al yasmina school newsletter issue2
TRANSCRIPT
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
CONNeCtBLOOMGrOwLeArNNurturePLAY
ABu DHABI ISSue 2MArCH 2012
PARTNERSHIPTHE SECONDARY
AL YASMINA SCHOOL STRIVES TO BE AN OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL, MAXIMISING THE LEARNING POTENTIAL OF ALL
CONteNtSweLCOMe frOM tHe HeAD Of SCHOOL, Mr GALe 3
AIrLINe fOOD, SNOwBALL fIGHtS AND DISCO MOveS: rePOrtS frOM tHe SkI SLOPeS 4
fOCuSING ON tHe ArABIC DePArtMeNt 5
StuDY tIPS frOM YeAr 11 StuDeNtS 7
tHe jOYS Of vOLuNteerING 8
HOw tHe SCHOOL SuPPOrtS StuDeNtS 9
AL YASMINA Set tO BeCOMe COMMuNItY reCYCLING CeNtre 10
ALL ABOut MAtHS 11
wOrk exPerIeNCe SHArPeNS CAreer GOALS 12
SNIPPetS: A quICk LOOk At tHe HIStOrY trIP, SeCOND-HAND uNIfOrMS AND SCIeNCe week 13
StuDeNtS Of tHe MONtH 14
SPOrtS NewS 15
fAMILY fuN DAY 16
Welcome to the second issue of The Secondary PArtNERSHIP, the official newsletter of the secondary department at Al Yasmina School. It is emailed to parents on the 1st day of every month or on the last day of term. The Secondary PArtNERSHIP keeps you up-to-date with student activities across the secondary department.
It also gives Al Yasmina School the chance to celebrate progress and achievement and provide more in depth information to parents on a wide variety of subjects.
We welcome your feedback. [email protected]
The Secondary PARTNERSHIPTopics, trends, updates, views and news from the Al Yasmina Secondary Department
weLCOMe
FUN IN THE SNOW: Pictured on the cover are Al Yasmina's skiers and snowboarders on the slopes in Kitzbuhel, Austria. 2
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It’s just 22 days since the inaugural issue of The Secondary PArtNERSHIP was sent out to our parent community. I’m delighted to bring you the second edition, along with some of the comments from parents. Improving our communication is a key objective as we move through the round of changes in the school; it’s good to know you think we are on the right track.
The end of the term is always a time for reflection and to focus on what’s ahead. This is especially the case at Al Yasmina as we enter into a new phase at the school. As I said in the last newsletter, the show must go on - and it has. Since the change in the school leadership we have been doing some hard thinking. We’re in the process of scrutinising areas of strength and weakness. In other words, we’re having a good, long hard look at what we do and how we do it - and the good news is there will be a very clear way forward. We will tap into expert advice from external providers who will provide support for the school and our staff along the way. The outcome will be a very clear, realigned vision for the school.
Both myself and our teachers will take time over the holidays to reflect on what we want the school to become and how we want it to look in September when we open our doors. Our students will also need to do some thinking over the holidays, focusing on what they need to do to move their learning forward and to become better learners. There is no time to draw breath as we look towards the final term of the school year. Our GCSE and AS students will need to be focused and determined as their exams continue. Our teachers are behind our students 100 per cent, supporting and nurturing them and encouraging them to aspire to be the best they can. Read more about these support measures on page 9. Hard work reaps rewards and we’ve again recognised our hard working students who have made significant progress by awarding them as students of the month (page 14). Students are nominated by curriculum team leaders in recognition of their effort, progress and attitude. We acknowledge student achievement on a frequent basis, ranging from awarding weekly house points, and then by monthly, termly and finally yearly rewards which recognise attainment and achievement. Today you’ll be able to access your child’s report online and will be able to see for yourself what progress they have made.
This has been a particularly action packed term. In term two every year group has had some kind of enriching experience, whether it is in the classroom, as part of involvement in a show, through after school clubs, educational visits or school trips. Design deadlines mean we can’t feature some of the events over the last couple of days, such as the spring fling, the House swimming competitions and the spring concert, but look out for photos next month. Students on the Year 10 Germany trip are travelling from Munich to Berlin today. They arrive back in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Look for pictures and an account of their visit in the next issue of The Secondary PArtNERSHIP. Meanwhile, this issue focuses on the Arabic Department and in the next edition, on May 1, we will look at PE. Enjoy your holidays and thank you for your continuing support.
Comments, feedback and suggestions:
“I always knew that there was a lot going on in the secondary school, but I had no idea of the breadth of activities until I read this newsletter. The school should be proud of its pupils and the range of opportunities it makes available to them. Well done.” Year 8 parent.
“I’ve just got one thing to say - WOW! This magazine is amazing. I’m looking forward to the next issue.” Year 10 parent.
“Thanks Al Yasmina for such a brilliant magazine. There is a lot to be proud of in the secondary school. I’m forwarding this to the family in the UK who are always asking just what school is like in Abu Dhabi.” Year 11 parent.
