Past Notices Term 1

Ras Al Hamra (PDO) Bus Route

NEW departure time: The PDO bus will now leave PDO slightly later, at 6:55am. Please click here to find out more information and to sign up.

Spring Term ECA Sign Up

Sign up closes on Monday 8 December at 2pm.

We are delighted to share with you our ECA programme for next term. The ECA Site has a booklet with information about the activities on offer .

Sign up opens at 5pm on Thursday 4 December 2025 and will close at 2pm on Monday 8 December 2025.
Please sign up for activities via the Parent Portal. Please have a look at the information, links and our ECA FAQ document on our ECA Site.

ECA finish dates & taster sessions

A reminder that ECAs for the Autumn Term finish on Tuesday 25 November.

A small number of ECAs will continue into December and we are also delighted to offer a programme of Taster Sessions over the coming weeks. These give students the opportunity to try something new before the Spring Term begins. Full details can also be found on our ECA site.

Festive Roadshow

In addition to our performances at the Souq Al Madina, we are excited about our events taking place at the Mandarin Oriental, the InterContinental and the British Embassy in December:

8 December ❄️ Intercon
Junior Choir

Arrive 4:15pm

Performance 5:30pm

Finish 6:30pm

9 December ❄️Mandarin Oriental
Big Band, Ballet
Arrive 3pm
Performance 4pm
Finish 4:45pm

9 December ❄️ Mandarin Oriental
Senior Choir, Chamber Choir
Arrive 4:15pm
Performance 5:30pm
Finish 6:30pm

16 December ❄️ British Embassy
Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, Big Band

Arrive 4:30pm

Performance 5:30pm

Finish 6:30pm

Winter Charity Raffle

Until 4 December, In support of The Bahja Omani Association for Orphans

The Charity Student Impact Team is excited to announce our Winter Raffle running from 30 November to 4 December. Students can purchase raffle tickets during the second break at the entrance of the Q block for 500bz each. All proceeds will be donated to The Bahja Omani Association for Orphans, and prizes include Meito vouchers, holiday treats, a massive teddy bear, and more! Please encourage your child to participate and help make a difference this winter season.

Year 6 Chocolate Co. Charity Sale

Thursday 4 December

We’re excited to announce that Year 6 will be holding a Charity Chocolate Sale on Thursday, 4 December in support of our school’s chosen charities.

Our Year 6 students have been busy making delicious homemade chocolates, which they will bring in to sell on the day. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to contribute to a good cause while showcasing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit!

Each student will clearly display the ingredients used in their chocolates, along with any allergen warnings, as indicated on original packaging. All products will be nut-free.
Chocolate prices will range from 200bz to 1.2 OMR.
We kindly ask that children bring no more than 3 OMR to school.

If your child brings money to school, we will assume you have consented to them purchasing and consuming chocolates at the event.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and encouragement.

BSM's Winter Wonderland

3 December 2025

BSM’s magical Winter Wonderland is back. Join us for an afternoon of shopping, Santa, singing, and festive fun for everyone!

Wednesday 3 December, 2 PM – 8 PM, Souq Al Madina, MQ. In partnership with Souq Al Madina and Night Markets Oman.

2:00pm - 10:00pm Market stall shopping
3.30pm - 5:30pm Santa’s Grotto (upstairs in Souq Al Madina)

In addition to the shopping and festive activities, there will be two performances during the event in the outside ‘plaza’ area, at the following times:

5:35pm - 6:15pm: Performance 1 - Junior Choir
7:05pm - 8:00pm: Performance 2 - Senior Choir, Chamber Choir and Big Band

Please see this document to see more information about the Winter Wonderland performances and meeting location.

Parent Consultation Day: Year 9

Tuesday 2 December 2025

Our Year 9 Parent Consultation Day will take place on Tuesday 2 December. Please see the Parent Events page for more information.

National Day Holidays

Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 November 2025

Oman's National Day holidays have been announced and will be on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 November 2025. BSM follows all national holiday dates so we will be closed on both of these days; we will reopen on Sunday 30 November 2025. Please see the Term Dates page of the BSM website to view the full academic calendar. We wish the Sultanate of Oman a very happy National Day.

