staff Children Discount 6%

Teachers & Support Staff Salaries & Benefits

Scholarships and Financial Aid 3%

Teaching Supplies Utilities & Maintenance

Utilities & Maintenance 4% Teaching Supplies 5%

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Scholarships and Financial Aid Staff Children Discount Teachers & Support Staff Salaries & Benefits 68%

Insurance and General Admin Non Teaching Supplies Capital Expenditure

Overview of Income & Expenditure

Wellbeing Essential Agreements: Commitment - Cooperation - Empathy - Honesty - Respect - Tolerance

Fundraising Capital Campaign

We would sincerely like to thank those who supported and made a difference over the past 36 years and encourage those interested in contributing to do so in the coming years. This year, we raised JD 130,613 from our generous sponsors and events. The value of our actions, small and big, is measured by the impact they make. Given the growing importance of education as an integral tool with which we impact our community, the importance of supporting this sector has also grown. All gifts, no matter their size, will make a difference. ABS aims to improve and develop its facilities through the fundraising campaign. To take part in this campaign means you are actively contributing to our endeavour and relentless efforts in providing the students with a well-rounded and beneficial learning experience, which will enable them to become a generation capable of excellence and achievement in various fields and sectors.

implement our Master Plan, we need our communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generous assistance. In addition to focusing on obtaining donations for school facility renovations that improve the overall educational process as it keeps up with the latest methods and trends, the school also aims to allocate some of the donations to student events and activities. To learn more about The ABS Experience Fundraising Campaign, please visit our website at www.abs.edu.jo/supporting-abs/#fundraising Together as a team, we ensure the success of the educational process and achieve the goals previously set.

One of the most important values that we instil in ABS students is giving back to their school community as proud members of our alumni. We also look forward to welcoming them back as parents and grandparents. At ABS, we believe that strategically developing our facilities based on our Master Plan offers students the space for curricular and co-curricular activities. In order to effectively

Sandy Abu-Arja, Ed.D, MA.Ed, BSc.Ed, BSc Assistant Principal (Development) AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

The 2017-2018 year has been another very busy year, starting with the completion of 3 major projects from last year: the new Innovation & Design Centre; the Track and Field surface and the Stadium seating plus the final commissioning of Phase 2 of the Photo-Voltaic system in February 2018. Some work has to be done just to maintain the facilities whereas others will really enhance what we already have. As always, there is a high degree of attention to health & safety and where issues are identified we endeavour to resolve them at the earliest opportunity. The list below highlights major and minor projects over the course of the year although there are numerous small jobs that have not been listed.

Chris Webb BSc, MSc, PGCE, MBIFM Assistant Principal (Administration) ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Project

Notes

Building C Media Centre PVC Flooring (Summer 2017)

Replace old carpet with PVC flooring (Hygiene)

Replacing old A/C units in Sports Complex Dance Room and some offices

New systems are more energy efficient

New surface for lining-up area between Buildings B & C flooring (Summer 2017)

Old surface was deteriorating – new surface is non-slip and more robust

PVC Flooring for Building A and B multipurpose halls (Summer 2017)

To replace old flooring

Replace Theatre stage rubber flooring (Summer 2018)

Old surface was deteriorating – new surface is non-slip and more robust

Enhancing the area between MYS and Building A (Summer 2017)

Creates a more pleasant area for students to sit at recreation times

Replace evacuation route signage in all buildings (Summer 2017)

Standardise evacuation signs across the campus

Installing window blinds in some rooms (Summer 2017)

Better light control in teaching areas

New aluminum kitchen cabinets in Buildings B and C (Summer 2017)

Replace old wooden units

Art Department Epoxy flooring (Summer 2017)

Creating a more robust surface

Acoustic panels for main gym (Summer 2018)

To improve gym acoustics – funded largely by Wings of Hope and the Booster Club

Converting two small rooms into one big classroom in MYS – Mathematics floor (Summer 2018)

Creates a more useful teaching space in the Mathematics floor

Replacing carpet with PVC flooring in Art department (Summer 2018)

For hygiene and safety reasons

New Parking & Collecting zones & walkway shading (Summer 2018)

To facilitate the new car pick-up arrangements resulting from changes to the school day

Master Plan and Premises Report

Round Square | Spirit of: Adventure - Democracy - Environmentalism - Internationalism - Leadership - Service

