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11 January 2024
At the beginning of each calendar year, it is customary for many of us to focus on a particular goal or resolution for the coming year.
In Angela Duckworth’s famous 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, she presents the evidence for a correlation between the degree to which an individual demonstrates what she describes as passion for a ‘top level goal’ - an overriding intention or mission - plus the dedication and perseverance to see things through to the end to achieve this, and the degree to which individuals make a success of their lives.
In one piece of research Duckworth led she interviewed 1,200 pupils and asked them to name the co-curricular activities they had participated in, outline how long they had participated in them and detail any significant achievements they had had within these activities. She used this information to create a ‘Grit Grid’ to award between 0 and 6 points to each student she interviewed (to achieve six points pupils had to have carried out two co-curricular activities [2 points] for at least two years [2 points] and achieved a high level of performance in each of the two activities [2 points]). Tracking the pupils forward to their final year in College, Duckworth’s study found that 69% of her study population who scored 6 out of 6 on the Grit Grid were still in College and on track to be awarded their degree, whilst only 16% of those who scored 0 out of 6 were in the same position.
As students reach the later stages of their school career, there can be a tendency for them to turn their backs on their extracurricular endeavours. Duckworth’s study reinforces that encouraging them to persevere with these will help them to succeed at school, at university and in their future careers. One of the things that I am looking forward to in the coming weeks is playing a more active role in the co-curricular activities programme and I hope that all of our students have enjoyed the start of the second term’s CCA programme.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
David Tongue
Principal
KEY COMMUNICATIONS
KEY COMMUNICATIONS
COLLECTION OF OLD UNIFORM
COLLECTION OF OLD UNIFORM
FDC is thrilled to share news of its upcoming second collection of old uniforms this year!
FDC is thrilled to share news of its upcoming second collection of old uniforms this year!
We kindly request that donated uniforms be in good wearable condition, clean, and fully functional, with no missing zippers or buttons. Your generous contribution not only helps clear space in your home but also promotes a more sustainable environment. The collection begins today. Stay tuned for further details about the upcoming sale. Thank you for your continued generosity and support!
Mark your Calendars for FDC's first General Meeting of 2024
Mark your Calendars for FDC's first General Meeting of 2024
Date: Monday, 15 January
Date: Monday, 15 January
Time: 7.45am until 8.45am
Time: 7.45am until 8.45am
Location: Bentley Room
Location: Bentley Room
The meeting is essential for you to share your ideas and insights about school activities - your opinion is important and your voice matters.
The meeting is essential for you to share your ideas and insights about school activities - your opinion is important and your voice matters.
CATCH THE WAVE OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION!
CATCH THE WAVE OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION!
News from Primary
News from Primary
This week in assemblies, the winners of our autumn term House poetry competition were awarded certificates for their efforts and announced to their peers as Doha College Primary Poet Laureates.
This week in assemblies, the winners of our autumn term House poetry competition were awarded certificates for their efforts and announced to their peers as Doha College Primary Poet Laureates.
We were thrilled to share the joyous occasion of the assembly, led by Mr Alford, Deputy Head of Year 5 and Head of Dragon House, with invited parents. The event served as a testament to the creativity, literary prowess, and collaborative spirit thriving within our school community.
The House Poetry Competition, a platform designed to foster a love for language and self-expression, witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across all age groups. The House poetry challenge was split into three different areas: 'Read and Share', 'Poetry Performance' and 'Poetry Writing', in which the children were presented with a rubric of optional challenges to complete. With a huge number of enthusiastic entrants in each area, our teachers found it incredibly hard to whittle it down to just one or two children in each year group to win each category. Each house embraced the challenge with zeal, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The assembly was a culmination of weeks of creativity, dedication, and spirited collaboration among our students.
The House Poetry Competition not only encouraged literary exploration but also emphasised the importance of teamwork and camaraderie. The collaborative effort of students within each house was commendable, fostering a sense of belonging and shared achievement. The children with the most exceptional efforts did themselves proud in their assemblies by repeating their submitted performances to an audience without fear, or sharing their own written word confidently. Needless to say, everyone was incredibly impressed.
Please enjoy some of the children's written efforts below.
