Category Archives: Uncategorised

At Al Salam Community School (ASCS), we firmly believe that true education extends far beyond the classroom. We are incredibly proud to reflect on the resounding success of our recent Model United Nations (MUN) conference—an extraordinary three-day event completely led, managed, and executed by our exceptional Post-16 pupils.

This monumental achievement stands as a true testament to the remarkable leadership training our school provides, as well as the sheer intelligence, resilience, and dedication of our students.

In total, our campus welcomed 720 attendees, including our dedicated ASCS MUN student organisation team, special guests, sponsors, and faculty members. Seeing hundreds of young minds gathered to debate global issues with such passion and diplomacy was a remarkably proud moment for our entire community.

8 Months in the Making: Behind the Scenes

The flawless execution of this three-day conference was no accident. The preparation for ASCS MUN commenced in June 2025. For eight long months, our Secretariat worked rigorously, day and night, to ensure a smooth-running conference and to build a meaningful experience for all attendees.

It is never an easy feat. Organising an event of this scale truly tests one’s limits and strengths. Our Post-16 pupils flawlessly juggled the demanding logistics of planning every meticulous detail of the conference alongside their own rigorous academics and personal commitments. They did not just host an event; they created a legacy.

---

Voices from the Secretariat

The true heart of this event was our student leadership team. Here is what our brilliant Secretariat had to say about their journey:

• Batool Enayat (Secretary General): “This experience is nothing short of extraordinary. The pride you feel on the last day when you see everyone fighting tooth and nail to represent their opinions and stances in a room is inspiring. We can’t wait to see where these delegates’ journeys take them.”
• Besandi Binaya (Deputy Secretary General): “It was really such a privilege to work with the entire team. It taught me so much about the importance of collaboration and resilience. I am very grateful to have been a part of ASCS MUN 2026.”
• Ayana Anwar (Director of Research): “Being Director of Research for ASCS MUN 2026 was an incredibly rewarding experience that pushed me to lead with precision, creativity, and purpose. Guiding the academic direction together made every challenge feel lighter and every success feel collective.”
• Ritwika Jishanth (Director of Media): “Representing ASCS MUN 2026 through an artistic lens was a beautiful experience. Especially when there are so many beautiful aspects of the conference to document every day: the behind-the-scenes, the hard-headed debates, the celebration of diversity, and the culture of our community. It was an honour to act behind the scenes in seeing this conference grow.”
• Yousef Wardani (Director of Operations): “It was an honour seeing this conference grow from an idea into an experience. My team and I evolved into new people through every challenge and obstacle we faced. And it was all worth it in the end.”
• Aly Kotb (Chief of Staff): “Teaching our chairs and pagers the Rules of Procedure and the behavioural conduct of the conference felt like a glorified HR position. Limits were tested, and challenges were faced. But in the end, it was all worth it. Kudos to our team this year!”

A Heartfelt Thank You

An event of this magnitude is made possible through the collaboration and generosity of our wider community.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors, Bounce and Uniplus Education, for their generous contributions. Your meaningful support played a vital role in making this conference a reality.

Finally, a special thank you to our esteemed guest speakers, Ms Noha Hefny and Ms Deena Bhoyroo. The invaluable insights and wisdom you shared with our community and our young leaders will not be forgotten.

Congratulations to our Post-16 leaders, our delegates, and our staff for making the 5th Annual ASCS MUN a triumph!

We are delighted to announce an exceptional set of results from our Year 11 students on the accelerated Mathematics pathway programme. Demonstrating outstanding academic rigour and determination, students achieved 100% Grades 9–8 in their IGCSE Early Entry Mathematics examinations. This is a flawless performance, with every single student securing the highest possible tier of grades available.which is a flawless outcome. Achieving such results months ahead of the standard summer examination window highlights their advanced mastery of the curriculum.

