Parents and families of performers are warmly invited to join us for this short concert as we celebrate the end of another wonderful term of music making. Performances will feature our Junior, Senior and Chamber Choirs, as well as our Big Band and Wind Band.
Students should be in smart school uniform and will need to be in the Oryx Theatre by 5:15pm at the latest. The concert will begin at 6:00pm and finish just before 7:00pm.
We are excited to share with you that we are hosting our first official TEDx event: TEDx British School Muscat Youth! We are thrilled to create a platform where student speakers can share ideas.
This inspiring event will bring together young voices and powerful ideas that challenge limits and explore new possibilities. What Does It Mean to Go Beyond Boundaries? Speakers are from year 7 to 13 and are passionate about sharing their ideas on a broad range of topics: the Arts, Anthropomorphism, Immigration and Neurodiversity to name a few.
In addition to our speakers, we have a musical performance who are also joining the theme - Beyond Boundaries.
We are looking forward to an afternoon of engaging talks! Seats are limited but students have received an email inviting them to sign up for tickets and become a part of this memorable milestone for our school community.
Parents are very welcome to attend and should park outside school and sign in at the main reception at the top of the school. Parents will then be escorted to the Oryx for the beginning of the presentation.
Dear Parents,
We have received a message from the Ministry of Education this afternoon advising us that all learning should take place online from Tuesday 24 March, until and including Thursday 26 March 2026. This is due to the bad weather forecast and heavy rain expected in Muscat.
Primary School students should log into their Google Classroom at 7:30am for registration. Class teachers will then explain to the students what activities they will be completing across the day.
Senior School students should log into the Google Classroom which is relevant for each lesson of the day. Instructions for all students will be posted in their Google Classrooms.
Opportunities will be provided for students, where appropriate, to interact and connect with their teachers virtually through live Google Meets during lessons. Teachers will plan activities which will be placed within the relevant Google Classrooms.
Expectations of students during Google Meets
Be punctual
Be prepared with any required resources
Be dressed appropriately for learning
Cameras should be left on unless instructed otherwise by the teacher
Microphones should be kept on mute unless offering input
No recording or photographing of other students within the Meet
Behave in a manner which respects your teacher and peers
Unless told otherwise, wait to begin the task at the allocated lesson time
For parents of students in FS - Year 3 who don't often use Google Classroom, or anyone who is having difficulties accessing their Google Meet, please see this simple guide.
If any students have difficulties accessing their Google Classroom, please do not worry, just let the Primary or Senior school office know via email when you are able to. Similarly, please be aware that there may be gaps in our provision if staff are dealing with floods or internet outages.
Please note:
All ECAs and activities (including Marlins) due to take place on the school site are cancelled.
The Cultural Fair will be postponed
The Spring Concert will be postponed
The Y10 Online Parents Evening will go ahead online as planned
Our BSM community’s safety is our highest priority and we urge all our families to follow the latest updates and guidance from the government to keep safe.
We look forward to welcoming our students back to the school site on Sunday 29 March 2026.
Please take care,
Kai Vacher,
Principal
Thank you for your support this week as we have transitioned to online learning. We are looking forward to welcoming students back on site on Sunday; until then, thank you for your continued patience and for ensuring students remain settled and focused on their studies at home. Link to watch video.
We are delighted to invite all BSM families to our annual Cultural Fair taking place next week. This vibrant event will celebrate the rich diversity of our community, with representation from over 43 countries.
We encourage students to wear clothing that represents their country (or countries) or the colors of their national flag(s) on this day. Students may wish to bring a small amount of money to enjoy the food and gift stalls.
Parents are also welcome to join us in the sports halls from 2-4pm. (During the day access to the school will be restricted to only those parents running a stall)
All access to the Sports Hall will be through the bottom gate. Please note there will be no access via the Main entrance/top car park at any time.
Parking will be available after 2:15pm in the bottom car park (limited spaces), or outside school on nearby streets (Way 1947, 1949 and 1950).
All visitors will be required to sign in as they arrive (at the Sports Centre Entrance) so please bring your red lanyard to save time. For visiting family members, yellow lanyards will be available as they sign in.
We are looking forward to seeing our community come together to celebrate the diverse cultures that make BSM so special.
This event will be conducted online, providing parents with the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress with subject teachers.
Appointment bookings will open on 11 March at 2pm and will close on Tuesday, 24 March at 12 noon. Please secure your appointments in advance using the link here.
