Weekly Newsletter
This Week At LOTS: 7-11 Apr 2025
Term 3| Week 1
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From HoS Desk
From HoS Desk
“The breath of life is in the sunlight,
And the hand of life is in the wind”
- Kahlil Gibran
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Fans have been installed in every classroom.
Welcome back to the last term, one that will see more academic rigour, beginning with the LS3 and CP6 CheckPoint exams, followed by the IGCSE 2 and A Level Board Exams which start towards the end of this month and run through May and early June, and the school Annual Exams which will take place in mid June.
But we are a holistic school with other developmental aspects being paid equal attention. Hence our Debate and MUN teams will be prepping for and participating in the nationals of both in May. Our first cohort of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards (DoE) will be starting their journey towards qualifying for Bronze (the first rung in the DoE ladder). Our World Scholar’s Cup global finalists will be training and getting ready for the global round in July. CP Leadership camps are underway. And of course, our sports teams continue their engagement in the ISAZ tournaments.
So once again, welcome back to the pleasure and excitement and challenge of nurturing the young, as school life kicks into high gear, traversing the final leg of this academic year.
Warm regards
Shouquot Hussain
Head of School
Principal Academics
Principal Academics
Understanding the Cambridge Checkpoint report:
Cambridge Checkpoint reports provide comprehensive insights into student performance across subject, strand, sub-strand, and question levels, as well as by centre, teaching group, and individual learner. Scores are reported on a 0–50 scale, while raw (unscaled) marks—reflecting actual test scores—are shown at detailed levels. These raw marks are converted into standardised scores using Rasch analysis, a statistical method that adjusts for the difficulty of each question.
For example, a learner who scores 27 out of 40 on Science Paper 1 and 15 out of 40 on Paper 2 achieves a total raw score of 42 out of 80. Using Rasch analysis, this raw score are converted into a standardised Cambridge Checkpoint score of around 33, depending on test difficulty. Strand scores—such as Biology 34, Chemistry 38, and Physics 36—are also converted this way, and the final subject score is not a simple average of strand scores.
Scores from 21 to 30 always fall into the Good performance band, but the number of raw marks needed to reach that range may vary. This is because the 0–50 score does not directly reflect a percentage; instead, it provides a consistent measure of skill and understanding across tests and subjects.
The 0–50 scores correspond to consistent performance bands across subjects: Unclassified (0), Basic (1–10), Aspiring (11–20), Good (21–30), High (31–40), and Outstanding (41–50). These unified bands align with both Checkpoint and Progression Tests to support consistent tracking across the Cambridge Pathway.
Our internal semester results show the cumulative result, i.e 40% from 2 formative assessments and 60% from the end of semester exam; individual schools do not use the statistical technique called Rasch analysis that is used by Cambridge Checkpoint.
Students and parents have asked this a lot - Will students not progress to LS1 or IGCSE if they fail in checkpoint examinations? The answer to this question has two parts
Checkpoint reports does not determine the outcome as pass or fail, it gives an analysis.
Our internal examinations determine progression to the next grade levels. (50% marks in every subject is the requirement for progression as mentioned in the academic standards policy)
Principal Pastoral Care
Principal Pastoral Care
School Policies
A school policy is a set of rules, guidelines, or principles created by a school to help manage how the school operates. These policies cover everything from student behavior and attendance to dress codes, grading systems, technology use, safety protocols, and more.
Our students spent time with their mentors looking at the code of conduct, uniform policy and the anti bullying policy. In order to consolidate the guidance, let them go through the policies with your support.
