Our Story The British International School Shanghai, Pudong
“
“
Want to hear our story?
Welcome to the Pudong Campus of The British International School Shanghai. As our school enters its second decade, we are proud to share with you the stories of our unique approach to education for children from Early Years to Senior School. We are a truly international school, welcoming students and teachers from more than 60 nationalities, but giving our students the enviable benefits of a curriculum based on the English National Curriculum with an international focus. As a Nord Anglia Education School, we are part of a network of highly regarded and wellestablished schools worldwide. As you read our story, you will gain a greater understanding of our strong values as a school community which extend beyond our school campus to the local community and the wider world. You will find out about our world-class teaching which sets us apart from other schools and which will give your child the grounding for future success as a global citizen.
7
STORIES OF LEARNING
GUIDING
We see your child’s learning as a journey, with them continually gaining
PRINCIPLES
new skills and understanding as they progress through each stage. Our job is to guide them to become the very best they can in every aspect of their learning, from academics to their appreciation of their place in the wider global community. Principal Patrick Horne has led school communities around the world and has a strong commitment to creating the best environment for children to thrive as learners. He is a hands-on leader who is as much at home playing football with Year 5 students or reading a story in Infants, as he is discussing the IB with a Senior. A passionate believer that high expectations for students can lead to outstanding and inspirational outcomes, he says, “In this global society we live in, gaining excellent academic results is not enough. Our students learn to view themselves as global citizens, a key to their future success. We give them every opportunity to explore other cultures, express their opinions, and become leaders.” We are proud of our team of highly experienced and dedicated teachers. Our teachers are not only truly outstanding academically, but also inspirational, caring
people who are committed to making a positive contribution to our school and the wider community. As part of Nord Anglia Education, our school offers your child a bespoke approach to education – High Performance Learning – to ensure their future success. The Global Classroom is an online portal that allows your child to share ideas, collaborate and compete with students in other Nord Anglia Education schools around the world. With guidance from our world-wide team of highly qualified teachers, it adds a truly global perspective on their learning. Whether they join us in Early Years or Senior School, we are here to guide your child every step of the way. Patrick says, “Seeing students leaving school in the afternoon excited to come back the next day is the true measure of our success.”
FIRST STEPS ON THE LEARNING JOURNEY
From the very first steps of nursery education, through to the final exam years, every one of our students is taken on a unique and challenging learning experience. Each phase of your child’s education signifies another step, with our strong vision and values consistent along the way. Our school’s community spirit engages everyone, and we celebrate progress and achievements in a way that students, family and teachers can enjoy together. We encourage all our students to be: • •
•
•
Respectful to others and to themselves. Also to respect the many opportunities the school provides them with. Honest and trustworthy in their approach to learning and socialising. There is always someone nearby to listen and understand. Kind to others in the school. We believe compassion is an essential life quality, never too early or late to acquire. Committed to excelling academically, socially and intellectually.
Your child will benefit from regular Guidance lessons, learning the importance to themselves and the broader community of these values, and being encouraged to apply them to everything they do.
9
STORIES OF LEARNING
NURTURING CONFIDENCE
When Marco first came to us, his knowledge of English language was extremely limited. With the commitment and help received from his English and EAL teachers, plus support from his peers and new-found friends, his communication started improving rapidly. This year, Marco completes his International Baccalaureate. High academic values and a confidence to inspire and engage is in all our classrooms. Our unique approach to learning – High Performance Learning – means that your child is constantly challenged to achieve personal High Performance Targets. High Performance Learning reaches beyond academics, into performance, sport and community participation and nurtures them to become diligent learners, excellent performers and inspiring leaders. We follow the English National Curriculum from Early Years to Upper School. Students in Years 10 and 11 study for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and our Senior School students study the International Baccalaureate. Within these, we follow the Cambridge system of English Language Learning and English as an Additional Language (EAL). This provides a rigid backbone of assessment, ensuring each and every student performs and attains at the highest level. Our approach to your child’s education ensures they grow and mature as learners, and that they are ultimately well equipped to enter the world’s best universities.
11
STORIES OF LEARNING
DEVELOPING TALENTED INDIVIDUALS
Talent needs to be both nurtured and managed. Take Mint, a highly proficient pianist who arrived at our school already in possession of this great gift. The challenge for his teachers was to recognise Mint’s virtuoso talent, while striking the balance between this and his academic studies. Through exceptional communication and understanding from his teachers and piano tutor, Mint is set to get excellent IB scores. These will make a wonderful addition to his Fellowship of The Royal School of Music. Identifying talent and nurturing the desire to succeed is at the core of what we do. While achieving academic brilliance is our first goal, giving your child access to experiences and opportunities that might otherwise pass them by is something we take very seriously.
their talents. The key is in nurturing all talents, inspiring new passions and making the most of those that already exist. We encourage your child to explore a wide range of different activities and skills, to challenge themselves and to be always looking to learn more.