The Eid Al Fitr holidays have been announced and will be from Thursday 19 March to Monday 23 March 2026. BSM follows all national holidays and so we will be closed for these days. School will resume on Tuesday 24 March 2026. Please see the Term Dates page of the BSM website to view the full academic calendar.
Wishing all our BSM families a blessed Eid Al Fitr.
We are seeing a small increase in common seasonal illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhoea (D&V) and throat infections. This is quite normal when communities mix again after holidays. Please keep an eye out for symptoms such as fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain, fatigue or reduced appetite. Most mild viral illnesses will settle with rest, fluids and time.
Please consider seeking advice from your GP if your child has:
A fever lasting more than 48 hours
Severe throat pain or difficulty swallowing
Vomiting or diarrhoea lasting longer than 24–48 hours
Signs of dehydration such as very little urine, dry mouth or unusual tiredness
Any symptoms that are worsening or causing concern
A reminder that if your child has experienced vomiting or diarrhoea, they should remain at home until 48 hours after the last episode before returning to school. This helps protect the wider school community. Thank you for your support in helping keep everyone healthy.
We wish you and your family a peaceful and blessed month.
The daily routine in school will remain unaltered during Ramadan and all curriculum subjects, including music and PE, will continue as normal; however, we are sensitive to the fact that students who are fasting may become tired and dehydrated during the day, particularly during active lessons. If any of our fasting students are feeling unable to participate fully in their lessons they should speak to their teacher as soon as possible and they will be given the option to rest for part of the session.
During break times, students fasting will be allocated a space where they may go if they choose, they are also welcome to join their friends in their usual areas if they wish to.
If your child will be fasting during Ramadan, please let us know ASAP. It is vital that you let us know so we can ensure your child’s teachers and our School Nurses are aware. Please indicate in the survey if your child will be fasting for the whole-day/every-day during the holy month of Ramadan.
On behalf of the school we would like to wish you and your family a peaceful and blessed month of Ramadan.
We encourage all families, as part of the BSM community, to take this opportunity to represent your country and celebrate culture and diversity at BSM. Please sign up to run a stall or perform by completing this Google Form by 17 March. All monies raised will go to BSM’s chosen charities for this year. Please note that all products sold at the Cultural Fair must be nut-free.
We are delighted to share our ECA programme for next term. Sign up opens Sunday 15 March 2026 at 5pm and will close at 2pm on Tuesday 17 March 2026. 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.
The last day of ECAs for this term will be Wednesday 18 March.
Congratulations to our students who participated in the RAHRC Annual Regatta in February and excelled at sailing Toppers. Well done to Dana, Alisha, Elgam, Sarisha and Vrinda.
Please Click Here to Register Your Spot on this workshop.
Are you supporting your child through the anxiety of assessments, external exams or university preparation?
We often feel that our role as parents is to provide the answers, fix the problems, and manage the revision schedule so our children don't feel anxious. However, research shows that in high-pressure environments, the more we "fix," the more our children may struggle with independence and resilience.
Join us for an interactive 75-minute workshop designed to help you shift from "Project Manager" to "High-Performance Coach." In this session, we will explore:
Taming the Advice Monster: Why our best-intentioned advice can sometimes trigger a "threat response" in the teenage brain.
The G.R.O.W. Framework: How to use active listening and questioning to help your child find their own solutions.
W.O.O.P. Strategy: A science-based method to help students navigate internal obstacles like procrastination and exam anxiety.
The 3-Second Rule: Simple, practical techniques to keep the "thinking brain" online during stressful conversations.
Please meet in the Main Reception at the TOP of school from 7:35am and a member of the team will escort you to the session.
Ensure you are wearing your red parent lanyard. If you do not have your parent lanyard and card with you, you will need to sign in at reception.
Park at the top of school. Access will not be available from the bottom of school.
Before 7:30am: Please park at the top of school, outside the car park, along Al Nadhayer Street, Way 1949 and Way 1947.
After 7:30am: Parking will also be available in the top car park after 7:30am
Our Iftar, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, has been postponed. We felt it was not appropriate to hold the event given the current situation. Thank you for your understanding.
After careful consideration of the current situation in the region, we have made the decision not to go ahead with our planned World Book Day dress-up day and parade on Thursday.
We want to reassure you that the spirit of World Book Week will continue. All planned reading activities and in-school sessions will still proceed as scheduled to ensure our students continue to have a wonderful week with books and reading. On Thursday, students should wear their usual school uniform.
