New COBIS Schools

COBIS would like to welcome the following schools which have recently been approved for COBIS membership by the COBIS Membership Committee:

Dubai English Speaking School and College (DESSC), United Arab Emirates

COBIS would like to welcome the staff and pupils from DESSC into COBIS membership. The school, which caters for pupils aged 3-18 years, was founded in Dubai in 1963 and has 178 staff and 2,217 pupils on roll.

On behalf of COBIS, we look forward to working with all the staff and students at the Dubai English Speaking School and College. 

EtonHouse Prep School, South Korea

COBIS is delighted to welcome our first school in South Korea into membership. EtonHouse Prep School in Seoul opened in 2013 and now has 168 pupils on roll from 34 countries.

Christine Simmonds, CEO of EtonHouse Korea said upon accepting COBIS membership, “We were delighted to hear that the COBIS panel deemed our school suitable to meet the high level requirements for COBIS membership and accept this confirmation with pleasure. As a team, we embrace this opportunity.”

International School for Primary Education (InSPE), Romania

The International School for Primary Education (InSPE) is the nineth COBIS school in Bucharest to be approved for membership by the COBIS Membership Committee. The school, which is led by Head of School Susan Eriksson, was founded in 1995 and caters for pupils aged 1.5 – 11 years.

Susan said upon accepting COBIS Member status, “On behalf of the school community at InSPE, I am delighted to confirm our membership of COBIS. We undertake to respect and work within the guidelines in the COBIS ethical code of practice and the COBIS guide to good governance.”

Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS), United Arab Emirates

COBIS is delighted to confirm the Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) in Dubai as a COBIS Member school. The school, which has two sites in Dubai, has 700 primary pupils at the Jumeirah campus and over 1,300 pupils at the primary and secondary campus in Arabian Ranches.

Director Mark Steed said upon accepting COBIS membership, “We are delighted to accept the invitation to be members of COBIS. I look forward to joining you at the Annual Conference in London in May. We very much look forward to being part of the COBIS family of schools.”

KAD Academy, Nigeria

COBIS would like to welcome the staff and pupils from the KAD Academy in Kaduna, Nigeria into membership. The school, which caters for pupils aged 3-13 years, was founded in 1963 and has 26 staff and 165 pupils on roll.

Head of School Hazel Nwakwesi said upon accepting COBIS membership, “The staff and student body at KAD Academy are rejoicing! We are not only happy but feel especially privileged to be approved as a school worthy to be a COBIS school”.

Royal Institute of Smart Education (RISE), Bangladesh

COBIS is delighted to welcome our first school in Bangladesh into membership. The Royal Institute of Smart Education was founded in August 2015 and has 173 pupils on roll.

On behalf of COBIS, we look forward to working with all the staff and pupils at the Royal Institute of Smart Education in Bangladesh.

St Lawrence College, Greece

St Lawrence College in Athens, Greece has recently been approved as a Candidate School by the COBIS Membership Committee. The school caters for pupils aged 2.5 – 18 years and has 678 pupils on roll.

Headmaster Phil Holden said upon accepting COBIS membership, “I look forward to our school working with COBIS and its members. The beginning of our school’s relationship with the COBIS family marks an important step in the ongoing development of our school”.

Riverbank School, Nigeria

COBIS would like to congratulate the Riverbank School in Nigeria which has recently been approved as a COBIS Member by the COBIS Membership Committee. The school joins our growing number of schools in Nigeria which offer British style education to local and international pupils.

On behalf of COBIS, we look forward to working with all the staff and students at the Riverbank School in Nigeria.

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Professional Development

CPD Needs Analysis

Deadline: Monday 29 February 2016

If you have not already completed the online CPD questionnaire and would like to do so, we are still accepting CPD feedback and suggestions for future events - please click here to complete this. Please feel free to forward this link to anyone within your school who has responsibility for Professional Development; we are happy to receive multiple submissions from schools.

