Message from the Principal: A Virtual Start

To all students, parents and families, welcome back to BIS Abu Dhabi for the new term. I hope you all enjoyed a pleasant break and all the students are looking forward to the learning opportunities that lie ahead of them.

In particular, may I also extend the warmest of welcomes to our new students and families who have joined BIS Abu Dhabi for the first time this week. It isn’t the easiest start meeting new classmates online, but know that everyone in the school community will always be there to look out for you. There will be lots of exciting things ahead for you and lots of kind, helpful people to help you achieve your best along the way.

As you will all be aware, the first two weeks of term have been directed as Distance Learning for all schools. With people returning from travelling and with an increasing number of Covid cases in recent days, this is a sensible move to help keep our community safe. It is considered as a “circuit-breaker,” and can hopefully reduce the potential of further infections.

Please continue to support yourselves and each other at this time by minimising contacts until things settle down. We expect ADEK to make further announcements next week regarding next stages for reopening or testing, and we will of course let you know as soon as we hear anything.

For now, we continue with virtual learning and doing our very best with it too. I have heard great things about the participation and commitment of students already this week, although this is not really a surprise. We are now all used to the requirements for learning remotely, students continue to adapt extremely well and are making good progress with their studies. As we saw last year, distance learning did not stop BIS Abu Dhabi students obtaining amazing exam results and we can expect the same again this year – learning for all students maintained at the highest level whether at home or in school.

My sincere thanks to all parents for everything you are doing to support the teachers and support your children. If there is anything at all you wish to ask which might help your children further, please do get in touch with your child’s teachers and they will only be too happy to help. 

Patrick Horne