From Reception to A-Level, our BIS students have been discovering, imagining, and creating. From space adventures in Early Years, language and culture in Primary, flipped learning in KS3, to innovative literary projects in A-Level Chinese, curiosity and creativity are thriving at every stage.
Reception Class is Reaching for the Stars!
Written by Ms. Shan, January 2026
In this unit, we are embracing the theme “Blast Off” as we embark on an exciting journey into outer space. We’re exploring planets, astronauts, the moon, rocket ships, galaxies, and so much more, as we launch into a world of learning. The children have displayed remarkable creativity and enthusiasm as they engage in each task, eager to learn and discover. They have expressed curiosity about the moon, inquired about Saturn, and dreamt of visiting the sun. We have memorized three fantastic songs, including one titled Rocketship Run, which features truly fun and exciting movements. The second song, Learning Planets by Lingo Kids, is an upbeat tune that simplifies the learning of the names and order of planets in our solar system from the sun. Lastly, we have enjoyed Flying to the Moon by Super Simple Songs. Each child has fully embraced our activities, where creativity meets science, bringing their imaginations to life.
So far, we have completed a variety of activities, including:
- Crafting a giant rocket from recycled materials, complete with control panels
- Creating 3D planets using paper and clay
- Designing clay astronauts and moons adorned with stars made from paper plates, clay, and paint
- Developing solar projections
- Decorating our classroom
- Transforming ourselves into astronauts
- Making 3D planet shakers
Looking ahead to next week, we will take on another exciting project, using a giant canvas to create our own galaxy. This unit has been phenomenal, allowing us to explore space while utilizing STEAM methods and diving into the world of inquiry.
Written by Mr. Dillan, January 2026
Over the past few weeks, the Reception Tigers have been deeply engaged in an exciting and enriching unit of learning focused on space. Through a variety of well-planned, play-based experiences, the children have been exploring the moon, planets, and the wider world beyond Earth, nurturing both their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.
Throughout the unit, the children have been introduced to new space-related vocabulary and concepts, while continuing to strengthen their early phonics skills, including sound recognition, blending, and word building. Daily opportunities for discussion and reflection have supported language development and encouraged children to confidently share their ideas, thoughts, and questions with peers and adults.
During focused learning sessions, the children worked collaboratively to design and construct their own spaceships. This process began with planning and drawing their ideas, followed by making decisions together about materials, shapes, and features. These experiences promoted creativity, problem-solving, cooperation, and early design thinking, while also supporting fine motor development.
Space learning has been meaningfully integrated across multiple areas of the curriculum. The children explored simple addition through practical, hands-on activities, created moon and crater artwork using a range of materials, and engaged in space-themed songs, stories, and movement activities. These cross-curricular experiences helped deepen understanding while maintaining high levels of engagement and enjoyment.
Daily classroom routines continued to play an important role in supporting holistic development. Conversations about the weather, days of the week, and emotions provided consistent opportunities to build communication skills, self-awareness, and social understanding.
It has been a pleasure to observe the Reception Tigers’ growing confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm throughout this unit. Their willingness to explore, collaborate, and express their ideas has been a highlight of our learning journey. We look forward to building on these experiences as we continue to explore new and exciting topics together.
Flipped Learning
Written by Mr. Stuart, January 2026
Every teacher knows that there is never enough time in the classroom. Each classroom is a container that shapes learning but also limits it. Learning can become restricted to what time, behaviour and the unique dynamics of any class or day allow. There is always more!
‘Flipped learning’ helps to overcome this problem. It involves pre-learning (or at least reviewing) material to be learned. While this can apply to any subject, in mathematics it allows learners to read, mark and inwardly digest key concepts, ideas and methods, which might be lost in the hurly burly of the classroom.
There is a field of academic research that points towards the value of flipped learning generally and in mathematics in particular. A friend – a medical doctor – once remarked that his son and his peers were able to do the mathematics he had learned at school but they lacked the theoretical knowledge he had imbibed. This is perhaps to do with differences in attention span and the negative side of technology use today.
To excel at mathematics, we must ensure that learners can grasp both operations (‘doing sums’) and the fundamental reasoning that lies behind it. This is challenging in any situation, but can be particularly so for learners studying in a foreign language. With my KS3 classes, I take the simple step of asking them to read the chapter’s introduction and to complete around ten questions testing their grasp of the concepts behind the maths they will soon learn. I have found, over the years, that this improves the level of ‘talk’ in class while also allowing pupils to grasp concepts in private at their own pace. The classroom is calmer and more enjoyable if you understand what’s being taught!
Written by Ms. Michele, January 2026
As the autumn light spills over the classroom windowsills, our Chinese classroom is bathed in a warm glow. This fall, the children’s hands and hearts are weaving together the fruits of language.
Look at those focused eyes—the fourth-grade native speakers are cutting autumn into shape, turning lines of poetry like fallen leaves into bookmarks, so that every turn of a page holds a moment of gold. The third-grade non-native speakers, with paper cups and string, are quietly stringing up their first “vine of voices,” letting their first Chinese words tremble and take root in the crisp autumn air.
The younger explorers are building their first sound castles with phonetic blocks, while those already wandering freely along the path of language have begun their own “autumn harvest,” gathering playful words from daily life. On the highest branches, ripened knowledge transforms into laughter and friendly challenges—characters leap between team games, and culture grows full, like autumn fruit, through thought and cooperation.
Here, Chinese is not a distant lesson, but a tangible, creative, shared present. As the cool breeze brushes by, we believe that every heart gently touched by stories and experiences will quietly nurture a seed of light this autumn.
Empowering through Art, Enhancing Learning throuch Skill
— Unlocking New Approaches to Studying The Red Shirt without Buttons in A-Level Chinese Class
Written by Ms. Nakha, January 2026
To break away from the monotony of traditional literature lessons and enhance the interest and practicality of A-Level Chinese learning, our A-Level Chinese class centred on the classic work The Red Shirt without Buttons and carried out the themed practical activity: “Understanding Characters·Designing Covers· Freezing Classics.” Under the guidance of Miss Nakha, students conducted in-depth analyses of the main character, An Ran, integrated information technology with literary aesthetics to design personalised book covers, and finally printed and bound their creations, allowing each student to have a tangible, unique outcome while deepening their understanding of the text.
An Ran’s independence, stubbornness, and purity are key to understanding this novel. This activity departed from the traditional “teacher lectures, students listen” model, using character analysis as the foundation and creative practice as the vehicle to build an engaging classroom. Students were guided to explore An Ran’s personality and historical significance through discussion and sharing of ideas, actively constructing their own interpretations of the character.
The activity also incorporated information technology, combining literature with digital creation. Miss Nakha guided students to translate their understanding of An Ran into visual works using IT software: focusing on The Red Shirt without Buttons as the core, students used vibrant colours to highlight her rebellious yet sincere nature. This not only strengthened their IT skills but also achieved the integration of reading, emotional reflection, and aesthetic creation.
This practical activity is a vivid example of merging engaging classroom methods with technology-enhanced teaching. By designing their own book covers, students gained a deeper understanding of the protagonist An Ran and experienced the joy of A-Level Chinese learning, breaking away from the perception of classic literature as obscure or inaccessible.
Post time: Mar-19-2026