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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By emily Green, Year 10
On February 18, 38 excited students headed out on their skiing adventure to Kitzbuhel, Austria. I was in the beginner ski group as I had never skied before. Mr. Stanley, my form tutor, had some of the funniest falls at the most random moments! Miss Williams also specialised in falling spectacularly and skiing unintentionally off-piste, whilst Miss Fenning expertly navigated her way down and across the slopes. Mr Ward also looked impressive on a snow board before the week was out. Even when we were off the skis we were having fun. Ice skating was hilarious and I got an amazing video of Mr Stanley and Mr Ward dancing hand in hand on the ice! But the best bit other than skiing would have to be the disco. Everyone had a great time and the dance offs were pretty funny. Karim did a fine job of advising the DJ of the latest tracks for the group to bust a move to, and rustling up the crowd into a dancing frenzy! Overall it was an amazing trip. Everyone had a great time and improved their skiing skills hugely. I have made so many new friends and have some wonderful memories from our week in Austria.
By Mitchell Bryant, Year 10
Travelling is not always much fun! Airplane food, crying babies and uncomfortable seats. Well, ignoring that, this year’s ski trip was awesome. The views were out of this world! After spending 2 years in Abu Dhabi without seeing natural snow it was breathtaking. On the first day, we were shown to our rooms, given out gear for the week and were taken out to a small slope just to practice. The majority of the time we were out on the slopes or left to have our own snowball fights. I planned to have built a ramp by the end of the week, but couldn’t do anything without being pelted with a snowball. Every year we have a disco at a local club in the town and every year the vibe is great! People I didn’t expect to see dancing were in the middle of the dance floor. I even ended up having a dance battle against my own brother! On the last day, everyone was a little depressed knowing we have to leave the winter wonderland that is Kitzbuhel. Overall it was an amazingly fun trip and I am sad to not be able to go next year.
KITZBUHEL MEMORIES
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Practising speaking Arabic at home is essential if students want to advance their knowledge of the standard spoken language, the Curriculum Team Leader for Arabic, Islamic Studies and Social Studies, Mr Abu Saleh says. Students are taught modern standard Arabic (MSA) which is not spoken in the everyday world where different dialects of Arabic dominate. It is, however, an international Arab language and is increasingly being used in business, media and commerce. It is also used the world over by all Muslims when the Qur’an is recited, in their liturgical activities and during Friday sermons, ensuring it will always thrive and never become totally extinct.
“The children are not getting the environmental support to further enhance and develop the skills which they are learning in the classroom,” Mr Abu Saleh says. “This is a problem for both native and non native speakers. I once asked a group of more than 200 parents how many spoke modern standard Arabic at home and no hands were raised. I am therefore asking parents to spend 15 minutes a night at the dinner table using MSA. Your child needs your support to apply the grammar and structures that we are teaching them.”
MSA is spoken by the Arabic department’s 20 teachers, both amongst themselves and in the classroom. “Modern standard Arabic is always appreciated and highly regarded. If you speak it, you will get respect,” Mr Abu Saleh says. He recognises that Arabic is a challenging language to learn. But he says there are many reasons to continue with Arabic studies beyond Key Stage 3. “Arabic is a doorway to the rich Arabic culture. The language will also help you know about Islam, the religion of 1.4 billion people around the world.” Twenty-two countries have Arabic as their official language and it has been acknowledged
by the United Nations as the world’s sixth most widely spoken language. There are many job opportunities for Arabic speakers in the West. “From work, business and study Arabic is a must for the universal co-existence of the cultures. If you know the basic vocabulary of modern standard Arabic it will immediately open doors for better understanding of Arab and Muslim worlds,” Mr Abu Saleh says.
ArABIC: wHO tAkeS wHAt?The following requirements are set by the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC):• The Arabic language is mandatory for all students from Year 1 to Year 10. Native speakers and some non-native speakers also start their GCSE Arabic as a second language in Y10. • Emirati students without exception have to study Ministry Arabic & Islamic Studies syllabi throughout to pass a Unified Exam conducted by ADEC in Y12.• Other Arab nationals and non-Arab have to study the two subjects in Y11 & Y12 only if they intend to get a Secondary Equivalence Certificate at the end of Y12. Secondary Equivalence Certificate is a prerequisite for admission to UAE-based colleges and universities recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education. • Islamic Studies is mandatory for all Muslim students from Year 1 to Year 12.• UAE Social Studies, taught in English, is compulsory for non-Arab students from Year 4 to Year 9• Arab National students must also study Social Studies, which is taught in Arabic, from Year 1 to Year 9
STUDENTS URGED TO PRACTISE SPEAKING ARABIC OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT: Mr Abu Saleh encourages students to speak modern standard Arabic at home
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CHOOSING ARABIC AS A GCSE SUBJECT
Sixteen-year-old Nicola Burgess is used to taxi drivers and shopkeepers staring at her in surprise. That’s because the Year 11 student talks to them in Arabic, conversing easily with them and often choosing to use Arabic when they have difficulty understanding her Australian accent. She also practices whatever she has learnt in the classroom in the ‘real world’ as often as she can, seeing it as part of her homework. Nicola is the only European student in her Year 11 GCSE Arabic class. Her interest in the language began before she joined Al Yasmina School when she received intensive one-to-one tutoring. Part of the appeal of Arabic, Nicola says, is the written language. “It’s like writing calligraphy. It’s completely different from other languages. It was difficult to learn at first, but as I learn more it becomes easier.”
