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Dear Parents,
A warm welcome to the 2025–2026 academic year! We are excited to begin this important stage of your child’s learning journey in Year 9. This year marks a pivotal step as students continue to develop their skills, confidence, and independence while preparing for the challenges of upper secondary.
This Google Site will serve as your central hub for curriculum updates, assessment information, key dates, and upcoming events. Regular updates will ensure you stay connected with your child’s progress and the activities happening in Year 9.
Partnership between home and school is vital, and we value open communication. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, or feedback. Together, we can support our students in achieving both academic success and personal growth.
We look forward to an inspiring and memorable year ahead filled with learning, collaboration, and achievement.
Here’s to a successful and rewarding Year 9!
Contact details:
Ms. Hayat El Siss: hayat.elsiss@emsdoha.net
Mr. Alexis Dimyan: Alexis.dimyan@emsd.sch.qa
Ms Aliya: aliya.ali@emsd.sch.qa
Ms. Sara Abou Shakra: Sara.shakra@emsdoha.net
Resources:
Novel: The Giver
Cambridge Boost Stage 9 (coursebook)
Cambridge Boost Stage 9 (workbook)
Our programme follows the Cambridge Lower Secondary English syllabus, which provides students with a strong foundation in language and communication skills.
The course is designed to help learners communicate with confidence and accuracy while engaging critically and creatively with a wide range of texts, media, and contexts. It also encourages cross-cultural awareness and prepares students for success in upper secondary and beyond.
The curriculum is organised around four key areas:
Reading – developing comprehension, analysis, and interpretation skills across different genres.
Writing – building clarity, accuracy, and creativity in written expression for various audiences and purposes.
Speaking – strengthening oral communication through discussions, presentations, and collaborative tasks.
Listening – enhancing active listening skills to respond appropriately to a variety of spoken texts.
For further details, students and parents can access the syllabus and additional information directly from the Cambridge International Examinations website: www.cie.org.uk
Cambridge Lower Secondary Progression Tests provide a valuable and valid internal assessment of knowledge, skills and understanding. They enable learning to be assessed each year and provide detailed information about the performance of each learner for stages 7, 8 and 9.
The results enable teachers to give structured feedback to learners and compare the strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups, which then allows more prescribed planning for each teaching group to ensure knowledge gaps are filled.
The tests are marked internally, but the mark-scheme is directly from Cambridge, and allows standardization with cohorts from all Cambridge schools.
In Year 9, we are committed to creating a learning environment where every student is challenged, supported, and inspired to grow. Guided by our school’s theme, “Leading with Integrity, Learning with Purpose,” we encourage students to take responsibility for their learning while demonstrating honesty, respect, and empathy in all interactions.
Active participation is central to our classroom community – sharing ideas, asking thoughtful questions, and working collaboratively enriches the learning experience for all. Respect for diverse perspectives helps us foster a culture of inclusivity and open-mindedness. Punctuality, preparedness, and consistent effort remain key expectations, as they ensure that learning time is used productively.
Above all, we value perseverance and a growth mindset, celebrating progress and learning from challenges along the way. Together, we will embark on this academic journey with curiosity, determination, and a shared commitment to achieving both academic excellence and personal development.
Assessments:
Week 1-6: Reading Comprehension and Listening Assessments
Week 7-12: Speaking and Writing Assessments
In Term 1, students will begin with a study of short stories, exploring key elements such as character development and narrative structure while applying these techniques to their own writing. They will then move on to The Giver by Lois Lowry, examining themes of challenges and individuality, analyzing language and voice, and expressing personal responses to the text. To conclude the term, students will engage with a range of non-fiction texts, exploring different viewpoints and considering how social, cultural, and historical contexts shape perspectives.
Week 1:
Orientation / Welcoming students
Sharing Expectations
Syllabus Overview