14 June 2020 Edition

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents,

As-salaam aleykum

#inthistogether

Mr K. Amin-Ali

BEng (Hons.) MA PGCE (Cantab.) NPQH NPQEL

Principal

Primary School updates

Year 1 to 6 - End of Year Assessments

We have completed 1 week of our assessments and our students are doing a fabulous job!

We thank all our families for their continuous support.

Assessment Schedule for Assessments - Yr 1 to 6 - 14th to 25th June

Please follow only the timings mentioned on this schedule from Sunday.

The regular Class Time Tables will not be followed between 14th to 25th June.

The review days (day between each assessment) have only been scheduled for revision lessons as per this schedule. No other lessons will happen on the review days.

ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTEND THE ASSESSMENTS AS PER THE TIMING ASSIGNED ONLY. NO STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND IN ANY OTHER TIME SLOT.

PLEASE BE ON TIME with a bottle of water and the required material (headphones, paper, pencil, etc.)

We request all parents to allow their children to work independently.

All required links are in the schedule attached.

Year 1 and 2 - ALL Assessments

English, Maths, Science, Arabic and Islamic Studies
Will have Written Assessments (Paper/Pencil) and the Answer Sheets will be shared the day prior for you to be able to print for use.

Year 3 -

English, Maths, Science and Islamic Studies
Will have an online quiz assigned on Google Classroom the day of the assessment.

Year 3 and 4 - Arabic

Will have Written Assessments (Paper/Pencil) and the Answer Sheets will be shared the day prior for you to be able to print for use.

Year 5 and 6 - Arabic

Will have an online quiz assigned on Google Classroom the day of the assessment.

Year 4 to 6 -

English, Maths, Science, UAE SST and Islamic Studies
Will have an online quiz assigned on Google Classroom the day of the assessment.

Foundation Stage 2 - Graduation

We thank all our families that joined us for the FS2 Graduation celebration.

We have attached the slides for your use.

17th June - FS2 Graduation_19_20.pdf

Upcoming Event - National Curriculum Webinar - 24th June

We would like to invite all our parent for a Webinar this week to discuss the National Curriculum in England that we will be following from the next academic year.

As part of the session we will take you through the Curriculum, discuss how we are working on implementing it next year and share tips on how to best support your children at home.

We will also have a Q and A round to discuss any questions you may have.

We look forward to having you all part of this informative session!

Day and Date - Wednesday - 24th June

Timings - 3 to 4 p.m.

Meeting Link

REMINDER!!! - Graduation for Year 6

As part of the Transition process, we have planned a little surprise for our students -

Year 6 (going to Year 7) - 28th June (Sunday) - 4 to 5:30 p.m.

We request the parents of these students to send us the following -

A baby picture of your child
A current picture of your child (preferably in the school uniform if possible)
A short 10 second video message congratulating your child

Please send these as soon as possible to Ms. Reena - r.cabungan@alsalamcommunity.ae

Summer is around the corner and we have been looking at ways to best help our families during this time.

Based on a number of feedback sessions with are parents, we are considering offering a 10 Day Summer Camp for Year 1 - 6.

This will be a 2 week Distance Learning Programme covering a variety of learning opportunities - Reading, Creative Writing, Numeracy/ Mathematics, Arabic and Coding.

Tentative Dates - 12th to 23rd July

We request our parents to fill up the attached survey to share your opinion. Click here.

An Invite to our Parents

We would like to invite our ASCS Parent community to share with us 'YOUR STORY'.

Share with us your story, whichever one it may be -

Working on the front line
Working from home
Balancing Work and Family during this difficult time

Write to us your story and send us your picture so we can share it with all our ASCS families and build a community of sharing, understanding and supporting each other during these challenging times.

We are #inthistogether

Please send to any one of the following -

Ms. Sara - headofprimary@alsalamcommunity.ae
Ms. Rachael - r.vaz@alsalamcommunity.ae
Ms. Oleveia - o.milne@alsalamcommunity.ae

Secondary school updates

My name is Ian Ramsay and I will be the new Subject Leader for English at ASCS.

