Head of Secondary Letter Week 7/8
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Re: HoS Letter 20.10.23
We made it! It has been a long but fantastic first half term packed with learning and enrichment. I hope that parents found the Year 7, 11 and 13 parent-teacher meetings useful. It is very important that we work together to support Year 7 transition from Primary to Secondary and work together to support Year 11 and 13 in this crucial last year of IGCSE or IB. If you did not manage to see a Tutor or teacher and would like to meet with them then please make an appointment via secadminmgr@ac.isb.edu.bn.
Next half term, all students will be taking part in Academic Mentoring Day. During this day students will meet with their Tutor to have a very open-ended conversation on how they are doing in terms of learning, well-being and enrichment. From this conversation, targets, support and intervention may be agreed upon and monitored to support your child's progress.
Transition plans for students moving from one key stage to another are currently being reviewed. ISB aims to ensure progression from Early Years to Pre-U and beyond. ISB seeks to support students through this journey by providing a broad curriculum continuum with the appropriate challenge. Functional skills such as literacy, numeracy and digital literacy are built upon as are personal and thinking skills such as problem solving, communication, collaboration and empathy.
Next half term we will be hosting two key seminars that all parents are welcome to join. These seminars aim to support parents in understanding the ISB journey. The first seminar ‘Secondary learning and life’ will take place on the 10th November. It will focus on the overall Secondary curriculum and how these build on Primary experiences and learning. Parents will also take a short tour of the secondary school. The second main seminar ‘I(S)B and futures’ will focus on our Pre-U curriculum and pathways and the support that we provide for careers and university options. This will take place the week after on the 17th November.
Another priority area for ISB is to ensure the health and safety of all our community and especially your children. On the 30th October, Mrs Wong will email a letter to all parents and Microsoft form asking all parents to update student and parent contact, medical and dietary information. This information is critical should there be any emergency. The school is also reviewing its security and visitor policy and procedures to help ensure that there is the appropriate balance between ISB being open to parents and the community and considering the safeguarding of all children.
Recently students have been involved in several enrichment activities from netball competitions, House football tournaments to an amazing FOBISIA Drama event that our Year 9 and 10 students took part in. Next half term we look forward to an Art week where students will run mini art activities for other students to take part in, Year 8 Geography fieldtrips, House Swimming gala and many other sports competitions including the Under 15 FOBISIA Games in Thailand. Good luck to our U15s!!We will also be holding ‘International Day’ on the 24th November. This is a whole ISB community event with performances, parades, music, food and arts. There will be a letter going out to all the school community with more details on the event and we really look forward to this.
This half term there has been much to celebrate. I thank all the students, parents and especially our magnificent staff for making it such a success. Now is the time to rest, reflect and recharge.
Enjoy the half-term break.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Peter R Jones
Head of Secondary