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  • Vision & Ethos | Wotton House International School | Gloucestershire

    Wotton House International School tiene su sede en el corazón de Gloucester y es parte del grupo International Village Education. Nuestra misión es ayudar activamente a los niños a desarrollar la confianza, las habilidades y el conocimiento necesarios para prosperar en el mundo moderno. Nuestra ética educativa está resumida en el proverbio africano "se necesita una aldea para criar a un niño" , lo que ayuda a sus hijos a sobresalir en el contexto de sus comunidades locales, nacionales y globales. Este espíritu incorpora tres ideas relacionadas: 1 La educación no es solo responsabilidad del maestro, sino también de la comunidad en general; Los niños de hoy crecen en una aldea global no regulada y necesitan orientación más que nunca para navegar por ella de manera segura. 2 Ser 'educado' tiene muchas facetas y ángulos, y que cada niño tiene muchos dones diferentes, no todos los cuales están cubiertos por el aprendizaje tradicional en el aula. Para lograr esta visión, integramos tres elementos clave en la escuela: un currículo de conocimiento sólido, basado en la investigación: enseñamos el Programa de los Años Intermedios del Bachillerato Internacional con la opción de participar en los GCSE internacionales en los años 10 y 11 tecnología integrada para el aprendizaje la educación al aire libre como parte integral de la experiencia escolar de cada niño, a través de nuestro sitio asociado The Wilderness Center. 3 Nuestra escuela debe proporcionar explícitamente algunas redes de apoyo, conexiones y contactos; no es suficiente enviar un niño al mundo con nada más que certificados bajo el brazo Nuestros objetivos, por tanto, son crear niños que hayan aprendido: un sentido de su lugar en su comunidad y una comprensión de sus responsabilidades dentro de su mundo un espíritu de entusiasmo contagioso por el aprendizaje, a lo largo de nuestras actividades de aprendizaje en la escuela y al aire libre cualidades que incluyen tolerancia, resiliencia, determinación, liderazgo, coraje, paciencia, empatía e inteligencia emocional Habilidades cognitivas clave de pensamiento crítico, argumentación, lógica, prueba de hipótesis, evaluación de evidencia y resolución de problemas. una sólida base de conocimientos y un sentido de sí mismos como académicos: un alumno que está fascinado en aprender por sí mismo. ¿Interesado? Nos encantaría saber de ti. Para obtener más información, contáctenos. Ethos and Aims Independent schools are required by law to have a Statement of Ethos and Aims (ISS 32(2)(d) ). This is nonsense surely, unless by 'ethos' is meant something like 'religious or other belief'? Ethos in a school is not something that can be explicitly 'statemented'; it is the underlying and intangible 'character' or 'habits', the culture and atmosphere of a school. ​ We hope and believe that all stakeholders in the school recognise and appreciate the atmosphere of mutual respect, kindness and encouragement, laughter and enthusiasm. ​ We can contribute to and steer the culture of the school by outlining and promoting our Goals and we do this through these three pairs of statements: Mission and Motto; Vision and Values; Aims and Objectives. ​ Mission ​ In an age out of harmony we are building a diverse community of enthusiastic, questioning learners who develop Head, Heart and Hands through real-world learning to the betterment of Humanitas, or society as a whole. We value equally the three 'real-worlds': digital, cultural and natural. ​ Our inspiration is Steve Jobs (1998): “Think different. Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently - they're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Vision Because it takes an international village to raise global and grounded citizens, we want to become the flagship of an international network of progressive, human-scale, change-making schools which contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by empowering students through multidimensional, strengths-led learning to better themselves in order to better their communities. We have no single word for this concept in English but in Ancient Greece it was called “Paidea ”; in Enlightenment Germany it was called “Bildung ”. The closest modern equivalent is the Danish concept of “Dannelse ” which means creating active and aware citizens through educating head, heart and hands Aims To achieve our vision we have set ourselves these aims for the school: ​ To develop a multidimensional curriculum to prepare and safeguard our students for a radically different future world with unprecedented challenges for both mental and physical wellbeing. To help families build resilient, healthy, altruistic children who will have a strong sense of the meaning and value of their lives. To become part of a network of schools and colleges which values freedom, non-linearity and creativity - everything which distinguishes human from machine - but also respects traditions and the central importance of individual development as contributing to the greater goal of service to the community. To provide a safe, welcoming and stimulating environment for the non-conformists, the free thinkers, the heretics, the contrarians, those who think differently. They will change the world. Motto "Better ourselves to better our worlds" or "pro nobis pro bono" ​ Values We believe that contemporary education needs to be: ​ Wh olistic: rounded and multi-dimensional I nternational: global in outlook, diverse and rich S ustainable: grounded in the earth and rooted in our physical being C reative: able to dream and invent new solutions Objectives ​ To be the first-choice school in the region for international families To grow to 120 students To open a sixth-form college To be rated consistently good or better by the inspectorates To forge strong international connections with other IB schools Four Pillars This section looks at the Four Pillars which represent our deepest values, our non-negotiables, our principles. Many different organisations use a Four Quadrant model; the best known logo which uses four squares is Microsoft but very few people know what each square represents. By comparison the pentacostal FourSquare Church has a much more informational logo. ​ The word "Foursquare" resonates with positive overtones of firm, sturdy, bold, plainspeaking, forthright. These are all valuable qualities but they definitely lack subtlety. Nevertheless at the stage of outlining fundamental principles the subtleties can wait. Four legs are strong and useful, as Animal Farm famously says: "Four legs good, two legs bad". ​ This characterisation is not unique to us, of course. For example The Asha Centre , which is an adult education centre in the Forest of Dean, close to The Wilderness, identifies the same 'four pillars': Learning through Head, Heart and Hands Fostering a truly human global community. Harnessing the power of Nature to learn and heal. Nurturing creativity & innovation through the Arts. It is an easy step to derive from the four fundamentals an acronym WHISC which echoes very strongly our name: W otton H ouse I nternational SC hool. ​ Wholistic We deliberately use the spelling Wholistic rather than Holistic because the two spellings are diverging to become two different words with slightly different meanings. ​ Wholistic means taking into account every aspect, or facet, of a person, including body, mind and soul - this is what is meant by an education being 'well-rounded'. The word derives from Old English hal meaning 'uninjured or sound' ie hale and healthy. This is not quite the same as Holistic which means being more concerned with the wholes than with the constituent parts - this is what is meant by an education being 'child-centred'. 'Holistic' was invented by Jan Smuts in 1926 from the Greek holos meaning whole or entire. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ International ​ ​ ​ Sustainable ​ ​ ​ ​ Creative