Code of conduct
Lusaka Oaktree School is committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. The Student Code of Conduct has been established to ensure that all students are aware of the expectations and guidelines for behaviour within the school community. The purpose of this code is to promote a positive and respectful school environment where all students can thrive and reach their full potential.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WW7Z5kwgfRMMBOEZjIWIwdE87Zzuw3cq/view?usp=drive_link
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11DBpfgt_Hn2dCenIvKCWe73MtHOo9g9fO-eWfcmYciE/edit?tab=t.0
Uniform and Dress Code Guideline
At Lusaka Oaktree School, we believe that students should present themselves in a neat, tidy and appropriate manner. Our Uniform and Dress Code Guidelines ensure that all students dress in a way that reflects positively on themselves, their families and the school. We expect all students to comply with our guidelines at all times. The uniform and dress code guidelines of Lusaka Oaktree School are designed to promote a sense of pride and belonging among students and to ensure a professional and respectful appearance for all students. These guidelines are intended to be reasonable, flexible and affordable for parents and students. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s-Lc_uvZaBWvOdGRZZVpHfSrEaDgVbJF/view?usp=drive_link
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD- Weekly Meetings Underway
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD- Weekly Meetings Underway
Our Duke of Edinburgh participants are making steady progress as they work towards their awards. As part of their journey, students are now scheduled to meet once a week with their Award Leaders. These regular check-ins provide guidance, support, and encouragement as students plan and reflect on their activities across the key DofE sections.
National Debate League
National Debate League
We’re thrilled to announce that Lusaka Oaktree School will be proudly participating in the Lusaka Debating League 2025, a dynamic, two-day event designed to help our students build confidence, develop critical thinking, and take the stage as young leaders of tomorrow.
Important Dates:
Teacher Training: 23 May 2025
Debating Championship: 24–25 May 2025
Venue: Unicaf University, Lusaka Campus
Who Can Participate?
Students from Grades 4–12 are welcome! Teams of 3–5 students will compete by age group. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to grow, connect with peers, and represent our school community with pride.
Top 4 teams will qualify for the prestigious Pan-African Debating Championship in Cape Town!
Why Encourage Your Child to Join?
Boosts self-esteem and public speaking skills
Sharpens reasoning and analytical thinking
Fosters teamwork and resilience
Great preparation for future leadership
Certification and recognition
Registration Deadline: 24 April 2025
Participation Fee: ZMW 1,400 (includes meals, medals, teacher coaching & more!)
Early Years
Early Years
Back to School: Learning to Share.
As children settle down in school, our children are diving headfirst into the world of learning. From math problems to reading comprehension, they're soaking up knowledge like sponges. But what's striking is how quickly they're picking up on the concept of sharing – and its flip side, division.
The Art of Sharing
Sharing is a fundamental skill that kids are learning from a young age. Whether it's sharing toys, snacks, or ideas, they're developing essential social skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. By learning to share, kids are building empathy, cooperation, and communication skills that will serve them well in all aspects of life.
What's Next?
As the school year progresses, it's exciting to see how our children will continue to grow and learn. By fostering a culture of sharing, empathy, and kindness, we can help them develop into compassionate and well-rounded individuals. Stay tuned for more updates on our children's educational journey!
Primary school
Primary school
Welcome to the second half of the semester! We look forward to a positive and productive period, encouraging our students to excel academically and explore their interests through extracurricular activities starting next week.
Building Leaders: CP3 Class at CREED School of Leadership
The CP3 class recently visited CREED, where they immersed themselves in a range of challenging activities designed to foster growth and development. Through obstacle courses, long distance hiking, and team-building exercises like filling buckets with water, our students developed essential skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience, and confidence. These hands-on experiences not only tested their physical limits but also encouraged collaboration, communication, and creative thinking, leaving a lasting impact on our young learners.
Upper CP & Lower Secondary School
Upper CP & Lower Secondary School
“You learn something every day if you pay attention.” – Ray LeBlond
1. MAY FORMATIVE 4 ASSESSMENTS
Writing period: 5th-16th May, 2025
Kindly take note of this important timeline as it will help students prepare adequately for these Assessments, further Next week all subject teachers will share with you the format template indicating the dates of the exams, duration and total marks in all the class WhatsApp groups. Be on the look out for this information.
2.LEARNING SUPPORT
After result analysis for formative 3 Assessments, we will continue to support students who face challenges in English, Science and Math. If your child will be attending these sessions, teachers will call in to inform you about this and also share a schedule for the program. Our duty as parents is to support this initiative and monitor progress too, weekly feedback will be given. If your child has Remedial in the afternoon, he/she will not be eligible for ECA's until we see a lot of of progress through assessment.
