Systems

Discipline

The International School prides itself on maintaining extremely high standards of discipline and behaviour. Well managed and well ordered classrooms are essential to effective learning at all ages. In the unlikely event of a student causing concern through poor behaviour parents are contacted immediately and a meeting arranged to discuss the matter. In the majority of cases, the problem is entirely resolved at that meeting. Should a problem continue the school has a range of strategies at each level of a child’s education to support good behaviour and progress. Parents are always informed when poor behaviour leads to any action being taken by the school. Rules are in place to ensure that every child is comfortable and safe whilst at school. No child is permitted to bully or intimidate any other, physically or verbally. Needless to say all tobacco and alcohol products are forbidden, as are drugs and digital storage systems holding content inapproriate for the school environment. Were any student to be found with any of the above items in his/her possession he/she would be removed from the school. A constant system is in place to ensure that parents and students in the senior school understand their responsibilities regarding these rules.

POLICY ON TOBACCO, DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

1. The International School has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy with regard to these substances.
2. No student is allowed to have any quantity of any of these substances with him/her, either at school, or on the journey to or from school.
3. The school reserves the right to take whatever measures deemed necessary to keep the school free of these substances, including

• Checking bags, lockers and person of any student suspected of infringing this policy
• Mandatory suspension from school in the case of a student found in possession of tobacco products or alcohol. The school reserves the right to expel in more serious and/or repeated transgressions.
• Mandatory expulsion from school in the case of a student found in possession of illegal drugs.
• Referral to outside agencies, including enforcement agencies and, in liaison with parents and/or guardians, referral to a doctor.

4. The school will provide clear educational programmes with regard to these
substances and will provide further advice and/or counselling if required.

One copy of this policy should be retained for your records. The other should be signed by both student and parent/guardian and returned to the school office as soon as possible.

Differentiation

This is a mixed ability school, that is to say that admission to the school is not selective or dependent on entrance examinations until a child reaches sixth form. This means that a class will typically benefit from a range of abilities. Teachers plan their lessons so that all students can participate to the full, extend their capabilities and maximise progress. Sometimes this will mean that teachers will set different, or ‘differentiated’ work, to particular students in the class. In some secondary classes students will be set according to ability, and one class will be split into two teaching groups on the grounds of ability. This will often be the case in IGCSE classes where two levels of entry are available for a particular subject.

Course Options :

Despite the fact that the International School Seychelles aims to provide an holistic educational experience, with a rich variety of school trips and ECAs, there is still a recognition of the immense importance that public examinations hold within the school. Despite the fact that one could say that examinations are unfair ways in which to judge student performance the Cambridge examination system is, nevertheless, the one we subscribe to and have confidence in. Therefore the school has a responsibility to make sure that students are well-prepared for their final assessments in order to secure the qualifications that they require to unlock the next stage of their lives.

Currently the school offers IGCSE courses in the following subjects:
English 2nd Language, English First Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Coordinated Science (double award), History, Art and Design, Business Studies, Information Technology, Economics, French as a foreign language, Geography, Biology (extended group only).
Students are also encouraged to enter additional subjects where they can prepare themselves; most typically this will be additional language assessments.

At Advanced Level the school offers:
English Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computing, Art and Design, Economics, Accounting, Geography, History, French.

The school also offers STEP assessments in Mathematics and Physics for students who require this higher level qualification.

The school offers IELTS language testing annually for sixth formers and members of the general community.

Homework

Homework is an essential complement to the formal curriculum taught in each section of the school. The amount of homework set daily increases as a child progresses through the school. Older students are issued with homework diaries in which work to be done is recorded and these are checked and signed by parents and tutors each week. Non, or late, production of homework is not acceptable and leads to appropriate action by the school.

RESULTS :

Results at all levels are good.
Averages for the last three academic years are as follows:
IGCSE: 82% of all subject results are at higher pass levels (A*-C)
Advanced Level: Average points tally for competing Year 13 students; 320 points (equivalent to ABB)
Most recent A level results Year 13 academic year 2006/7) averaged 360 points (AAA).

Record of Achievement

At the end of year 11 students are presented with individual Records of Achievement at an award ceremony. Academic and pastoral prizes are also presented, and students will hear a keynote speech. Year 13 students also attend. The Record of Achievement is designed to present a detailed portfolio that draws together evidence of achievement both academic and other. This holistic picture is very much valued by the recipient students and is useful to them when applying for university and, beyond that, employment.

Support & Special Educational Needs

Every child in every school has individual educational needs. The term Special Educational Needs, or SEN, commonly refers to a child who requires additional support in order to cope with the demands of the mainstream curriculum. The term can also be used to describe those children with exceptional ability. Learning support is available in Early Childhood, Junior and Secondary sections. Sometimes identified children will have separate one-to-one lessons with specialist staff, at other times support is provided in class. Support is also given to children who join the school with a low level of English. The school holds responsibility for ensuring that all children make good academic progress. If teachers think that a child would benefit from additional support parents are informed and a referral is made to the appropriate support teacher. This teacher will oversee, in collaboration with colleagues, an appropriate programme of support, known as an IEP (Individual Education Plan). This will include the setting of additional work to be undertaken at home, with parents having an important role to play in bringing about academic improvement. Most special needs support is funded by the school. In certain cases, additional funding may be required from parents following consultation with the head teacher. Further details of the SEN programme are available from the school upon request.

