THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOL, DUBAI

30th AUGUST, 2015

Year2

PRINCIPALS NEWSLETTER

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome the new Academic Year 2015-16 with a
passion to encounter the change and transform the
learning.
We go forward with the theme, TWS the future of
learning.........Attitude and Behavior!
Transitioning to the next generation of learners
brings with it a profound impact on the entire TWS
system.
We are to take on a variety of challenges, systems
and objectives merging with true innovations from
Curriculum design to Leadership infrastructure, Data
management leading to integrating Assessment into
teaching and learning with a Digital edge in all that
we undertake.
We move on to Educational Administration in
a unique change in direction with systemic change,
Collaboration and Innovation adoption.

Collaborative and Innovative Student

leadership in its creative presence
at the
Westminster
School, Dubai.
PLACE
PHOTO HERE,
OTHERWISE DELETE BOX

A focus on the three core pathways of School Data

collection and how this information enables in
improving Standards:
- Advice on involving all staff in the intelligent
use of data to improve pupil performance
- What to look out for when disseminating data
to the wider teaching team
- Keeping Data use simple and ensure it works!

FOCUS FOR THE YEAR 2015-16:

ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR
One Team
- Policy to be aligned to practice
One Vision
- Practice to be systematized
One Mission
- Redeemable points to be awarded color coded
- Behavior policy to align with the School Parent
Small changesSignificant impact!
Contract

THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOL, DUBAI

30th AUGUST, 2015

PRINCIPALS NEWSLETTER

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Educational Leadership Skills:

9 Key Skills and the 7 Strands
Questions for Learning
- What kinds of questions help students
deepen their thinking?
- How can teachers create questions that
reveal students knowledge?

Doing Data right

- How can teachers extract useful data from
the flood of information available and
generate learning centered information about
their students and Year groups to inform
learning and planning?

Teaching in Tandem
- How can teachers work together to plan and
execute instructions?
- What skills and support do they need to make
such collaboration work?

- The working lives of Teachers

- What pressures do teachers face and what
support do they need?
- How can the school mentor teachers and
provide opportunities for learning leadership?

- Helping English Language Learners Excel

- How are we setting high but achievable
expectations for English Language Learners
to ensure that they can not only survive
academically but also excel?

- Innovation in Technology
- Content,OTHERWISE
Processes,DELETE
Reporting,
BOX
Evaluating and Monitoring!
- Assessment solutions that work
Innovations that advance teaching
and learning in effective new ways!
Emotional/ Healthy Kids
- How can education help all students
deal with their emotions?
- Support students who have emotional
and mental health challenges?
Learning for Life
- What do students need to know and be
able to do when they finish school?
- How can education foster skills for
lifelong learning?

Looking at student work

- How can teachers examine student work to
provide feedback, assign grades, assess
students strengths and learning needs and
differentiate instructions?

THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOL, DUBAI

PRINCIPALS NEWSLETTER

30th AUGUST, 2015

Year

Vol. 1 Issue 1

hhhhh

CREATIVE LEADERS:
CURRICULUM
PLACE PHOTO HERE,
- Project Based
Learning Curriculum centered
OTHERWISE DELETE BOX

- Language proficiency (Arabic inclusive)

- Focus on Literacy Skills
- Drama, Theatre and Music

TWS - DIGITAL LEADERSHIP

- ICT Community Links
- IT Academy
- Media Studies/Centre
- TWS Radio/Newsroom
- Curriculum links and Campaigns in all L . Bays

THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOL, DUBAI

30th AUGUST, 2015

PRINCIPALS NEWSLETTER

Vol. 1 Issue 1

The benefits of assessment for learning

Assessment for learning is a powerful way of raising pupils achievement. It is based on the principle
that pupils will improve most if they understand the aim of their learning, where they are in relation to
this aim and how they can achieve the aim (or close the gap in their knowledge). It is not an add-on or
a project; it is central to effective teaching and learning.
Good assessment for learning makes:
accurate assessment knowing what the standards are, judging pupils work correctly,
and making accurate assessments linked to National Curriculum levels;
l a fair assessment knowing the methods used are valid;
l a reliable assessment ensuring that judgements are consistent and based on a range
of evidence;
l a useful assessment identifying barriers to pupil progress and using that information to
plan and discuss the next steps in learning.
l a focused assessment identifying areas of a childs learning where there are blocks to
progression, which might, for example, benefit from the attention of one-to-one tuition;
l for continuity of assessment, enabling better transfer between years and schools.
l an

- recognizes all educational achievement

- focuses on how pupils learn
- is a key professional skill
- promotes understanding of goals and criteria
- know how to improve

- is part of effective planning

- is central to classroom practice
- is sensitive, constructive and fosters motivation
- helps learners
- develops the capacity for self (and peer)
assessment

The aims of the Assessment for Learning Strategy:

Building on the work of the most successful schools, our strategy is now to make assessment for