  • Our Approach

    Huge Vote of Support from The Times and The Tony Blair Institute The Times Education Commission published its final report (15 June 2022) on proposed reforms to the British education system. The commission’s report has been welcomed by Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major, along with ten former education secretaries. The report is a strong recommendation that all British schools switch to a system modelled explicitly on the International Baccalaureate programmes: ​ The commission proposes the introduction of a British Baccalaureate at 18, an equally rigorous but broader qualification than A-levels with academic and vocational options under the same umbrella. It would be based on the tried and tested International Baccalaureate (IB), which is widely respected by employers and universities, but would be customised for the UK. ​ At 16, pupils would take a slimmed-down set of exams in five core subjects, with continuous assessment as well as online tests contributing to their grade. This would allow children to progress to the next level and provide accountability for schools, but lower the stakes and reduce the amount of time spent on preparing for and taking exams. It mirrors the IB Middle School Programme and other European systems such as the French brevet. The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change echoed these recommendations in its report on 23 August 2022. Its Phase Three reform is as follows: ​ "Replace the current system of assessment, including GCSEs and A-Levels, with a new qualification at 18 that would draw on and refine the principles that underpin the International Baccalaureate and would include multiple, rigorous forms of continuous assessment between 16 and 18. Meanwhile, retain a series of low-stakes assessments for pupils at the end of secondary schooling – at 16 – to help inform pupil choice and hold schools to account."​​ ​ It is difficult to imagine a stronger recommendation for the education model which we already offer at Wotton House! Lots more details in our blog post here. ​ Our Approach: Minimise Anxieties and Maximise Aspirations We are in competition with every other school to attract families to enroll their children. It is an unusual sort of competition for two reasons: firstly that most schools don't think of it as a competition or at least they don't discuss it openly in those terms; and secondly in that we make a charge for what we provide while two thirds of the competitors are free. Why would anyone choose to pay for a service which can be obtained for nothing? And why would you choose us rather than any of the other fee-charging schools? This section of the website will help to answer those questions, along with profiles of the Prep and Secondary and the ASD Annexe. ​ The best answer, of course, is to come and visit the school in action: see a community of teachers and students inquiring energetically, reflecting quietly, arguing respectfully, creating art, thinking deeply about possible answers to the hard questions of our times. ​ Small Class Sizes ​ Our class sizes are mostly around 11 children and will not go above 13. This means that our staff-student ratio is exceptionally high, well above the average even in independent schools. The average class size in state secondaries is 22 and increasing every year. Safe Learning Environment ​ We provide a genuinely safe environment with a strong, deeply embedded culture of safeguarding, which both reduces risks and boosts resilience. As a result bullying is rare and is dealt with quickly. Behaviour is mutually respectful without losing the fun and laughter of childhood. Small, Close-knit Community ​ We are a human-scale school, where everyone is known by name by everyone. Our maximum size is around 140 compared to the average state secondary of 986 pupils. Our size is deliberately limited to Dunbar's number - the cognitive limit of stable social relationships. Any institution of 1,000 people is intimidating and impersonal. Close Individual Attention This allows us both to spot potential and to pick up on potential problems very quickly. Our pastoral support through mentoring, caring and kindness is much-praised. ​ Stimulating Learning Environment ​ Our school occupies an inspirational and historic building with character in every room, set in a vibrant city with outstanding local facilities to enrich our Arts, Sports and Drama. Engaged and Enthusiastic Staff Team ​ As a direct consequence of our size we have a mutually supportive community of skilled, knowledgeable, happy & enthusiastic teachers who share a commitment to a higher vision for education. ​ Rigorous and Progressive Curriculum Our flexibility of approach allows individual strengths to develop within a very strong curriculum model, which has been described as the best secondary curriculum available in the world. ​ Personal Achievement and Development ​ Regular outdoor learning activities at the Wilderness Centre develop character which in turn provides the motivation for hard work, ambitious goals and superb value-added results for all our students. Here "it's cool to succeed". ​ Strong Relationships with Families Our size permits the channels of communication with families to be always open. As an independent school we welcome family involvement and scrutiny - we are accountable ultimately to parents not to politicians! ¿Qué es un Colegio del Mundo del IB? Un Colegio del Mundo del IB es un colegio que ha sido autorizado por la organización del Bachillerato Internacional (IB) y puede ofrecer cualquiera de sus tres programas académicos: el Programa de la Escuela Primaria (PEP), el Programa de los Años Intermedios (PAI) o el Programa del Diploma (y además del Certificado relacionado con la carrera del IB). Further Information There has been a great deal of research into what parents look for in a school - but there is not unanimous agreement as these links show. ​ https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/pisainfocus/PIF-51(eng)-FINAL.pdf The “right” school builds children’s academic, social and emotional skills, gathers a diverse group of classmates and potential friends, and helps to prepare children for the world of work later on. https://www.cis.org.au/app/uploads/2019/11/pp26-emb.pdf https://fedena.com/blog/2018/05/top-9-things-the-parents-expect-from-school.html https://www.cato.org/blog/new-study-explains-how-why-parents-choose-private-schools Discipline, learning environment, small class sizes​ https://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1199&context=teach “School choice is a parental attempt to maximise aspirations and minimise anxieties associated with their children’s future.” https://data.cambridgeshireinsight.org.uk/dataset/cambridgeshire-policy-challenges-cambridge-university-science-and-policy-exchange-cuspe-6 ‘a school that suits my child’ and ‘location’ of the school were identified as important by over half of respondents https://www.edutopia.org/article/what-do-parents-want-schools Families want their children prepared for life after high school. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/cmpo/migrated/documents/wilson10.pdf "we confirm that all families do indeed choose schools on the basis of their academic performance. Parents also value particular peer groups, preferring schools with low proportions of poor children." https://www.greatschools.org/catalog/pdf/How_Do_Parents_Research_and_Choose_Schools.pdf Good teachers, strong curriculum and academics, and school safety are the most commonly cited criteria by parents to evaluate schools. https://www.capenet.org/pdf/Outlook390.pdf More than 85 % of parents said they chose a private school for a “better learning environment” for their child, whereas 81% said for a “better education.” The next two most common responses were “smaller class sizes” (80%) and “more individual attention for my child” (76%). https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/SizeClimateandPerformance.pdf Behavior problems are so much greater in larger schools that any possible virtue of larger size is canceled out by the difficulties of maintaining an orderly learning environment (Stockard and Mayberry, 1992). Why does smaller seem to work better?...People seem to learn, to change, and to grow in situations in which they feel that they have some control, some personal influence, some efficacy (Berlin and Cienkus, 1989 ). https://www.llakes.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/RP-62.-Green-Anders-Henderson-Henseke.pdf "Leading motives for parents to choose private schooling are the wish for their children to gain better academic results through smaller class sizes and better facilities, and to mix with a preferred peer group. The peer group motive is masked by social desirability bias when using conventional survey methods, but is revealed through alternative methods." https://www.parenthub.co.uk/what-do-parents-expect-from-schools/ "I want my son’s school to facilitate creativity and independence within a supportive and nurturing environment." “I want a teacher to spot my child’s potential in different areas” https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/what-do-parents-look-for-in-their-child-s-school_5js1qfw4n6wj-en#page3 "When choosing a school for their child, parents in all participating countries value academic achievement highly; but they are often even more concerned about the safety and [pleasant] environment of the school and the school’s reputation."

