Dear Ash Mount Community,
With the recent change to the spring term dates, I hope you have still managed to enjoy these two weeks of spring break and spend some valuable time together as families. School terms are always busy, and moments like this allow us to pause, reconnect, and reflect.
At times when the wider world can feel uncertain, families often ask how best to speak with children about events they may hear about or see in the news. There is rarely a perfect answer, but there are some simple approaches that can help.
The first is to remain calm ourselves. Children are very perceptive and often take emotional cues from the adults around them. When we model calm and thoughtful responses, it reassures them that the world is still a safe and understandable place.
Another helpful approach is to begin with questions rather than explanations. Asking children what they have heard, what they think, or how they feel allows us to understand where their thinking currently sits.
It can also be powerful to reflect their words back to them. Simple phrases such as “So you’re wondering why that happened?” or “It sounds like that made you feel worried” help children feel heard and encourage them to keep talking.
Conversations should always be age appropriate. Younger children may simply need reassurance and a sense that the adults around them are keeping them safe. Older students may want to explore deeper questions about fairness, responsibility and global events.
Handled thoughtfully, these conversations can help children develop empathy, perspective and understanding, qualities that sit at the heart of education.
This month’s blog theme, Educating for Global Peace and Making a Better World, connects closely with the philosophy behind international education. The International Baccalaureate speaks about developing young people who contribute to “a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”
At Ash Mount, this thinking is supported through what we call the Ash Mount Pathways.
Education at Ash Mount is organised through five interconnected pathways that help us design learning in a way that keeps the main things the main things. Rather than separating academic learning, personal development and future preparation, the pathways ensure these elements work together.
Importantly, all students experience all pathways. They are not tracks or options, but a framework that helps us design a balanced and meaningful education.
The Future Ready Pathway helps students develop strong academic knowledge alongside critical thinking, curiosity and the ability to analyse information thoughtfully.
The Global Pathway encourages students to understand cultures, perspectives and global issues while developing a strong understanding of the United Arab Emirates and the world they live in.
The Enterprise Pathway supports students to take initiative, explore ideas and develop the confidence to turn thinking into action through projects, collaboration and innovation.
The Wellbeing Pathway ensures that belonging, relationships and emotional wellbeing sit at the centre of school life so that students feel safe, confident and supported as learners.
And the Adaptive Learning Pathway recognises that every student learns differently, ensuring teaching responds carefully to individual strengths, needs and interests.
Together, these pathways create an education where knowledge, character and global awareness grow side by side.
In moments when the world can feel complex, the role of education becomes even more important. Schools help young people learn how to listen, understand different perspectives and act with empathy and integrity.
These are the foundations of peaceful communities, and ultimately of a more peaceful world.
I hope the remainder of the spring break allows you to enjoy time together as families and return refreshed for the weeks ahead.
Best wishes,
Abigail Fishbourne
Founding Principal
Ash Mount School
