From the Principal 26.08.2023

“Our school is more than just a place where we memorize textbooks or worry about future exams. It has turned into a second home for us. Where we learn to be independent, master the art of conversation and contribute to school life”

These were the words of one of the wonderful Year 6 Sapi House Captain candidates, Adel, during Friday morning’s election speeches.  As I sat in the hall and heard student after student echo this sentiment, discussing what it means to be a global citizen, why it is so important to have an open mind, to be collaborative, caring and compassionate, and why KIS is such a unique and wonderful school, I could not help but draw a connection to the incredible IGCSE and A-Level results which were released late last week.

The results the students of KIS achieved were roundly fantastic, with many students not only achieving outstanding grades but also far exceeding their own expectations. However, when the secondary team sat down and really analyzed the grades and looked at the individual journeys of our students, it quickly became apparent that there is a strong correlation between students who made exceptional progress and how long they have attended KIS.

Put simply, the longer a child has been a KIS student, the more likely they are to achieve really strong grades.

Why is this the case?

Let’s return to the ideas shared by Adel on Friday morning. At KIS we challenge our students to go out of their comfort zone. Our teachers teach the students not just what to learn, but how to learn. Our students are provided with opportunities inside and outside of the classroom to develop life skills, to be compassionate, caring, collaborative and to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Several years ago the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) released its “Future of Education & Skills 2030” report. The report contends that while knowledge of facts and figures is deeply important, alone it is not enough. Young people need to have a well-rounded set of skills, coupled with positive attitudes and values, as well as knowledge, to be impactful global citizens in the world of tomorrow.

What is exciting and immensely confidence boosting to know is that the KIS approach to education and schooling deeply aligns with the latest in 21st century research and we are seeing the impact of this in a multitude of ways; from outstanding IGCSE and A-Level results to House Captain candidate speeches and simply how the children interact on a day-to-day basis. At KIS when we say we “nurture global citizens” we mean it. The impact of the KIS approach speaks for itself.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Sam Gipson

Principal