  • Animal-assisted Learning | Wotton House School

    Wellcome Collection . Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) Animal-assisted learning What is animal-assisted learning? Sometimes called animal-assisted education (AAE), it is defined as the “specialized application of Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) directed at students and classroom interactions but it can also be any kind of skills-based learning activity that includes animals as teaching partners, regardless of the setting." This useful definition is from Dreamcatcher Nature Assisted Therapy in Canada which goes on to say: ​ "It is defined as working with an animal to help stimulate a child’s interest in any given educational activity. Examples of AAE may include reading to assistance animals, dog-bite prevention programs, humane education programs, and companionable zoos (similar to therapeutic farms)." ​ There is an organisation called Pet Partners who get very picky about terminology: AAI (Interventions) includes all of AAE (Education), and AAT (Therapy) and AAA (Activities). Animals involved can be either Assistance (such as guide dogs), Therapy (as in hospitals) or Emotional Support (for a particular person). ​ One group called Animal Angels in India reports : "Animals are ideal reading companions because unlike peers, animals are attentive listeners; they don’t judge or criticize, so children are more comfortable and inclined to forget about their own fears. Children with low self esteem are often more willing to interact with an animal than other people. Further during such interactions, they forget their limitations. It is seen that children find reading to an animal less intimidating and transforms formerly dreaded reading events into a positive experience." ​ Dreamcatcher explains what type of animals are normally involved: Reptiles, fowl, dogs, cats, rodents, lagomorphs (rabbits) and mini equines are all incorporated into classroom educational animal assisted programs. The most popular species are dogs, cats, reptiles and rodents. When AAE occurs outside the classroom setting, it can involve many other species of animals and can take on different educational focuses. ​ But does it do any good? A big systematic review in 2017 summarised that there were "promising findings and emerging evidence suggestive of potential benefits related to animals in school settings" but, as often the case, argued that more solid evidence is still needed. Sadly, of course, the main use of animals in education is for dissection. In the United States, it has been estimated that nearly six million vertebrates are used for this purpose each year, of which half are frogs. Many years I ago I helped set up what was then called EuroNICHE to campaign against the use of animals in eduction. EuroNICHE is now called InterNICHE which until recently was still very actively promoting alternatives, such as plastic models and interactive software. The historical roots of live animals in education are not clear, but they have mythical origins in the centaur, Chiron, who not only taught Asclepius, father of medicine, but also the warriors Jason and Hercules. ​ ​ “Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.” – John Muir ​ “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mohandas Gandhi ​ “Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to.” ― Alfred A. Montapert ​ “I call my horses ‘divine mirrors’—they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that.” – Allan Hamilton ​ "The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity." ― Arthur Schopenhauer ​ Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self-esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls, they give us hope. – Toni Robinson “A horse is the projection of peoples’ dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.” - Pam Brown. ​ “I believe that horses bring out the best in us. They judge us not by how we look, what we’re wearing or how powerful or rich we are, they judge us in terms of sensitivity, consistency, and patience. They demand standards of behavior and levels of kindness that we, as humans, then strive to maintain.” - Clare Balding. ​ “We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble animal, to ride upon its back.” - Peter Gray. ​ “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” - Anatole France. ​ Sources: here , here , here and here

