Since its establishment in 2018, Beacon School has quickly earned a reputation for offering an exemplary education for learners in Bahrain. We speak to the school’s new Director, Dinis Costa, about the establishment’s vision for its students.
Mr. Costa, who is from Portugal, studied sports science and coached several teams at the start of his career. As his love for education grew, he started working at schools before moving to the UK where he lived for 11 years. “It was there that I progressed my career and started my Master’s in education. I then moved to Spain, where I took up various leadership positions,” says Mr. Costa.
“While being a part of SEK Education Group*, which aims to realise each students’ potential to tackle 21st century challenges, I was offered the role of Director at Beacon School to help it grow further,” he states.
Prior to his move to the Kingdom, Mr. Costa spent a week in Bahrain to acclimatise himself with the school. “Bahrain’s community is very special and everybody has a solution-focused attitude centred on enhancing students’ lives and helping them succeed in society. This is very much in line with my attitude,” he says.
A Student-centric Approach
As a transformational leader, he hopes to encourage staff, teachers and non-teachers, to become even more efficient team players while cascading this attitude and drive to the students. “I believe in listening to our students and allowing them to voice their opinions because they are ultimately at the centre of our actions,” he says.
The school’s student body currently consists of 230 students representing 35 nationalities. “Admissions are still open and we aim to have 275 students by the end of the year. We have small classes consisting of 18 students which enables us to provide them with tailored guidance,” he says.
One of the unique elements which sets Beacon School apart from others in the Kingdom is its partnership with CGC which works towards building students’ character. “For the last two years, we also provide the IB curriculum which focuses on exploring the learner IB profile, building character and different skills, in addition to improving students’ academics. This will play a key role in helping our students grow and gain entry to prominent universities,” he highlights.
This year also marks the opening of the pre-nursery, catering to two- and three-year-olds, meaning Beacon now educates children from two to 18 years of age. The school also augments technology into existing teaching methods and practices.
Facilitating Success
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs there are five categories of human needs (physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualisation) which dictate an individual’s behaviour. “We need to have students who are happy, look after their well-being, and make sure that they are ready to learn. So, if we think about Maslow’s hierarchy, we need to cater to their main needs, socially, emotionally and academically in the beginning, so they may thrive,” he says.
2023 also marks the first year that the school will be having a graduating class of Year 12. “We have a counsellor that helps students look into universities not just in Bahrain, but also abroad. Tying in with the aims of SEK Group, we help our students to thrive and reach their university targets. That’s why our prime focus is on giving them the best offer in terms of subjects to help them achieve their goals,” he says.
An Expansion in the Works
The school is beginning the last phase of its construction soon and hopes to open its new swimming pool by the end of the year. “We will also be introducing drama classes that will increase the impact of our curriculum and our offer to the students,” he says.
To conclude, Mr. Costa has a message for parents and potential students: “Come and visit the school, see our unique offering for yourself!”