Whole School Strategic Plan Objectives 2014-2019: Academic Year 2017-2018 • To create a long term financial plan that will support the

incorporates

implementation of the Whole School Strategic Plan (Principal) B3 -

programmes as appropriate (Assistant Principal Administration) D4 -

completed May 2017

completed (Design Technology Innovation Centre)

• To review the roles and responsibilities of the Extended Management

• To broaden student access to individual guidance and support,

Team and all posts of responsibility to ensure effective distributed

including academic mentoring (Director of Student Wellbeing and

leadership and the collaborative working of all four schools (Principal)

Achievement) E2 - ongoing

B4 - ongoing, initial review completed October 2017

• To investigate ways to provide more opportunities for staff

• To efficiently and effectively implement the curriculum of all

development for teachers, administration and support staff so as to

programmes of inquiry, specialist subjects and student wellbeing

achieve staff professional learning (Vice Principal Arabic) F2 - ongoing

expectations (Head of Primary and Deputy Head Primary) C2 - ongoing

• To fully implement a new school information management system to

• To efficiently and effectively implement the concept-based curriculum

ensure effective and efficient management of information in all areas of

and student wellbeing expectations (Head of Middle Years School) C2 -

school operations (Assistant Principal Administration) G1 - completed

ongoing

• To ensure a mutually supportive home-school partnership with all

• To efficiently and effectively implement the concept-based curriculum

relevant stakeholders so as to support student learning and welfare

and student wellbeing expectations (Head of IB College) C2 - ongoing

(Assistant Principal Development) H1 - completed

• To continue to implement the Whole School Learning and Teaching

• To ensure the effective mapping of all school co-curricular

Policy, including whole school, divisions and departmental self-reviews

programmes and that they meet the highest international standards

and audits (Director of IB Continuum) D1 - completed

(Assistant Principal Development) H3 - completed

• To ensure effective vertical curriculum articulation through the school,

• To ensure that all school "outreach" events, conferences, meetings,

including the introduction of appropriate curriculum mapping software

media and publication materials are of the highest possible standard in

(Director of IB Continuum) D2 - completed

English and Arabic (Assistant Principal Development) H4 – ongoing

the

most

innovative

educational

thinking

its

• To ensure that the school implements best educational practices and 47

AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

• To ensure that all recommendations from the CIS/IB Five Year

revised School Day arrangements for 2018 – 2019 (Head of Primary

Evaluation Report are fully followed up and implemented, as

School) C3

appropriate (Principal) B1

• To implement a full programme of teaching staff differentiation

• To ensure effective reaccreditation of ABS with the World Academy of

training and monitor and evaluate its effectiveness in developing

Sport as an Athlete Friendly Education Centre (Director of Student

classroom practice (Vice Principal) C3

Wellbeing and Achievement) B1

• To fully review the Whole School Learning and Teaching Policy and

• To review the roles and responsibilities of the Leadership Team and

Whole School Self-Evaluation strategy in line with latest international

Extended Management Team and all posts of responsibility to ensure

best practice (Principal and Director of IB Continuum) D1

effective distributed leadership and the collaborative working of all four

• To ensure effective vertical curriculum articulation through the school,

schools (Principal) B4

including best practice use of curriculum mapping software (Director of

• To review the enhanced feasibility of the IB Career-related programme

IB Continuum) D2

in light of recognition from the Ministry of Education and propose

• To broaden student access to individual guidance and support,

strategies to promote increased student take up of the programme

including academic mentoring (Director of Student Wellbeing and

(Head of IB College) IBC C1

Achievement) E2

• To review the implementation of the IB MYP e-Assessment

• To investigate ways to provide more opportunities for staff

arrangements in light of the third cohort of external results and

development for teachers, administration and support staff, (particularly

continuing developments with the IB (Head of MYS) MYS C1

in the Arabic language) so as to facilitate staff professional learning (Vice

• To efficiently and effectively implement the curriculum of all

Principal) F2

programmes of inquiry, specialist subjects and student wellbeing

• To implement the recommendations from the Co-Curricular Review,

expectations (Head of Primary School) C2

including the full update of the Co-Curricular brochure providing a full

• To efficiently and effectively implement the concept-based curriculum

overview

and student wellbeing expectations (Head of Middle Years School) C2

Development) H3

• To efficiently and effectively implement the concept-based curriculum

• To ensure that all school "outreach" events, conferences, meetings,

and student wellbeing expectations (Head of IB College) C2

media and publication materials are of the highest possible standard in

• To ensure that all educational arrangements are fully in place for the

English and Arabic (Assistant Principal Development) H4