  • Sancton Wood School | Wotton House School

    Sancton Wood School Anchor 1 Jill Sturdy was a fearless pioneer who left a complex, but valuable legacy. Unusually for the time (1970s) and place (Cambridge), she, and her husband, the Rev John Sturdy, Dean of Gonville and Caius College, enlarged their family by adopting nine children to augment their three 'natural' children. Both the college and the wider community of Cambridge reacted with narrow minds, raised eyebrows, and, from some school children, abusive racism. Undeterred, she said “If I can't find a school to teach my children, I'll start my own”. And so Sancton Wood school began. Taking the name of the architect of the railway station in Cambridge and located in premises on Station Road, it opened in 1976 as a primary school with 11 pupils. Her philosophy evolved with practice – inevitably it valued small class sizes, and close, individual attention. It also always had an underlying ethos of Christian love and support – many of the first pupils were those who other schools had turned away in despair. They were shown, through high expectations and endless support, that they, too, could succeed if they really wanted to. The school grew quickly and in 1979 took additional premises in 1 and 2 St Paul's Road, a pair of large four-storey Victorian houses which had been divided up into many flats. The infant school took one side and the senior school the other. The family moved in to the top floor and, as the tenants moved out, the family expanded downwards and the school expanded upwards, eventually finding a workable equilibrium. The junior school remained at Station Road where it developed its own quirky identity, focusing rather more on character than curriculum. The extra garden space at St Pauls Road allowed Jill Sturdy to establish what turned out to be her most memorable innovation, what would now be called animal-assisted education. Having been a passionate animal lover all her life, at St Paul's Road the family's collection expanded rapidly into a Durrell-type menagerie manor. Over the years there were lots of cats, several dogs, goats, Vietnamese pot-bellied bigs (adorable but the neighbours hated the smells), axolotls (hideous), one python, rats, chinchillas, tortoises, terrapins, and donkeys, one so bad-tempered he was named Lucifer, and one, more placid but much more famous, as he was born having been transplanted into a horse's womb. Adoption is now a complex topic, mixed-race adoption even more so. We never fully understood Jill's motivations and she gave many different answers when asked to explain. The answer I remember most clearly stands as a definitive statement of her belief: “Love is different from everything else – it grows as you give it away. The more love you give, the more love you have.” Sancton Wood grew steadily until it had around 150 pupils. Its finances were more erratic, largely because Jill Sturdy deliberately kept the fees as low as possible. She believed that there was a large market of families who could not afford 'premium' private education but were disappointed with the free state alternative. Nevertheless by 1990 it had established itself as a small, moral school with outstanding pastoral care and surprisingly good academic results. At this point, internal family stresses started to make themselves felt in the form of various illnesses. The Rev John Sturdy was diagnosed with heart problems, while Jill became increasingly unwell with depression and late onset anorexia. One of their daughters, Tabitha, developed a rare bone cancer in her hip which was treated but not fully cured. Then three deaths came in quick succession. In 1996 John Sturdy died of heart failure. In 1997 Tabitha Sturdy died of bone cancer. In 1998 Jill Sturdy died of breast cancer. Since John had been, in effect, the school bursar, as well as being Dean of Caius College and Chief Librarian of Cambridge University's Divinity Library, there was a sudden vacancy after his loss and his daughter Harriet Sturdy took over the role of bursar. Harriet had just finished her Ph.D at Glasgow University on the history of community care of lunatics in Scotland and had moved back to Cambridge to help the family. A very long, and appallingly badly managed, estate transfer nearly caused the school to fold; on a day to day level it was held together brilliantly by Harriet working with Jill's former deputy, Julia Avis, who became the school's second headmistress. Business matters were finally concluded with the launch in 2000 of Sancton Wood in a new vehicle, owned and run by the Sturdy siblings. The Directors of this new private limited company were Daniel and Harriet Sturdy, both of whom were now fully involved in school life. As their understanding and awareness of schools in Cambridge developed, one big gap seemed clear: specialist provision for dyslexics. In 2004 they launched a new school, Holme Court, for dyslexics, with Julia Avis as the Headmistress. This left a large gap at Sancton Wood which was filled, rather astonishingly, by the man who had succeeded Rev John Sturdy as Dean of Gonville and Caius College, Rev Jack McDonald. Not many people can say they have succeeded both partners in a marriage, especially in two such separate fields: Dean of Caius and Principal of Sancton Wood. Jack was persuaded back into the arms of the church with a complicated job, some of which involves representing the Anglican church in Brussels. His own deputy, Richard Settle, stepped up in 2009 into the role of Headmaster, a job which he continues to perform with gregariousness and impressive drive. The Sturdy family decided to sell the school at the end of 2012; the long and arduous process of offers, negotiations and due diligence ended on 6 March 2014 with the sale of 100% of the shares to Aatif Hassan's Minerva Education which itself became part of Dukes Education in 2018. Since then Sancton Wood has thrived and it continues to respect its founder's legacy. ​ Rather sadly there is very little information about either John or Jill Sturdy on the internet. This page retrieves from the Wayback Archive an old obituary of Jill Sturdy , written by her daughter, Harriet. Back to Top of Page Back One Page Back to Home Page

  • MYP Sciences | Wotton House School

    MYP Sciences INTRODUCTION The MYP sciences framework encourages students to investigate issues through research, observation and experimentation, working independently and collaboratively. ​ As they investigate real examples of science application, students will discover the tensions and dependencies between science and morality, ethics, culture, economics, politics, and the environment. ​ AIMS To encourage and enable students to: understand and appreciate science and its implications consider science as a human endeavour with benefits and limitations cultivate analytical, inquiring and flexible minds that pose questions, solve problems, construct explanations and judge arguments develop skills to design and perform investigations, evaluate evidence and reach conclusions build an awareness of the need to effectively collaborate and communicate apply language skills and knowledge in a variety of real-life contexts develop sensitivity towards the living and the non-living environments reflect on learning experiences and make informed choices ​ ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Criterion A: Knowing and understanding Criterion B: Inquiring and designing Criterion C: Processing and evaluating Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science ​ IB SUBJECT GUIDES 1. Subject Brief 2. Subject Guide ​ WOTTON HOUSE CURRICULUM OUTLINES 2021-22 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 ​ TEACHING DEPARTMENT ​ Head of Department: Tom Carrick Lab Technician: Laura Carrick ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Back to MYP Page

  • MYP Sports | Wotton House School

    MYP Sports (Physical and Health Education) INTRODUCTION Physical and health education empowers students to understand and appreciate the value of being physically active and to develop the motivation for making healthy life choices. ​ PHE focuses on both learning about and learning through physical activity. Courses foster the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will contribute to a student’s balanced and healthy lifestyle. Through opportunities for active learning, courses in this subject group embody and promote the holistic nature of well-being. ​ Through PHE, students can learn to appreciate and respect the ideas of others, and develop effective collaboration and communication skills. ​ This subject area also offers many opportunities to build positive interpersonal relationships that can help students to develop a sense of social responsibility. ​ AIMS To encourage and enable students to: use inquiry to explore physical and health education concepts participate effectively in a variety of contexts understand the value of physical activity achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle collaborate and communicate effectively build positive relationships and demonstrate social responsibility reflect on their learning experiences ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Criterion A: Knowing and understanding Criterion B: Planning for performance Criterion C: Applying and performing Criterion D: Reflecting and improving performance ​ IB SUBJECT GUIDES 1. Subject Brief 2. Subject Guide ​ WOTTON HOUSE CURRICULUM OUTLINES 2021-22 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 ​ ​ ​ TEACHING DEPARTMENT ​ Head of Sports: Nathan Hutchings Sports Teacher: John Swann ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Back to MYP Page