Thank you so much for your understanding and flexibility as we navigate this change. We appreciate your ongoing support.
We are excited to celebrate World Book Day with a month of activities including a KS3 Mystery Book Giveaway, author visits, creative competitions, themed dress-up days, and Reading Buddies sessions. Books by visiting authors will be available for purchase through the Senior School Librarian. Please refer to this document for full details on schedules, events and book orders.
Students are invited to come dressed as one word linked to their year group’s literary genre. This is a fun way for students to explore vocabulary and creativity. Please read our World Book Day Information document for more information.
Year 7: Fables & Myths
Year 8: Dystopian
Year 9: Gothic
Year 10 & 11: Mystery
Sixth Form: Science Fiction
BSM's half term holiday will be from Sunday 22 February - Thursday 26 February 2026. 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 that school will finish at the usual time on Thursday 19 February.
A gentle reminder that we are a nut-free school. We have children in our community with severe nut allergies and even small traces can cause serious reactions. To keep everyone safe, food items containing nuts or nut products must not be brought into school in lunchboxes or as snacks. This includes items such as pesto, peanut butter, chocolate spreads containing nuts, cereal bars with nuts. Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe environment for all students.
Our Senior School Book Week will take place in early March 2026, with our special Book Day on Thursday, 5 March. Students are invited to come dressed as one word linked to their year group’s literary genre. This is a fun way for students to explore vocabulary and creativity. Please read our World Book Day Information Document for more information.
Saddle up for a rootin'-tootin' adventure with our Primary School production of Ye-Ha! This high-energy Wild West musical by Craig Hawes is packed with catchy tunes, hilarious puns, and a "gold mine" of colourful characters. Tickets (wristbands) now on sale from reception (Child: OMR 1, Adult: OMR 2).
Sunday, 15 February at 4:30pm
Monday 16 February at 4:30pm
We are delighted to be hosting another Collaborative Music Day, bringing together students from schools across Muscat for a morning of shared music-making through singing, wind band and a small string group. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to collaborate with new peers, build confidence and enjoy the excitement of performing together.
Students will rehearse during the morning, finishing with a short performance in the Oryx Theatre at 12:30pm, which parents are warmly invited to attend. Please complete the sign-up form below if your child would like to attend.
Key information:
For students in Y3 and older
Students should bring a water bottle and food (this is a nut-free event)
The event is free of charge
Please note that school uniform is NOT required for this day, although clothing should be in line with normal local cultural expectations.
Timing:
Drop-off: 8:00am (at the top of school)
Performance in Oryx theatre: 12:30 pm (Parents can be on site from: 12:15 pm, please park at the top of school)
Collection: 1:00pm (from the top of school)
If your child would like to take part, please complete this sign-up form. We are very much looking forward to another inspiring morning of music.
We have noticed that some senior students seem a little more tired at the moment and wanted to gently remind families of the important role sleep plays in focus, emotional wellbeing and resilience. While sleep needs vary, most adolescents still benefit from around 8–10 hours of sleep each night. Busy schedules and screen use can make this challenging at times and ongoing tiredness may show up as headaches, low energy or reduced concentration. Families are always welcome to reach out to the Health Centre if they would like a quiet check-in or some support.
A common complaint from young people is that they get invited to Whatsapp chats and are unhappy with what they see. Please watch this 15 second clip on teaching microhabits to your child from the_enlightened_parent, a reliable and trustworthy source of information for keeping children safe from online risks & content. You may have also seen that Youtube have updated their parental controls. Please see this link from thecommonparent on Instagram with short guidance to help you and your child find the right balance between device use and phone addiction.
We are currently busy creating props for next year’s production and would greatly appreciate donations of newspapers. Many of our props are large and made using papier mache, so we require a significant amount of newspaper. If you are able to help, please ask your child to bring any newspaper donations to Q102. Thank you for your support.
To secure the best educational outcomes, BSM expects a minimum attendance of 95%, which allows for a maximum of 9 days’ absence per academic year. School data shows that lower attendance is linked to a drop of up to one full grade. While some absences (e.g. family events or non-school sports) may be authorised, they still count towards this total. Once a student reaches 9 days of absence, including medical absences, no further absence requests will be approved.
We are looking forward to welcoming all Y12 & Y13 parents to our Parent Consultation Day on Monday 9 February 2026. There will be online and in-person appointments available. Booking for appointments will be open until midday on 8 February. Please see this document for full information.
Students should come to school at the normal time, ready to start at 7.30am. Students in Years 7 - 11 should wear their school uniform.
