From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
The International School of Samui “YOUR SCHOOL” International School License The International School of Samui (ISS) is the only school on Koh Samui that has been granted the legal authority from the Government of Thailand to teach an international curriculum to school aged children from 2 - 18 years of age. The school holds three separate licenses in order to be able to do this: an International Kindergarten License, an International Primary School license and an International Secondary School license. These three combined licenses ensure that the school is under the formal control and regulation of the Thai Ministry of Education and therefore that it provides an international curriculum education for all its students legally. It ensures that all the school’s teachers are appropriately qualified with the appropriate licenses to teach children safely and most importantly ensures that the school is inspected regularly under international school guidelines to ensure it follows the correct international school curriculum, policies and procedures. School Accreditation ISS is also the only school on Koh Samui that has been inspected and accredited in accordance with the Thai Ministry of Education regulations for international schools. ISS is accredited by CfBT Education Trust, which is an internationally recognised school accreditation authority based in the UK and one of only four agencies 1 authorised by the Thai Ministry of Education to inspect and accredit international schools in Thailand. The school has completed and passed an intense and vigorous 3-year international school inspection process that was carried out by CfBT Education Trust on behalf of the Thai Ministry of Education. This has lead to the school being awarded the ‘International School Quality Mark’ (ISQM). IMPORTANT: Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) is NOT an international school accreditation authority. CIE provides examination and curriculum products to schools. They do not have the ability to ‘accredit’ international schools in Thailand nor do they have the ability to control or regulate a schools teaching program or the standards of teaching in a school. Ethos of the School Ethos is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community. The ethos of ISS is all about creating the conditions, values and practices that maximize the effect on every individual students creative potential and inherent capacity to learn. Demonstrating what this ethos is, what it looks like and how it is created is very difficult given the very nature that it is an intangible or ‘invisible’ aspect of a school (you can’t see it like a swimming pool for example) but it is a key component of our school and what it offers its students. So what exactly is our school ethos? The answer can be found in the following paragraph entitled “Is ISS a British School?” Is ISS a ‘British School’? Yes it is. The Founder of the school, Jeremy Lees is British, the Headmistress, Lisa Taylor Hawkins is British, the school is a member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and the majority of the teaching staff is British. That said the term ‘British International School’ is a label very commonly used by 1
The other 3 international school accreditation agencies are CIS (Council of International Schools), NEAS&C (New England Association of Schools & Colleges), WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
schools around the world these days. So what exactly is a proper British School? Why do so many schools try to label themselves as offering a British education? And are they actually doing that? We would argue that any school that focuses primarily on lessons and exams is not offering a British style of education. A British International School in our view needs to offer so much more than just lessons and exams. Here at ISS we aim to develop the character, inquisitiveness, creativity, grit, moral standards, integrity and optimism of every child in the school (and a whole lot more). These ‘hidden’ qualities that are so important to a child’s development combined with ensuring they attain the very best academic results are at the heart of what we here at ISS believe gives a child the very best opportunity to succeed in life2 and this is what our ethos is. It is this ethos combined with the fact that the schools language is ‘British’ English and the majority of its teachers are British that confirms we are very much at heart a ‘British’ school with a ‘British’ ethos. Curriculum The school follows the National Curriculum of England3 as its core-guiding curriculum for teaching and assessment purposes and is authorised to do so by the British and Thai Governments respectively. The national curriculum of England is the most commonly used and recognized curriculum amongst international schools around the world (42% of international schools use this curriculum)4. There are numerous other curriculums for international schools to choose from such as the IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IMYC (International Middle Years Curriculum), CIPP (Cambridge International Primary Program), IB DP (Diploma Program), IB MYP (Middle Years Program), IB PYP (Primary Years Program), US Curriculum (United States) etc.. the list is a long one and more curriculums are being introduced each year. Assessment As a School we take great pride in our academic rigour. Academic rigour is a phrase used to describe academic excellence. It expresses the driving spirit behind rigourous academic programmes and high quality teaching which, it is hoped, will instill a love of leaning for its own sake amongst its pupils. It refers to a high level of scholarship, one involving attention to detail, careful research, advanced critical analysis and examination of a topic or learning area. As part of this academic rigour we take students beyond the classroom and into the real world where they must use instinct, negotiating skills, collaboration, vision and other attributes to enhance their learning. Combined with this high level of learning the school continually assesses the progress of its students using a number of different assessment techniques in order to ensure every child is progressing to the best of their ability and to ensure targeted additional learning support is available should a student require it. This continual assessment combined with the academic rigour which is at the heart of ISS, has resulted in our students achieving very high standards in assessments and examinations over the years. Despite many of our students not being native English speakers, our results consistently indicate that students at ISS achieve higher than the national averages in the UK. We are able to achieve this through our personalised learning provision for each and every student, where his or her individual progress and attainment is tracked and analysed throughout each academic year.