The Activities Programme

Each Section organises a programme of extra-curricular activities. Teachers run clubs on a voluntary basis in order to give all students an opportunity to participate in an ‘extended’ school day. Some clubs will be academic, others more recreational or sporting. Every student is strongly encouraged to participate in at least one weekly activity. The school supports the Interact Club of Victoria, which carries out a valuable programme of charitable works and has excellent links with the Rotary organisation both in Seychelles and overseas. Parents able and willing to offer particular expertise with regard to any activity are warmly invited to contact the head teacher. Late Class is a provision for younger children not taking part in any extra-curricular activity who may be waiting for an older brother or sister to finish secondary classes, or for parents to collect them. Late classes in the Junior and Early Childhood Sections are supervised by Assistant Teachers. A range of activities, games and toys is available to keep the children busy and occupied. Homework is not permitted to be done during late class.

School Trips

All sections organise school trips. Some will be local, for example a computer studies trip to the airport, or a visit to the botanical gardens. Others will involve residential visits to other islands in the area. Certain year groups will have access to overseas trips, although restrictions on foreign exchange availability can prove problematic. The school is developing links with other international schools so that ‘exchange’ trips can take place. Many school trips are free of additional charge. All trips are designed to supplement and enhance the formal curriculum with practical ‘hands on’ experience. They also offer excellent opportunities for students to develop social skills. Many local trips make use of the school’s 30-seater air-conditioned bus. The school employs a full-time driver.

The House System

Every student belongs to a house. There are four houses; Cardinal, Fregate, Desroches and Aldabra. Houses compete against each other in a range of sporting and competitive events. Each section has an annual swimming gala and sports day, which are run along house lines. Academic credits are also awarded to individual students for outstanding work and progress, with totals compiled as a house league table. Throughout the school academic and sporting competition is seen as positive and character building.

The Prefect System

All sixth form students are expected to undertake prefect duties. These include supervision of younger students at break and lunch time, organising inter-house competitions and helping maintain sporting, library and computer facilities. The school nominates one boy and one girl, normally from year 13, to serve as Head Boy and Head Girl. In addition to standard prefect duties the posts carry additional responsibilities such as representing the school at official functions.

School Council

The Council is comprised of two elected representatives from each secondary class. It meets once every half term with staff representatives and the head teacher. The agenda is set by the students and is their opportunity to raise issues of concern to members of their tutor groups, and to suggest ways in which the school can continue to develop in the best interests of all users. Every meeting is minuted, with records displayed in the school. Student reps report back to their tutor groups on decisions made at each meeting. Meetings give the students experience of debate and discussion within a formal agenda. There is also a Junior School Council on a similar line.

Information Technology

The school has excellent computer facilities and prioritises the delivery of skills relating to effective use and understanding of information systems. To this end formal teaching using computers begins in R1 when children first enter the school at the age of three. Basic skills are consolidated and extended during subsequent years in the school. All classes have access to two well equipped computer suites connected via links to four powerful IBM lade servers. Both internet and intranet are available. The workstations run Windows XP and server Windows 2000. This network has full back-up, DVD and CD-ROM facilities, extensive data storage, digital projectors, scanners, laser printers (both black & white and colour) and full high-speed Internet access. Each child has his/her own password to access the system, save work etc. Additionally the Coca Cola Electronic Library is a 27 workstation research facility dedicated to CD-ROM and Internet research which is used by Early Childhood and Junior classes in library periods and at break times; and by secondary and sixth form students in private study time, during the day and after school. The school has a substantial library of CD-ROMs. All classrooms are networked.

Internet Access

Strict controls apply. Students can access the internet for reasons of individual academic research. Software is in place to prevent the downloading of inappropriate material of any kind and in addition a ‘responsible use’ policy is enforced for all students. All internet access is supervised. Students receive training in how to locate and utilise information effectively and rapidly, and how to differentiate ‘quality’ material from less reliable or even inaccurate material.

The Library

“The world of the learner will increasingly be information rich and information driven, and not just technology rich, rather, technology driven.” (Ross Todd, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia)

The library holds a collection of reference, fiction and non-fiction titles, plus a number of periodicals and newspapers. The Coca Cola Electronic Library is situated within the main library. Children are encouraged to borrow from the library and to become regular readers. They are also encouraged to become members of the National Library in Victoria. The library exists to help children learn through effectively, independently and confidently interacting with the written and electronic resources held within its walls. The key to a successful library is not its size, the number of books, words or bytes, but rather how well students can utilise library resources in meaningful and purposeful ways. Through formal ‘library’ and ’study skills’ lessons, and through informal reading and borrowing, students using the library are learning and practising a number of essential skills:

• Evaluating the quality and potential of information
• Analysing and synthesising information – making creative and valid connections across subject areas
• Being able to construct new meaning and understanding in the light of new information, experiences and opportunities
• To work independently, in depth, taking responsibility for directing their own path of study.