Dear Secondary Families,
This week marked an important moment for ABIS as we welcomed the IB Evaluation Team to our school. The visit was the culmination of a great deal of work over the past year and provided an opportunity to reflect carefully on our practice as a school and to demonstrate how we are meeting the IB Programme Standards and Practices across the PYP, MYP and DP.
In the lead-up to the visit, staff engaged in a detailed and honest self-study process. This involved reviewing our curriculum, assessment practices, student support systems, and professional collaboration, as well as identifying areas where we are already strong and areas where we continue to develop. This reflective work has been central to ensuring that our priorities are meaningful, student-focused, and sustainable, rather than driven simply by compliance.
During the visit itself, the evaluation team met with students, teachers, parents, school leaders, and governors, observed lessons, and explored how learning takes place across the school. This allowed the team to gain a clear picture of our context, our culture, and the direction in which we are moving. While we will receive the full written report in the coming weeks, the verbal feedback shared at the end of the visit was extremely positive. The team were particularly impressed by the quality of learning they observed, the strong relationships between students and staff, and the sense of shared purpose across the school. Importantly, the areas identified for further development aligned closely with those we had already identified through our own self-study, which was both reassuring and affirming of the work we are doing as a community.
I would like to sincerely thank our parents for their engagement and support throughout this process, including those who met with the evaluation team during the visit. Your involvement plays an important role in strengthening our school and supporting our students’ learning journeys. We now look forward to receiving the formal report and continuing the next phase of our development with clarity and confidence.
Next week, we look forward to celebrating Oman Week. Our Grade 9 students are especially excited to take part in a four-day residential experience, where they will explore the natural beauty and rich heritage of Oman while enjoying a range of outdoor and cultural activities. Planned highlights include visits to Wadi Hoqain, Nizwa, the Oman Across Ages Museum, and Muscat.
To make the most of the favourable weather, other grade levels have either completed their residential trips earlier in the year or will do so later. Students who remain on campus next week will still enjoy a range of meaningful experiences, including whole-school assemblies celebrating Omani culture, opportunities to meet camels, and hands-on engagement with traditional Omani handicrafts.
The week will conclude with our much-anticipated International Food Evening, where we will come together as a community to celebrate the many nationalities represented at ABIS. Last year’s event was a huge success, and we very much look forward to welcoming you all again this year.
I hope you have a lovely weekend,
Andy Cooper
Head of Secondary