  • About our IB school | International baccalaureate school | WHIS

    INTRODUCTION OUR HISTORY OUR PLANS OUR PARTNERS Introducing Our School En Wotton House International School, somos lo que se conoce como un colegio de Bachillerato Internacional (o colegio IB). Estamos orgullosos de haber obtenido el estatus de Colegio del Mundo del IB y somos uno de los 15 únicos en el Reino Unido. Todas estas escuelas comparten una filosofía común y el compromiso de brindar una educación internacional desafiante y de alta calidad que IVE UK cree que es tan importante para nuestros estudiantes. Como parte del grupo International Village Education, nuestro espíritu educativo se resume en el proverbio africano "se necesita una aldea para criar a un niño". Nuestra escuela tiene dos campus, uno en el corazón de Gloucester y otro en el Forest of Dean, donde se encuentra nuestro maravilloso Wilderness Center . Ofrecemos un sistema educativo progresivo, similar en espíritu a las escuelas Steiner y Montessori, pero ofreciendo el Programa de los Años Intermedios del Bachillerato Internacional (IB), así como la evaluación IGCSE. Puede encontrar más información al respecto aquí www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme . También hemos tomado la decisión reciente de ofrecer la opción de las calificaciones del Certificado General Internacional de Educación Secundaria (IGCSE) en los Años 10 y 11. Esto se debe a que nos damos cuenta de que los padres quieren la seguridad de las calificaciones comúnmente reconocidas, por lo que sus hijos están completamente equipados con todas las herramientas que necesitan para tener éxito en un mundo que cambia rápidamente. Las calificaciones de IGCSE son reconocidas internacionalmente, muy respetadas y actuarán como una puerta de entrada para futuros estudios académicos en el Reino Unido y más allá. ¿Interesado? Nos encantaría saber de ti. Para obtener más información, contáctenos. An international curriculum... Un plan de estudios internacional ... Nuestra escuela sigue el Programa de los Años Intermedios (PAI) del IB, un modelo curricular muy respetado que incluye requisitos estrictos de planificación curricular, variedad y profundidad de asignaturas y un compromiso sustancial con la educación integral. Ofreceremos a sus hijos un plan de estudios completo y progresivo que incluye: Matemáticas Ciencias Lengua Inglesa y Literatura Artes (música, teatro y artes visuales) Idiomas Individuos y Sociedades (Humanidades) Educación Física (actividades al aire libre, deportes y fitness) Salud Social Personal y Económica Diseño (DT) Estudios Interdisciplinarios Proyectos Comunitarios y Personales Independientes. El PAI en sí concluye, a los 16 años, con un conjunto de exámenes de evaluación electrónica formales opcionales. Cada uno de estos equivale a un GCSE y está acreditado por Ofqual como tal. El PAI es reconocido en todo el mundo por universidades y proporciona una gran plataforma para avanzar al Programa del Diploma del IB u otras calificaciones como A-Level. Puede encontrar más información aquí: Programa de los Años Intermedios de IBO . ... con educación al aire libre integrada y aprendizaje práctico ... Una vez a la semana, los estudiantes asistirán al Wilderness Center , nuestro centro de educación al aire libre en lo alto del valle del río Severn en el borde del bosque de Dean, para un día completo de lecciones al aire libre. Cualquier tema que se beneficie de un lugar al aire libre se enseñará en el centro, pero inicialmente los estudiantes se enfocan en arte, educación física, escritura creativa como parte de inglés, biología y geografía física. Estos temas se prestan especialmente bien al impresionante entorno del centro y a las instalaciones disponibles. Siempre que es posible, enseñamos mediante la aplicación práctica de los conocimientos. Entre nuestras dos hermosas ubicaciones, en Gloucester y en el bosque, podemos ofrecer a sus hijos un laboratorio de ciencias, un escenario y un sistema de sonido, una sala de arte, instalaciones deportivas en la universidad cercana y una gran cantidad de actividades al aire libre, como caminatas con cuerdas y tiro con arco. a una mini granja, cocina y jardines de flores. Reconocemos plenamente los beneficios de aprender en un entorno al aire libre, especialmente para los niños que utilizan la tecnología todos los días. Creemos que es fundamental que los niños modernos aprendan a valorarse a sí mismos lo suficiente como para que puedan optar por ignorar la búsqueda de atención de la electrónica. La tecnología es una herramienta maravillosa para aprender, ¡pero la capacidad de dejarla es igualmente importante! ... y tecnología educativa dirigida. Cuando sea apropiado, los recursos de aprendizaje en Wotton House International School están en línea y todos los cursos hacen uso de tecnología educativa específica para mejorar el aprendizaje. Esto permite que los niños aprendan tan rápido como quieran o tan lento como necesiten. También significa que nuestros maestros pueden rastrear el progreso de los niños en tiempo real sin la necesidad de un oneroso régimen de pruebas. Esta flexibilidad significa que los profesores (y los padres) pueden acceder al trabajo de un alumno en tiempo real en cualquier punto del proceso de aprendizaje y pueden contribuir a la formación de conocimientos sin barreras. Esto no significa que todo el aprendizaje se realice en computadoras, ni mucho menos. La tecnología es un medio para lograr un fin y solo usaremos la tecnología donde mejore el aprendizaje. Donde no sea adecuado, no lo usaremos. Un buen ejemplo de tecnología en acción que hemos observado es que los niños aprenden a dibujar el ojo humano. Los niños usaban computadoras portátiles para acceder a videos descriptivos para dibujar un ojo con lápiz o carboncillo; podían seguir, pausar, retroceder o avanzar rápidamente para ayudar a dominar las complejidades. También podían elegir el estilo que se adaptara a sus propias necesidades expresivas, liberando al maestro para que se concentrara en identificar a los niños que necesitaban apoyo adicional o para fomentar una ambición adicional. Los niños se sintieron menos restringidos, tuvieron un mayor sentido de logro y se sintieron mejor apoyados por el maestro. Creemos que la tecnología educativa es invaluable en la enseñanza moderna si se usa correcta y apropiadamente como parte de una combinación de enseñanza tradicional, actividad práctica y aprendizaje al ritmo de los estudiantes. Un plan de estudios internacional que promueve la alegría de aprender Anchor 1 Our History Anchor 2 Michaelmas Term Lent Term Summer Term Michaelmas Term 2021-22 11-12 Nov ISI Inspection Lent Term ... Summer Term ... ​ Michaelmas Term 2020-21 25th Sept MYP1 lesson at St Mary Magdalen Church, Gloucester 9th Oct MYP 1 Trip to Gloucester Museum 