I am looking forward to joining this remarkable school and impressive faculty with my new colleagues in August 2020. I have been teaching since 2012 and have led my own faculty for 5 years at 2 different OFSTED Outstanding schools in England. I hold a degree in English and have attended numerous CPD courses to help maintain myself at the cutting edge of English teaching. My strengths lie in developing other teachers, which in turn, allows them to get the best outcomes for all children. I have had a rapid rise to Middle Leadership built on a robust attitude to teaching English Language and English Literature.

My favourite texts that I deliver to GCSE students include ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell, ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens and ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J. B. Priestley. I love my subject as it gives young children the appreciation of literacy and flair in creative writing through poems, prose and extended tasks. I enjoy instilling the love of reading to children and enthusing them with countless hours of reading and writing for pleasure. I also have a strong desire to align the pastoral side of school with the academic side of school to ensure the whole child is developed. I am a firm advocate of collaborative working with other faculties to get to know and appreciate the whole child. This knowledge is then powerful to use inside my classroom environment. Away from teaching English, my hobbies include travelling the world, playing sport and volunteering my time to help vulnerable people in the community.

I look forward to building strong ties with all ASCS stakeholders and ensuring our students walk away with an enriched curriculum experience, with amazing outcomes which will set them up in the next stage of their lives.

Expo Program for Y7-10

Commencing 21st of June

As we approach the last sprint of this academic year, we wanted to end it with the Expo School Program. What else could be better than the subject of Expo 2020 in the current climate? The new dates issued by the Ministry for the Expo are 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022.

The vision of Expo 2020 is to engage students into playing an essential role in creating excitement and momentum for this historic event both inside and outside the classroom.

Thus, we are bringing Expo into our classrooms through our curated class material especially designed for the process of distance learning. Our foremost objective is to inspire and to empower the next generation into exploring, creating, and learning in a fun and immersive environment.

Expo School activities are tailor made to foster love for learning and innovation inside the classroom and beyond.

The topics would commence after the assessments from 21/6/20 to 2/7/20 for Year 7-9 and 23/6/20 to 2/7/20 for Year 10, will take place in their timetabled lessons. The focus would be on any of the Expo themes.

We look forward to students attending ASCS from the dates indicated above. More details to follow in the coming days.

Kind regards,

Ms. R. Iqbal

Head of Secondary

Post-16 Options Presentation and Booklet

We thank all Year 11 students and parents that joined the Launch of Post-16 Programme for next school year.

For your guidance we are sharing the event presentation and Post-16 booklet.

Post 16 Launch Presentation

Post 16 Booklet.pdf

Q: I did not study business or economics in my iGCSE’s but I would like to take both at A Level, will I be able to?

A: It is preferred that you have completed these at iGCSE, however A level courses are designed to accommodate those new to the subject also. If you gained the correct entry requirements and show a keen interest you will be able to take these subjects at A Level.

Q: Can we take both Maths Mechanics and Maths statistics?

A: It is advised you only take one Maths subject, this is because only 1 unit out of the 3 units which are studied differ. Which one you will take will depend upon the University requirements and your interests.

Q: Is there an option in Art and Design to choose only one aspect, such as fine art or three dimensional design?

A: Within the A Level Art and Design you can choose the discipline you are interest in, such as, fine art, photography, three dimensional design and art and craft. You then complete a personal project and externally assessed exam

Q: Is AS/A Level geography on offer?

A: Unfortunately this year we are not offering geography, perhaps in the future as Post 16 expands we can look into offering this course

Q: How many subjects should you take?

A: We recommend 3 A Levels over 2 years, however if you wish to pick a 4^th subject in year 12 you may do so.

Q: Is MOE Arabic compulsory?

A: MOE Arabic is compulsory for all Arab students with 4 lessons a week, non-Arab students will not study MOE Arabic. All Muslim students will study Islamic.

