Senior School

As teachers in the Senior School, our role of empowering students with knowledge, skills and understanding of learning is paramount in the formation of independent thinking. Student agency and voice are encouraged as students become more independent and responsible for their own learning. With teacher support, students track their own data. This enables them to develop a growth mindset, drives personal goal setting and facilitates regular reflection on their achievement, engagement and wellbeing.

The learning environment in the Senior School is one in which each individual is valued, respected and encouraged to do their best at all times. We foster effective learning environments that are stimulating, collaborative, supportive and student centred.

In the Senior School we promote:

Choice and ownership
Independence, autonomy and self-regulation
A strong sense of connectedness by planning meaningful and authentic activities
Metacognition and higher order thinking
Reflection and self-assessment

As an International Baccalaureate School, we aim to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

English

As an International Baccalaureate PYP school we have adopted a transdisciplinary approach to curriculum integration. This approach dissolves the boundaries between these conventional disciplines and organises teaching and learning around the construction of meaning in the context of real-world problems or themes.
We use the Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop model to develop literacy skills. During Workshops teachers model explicit skills, support students whilst they learn the skill, then allow for independent work. At this time, small groups will work with the teacher, or individual conferences will be held. A final group reflection time allows students to clarify their understanding, and teachers to gather information about progress.

Mathematics

The mathematics curriculum aims to develop useful mathematical and numeracy skills for everyday life, work and as an active members in a technological world. Students in the Senior School build their understanding of how to select and apply efficient mental and written strategies to solve problems and have access to concrete materials to support their learning when required. Again, the workshop model is used during maths lessons.
The mathematics curriculum comes under three strands – Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability.
Students continue to participate in MLCs (Maths Learning Communities) in which they engage in a series of scaffolded lessons targeted to their specific learning needs. Through regular pre and post testing, learning growth is measured and future learning goals established for each individual.