National Day Celebrations in School

Thursday 20 November

We will celebrate Oman's National Day in school on Thursday, 20 November. Students are invited to wear Omani national dress or the colours of the Oman flag. As ever, we ask that everyone remains mindful of local laws around modest dress. We will ask for parents to provide alternative items of clothing should students wear clothing that could be considered inappropriate in the context of Oman. Special assemblies will be held to celebrate all that makes Oman such a wonderful place to live.

Early Closure

Thursday 20 November

We have received a message from the Ministry of Education that school must close early on Thursday 20 November 2025 due to the National Day celebrations.

We will begin a staggered closure process tomorrow starting at 11:00am and concluding at 11:30am.

To ensure a smooth and safe collection of students, we will follow the same process that has been in place for past early closures. Please refer to the table below (click to expand section) to ensure that you are in the appropriate location at the correct time.

Please note: There will be no ECAs or activities (including Marlins and swimming lessons) taking place at BSM on Thursday afternoon.

Music Events

We have lots going on from now until the end of term!

Pink Day - Thank you

We raised OMR 478.650 for the Oman Cancer Association from our Pink Day just before half term. Thank you for all your generous donations and for the children's wonderful outfits!

Green breaks, hats and health

With the welcome return of Green Breaks and more time outdoors, we would like to remind everyone about sun safety. In the Senior School, hats are strongly encouraged, especially during break times in the sun. Please ensure your child brings one each day. We also recommend applying sunscreen before school to help keep everyone comfortable and protected while they play and learn outside

As we move into the cooler months, we also see an increase in seasonal winter germs. To help keep our school community healthy, please remind children to wash their hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home if they are feeling unwell.

Parent Consultation Day: Year 10

Monday 17 November 2025

Our Year 10 Parent Consultation Day will take place on Monday 17 November 2025. Booking for appointments will open on Tuesday, 11 November at 2:00 pm and will close on Thursday, 13 October at 12 noon. To ensure a smooth and efficient scheduling process, please book your appointments in advance via the Parents Booking system. Please see the Parent Events page of the Notices Sites for more information and dates for other year groups.

Next Parent Consultation Day: Year 9 on Tuesday 2 December 2025

Options Event: Years 9 & 11

Wednesday 12 November, 4 - 6pm

We are delighted to welcome Y9 and Y11 students and parents to our Senior school options event held onsite. Parents and students will have an opportunity to meet departments and enquire on options for Key Stage 4 and Post 16 studies. A letter will be sent to Year 9 & 11 students/parents via email providing further detail around the options process.

Ministry of Health Vaccinations for Y2 and Y7 - New Date

Tuesday 11 November 2025

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will visit school to administer the following vaccinations:

Year 2: Diphtheria + Paediatric tetanus and Paediatric polio
Year 7: DTP Adult and OPV and HPV Vaccine

If your child has followed the Oman vaccination schedule, they will be eligible to receive these vaccines. We understand that some children may have already received them or you may prefer to vaccinate privately. Please consult your doctor if you are unsure whether your child requires these vaccinations.

Important: The Ministry of Health requires your child’s original vaccination book on the day. Please send this to school no later than 28 October.

If you would like your child to have these vaccinations, please complete this form before Wednesday 29 November.

Weekly Emails

Every Wednesday afternoon we send out a newsletter to keep you up to date with what’s been happening in school and to let you know about the exciting events coming up. We really encourage you to read these each week so you don’t miss out.

Email delivery issues

If you are missing an email from school, please check we have your details correct on our Parent Portal. Please also check your spam or junk folders.