Q: What if we want to take 2 subjects in the same option block?

A: We will review the options and the demand for subject clashes. However as we are offering so many different subjects we will be able to discuss in one to one meeting which subjects will compliment your University course, aspirations and career path.

Q: What is BTEC Applied science? Does it include all the sciences?

A: Yes it is a mixture of all the sciences; physics, biology and chemistry. It is much more practical and application based. Please refer to the Post 16 brochure for more guidance.

Q: For Art it was mentioned that we need to submit a portfolio how do we do this?

A: You would only need to submit a portfolio if you haven’t studied Art at GCSE. We would like you to structure it to display your best work and send it electronically.

Q: Is it possible for an Arab student to take a subject from option C and Arabic at the same time?

Unfortunately as it stands in Option C you are unable to study other subjects if you are required to take Arabic, as we are offering 7 lessons per subject for maximum content and application knowledge within class.

Q: When will be getting our results?

Results will be released in August as per the usual annual results day.

Future Learn Feedback!

We are delighted to receive some excellent student feedback for the Future Learn courses in place for the last couple weeks as part of the ASCS Post 16 Transition. The Future Learn platform offers free courses delivered online by some of the renowned universities across the globe to support students transitioning to Post 16 studies or University degrees.

Here are some of our Year 11 Testimonials

What our students most enjoy about the FutureLearn platform…

“The different information I’m able to grasp and learn.”

“Being able to go at my own pace.”

“Less of a stress and I have more free time.”

“It is great as it provides an opportunity to gain new knowledge about a diverse range of topics and is flexible as you can study at your own pace.”

“The broad and wide range of information on different subjects.”

“It is free and develops my skills.”

At ASCS Secondary we are committed to developing essential independent skills by broadening opportunities for our learners. The Future Learn courses will continue to run until completion dates this summer.

For more information visit the website futurelearn.com

YEAR 7-10 END OF YEAR ASSESSMENTS

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

I hope that this message finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to you with regards to the End of Year Assessments in Years 7 to 10, which will commence today, in order to provide you with some of the essential information.

Firstly, please be aware that the examination window is between 14th June 2020 to 18th June 2020, for Years 7 to 9, and that they will finish on the 22nd June 2020 for Year 10. For more details, please view the End of Year Assessment Timetable.

Additionally, please be reminded of some of the essential rules for these assessments to be successful.

All students must have their webcam on at all times. They will not be able to complete their assessment without this.
Students must report 15 minutes before the start of the assessment (as per the times on the timetable).
Students must not use any resources other than the assessment paper during the assessment.
Students must be visible on camera, with part of their assessment paper visible too.
Students must upload a PDF of all of their answer papers to Google Classroom, as instructed by the teacher.

For further details of the procedures please view the Online End of Year Assessment Procedures and Agreements document.

Finally, I would like to support all parents and students for their continued support and positivity towards the unique challenges that we face. I hope that the assessments are successful and provide all students with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities.

Respectfully yours,

Mr. Harvey Furniss

BUSINESS

Is BOGOF too good to be true?

by Sewar Abu Nimeh, Year 10A

In Business Studies, we learned about the different types of sales promotion, incentives such as special offers or deals aimed at consumers that increase the sales of a business. One of these was BOGOF, which is when multiple purchases are encouraged. However, this deal may not be as good as you think it is.

While it may sound incredibly appealing, it may cost you more than you think. Consumers often are distracted by the use of the word “Free”. In big, bold letters, shining with neon lights, right at the front of the store in clear display, Free. This clouds their judgement and they rush to purchase the items on offer. However, unless you want to purchase two items, it isn’t as exciting as it seems.

While this cannot be said for all businesses, many increase the product’s price and then put it on offer. For example, a sandwich that used to cost 20 dirhams can cost 35 when it is put on offer, so you are paying more than you think you are. So BOGOF deals may be great for you if you need to buy two shirts for your daughter and niece but if you think you are getting the second one “free”, you may be mistaken.

Do not get carried away by business marketing tricks!!!