ARABIC SPELLING BEE
The first ever Arabic spelling competition (Fursan Al-’Imal’)at Al Yasmina School is underway. Eliminations will be held throughout the competition until a winner is revealed at the end of April. It is hoped the competition will nip in the bud the increasingly common practice of using English letters instead of Arabic text when students are writing Arabic words. Fantastic prizes - cash and engraved crystal plaques - are being offered for the top three place getters and the two next best performers. Students will get in extra practice with 10 minutes of each lesson devoted to spelling. Fursan Al-‘Imla’ literally means ‘horse riders of spelling’. In Arabic, the word Faris (singular of Fursan) means horse rider and depicts someone as master or expert so in this case, a spelling expert.
ARABIC IS A CHALLENGE, EVEN FOR NATIVE SPEAKERS
They may be native Arabic speakers, but for three Year 11 students learning modern standard Arabic is almost like learning a whole new language. Lina Sabry (15), Ahmed Aman (15) and Mohamed Arar (16) say that the language is very formal and learning it is at times challenging. The structure and framework is different from the Arabic they use to the point where even saying ‘please’ is different. But they can all see the logic in learning a common form of Arabic that will be understood by those who have a formal education. They see it as an advantage when it comes to job hunting as they can see the drawbacks in speaking Arabic with a regional dialect where the slang used - by both elders and the younger generation - at times makes it difficult for even native speakers to understand each other.
COURSE GRADUATES A two-day course specifically for Arabic teachers has been completed by the department’s 20 staff. The course, “Foundations of Interactive Arabic Teaching”, by Pearson, focused on a variety of topics, ranging from recognising different learning styles through to motivating Arabic speakers.
FOCUSING ON ARABIC: Nicola Burgess says learning Arabic is challenging, but rewarding
LANGUAGE LINKS: Ahmed Aman (left), Mohamed Arar and Lina Sabry
PROUD GRADUATES: Teachers in the Arabic department complete their two-day professional development programme
ENCOURAGING EXAM RESULTS FOR YEAR 12 STUDENTS Year 12 students have received their first exam results - and they show that 66 per cent are either achieving beyond their predicted grades or are exactly where they should be at this stage of their AS programme.
The 19 students sat 44 exams in Applied ICT, Biology, Business and Economics, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology in January. They were tested on aspects of the curriculum that they were taught between September and December last year. Al Yasmina uses ALPS (advanced level performance system) which is designed to provide a school with analysis on how students have performed against national benchmarks. It is linked to their attainment in GCSE exams. Post -16 Learning and Progress Leader Mr Ridpath says that at this stage of the academic year marks from the January exam should be within one grade of the students’ target grade. “ALPS says if they are within one grade in January they should in theory achieve their grade by the May/June exam series,” he says.
The results show that 43 per cent of students have already achieved their ALPS target and 29 out of the 44 students - or 66 per cent - are within one grade of their target. Mr Ridpath says while these results are very encouraging for most students, some need extra help and intervention is being put in place for students who did not reach their goals (see ‘What Kind of Help Do Year 11 and 12 Students Receive?”, page 9) The next set of exams are between May 14 and June 1, when the Year 12 cohort will sit assessments in 17 different subjects.The second ALPS assessment was done last week so these, along with the exam results, were discussed at a parent’s evening, Mr Ridpath says.”Parents were presented with up-to-date data on how the student is performing at this moment. It meant we were able to have very frank conversations with parents about what students need to do to progress to the next step.”
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DISCIPLINE AND AMBITION - AND DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTEYear 12 student Amr Fakhry says hard work, a realistic revision schedule and “amazingly helpful” teachers helped him through his first set of AS exams. He sat Biology, Economics and Business and Physics exams and while he’s “more or less” happy with the marks he achieved, he aims to do even better next time.
Amr says it’s essential to come to terms with the techniques, styles and methods needed to answer AS exam questions, which differ completely from what is required for IGCSE and GCSE exams. All answers for AS exams need depth, knowledge, application, evaluation and sometimes analysis. Amr says achieving a balance between study and leisure time is crucial to creating a productive revision schedule. He didn’t study if he was bored or annoyed or hadn’t had a chance to have a night out and a complete break from his revision.
“The three weeks off in December were crucial for me, as that’s the point where you either forget everything before your exams, or use them to achieve what you want. Three to five hours a day were what I needed to have time to study, revise, and practice exam questions. The constant motivation by teachers is amazingly helpful. They push you to achieve what you’re capable of and sometimes for you to break your expectation level and look beyond, especially if your result wasn’t as satisfying or what you expected.” He says how hard to work is up to the individual. “It all depends on what you want to be. If you’re looking for a decent proper career and life, you need to work hard enough to get into the competitive market of universities, and the better the university, the better chance of having a better life.” Is there anything in particular he has have learnt after completing his first of your AS exams? “They’re easy once you’ve put in the effort, and they’re not the same as IGCSE/GCSE.”
