Dear Parents
What a great start to the new academic year! Every week will send a newsletter to you electronically. These newsletters will summarise what we have done during the week and will include some photographs of your children participating in activities. They will also be a place to share school-wide announcements and important information for you about upcoming events under "Save the Date" (below).
After-school clubs begin next Tuesday. Please sign up your children and we will contact you on Monday to confirm. Clubs run Tuesday to Thursday finishing at 3.30 pm for primary and 1:45pm for FS. Please collect your children on time. Whilst we would love to run all clubs, there is a minimum of 4 children to open a club.
Our school runs "Movement Mondays" and "Fruit Fridays". Movement Monday is where we all go to exercise in the hall before classes start. It's a time of "Shake and Wake" and the kids love it. Fruit Fridays are exactly that - we ask that fruit be sent in as part of the snack and children receive 2 house points for participation. Speaking of food - we all know the importance of healthy eating. PLEASE send in food that is appropriate in promoting this for your children and remember that energy and fizzy drinks are not allowed. Food orders from outside the school are only permitted in exceptional situations. Fast food orders are never permitted and any deliveries must be coordinated with the school. And finally, in order to keep everyone safe, nuts (including peanut butter) are not permitted in school.
A gentle reminder that mobile phones are not permitted to be used in school. Whilst I understand that you may feel comfortable sending your child with a phone to school we do expect them to be switched off and remain in the bag all day. Should you need to get a message to your child, or vice versa, we will be happy to accommodate via the school landline or school WhatsApp. Please remember that although we will endeavour to keep all electronics safe whilst at school, under the policy of the school we will not be held responsible for any loss or damage. Thank you for your understanding.
Birthdays - we are happy to mark the birthdays of our students. They have a "non-uniform" option for the day and we are happy to receive a cake for the class. Please send in enough disposable plates, forks/spoons, and napkins for all members of the class. Parents will not be able to attend the classroom for the celebration but we will put photos onto Seesaw for you.
Attendance and late arrivals - Is it ESSENTIAL that children attend school and arrive on time. Every day or every lesson missed impacts your child's progress. Please ensure your child attends regularly and on time. You may not know this but your child's attendance affects the rating of the school. KHDA expects 98% attendance for all children and rates the school accordingly. Last year we just managed to get "Outstanding" for attendance and that helped us to prove what a great school we are. Please think twice before "extending holidays" and arriving late and disturbing the flow of the lesson for other children.
And finally....
From Monday 9th of September parents will drop off and collect at the Reception area. We will take your children to class (if they need help). This is important for them to start to gain independence and reduce foot traffic in the corridors.
Save the Date:
Tuesday 10th September - After-school clubs start
Friday 13th September - Roald Dahl Day (fancy dress)
Monday 16th September - Celebration of Prophet Mohammed assembly (parents invited)
- Student Council elections
Friday 20th September - Year 5 and 6 Assembly on "Friendship" (parents invited)
Friday 27th September - DHA Health Screen eye test for children Year 3 and above
Monday 30th September - Friday 4th October - External international standardised testing for all students (nothing to study for 😁)
Tuesday 1st October - Phonics workshops for parents with Ms Chloe (FS, Year 1 and Year 2 parents)
Tuesday 8th October - FS field trip to the Fire Station
Friday 11th October - Year 3 and 4 Assembly on "Courage" (parents invited)
-FS dress up - "What I want to be when I grow up"
Saturday 12th October - Sunday 20th October - Half term break (yes, there is school on Friday 😀)
Thursday 31st October - "Spooks and Sparkles" day (fancy dress)
Have a lovely weekend
Ms Jan
Wellbeing
Dear Parents,
It was a joy to see all smiling faces who walked into the school after the well deserved vacation. I hope this message finds you well. As we embark on another exciting school year, I wanted to take a moment to reconnect and share a bit about what’s ahead. My name is Jikku Mathew, and I am continuing in my role as the The Vice Principal/ Inclusion Lead and Wellbeing Coordinator here at Al Ghaf School.
Over the past year, it has been my privilege to work closely with many of you and your children, supporting their emotional and mental wellbeing. I am looking forward to building on our successes and further enhancing our efforts to create a supportive and positive school environment.
This year, my focus will continue to be on:
Enhancing Mental Health Support: Providing resources and programs that help students navigate stress and emotional challenges.