Setting Students Up for Success

Early entry is an opportunity reserved for students who demonstrate exceptional readiness. By securing their Mathematics qualification early, students reduce pressure during the Summer examination series, enabling them to focus more effectively on other subjects and maximise overall attainment. For our most able mathematicians, this success also opens clear pathways to IGCSE Further Mathematics, providing a strong foundation for A-Level study, while significantly boosting confidence and morale as they enter the final months of Year 11.

A Community Effort

This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication, ambition, and resilience of our students, alongside the expertise and unwavering support of our Mathematics department, who have guided them through this accelerated pathway. It is a true celebration of excellence, high expectations and our belief in the potential of our students.

Congratulations to our Year 11 mathematicians on this outstanding accomplishment.

We are delighted to formally share the findings of our British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection, which took place in November last year. It is a moment of immense pride for Al Salam Community School (ASCS) as we celebrate achieving Outstanding judgements across many key areas of our provision.

This milestone is a reflection of the dedication and resilience of our community. We are especially proud of our school leaders, whose guidance was central to this result. As the inspectors noted: Leadership is “highly effective” with “many outstanding features”.” Their commitment to our growth has ensured that ASCS remains a beacon of high-quality British education.

Our “Outstanding” judgements include:

• The overall quality of education
• The quality of the curriculum
• Standards achieved by students
• The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students
• Premises and accommodation
• The provision of information for parents, carers and others

Below, we share the specific highlights from the Inspection Report that illustrate the strengths of our school:

Statements by Theme

A. Quality of Education & Outcomes

• “The quality of education provided is outstanding.”
• “Students make strong and sustained progress from a wide range of starting points.”
• “Standards achieved by pupils are outstanding.”
• “Consistently strong attainment and progress is evident across all key stages.”
• “External examination outcomes demonstrate sustained high performance.”
• “Academic standards at ASCS are consistently high across all phases.”

B. Curriculum & Teaching

• “The curriculum is broad, balanced and well-planned.”
• “A wide, rich and varied curriculum results in outstanding progress and attainment.”
• “Bespoke pathways at Key Stages 4 and 5 meet different learner needs and aspirations.”

C. Personal Development & Values

• “Students’ personal development is of the highest order.”
• “The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students is outstanding.”
• “This is a significant strength of the school.”
• “Students are happy, confident, caring, ambitious and proud ambassadors of the school.”
• “The school’s values are lived experiences rather than abstract concepts.”

D. Leadership, Ethos & Community

• “Leadership and management (has) … many outstanding features.”
• “Leaders have established a clear and inclusive vision.”
• “The ethos is embedded throughout the school community.”
• “Governance is a notable strength.”
• “Leaders work collaboratively and strategically to drive continuous improvement.”

E. Britishness & Global Preparation

• “The school has many distinct British features.”
• “A distinctive British character is evident throughout the school.”
• “Students are well prepared for higher education.”
• “British values are embedded across the school culture.”

F. Environment, Care & Safety

• “The premises and accommodation of the school are outstanding.”
• “The school operates from a modern, purpose-built site.”
• “Health, safety and security are given the highest priority.”
• “Safeguarding is a high priority and embedded in the school’s culture.”

G. Parent Partnership

• “Parents feel that the school values their opinions.”
• “Parents appreciate the school’s open-door policy.”

A Community Effort

We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the entire Al Salam family. This achievement would not have been possible without the tireless work of our teachers and staff, who have navigated every hardship with professionalism and care. We are equally grateful to our students for their hard work and to our parents for their huge contribution and steadfast support. This success is a shared one, built upon the partnership between home and school.

Looking Ahead: Our Journey Continues

While we celebrate these results, our journey does not stop here. What is next for Al Salam Community School is a continued commitment to our core vision: to nurture an inclusive learning community, leading excellence with Islamic values. Moving forward, we will continue to build on these Outstanding foundations, refining our bespoke pathways, enhancing our facilities, and ensuring that our values remain “lived experiences” for every child. 

We are excited for the future as we continue to realise the potential of every student within our care.

Together, we continue to strive for excellence.