3. PROGRESSION TO THE NEXT GRADE
As we have continued to communicate on here about progression. It is important to note that as a school our academic targets and goals aim for excellence, therefore progression will only be awarded to students who scored 50% and above across all subjects.
4. RETURNING OF FORMATIVE 3 MARKED SCRIPTS TO CLASS TEACHERS
Formative 3 assessment marked assessment papers were sent home with parents for review, and we requested that you return them to us. The reason for keeping these answer scripts in school is that we compare and analyse results from different assessments to review our practices and support students. Your cooperation in returning the marked assessment papers is greatly appreciated, as it helps us track student progress and make informed decisions for their academic development. Thank you for your continued support in our efforts to provide the best education for your child.
Upper Secondary School
Upper Secondary School
Academic Enrichment Update: Afternoon Classes & Exam Practice Sessions
We would like to share some important updates as we enhance academic support for our learners this term.
Starting this coming week, afternoon classes for AS, A Level and IGCSE 2 students will resume. These sessions are designed to extend learning time and provide focused revision ahead of final examinations. Learners are encouraged to attend all the classes to benefit from in-depth instruction and teacher feedback.
We are also intensifying dedicated exam practice paper sessions for exam classes. During these sessions, students will work with past examination papers to develop exam techniques, improve time management, and gain familiarity with question formats. This will form a vital part of their preparation and confidence building.
In addition, support classes for IGCSE 1 students will begin next week, running twice a week. These sessions will support students in consolidating their subject knowledge and building strong foundations for the years ahead.
We thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to seeing continued academic
Sports and ECA
Sports and ECA
While others were resting, the U16 boys and girls’ football teams, alongside the U13, U11, and U9 netball teams, prepared to battle it out in various ISAZ events – with netball being hosted at Martin House School in Chisamba and Football at Baobab College. We've had a whirlwind of fantastic sporting endeavours recently, and we want to give a massive round of applause to all our incredible young athletes!
First up, our U16 boys' and girls' football teams travelled to Baobab College and performed fair for considering it was a debut appearance for most of the athletes. All the teams played with remarkable passion, skill, and (in some cases) teamwork. The teams showed a level of determination on the field. Whether it was scoring goals, making crucial saves, or putting in those hard tackles, both teams represented our school rather well and should show a level of pride in their efforts! Well done, U16 footballers!
Next, we want to celebrate the wonderful performances of our U13, U11, and U9 netball teams at Martin House School. A number of players showed fantastic agility, coordination, and a genuine understanding of the game. It truly was inspiring to see so many talented netball players developing in our school. The girls put in a lot of practice in a lot of practice, and it showed on the court. Your teamwork and positive attitudes were a joy to witness. Keep soaring high, netball stars!
And now, as the football and netball excitement settles, a new energy is building across the school – it's athletics season! You can feel the buzz as everyone starts thinking about their favourite events, from sprinting and long jump to throwing and middle-distance running. The track and field events are coming alive with students practicing their starts, perfecting their techniques, and encouraging their friends. There's a real sense of anticipation for the competitions ahead, and we can't wait to see all the amazing talent and effort on display. Get your running shoes ready, practice those jumps, and warm up those throwing arms – it's going to be an amazing athletics season filled with personal bests and fantastic team spirit! Let's go, everyone! We're so excited to cheer you all on!
In line with ECAs, we would like to inform you all that we have made a change to the ECA programme. Primary (CP 1 – CP 6) have sports on Monday and Clubs on Wednesday. Secondary (LS1 – IGCSE 1) will have their sports on Tuesday and clubs on Thursday. For those that are moving with the bus, alternative activities (such as remedial lessons or prep) are available for them. Please contact the PE and SPORTS department for any clarification.
REMINDERS
REMINDERS
Please collect your car sticker from the front desk if you have not.
ECAs will commence from Monday 14th April.
Please update your contact details with school, if they have changed.
Key Dates
Key Dates
Key Contacts at Lusaka Oaktree School
Key Contacts at Lusaka Oaktree School
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