Could you explain what the International Baccalaureate is, and what programmes it offers?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers four high-quality and challenging educational programmes for a worldwide community of schools. Over the last 40 years the programmes have gained a reputation for their high academic standards, for preparing students for life in a globalized 21^st century, and for helping to develop the future citizens who will create a better, more peaceful world.

Could you tell us how the programmes came to be developed?

The IB Diploma Programme was created in English and French by teachers at the International School of Geneva. The first trial examinations took place in five schools in 1968.

The Diploma Programme sought to provide students with a truly international education – an education that encouraged an understanding and appreciation of other cultures, languages and points of view. Schools that first offered the Diploma Programme were predominantly private international schools, but they included a very small number of private national institutions and schools belonging to state education departments. This has changed over the years and today around 50% of all IB World Schools are state schools (with no tuition fees).

To give younger students access to an IB education, in 1994 the IB added the Middle Years Programme (MYP), a curriculum for students aged 11 to 16, and in 1997 it adopted the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3 to 11. These programmes were not then fully formed, but the IB has developed them so that they are now well rounded and complete. As with the Diploma Programme, the MYP and PYP seek to provide students with an international perspective and critical-thinking skills and focus on developing students as independent learners.

In 2011, the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC) was launched and is the newest IB educational offering. The IBCC incorporates the educational principles, vision and learner profile of the IB into a unique offering that specifically addresses the needs of students who wish to engage in career-related education. The IBCC encourages these students to benefit from elements of an IB education, through a selection of two or more Diploma Programme courses in addition to a unique IBCC core, comprised of an approaches to learning (ATL) course, a reflective project, language development and community and service.

This new qualification is designed to provide a “value added” educational offering to schools that already offer the IB Diploma Programme and are also delivering career-related courses to their students.

Which languages are used to teach IB programmes?

• The Primary Years Programme (PYP) may be taught in any language. The IB publishes PYP curriculum documents in English, French and Spanish but this does not prevent schools teaching the programme in other languages.

• The Middle Years Programme (MYP) may be taught in any language. The IB publishes MYP curriculum documents in English, French, Spanish and Chinese but this does not prevent schools teaching the programme in other languages. However, if schools require the grades of their students to be validated by the IB then sufficient student work must be produced in English, French, Spanish or Chinese.

• The Diploma Programme may be taught in English, French or Spanish. The IB publishes Diploma Programme curriculum documents and produces examination papers in English, French and Spanish. Schools must therefore choose at least one of these languages as the language of instruction in the school. This is the same rule for those DP courses undertaken by IBCC students.

Most recently we have added German as a language in which students can be assessed. Students can now be assessed in German in Biology, History and Theory of Knowledge so that they have the opportunity to study a truly bilingual Diploma.

What are the benefits of the IB programmes for students, staff and schools?

The IB’s programmes form a coherent sequence of education by promoting the education of the whole person through an emphasis on intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth.

In all programmes, the education of the whole person is manifested through all domains of knowledge, involving the major traditions of learning in languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics and the arts.

Furthermore, all programmes:

• require study across a broad range of subjects drawing on content from educational cultures across the world
• give special emphasis to language acquisition and development
• encourage learning across disciplines
• focus on developing the skills of learning
• include, to a varying extent, the study of individual subjects and of transdisciplinary areas
• provide students with opportunities for individual and collaborative planning and research
• include a community service component requiring action and reflection.

All allow for the creative professionalism of teachers and have the potential to transform teaching and learning in a school, refocusing them on the students.

And are IB programmes also followed in UK independent and state schools – and if so what are the advantages?

At present there are 135 state schools and 81 private schools offering IB programmes in the UK.

The advantage of studying IB programmes is that they focus on developing the student as a learner (as explained above). They are holistic in their approach to teaching and learning. It is also an advantage that the IB is independent of any government.

You can find out more about IB programmes soon in your Eteach International Newsletter, including the training commitment required to teach them.