Learn as you go along, rather than leaving study to the last minute - that’s the advice from AS student Jess Vickery. “AS exams are very intense and you need to learn over a period of time, so it’s hard to cram at the last minute,” she says. Jess says she revised a lot before her exams, although this was hard to manage at times because she was back in the UK for the holidays. “I literally had to sit in a room and focus. I was studying quite intensely. What I find effective is studying for an hour, having half an hour break and then going back over the work I’d just done.” Jess says she struck a balance between studying and leisure, finishing her revision by 11am so she could have the rest of the day off.
StOP PreSS!
GCSE GEOGRAPHY AND PRACTICAL PE RESULTSYear 11 GCSE Geography students received exceptional results in their recent exams. The 18 students sat the Human Environment geography exam in January and were tested on settlement change and a moving world (migration). It is worth 25 per cent of their final grade. • 78% of students smashed their CATs predictions• 55% of students gained an A or A*• Priyanka Iyer and Hannah Morris achieved 98% each on their papers. (This equates to 100/100 on the uniform mark scale).• Abigail Alexander achieved 96% on her paper
Year 11 PE students also completed the practical component of their GCSE exam, which is worth 60 per cent of their total marks. The students excelled themselves, achieving on average about seven per cent higher than the previous year›s results. The students were assessed in front of an external moderator in rugby, netball, personal survival, competitive swimming and fitness. Every student scored over 70 per cent with Clare Barwell excelling with 94 per cent. The theory paper, worth 40 per cent of marks, is in May.
STUDY TIPS: Jess Vickery and Amr Fakhry
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THE JOY OF VOLUNTEERING
It’s easy to see that Nick Bryant has a special relationship with Year 2 student Sonny Matchett. The six-year-old’s eyes light up when he sees the Year 12 student and he is eager to show him stories he has written, pictures he has drawn and to tell him about how he got all his words right in a recent spelling test. Nick spends two hours a week in the classroom, helping Sonny with his reading and writing and assisting teachers with administration. He also helped finish off some of the sets for a recent primary production. “It’s something I never thought I’d do, but it’s really easy and enjoyable,” Nick says. “Working with the little kids is so rewarding because they take in everything you say and pay a lot of attention. It’s a good feeling to do something and not expect anything in return.”
Fellow Year 12 student Yasmeen Luqman is also discovering the sense of satisfaction that comes with volunteering. She helps Year 2 students with handwriting, reading, Arabic and science experiments. Yasmeen’s work at the school has led to her doing further volunteer work with Takatof, a voluntary social programme designed by the Emirates Foundation. “Volunteering gives you an open mind,” Yasmeen says. “At school I’ve learnt how to be patient with the little kids and find ways to explain things to them. It’s fun and what I’m doing makes me feel good on the inside.”
http://www.takatof.ae/english
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VOLUNTEER WORK FOR POST-16 STUDENTSNTSAl Yasmina’s Year 12 students are involved in a wide range of volunteer activities as part of the school’s community service award programme. The scheme allows them to contribute to the wider community and to develop self esteem and interpersonal skills and provides an opportunity for the type of part-time work that they would have access to in their home countries. It also adds weight to CVs prepared for university application. Students undertaking three A levels commit to two hours a week; those studying four A levels contribute one hour a week. Students begin in October and finish in April. The students do not participate in the scheme during the lead up to exams. Two students are involved in the school’s sustainability programme (see story page 10), one assists in the Geography department, four help PE teachers, two run a GCSE history support club, three help in the art department and three work in the music department. The school is keen to hear from parents who have any volunteer opportunities for students.
LESSON TIME: Nick Bryant (left) and Sonny Matchett
BOOK TIME: Yasmeen Luqman with Leo Rhodes (partly obscured), Rasha Hassan Beck and Hadi Sayed
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A secondary school ‘spring fling’ disco this month is the major fundraiser for a group of World Challenge Year 12 students who are raising money to help build a school in a Ugandan village.
The March 20 disco is being organised by 11 students who leave for Uganda on June 10. Some of the group are doing the World Challenge as an adventure in its own right, while for others it is part of the gold medal Duke of Edinburgh award. Uganda was chosen from a list of developing countries by the group, and one of the reasons was a team member’s father was born there, says Chloe Moss, one of the students fundraising for the trip. The group has been on a training exercise in the desert and while conditions did not resemble the Ugandan countryside, they were able to rehearse situations that could occur under arduous conditions.
“We looked at what to do if someone got lost, or if there was an injury to someone in the party. We also practiced other skills such as sanitising water,” Chloe says. “We worked on getting the team together and focusing on the roles that everyone needs to play in the group.”Now the practice run has been completed, the group’s attention has turned back to fundraising. Recent fundraising activities include selling Valentine’s sweets bags, providing refreshments at events, organising a cake sale and a charity football match between the Year 12 boys and the teachers (the teachers emerged victorious). It was attended by Radio One DJs Serena, Danny Cee and Flo. Five team members also raised around 6000dhs by completing a sponsored climb up Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain.
