Looking Ahead
As you will have seen from the announcement this week from our CEO, Andrew Fitzmaurice, this will be my final term at BISS Pudong prior to taking on the role of Principal at the British International School Abu Dhabi. Although I am excited about a new challenge I know I will miss BISS Pudong a great deal and the wonderful community we have here.

Our school is in a strong position in so many aspects, perhaps easiest described along the lines of our School Promises. The academic standards are at their highest ever and I believe we will see them continue to rise at all levels. The quality of the teachers and their passion to help students learn is really helping students to Achieve Academic Excellence. Opportunities beyond the classroom continue to expand, both in terms of activities on offer, and in terms of the leadership roles that so many students now undertake as they Learn to Lead. We also see such a wonderful contribution to others through our Service activities as students not only Make a Difference to others, but also to themselves as they develop their own social understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

The main strength of any school does not lie within buildings or resources, it lies within the people. I have great confidence in the team of staff we have in place, the systems which help support student learning and the excellent relationships between teachers and parents to enable this to happen. Above all though, what makes our school truly special are the wonderful students themselves. I have no doubt that they will continue to work hard and inspire us all each and every day.

I know Lesley-Ann Wallace well from our time together within Nord Anglia Education and I am certain she will be a fantastic addition to the team here. Lesley-Ann is an experienced principal, is very familiar with the ethos of Nord Anglia Education and also has the added benefit of having worked in Shanghai previously. I am sure we will see the school maintain and build upon its high standards and it will continue to go from strength to strength. The transition to a new Principal will be very smooth and of course our priority each day remains ensuring the students experience the best educational opportunities possible.

Two final things to mention this week. Firstly, we have just welcomed back all the students who were away on Project Week, working with others in various locations across China. The students have come back with so many inspirational stories and you can see the growth in confidence and also the pride they have in their achievements. I would particularly like to acknowledge the tremendous contribution from all the members of staff who make these amazing trips possible.

Also this week we are beginning to see the preparations for our end of term events and concerts. The sound of children learning and practicing songs is very evident, as is their joy in doing so. Please take a note of the dates of the various performances from our calendar and I do hope you will be able to attend. These events are always very special and I am sure we will finish 2014 on a real high.