Ms. Lynne

This month’s shout has to go to the Student council, they have worked so hard giving their time to make sure the WINTER BAZAAR was a big success.

Behind the scenes there is always a lot of preparation that no one ever sees. The student council sorted the winter warmers that will be donated to children less fortunate than them in Istanbul, they wrapped and labelled them and have prepared them to be gıven to TIDER.

They organised the second hand stand, priced up all the donations and worked hard to sell them at the Bazaar.

They showed their selling skills once again on the cats and dogs stand and raised 10.000 lira!

Thank you to all of them for giving their time and working hard. I am so proud of them.

Lots of other students in school worked hard to help organise things for our WINTER FESTIVAL..

Some classes made posters to advertise events, some decorated the House trees ready for the PTA ornament competition, whilst others helped to set up all the rooms. 

The WINTER FEST really was a student teamwork effort.

Ms. Elise & Ms. Tuğba: Preschool 1 

Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année

Ants have been cheerfully exploring more mixing colors; sizes, 2D shapes, and patterns. They are attempting to reproduce the first letter of their names as well as sharing their favorite stories, and reading more tales such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears; Mog the Forgetful Cat etc. They enjoyed foreign fairytales from Korea, Turkey, and Sweden told by their lovely parents. They’ve also been talking about Kindness, thus beginning to understand the importance of using magic words, and how to show kindness to each other. Their Physical development is improving with the bean movements they’ve been practicing. Rainy days couldn’t stop them from playing outdoors and building strong friendships. 

Winter holidays were announced with great attendance at the Winter Bazaar. They are about to cross the final line for a well-deserved break.

Proudly, Ants Best wishes for the New Year 2025

Ms. Ogomoditse & Ms. Özge: Preschool 2

This term we have been learning about things from long ago. We read the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We enjoyed making our own bears and painting them. We had role plays. And in math we were sorting by size using the term: small, medium and big. We also had parents come in to read winter stories for us. We enjoyed both German and Swedish stories. In phonics we explored different musical instruments and the sounds they make. We are also learning how to recognise our names. 

Ms. Lauren & Ms. Melike & Ms. Ayşegül : Reception

This term we have been learning about things from long ago. We have compared toys from the past to toys today.  We brought our toys from home into school to share with our friends.  We have compared the materials of toys and thought about what materials toys were made out of in the past. Wee took photos of one another using the iPad and then printed the photos. We then made our photos look old by dipping them in coffee and cutting the edges using special scissors. 

We have been writing, counting and continuing to learn phonics everyday.

We love playing outside and have been jumping in puddles and making mud hot chocolates!  We decided to see if we collect rain water from objects outside to make wonderful concoctions!

We invited our parents to come and read some traditional winter tales from our home countries.

We have been decorating trees, playing with friends and having fun!

Mr. Khan & Ms. Sena: 1K

December has been a busy and exciting month in Year 1! We’ve learned new things and made great progress across all subjects.

In Maths, we practiced using ordinal numbers and positional language to describe order and location. We also started learning about data, focusing on organizing and analyzing simple information.

In Humanities, we studied transportation, comparing old and new methods to see how they’ve changed over time. Our trip to the Koç Museum was a highlight, giving us a chance to explore historical vehicles and connect our learning to real-life examples. We have created a folder of pictures on Google Classroom - please feel free to have a flick through if you haven't already done so!

In Literacy, we retold familiar stories with changes to the setting and problem, building our storytelling skills. We also read Room on the Broom and acted out key events with Year 5 students, which was a fun way to learn and work together.

In Science, we explored different materials, learning about their properties and how they’re used.

Now it’s time for a well-deserved holiday! We look forward to more exciting learning in January. Happy Holidays!

Ms. Belen & Ms. Sena: 1G

December has been such a busy month! Our learning journey has continued while making amazing progress and being introduced to new topics and challenges!

In Maths, we continued exploring ordinal numbers and position vocabulary, helping the children describe the order and location of objects in different contexts. The students also began learning about statistics and data collection, focusing on how to organize data into sets and analyze simple information. 

In Humanities,  we’ve been learning about different types of transportation, comparing old and new means of it to gain an understanding of how it has evolved, and focusing on transportation around Istanbul.  Our visit to the Koç Museum was an important part of this learning, providing the children with a hands-on experience to solidify their knowledge. The museum's exhibits on historical transportation gave the students the opportunity to engage directly with the past, helping them connect theory with real-world examples.

In Language, we worked on retelling stories by changing the setting and problem in a familiar story to create our versions, encouraging creativity and storytelling skills.

