From the Principal 21.08.2021

Dear KIS Community,

A lovely and warm welcome to our new KIS families and welcome back to our returning families. Thank you to our wonderful staff and students for a less than ordinary start to the school year. The school year began with the fantastic examination results our students have achieved and it is worth noting that these results came from sitting their exams in challenging circumstances, whereas in other countries such as the UK no exams were sat and the results came only from teacher assessment. We are very proud of our students’ achievements having faced disruptions in school due to the pandemic throughout their course. We do need to recognise the efforts of their teachers who supported and encouraged them during their studies and they have earned our gratitude.

This past week many students in secondary also sat their exams. These were delayed from the end of last year. We had hoped to be back in school by now for these. Knowing this would not happen, we agreed to host the exams online in the first week. Had we waited any longer and they would have become an interruption to this year’s new work. These assessments have been an excellent opportunity for our students to get their minds focussed and back into school. With this, it is likely we will not see the usual ‘summer dip’ when students start their new work after having been so long away from school. Other important aspects are that our staff will see any potential gaps in their understanding and will be able to use this to support their leaning as we move forward. Thank you for supporting your children this past week.

Supporting your children during online learning does not mean sitting on top of them all the time. As children develop, they need the space to work for themselves, to take responsibility for their own learning. They should be encouraged to work independently and be allowed to make mistakes. This does not mean ignoring them (and young children should never be left alone at home unsupervised). Talk to your children about what they are learning and what they understand on a regular basis. Encourage them to be proactive and talk to their teachers and friends when they have difficulties. Feel free to contact their teachers if you have concerns, our teachers should be contacting you when they do.

The prolonged movement control we have been experiencing is not easy and sometimes we need a little help and support, remember that Ms Siti is available to our community and will be happy to listen. This term I will also be arranging more regular ‘virtual coffee mornings’ where we can meet and discuss any general concerns or just chat about school issues, further details will be coming. In the meantime, welcome back to school and I wish you, your children and your families a safe and rewarding year ahead.

Have a lovely weekend,

Ian Gross
Principal