We are bursting with pride to announce that our 2025 GCSE outcomes have secured the highly coveted ALPS Diamond Award, officially ranking Al Salam Community School in the Top 1% of comparable schools worldwide for the student progress we make!

This achievement is a profound celebration of Value Added teaching, demonstrating the truly transformative impact of our staff and the relentless dedication of our pupils. With 56% of all grades at A-A* and 75% between A*-B, these outstanding results mark a historic moment for our school!

---

Understanding the ALPS Diamond Award

What is ALPS Education?

ALPS (A-Level Performance System) Education is a highly respected, independent body that specializes in benchmarking the academic performance of students globally, primarily against the stringent standards set by the UK’s Department for Education (DfE) National dataset.

ALPS is not an examination board; it is a quality assurance system. It provides schools with sophisticated analysis to determine how effectively they are helping pupils progress from one key stage (like GCSE) to the next (A-Level).

The Importance of the Diamond 1% Award

The Diamond Award is the highest level of recognition ALPS bestows, and its importance is monumental:

1. Measures ‘Value-Added’ Progress: The award does not simply celebrate high grades; it measures the Value Added by the school.³ This means it compares a pupil’s actual results to the expected results of students who started with the exact same academic ability nationally.
2. Top 1% Global Ranking: Achieving the Diamond Award confirms that, on average, ASCS students make significantly higher progress than 99% of students in comparable schools worldwide.
3. Validation of Quality: This is an objective, external validation that the teaching, curriculum, and academic support at Al Salam Community School are truly world-class and highly effective at nurturing every pupil’s potential.⁴ It is the gold standard for measuring a school’s transformative impact.

Al Salam Community School is with immense pride as we present our Secondary School Academic Excellence Awards. This special occasion is dedicated to celebrating the remarkable achievements of our students in their iGCSE, AS, and A Level examinations – a cohort that has truly made history within our school’s walls.

This year’s results represent the highest-ever GCSE exam performance to date for ASCS, a monumental achievement that makes this celebration even more profoundly special. Their dedication has set a new benchmark for excellence, reflecting countless hours of study, perseverance, and unwavering commitment.

The Academic Excellence Awards ceremony is a heartfelt honour to those pupils who not only reached the pinnacle of academic attainment in their iGCSE, AS, and A Level subjects but also demonstrated exceptional personal growth and progress throughout their challenging academic journey. It is a powerful testament to their resilience, hard work, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

At ASCS, we firmly believe that recognising and celebrating such outstanding achievements is crucial. It’s more than just acknowledging individual efforts; it’s about igniting a spark of inspiration across our entire student body. This event serves as a vibrant source of motivation, encouraging all our pupils to embrace their potential, set ambitious academic goals, and strive to surpass them.

Congratulations once again to all our awardees. Your success is a shining beacon for our community, demonstrating what can be achieved through dedication, passion, and the unwavering support of our ASCS family. We look forward to witnessing the continued greatness you will undoubtedly bring to the world.

In a remarkable display of academic prowess, Danish Imran from Al Salam Community School (ASCS) has achieved the highest mark in the UAE for the Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level Psychology. This outstanding accomplishment not only reflects Danish’s dedication but also stands as a proud moment for ASCS, especially the mentors within its Sixth Form.

The road to success is often paved with relentless dedication, unyielding commitment, and unwavering support. Danish’s achievement serves as a testament to these values and his unrelenting pursuit of academic excellence. When asked about this remarkable feat, Danish humbly expressed his gratitude, acknowledging the pivotal role played by ASCS, his Psychology teacher Ms. Shazia, and his family.

“Receiving the award for the highest mark in the UAE serves as the initial step in what I envision as a far-reaching educational journey for me. Thank you to ASCS, Ms Shazia—my Psychology teacher—and my family. Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Danish Imran

Click the image to see the latest news brought to us by our Journalism and Broadcasting Club.

The team is back with Volume 2! Click on the image to read more

Our ASCS Journalism and Broadcasting club have demonstrated exceptional leadership and teamwork in the development of the ‘Community times publication. Please see the first edition published in February below: Click on the image to read more