Complaints over cougar mascots

Corner Canyon High School in Utah, USA, has ditched its ‘Cougar’ mascot name after receiving complaints from parents, says CNN. A vote by pupils had given the school mascot the name of Corner Canyon Cougars, but some parents thought this was ‘derogatory’ as the word is now used to refer to older women who date younger men.

Massage start to the day causes controversy

A school in Sheffield has caused outrage among some parents after introducing massage sessions before lessons, says the Daily Mail. The children at Hartley Brook Primary School give each other a 10-minute massage, as a way to calm them down after the lunch break. According to head teacher Mrs Chris Hobson the sessions have been a big hit, but some parents disagree and have withdrawn their children from the programme claiming it to be ‘inappropriate’.

School creates internet hit

As we reported last week, a County Antrim school has become a YouTube sensation after a video with ‘Glee’ appeal found fans around the world, reports BBC News. The video, filmed in the school and featuring 1000 pupils and teachers, shows a new student arriving for their first day and being met by a musical welcome when she heads through the door. Made in just 90 minutes using a digital camera, tripod and a MacBook, the school has been delighted by the reaction. At last count views of the video had reached over 296,000.

The long and short of the school day

Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg has suggested the school day should be lengthened to help prepare pupils for work, according to an article on BBC News. Speaking at the North of England Education Conference, Mr Twigg said the change would help give children a better perspective, stop teenagers joining gangs and create “a haven from chaotic homes”, while addressing employers’ concerns that school leavers are poorly prepared for work.

A quick exit for ‘bad’ teachers

New rules making it easier to sack poorly performing teachers have been introduced, reports the Daily Mail. In a move apparently aimed to help drive up standards in the classroom, schools will now be able to remove teachers who are not up to scratch in as little as nine weeks. Education Secretary Michael Gove has also asked parents to take more of a role in the process by highlighting any issues of poor teaching. The paper reports that Mr Gove is to scrap the existing 50 pages of ‘unnecessary’ guidance, instead introducing a requirement for teachers to be assessed every year against ‘simpler, sharper standards”. But the NASUWT accused the government of being ‘seemingly intent on destroying the teaching profession and state education’.

New rules aim to reboot ITC curriculum

Speaking at BETT, the leading show for educational technology, Education secretary Michael Gove announced radical plans to tackle what he describes as “dull” IT lessons, reports BBC News. However the General Secretary of the NASUWT union has said the announcement was like a ‘slap in the face’ for IT teachers. Read our feature on this issue, as well as comments from Eteach readers, here.

Success at Oprah’s SA school

A class of 72 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds has become the first to graduate from Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. Founded by the talk show host and costing $40 million, the school in South Africa was opened in 2007, says an article on the Reuters website.

Clear signal for exam cheats

Meanwhile, an Austrian high school teacher has received a formal warning after using a high tech mobile signal-jamming device to deter exam cheats, reports 3 News. Gerhard Klampfer set up the signal jammer to prevent students from using their smart phones during their final exams. But he fell foul of Austrian law, which specifies that only select groups, such as the police and the military, can jam signals.

An out-of-this-world lesson!

Thrilled pupils from Morley Academy, in West Yorkshire, are to get the chance to do some ‘star’ gazing of a different kind, after winning a lesson with BBC science presenter Professor Brian Cox. The 30 pupils took part in The Big Bang Young Scientists and Engineers Fair, beating thousands of other schools across the country to take the prize, reports the Morley Observer.  They will meet the TV star for a tour of an observatory.

Role reversal as Oxford gets rejection letter from student

A student from Hampshire has written a formal rejection letter to prestigious Magdalene College Oxford, after attending an interview to join the institution to read law, reports the Telegraph. In her letter, 19-year-old Elly Nowell criticises the college for intimidating state school pupils and also suggests they provide interviewees with a glass of water, rather than ‘torturing’ them.

And finally…..