We are aware of a few problems with our emails not being received by parents, particularly for Yahoo and Hotmail addresses. To help our emails make it to your inbox we would recommend the following:

Gmail users - emails sometimes go into the 'promotions' tab and occasionally 'spam'. Please check both these folders. To correct, you can just drag and drop one such message to the 'Primary' mailbox and click Yes on the confirmation box for all future messages.
Yahoo & Hotmail users - emails sent to a group (such as a class or year group) are often filtered out as spam by Yahoo and Hotmail. You can avoid this by adding the email addresses below to your contacts. Please also consider providing us with an alternative email address to contact you.
ALL users: Please add the following email addresses to your contacts to ensure our emails get to your inbox:
- 1. - Primary Office: primaryoffice@britishschoolmuscat.com
    - Senior Office: senioroffice@britishschoolmuscat.com
    - Communications: communications@britishschoolmuscat.com
    - IT Team and Parent Portal: portal@britishschoolmuscat.com
    - Enrichment Office: enrichment@britishschoolmuscat.com

Our Weekly Newsletters are sent every Wednesday so please keep an eye out for them. Please also check these Notices Sites regularly to keep up to date with information.

Health Centre Guidelines

A gentle reminder of our Health Centre’s guidelines to help keep our school community healthy:

Children must be fever-free for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine) before returning to school.
Following any vomiting or diarrhea, children should remain at home for 48 hours after the last episode.

These guidelines help reduce the spread of illness and ensure your child returns to school feeling well and ready to learn. Thank you for your support in keeping our community healthy and safe.

Expectations and Curriculum Developments (September 2025)

Senior School Student Impact Teams

We are very pleased to announce, after a rigorous and inspirational election and selection process, the Senior School Student Impact Teams 2025-6 which you can find here. After the successes of the last few years we are very much looking forward to seeing how our young people can develop their leadership skills whilst also having a positive impact on Muscat and our BSM community.

Term Dates 2026 - 2027

The academic calendar for next year, 2026 - 2027, is now available to view on the website

INSET Day

Thursday 6 November 2025

BSM will not be open to students on Thursday 6 November. This is a staff INSET day, as marked on our academic calendar. Our staff will be attending the International Schools Conference Oman (ISCO) with other international schools in Oman.

Y12 and Y13 Online Parents' Evening

Wednesday 5 November 2025, 3.30 pm to 6.30pm

Parents of Y12 and Y13 students will be able to book appointments starting at 12 noon on Thursday, 30 October. This event will be conducted entirely online. Booking will close at 2pm on Monday, 3 November. For more information, please visit the Parent Consultation Days and Evenings page.

Parent Governor Elections

We are delighted to announce that Marissa Turner and Debati Bhattacharya have been elected as Parent Governors to BSM’s Board of Governors once again. We would like to thank all those who stood for election and everyone who voted. Our congratulations to the successful candidates.

BSM students in Dubai!

Our students recently traveled to Dubai to see Grease the Musical, directed by the incredible Jae Alexander - a Musical Director with over 40 years of experience in theatre and credits including Beauty and the Beast, Oliver! and Guys and Dolls.

It was such a proud moment for BSM to see Jae’s world-class musical direction in action and even more special for our students to meet him and be inspired by his passion for the performing arts!

Ministry of Health Vaccinations for Y2 and Y7

Sunday 2 November 2025

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will visit school to administer the following vaccinations:

Year 2: Diphtheria + Paediatric tetanus and Paediatric polio
Year 7: DTP Adult and OPV and HPV Vaccine

Important: The Ministry of Health requires your child’s original vaccination book on the day. Please send this to school no later than 28 October.

If you would like your child to have these vaccinations, please complete this form by Wednesday 29 October.

Collaborative Music Day at BSM

Friday 31 October 2025, 8:00am to 2:00pm

Singers (Y3+)
Instrumentalists (Y6+): Woodwind, Brass & String Players

Join us for a fun-filled, free-of-charge Music Day on Friday 31 October. As part of our initiative to bring students from schools across Muscat together, the day is a chance to make music, meet new friends, and enjoy ensemble workshops.

The day runs from 8:00am to 2:00pm, finishing with a short performance at 1:30 pm in the Oryx Theatre for parents to attend. Once registered, full details will be sent to parents. Register your child today: Registration Form

Planting of Sustainability Lemon Tree

To mark Omani Tree Day, the Sustainability Student Impact Team will plant a Lemon Tree in BSM’s Covent Garden this week. Using funds raised from last year’s recycling initiatives, the students are celebrating BSM’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. We look forward to them raising awareness of more issues this year.