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

all

ABS

Co-curricular

activities

(Assistant

Principal

Whole School Strategic Plan Objectives 2014-2019: Academic Year 2018-2019

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

CIS Major Commendations and IB Commendations CIS Major Commendations Domain A: Purpose and Direction The school, for its comprehensive, recent review and refinement, of the ABS Guiding Statements which have created a clear and unique set of values in AL TARBIYEH to guide the school in its future development and identity. The Leadership Team for their provision of safeguarding training and policy development that has clearly established the school as a place where a child's wellbeing is the first priority. Domain B: Governance, Leadership & Ownership The Board of Trustees and the Leadership Team for recognising the value in developing the AL TARBIYEH from the Guiding Statements, to create an effective tool to drive strategic planning and decision-making. The Leadership Team for their effective and creative facilitation of the creation of AL TARBIYEH and the ABS Experience Model to embed locally-rooted inter-cultural competencies, and to champion global citizenship. The Board of Trustees and the Principal for their commitment to a mutually-respecting and trusting working relationship thereby furthering a conducive learning climate at the school. Domain D: Teaching and Assessment for Learning: Primary School The Primary School Leadership Team for cultivating a comprehensive Assessment Policy that communicates the attainment of knowledge, understanding, skills and behaviour of students’ learning.

The Primary School Academic Leadership Team for the investment in Teaching Assistants for the support of language development in students. Domain D: Teaching and Assessment for Learning: Middle Years School The Middle Years School Grade Level Leaders, Heads of Department and Curriculum Coordinators for utilising the data collected from the Learning and Teaching audits in all subject areas in order to improve students' learning outcomes. The Student Achievement Team, for developing a system to collate and analyse the data to drive students’ learning. Domain D: Teaching and Assessment for Learning: IB College The IB College for embracing the school's Guiding Statements to engage students in their learning to promote a connection to their heritage while developing them as global citizens. The IB College Team for helping students and parents understand the connection between assessment and learning. The school's Leadership Team and IB College Team for developing students’ intercultural learning and development as global citizens while reviving a sense of awareness and pride in their own Arab heritage. Domain E: Students’ Learning and Wellbeing The school for ensuring a positive and proactive community that is highly committed to the wellbeing of the students. The ABS community for actively ensuring a high level of trust and wellbeing that is translated in the

teaching and learning of the students. The school for developing a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy that has been translated into Arabic to serve the whole school community. Domain F: Staffing The Board of Trustees and Leadership Team for developing a benefits package which, when combined with a robust performance management system, has contributed to recruiting and retaining a high quality, stable staff, with consequent benefits for students’ learning. Domain G: Premises and Physical Accommodation No Major Commendations Domain H: Community and Home Partnership The ABS community for creating an outstanding “whole-school climate” and a highly positive learning community, which fully reflects the Guiding Statements. The Leadership Team for offering various service and charity programmes promoting internationalism and global citizenship. IB Commendations Section A: Philosophy Practice 1: All stakeholders for demonstrating an in-depth understanding of IB philosophy. Practice 2: The Board of Trustees for their steadfast commitment to and enthusiastic support for the philosophy and vision of the IB. Practice 3 (PYP): The school for the commitment to AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

incorporating the Primary Years Programme as a curriculum framework in their school. Practice 4: The school for ensuring that an understanding of the learner profile attributes and international-mindedness permeates all aspects of school life. Practice 6: The school for fostering a consistent, open and transparent communication system across the entire school community based on understanding and respect. Practice 7: The school for its clear focus on ensuring that students maintain pride in and knowledge of their Arabic language and heritage within an internationally minded curricular framework. Practice 7b (PYP): The school for making provisions for students to learn another additional language as well as developing as a bilingual school. Practice 8: The school for effectively promoting and maintaining participation in the IB world community. Section B: Organisation B1 Leadership & Structure Practice 1: The school for developing systems to keep the school’s stakeholders, especially its Board of Trustees, appraised of the implementation and development of the programmes. Practice 6a (MYP): The school for developing and implementing an organisational structure which allows for the fully supported implementation of the MYP. B2 Resources & Support Practice 2: The governing body for the provision of funds to develop teacher qualifications and individual professional development. ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018