We offer students over 140 co-curricular activities (CCA) to choose from every term– not to mention a full programme of performance, sports, trips and visits. Our aim is that every student will discover
Regardless of talent, every student at the school is given the opportunity to blossom in a wide range of fields, even in areas where the emphasis is on fun and growing emotionally and socially.
13
STORIES OF LEARNING
15
WORKING TOGETHER
STORIES OF LEARNING
It is always rewarding to see students finding a common interest and collaborating on a project. Grace has shown great initiative by setting up a reading scheme that enables younger students to read with her and her Year 5 classmates. The reciprocal benefits of learning together are plain to see; one group acquires better reading skills, while the other develops its leadership attributes. Our house system is in action across all year groups and classes. It adds a healthy touch of competition to school life, as students work as individuals and in teams, gaining valuable experience of collaboration and leadership. Students also take on other roles of responsibility in fund raising events and activities involving the whole community. We encourage them to take on new challenges, and to initiate new events or committees where they see there is a benefit to the community. We want your child to develop a ‘can-do’ attitude to make their ideas a reality and to give them the
leadership skills that are so important for a successful future. They can make their voices heard in the Community Group, on the Student Council, or online and in print via Student Voice. Access to the Nord Anglia Education Global Classroom means their voice can be heard around the world as they share ideas through this online portal, linking our schools worldwide. We believe age is no boundary and encourage children from as young as three to take on roles and responsibilities in the classroom environment.
HELPING OTHERS
In today’s world of global perspectives and social responsibility, we think it is important that your child understands society in a context that goes beyond the classroom. Living in Shanghai, we are uniquely placed to explore the possibilities. Our Service programme enables young people to learn about and feel valued by the communities to which they belong – in school, locally and globally. We provide opportunities for your child to participate equally alongside other community members, to develop a greater sense of belonging, responsibility and an understanding of how communities support each other. In this way, they have a voice that is listened to, their views are valued and they take part in real decision-making. Every term, all students engage in Service activities for the benefit of others, including assisting children in younger years with reading, visiting a local orphanage to teach English, or fund-raising for a local charity. Your child will find a rich diversity in these communities, opening up the possibilities for consultation, collaboration and action. They will meet and speak with people they might not have usually associated with, enriching their experience and further developing them as global citizens.
17
STORIES OF LEARNING
19
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
STORIES OF LEARNING
Maurice is a wonderful example of what an education at our school can achieve. He is a confident communicator who has developed his talents, whilst staying true to his humble nature and amiable character. After 10 years of international schooling in four countries and a year as a design intern, Maurice is set to study in New York. We’re extremely proud of everything he’s achieved. Regardless of the stage of their learning, we provide your child with clearly defined learning goals. We are constantly monitoring their individual progress along the way, and ensuring that they are supported in every way necessary to meet their personal targets.
Maurice helped to design and create the weblog as part of his design internship. weblog.bisspudong.com
Higher Education direction and guidance begins early on at our school, from Upper School when students are choosing subjects for the IGCSE. We aim to give every student the right advice at moments when it really matters. Our approach involves students, parents, teachers and specialists in making career decisions. This way, we’re sure to get things right. We support every student through the university application process, and provide additional study time in every subject around the exam period. We don’t aim for excellence simply to look good; we do it because we care about the results and future success of all our students.
20
STORIES OF LEARNING
FIND US
The best way to find out about what we can offer you and your child is by visiting us and experiencing for yourself our
Our location in Shanghai
welcoming school environment. The Pudong Campus of The British International School Shanghai is open to visitors yearround, and our friendly admissions team is always on hand to answer your questions. To book a visit or ask a question: +86 21 5812 7455 admissions@bisspudong.com CENTRAL SHANGHAI
Skype - BISShanghaiPudong HONGQIAO AIRPORT
Read more about our school and keep up to date with news and events online at:
PUDONG AIRPORT
bisspudong.com weblog.bisspudong.com facebook.com/BISSPudong twitter.com/BISSPudong
THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, PUDONG CAMPUS
600 Cambridge Forest New Town, 2729 Hunan Road, Pudong 201315
Lost? Look online at the interactive Google maps on our website to find out our location. * Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals in this document.