Ruth Whymark
Senior Vice Principal - Head of Primary
Read and share
Read and share
Aakash 1 Red
Ella 2 Yellow
Arven 3 Green
Sashna 4 Purple
Anaiya 4 Green
Ibrahim 5 Green
Jacob 5 Purple
Jacob 5 Purple
Poetry Performance
Poetry Performance
Noah 1 Red
Albany 2 Orange
Hannah 3 Red
Alice 4 Teal
Syrene 5 Blue
Ayan 6 Purple
Kairo 4 Purple
Kairo 4 Purple
Poetry Writing
Poetry Writing
Sai 1 Orange
Sai 1 Orange
Hannah 2 Green
Hannah 2 Green
Mariyan 3 Orange
Mariyan 3 Orange
Nayla 4 Purple
Nayla 4 Purple
Kairo 4 Purple
Kairo 4 Purple
Jacob 5 Purple
Jacob 5 Purple
Lamese 6 Teal
Lamese 6 Teal
Sai 1 Red
Sai 1 Red
News from Secondary
News from Secondary
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year!
It is my absolute pleasure to inform you all about the huge AI launch spearheaded by Mrs Menton. During the month of January, we will be delivering to students, staff and the wider community a whole suite of different experiences connected to AI. The month will be filled with numerous AI social media posts, parent workshops, teacher CPD, student competitions, and activities. This month will showcase to the wider community the excellent work that has been done by secondary staff around the ethical and responsible use of AI within the curriculum.
Teachers will be allowing secondary students to use ChatGPT to complete some tasks in class while discussing the advantages and disadvantages of this, as well as exploring some new AI tools! We are extremely excited about this jam-packed month, which focuses on tech, its ethical and responsible use and how it can be used creatively and innovatively to enhance the learning experience.
Stay tuned for more details. Mrs Menton has a big reveal coming soon…
Jerome Scafe
Senior Vice Principal - Head of Secondary
REFLECTING ON AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF FAITH AND LEARNING
REFLECTING ON AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF FAITH AND LEARNING
At the end of last term, from Tuesday, 5 December until Monday, 11 December, eighteen DC Islamic Studies students embarked on the first-ever Umrah trip to the cities of Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia. The trip was aimed at students in Years 10 to 13, and the purpose was to perform the minor pilgrimage and to deepen learning about the history of Islam.
The first three nights were spent in Madinah, and students had the opportunity to pray in the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad and visit his place of burial. Students and staff were taken on a fascinating walking tour from the Prophet’s mosque to the Quba mosque. Our guide explained the history of every street and the events that took place there.
As part of our tour of the city, students visited Mount Uhud as well as a museum showcasing the history and geography of the city of Madinah. The time spent in Madinah was a peaceful start to the high energy and pilgrimage to come in Makkah.
The last three nights were spent in Makkah, where the Umrah was performed. The students demonstrated a high level of focus and maturity on their spiritual journey and renewed their faith as a result. In Makkah, we visited the Cave of Hira on Jabal Nur (the mountain of light) where the Prophet Muhammad first received revelation of the Quran. This walk was challenging but took us on a historical journey with each step and offered breathtaking views from the top.
The highlight of the trip was to see the students come together during the trip and become an inseparable whole. We look forward to offering the Umrah trip to students next year.
Abu-Huraira Rahman
Head of Islamic Studies
UPDATES
UPDATES
EXCITEMENT AFTER SCHOOL WITH OUR SPECIALISED ACADEMIES!
EXCITEMENT AFTER SCHOOL WITH OUR SPECIALISED ACADEMIES!
Your child can enjoy free taster sessions this January; come and dance with us!
Your child can enjoy free taster sessions this January; come and dance with us!
If your child is curious about dancing or you would like them to continue nurturing a passion for dance, take advantage of our free trial class.
We have Twinkle Toes ballet class for 5 to 8 years , Movers & Shakers class for 8 to 11 years, Contemporary Dance class for 11 to 18 years and Senior Ballet class for 11 to 18 years.
Places are limited, click the button below to sign up today.
We are excited to see you there.
Lucy Balfour
Dance Teacher - Mockingbird Academy
Since opening in 2007, with loads of enthusiasm and just a few worn footballs, Evo Sports has grown into the largest multi-sport coaching organisation in Qatar. Our team shares a passion for everything positive in sport. We believe in being inclusive and helping people to achieve whatever they want from getting involved, whether it’s professional coaching, team sports, getting fit, making friends, holiday sports camps or just a bit of fun.
Evo Sports is here for everyone, especially our Doha College community, so if you or your child loves sport, or would like to get more active in 2024, enrolment is now open.
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