As exam season unfolds, there's a special kind of stillness that settles over the school. In the quiet hum of the examination hall, behind the rustle of papers and the soft clicking of keyboards, is a profound truth: we are witnessing a moment that our students will carry with them forever. It is the culmination of years of learning, growth, and perseverance, a chapter closing and a new one ready to be written.
It’s a powerful moment to watch our Year 11 and Year 13 students take their final exams at BIS Abu Dhabi. In their focused faces, we see not just nerves and excitement, but ambition, determination, and hope. These are the young people we have laughed with, challenged, supported, and cheered on—and now, they sit poised on the threshold of what comes next.
As educators, we carry the quiet privilege of holding their hopes and dreams in these defining moments. It's a responsibility we do not take lightly. And it is one made lighter and more meaningful by the strength of our community.
Every corner of BIS Abu Dhabi has played a role. Subject teachers have offered last-minute guidance, reinforcing knowledge and confidence. Heads of Year and tutors have soothed anxious minds with kind and reassuring words. Friends and peers across year groups have offered notes of encouragement, fist bumps, and gestures of solidarity. Even our Primary colleagues have walked their corridors with extra care, guiding younger students with soft footsteps and hushed tones, knowing the importance of these days.
This, truly, is the essence of BIS Abu Dhabi. A community that rises together, not only to teach, but to lift, to calm, to support. We don’t just prepare students for exams; we surround them with a village of care.
So, to our students sitting these exams: we are so proud of you. And to our staff, families, and wider school community: thank you. Thank you for showing what it means to stand beside our young people in the moments that matter most.
Victoria Juett
Assistant Head of Secondary
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.
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