Strengthening School Community: Fostering an environment of mutual respect and collaboration among students, staff, and families.
Expanding Wellness Programs: Introducing new initiatives and refining existing ones to promote our core Values , resilience, self-esteem, and healthy lifestyles.
Offering Individualised Support: Ensuring that every student receives the tailored support they need to succeed both academically and personally.
I am always here to listen and to collaborate with you. Your feedback and insights are invaluable in shaping our wellbeing programs and strategies. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at vprincipal@ghafschool.com or 04 852 2295-212 with any questions, concerns, or ideas.
Additionally, I will be hosting a Coffee with Inclusion Champion/Parent Workshop/Information Session] on 25th September at 8:00 a.m. This will be a great opportunity to discuss the upcoming year and how we can continue to work together to support your child’s wellbeing.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I am excited for the year ahead and for the opportunity to work with you to ensure our students have a fulfilling and successful year.
Warm regards,
Ms Jikku
FS 1 & 2
We have had a wonderful week in FS! This week we have been learning all about out emotions and reading the story 'The Colour Monster'. We have been building our English skills and using new words such as colours and emotions and trying our best to express ourselves using both our words and body. We introduced our Colour monster emotion pots so that each day the children can show us how they feel. In writing we labelled the different colour monsters and some of the children wrote sentences too using their phonic knowledge. We have also begun learning our phonic sounds for reading and writing and this week we learned the sounds s-a-t-p and the words a-at-as. In Math, we began sorting items into groups and learning some of the sorting rules such as colour and size. In science we have been creating portraits that express different emotions.
Year 1
Year 1 have had a super busy and fun week settling into their new class and routines.
We have completed our Maths, English, phonics and Science baseline tests this week, which will help me fill in any gaps in their learning and set personalised learning goals.
In maths, we have been recapping place value within 10, counting and ordering numbers, counting from a larger group and sorting in various ways. The children have participaed well and engaged in class discussions and have enjoyed practical activites during provision. In English we introduced the story 'We're going on a bear hunt' which we will be looking at in depth next week. We have also been focusing on letter formation and handwriting this week. In IPC, we started our topic 'A day in the life' where we have been exploring different roles in the community. The children have thoroughly enjoyed playing in our hospital and police station and have been getting creative in the craft area. Finally in Science, we looked at the parts of a plant.
Year 2
Year 2 have had a busy week and are now beginning to get settled into their new routines. This week we have completed our baselines. In maths we have started our first topic of the year with number and place value and the children have been learning to identify numbers represented in tens and ones and to partition these numbers. In English we have started our story of The gingerbread man and the children have been learning the characters and order of events of the story and then created their story maps. In science we have started our first topic of living things and their habitats and children have been learning to identify if something is living, dead or was once alive. In IPC the children have been very excited to learn about the different jobs and to talk about what they would like to be when they are older. In humanities we have started our topic of kings and queens and the children were able to come up with some rules they would implement if they were king or queen.
Year 3
Welcome back!
What a great start to the year... This week Year 3 have been in the process of completing their baseline assessments. As well as starting new topics for English, Maths , Science and IPC. In English we have started reading and analyzing the characters for our class book 'Matilda'. In Maths we have started exploring place value by looking at ones ,tens, hundreds and slowly thousands. In Science we have started our new topic of Skeletons and have started identifying and naming different bones in a human body. The children really enjoyed our introduction lesson to IPC, where they got to enter our very own Ghaf Private School Airport! Year 3 and 4 got to take on different roles as immigration officers, security check officers, check in desk/ticket officers and even passengers with their own suitcases.
Looking forward to the fun year ahead !
Lots of fun in Ghaf Private School Airport!
Year 4
What a great start to this academic year!
It has been a fantastic few weeks settling in with the students and getting to know their cheeky, yet wonderful personalities. The students are aware of the expectations, rules and settled into a good routine.
This week we have completed baseline assessments alongside working on individual topics in lessons. As mini mathematicians, we have been looking at place value, the value of individual digits and partitioning numbers in different ways.
In English we have been exploring the story of James and the Giant Peach; analysing his character whilst reading the story. We will be looking at the key vocabulary and finding their meaning! This brings me onto reminding you about Roald Dahl day that we will be celebrating on Friday 13th September 2024. We have great activities planned and I cannot wait to see the creative dress up ideas! If you have any questions regarding this, please let me know.
