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Annual General MeetingIt is with pleasure that I am able to report to you the progress made at BISAK during the last year.
My report summarises the achievements of last year, and also maps out the priorities and educational philosophy for the next academic year.
Last year we were able to continue to focus on raising educational standards in both Primary and Secondary schools and were assisted by the recruitment of some very experienced staff in both sectors to add to our pool of already very talented staff. We have enormously valued the experience and contributions of all our staff and their real passionate desire to do the best that they can for all your children. I applaud all staff for their commitment.
The Board of Governors have continued with their focused support for the development of the school with their prudent financial planning and educational acumen which leaves BISAK healthily posed for the next phase of development of the school. Our Board members commit hours of their time voluntarily with a real focus on improving the deal for your children. Thank you to all Board members – it is so good to see so many of you here.
Most important, I also thank all of you as parents for the continuous encouragement and support that you are giving your child and the reinforcement of all the work that goes on in school.
It has been a challenging start to the school year, with closures due to the HN1 virus. Our stringent health standards have meant that we have had no reported cases of the virus either with staff or students at the school. Indeed thank you to all teachers and parents for continuing to educate our youth through creative means, during the school closure.
I am pleased to be able to report that the downturn in the economic climate has had little impact on the growth of the school. The student roll averaged 385 in 2005/06 rose to 433 in 2006/2007. In 2007/8 we had 467 students on roll. At the last AGM I reported that BISAK had 534 students on roll with a target of 600. Numbers have now increased to 632 students with classes in most year groups wait listed. More-so, our admissions procedures have now become much more rigorous than ever before and it is becoming much more difficult to gain admission at BISAK.
The 20% increase in student roll also bodes well for the future of the school. The expanded school roll has given the board the fiscal flexibility to improve resourcing in all areas of the school, continue to recruit the best teachers and also support new initiatives such as the introduction of the A level programme which starts in September 2010.
Last year, I was able to report to you the setting of new plans which were aimed to drive the school to its next phase of development.
New areas of the curriculum have now been implemented, for example there is now a greater emphasis on Art and Design in Primary, and Drama has been introduced into the Secondary curriculum.
Indeed academically there has been more focused teaching in the core subjects with setting in some year groups and a real emphasis on assessment in all year group throughout the school. Our secondary teachers have successfully implemented the IGCSE programme. There has been a full review of the Arabic programme which is now on offer to all students!
The variety of the extra- curricular activities is constantly being reviewed and updated, for example the more recent introduction of the Duke of Edinburgh Award and MUN for our Senior students. Our student councils and prefects are more active than ever before in both Primary and Secondary schools.
We also promised that we would be extending our Science facilities, and increasing the number of classrooms. Although the downturn of the economy has led to the temporary postponement of the extension of the school, we have overcome these difficulties by providing six portable classrooms and a new science laboratory.
The next phase of development which is well under way will focus on improving our current library provision in order to create a world class learning resource centre. In tandem we will also continue with the improvement of the Art / DT facilities. Most recently the Board of Governors have also approved the recruitment of an additional Art and DT teacher to focus on giving all Primary students specialist provision.
Our focus on the performing arts department has also raised the profile of music and drama at the school, and indeed has been evidenced by the identification of many gifted and talented students in all aspects of performing arts as seen by last years impressive talent show. The upcoming production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dream coat is already involving many students and promises to be a great sensation. We at BISAK are committed to creating all rounded individuals and world citizens.
Our continued commitment to the ever developing area of ICT has included an extra ICT laboratory, and an increased the number of computers and projectors in each classroom together with the introduction of interactive whiteboards in some classrooms. In the coming year we will continue to update our software and hardware to further improve the use of this technology in improving teaching and learning. We have also introduced a laptop trolley containing 23 laptops which can be transferred to classrooms thereby giving all students’ access to ICT in the classroom, as required.
Most important BISAK continues to self evaluate and measure academic standards against the best schools in the World.
On the 30th October 2009, Diana Johnson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State’s in the United Kingdom announced that the first step in implementing the new arrangements for the inspection of British schools overseas and has asked for inspection bodies to come forward for accreditation.