14th Oct MYP 2 Trip to Cathedral to study medieval stained glass 16th Oct MYP1 Trip to St. Peter’s Church, Frocester 5 Nov – 2 Dec 2nd Lockdown Lent Term 4 Jan - 8 March 3rd Lockdown Summer Term 16 June External GCSE Candidates 17 June Introduction to MYP Talk to parents 3 July International Festival of Tea 9 July Speech Day with The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Gloucester, Councillor Collette Finnegan Michaelmas Term 2019-20 14 Sep Part of Gloucester Heritage Day 15 Oct Museum of the Moon Gloucester Cathedral MYP3 & 4 14 Nov Skillzone MYP4 & 5 15 Nov Bollywood Dinner & Dance PTA 18-20 Nov Florence Trip 25 Nov Skillzone MYP1, 2, 3 12 Dec Carol service in Lady Chapel, Gloucester Cathedral Lent Term 16 Jan Cheltenham Synagogue MYP1, 2, 3 19 Jan Gloucester v Toulouse rugby at Kingsholm 27-29 Feb Trip to CERN with Farmor's School 29 Feb officially join ISA 12 Mar An Inspector Calls Cardiff theatre MYP3 4 5 20 Mar 1st lockdown Summer Term Lockdown 15 June Re-opened 15 July Wellness Evening 17 July End of term picnic Michaelmas Term 2018-19 2 Nov Halloween Party 6-8 Nov France / Belgium Trip for WW1 battlefields 9 Nov Romi wins cross-country county championship 15 Nov Science Museum Bristol MYP5 26 Nov Win the first Ultimate Frisbee tournament at Henley Banks School 7 Dec Christmas Play in Gloucester Cathedral 8 Dec Christmas market in Cathedral MYP3/4 14 Dec Christmas lunch & performance at Wotton House Lent Term 23 Jan Nature in Art MYP3 27 Jan Launching the MYP Workshop 4-5 Feb IB Verification Visit 14 Feb Purton Hulks Trip MYP1 & 2 25 Feb Snowdome, Tamworth 7 March Romeo & Juliet Trip Cardiff theatre MYP3, 4, 5 21 March Asha Centre visit, MYP1 & 2 30 March Open Day 5 April Clean Up Gloucester Summer Term 30 May Officially an IB World School 9 June Fashion Tech Course 15 June Clothing Swap 21-23 June Astro Camp to Abington Woods 27 June Archeology Workshop at Wilderness MYP1 & 2 4 July School play at King's Theatre: Alice in Wonderland 5 July Trip to Cineworld 10 July Activity Day 11 July Sports Day 12 July Jason Connery Prize Giving 12 July End of Year Newsletter Michaelmas Term 2017-18 Sep Trip to Univ of Gloucestershire for MYP4 & 5 Oct Waterways Museum & boat trip 6 Dec Mince pies & Carols for local community 15 Dec Christmas carols & performance Lent Term 27 Jan Open Day 9 Feb Valentine's Disco 12-14 April Street Robot Workshop Summer Term 21 -24 May History Camp to Abington Woods June Trip to London to see Matilda 9 June Fashion Tech 1-day Course 16 June International Summer Festival Michaelmas Term 2016-17 24 June Open Day 2 Sep Opening Day Launch Party with Richard Graham, MP Sep Imjin Barracks Freshers Fair 14 Dec Christmas dinner at Malthouse Lent Term 19 Jan Open Evening 1 Feb Snowdome, Tamworth 4-16 Feb Hosted group of Chinese students 20 Feb Film School in half-term break 11 March Open Day 27 March Widden Primary share our kitchen 13 April Wiggly Worm Kitchen Challenge 28 April Lunch cooked by visiting Italian High Court judge Summer Term 5 May Vickers Bovey classical guitar recital 12 May Chocolate Science Day 13 May Open Day 21-23 June Residential at The Wilderness 30 June Visit to local dairy farm Tewkesbury 1 July International Summer Festival Our Plans Future Inspections May 2024 IB Program Evaluation. This is a two-day inspection of how we implement the MYP, following a lengthy period of guided self-evaluation. November 2024 Full ISI Inspection into Educational Quality (EQI). Timings may change but at the moment this is the latest date by which we will have an EQI, as it is 3 years since our last inspection. ​ School Development Plan (SDP) Because we have two big inspections in three years time (as at February 2022) we are extending and revising our School Development Plan for these three years. For each year we identify five targets for pupil achievement (PA), and five for personal development (PD). 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Centenary Celebrations The year 2025 will mark 100 years of Wotton House as an educational establishment. It has been successively a domestic science college, nurse training college, theological college and international school. This definitely deserves commemoration and celebration. Anchor 3 Our Partners These are some of the companies and people we have worked with over the years. They are listed roughly in reverse chronological order. Not all of our collaborations and contracts have been successful but we extend our thanks to all. ​ Michal Bogdiukiewicz​ of System 15: thorough and clever network solutions Jamie Dickinson & Richard Redding of Delta Nine : laptop repair and maintenance - unbeatable Alison Whichelo of I Can do it Learning : engaging and effective multi-sensory tuition Nicki Stewart & Richard Gill of LeMay Consultants : good business introductions for students Debbie Innes of Widden Primary School : wise advice and sensible guidance Chris Creed, Ben Logan & others of Creed Foodservice Mike Turner and Adam Balding of Gloucester Rugby : amazing ideas and enthusiasm Sally Lewis, Learning Co-ordinator at Adult Education in Gloucestershire Anja Oelbracht from Stroud: Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist Annabel Richmond from Stroud for help and encouragement and lots of good advice. YingShi Helsby from Cheltenham Mandarin School : great teacher and organiser Jonathan Swann of The Travelling History Company : John is now our Humanities teacher! Adam Vines of Lounge Design : our first website Qing Lin 林 晴 of Join in China : determined and dynamic Dianne Francombe of Bristol & West of England China Bureau Victoria Newbold of Fuchsia Lime : our first burst of branding and marketing Susie Godwin of Confidence Counts : teaching style and decorum and making it fun Abby Guilding of The Wiggly Worm : brilliant leader at a great charity Peter Fidczuk of IBSCA and the IB: wise encouragement and great knowledge John Robins of C-Learning : best supplier of Chromebooks around Ethan Marrs & Andy Young of The Rock Project : great fun, good organisation Angela Wright of Coopers Edge Ballet School : entrepreneurial and effective (aka Miss Ellie) Katie and others at Workaway : wonderful organisation offering shared experiences worldwide Maeve Maxwell of G15 for support and advice Sarah Gregg of The Growth Hub: enthusiastic, knowledgeable and supportive - much missed Paul Baldwin of Cass Stephens: efficiently organises our insurance policies Terry Norman of Christie & Co: did the valuation for HSBC Mark Wilton of HSBC: brilliantly organised the commercial mortgage Jonathan Wilkinson of Charles Russell Speechlys: calm and organised, managed the conveyancy Rob Hay of Redcliffe College: organised, firm and helpful throughout the sale Sian Morris of Knight Frank: efficient and energetic, managed the sale process Anchor 4