We know how busy you all are, but we hope that you will take the time to help us ensure that the COBIS Professional Development programme meets the needs of you and your school. Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

2015/16 COBIS CPD Calendar 

The 2015/16 COBIS CPD Calendar includes a range of courses and conferences for:

• Teachers
• TAs and Support Staff
• Middle and Aspiring Leaders
• Senior Leaders
• PAs and Secretaries
• Marketing, Development and Admissions Staff
• Bursars and Business Managers
• HR Staff
• Students

Please click here for a list of the high-quality professional development opportunities that COBIS will be running for the next Academic Year 2015/16. Booking is open for the conferences below:

February 2016

• COBIS Conference for PAs and Secretaries - Bucharest, Romania - 25-26 February 2016
• 4 Day Middle Leaders’ Course - British School of Brussels, Belgium - 25-28 February 2016

March 2016

• COBIS and Youth Sport Trust PE and School Sport Seminar, UK – Coventry, UK – 2-3 March 2016
• 4 Day Middle Leaders’ Course - Doha English Speaking School, Qatar - 9-12 March 2016
• COBIS Conference for Teachers, Doha College, Qatar, 11-12 March 2016 (POSTPONED UNTIL 2017)
• St Paul's Education Conference, in association with COBIS - São Paulo, Brazil - 19-20 March 2016
• 4 Day Middle Leaders’ Course - St Paul’s School, São Paulo, Brazil -19-22 March 20
• COBIS Conference for Marketing, Development and Admissions Staff - The Prague British School - 21-22 March 2016

April 2016

• COBIS Conference for Teachers and Support Staff, Lagos - Grange School, NNigeria - 14-15 April 2016 (Delegate Booking Opening Soon). 

May 2016

• 35th COBIS Annual Conference 2016 - InterContinental London - The O2, UK - 7-9 May 2016 

Forthcoming CPD Events

35th COBIS Annual Conference – London, UK – 7-9 May 2016
Authentic Leadership: Inspirational Stories for Learning in British Schools Overseas

**Delegate Information Here** 
**Exhibitor Information Here**

InterContinental London - The O2, Greenwich, London, UK - 7-9 May 2016

Planning and preparation for the 35th COBIS Annual Conference, sponsored by BridgeU, is now underway at COBIS Head Office. The Conference will take place at the new InterContinental London - The O2 in London, 7-9 May 2016.

Principals, Heads, Governors, Deputy Heads, Senior Managers and Senior Leadership staff from British International Schools worldwide are invited to register for this COBIS event. Delegate fees start from £445 plus VAT for COBIS Member Schools.

Conference themes:

• Creating a Successful School: Leadership stories of resilience and success in the whole school community - students, staff, leaders and parents
• Future Proofing your Schools’ Success: Succession planning, building capacity and exploring the supply and continuity of teachers in British overseas schools
• Every School a Unique School for a Unique Context: One size doesn’t fit all - focusing on local adaptation and how schools work to reflect community expectations
• Leadership in the Schools of the Future: How effective leadership is changing and challenging current skill sets
• The Nimble, Change Ready School: Shifting mindsets, embedding changes and building practices for more open, accountable, and adaptable school cultures and systems

Keynote speakers will include:

• Joe Simpson World renowned mountaineer, author, speaker and the subject of the BAFTA Award winning film Touching the Void
• Professor Deborah Eyre International education leader, academic and author. Her recent work has sought to help good schools become truly world class
• Curtis Jobling British illustrator, animator and author, he is best known for his roles as production designer of children’s TV hit, Bob The Builder and author/illustrator of children’s books, most notably Frankenstein’s Cat
• Richard Addis British journalist and entrepreneur. He has edited the Financial Times and Sunday Telegraph, and currently edits The Day, an education resource for schools

The conference will also include:

• Welcome Reception and Dinner at the National Maritime Museum
• More than 20 engaging and innovative seminars and workshops from Headteachers and leading experts in international education
• COBIS Spark – COBIS members share innovation and best practice
• COBIS AGM
• COBIS Development Forum
• 35th COBIS Annual Reception and Dinner
• An exhibition of more than 100 COBIS Supporting Members
• Optional courses before and after the conference including Advanced Child Protection, Advanced Safer Recruitment and IPML Facilitator Training

For more information and booking forms, please visit cobis.org.uk/AnnConf_2016

To download the Annual Conference flyer, please click here.

We look forward to welcoming you to our 35th COBIS Annual Conference. 

4 Day Middle Leaders Courses – Belgium, Qatar, Brazil

**BOOKING DEADLINES APPROACHING**

Spring 2016

COBIS, working in partnership with Karen Ardley Associates, will be providing accredited professional development for Primary and Secondary Middle Leaders. The four-day Middle Leaders' Course - Leading Learning from the Middle - will run in Brussels, Doha and São Paulo in 2016. With limited places on these courses, booking is filling up fast. Please click on the links below for more information and booking forms for the course in your region.

