From the Head of Secondary 23.01.2021
The weeks seem to be flying by and it won’t be long to the half term break!
Over the last few days I have been observing some lessons, both in school and online and have been very impressed with the range of strategies that teachers are using very effectively to convey content and engender discussion with their students. Using the Google suite as a basis, teachers are also utilising a range of complementary applications which the students are now familiar with and are confident in using. It is very impressive to see!
The year 11 exams are now complete and I would like to thank the students for their sensible approach at an unsettling time. We were delighted that we were able to go ahead with these tests which replicate very accurately what the students will be facing in May and June in their actual exams. Just the practice of sitting in the exam room and writing their papers in strict Cambridge Board conditions is invaluable. Reports will be issued on the 2nd February and the Teacher/Student/Parent Day is on the 8th February. This is an opportunity for Year 11 parents to meet with the teachers, hear about their child’s performance, not only in the exams but overall thus far, and what their son/daughter needs to do in the coming months to be best prepared for the final exams. We will be sending more information to Year 11 parents about that day in the near future.
The school buildings continue to be very quiet in the absence of four year groups and they are missed. We know we will not physically see those students for a little while and we all look forward to a time when the place is buzzing and lively again. In the meantime, well done to all our online learners. Attendance continues to be excellent and there is wonderful work being done!
Best regards,
Mrs Margaret Renshaw
Deputy Principal
Head of Secondary
University and careers guidance at KIS
Following a busy end to Term 1, Year 13 are now starting to reap the rewards of all their hard work as the university offers are starting to flood in. For the international student the task can be a little overwhelming as they are truly global in their outlook, with so many wonderful universities to choose from. This year is no different with students applying to the UK, Czech Republic, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, USA, Indonesia and Hong Kong. The way the students have processed all this information, especially during a time of uncertainty, has been inspiring.
To date a total of 43 university applications have been submitted, with a 95% offer rate from the universities that have replied so far. Nearly half of these offers have also come from universities ranked in the world top 100 (QS World University Ranking, 2020). We are still waiting to hear back from a number of universities, and seven of our students are still in the process of submitting some of their applications as deadlines vary destination to destination. Hopefully there will be more good news to share soon.
It is also pleasing to see our students embracing the full range of university courses available to them, ranging from Animal Science through to Computer Science. When applying to university it is all about finding the right fit and, while students often look for the very best university in terms of ranking, there are many other factors that need to be considered. With this in mind, and once all the offers are in, students will receive further guidance so they can narrow down their options to a ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choice.
It is important to also mention Year 12 as they are currently working hard to identify potential universities and courses. To support this process they are busy researching the various options available using our new university platform, Unifrog. All parents with a child in either Year 11, 12 or 13 can also have their own Unifrog account. Details on the registration process was emailed home during Term 1 and I notice that a number of parents have already activated their account. If you have not yet done this, or need some help with setting up your account, please do not hesitate to contact me at ahallas@kis.edu.my and I will be happy to assist.
Mr Andrew Hallas
Head of Sixth Form
Deputy Head of Secondary
As we head into the weekend don’t forget to log your distances for Ms Watt’s Get up and MOVE challenge!