  • Curriculum | Wotton House International School | Gloucestershire

    CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY MIDDLE YEARS OTHER PATHWAYS EXTERNALS Our Curriculum This page looks at our Quality of Education by explaining our Curriculum, our Teaching, our Technology and the Accountability criteria. ​ We make use of three different curricula at Wotton House School. ​ 1. Our Prep school uses the Cambridge Primary Curriculum. ​ 2. Our Senior school follows the IB Middle Years Programme. ​ 3. For some students the breadth of the MYP is a challenge due to underlying neurodiversities. For these students we are able to tailor-make programmes of learning which would usually end up with examinations to achieve GCSE or IGCSE qualifications. ​ Please read the page Alternative to GCSEs for a detailed discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the various secondary offerings. We modify all our curricula to incorporate our extensive activities at The Wilderness outdoor education centre which is pioneering rewilding as a way of life and a teaching tool. We are exploring the possibility of using the Primary Years Programme (PYP) which is the IB offer for primary education. We also offer external candidates the opportunity to sit their GCSE and IGCSE exams with us as we are an exam centre registered with JCQ and Cambridge Assessments. CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME I/GCSE PATHWAY ALTERNATIVES TO GCSES THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE EXTERNAL CANDIDATES Our Teaching Our staff share the one priceless factor which enable them to deliver real-world learning properly: real-world experience! Between us we cover a huge range of expertise, including: archeology, astronomy, film-making, film-producing, playgroup management, financial adviser, academic research, banking, nursing, tourism, travel, coffee-shop manager, dancing, singing, catering, fundraising and international sports! ​ All our staff are actively involved with their own subject professional associations and keep up to date with findings from neuroscience, cognitive and developmental psychology and other educational research. The best regular summary of research comes from the EEF (Education Endowment Foundation ) whose website says "The EEF was established in 2011 by The Sutton Trust with a £125m founding grant from the Department for Education. The EEF and Sutton Trust are, together, the government-designated What Works Centre for Education." They produce careful, easy to read assessments of all educational interventions which have some positive evidence for their efficacy. Each intervention is assessed in terms of cost, depth of research evidence and impact, judged in terms of months of progress. Because their summary tables are updated in the light if new evidence they cannot be taken as definitive. For example, Outdoor Adventure Learning did show a strong impact of +4 months but currently is showing as 'not enough evidence', which is a shame. ​ The most effective interventions are shown below. MYP pedagogy involves lots of metacognition (the IB call it ATL) and lots of Feedback (formative assessment). Our daily practice involves lots of collaborative learning, peer tutoring and regular, moderate amounts of homework. Some subjects use mastery learning and one-to-one tuition is available if recommended. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Do we know it works? Yes we do, and we have some strong evidence. For the last three years (2019-21) some of our students have sat GCSE examinations, even though our teaching is not focussed on exam techniques and rote retention of facts. When students join us we usually benchmark their cognitive profile (through the CAT4 test of GL Assessment or, earlier, the MidYIS assessments). These benchmarks include predictions of likely outcomes for different examinations which we can then compare with actual outcomes. The difference is an estimate of Added Value which is the fairest way to judge quality of teaching. If a school has a top performing intake who score top performing results there is no way of knowing how good the teaching actually is. ​ This table (extracted from this document ) shows our results for the last three years - our Value-added estimates range between 0.3 and 0.5. The average Progress 8 measure of value-added across all Gloucestershire secondary schools was 0.01 (2019 is the last year for which data has been published), and the average across all schools in England is a startling -0.03. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ So even though (a) we don't deliberately prepare students for GCSEs, and even though (b) some of our entries are taken a year early, and even though (c) many of the students who entered in 2019-20 had just joined us from Wynstones, we are still able to show that our teaching provides significant, and above average, value-added. ​ What Makes the Perfect Teacher? If you ask students this is what they say (according to an article in the TES by Georgia Ziebart in 2017): ​ 1. Funny 4. Helpful/supportive 7. Knowledgeable 2. Fair 5. Good listener 8. Patient 3. Understanding 6. Inspiring 9. Passionate ​ Over and above the technical aspects of teaching (knowledgeable, supportive) and even above the personal characteristics (inspiring, passionate), it is the relations between teacher and pupil which are most important, in students' eyes and - probably - in our teachers' eyes as well. ​ Our Technology We set up as a blended learning school right from our opening year. This made the transition to online learning during lockdown seamless. Hardware All students have Chromebooks Internet access provided by Virgin Wireless access points provided by Ubiquiti Staff use a mixture of Windows Laptops, Apple MacBooks, Chromebooks and standalone PCs Printers and scanners are standalone and distributed around classrooms. Camera is a Canon ​ Software Management: Managebac Learning environment: GAFE (Google Apps for Education) Internet Security: Securly Web pages: Wix Accounts: Xero ​ Accountability All independent schools are judged by The Education (Independent Schools Standards) Regulations 2014. The Standards are divided into eight Parts, each of which contain one or more Standards, each of which is defined in one or more Paragraphs (our summary is here ): Quality of Education Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural development of pupils (SMSC) Welfare, health & safety of pupils (WHS) Suitability of staff Premises of and accommodation at schools Provision of Information Manner in which complaints are handled. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Part 1 defines what is required in terms of Quality of Education. Ofsted's new Education Inspection Framework (2019) (EIF) initiated a major move of the focus of inspections away from results and towards the curriculum. As a result there are now close parallels between the two regulatory bodies in terms of how they define what "good" education looks like. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