• 25-28 February 2016 - British School of Brussels, Belgium
• 9-12 March 2016 - Doha English Speaking School, Qatar
• 19-22 March 2016 - St Paul’s School, São Paulo, Brazil

Cost: £600 for COBIS Members / £695 for non-COBIS Members

                           

The delegates are aspiring/middle managers and the programme will focus on the following key areas; the role of the middle leader/manager, our current educational agenda, an emotionally intelligent leader, effective professional development, working with teams, giving feedback, coaching for improvement, improving teaching and learning in your area and presentation skills.

In 2014/15 this course ran at St Catherine's British School and The British School of Beijing. The feedback was very positive:

"Words aren't enough to describe how empowered and inspired I feel! This programme gets you back to the heart of why I am a teacher."
"I would absolutely recommend this course, it is both inspirational and practical. I got so much out of it."
"The best course I have attended since I started teaching."
"An inspirational course that has changed my outlook on education."

For more information and to book your place please click here. To download a flyer for the Middle Leaders' Course, please click here.

COBIS Conference for PAs and Secretaries – Bucharest, Romania

**BOOKING DEADLINE APPROACHING**

British School of Bucharest, Romania 
25-26 February 2016

There are still a few places left for the first COBIS Conference for PAs and Secretaries which will be hosted by British School of Bucharest 25-26 February 2016. Staff from COBIS member and non-member schools are invited to attend this two-day event.

This two-day training and networking event will be of interest to PAs, Secretaries, Executive Assistants and other Admin Staff. The programme will include a mixture of plenary sessions, workshops and practical training sessions from leading PA Trainers Angela Garry and Karen Knowles.  These sessions will include Time Management, Teamwork and Personality Profiles and Project Management. There will also be opportunities for discussion and networking including a Conference Dinner on the Thursday evening.

The cost is €325 for COBIS members and €425 for non-COBIS members. The Delegate fee includes both days of the conference, Conference Dinner on Thursday evening, lunch and refreshments on both days, transport between the hotel and school on both days and all conference materials.

For more information about the conference, please click here.

To book your place before Friday 5 February 2016, please click here.

COBIS/Youth Sport Trust PE and School Sport Conference – Coventry, UK 

**BOOKING DEADLINE APPROACHING**

Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK
2-3 March 2016

COBIS have partnered with Youth Sport Trust to deliver the first COBIS/YST PE and School Sport Conference and the booking deadline is fast approaching. Delegates from COBIS member and non-member schools are invited to register for this two-day event which will be held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, UK, 2-3 March 2016. 

The conference will be of interest to Heads of Sport, Directors of Sport, Headteachers, PE Teachers as well as other staff with responsibility for PE/Sport/Games. The programme will include a mixture of plenary sessions, seminars, practical workshops, training sessions and a COBIS Spark Session for delegates to share experiences.

There will also be a YST National Conference Gala Dinner on Wednesday 2 March held at the same venue as the conference. The dinner, which will be attended by around 500 people, is an opportunity to spend an evening listening to the inspirational stories of international medal winning sports men and women. The dinner will honour the achievements of those from the world of PE and school sport and is a further opportunity for delegates to network. 

For more information about the conference, the programme and costs, please click here.

To book your place through the online booking form, please click here. 

 

Remember to Book your Place for the St. Paul’s School 3rd Education Conference

**Booking Open**

With keynote sessions by Sir John Jones and Sir Anthony Seldon, as well as an array of practical workshops on themes such as single-sex education, bilingualism and pupil driven education, the conference promises to be a valuable and thought-provoking event for all involved in education – so don’t miss out!

For more information, including a link to the full programme of information, click here.

Click here to book your place.

If you would like to receive a sponsorship pack, please write to conference@stpauls.br.

To register as an exhibitor, please complete our online form. 

COBIS Conference for Marketing, Development and Admissions Staff - The Prague British School

**Booking Open** 

The Prague British School, Czech Republic
21-22 March 2016

Places are filling up for the 3rd COBIS Conference for Marketing, Development and Admissions Staff, which will be hosted by The Prague British School 21-22 March 2016. This two-day training and networking event is open to delegates from COBIS member and non-member schools as well as COBIS Supporting Members worldwide. 

The programme will include a mixture of plenary sessions and break-out sessions as well as opportunities for networking and sharing experience. The sessions will cover a range of topics including, Marketing and Admissions for British International Schools, Sales for non sales people, Crisis Communications, Managing the admissions process, Event Planning – theory and practice, Alumni relations from beginners to advanced, Fundraising from beginners to advanced, School Websites and Social Media and The Marketing and Admissions office as part of the school.

In light of the feedback from previous delegates, there will also be a COBIS Spark Session and a Pre-conference cultural day tour on Sunday 20 March.  