Health & Wellbeing

WORKOUT CHALLENGE #4

his week's PE challenge is a Wall Sit. With your back flat against the wall and your knees at a 90 degree angle see how long you can hold this position! A wall sit really targets your lower body muscles - glutes, hamstrings and particularly your quads. Don't forget to tag us in your efforts or send your videos to Mr Akmol or Ms Aisling.

#STAYSAFE

#STAYACTIVE

#ascsworkoutchallenge

IMG_5120.MOV

Help Your Child Beat the Exam Stress

It’s that time of the term again where children have their examinations. Many children take their exams as a way to make their parents proud of them but at the same time they feel that if they do badly they might disappoint their parents and lose their peers' respect.

Exam stress can be really challenging, not only for students but also for parents. Here are some things which you can do as a parent to help your child deal with exam stress

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Identify Exam Stress

Look out for warning signs that your child is stressed or suffering from anxiety. Some common signs include:

Sleep disturbances.
Erratic or poor eating (skipped meals, picking at the food on their plate, etc.)
Low mood.
Low confidence.
Frustration or anger.
Queasy tummies, headaches and flaring up of skin breakouts.

Remember each child responds to exam stress and pressure differently. It might be that your child shows either, all , or none of these signs. You know your child well, so be aware of any change that indicates that your child is not their normal self.

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Importance of Study Breaks

Look out for warning signs that your child is stressed or suffering from anxiety. Some common signs include:

Sleep disturbances.
Erratic or poor eating (skipped meals, picking at the food on their plate, etc.)
Low mood.
Low confidence.
Frustration or anger.
Queasy tummies, headaches and flaring up of skin breakouts.

____

Encourage Them to Ask the Teacher Questions if They’re Unsure

Many children feel shy or feel that they might bug their teachers by asking them questions. Let your child know that it’s their right to ask questions and it will help the teacher also to modify and explain a concept in a way your child can understand.

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Have Realistic Expectations & Talk About Exams Nerves

Parents should try to have realistic expectations of their children and avoid becoming another source of pressure for their children. Encourage and assure your children. Let them know that it is normal to feel nervous and teach them to remain composed and focused during stressful periods.

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Encourage Good Sleep Patterns and Eating Habits

Sleep is the most ignored but is the most important part of a child's daily routine especially during exam time. Ideally 8-10 hours of sleep is considered good for children but it shouldn’t go less than 6 or more that 10 hours. Good sleep improves thinking and concentration. It also helps in retaining all the learned information in your mind. Learn more about how much sleep children need.

Balanced diet is the key. Having said that, it doesn’t have to mean cutting out all sugars and fats - in moderation, they can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes a bar of chocolate can make for a lovely reward after a tough gruelling revision session.

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Help Them Study

Depending on your child’s age, make learning an exciting activity. Use toys and tools to aid in their education and revision. Flashcards, Mind maps and online study aids can help.

Try to give them their own space to study. Ask them how you can support them with their revision. Your help matters a lot.

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Listen to Their Concerns & Avoid Criticism

It’s very important to listen to what they have to say after attempting an exam. Listen to their concerns and try to pick on positives that they have done in their exam. This will help them remain focused and will help them to get over their mistakes and move forward to preparing for the next exam.

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When to Get Help

Some children feel much better when exams are over, but that's not the case for all.

Get help if your child's anxiety or low mood is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life. You can contact the school counsellor at counselling@alsalamcommunity.ae.

Click here for more information and helpful tips for you and our students

The site is maintained by the Counsellors and they can be reached confidentially on counselling@alsalamcommunity.ae

ACER Chromebooks available to buy now!

ACER Chromebook Spin 11 are available for purchase with easy installment plans to assist Al Salam Community Parents who wish to get a Chromebook for their child/ren to cover their needs for Distance Learning .

To order, please complete the order form:

ACER Chromebook Order Form

Terms & Conditions apply

Please contact our IT Team 0524814293 or 0524814292 to make the appropriate arrangements

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