  • About our IB school | International baccalaureate school | WHIS

    INTERNATIONAL LINKS HISTORY OF THE IB INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE QUOTATIONS ABOUT THE IB International This page explains why we are international by exploring some of our international links so far, and some of our plans for future collaborations. It also describes and the background and history of the curriculum we use, the Middle Years Programme from the International Baccalaureate. ​ ​ Anchor 1 International Links Milan City Council Pupils Visit "Monday 12th June - Friday 23rd June, 2017 15 pupils from an Italian exchange programme sponsored by Milan City Council will be joining GIS pupils for two weeks. We are delighted that they have chosen our school and we hope this is the start of a long-standing two-way relationship! Pupils will be staying with host families in the local area and be in school from 09:00 - 13:00 each day." ​ Zhong Shan Primary School Visit ​ 4-16 February 2017 We hosted a group of children from Zhong Shan No 11 Primary School (in Guizhou province) "to give them a new life experience.This is their very first trip abroad and for most of them this will be the first time meeting ‘foreign' children." The trip was organised by YingShi Helsby, the owner of Cheltenham Mandarin School , who worked with us in our first years. ​ History of the International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a nonprofit foundation based in Geneva. It was founded in 1968 and used to be called, more sensibly, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). It offers four educational programmes: ​ The IB Diploma Programme DP 16-19 The IB Career-related Programme CP 16-19 (2012) The Middle Years Programme MYP 11-16 (1994) The Primary Years Programme PYP 3-11 (1997) The roots of the IB can be traced back to the end of World War II and the noble idea that the best hope for countries to live in peace with each other was through international education. Many of its founders or inspirations are not as well known as I think they should be. They include: ​ Marie-Thérèse Maurette : French educator, director of the International School of Geneva, the world’s first international school, between 1929 and 1949. Her educational principles inspired the first IB Diploma Programme. ​ Bob Leach : inspirational American-born history teacher at the International School of Geneva who developed an enquiry-based history syllabus and organised the Conference of Internationally-minded Schools in 1962 which was the first to use the phrase “international baccalaureate”. ​ John Goormaghtigh : tireless Belgian lawyer who survived the Dachau concentration camp, developed a series of organisations which led up to the IB: The International Schools Association, the International Schools Examination Syndicate, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the IB Council of Foundation. ​ Alec Peterson : charismatic British educator, energetic driving force behind the curriculum design, in particular the incorporation of critical thinking, first Director-General of the IBO. The IBO Cardiff Headquarters building, Peterson House, is named after him. ​ Un plan de estudios internacional ... Nuestra escuela sigue el Programa de los Años Intermedios (PAI) del IB, un modelo curricular muy respetado que incluye requisitos estrictos de planificación curricular, variedad y profundidad de asignaturas y un compromiso sustancial con la educación integral. Ofreceremos a sus hijos un plan de estudios completo y progresivo que incluye: Matemáticas Ciencias Lengua Inglesa y Literatura Artes (música, teatro y artes visuales) Idiomas Individuos y Sociedades (Humanidades) Educación Física (actividades al aire libre, deportes y fitness) Salud Social Personal y Económica Diseño (DT) Estudios Interdisciplinarios Proyectos Comunitarios y Personales Independientes. El PAI en sí concluye, a los 16 años, con un conjunto de exámenes de evaluación electrónica formales opcionales. Cada uno de estos equivale a un GCSE y está acreditado por Ofqual como tal. El PAI es reconocido en todo el mundo por universidades y proporciona una gran plataforma para avanzar al Programa del Diploma del IB u otras calificaciones como A-Level. Puede encontrar más información aquí: Programa de los Años Intermedios de IBO . Kurt Hahn Source: IB presentation BACK TO TOP Robert Leach . Source: IB presentation John Goormaghtigh Source: IB presentation Alec Peterson Source: IB presentation History of the International Baccalaureate Source: IB presentation Anchor 2 The International Baccalaureate BACK TO TOP IB Mission Statement ​ The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. ​ These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. ​ Introduction to the IB The IB have produced a lot of documentation and guidance on their website (ibo.org) but the simplest introduction is probably this one-page PDF (also included at the end of this section). ​ IB Facts and Figures The International Baccalaureate is a not-for-profit organization supporting the education of more than 1.4 million students in 5,300 schools in 158 countries worldwide (as at March 2021). ​ IB Financials For a small school the IB is prohibitively expensive. Using figures from 2021 for a school to be accredited would cost: ​ Application for candidacy fee: £2,510 Candidacy and consultation services fee: £5,730 Staff training courses: £5,600 (say 10 staff at £560 per course) Annual fee: £6,030 The annual fee is for the MYP but the others are similar; useful discounts of 10% apply for running 2 programmes and 20% for 3. ​ This means that the total expense after 3 years of operation to get up and running is in the region of £20,000. The costs associated with other curricula are closely guarded so it is difficult to make comparisons. But I think it is fair to say that the IB is the most expensive and that they would argue that you get what you pay for! ​ IB Schools in the UK This document summarises the position as at October 2021. There are currently 132 schools in the UK offering at least one IB programme - dominated by the Diploma Programme (96 schools). The majority are independent but 55 are state schools, largely because a group of academies in Kent have been switching large numbers of schools to the IB. Geographically this means that about half of the schools are in the South-East - 34 in Kent and 22 in London. ​ There are 26 MYP schools, 5 of which only offer that one programme - us and 4 academies in Kent and London. ​ IB Reference Documents Command Terms in the MYP (2010) MYP: Preparing Students For University (2010) Guide to Interdisciplinary Teaching (2010) IB MYP in the UK (2012) Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (2012) What is an IB Education ? (2013) The MYP (2013) MYP Factsheet for Parents (2014) MYP E-Assessment Factsheet (2014) MYP General Regulations (2014) Academic Honesty in the IB (2014) Fostering Interdisciplinary Teaching (2014) MYP Annotated Unit Planner (2015) MYP Award: Course Results and MYP Certificate (2016) Programme Standards and Practices (2016) Further Guidance for Developing MYP Assessed Curriculum (2016) Evaluating MYP Interdisciplinary Unit Plans (2016) Evaluating MYP Unit Plans (2016) MYP: From Principles into Practice (2017) ​ ​ Anchor 3 Un plan de estudios internacional que promueve la alegría de aprender Quotations ​ We’re talking about an international qualification which is the best in the world... Why are we not bringing it in...?” - Dr Anthony Seldon, Headmaster of Wellington College ​ “.... It allows students to explore their passions and do something powerful with it. It involves third or fourth level thinking where students really have to go beyond the surface and dig deeper into more abstract and conceptual thinking. ...” - Dr Vincent Chian, Principle of Fairview International School, Malaysia ​ “.... Our parents are excited because students are becoming well-rounded and they’re getting that classic liberal arts-minded education...” - Dr. John Waller, director, secondary curriculum and special programs, Marietta City Schools, USA. ​ On the whole MYP v the GCSE thing, I once had it described to me this way, and I would agree. "The MYP teaches students to think. The GCSE teaches them to remember". -TES Community Forum ​ “The IB offers breadth and a balanced education which other qualifications do not offer,” -Jesse Elzinga, Headmaster of Sevenoaks School . ​ "“The IB is challenging but it prepared me for the style of learning at university, where self-discipline and initiative are essential for success. Most importantly, the IB developed my open-mindedness, international outlook and ability to think critically – essential skills for living in the modern world.” -Rhiannon Durant, Student at Oxford University ​ ​ BACK TO TOP “Candidates who wish to be stretched should, in my view, take the MYP. The rigour and work ethic it encourages will assist them strongly if they wish to progress to a degree that will require them to really engage with their subject discipline”. -Mike Nicholson, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Oxford University ​ "MYP? Heavens this could be dangerous! A generation of boys and girls encouraged to think for themselves, to be creative, to problem solve, to work together, to view themselves as part of the world not as the centre of it." -Nigel Taylor, Headmaster of Amesbury School ​ "Content across IB MYP, GCSE and IGCSE specifications were broadly similar. The MYP covered all the main areas of the other two programmes and in some cases included additional areas of study. Overall, the vast majority of teachers, parents and students gave extremely positive responses when asked about their experiences of the IB MYP. Each group reported positive impacts of being involved in the MYP and described many benefits, in line with general IB principles." -NFER Study ​ “What the world cares about is not what our students know, but what they can do with what they know.” - Tony Wagner, fellow at the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard University and author of The Global Achievement Gap ​ "In the rapidly changing world knowing how to learn new things will define success." - IB Strategic Initiatives Innovation & Incubation, 2021 ​ ​ Anchor 4

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