Years 7 - 10 will enjoy a rich day focussed on wellbeing and mental health, including a comprehensive engaging session run by George Peterkin of 'Mind Your Health'.
Year 11 will have a bespoke timetable including core media work. There is also History, Art, DT and English run by our subject teachers.
Year 12 and Year 13 students will have specific targeted lessons throughout the day. Your child will be given permission to leave their lessons to escort you around the school during your scheduled appointments, but will be expected to return to class once you have finished and exited the school site.
For all details and timings for all students please refer to our helpful guide.
Our IT team has been investigating a number of email delivery issues reported to us, affecting Microsoft Hotmail & Outlook accounts. Microsoft appears to be blocking emails sent from our mail delivery system (Sendgrid).
To help ensure you continue to receive school communications, we would recommend adding a Gmail email address as an additional contact email.
(It is possible to forward emails from this new Gmail to your hotmail address).
It may help to add the email addresses below to your contacts:
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 afternoon. Please check the Notices Sites regularly to keep up to date with information.
Please also check we have your details correct on the Parent Portal. Thank you.
Most young people think that the friends they have now will be their friends for life. However it is normal in secondary schools for friendships to change and be completely different one year to the next. If your child is experiencing this please read, or give them to read this 5 minute article from YoungMinds.com which has 5 top tips for dealing with the loss of a friendship.
In February, BSM will be welcoming the Education Development Trust (EDT) into school to undertake a rigorous inspection against the British Schools Overseas standards. To support this process, it is very important to them to hear from our parent community. As such, they have sent us a survey for you to complete to help them better understand our school.
If you have more than one child at the school, please respond with your eldest child in mind. If you would like to share feedback about your younger children, you can do so in the comment section at the end. Please complete this survey by 29 January 2026.
The Celebration Assembly for students to receive their Summer 2025 official exam certificates will take place on Thursday 29 January. Invitations have been sent to parents.
We look forward to welcoming parents for refreshments at 12:30pm in Covent Garden, followed by the ceremony at 1pm in the Oryx Theatre. Guests are requested to enter via the bottom car park.
Please see this document for information about signing up for appointments and full details about the day.
Y7, Y9 and Y10: Students will come to school as usual, ready for a 7.30am start.
Y7 will be going on a teambuilding trip led by Mr Hughes.
Y9 and Y10 will have a bespoke curriculum for the day focussing on sustainability as well as team building activities. Students in these year groups should wear their PE kit to school.
Y11, Y12 and Y13: Students will have supervised study periods and specialist support sessions to help with English coursework, Maths, Science, DT coursework, Media coursework and Art.
Award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson along with Brookings Institution's Rebecca Winthrop spent five years researching why teens are checking out of school and what parents, educators and leaders can do about it. In The Disengaged Teen (Crown, 2025), they developed a transformative framework to unpack and address student disengagement.
In this webinar for parents and carers in COBIS schools, Jenny Anderson will explore the four learning modes—Passenger, Achiever, Resister, and Explorer—and share insights on how to identify disengagement early and ignite young people’s motivation
The Council of British International Schools is pleased to be hosting this impactful free webinar from award-winning journalist and author Jenny Anderson for parents and carers at COBIS schools.
The session will be chaired by Kai Vacher, COBIS Board Member and Principal of British School Muscat and British School Salalah, Oman.
Please complete this form to be sent a Zoom invitation to the session.
Student mobile phones should be switched off and out of sight between the hours of 7am and 3pm. This policy is in place to promote face to face social interaction, lessen disruptions and ensure the school day remains firmly focused on learning.
Between 2 and 3pm, students who need to contact home may do so via the Senior School Office or using one of the dedicated spaces next to the entry to the bottom car park or school exit to the top car park.
Any phone seen during the school day will be confiscated and returned at 2pm or, if after 2pm, returned on the following school day. If there is a repeat incident then a parent or guardian will need to come to school to collect the device. Thank you for your support in putting learning first within the school environment.
Pret a Portrait will be in school to take individual and class photos of all students. Please see this document for the days each class photo will take place.
Students need to be wearing their full school uniform for their photograph. If their photo is on Thursday (Peace Day) or they have PE on the same day please ensure they bring their uniform to change into.
If your child misses their photo, please ensure they have their photo taken by Pret a Portrait on another day (Older students can just pop into the Main Hall, or you can speak to the Primary Offices to arrange). If they do not have thier photo taken by Pret then we can't include them in the class photos.
