This week, a focus on the Middle Years: Year 5 to Year 8. Suzanna Hawkins, Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Middle Years hosted a parent workshop alongside Peter Jones, Head of Secondary and Ali Venn, Head of Year 7. Staff were joined on stage by Secondary students, and parents heard about the three key strands underpinning the journey from Year 5 through to Year 8 and beyond. Secondary students then hosted parents on a tour of the campus.
Our Middle Years community removes the experience of a traditional and potentially problematic ‘transition’ and replaces it with a smooth, evolutionary journey. Middle Years bridges what would otherwise be a gap, between a Primary and Secondary school and aligns our two sections to come together to form one school.
There are three key areas of focus to ensure a successful journey through this stage in our students' learning and developmental journey.
More information about the Middle Years at ISB has been shared on a dedicated page of the Primary Newsfeed. Here, parents can read more about the three key strands and what this journey looks like for ISB students.
U11 FOBISIA Swimmers 🏊
A special mention for our swimmers who are currently competing in Thailand. ISB's talented swimmers are taking part in the 2024 FOBISIA swimming competition. ISB has sent 22 swimmers across Primary and Secondary which is taking place in Thanyapura Sports and Health Resort in Phuket, Thailand 🇹🇭. There will be 1,300 swimmers from more than 40 schools competing. The very best of luck! 🥇🥈🥉
Congratulations also to our Hammerheads Swim Club members on an outstanding performance at the 5th Brunei National Age Group Sprints 2024. Quite a haul of medals including 43 Gold 🥇, 61 Silver 🥈, and 53 Bronze 🥉. 👏 👏
There is a wealth of research that tells us getting outside, running around, breathing fresh air, and getting dirty is good for our children. Aside from the observational skills and problem solving, being outdoors also has a significant positive impact on wellbeing, social skills, and overall academic success.
Over the last few weeks, the Pre Kindy and Kindy children have been busy creating their own child led outdoor learning space. In a short space of time, a rather large hole they have dug, has become a swimming pool, pond, mixing pot for magic potions and even their own day spa.
Children have used their entire bodies to manage the child size, but still heavy spades, trowels, rakes and logs. They have negotiated over where the excess mud will go and have taken it in turns to move this around the space in wheelbarrows.
We would like to thank the families who have already donated logs and plant cuttings. These have offered the beginnings of a campfire and herb garden. The space will be central to teaching children about nature and the eco issues the world faces. Considering this, we are trying to be as creative and sustainable as possible in sourcing resources for the area. Items such as tyres, ropes, plants, old planters/ pots, wooden logs, pegs, and camping items are always welcome additions.
It's been a busy week... 🤩
Pre Kindy did a wonderful job finding items on their shopping list, Kindy repotted their own plants with the help of horticultural experts, Reception have been writing independently, Year 1 have been designing a new machine to keep the oceans clean, Year 2 turned their learning environment into a Pizzeria, Year 3 have been sorting information to make fact files about animals, Year 4 have been using trundle wheels to measure length and perimeter, Year 5 have been writing poetry, and Year 6 have published information posters using Canva.
If you have any questions about any aspect of school life, please do not hesitate to message me in Seesaw.
Mr Michael Everett | Head of Primary
🗓️ Thursday 8th February - Public Holiday.
🗓️ Friday 9th February - Public Holiday CNY.
🗓️ Friday 23rd February - Public Holiday National Day.
🗓️ Tuesday 5th & Wednesday 6th March - Parent Teacher Consultations.
🗓️ Monday 11th March - Public Holiday TBC.
🗓️ Friday 15th March - Last day of Term 2.