We also began reading Room on the Broom, focusing on predictable phrases and language patterns. In collaboration with Year 5 students, we acted out key events from the story. This collaboration was invaluable, as it provided the younger students with guidance and mentorship, fostering teamwork, leadership, and confidence in their learning.

In Science, we explored a range of materials and their properties, expanding our vocabulary and descriptions to better understand how different materials are used in various contexts.

Now students have earned a well-deserved break and will be ready for some more learning experiences upon our return in January!

Happy Holidays!

Ms. Verralls & Ms. Neslihan: 2V

It has been a busy few weeks in 2V. In maths we have been looking at money. In English the children have been learning about rhyme, patterns and adjectives in poetry. They enjoyed making a poem about hot chocolate and drinking it also! In the humanities lessons, we have continued with our topic about Australia. The children enjoyed our first trip of Year 2, to the fire station and forest. They learned all about keeping safe and what to do in the event of a fire. They then enjoyed a visit to the forest, the sun was out and the children decided it was time to go ‘hiking’. We look forward to more 2V adventures next year. 

Ms. Smith & Ms. Neslihan: 2A

Dear Families,

What an exciting and eventful term it has been in 2S! We’ve been exploring so many new things, and we’re thrilled to share our adventures with you.

This month, we’ve been learning all about money, using manipulatives to calculate with Turkish lira. The students have done an incredible job practicing addition and subtraction while understanding the value of coins and notes. It’s been amazing to watch their confidence grow as they apply these skills in real-world contexts.

We’ve also been focusing on poetry, and the children have impressed us with their creative limericks inspired by our school trips to Belgrade Forest and the fire station. Their ability to capture the fun and excitement of these outings in verse has been fantastic.

As winter approaches, we’re embracing the season with some festive activities! We’ll be doing some exciting baking, creating delicious treats to enjoy together. Our class is also gearing up for the magical Winter Bazaar (bazaar like a Turkish marketplace!), which will feature games, crafts, and plenty of surprises to celebrate the season.

Thank you for your continued support as we explore, create, and learn together. Here’s to a joyful and memorable month ahead!

Warm wishes,

Miss Smith and 2S class

Ms. Robbins & Ms. Neslihan: 3R

This month in our Design Technology project, 3R students delved into the fascinating world of greenhouses!

Throughout this unit, the children have been engaged in hands-on learning about how greenhouses function and the various styles that exist. They have explored different properties of materials, which has really sparked their creativity and problem-solving skills. The students were tasked with choosing their own materials to construct functional greenhouses, and I must say, their enthusiasm has been truly inspiring!

It was essential for them to ensure that their designs incorporated transparent components, allowing sunlight to nourish the plants within. Additionally, they faced the challenge of creating structures that could stand firm and support their mini ecosystems. We've witnessed such incredible ingenuity in their designs.

Once their greenhouses are finished, each student will bring theirs home to grow herbs, giving them a wonderful opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of their designs in a real-world context. We believe this project will not only enhance their understanding of plants and sustainability but also encourage responsibility as they care for their new herbs.

Mr. Bridgland & Ms. Neslihan: 3A

We’ve managed to pack quite a lot into a short month in 3B! We’ve been learning lots about 3D shapes, area, and perimeter in Maths, and in Literacy we’ve begun a unit on Myths & Legends, which is very exciting (I may be biased; it’s one of my favourites). 

In Humanities, we’ve been learning about Ottoman art and architecture, and after sharing some examples from our beautiful city the kids began constructing their own versions out of craft paper. I was astonished to see what they came up with; Mimar Sinan himself would be proud! 

Ms. Caldwell & Ms. Ödül: 4C

4C has had a jolly December! 

English: In English class 4C have been learning about poetry and poetic techniques. We have been learning about riddles and kennings. As well as some figurative language techniques to help us create colour and shape poems. 4C have also been enjoying hearing some Scottish poems such as The Sair Finger - where they would try and guess what the Scottish words were in English, and The Sound Collector – where we walked around BIS collecting school sounds. 

Maths: In maths, 4C has finished exploring 3d shapes. We looked at the different shapes faces that build up the 3D shapes and had fun creating our own 3D shapes and looking at their nets in the process.  

In preparation for our multiplication and division units in January, 4C are revising multiplication and division strategies (arrays, equal groupings, factors) to help support their future learning. 

Humanities:  For humanities. 4C has enjoyed learning about Mary Queen of Scots. We have looked at a map of the UK and plotted where Scotland is on the map, created a human timeline of the events of her life, looked at important places in Scotland linked to her, looked at her life in France, what she looked like, and her family tree. 

