This week has flown by, with so many exciting things happening. We can barely believe that the weekend has arrived already, providing some time to rest and relax for our pupils (and staff!) who have all been working so hard this week. I am sure you will agree that our pictures on social media (you can check them out for yourself on Instagram at @BeechHallRiyadh, on X at @BeechHallRiyadh, or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn) and Classlist show that the children are deeply engaged in their learning, and they’re all making such fantastic progress.
Here are my top five moments from the last week:
- Opening the beautiful KG indoor space by hosting Beech Hall School Riyadh’s first ever carnival! Our youngest learners and their parents had a great time watching a magician on a unicycle, eating popcorn, and exploring the new learning space by climbing, sliding and reading in the most stunning library area. The highlight for me was seeing our KG magicians perform – they were spellbinding! Huge thanks to Space Zero for creating such a wonderful design, and to Ms Julia and Ms Zainab for organising such a memorable event.
Having my first latte from our fantastic parent café, which is now fully open and filled with parents and visitors enjoying the new space (and the caffeine!). It’s been designed as a flexible space, for parents wanting to work for a little while, or teachers and parents meeting informally. The café can also be a great space to greet prospective parents, who are so excited to be joining a community where parents really do sit as equal partners with the school. Pop in and have a coffee with us soon!
Meeting Grade 4, who wanted to tell me all about their most recent Unit of Learning. Never before have I been told how similar volcanoes are to spots, or learned how astronauts use the bathroom in space! I love seeing the excitement and engagement as the pupils explain their learning, as well as the pride as they show me when talking about how much progress they feel they’ve made since the start of term.
Attending Grade 1’s Art Gallery, hosted at the heart of the school, so that all of our community can stop by and see their wonderful work on display. I was blown away by the children’s excellent explanations of colour, tone, tint and shade, and how eloquently they talked to me about the work of Henri Matisse. It was also really special to see the older pupils coming down to celebrate the younger pupils’ work with them – it really enhanced that feeling of family within our school. It’s safe to say we have some incredibly talented artists in our midst.
- Hosting some very special visitors from the British Embassy and the British Military, who wanted to see our school in action. They toured the classrooms, and their education expert asked some superb questions of our children. Our visitors shared how impressed they were with the behaviour, confidence and happiness of our children, and especially the way in which the pupils explained their learning. One boy explained all about how he was developing resilience in learning, and how he’d already seen an impact on his learning behaviours. Long may that continue!
Have a wonderful weekend! Crumb and I are looking forward to a restful few days, so we’re ready for more excitement and opportunities next week.
Clemmie Stewart,
Executive Principal