In Uganda, the team will spend a week trekking in the jungle and a week helping out in a village. The students plan to add a roof to an unfinished school building and carry out any other carpentry work that they can. Fundraising will go to buy extra building materials in Uganda. It is the end of the monsoon season and the team is expecting wet, muddy conditions with humid conditions in the forest and cooler conditions as they climb higher. Chloe says the group is able to access an comprehensive evacuation plan and will carry a satellite beacon and satellite phone. “It is very remote, and at times it will be quite scary, but that is part of the challenge. But we know if something goes wrong, we can get out quickly. The silver medal for the Duke of Edinburgh is testing, it does push you to the limit, and Uganda will do that too. We will work as a team and I will really get to know the people I go to school with!”
The team members are Rafeh Safdar. Jon Alexander, Daniel Brundan, Nicholas Bryant, Liam Troup, Stefan Bennett, Khalifa Abdulla, Chloe Moss, Emily Prest, Nicole Crighton and Jess Vickery. Meanwhile, the next cohort of Duke of Edinburgh candidates completed the adventure section of their silver medal last weekend, spending three days and two nights in the desert. Want to know more about the Duke of Edinburgh programme?
[email protected]://www.dofe.org
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SuPPOrtING StuDeNtS tO MAke PrOGreSSAl Yasmina School has comprehensive support networks in place for students and systems to let parents know how their children are progressing. The Secondary PArtNERSHIP talks to the school’s Learning and Progress Leader for Students, Mrs Peacock.
HOw DO I kNOw HOw weLL MY CHILD IS PrOGreSSING IN SCHOOL?You will receive specific feedback from parent teacher consultations, which are held twice a year. Parents get a five-minute slot with each subject teacher who will talk to you about your child's target level or target grade. Target level is for students in key stage three or Years 7, 8 and 9 and a target grade is given to students in key stage four, or Years 10 and 11. Teachers will cover the progress your child is making in meeting their target and outline what they need to do to reach this goal. Any issues that are preventing them from making progress - whether it is of a social, academic or behavioural nature - will be discussed.
Reports, which are issued at the end of every term, will also give you a clear indication of how well your child is progressing. The structure of each of the three reports differs. The first term report provides a target grade or level, indicates whether a student is above, on or underperforming and outlines key areas to work on. Term two provides data only and the term three report gives an end of year grade or level combined with an evaluative comment. All reports comment numerically on class work, attitude, homework and participation in class.
Students are nominated for progress and subject awards each term by their teachers. This is a great way to help parents see the progress their child is making – and for the school to celebrate students’ achievements. Nominations are made at the end of each term with certificates given out in award assemblies at the beginning of the following term. Certificates are also given for 100 per cent attendance; the link between attendance and academic outcomes is clearly proven so recognising and rewarding outstanding attendance is essential. House points and the more informal notes in the school planner also help parents to keep a track of their child’s progress.
wHAt DOeS It MeAN If A StuDeNt IS ON rePOrt?All end of term reports are scrutinised by Year Leaders. If a student is getting a 3 or 4 for attitude in five or more subjects then the school contacts parents and the student is put on a monitoring report. Usually any issues with attitude are remedied over the two-week period while the student is on report. Key indicators for attitude are having all equipment needed for lessons, being on task and getting work completed. Teachers rate the child's attitude using the amber, green or red system to provide a quick visual snapshot of the student's day. Being on report has a focusing affect for the student and is a supportive way - which involves parents - of looking through a school day over a period of time to find patterns of behaviour and helping the student to remedy these.
I NeeD tO tALk tO SOMeONe ABOut MY CHILD. wHO DO I CONtACt? There is a clear structure at Al Yasmina for dealing with parents' concerns. For a pastoral matter, start with your child's Learning Mentor. If you feel the situation has not been adequately resolved, then talk to your child's Year Leader. If you are not satisfied with the solutions suggested, then refer your concerns to Mrs Peacock, the school's Learning and Progress Leader for Students. There is a different process for academic concerns. The first port of call for parents is their child's subject teacher. If the issue has not been resolved, parents should make an appointment with the student's Curriculum Team Leader. The third step is to involve the Learning and Progress Leader for Curriculum, Mr Commons. At times, a Learning Mentor may contact parents about a matter that may concern them about a pupil.
When the school was smaller, and before comprehensive systems were in place, parents would talk directly to the Principal, and many of the parents of our older students are used to this approach. Now the school is much larger, this isn't workable. Please use the email addresses below to get in touch with the relevant staff member if you need to discuss your child's progress.
wHAt kIND Of HeLP DO YeAr 11 AND 12 StuDeNtS reCeIve?Extra support is offered to all Year 11 students through a variety of ways. Voluntary revision sessions are offered by all subject teachers, either at lunchtimes or through extra curriculum activities. Specific advice is provided at Year 11 assemblies on dealing with issues such as stress, and this information is also provided to parents. Students practice completing questions under timed conditions and hone their skills on reading interpreting exam questions. Marking schemes are explained so students can better understand what examiners are looking for.