Art/Desing technology

Linking our art to our humanities topic, we created magnificent multi-media images of Mary Queen of Scots using pencils and watercolours.

We also learned about Tartan and designed and weaved our own tartan which turned out terrific!

Mrs. Deufel & Ms. Ödül: 4D

This month we have been looking at poetry in our English unit. One of the poems we chose was The Sound Collector by Roger McGough. We then looked at some Scottish poetry. The children had a great time trying to read the Scottish words then working out what they mean in English. After discussing and collaborating what colour is, the children produced their own colour poems. We finished looking at the family tree of Mary, Queen of Scots. The children did a great job of drawing, colouring and painting portraits. In maths we have been talking about the properties of 2D and 3D shapes and symmetry. 

Ms. Halabi & Ms. Hatice: 5H

This month, students in 5H have been exploring the world of classic tales, with a focus on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Alice in Wonderland. The children have been captivated by the adventures of Lucy, who steps through the wardrobe into the magical land of Narnia, and Alice, who falls down the rabbit hole into the whimsical world of Wonderland. They’ve enjoyed comparing the different worlds the characters discover and the adventures they experience. Additionally, the children have created their own short comic strips, which they then turned into film scripts and acted out the scenes with great enthusiasm. Inspired by these tales, they are now crafting their own stories, filled with exciting adventures and imaginative settings. We can’t wait to see how their creativity unfolds as they continue developing their own classic tales! 

Ms. Gillett & Ms. Moss: 5G

This term, 5G has been diving into an exciting Design Technology project: designing the ultimate pizza for our students! We kicked off the unit by brainstorming creative and interesting ideas for what could make a pizza truly stand out. The students then created a survey to gather feedback from their peers, even helping the Year 1 students read and understand the questions—what a great example of teamwork and leadership!

Next, the class analysed the survey results, summarising the data to identify the most popular designs and flavor combinations. This information helped the students to design a pizza that reflects the choices and preferences of their peers.

After the winter break, we will move on to designing and creating our final pizzas, putting all our research and creativity into practice. We can’t wait to see (and taste!) the results of their hard work. Stay tuned!

Ms. Jama & Mr. Furkan: 6J

As part of their Humanities topic learning about the Silk Road - an ancient trading route spanning across Asia and the Middle East - 6J played The Trading Game. Working as groups, they had to work to trade with each other, offering valuables they might have (such as silk or gold) for goods they wanted or needed (like spices or silver) all the while making sure they maintained enough food. There was bartering, pleading, persuasion, calmness, frustration, strategic planning and a whole lot of fun. Children said they realised how challenging trading must have been and how without complete collaboration by each group -  a great life lesson. Another activity was to retell the story of the discovery of silk though a storyboard or cartoon strip, with some creative results.

Mr. McCann & Mr. Furkan: 6M

Recently, in 6M, the children have been preparing and presenting presentations about their home country. The children have done a fantastic job of educating themselves about their own countries and then educating their peers and their teacher, too. Their presentations were very informative and, in the majority of cases, very professional.

Ms. Saed: KS1 ESL

Season's Greetings! As December unfolds, we embrace the magic of the festive season, a time for celebration, reflection, and togetherness.

December was a fantastic month in EYFS, filled with both learning and fun! Our vocabulary continues to grow, and we’ve started using simple grammatical structures through songs and activities. This month, we explored places around town and learned about the different activities we can do there. We also had so much fun discovering different types of clothing and playing matching games. By the end of the month, we were confidently talking about what we can or can’t do—an exciting milestone for our young learners!

Our Elementary group has been busy learning about adjectives this month! Through engaging games and activities, we explored opposites and rhyming adjectives, making the learning process both fun and memorable. Each lesson focused on helping students apply what they’ve learned in practical ways, building their confidence in describing the world around them.

Mrs. Gwilliam: KS2 ESL

What a lot of work we’ve done this month! Year 4, 5 and 6, worked hard using different tenses and vocabulary in their writing. We also read Sleeping Beauty to be ready to understand the Mother Tongue Drama Show. The elementary group talked about ability. None of us are very good at juggling. ☺ They then moved on to daily routines and writing in the present tense. In the last week we had some fun learning words for the festive season and following instructions to make New Year cards. 

Ms. Hatice: Turkish

MERHABALAR!

Year 1 and Year 2: This month, students have focused on building their number sense by practicing asking "how many?" in Turkish. They also worked on recalling some colors through interactive and playful activities. The students practiced asking and answering questions like "Bu hangi renk?" ("What color is this?") and "Bu mavi" ("This is blue"). Additionally, they engaged in memory games that helped them associate Turkish color names with specific objects or images, enhancing their understanding and retention of colors.

