Curriculum Overview Sa Porrassa

We follow a positive behaviour policy based on mutual respect and understanding.

In the rare instances that poor behaviour occurs, BIC has a sanctions system that escalates based on the level of the behaviour. If a student has to be removed from their lesson due to persistent disruption of the learning then they will serve an age-appropriate sanction, ranging from a break or lunchtime detention to same-day after-school detention between 4 pm and 5 pm. Parents will be notified of any after-school detention.

Each child is in a House team – Parks, Roosevelt, Galileo and Winton. Throughout all Year groups, House points are awarded for good behaviour, effort and achievement and these are collected at the end of each week. There are also inter-House competitions held at least every half term.

For more detailed information please refer to our Student Behaviour Policy.

Individual learning needs are addressed using classroom support from the teacher and the teacher assistant, with support from the SENDCO. More complex learning difficulties are supported by outside specialists.

For further information regarding our SEND provision please contact our Head of SENDCO, Ms Lisa Cull.

The main language of instruction in BIC Sa Porrassa is English, apart from Spanish, Catalan, French and German lessons. Children are expected to speak English in all necessary lessons, but teachers are sensitive to children who are at the early stages of their English speaking. All class teachers are trained in teaching English as an Additional Language and children become fluent in English very quickly - the speed at which they learn languages is outstanding.

All our children have four Spanish lessons a week and are taught by qualified Spanish teachers. Spanish teaching across all Key Stages includes Spanish as a Foreign Language and Spanish as a First Language, enabling all children to be taught to their level of ability and experience while improving their standard of Spanish. Catalan is offered from Year 2 onwards.

From Year 3, all students can choose to learn German or they can get extra English language support if required. From Year 6, all students have the option to learn French or German.

All students participate in sports lessons twice a week and students from Year 3 to Year 11 will have swimming lessons during the summer months in our fabulous outdoor swimming pool.

Our Primary curriculum is comprehensive, thematic and creative with clear learning processes and specific learning goals.

In both KS1 and KS2 we follow the British National Curriculum, with the Spanish and Catalan language and culture. The subjects taught from the British Curriculum are English, maths, science, humanities (history and geography), computer science, physical education (PE), performing arts, personal social health education (PSHE), modern foreign languages and art.

BIC Sa Porrassa educates children between the ages of 4 and 18; this all-through element allows students to follow a joined up curriculum from the earliest years right through to the end of Year 11, ensuring a seamless transition from their primary education up to their Secondary education.

The Primary Class Structure

Reporting, Achievement and Progress

Students are assessed continuously throughout the year.

Parent-Teacher meetings are held twice during the academic year where progress is discussed, work shared and new targets set. For KS1 (Year 1 and Year 2) and KS2 (Year 3 to Year 6), written reports are sent home at the end of Term 1 and Term 3.

However, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with the class teacher and/or Head of Primary should you wish to discuss your child’s progress or any other issues at any point during the course of the year.

In order to assess and report formally on progress the "Mastery Model" is used:

Homework

Teachers will set homework for a variety of reasons, which might include preparation for lessons to come, consolidation and practice of lessons, to stretch and challenge or to broaden personal development. As a school, we do not believe in setting homework for the sake of it. We recognise that many of our students have extensive extra-curricular commitments outside school. We value family life.

Homework will always be relevant, and a clear task will be set. Guidance on how long to spend on each homework and a clear deadline will be given. In general, the deadline will not be for the next day so that students do not have too much homework on any one day. A wide variety of homework tasks will be set, including written exercises, revision, independent research, longer-term projects, or the practice of skills in practical activities.

Not all homework will be marked formally by a teacher, but all will be acknowledged. Sometimes the feedback will be written, sometimes verbal, sometimes peer and self-assessed. Some feedback may require students to revisit their work in order to learn from it and improve.

All homework must be recorded by primary students in their planners and it is also loaded on to Canvas.

Frequency of Homework

Additional English or project tasks relevant to current learning; study from the knowledge organiser.

