It is a pleasure to be leading the Science Department into the new academic year 2023-24. We accomplished a lot last year, and with the arrival of many new faces including Mr. Faisal, Ms. Monika, Mr. Peter, Mrs. Yasmin and Mr. Uthmaan, we hope to accomplish even more this year for the good of the children at MIS.

The term started positively with the introduction of the new Year 7 and Year 8 curricula. Teachers have been working with our youngest pupils in Seniors to build their scientific-practical and English language skills and knowledge. Some highlights include students making cell models, investigating pressure and learning how to use microscopes. The Science team have been quietly working hard behind the scenes to generate resources, Schemes of Work and curriculum maps to make the experience felt by students in Science at MIS even more engaging.

We are very proud of the academic results we achieved last year. In order to replicate (and perhaps better) our efforts this year, we have provided a host of additional support sessions for students after school and in the timetable. Year 11 students have met once a week, rotating between Biology, Chemistry and Physics support, which have supplemented their regular science lessons. Year 13 Scientists have also met after school once or twice a week to study for resit examinations. Almost every student was able to improve on their grade from June.

In addition to academic CCAs, we have run co-curricular Science CCAs focussing on Forensic Science and Conservation respectively. In addition, we have run CCAs focussed on training students for external science problem-solving competitions. We hope that participation and achievement in such events will propel students scientific understanding, success in academia and applications to top higher education establishments.

In October, students from MIS set out on their first Science-related field trip of the year. After many of them completed wonderful projects for Science Week, it was time they caught a glimpse of how research is conducted in professional laboratories. Incidentally,  staff from Shenzhen Bay Laboratories helped to judge last year's Science Fair and provided science internships for many of our students over the summer, so there was no one better to host us!

The students began by taking a tour through the lives of the scientists and the training they had to undergo to get to the positions they are in today. They then received a lecture on how neuroscientists study the brain. Finally, they witnessed the animal lab, where most of the neuroscience experiments occur. Shenzhen Bay Laboratories is part of Shenzhen government's Science Park project in Guangming, and the site did not disappoint, housing the most up-to-date and advanced scientific equipment and resources.

I am excited to see what the Department can achieve in Term 2!