Safeguarding Information: Children’s “Spy” Books

We want to make you aware of a reports of a recent issue affecting some popular children’s books by Andrew Cope, including the Spy Dogs, Spy Cats, and Spy Pups series.

Some editions of these books include a printed web address at the back. This link used to go to the author’s website, but the domain is no longer under his control. It has since been taken over by another party and now leads to inappropriate adult content.

The publisher, Puffin, has paused sales and distribution of the books. They have stressed that the website has no connection to the author or publisher.

What this means for you:

If your child has any Spy Dog, Spy Cat or Spy Pups books at home, please check the back for website links and make sure they do not try to visit the sites.
It is safe for children to continue reading the stories themselves — the concern is only with the outdated link.
We recommend talking with your child about the importance of not following web addresses in books without checking with an adult first.

Half Term Swimming - Crash Course

We’re excited to announce that BSM Marlins Swim School will be running a Half Term Crash Course from Sunday, 19 October to Thursday, 23 October

These short, intensive courses are a fantastic opportunity for swimmers to enjoy lessons over the week, build confidence, and sharpen their skills. Families do not need to commit to all days, and our small class sizes ensure every swimmer gets focused attention.

Spaces are limited and registration is subject to confirmation, so please complete the form soon to secure your child’s place: Register Here

Ducklings (ages 3–5)

Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday – 8:30 AM–9:30 AM

Flat rate: 10 OMR for the three sessions

Stages 1–7 & Mini Lifeguards

Sunday to Thursday – Afternoon sessions

3:00–3:30 PM – Stage 1 & 2 (30 mins)
3:30–4:00 PM – Stage 3 & 4 (30 mins)
4:00–4:30 PM – Stage 5 & 6 (30 mins)
4:30–5:15 PM – Stage 7 (45 mins)
5:15–6:00 PM – Mini Lifeguards (45 mins)

Flat rate: 20 OMR for all five afternoon sessions

Half Term

Sunday 19 October - Thursday 23 October 2025

BSM's half term holiday will be from Sunday 19 October - Thursday 23 October 2025. BSM will be closed for all students for this week. Please see our Term Dates page on the website for all holiday dates for this academic year.

Please note: School will finish at the usual time on Thursday 16 October.

Dare to Wear Pink Charity Day

Thursday 16 October 2025

We are inviting all students to come to school wearing PINK on Thursday 16 October to raise money for the Oman Cancer Association. Students are asked for a donation to take part (we suggest 500 bz - but this is at your discretion). This will be collected by the class teacher during registration on the day.

As always, we ask that no hair dye/hair spray or makeup is worn if your child has PE or Swimming, that shoes are appropriate for school and clothing is respectful.

Autumn Concert 🎶

Monday 13 October 2025, 6pm in the Oryx Theatre

Parents of performers are welcome to join us at this concert in the Oryx Theatre. The concert will feature work from our music ECA's and our BTEC Music students.

Students performing in the concert should wear smart school uniforms. They are expected to arrive at the Oryx Theatre by 5:15 PM, and parents are welcome to take their seats at that time as well. The performance will start promptly at 6:00 PM and will conclude at 7:15 PM. Please note that both car parks will be available for use. Entry to the concert is free and no wristbands are needed for this event, but please complete the form emailed to parents of performers to indicate how many people you will be bringing to listen to the performance.

Parent Governor Elections

Voting closes on Sunday 12 October

We are delighted that three parents have submitted their nomination for the two Parent Governor positions on the Board of Governors. An election will now be held and we invite all parents to select the two candidates they would like to represent them as Parent Governors.

To find out information on each candidate and to vote, please follow this link. The closing date for voting is 12 midday, Sunday 12 October 2025.

Parent Governor Elections

Are you interested in becoming a Parent Governor? The closing date for nominations is 12 noon on Thursday 2 October 2025.
Please click to expand this section for more information.