As mini scientists, we have been working on electricity and electrical circuits; we conducted an electrical hunt around the school and next week we will build our own circuits! During IPC and Geaography, we have been focusing on Gateways to the world and forms of transportation! The students have thoroughly enjoyed spending time in the breakout room, designed as an airport!
It’s been a great 2 weeks, and I am excited for the year ahead!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Ms Nimra
Year 5
We've had a fantastic start to the year!
During the first week, the children investigated what happened when bicarbonate of soda was mixed with vinegar and were excited to see the balloon inflate. They also wrote letters to their future selves and created time capsules, which were buried around the school and will be unearthed in June 2025. The children have completed their baseline assessments and are eager to begin the year.
In English, we began reading The BFG and the children thoroughly enjoyed learning about the character. They used adjectives and noun phrases to describe him. In Mathematics, we focused on place value and the children explored numbers up to one million. In Science, we started our unit on "Living Things and Their Habitats," where the children expressed curiosity about what they wanted to explore next.
On Friday, 13th September, we are celebrating Roald Dahl Day, and I cannot wait to see the children dressed up as various characters from his books.
Year 6
A great start to the academic year with the children getting to know each other and the classroom routines. We've dove into our cold tasks and completed our baselines this week which should help planning for the childrens progression. Mondays we have had movement in the PE hall and Fruit friday at the end. The children completed a bicarbonate of soda experiment with balloons in addition to writing our aims for the year and creating our very own time capsules and digging them around the school!
In English we have started Charlie and chocolate factory while in maths gotten through our place value. Science has seen us doing the circulatory system while in MSC children have learnt facts about the UAE.
Please do confirm after school clubs which will be starting next week and a reminder to keep mobile phones in bags only for emergencies if needed.
Hoping to have a productive half term ahead.
Arabic and Islamic
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
يسرني أن أقدّم نفسي لكم الأستاذة أسماء عبدالظاهر الشربيني، رئيسة قسم اللغة العربية في مدرسة الغاف. يشرفني التعاون مع فريق المعلمين المتميزين في المدرسة لتقديم أعلى مستويات التعليم في مواد اللغة العربية والتربية الإسلامية، بما يساهم في تعزيز الهوية الثقافية والدينية لطلابنا. نسعى دائمًا إلى تنمية مهارات الطلاب في القراءة والكتابة والفهم، وتعزيز قيمهم الإسلامية بما يتماشى مع رؤيتنا التربوية.
:خلال الأسبوع الماضي، تم تقديم العديد من المواضيع والأنشطة التعليمية الشيقة للطلاب في الصفوف التالية
الروضة: كانت بداية رائعة للتدرب على بعض العبارات العربية لِيُقدم الطفل نفسه ( مرحبا ، أنا اسمي ..... ، كيف حالك؟)
. أيضا قضينا وقتًا مُمتعًا وتعرفنا على الألوان من خلال أنشودة الألوان( أحمر- أخضر – أصفر- أزرق) وقمنا ببعض الأنشطة والألعاب الترفيهة المُسلية
الصّف الأوّل: قضينا وقتا مليئ بالمرح والنّشاط في تعلّم حروف الأبجدية العربية من خلال الأنشطة التفاعلية والأنشايد التي تجعل التعلم مُمتعًا في بيئة تحفيزية داخل الصف مليئة بالمرح. قمنا بالتدرب على تهئجة الكلمات الثنائية والثلاثية وكتابة الحروف. كما قمنا بالتعرف على الأرقام العربية من 1 – 5 ، هدفنا هو بناء قاعدة لغوية قوية تُسهم في تنمية قدرات الطلاب وتطوير مهاراتهم اللغوية.
الصّف الثّاني: في صفنا الثاني لمادة اللغة العربية، نقضي وقتًا ممتعًا ومفيدًا في تعلم الحروف وتركيب الكلمات. نركز على تعزيز مهارات القراءة والكتابة من خلال الأنشطة التفاعلية التي تجعل التعلم ممتعًا ومثيرًا. نقوم بتدريب الطلاب على تهجئة الكلمات الثلاثية، مما يساعدهم على تحسين نطقهم وفهمهم للكلمات بشكل أكبر. نستخدم الألعاب التعليمية والمسابقات لتعزيز التفاعل وتحفيز الطلاب على المشاركة. هدفنا هو بناء قاعدة لغوية قوية تُسهم في تنمية قدرات الطلاب وتطوير مهاراتهم اللغوية في جوٍ من التعاون والإبداع، ليصبحوا قراءً وكتّابًا واثقين بأنفسهم.