Our students follow the English National Curriculum as a framework, with subjects and content enhanced and differentiated to meet our international needs.

As such, our Secondary curriculum is broad and academically rigorous, that culminates in external IGCSE and A Level examinations.

The curriculum in Sixth Form ensures that all of our students have the opportunity to maximise their potential, leaving BIC as confident, articulate, successful young people, ready to make their mark on the world.

Secondary and Sixth Form form Tutor Structure

The vertical form structure is where tutor groups are organised in Houses rather than Year groups. The tutor group will be led by a member of staff who is also in the same House. Each tutor group will be organised vertically and include students from Year 7, 8, 9 and 10. Older students will be able to support and mentor younger students, bringing more of a community feel across the secondary school.

Due to the specialist nature of the tutoring, Year 11 and Sixth Form will have separate, vertical forms. This will allow their tutors to undertake age-specific tutoring and, in the case of Year 11, academic tutoring to support them in making rapid and sustained progress toward their goals.

Reporting, Achievement and Progress

Students are assessed continuously during the year.

For Secondary, four data reports are sent home and one final written report at the end of the academic year.

Parent-Teacher meetings are held once during the academic year for Years 7 to 10 and twice for Years 11 to 13 where progress is discussed, work shared and new targets set. However, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with your child's tutor, Head of House or the Head of Secondary, should you wish to discuss your child’s progress or any other issues at any point during the course of the year.

In order to assess and report formally on progress, in KS3 the "Mastery Model" is used:

At key stage 4, GCSE grades will be used. At key stage 5, A Level grades will be used.

Baseline target grades will be generated from Years 7 to 11 from the CAT4 tests completed upon entry. Aspirational target grades will be shared with students from Year 10 upwards.

Regular feedback will help students become better learners by giving a clear picture of what they have done and what they need to develop, and will provide clear direction for the next learning steps.

Homework

Teachers will set homework for a variety of reasons, which might include preparation for lessons to come, consolidation and practice of lessons, to stretch and challenge or to broaden personal development. As a school, we do not believe in setting homework for the sake of it. We recognise that many of our students have extensive extra-curricular commitments outside school. We value family life.

Homework will always be relevant, and a clear task will be set. Guidance on how long to spend on each homework and a clear deadline will be given. In general, the deadline will not be for the next day so that students do not have too much homework on any one day. A wide variety of homework tasks will be set, including written exercises, revision, independent research, longer-term projects, or the practice of skills in practical activities.

In key stage 4 and 5 (Years 10 - 13) some tasks will relate directly to exam-style questions, while others will aim to take students beyond the syllabus. Some will be written; some may involve the use of a computer. Tasks may be creative or simply involve reading or thinking about a subject. Work may have to be completed individually or in groups. Teachers will set a homework task appropriate to the subject, the group and the individuals within it.

Not all homework will be marked formally by a teacher, but all will be acknowledged. Sometimes the feedback will be written, sometimes verbal, sometimes peer and self-assessed. Some feedback may require students to revisit their work in order to learn from it and improve.

Frequency of Homework

We place a high value on our enrichment programmes at Baleares International College. Enrichment activities are designed to allow students to try new things, learn new skills, further broaden the curriculum, follow their passions, work in teams, and grow their confidence and love for learning.

At BIC we give our students the opportunity to learn in different ways and offer them a wide range of experiences beyond the timetabled curriculum and classroom.

Activity Afternoons provide our students with the chance to develop social, practical and cognitive skills outside of normal lessons. The programme offers a diverse range of activities including chess and other indoor games; a Spanish cinema club; sports like football, basketball, netball, volleyball and swimming; knitting; drama (production and backstage crew); gardening; a construction club; the debating society; a creative writing group; a mentoring programme for sixth formers who work with younger students; escape rooms to develop sixth formers' problem-solving in a different way; a mindfulness group; and a guitar club. The programme complements our regular curriculum and encompasses our core values of compassion, excellence, respect, responsibility and integrity.

These afternoons also allow students to concentrate on a (maybe) new activity, spend quality time with their teachers and peers, bond in new ways, and be given the time and the opportunity to form new friendships and connect through new experiences and interests.