Practice 5 + 5a + 5b + 5c: The school for ensuring that its physical and virtual learning environments support the implementation of the programmes. Practice 6: The Media Centre team for their active, knowledgeable and enthusiastic support for all elements of IB teaching and learning. Practice 7: The school for providing a wealth of opportunities that enable the students to access and understand global issues closely linking with the IB mission and philosophy. Practice 9 + 9a (MYP, DP, CP): The school for providing students with effective support and guidance throughout the MYP and DP, allowing them to make informed subject choice decisions for short and long-term life choices.

into their culture, identity and belief systems of their host country within the programme. Standard C3: Teaching and Learning Practice 13: The school for placing importance on reflection being an integral part of feedback between teachers and students during the learning engagements. Standard C4: Assessment Practice 8: The school for encouraging students to be part of ongoing reflection on their work and for creating ways and means to self assess. Practice 9: The school for ensuring the exhibition is part of the Primary Years Programme and that there are systems in place for students to demonstrate their understanding as inquiry learners.

Section C: Curriculum (PYP)

Section C: Curriculum (MYP)

Standard C1: Collaborative Planning Practice 2: The school for implementing systems and schedules that allow teachers built in time to meet, plan, develop and reflect on the programme. Practice 7: The school´s dedication to ensure there is collaboration among the staff to support time given to reflect on and discuss student learning. Practice 9: The school for fostering the philosophy and the ethos of the learner profile attributes within the school community.

Standard C1: Collaborative Planning Practice 1 + 1a + 1b: The teachers for planning collaboratively to create a variety of interdisciplinary unit plans that strengthen cross-curricular skills and deepen disciplinary understanding. Practice 7: The school for ensuring collaborative planning and reflection is informed by assessment of student work and learning. Standard C2: Written Curriculum Practice 1b: The school and the Approaches to Learning leader for the commitment to the importance of the delivery of approaches to learning skills. Practice 5a: The school and the Service as Action leader for their dedication to the incorporation of service learning throughout all years of the programme in the written curriculum.

Standard C2: Written Curriculum Practice 1b: The school for beginning the process of review and implementation to ensure horizontal and vertical articulation of the programme of inquiry. Practice 7a: The school for fostering tangible opportunities and experiences for students to inquiry

CIS Major Commendations and IB Commendations

IB Learner Profile: Balanced - Caring - Communicators - Inquirers - Knowledgeable - Open-Minded - Principled - Reflective - Risk-Takers - Thinkers

CIS Major Commendations and IB Commendations Practice 7: The teachers for developing MYP unit plans which include meaningful learning experiences that promote studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; awareness of local, national and world issues. Standard C3: Teaching and Learning Practice 1a: The teachers and the Global Context leader for developing and implementing learning experiences using global contexts for inquiry based learning in all years of the programme. Practice 2: The school for its continued engagement to stimulate students to become critical thinkers and inquirers. Practice 4: The teachers and staff of the media centre for promoting the understanding of the importance of academic honesty practices. Practice 7: The school for providing a bilingual education, and the staff for strongly supporting the diversity of student language needs. Practice 12: The school for promoting meaningful student action in response to students' own needs and the needs of others. Practice 14: The school for fostering a stimulating learning environment based upon mutual understanding and respect. Standard C4: Assessment Practice 3: The school for expanding its use of traditional assessment strategies and tools. Section C: Curriculum (DP and CP)

Standard C2: Written curriculum Practice 1 + 1a + 1b + 1c + 1d: The school for offering a range of DP subjects that meets the needs of its students. Practice 7: The school for enriching the student experience and enhancing their learning via a variety of media. Practice 11: The school for embracing and promoting all attributes within the curriculum, teaching and wider aspects of school community. Standard C3: Teaching and Learning Practice 4: The school for its commitment to the values and importance of academic honesty. Practice 11: The school and the Media Centre staff for their focus on the use of technology to enhance teaching and student learning. Practice 13: The school for its effective promotion of reflection as an attribute which enhances learning and life skills. Practice 14: The school for fostering a positive and encouraging atmosphere in which learning is based on understanding and respect. Section C4: Assessment Practice 7: The IB College for its thorough analysis of examination results each year. Practice 9: The school for placing value and importance on the extended essay process within the DP.

Standard C1: Collaborative Planning Practice 1 + 1a + 1b: The school for developing systems that enable collaborative and interdisciplinary work involving all members of the CP and DP teams. AMMAN BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL

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‫‪ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2018‬‬