If you would like to sign up for sibling photographs before and after school, please select your time by clicking on this link.
Parents are responsible for bringing their children to the Main Hall at the correct time.
For more information please get in touch with Pret a Portrait in Dubai directly on 04 447 4601 customerservice@pret-a-portrait.ae.
BSM Staff, Students & Parents 7-a-side football teams will battle it out on the all weather pitch tonight to lift the famous trophy! We look forward to welcoming our community to BSM for a fun evening.
With a sense of reflection and hope, the Charity Student Impact Team would like to announce that we will be celebrating Peace Day next Thursday 22nd January. Students are encouraged to wear white to symbolise Peace. If your child is having their phot taken on Thursday they must have their school uniform with them. We will be leading a range of activities, including a bake sale, bracelet and rose sale, karaoke, poetry competition and activities promoting kindness and unity across the school! All proceeds will be donated to the Oman Charitable Organization, supporting children and families in need. Please encourage your child to participate and help make a difference.
If you’re seeing bigger meltdowns when screens end, constant requests for more, low tolerance for boredom or rising anxiety, this isn’t about willpower or 'bad habits'. It’s the dopamine cycle at work. Breaking the Dopamine cycle doesn’t mean banning screens or battling with your child. It means understanding the brain, setting supportive non-negotiables, and helping dopamine come from steadier, safer places. For more guidance see this infographic from The Contented Child, Child Wellbeing Consultancy.
Please be aware that if you are a child of a Y8 student then you will be invited to school, with your child, to meet all their teachers on Tuesday 27 January. The 10 minute appointments will be online from 10am - 11am. Our face to face appointments will run from 11am until 6pm. Information about how to book appointments will be shared shortly.
The Ministry of Labour has announced the public holiday dates for 2026. BSM follows all national holidays so we will be closed for a long weekend from Thursday 15 January to Sunday 18 January for the Sultan’s Accession and Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj Holidays. Please see the Term Dates page of the BSM website to view the full academic calendar.
Following popular interest in our classes, we can confirm that spaces are available for this term in the classes listed below. No prior experience required and all new members are offered a free trial class.
NEW FS1 dance- Mondays, 12.45-1.30pm commencing 26th January.
Age 4-5 ballet - Mondays 3.15-4.15pm
Age 11+ ballet - Wednesdays, 3.30-4.30
Adult ballet- Mondays, 5.30-6.30pm
Adult pilates- Tuesdays, 4.45-5.45pm
Please contact Katie at bamperformance1@gmail.com for further details.
All places are offered on a first come first served basis and operate a waiting list system.
Swimming lessons have resumed this week and will run until 20 March. We have spaces available for swimmers of all ages and abilities with heated pools throughout the winter months. To register, please visit the Marlins Swim School Booking Page and select Term 2.
For enquiries, contact learntoswim@britishschoolmuscat.com
The World Scholar’s Cup returns to Muscat on 30–31 January, hosted by Cheltenham Muscat, giving BSM students aged 10+ the chance to compete in a globally recognised celebration of learning. They will take part in debate, writing and problem-solving challenges that develop confidence, collaboration and critical thinking. Pre-registration with Mr Marsh closes on Thursday 15 January. For more information, please click here.
Allocation of Spring Term activities have been confirmed by email. ECAs will start on the first day of term, on Sunday 4 January, and run until Thursday 19 March 2026. If you have any questions, please see our ECA site.
We are looking forward to welcoming students back to school after the break, on Sunday 4 January. ECAs will start on the first day of term.
Please note Years 7, 8, 11 student reports for Term 1 are available via the parent portal.
An opportunity to discuss with subject teachers the recent Yr11 assessments and the progress of your child. An email will be sent to parents with full details.
Booking for appointments will close on Sunday, 4 January at 12 noon. To ensure a smooth and efficient scheduling process, please book your appointments in advance via the Parents Booking system.
Please use the following link to make your bookings: https://parents-booking.co.uk/britishschoolmuscat
Enter your email address then click login.
A magic link will be sent to your inbox or Spam.
Kindly open this email and click the magic link to log in. No password is required.
You can now proceed to book your appointments with your child's teachers.
Please find the step-by-step guide here to assist you with the booking process and help you prepare for your meetings with teachers.
Note: Mrs Joanna Braganza will be meeting you for Drama as Ms Leonora Stavrianakos will be on leave for Terms 2 and 3.
Should you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at senioroffice@britishschoolmuscat.com.