VLE
The British School of Kuwait boasts superb resources and facilities. A wireless network supports an advanced Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Every teaching room in the School is equipped with an interactive whiteboard linked to the internet and the School’s servers.
Our VLE is a stunning demonstration of the advantages of e-learning that BSK pioneered in Kuwait. From Year 3 to Year 13, students can log-on through a portal, at any time, to discover a full range of information for every subject including lesson-plans, assessments, homework, links, advice and points of interest. Students and teachers can blog questions and answers. Many subjects are developing wikis that can be edited by students so that they can collaborate and post best solutions to problems.
There are nine fully equipped science laboratories, three each for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. At BSK we believe that students of science should conduct as many practical experiments as possible, rather than merely watch science demonstrations or, worse still, study science only from books and whiteboards. All students conduct practical experiments supported by a vast range of equipment, laboratory technicians and preparation facilities. We believe that understanding and opinion based on evidence holds superiority.
Our sports facilities are the envy of other schools in Kuwait. In addition to the four large sports courts, the Marble Arch is an arena capable of holding a variety of sports taking place simultaneously. Students also make use of our swimming pool on site as well as astro-turf pitches adjacent to the campus. BSK employs full-time specialist sports coaches to support the PE team. We are proud that teams representing BSK fill our trophy cabinet with cups and shields. We are even more proud that BSK enters teams into every sporting competition available in Kuwait. We are most proud that, at BSK, there is a culture of ‘Sport for All’ with extra-curricular clubs dedicated to students that simply enjoy their sport whether or not they reach School Team standard.
Facilities for Creative Arts are extensive. In dedicated, fully-equipped rooms, students experience for themselves the creative processes of Fine Art, Graphic Design, Textile Design and Photography. In our Ceramics Studio, clay is worked on potter’s wheels, glazed and fired in our kiln. Our three Design and Technology rooms are equipped with hand and power tools, vacuum formers and other specialist equipment to enable students from Reception to Year 13 to use their hands to manufacture. Students of Dance have three, full-sized dance studios to work on their ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary styles. Students of Drama have a dedicated studio and access also to the ‘Shakespeare Theatre’ with its advanced sound and lighting equipment. Music at BSK has set new standards. The three music performance rooms, including the ‘John Lennon Studio’ with its stage and lighting equipment, are supplemented by tutor rooms in Whitehall and a fully-equipped recording studio. Moreover, we believe that every student should play multiple instruments and abundant numbers of guitars, violins, recorders, keyboards and many other types make this possible through the dedication of the Music Team which includes four full-time specialist tutors in addition to a teaching staff of six.
Students in Reception have a computer laboratory whilst students from Year 1 to Year 5 use laptop computers which are available in class sets on the corridors of the Main Building. From Year 6 to Year 13, students are required to own a laptop computer and have it configured to make use of our network, software and VLE. Textbooks continue to support learning and through our textbook supply system, all students own and utilise the latest titles.
There are many other facilities available to aid teaching and learning at BSK, however, the most important resources are the students and the teachers. Through our strict admissions policy, parents can be sure that their child will sit in class surrounded by others that are intelligent, well-behaved and highly motivated. Students learn a lot through collaboration with class-mates and for them to gain full benefit from their peers, BSK is the best learning environment in Kuwait. All of the teachers at BSK must have qualifications recognised in the United Kingdom. Our teachers are highly qualified, dedicated professionals for whom teaching is more than a mere job; it is a life choice. All are committed to life-long learning for themselves and large resources are ploughed into continuous professional development. Managers, administration and auxiliary staff share the desire to support the myriad learning opportunities at BSK, Kuwait’s Premier School.