The Delegate Fee is €390 for COBIS Members / €490 for non-COBIS Members.

To book your place, please click here. Forms should be submitted no later than 26 February 2016. For more information about the conference including travel and accommodation details, please click here. 

Please click here to book as an exhibitor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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COBIS Student Competitions and Events

COBIS School Members - Staff Changes

Additionally to the Welcome List sent out in previous Connect newsletters, COBIS is pleased to also welcome the following Principals and Headteachers to COBIS schools. We look forward to working with you:

New COBIS Accredited Member School

COBIS would like to congratulate staff and pupils at Campion School in Greece which has recently been reconfirmed as a COBIS Accredited Membership following another successful BSO inspection.

COBIS Annual Research Summary Report Published

Thank you to all of the schools that contributed to the COBIS Annual Research Survey 2015, which was delivered in partnership with GL Education. The survey was undertaken to help develop a deeper understanding of the growing global COBIS family of schools, as well as the British International Education sector as a whole. The results will support lobbying activities, inform planning for future CPD events, and help facilitate increased school-to-school networking, communication and support.

COBIS Annual Research Survey 2015 Summary Report

The reports detailing the findings of the second COBIS Annual Research Survey, conducted in the autumn term of 2015, have now been published. To view a copy of the summary report, please click here.

Individualised School Reports (including benchmarking information)

All responding schools should have received an email from GL Education giving them the opportunity to download a school-specific report including useful benchmarking information. If you submitted a response to the survey but have not received a link to your report, please contact the GL Education Technical Support team on support@gl-education.com. Please also contact GL Education if you need to be reminded of your password to access your report.

Did you know?... (some of the statistics from responding schools)

• The oldest COBIS school was founded in 1896
• 67% of responding COBIS schools teach cross-phase (both primary and secondary)
• COBIS schools have as many as 99 pupil nationalities
• 95% of leavers from responding COBIS Schools went on to HE/University in 2015
• 12% of COBIS schools offer boarding
• 108 different curricular subjects are taught in COBIS schools
• 153 different extra-curricular activities and sports are offered in COBIS schools
• 54% offer some form of financial support; 32% offer bursaries and 48% offer scholarships
• The average A*/A pass rate for GCSE/IGCSE in COBIS schools was 56% (compared with 17.6% in England) and the A*-C pass rate was 90% (compared with 72.4% in England)
• The average IB pass rate for COBIS schools was 93% (compared with 79.3% worldwide)

For more information, including the 2015 report and previous research reports, please see our COBIS School Research Page.

Global Music Project Set for a Record Year

Global Music Project, which works with hundreds of British International Schools overseas, saw their 2015 recording release use the voices of nearly 5,000 students from 48 countries. Click here to listen to last year's track - it will help make your day better! 

This year’s song/project is set to shatter the record books! The group are targeting 8,000 voices from even more countries than last year. COBIS Head Office would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Global Music Project on all of their brilliant work so far, and wish them every success in the future. 

COBIS Head Office is now Decorated with School Member Photos

The new COBIS Head Office, located in London's Russell Square, is now colourfully deocrated with the four winning entries from our recent School Photo Competition. The Head Office team would once again like to congratulate the winning schools on their excellent efforts. 

                                          

The study of Spanish is very important for the whole community of COBIS Accredited Member School, Aloha College, and that is why that their recent Spanish Wow Day was a roaring success. The special day gave children the opportunity to share a Spanish lesson with their parents, who were very excited to participate. In fact, they all deserved 'house points' at the end of the day!

                                     

The British School of Brussels to Open a New State-of-the-Art Swimming Pool

The British School of Brussels (BSB) is set to open a new Sports Centre this autumn, part of its Project 3-2-1. A key feature of the project is the 25 metre swimming pool with movable floor, which allows one to choose the depth of the pool, from 0 to 2 metres. The floor can even be adjusted to offer different depths at the same time. Once open, the pool will allow the school to add swimming skills to its already impressive fitness curriculum.

The aquatics curriculum will not only focus on stroke skills and technique for all skill and grade levels, but also include courses on basic water safety for those just learning how to swim and lifeguarding skills for advanced students. The pool will also serve as a home for the Dolphins, BSB’s own swim squad, and will feature digital timing and touch pads, allowing the squad to train with the latest technology and the school to host invitationals and inter-school swim meets.

For more information and images, click here. 

                                       

Aloha College Year 12 Visit to Sur Newspaper Offices in Malaga

COBIS Head Office would like to congratlate Aloha College on offering this opportunity, and wish the students every success with their future studies.