In order to satisfy these standards, they will need to demonstrate that they meet the criteria that the British Government has set out for inspectorates in the UK.
The BSME is already working actively on the school accreditation process in order to become a UK accrediting body so that it can be authorized to make arrangements to inspect schools.
The good news for BISAK parents is that we are already embedded in the process. We are a pilot school for the UK accreditation process trialed by the BSME and will be visited later shortly to look at our teaching and learning and whether we meet the criteria set by UK inspectorates. Most important our teachers are constantly evaluating their teaching in order to give your children the opportunity to achieve the best that they can in the classroom environment.
I will be presenting evidence from this pilot to the BSME conference in February 2010 which with our involvement will not only help us raise standards in the school but will assist the BSME and ultimately BISAK in becoming accredited by the UK government.
BISAK will also be inspected in March 2010 for CIS accreditation. The process is now in its final stages and has involved the whole community in reviewing every aspect of the running of the school. Indeed I would like to thank all governors, teachers, parents and students who have been an integral part of this incredibly rigorous process and also recently contributed to our recent school development planning questionnaire which many parents completed.
Throughout this academic year the whole school target is focused on finding out how well our students are achieving, monitoring their achievement and identifying what they need to do to improve further. Finding the gift that every child has and nurturing it to fruition. It is so important that we all believe in our children and instill in them a sense of self belief.
We are now actively collecting student data so that teachers can get a clear focus of where their strengths and weaknesses are thus support the education of the students in the best way that they can. In addition we have now also starting to track student progress which enables teachers to look for ways of raising achievement by monitoring progress regularly and intervene where necessary at an early stage. The assessment of learning is a major initiative which is aimed at improving the deal for every individual student at BISAK whatever their ability.
We have improved our special educational needs provision and also support for students with English as a second language. In January, we will have an experienced Special Educational Needs Coordinator who will continue the enhanced support we give all our students, both with barriers to learning, and the ones that are more gifted and talented.
You will find details of all our school targets on our revised and regularly updated website. At present these are:
- to improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school
- to improve the leadership and management of the curriculum
- to develop a system of Continuing Professional Development that involves appraisal and is linked to student learning
- to develop and improve the provision of support & pastoral services including special educational needs, gifted and talented and EAL services.
- to further improve infrastructure and facilities of the operation of the schools function.
However, most important, I believe that we must continue to create an environment where our children can safely engage with each other, share ideas, and aim to meet the highest of their own aspirations.
It is important that we all help our children become confident and skillful thinkers and explorers.
We want them to succeed in any subject they approach.
We want them to be bold in the questions they ask and be ambitious with the knowledge they seek, not only as students here, but also throughout life.
We want them to be positive, enthusiastic and enjoy a sense of achievement in anything they do.
It is my passion to inspire students to make plans that will help them achieve their own personal goals and dreams.
We all have a responsibility to help them find their own passion and to assist them and give them the necessary guidance to work towards their dream.
We at BISAK will encourage all students to be prepared to put in the hard work in order to reach where they want to
be. We will motivate them to find the strength to ignore those who would see them fail and never allow others to belittle their dreams and ambitions. We will encourage them to never to compromise until they have done everything they can to reach their dream.’ My overall message to all our students is ‘believe that you can achieve and you will’.We need your support as parents to instill this positive self belief and can do attitude. For it is this mindset that will lead them to succeed in everything they do.
This then brings to an end my report for this Annual General Meeting. I believe all school improvement planning for 2009/10 will be carried out in the spirit of ongoing school improvement which means improved conditions of learning for your children.
It is my privilege to work for a school where the search for self-improvement is so evident, and I take this opportunity to thank the staff, Board of Governors and parent community for their support.
As ever, the children of BISAK remain a joy to work with. Thank you
November 2009
Dr Tassos Anastasiades
AGM Nov 2008
- Minutes
- Dr. Anatasiades
AGM Nov 2007
- Minutes
- Dr. Saadeh
- Dr. Anatasiades