الصّف الرّابع: في الصف الرابع لمادة اللغة العربية، نعمل بجد على تطوير مهارات فهم المقروء لدى الطلاب من خلال قراءة قطع الفهم المتنوعة وتحليلها بأسلوب مشوق. نحرص على تعزيز القدرة على استيعاب النصوص وفهم الأفكار الأساسية والتفاصيل الدقيقة. كما نركز على تدريب الطلاب على التعبير الشفوي والكتابي، حيث يتعلمون كتابة الجمل والتعبير عن أفكارهم بوضوح ودقة. نستخدم الأساليب التفاعلية لتحفيز الطلاب على التفكير النقدي والتعبير بطلاقة، مما يعزز ثقتهم بأنفسهم ويطور مهاراتهم اللغوية. هدفنا هو إعداد طلاب قادرين على التواصل بفاعلية وإبداع في اللغة العربية.
KG: It was a great start to practice some Arabic phrases for the child to introduce himself (Hello, my name is....., how are you?). We also had a fun time learning colors through the “Color Song” (red - green - yellow - blue), and we played some fun activities and games.
Gr 1:We spent a fun and active time learning the Arabic alphabet through interactive activities and songs that make learning enjoyable in a motivating classroom environment full of fun. We practiced spelling two- and three-letter words and writing the letters. We also learned the Arabic numbers from 1 to 5. Our goal is to build a strong linguistic foundation that contributes to enhancing students' abilities and developing their language skills.
Gr 2: In our Arabic classfor Grade 2, we spend enjoyable and productive time learning the letters and forming words. We focus on enhancing reading and writing skills through interactive activities that make learning fun and exciting. We train students on spelling three-letter words, which helps improve their pronunciation and understanding of words. We use educational games and competitions to boost interaction and motivate students to participate. Our goal is to build a strong linguistic foundation that contributes to developing students' abilities and language skills in an atmosphere of collaboration and creativity, empowering them to become confident readers and writers.
Gr 3: In grade 3 for Arabic B we started our lessons with greeting students and teaching them how to greet ech other in Arabic by saying hello and goodmorning in Arabic. we continued lessons by learning the basics of Arabic language starting from the letters names, shapes and sounds. we had funny time learning the letters sounds. we studied some letters and are going on forward. it was so enjoyable.
Gr 4:In our Arabic class for Grade 4, we are diligently working on developing students' reading comprehension skills through regular reading practice. We focus on enhancing their ability to understand texts and grasp the finer details of phonetic structures. Additionally, we emphasize training students in both oral and written expression, where they learn to write words and sentences and express their ideas clearly and accurately. We use interactive methods, activities, and writing exercises to motivate students to express themselves fluently, which boosts their confidence and develops their language skills in reading and writing.
Gr 5: In grade 5 Arabic was so funny as we started studying recognising the Arabic letters students read comprehension skills through regular reading practice. We focus on enhancing their ability to understand texts and grasp the finer details of phonetic structures. Building up on the fore rules students learnt we are completing our work. students good at practicing and understanding and we can help them alot.
Gr 6: In our Arabic class for Grade 6, we have been working diligently to review the letters and previous skills learned. Our approach is interactive and engaging, focusing on reinforcing foundational knowledge to build students’ confidence. Through various activities, we ensure that students master the basics and enhance their language abilities.
الصّف الثّاني: في صفنا الثاني لمادة التربية الإسلامية، نعمل بجد ونشاط على مراجعة سور الفاتحة، والإخلاص، والناس، والفلق، مع التركيز على التدرب على سورة المسد، حيث نشجع الطلاب على مراجعتها والتدرب عليها في البيت لتعزيز حفظهم وإتقانهم. نقوم بمناقشة حاليًا على مناقشة أركان الإسلام . نحرص على خلق جو من التفاعل والحوار لتبسيط الأفكار وتعميق فهم الطلاب للتعاليم الإسلامية. في الفترة القادمة، سنستمر في بناء فهم أعمق للسور والآيات من خلال الشرح المبسط والأنشطة التي تساعد الطلاب على الربط بحياتهم اليومية.