Other measures are put in place for students who need extra assistance. Students who may be struggling with specific subjects work with a teacher on a one-to-one basis either after school or at lunchtime. The school identifies borderline grade C/D students and puts plans in place to provide them with extra support. This could mean small group work, or restructuring classes in the final months before exams begin so intensive support can be provided. Students who need extra support in multiple subjects are indentified in the second term and are assigned mentors. This is a teacher with whom they have a good relationship and who helps with prioritising, establishing a revision timetable and helping the student stay motivated. The mentor will act as a mediator if a student is having difficulties with a particular subject, approaching the subject teacher on their behalf.
key contact detailsYear leaders:Year 7: Mr Hetherington [email protected] 8: Miss Waggett [email protected] 9: Miss Williams [email protected] 10: Mr MacKinnon [email protected] 11: Miss Fenning [email protected]: Mr Ridpath [email protected] and progress leader for students: [email protected] and progress leader for curriculum: [email protected]
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AL YASMINA TO BECOME RECYCLING SCHOOLTwo Post-16 students are spearheading a drive to introduce recycling into Al Yasmina School next term. Brandon Rowland and Rafeh Safdar, both in Year 12, plan to get the wider school community on board by the end of the summer term, eventually establishing Al Yasmina as a recycling drop off point for local residents.
Paper recycling boxes will be placed in classrooms in the first or second week after the holidays and recycling stations for paper, aluminum, polystyrene, plastic and glass will be located on the first and second floors, in the atrium and by the seating areas near the netball courts. If the recycling is successful at the school, the programme will be rolled out to the school community several weeks later, beginning with the families of FS1 and 2 students and moving up through the year groups. Recycling boxes will be emptied into large metal cages these will be emptied by a contractor when they are full and taken to the company's recycling plant. "We plan to start off educating students and then we'll focus on the parents and the school community in general," Brandon says. "We hope our efforts will also reflect positively on Al Yasmina School generally."
The students' decision to become involved in a sustainable development is part of their Community Service Award, which involves students working towards a community cause in their free time. They began in the first term by arranging the removal of plastic cups from the school. Brandon and Rafeh have written a proposal to scrap the use of polystyrene from the cafeteria in favour of a more sustainable option. This is being considered by environmental representatives on Student Voice. Geography teacher Miss Williams says she hopes that the initiatives by the school will make people think about more than just disposing of rubbish in an environmentally friendly manner. "The main emphasis is on reducing what ends up in landfill and challenging our personal consumption and ensuring that recycling is not used to appease our conscience," she says.
TAB TOTALThe Al Yasmina School community has put its weight behind a campaign to help Filipino families living in poverty. Around 10,300 ring pull tabs from soft drink cans were brought into the school in an eight-week period and will be sent to the Philippines where they are used to make handcrafts and other merchandise. These items are then sold to help raise money to provide shelter, food and education for children who were living on dump sites. The Recycle for a Cause campaign is organised by the Philippine Community Fund (PCF). The ring pulls brought into Al Yasmina School weigh around 2.5kg and will allow PCF to create and sell products worth AED5134. Each ring pull is worth 50 fils to PCF. The box is starting to fill up again, so keep bring the tabs into school so PCF can turn your trash into treasure.
GREEN FOR EARTH DAY
Want to help save the planet? World Earth Day on April 22 is an opportunity for students to get on board by paying 1dhs to make a green pledge and 10dhs to take part in a non uniform day. Students are encouraged to wear green to mark Earth Day, which is the world’s most widely celebrated environmental event. Geography teacher Mr McGuinness says members of the Eco Club will address a whole school assembly next term about Al Yasmina’s involvement. Meanwhile they are focusing on making posters about World Earth Day and decorating the paper and card recycling boxes which are being delivered to classrooms.
RING FINGER: Brandon Rowland with the ring pull tabs from soft drink cans
POSTER DESIGN: Eva Salter (left), Jenny Howell, Afrah Ali and Noor Sanie-Eldin work on promotional material for Earth Day
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AL YASMINA SCHOOL
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MATHS CHALLENGELast month's solution is shown below. Well done to Taisir Al Saqri for thinking outside the box. The challenge was: Without lifting your pencil from the page and only drawing 4 straight lines can you pass through every dot in the square below? Tasir's solution is below.
FUN MATHS DAYSecondary pupils honed their numerical skills and fundraised for charity as the school joined a worldwide community of mathematicians for World Maths Day. Students raised more than 10,000dhs for Unicef, the official charity for World Maths Day, and the Year 12 World Challenge trip to Uganda. The Uganda trip coffers were boosted by a number of activities organised by Year 12 students, including an opportunity to throw a sponge at a teacher, and to stock up at a popular tuck shop, Maths Curriculum Team Leader Mrs Volynchook-Wilson says.
Secondary students were split into House groups and took part in activities with a mathematical theme organised by six different departments. An on-line stock exchange which allowed students to buy and sell shares made the most profit. The most popular activity was organised by the science department and involved students buying items to make a parachute to enable an egg to float gently to the ground from the school roof. Students also joined an online community of 5.5 million mathematicians on the World Maths Day website where they entered live challenges with up to three students the same age and mathematical ability. “It was a great day for all the students, who hopefully improved their maths skills, had fun and also raised money for charity and to help the Year 12 group on the road to Uganda,” Mrs Volynchook-Wilson says.