The Board of Governors would like to extend their thanks, on behalf of the school community, to both Mrs Marissa Turner and Mrs Debati Bhattacharya for the considerable time and effort that they have devoted over the past 2 years in their role as Parent Governors. Parent Governors are elected by the parent body and serve a two-year term of office. They carry out an important role reflecting the views of the parent body to the Board and keeping parents informed of the Board’s activities.

In accordance with the school’s regulations, both of these posts are to be offered for election to all eligible parents who may wish to contribute to the School as a member of the Board of Governors. Please follow this link to read more about applying for this position.

What would you change about the BSM site?

Car parking? Places to eat? - Have your say!

Following last week's parent consultations about the development of the school site, we are keen to get as much input from our community as possible.

What would you like to change about the BSM site - The accessibility? Dining spaces?
What works well now - do you like the trees? The community access?

Let us know what you think by completing this survey: https://forms.office.com/e/A2pRpWxPED

Denniston Cup

24 September, 4:14 - 6pm, BSM Sports Halls

We are excited to welcome parents, students and staff to our annual Denniston Cup volleyball tournament, in memory of Sam Denniston, on 24 September from 4:15-6pm in the BSM Sports Halls.

New Bus Route Requests

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey on possible new bus routes. We’re now looking at all the options, costs and practicalities, and we look forward to sharing an update with you soon.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Allocations for this term's ECAs have now been emailed to all parents. Please see our ECA Site for full information.

What would you change about the BSM site?

Car parking? Places to eat? - Have your say!

Following last week's parent consultations about the development of the school site, we are keen to get as much input from our community as possible.

What would you like to change about the BSM site - The accessibility? Dining spaces?
What works well now - do you like the trees? The community access?

Let us know what you think by completing this survey: https://forms.office.com/e/A2pRpWxPED

We have included some initial concept designs and plans below. Please be aware, these designs are concept drawings only and are likely to change over the next few months.

Architect Presentation & Information Sessions for Parents

We are delighted to invite BSM parents to an information session with our school architects, Jestico & Whiles, to discuss the next stage of our school masterplan. During the session, some initial concept designs and ideas will be shared. Parent consultation and feedback are an important part of this process; we very much hope you will be able to join us.

Two sessions are available for parents to attend, both will be in the Oryx Theatre.

Evening Session: Wednesday 10 September, 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Morning Session: Thursday 11 September, 8:00 – 9:30 am
(Please meet in BSM’s Main Reception at 7:50am, please remember no food or drinks are allowed in the Oryx Theatre)

Please let us know if you can attend by completing this google form.

Water bottles & nuts

Message from the Health Centre

As we continue through the hotter months, we kindly ask that all students come to school each day with a clean, full water bottle. Staying well hydrated is essential for concentration, energy and overall wellbeing. Water bottles can be refilled as needed throughout the school day.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind families that we are a nut-free school. For the safety of all students, please ensure that lunchboxes and snacks do not contain nuts or nut products.

Parent Lanyards

All BSM parents are required to have a red BSM parent lanyard and BSM photo ID. If you don't already have one, please can you complete our Security Pass Application form.

Community Clubs at BSM

We have a large number of community clubs that run at BSM. Please have a look at our website for a full list.

Dance for children and adults - with BAM

BAM Performance, are pleased to offer Ballet and Tap classes to children of all ages, as well as Adult Ballet and Pilates classes to our Muscat community. No prior experience required and all new members are offered a free trial class. If you would like to register your child or yourself, please complete this google form or contact Katie at bamperformance1@gmail.com. All places are offered on a first come first served basis and operate a waiting list system.

Swimming Lessons - BSM Marlins Swim School

Our BSM Marlins Swim School offers swimming lessons for children of all abilities, from complete beginners to those wanting to improve their technique or fitness. To find the right class for you or your child, please register on our BSM Marlins booking portal.

Music Lessons - BSM Music Hub

We are pleased to offer a limited number of after-school instrumental lessons, either one-to-one or in small groups. If you would like your child to take part, please complete this form. Please note that if you completed this form at the end of the summer term, there is no need to repeat it.

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s preferences, though in some cases we may need to place students on a waiting list.

Thank you very much for your prompt attention, and I look forward to another wonderful year of music-making at BSM.