الصّف الرّابع: في صفنا الرابع لمادة التربية الإسلامية، قمنا بمراجعة سور الفاتحة، والإخلاص، والناس، والفلق، ونعمل حاليًا على حفظ وتدبر الآيات من 1 إلى 5 من سورة العلق، حيث نشجع الطلاب على التدريب عليها في البيت لتعزيز حفظهم وإتقان تلاوتهم. درسنا قصة نزول الوحي، مما أضاف فهمًا عميقًا لمعاني الآيات وجعل الطلاب يعيشون مع لحظات نزول القرآن الكريم على النبي ﷺ. نستخدم الأنشطة التفاعلية والحوارات المفتوحة لتبسيط المفاهيم وتعزيز فهم الطلاب للقيم المستفادة من الدروس، مما يساعدهم على الارتباط العميق بتعاليم دينهم وتطبيقها في حياتهم اليومية.
Gr 2: In year 2 we started greeting students and teaching them how to reply to this greeting in Islamic it was so fantstic to start our lesson with revising and learning surat al-Fatihah and the meanings of the key words therein. We are working diligently and actively on reviewing Surat Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, with a focus on practicing Surat Al-Masad, as we encourage students to review and practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery. We are currently discussing the pillars of Islam. We are keen to create an atmosphere of interaction and dialogue to simplify ideas and deepen students’ understanding of Islamic teachings. In the coming period, we will continue to build a deeper understanding of the surahs and verses through simplified explanations and activities that help students relate to their daily lives.
Gr 3: In year 3 we as usual started with teaching students to greet others with Islamic greeting and to reply to it. We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating surat al-asr, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.
Gr 4: In Islamic year 4 it was fantastic to see those good students. we started revising pillars of islam and pillars of Iman. We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to 5 of Surat Al-Alaq, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.
Gr 5: we started this year revising some important islamic concepts like pillars of islam and pillars of iman and prayers. We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to 6 of Surat alBuruj, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.
Gr 6: we started this year revising some important islamic concepts like resources of shari'ah, pillars of islam and pillars of iman and prayers. We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to 6 of Surat al-Ifitar, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.
Have a fabulous weekend!
Ms. Asma, Mr Desoky, Mr. Gamal
ESPAÑOL
Hola Todos,
Welcome to the Spanish world . We had great week in all year group , Students have learnt about greetings , interesting facts and some basic phrases in Spanish which can use in their everyday life which makes them confident and enthusiastic for learning Spanish . Apart from which all students have prepared their own Spanish cover book by colouring it which will be handy for them to identify Spanish books in their classes. Students of Year 1 and Year 2 learnt and practice Saludos (greetings) in Spanish .Year 3 to Year 6 learnt some facts about Spanish speaking countries all around the world and wrote short introduction about themselves .
All pictures and student work will be shared with all of you through Seesaw through which you can see the activities , worksheets and homework (for practice ) . Keep encouraging your student so that he/she will learn more and become confident to speak in Spanish .
Feliz fin de semana (Have a nice weekend )
Hasta Luego (See you later)
Mr. Radhey
STREAM
It's a fun week for everyone in our STREAM class in GPS! The children in FS enjoyed building a bridge for Mr Bunny as he needed to cross the river. They used various materials available in the classroom to create their bridge. Years 1 and 2 had fun exploring activities in different stations as they learnt the concept of STEAM education. Years 3 and 4 brainstormed and planned for their group project. Their challenge is to design a bridge, a shelter or a machine. The project must integrate at least three STEAM elements while year 5 learnt to program and code simple machines. Years 6 accepted the group challenge of building a tall tower using popsicle sticks and clothespins.
PE
It's a fun week for everyone in our STREAM class in GPS! The children in FS enjoyed building a bridge for Mr Bunny as he needed to cross the river. They used various materials available in the classroom to create their bridge. Years 1 and 2 had fun exploring activities in different stations as they learnt the concept of STEAM education. Years 3 and 4 brainstormed and planned for their group project. Their challenge is to design a bridge, a shelter or a machine. The project must integrate at least three STEAM elements while year 5 learnt to program and code simple machines. Years 6 accepted the group challenge of building a tall tower using popsicle sticks and clothespins.
Have a great week ahead!