Endeavour was the winning House on the day, topping the points table in activities in maths, science, art and history and edging out Voyager who came a close second, taking the most points in English, Humanities and PE. In third place was Challenger and Discovery followed in fourth place. http://www.worldmathsday.com/
tHIS MONtH’S CHALLeNGe
Paul is half as old as Sarah. One year ago Paul’s age was just two fifths of Sarah’s age one year from now. How old are Paul and Sarah? Please email your answers. The solution and the person who solved it correctly will be published in the next newsletter. [email protected]
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Discovery Endeavour challenger voyager
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ISSue 2MArCH 2012
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
12
VALUABLE LESSONS LEARNT ON WORK EXPERIENCEWork experience has helped one Year 10 pupil sharpen his career goals. Harrison Crawford spent the week with Al Futtaim Carillion, which provides services in building construction and civil engineering works. The company sent him to the site offices of New York University on Saadiyat Island, which is due to open next year. During his work experience week Harrison spent each of his five days looking at different aspects of the company's operations, beginning with health and safety and moving on to the supply chain, design management, procurement and commercial.
He enjoyed being given real tasks to do, such as working out the best costs for water proofing in one of the buildings and reviewing door schedules and finding numerous discrepancies in the items ordered. Harrison says he enjoyed working both in commercial and procurement. "Commercial is good because it's numbers, which I like, but procurement was interesting too because of the bargaining side. You don't just buy the item, you scout out the best item and
then try and get the best price for it. He says the week has helped him focus on a possible career. "Before I didn't have a clue about what I wanted to do but now I would like to do something with commerce, or possibly procurement as well." Harrison says the staff he met were keen to tell him about their jobs and he had the opportunity to ask lots of questions. He also sat in on meetings. He says what made the week so successful for him was that he was doing something that interested him. "I would recommend work experience, but I would say look for something that you would like to do."
Work experience co-coordinator Miss Stephenson says the general feedback has been positive from both employers and students, with many students realising a more focused idea of their future career choices. "We have forged some positive relationships with local companies which we hope to maintain and develop into partnerships for work experience placements in the future," she says. "Students will use their appraisal forms from employers to do some self-reflection and assess their strengths in the workplace in light of employers’ comments. This will take the form of reflective sessions in PSHE after the Easter holidays when all the appraisals have been received from employers."
BOOKWORMS: Students at the big book swap.
BIG BOOK SWAPMore than a hundred books found new homes when secondary students turned out in force for the Big Book Swap. The event was part of World Book Day, which celebrates books, authors, illustrators and reading. Students were asked to bring in books they no longer needed and were given a voucher for each book they donated which they used to exchange for another book on the day. Unclaimed books were donated to the library. Year 7 students swapped the most books, with Year 8 coming a close second. Most of the book swappers were girls. Goals for next year are to attract more male readers and to double the number of books swapped. Thanks to the Year 8s who organised the Big Book Swap: Kelsi Friedenthal, Sarah Binnie, Jess Schonberg, Lamya Al Yazdi, Aya Zeidan and Ramya Iyer.
http://www.worldbookday.com/
ON THE JOB: Harrison Crawford at the New York University construction site.
ISSue 2MArCH 2012
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
13
SNIPPETS
A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT HISTORYThe past will come to life for 28 GCSE History students, who are on a week-long trip to Munich and Berlin. The trip supports two GCSE examination topics - the rise of the Nazis and the Cold War. Curriculum Team Leader for History, Miss Frampton, says the visit will extend the students’ knowledge and increase their empathy for the past. Highlights of the trip include a visit to Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate. The trip has been organised by North Star. Accompanying Al Yasmina staff on the trip is North Star Director Paul Flaherty, a former British military soldier who speaks fluent German and patrolled the Berlin Wall as part of NATO forces. The students return to Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
TESTING CONDITIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD PARTICIPANTSParticipants in International Award for Young People silver medal expedition battled severe sand storms and high winds during the final day and night of their three-day trek at Fossil Rock, Sharjah. The winds sweeping in from Saudi Arabia resulted in poor visibility and high levels of dust for the 22 students on the trek, who were forced to remove fly sheets from their tents to stop them blowing away. The students completed their final 9km trek in the hazardous conditions, battling through clouds of horizontally blowing sand. The group spent their first day in Wadi Tawian in the emirate of Fujeirah. They used GPS systems to help them navigate through the dry wadi bed and up a challenging hill before selecting a camp site on a flat area at the bottom of the hill. Day two began with a flat trek through another wadi, passing quarries and small oases and covering the 7km in record time.
The Duke of Edinburgh award was established in 1956 and quickly spread to Commonwealth countries and beyond, leading to the formation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Association. The International Award for Young People is used to describe the award worldwide.
THOSE VEXING QUESTIONS...Why don’t my eyes fall out when I sneeze? If I fell into a black hole, where would I go?