Dan Anthony, Director of Music

ECAs

Sign up for this term's ECAs has now closed. We will aim to have shared your child’s ECA allocation by Tuesday 9 September. ECAs (unless otherwise stated) will begin on Sunday 14 September for all students.

Please see our ECA Site for full information.

Prophet’s Birthday Holiday Announcement

The official holiday for the Prophet’s Birthday has been announced for Sunday 7 September 2025. BSM follows all national holiday dates so we will be closed on this day. Please see the Term Dates page of the BSM website to view the full academic calendar.

BSM will be open as usual on Monday 8 September 2025.

Fee Invoices

You can pay invoices in person at our Main Reception or please see this document to pay by bank transfer.

ECAs

We are delighted to share with you our ECA programme for this term. The booklet which contains information about each of the activities on offer can be found on our ECA site.

Sign up opens at 5pm on Thursday 28 August and will close at 2pm on Monday 1 September. Sign up takes place via the Parent Portal. Please have a look at the information, links and our ECA FAQ document on our ECA Site if you have any questions.

We will aim to have shared your child’s ECA allocation by Tueday 9 September. ECAs (unless otherwise stated) will begin on Sunday 14 September for all students.

Please note that the Whole School Production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been postponed for 2025/26, hence it has been removed from the ECA booklet, however there are still Drama ECA’s running this year that we hope students will love to be engaged in.

⚽ Extra-Curricular Activities Site ⚽

BSM Bus service

Potential new routes

We are currently reviewing our school transport provision. At present, we operate a bus service to Al Mouj and we are exploring the possibility of expanding routes to other areas of Muscat. If this is something that may be of interest to you, we would be grateful if you could complete this google form before 1 September.

Prophet’s Birthday Holiday

September 2025

We are waiting for an announcement to confirm the date of the Prophet’s Birthday Holiday this month. The holiday is likely to be on Thursday 4 September (marked with an asterisk on our calendar to indicate uncertainty of the date). As the school follows all national holidays, BSM will be closed for the day announced as the official holiday. We will confirm the date with you once it has been announced.

New Students

Classes and Timetables

Classes and timetables for new students will be shared on the first day of term. (Current students will be able to see their timetables on the Parent Portal.)

New students should wear their school uniform on the first day of term, there is no requirement to bring PE kit until you have been issued with your timetables.

Where to go - first day of term

New Students and those moving up from the Primary School:

On the first day of school, Sunday 24 August, between 7am and 7.25am, all new Senior School students and those moving up from the Primary School should go to the following locations:

All Year 7 students should go to the DRAMA STUDIO (near the top of school).
All new students in Y8 and above should go to the ORYX THEATRE.

Staff will be on hand to direct students to these destinations.
All New Students will need to bring a packed lunch on the first day until they have their Tuck Shop Card.

Parents new to BSM are invited to join us for a coffee in the Main Hall on Sunday 24 August, from 7:30 to 8:30. Please drop off your children in the lower car park, in the drop-off area, then make your way to park at the top of school, after 7:30am, to join us in the Main Hall. (You will find it easier to park if you wait until the morning rush has passed after 7:30am!)

Returning students

All returning students should make their way to their tutor room at 7:25am.

If your child is returning to BSM Senior School and arrives at school before 7.25am, they should go to the the following areas:

Year 8 - Middle Floor of S Block
Year 9 - SMPH
Year 10 and 11 - N block
Year 12 and 13 - Sixth Form common room

First Day of Term

24 August 2025

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on 24 August.

Start of Term

On the first day of school, Sunday 25 August, by 07.25am:

All Year 7 students should go to the Yr 7 break area
All new students in Yr 8 and above should go to the Oryx Theatre
All returning students should make their way to their tutor room at 7:25

If your child is returning to BSM Senior School and arrives at school before 7.25am, they should go to their year bases. A reminder that these are in the following areas:

Year 8 - Covered area at the top of school next to Music
Year 9 - All weather pitch
Year 10 and 11 - N block
Year 12 and 13 - Sixth form common room

In addition - all New Students will need to bring a packed lunch on the first day until they have their Tuck Shop Card

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