The Go Further Awards, administered by the OxfordAQA, have recognised three pupils from Star International School, Al Twar, as well as three school staff members, for their exceptional academic and management abilities, respectively.
In recognition of their ongoing dedication to coursework and learning, sixteen-year-olds Hamdan and Karen were each given the Outstanding Student Award, while fifteen-year-old Jad achieved top scores in the International GCSE English as a Second Language, A-Level exams.
Celebrating the school staff, David Gill, the Assistant Principal and Emma O’Brien, the Head of English received awards for their excellence in adapting subject-specific content to suit the evolving needs of their students, their commitment to ensuring continuity in school life by supporting their students and their creative use of resources to engage students in a fun classroom. Aleemunnisa Syed, the School Exam Officer, received the Heart of the School Award for her tireless commitment to the wellbeing of the school community.
The annual Go Further Awards are given to students who put up extraordinary effort to achieve great scores in IGCSE or AS exams on a local, national, or international level and are also given to teachers and administrative staff, who offer the best support to their students. Members of the Star International School, Al Twarhave received these recognitions before.
Hamdan, an Emirati student who has been with the school since FS1, stated: “This award means a lot to me because I know that my hard work paid off and is valued. It not only gave me a sense of gratification, but it also made my family happy and proud. Star International School, Al Twar,provide me with the tools I need to be successful. My teachers and peers provided me with effective feedback, which helped me realise that when we keep trying, nothing is impossible – all we have to do is keep learning.”
Jad,another student who has been with the school since FS1, is extremely proud to have received the highest mark among UAE students in the English as a second language examination. He said: “Receiving the OxfordAQA Student Achievement Award is an achievement I could not have done without the support of my school. Star International School, Al Twar has supported me in ways I would not find in other schools.”
Jamie Kirkaldy, OxfordAQA’s Head of Teaching and Learning, congratulated staff and students on their continued dedication, passion, and hard work. He said: “We are very proud of all this year’s Go Further Award winners. The effort they have put into their studies, and the way they have managed the transition back to in-person exams has been truly inspirational. We are thrilled to celebrate these young people and their achievements. Of course, no student achieves by themselves, which is why we also have Go Further Awards for teachers and school staff, to recognise the tireless support they give their students. This is especially true this year, where teachers and staff have enabled their school communities to transition back to normal school routines and prepare for end-of-year exams, in some cases for the first time in three years. Our gratitude goes out to them all.”
Dolly Goriawala, Principal of Star International School, expressed her joy and honour on the latest accomplishment. She commented: “At Star International School, Al Twar, we believe that students are the future of the nation and the builders of tomorrow. We also believe that students are our pride; we will always encourage them to achieve more, and Jad, Hamdan and Karen have risen to our expectations. Our success is reflected through their success and the success of our staff members that have also been recognised.”
Star International School, Al Twar follows a robust, bespoke curriculum based on the National Curriculum of England. The school is accredited by the British Schools Middle East (BSME) and British Schools Overseas (BSO), and is also an accredited centre for Pearson, AQA and Oxford AQA qualifications. Their personalized approach to teaching and learning supports the evolving needs of their students and supports them in their academic and/or vocational pathways. Star International School, Al Twar, is part of International Schools Partnership (ISP), which has over 60 schools in 17 countries around the world.