If you think you know the answers to questions like these - and can scientifically prove your answers - then you may be the winner of a competition being organised by the school as part of National Science Week. This is a week of activities organised by the British Science Association and is designed to highlight how science, technology, engineering and maths relates to our everyday lives and to inspire a new generation of scientists. Science teacher Mr Wan says students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will receive a series of question to try and solve and a booklet of experiments to try at home. Students who produce the most scientific response to the questions and produce the best book, poster or booklet to show how they did at least two of the experiments from the accompanying booklet could be the competition winners. The deadline for entries is April 10. “Students will hopefully enjoy doing the experiments, be given a chance to research themes more deeply and gain practical skills and independent investigation skills also,” Mr Wan says.
http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/nsew/
FRESH VEGETABLES EACH WEEKPunyaporn Richmond and two of her children, Rebecca and Alexander, collect a box of fresh vegetables from FOY (Friends of Yasmina) volunteers. Orders are placed and paid for by the first Monday of each month. Email your order to Lindy at [email protected] and put the payment in the Vegappetit box at reception. Include your name and mobile number. Then, pick up your box each Wednesday after school outside the secondary library. It’s 30dhs for a 2.5kg box and a 5kg box is 55dhs.
SECOND HAND TREASURESSecond-hand Al Yasmina School uniforms are for sale each Thursday from 12.30pm - 3pm in the atrium. Anyone interested in buying or selling uniforms that are surplus to their requirements should email Urooj at [email protected]
BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GERMAN: Students on the Year 10 history trip receive some German tips from languages teacher Mr Dumange before their departure.
HARD YARDS: Strong winds and limited visibility meant testing conditions for International Award candidates.
UNIFORM DEALS: FOY volunteer Urooj Ahmedani
SAVE A DATECircle May 4 on your calendars - it’s the date for the Al Yasmina ball at the Crowne Plaza on Yas Island which is being organised by FOY. Further details - including how to get your tickets - will follow in the next newsletter.
ISSue 2MArCH 2012
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
14
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Abdulla BukhashimArabic Islamic Native
Haya HassanArabic Islamic Non-native
Amro LuqmanArabic Native
Sara AliArabic Non-native
Shamma Biny SiedArabic Social Studies
Lara wahedArt
jenny GoldsmithBusiness Studies
Hassan Al AsmawiDrama
rebecca von Cotta SchonbergDrama
jess vickeryDrama
wynona BautistaDrama
tommy woutersDrama
faris Al AliDrama
elliott wilkinsonDT
Claire LynchEconomics
Alice von wedelEnglish
karen Alexis GirgisFrench
Max BuldockGeography
Mohammad ShahrourHistory
Chloe quinnICT
Shamma Biny SiedMaths
william AyassMusic
raseel Abu HassanPE
jess vickeryPsychology
Clara ZiadaScience
Alina kamalSpanish
ISSue 2MArCH 2012
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
15
SPORTS NEWS
SARACENS VISITORS The Saracens Rugby Club has had a noticeable presence at Al Yasmina School over the past month, with regular coaching sessions by the local club and a visit from former international players now with the club in London. Al Yasmina students were joined by fellow rugby players from Brighton College Abu Dhabi and the British International School of Abu Dhabi for a one-off coaching session with the London-based players, who included Joe Maddock, a former member of the New Zealand Maori team. The students were put into groups and were put through a series of drills by the professionals, who then took part in a question and answer session with students. Meanwhile, girls and boys in Key Stage 3 have developed their rugby skills under the guidance of Josh Goad, a coach from the Abu Dhabi Saracens, who spent eight weeks working with the students during their PE lessons.
QUICK HANDS: Members of the London Saracens Rugby Club put students through their paces. NEW SKILLS: KS3 students after their eight weeks rugby coaching.
POOL SAFE Six Al Yasmina PE teachers have become qualified lifeguards after completing a six-day training programme. The course covered rescue techniques both in and out of the pool, first aid and also focused on recognising conditions that swimmers may have, such as diabetes and epilepsy, that could contribute to them getting into difficulty in the water.
Swimming teacher Sarah Brundan says the qualification meets new regulations in the UAE which make it compulsory for staff who work around swimming pools to be trained lifeguards. “We also did the course to make sure we are up-to-date with all issues about health and safety in and around the pool,” she says. “Our main focus is about the safety of all our students while they are in this area.” Al Yasmina has 10 PE teachers, seven of whom are qualified lifeguards.
THIRD PLACE FOR GIRLS IN SEVENS COMPETITIONAl Yasmina's U-12 and U- 14 girls' football teams both walked away with third place honours in the annual Dubai football 7s tournament earlier this month. It was the first time many of the players had competed in the tournament, which is the largest football event ever held in the Middle East. PE teacher Miss Oliver says the day was filled with some great performances and solid results for both teams. "It was a great day and I would like to send out my thanks to the parents who took the time out of their weekend to transport and support their daughters. Looking forward to next year!"
ISSue 2MArCH 2012
AL YASMINA SCHOOL
FAMILY FUNA tug of war, sack races, and an obstacle
assault course - these are just some of the activities that brought around 130 families
together for Al Yasmina’s first family sports day. The emphasis was on fun for the families who attended, with some fine sporting prowess and a competitive spirit being shown by both the parents and their
children. The day was organised by Al Yasmina’s PE department and will become a regular occurrence on the school’s social
calendar.