2
This is supported by a great canon of educational research including the many educational ‘greats’ such as Dewey, Vygotsky, Robinson, Piaget and others. 3 There is no such thing as the ‘British Curriculum’ as Scotland has its own separate curriculum and increasingly Wales is moving towards having its own separate curriculum as well. 4 Figures from International Schools Global report commissioned by Quantum Schools on behalf of ISS from ISC Research. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
Our academic rigour, our focus on excellence and our high expectations are all key components of why our students achieve so well academically. Please find a snapshot of the results at ISS for the academic year 20122013 at the end of this document. International Exams The school offers the International General Certificate of Education examinations commonly known as IGCSE examinations for students reaching the age of 16 and A-Level examinations for students reaching the age of 18. These exams are created, marked and graded by a select group of examination and assessment agencies based in the UK. As is the longstanding best practice within British schools, ISS identifies which subject course and examination series best suits its academic principles in each individual subject both at IGCSE and at A-Level. The school chooses these subject courses and examinations from the two biggest examination and course providers, Edexcel and CIE (Cambridge International Examinations). The key point is that the school chooses the examination series in each particular subject based on sound academic principles, not on of the ‘brand name’ of the provider. Qualified Native English speaking Teachers All teachers in mainstream teaching roles at ISS are qualified native English speaking teachers. The majority of teachers at the school are British and are recruited from the UK. Every teacher at the school undergoes an International Criminal Records Check, attends a Thai Culture and Language training week, holds a valid Work permit, Work Visa and License to teach in Thailand and are specialist subject or class teachers in the role they undertake. The teachers are the heart of the school and what make the school what it is and in doing so create and maintain the distinct and vibrant ethos of the school. The school invests heavily in recruiting and retaining these exceptional teachers via a number of financial, career and personal incentives and rewards. Competition for these teachers is very intense and with 250,000 more international teachers forecast to be needed over the next decade5 this competition will only get more intense. It is even more worrying if you consider that 250,000 teachers is more than the total number of new teachers the UK, Australia and Canada combined will have trained up to satisfy their own local school’s needs let alone international schools! The school has identified that this is a looming crisis for international schools and has therefore instigated a long-term plan to ensure it can continue to recruit and retain such inspirational and prized teachers over the coming years. A key part of this long-plan will see teacher salaries and benefits increase at the school by up to 89% over the next 3 years. Extra Curricular Activities (ECA’s) The schools Extra Curricular Activity program (ECA’s) is a huge part of the school and offers a rich mix of learning experiences for its students outside of formal lessons. It is the highlight of the day for many children and teaches them so many other important facets of learning such as team spirit, fairness, good manners, determination, hand-eye coordination, creativity.., the list goes on, it also introduces them to activities and interests they would otherwise have not experienced. The ECA’s at the school are a very important aspect of the school and its ethos.