These Awareness Afternoons form an essential part of our PSHE (Personal, social, health education) curriculum, which allows important topics to be explored in more depth and within a focussed afternoon. An effective relationships education allows children to develop important skills and knowledge that will equip them for life in the 21st Century. Throughout the academic year, these Awareness Afternoons consist of topics such as:

• what it means to grow up
• compassion
• bullying and online safety
• healthy minds and bodies
• 'future me'
• respect
• and so many more!

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth achievement award, bringing together practical experiences and life skills to equip young people for life.

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award is designed to enrich the lives of young people, open their eyes to a life of service to the community and the joys of nature. As a school we want to offer this in order to enrich our curriculum and further develop the moral fibre of our students.

The scheme is open to all young people between 14 and 25 years of age. Over 7 million young people worldwide have taken up the award challenge since it began in 1956 and the award is presently operating in 130 countries. The award is tough but it is about individual challenge, not about reaching specific standards set by someone else. Young people design their own award programme, set their own goals, and record their own progress. The only person they compete against is themselves, by challenging their own beliefs about what they can achieve.

The award is broken down into three levels:

• BRONZE is for those over 14
  The minimum period of participation to gain this award is 6 months.

• SILVER is for those over 15
  The minimum period of participation to gain this award is 12 months.

• GOLD is for those over 16
  The minimum period of participation to gain this award is 18 months.

Initially we will begin at bronze level but hopefully as the award grows, we will expand to silver level. The bronze award would normally be open to Year 10 and the silver award to Year 12. To achieve the bronze award, students must complete four different strands which enables a balanced self development program that covers:

Voluntary service

Participants help their community and discover the impact they can have, through for example: community service projects, conservation work and voluntary service in hospitals or community homes.

Adventurous journey

The adventurous journey is about adventure and discovery. The journey can be on foot, by bike, boat or on horseback and involves camping overnight, cooking outdoors and usually takes place in areas of outstanding natural beauty. Training, preparation, self sufficiency and self-reliance are the key elements.

Skills

The skills section is about developing personal interests and learning something new. There are almost limitless possibilities to choose from and participants set their own goals and measure their progress against them.

Physical recreation

By undertaking an organised and regular physical activity, participants show perseverance and improve their fitness. Most team and individual sports are included, such as football, athletics, and archery.

As a school we are providing the framework and continual support needed for each participant to succeed in achieving the required standards. This means encouragement, logistics, facilitating and inspiration. Each student will take a different path towards achieving the bronze award and every student will be able to tailor this towards their own interests and passions.

Baleares International College is a Bring Your Own Device school. Having ongoing access to technology helps pupils develop greater independence, increase engagement, and develop skills required to thrive in the 21st Century.

Student devices are used to access resources, complete assignments, and for personal organization. Educational activities may include researching information, producing documents, analyzing data, participating in surveys, producing videos, reading e-books, creating blogs, taking notes, or scheduling events. The use of the device is at the sole discretion of the teacher and is used for some subjects; not, however, in all lessons. At Baleares International College we believe that ‘pen and paper’ tasks are essential, especially handwriting, presentation and spelling.

Digital citizenship is the responsible use of technology. Pupils learn digital skills, ethics, etiquette, and online safety. These are important aspects of participating in today’s world.

To maintain a safe and secure learning environment, a filtered Internet connection is provided for students. They are not permitted to use a personal broadband connection such as a 3G/4G phone network. In addition, students are only able to use their device under the direct supervision of their teacher. Any unauthorized use can result in the device being confiscated and the privileges being revoked.

Canvas is the learning management system used in all Orbital schools. It enables smooth communication between teachers and learners and enhances learning by offering a powerful tool to implement blended learning and digital technologies. Other platforms similar to Canvas i.e Google Classrooms can be embedded into Canvas.

Resources will be provided to help students connect their device to the school network. Your child must be familiar with basic functionality of how to use their device. Teachers will incorporate the use of your child’s device into some of their learning.