Year 3: This month, Year 3 students focused on learning about toys and games in Turkish. They reviewed colors and practiced using "have got" and "has got," forming sentences like "I have a toy car." Students also worked on counting to 20, 30, 40, and 50 and were able to answer questions like "how many?". 

Year 4: This month,  students focused on understanding and following both verbal and written instructions given in the class language. They practiced recalling classroom objects and asking and answering questions about these objects. 

Year 5: This month,  students developed the ability to express personal preferences by answering the question "What sport do you like?" They also practiced stating reasons for liking certain sports, exploring and articulating their preferences in Turkish. 

Year 6: This month, Year 6 students focused on learning the days of the week and the names of school subjects. They practiced creating their own school timetables. Students also worked on remembering numbers and recognizing the first ten ordinal numbers in both written and spoken form. 

To reinforce the vocabulary they learned, students across all grade levels played engaging games such as "Rock-Paper-Scissors" and Bingo. These activities helped students practice their Turkish in a fun and interactive way.

All KS2 students (Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6) have completed their Turkish workbooks for the term and will take them home. Some classes received their booklets a week earlier. Parents can view these booklets to see what their children have accomplished this semester.

Wishing you a restful and enjoyable holiday season!

Happy Holidays and see you next term!

İyi tatiller ve yeni dönemde görüşmek üzere!

Mr. Vincent: French

Bonjour les amis!

In French, Year 6 completed their end of unit assessment on places in town, directions and prepositions.

Year 5 finished their assessments on nationalities and countries. 

Y4 took their end of unit assessment on animals, opinions and plural forms. 

Y3 were tested on weather descriptions. 

Wishing you a wonderful holidays

Monsieur Vincent

Ms. Ana: Spanish

In Spanish, Y3 focuses on weather descriptions and seasonal clothes. Students learnt how to describe themselves as well as learning the song of the unit. 

In Spanish, Y4 finished with the topic of the animals, habitats and opinions. They reviewed the vocabulary and descriptions related to animals along with the unit song. 

In Spanish, Y5 worked on countries and nationalities. They learnt descriptions of themselves along with the unit song. 

In Spanish, Y6 learnt places in town, directions and prepositions. Students designed and described a city map at the same time they learnt the unit song.

Ms. Lincoln

Lots of fun in OWL this second half of term. Many projects have been completed successfully. Zip lines with Year 6. Very impressive swings with Year 5, with Year 3 very clever, clay made Darkness Dwellers. With Year 2 nest building not to forget their brilliant bird feeders. And some rather beautiful Christmas garlands using foliage from around our school campus. Thank you Primary. Looking forward to 2025 in OWL with you all. Miss Lizzie. 

Ms. Rebecca: EYFS Music & KS1 Drama

Exciting time for all the kids this month! Busy preparing for the Winter Bazaar, Sing-A-long and assemblies. EYFS and Ks2 choir have dedicated a lot of time and energy in rehearsing. We hope you enjoyed our shows. While the drama students have been producing new miming and Pantomime skits the past few weeks. 

Mr. Dennison: Y1-Y6 Music

The Music Department had a great beginning to December. We had a fun and productive drumming unit where we got to practice reading rhythms with various songs (including holiday songs!). 

We ended the term with a tradition we started a couple of years ago–Music Sharing. Students are encouraged to prepare and perform something for the class. Many times, we discover that students have been playing piano or guitar outside of school or have a quiet passion for music that not many people know about. 

It is also great to discover individual students practicing and quietly taking interest in musical skills on their own. Great job, Busem!

One special thanks to the KS2 choir who had two great performances at the end of the term. We practiced all term after school to prepare a long performance that many people enjoyed at the Winter Bazaar and at assembly during the last week of the term. Mr. Dennison and Ms. Rebecca would like to give a special shout out to the choir giving extra effort by practicing all the songs outside of rehearsal and giving their best to making our choir the best it can be!

Mr. Hassan

Year 1: Students practiced typing through the Keyboard Zoo game, improving their accuracy and familiarity with the keyboard. This engaging activity helped reinforce key recognition and typing skills.

Year 2: Students learned about digital devices and used shapes in Microsoft Word to creatively design representations. This project combined technology knowledge with digital art skills.

Year 3: Students advanced their Microsoft Word abilities by learning to add page numbers, format tables, adjust margins, and customize fonts. These skills enhanced their document formatting expertise.

Year 4: Students explored loops in Turtle Academy, creating shapes, coding their names on them, and filling them with colors. This activity developed both their coding skills and creativity.