5
Figures from International Schools Global report commissioned by Quantum Schools on behalf of ISS from ISC Reseacrh. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
Separate ‘schools’ The school has been designed both architecturally and operationally to keep the Kindergarten, Primary School, Senior School and 6th Form separate from each other whilst ensuring the facilities of the school can be used by all the students during the school day. This is a very important aspect of the school as it ensures the younger aged children have the freedom to learn and explore around the school in the safety of their own grounds whilst at the same time the older children have the chance to use the space to maximum effect as provided by the whole school grounds. Facilities The school is centrally located in the business and tourist heart of the Island (Chaweng) and is spread out over 2 Acres of land. It has two artificial surface sports pitches, a multipurpose grass pitch, two swimming pools (12.5 metre and 25 metre), a music department, 5 computer suites, a school garden, a dedicated infirmary, school canteen, school café, security guard office, 2 state of the art science laboratories, an art studio, a separate 6th Form study area, 3 English support classrooms and 5 Language classrooms in addition to over 25 subject and form group classrooms. IT (Computer) Equipment All classrooms have state of the art interactive audiovisual equipment. These systems are connected to the schools ultrahigh-speed optical internet and intranet servers allowing the projection of all forms of digital interactive learning and media onto specialist whiteboards including direct projection from iPads and other such devices. The school has over 100 computers and an ever-increasing number of iPads and other ‘mobile’ devices carefully managed to maximize the learning opportunities they can offer. Combined with this the school operates a sophisticated web filter that is managed and operated on behalf of the school by one of the market leaders in internet protection to ensure the students are safe from the dangers of the internet. Governance An Executive Board led by the Founder of the School, Jeremy Lees, governs the school. Jeremy is an ISI International School Inspector himself and well regarded in the field of education both in the UK and abroad. He is a former British Army Officer and Helicopter Commander and has a degree in Laser Physics from the University of St Andrews. Jeremy is currently based in Cambridge, England carrying out a research program into the factors that inhibit the effect on a pupil’s creative potential and inherent capacity to learn. He is investigating this through a new and novel approach via the tools and language of Quantum Physics, Advanced Mathematics and Strategy Theory.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS AT ISS FOR 2013-2014
KINDERGARTEN Percentage (%) of students who achieved or exceeded the expectations of the EYFS in England ISS
UK Average
Mathematics
83%
66%
Personal & Social Development
86%
76%
Physical Development
86%
83%
Communication & Language
66%
72%
Literacy - Reading
83%
71%
Literacy - Writing
66%
62%
Expressive Arts & Design
93%
78%
Understanding the World
86%
75%
Note: Children at the end of Reception in ISS achieved above the UK in all areas, except Communication and Language where only 6 out of the total 29 children have English as a first language. EYFS = Early Years Foundation Stage. This sets the statutory standards that all early years providers must meet in schools in England. UK average percentages used from academic year 2012-13. UK averages for 2013-14 not available at time of print.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS AT ISS FOR 2013-2014
PRIMARY SCHOOL End of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Results Percentage (%) of students who achieved the expectations of the National Curriculum of England (Level 4+) ISS
UK Average
Mathematics
95%
85%
Reading
80%
86%
Writing
86%
83%
Percentage (%) of students who achieved above the expectations of the National Curriculum of England (Level 5+) ISS
UK Average
Mathematics
48%
41%
Reading
67%
45%
Writing
48%
30%
Note: UK average percentages used from academic year 2012-13. UK averages for 2013-14 not available at time of print.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
From the Principal Jeremy Lees BSc (Hons)PGCE ph
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 48 45 48 Fax: +66 (0) 77 48 45 49 principal@iss.ac.th www.iss.ac.th
SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS AT ISS FOR 2012-2013
SENIOR SCHOOL IGCSE Examinations
% of students who achieved 5 IGCSE’s at A*- C (including Mathematics and English) % of students who achieved 5 IGCSE’s at A*- C % of students who achieved 5 IGCSE’s at A*- F
ISS
UK Average
60%
58.6%
80%
81.1%
100%
93.9%
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SAMUI International School Licence number: 004/2553 141/21 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand