Over recent years, students from The British International School Abu Dhabi have been enjoying great success with their International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. They are obtaining excellent results and are being offered places in top Universities around the world.
The IB Diploma really helps open students’ minds and is such an excellent preparation for high achievement at University. It also helps open doors into a global community and provides links way beyond those which might be possible with other qualifications.
A great example is coming up during the half-term break. The International Baccalaureate Organisation is holding their annual conference in Abu Dhabi this year and our students have been invited to participate. Over 2,000 educators from IB schools across the world will gather together in Abu Dhabi and the BIS Abu Dhabi students will have the opportunity to mingle and talk with all these people. It is a great honour for the students to receive such an invitation and nice to see recognition of their achievements and those of previous students at the school.
Within schools we need to educate students for where they are today, but we also need to keep an eye on where they will be in the future. Also, crucially, developing the kind of person they will be in the future and how to make the most of the opportunities that come their way. The IB really does make a difference in today’s world and it is wonderful seeing BIS Abu Dhabi students thrive within the IB programme.
Patrick Horne, Principal
A few weeks ago, as part of our IB DP Language programme, Year 12 students in the French Ab Initio and French B classes united to celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday). Originally a catholic event welcoming the ritual fasting of Lent, Mardi Gras is celebrated in France with festive parades and sumptuous public celebrations.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, students came together to not only recognize the festivity but rejoice at the opportunity to share and learn about the international traditions fostered within our community. With the help of Monsieur Depose and Mademoiselle Merchadier, the French DP classes baked tasty treats, including crepes, waffles, brownies, and traditional beignets!
As a teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of watching students grow — not just academically, but as young people finding their path in a complex world. One thing I’ve learned time and again is this: success doesn’t come from rare moments of brilliance — it comes from the quiet power of habits.
Research tells us that up to 40% of what we do each day is driven by habit, not active decision-making. That means the routines our students form — the way they begin their morning, how they handle a setback, whether they choose to read or scroll — are shaping who they become.
I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
You might have seen the trend going around - “If I could tell my younger self one thing…” - a moment to reflect, to offer advice we wish we’d heard earlier, or to remind ourselves of what truly matters.
As students prepare to cross some of the biggest milestones in school life, it feels like the perfect time to pause and join in that conversation. But it’s not just our students who are preparing — so are we, as parents. These milestones don’t just belong to them. We’re living every part of it too: the anticipation, the pride, the nerves, and the quiet hopes. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world — to watch them take these big steps, to stay strong when they wobble, to let go just a little more. It’s a milestone for us as much as it is for them — and we’re walking it together.
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