Year 5: Students completed individual Scratch games, incorporating movements, jumping, loops, and scoring systems. Their projects showcased creativity and advanced programming techniques.

Year 6: Students worked on group Google Sites projects, adding features like image carousels, buttons, dividers, and social links. This activity fostered teamwork and web design proficiency.

Mrs. Bartola, Ms. Jess and Ms. Can

Holiday Reading: Book Recommendations for the Break

The holiday season is the right time to instigate a love for reading among children! The Learning Support Team has carefully selected a list of books for different age groups and reading levels that will keep children engaged and motivated during the break.

For younger readers, picture books and simple stories help build vocabulary and get their imagination going. Books like The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson or Room on the Broom offer fun, rhyming tales that are sure to entertain kids.

For a primary-aged student, try chapter books that couple adventure with learning. Classics such as Charlotte's Web by E.B. White or The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton offer just the right amount of storytelling and literacy development.

Reading together as a family, or encouraging children to pick books they love, can make the holiday break both fun and educational. Whether it is a bedtime story or an afternoon read-aloud, these books will continue to help children of all abilities learn and discover the magic of reading.

Enjoy reading and happy holidays from the Learning Support Team!

In Primary PE, with Ms Merve, we are learning the basic skills of badminton and basketball, providing a safe space for children to interact positively with each other and form strong bonds – which is important for overall development and health benefits.

In EYFS PE, with Ms Yana, our students have had lots of fun playing games to develop balance and spatial awareness skills.

 I am excited to share the wonderful experience we had during our recent House Competition Choir event. It was truly a festive occasion, filled with joyous performances and a brilliant display of teamwork from all three teams: Maple, Oak, and Cedar.

Each team put forth an amazing effort, showcasing their individual talents while working together to create something truly special. The atmosphere was electric, and it was heartwarming to see so many students engaged and enjoying themselves.

We were particularly thrilled to have special judges from our Secondary school, along with a member of our PTA, to help us evaluate the performances. 

After some truly impressive performances, I am delighted to announce that Cedar emerged as the overall winners of the competition! Their original song, written and performed by the team. Congratulations to Cedar for their fantastic achievement!

To wrap up the event, our Primary teachers joined in the fun with a rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock," which had everyone tapping their feet and singing along. 

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the students for their hard work and enthusiasm.

At BISI we know it is important to acknowledge, celebrate and encourage children to develop their Mother Tongue skills. As part of this, we again ran a Mother Tongue Drama Club. This time the children performed Sleeping Beauty and Slurping Beauty in 12 different languages. What a great show! We are so proud of our hardworking and talented cast of 28 children. 

Here are some pictures from the rehearsals. More to come after the Winter break!

Dear Parents, Students, and Teachers,

we want to take a moment to wish you all a joyful and restful winter break. Whether you’re staying here in beautiful Istanbul or traveling to far-off places, we hope you find time to recharge, relax, and create wonderful memories with your loved ones.

The last weeks were again busy with organizing and planning. We are deeply grateful to all who attended the Winter Bazaar. Your presence and support made it an incredibly special event. A huge thank you goes out to Ms. Lynne and our amazing volunteers whose hard work and dedication truly made a difference. Your efforts helped bring our community together in a festive and heartwarming way.

Special appreciation goes to our Event Team, who did an amazing job setting up the Photo Booth. Many memorable pictures were taken, capturing the joyful spirit of the day. Our PTA Café was, as always, a hit with children, parents, and teachers alike. We all enjoyed the day very much.

We are thrilled to share that the PTA was able to donate 5.000TL to the Young Lives Foundation (https://www.genchayat.org/en/). Esra, from the foundation, was very thankful, and we are delighted that we could help support such a worthy cause.

Regarding our Ornament Challenge – while it may not have gone exactly as planned ;-) – we are grateful to everyone who contributed their beautiful ornaments. A big congratulations to Cedar for winning the challenge!

We are also pleased to announce that the second-hand uniform sale was a great success, and we look forward to organizing another one soon, pending sufficient stock.

The Lost and Found area has been working very well, and we encourage you to label your children's clothing to help keep it that way. We are excited to have secondary students helping the PTA with managing the Lost and Found area.

We are already looking forward to our next exciting event: the Global Community Day! Stay tuned for more details. Additionally, more events are planned for both Secondary and Primary students. More information will be shared at our next PTA meeting.

Lastly, we warmly invite you to our next PTA meeting on January 28th at 9:00 AM in the theatre. 

Thank you all for your unwavering support throughout this year. We wish you a peaceful and joyous winter break.

With heartfelt gratitude

The PTA Team