Payday shocker for one teacher

A teacher in India couldn’t believe his eyes when he checked his bank balance only to find that instead of the $200 he was expecting there was actually the equivalent of $9.8 BILLION in his account – close to India’s entire annual education budget! Mr Saha quickly alerted officials to the error. Bank officials have refused to comment on the incident, reports BBC News.

Currently, schools can be ranked ‘inadequate’, ‘satisfactory’, ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. But if the new proposals, which are subject to consultation, get the green light, ‘satisfactory’ will become ‘requires improvement’, and no school will be allowed to remain within this grade for more than three years.

Schools ‘requiring improvement’ will be subject to earlier re-inspection within 12-18 months, rather than up to three years as at the moment. Schools will be given up to two inspections within that three-year period to demonstrate improvement. Any school that doesn’t then come up to scratch will require special measures.

“We all know that parents want to send their child to a good school and fortunately, thanks to the hard work of teachers and school leaders around the country, many of them do.  However, around a third of schools failed to meet this level at their last inspection,” said Ofsted’s chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw.

‘Not good enough’

“There are too many coasting schools not providing an acceptable standard of education. Of particular concern are the 3,000 schools educating a million children that have been ‘satisfactory’ two inspections in a row.  This is not good enough. That is why I am determined to look again at the judgements we award, not only so we are accurately reporting what we see, but so that those schools that most need help are identified and can properly begin the process of improvement.”

Quoted in The Guardian, David Cameron said: “This is not some small bureaucratic change. It marks a massive shift in attitude. I don’t want the word ‘satisfactory’ to exist in our education system. ‘Just good enough’ is frankly not good enough. Every teacher, every head and every school should be aiming for excellence – no lower.”

‘Public ill-served by Ofsted’

But commenting on the news of further changes to the inspection system, Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said that the announcement indicated that parents and the public are being ill-served by Ofsted, and that it would encourage a culture of ‘vicious management practices’ that would have a ‘profoundly negative effect on the workforce and children and young people alike’.

“The new inspection framework came into effect on 1 January and yet in only two weeks we have had announcements of major changes to it and the threat of more changes to come,” she said.

“Parents would be right to question the competence of a body which clearly doesn’t trust its own judgements on how best to support schools in raising standards of education. First the no-notice inspections and now a major change to the way in which some schools are categorised.

‘Ratcheting up pressure on schools’

“The seemingly tough talk we have heard from the government today may have popular appeal but the reality is that it has nothing to do with raising standards. Instead, it is about ratcheting up pressure on schools, without providing the support and resources they need to assist them in securing further improvements.

The government is opening a consultation on withdrawing the existing National Curriculum Programme of Study for ICT from September this year.

Open source curriculum

ICT will remain compulsory at all key stages of the curriculum, and the existing Programme of Study will remain available for reference, but schools will no longer be forced to follow it.

Speaking at the BETT education trade fair, which focuses on educational technology, he announced plans to embrace and capitalise on technological developments for learning, teaching and assessment.

“Technology is already bringing about a profound transformation in education, in ways that we can see before our very eyes and in others that we haven’t even dreamt of yet,” he said (taken from his speech as reported by the Guardian. “It’s clear that technology is going to bring profound changes to how and what we teach. But it’s equally clear that we have not yet managed to make the most of it.”

Universities and businesses are also being encouraged to create new high quality Computer Science GCSEs, which may be considered for inclusion in the English Baccalaureate.

Current lessons ‘dull’

Describing the current curriculum as “demotivating and dull”, quoted in the Financial Times, Gove explains “Instead of children bored out of their minds being taught how to use Word and Excel by bored teachers, we could have 11-year-olds able to write simple 2D computer animations using an MIT tool called Scratch.”

Stephen Twigg, Labour’s shadow Education Secretary, quoted in the Guardian, added: “Ofsted found that in two-thirds of secondary schools, ICT teaching is only satisfactory or poor. As well as updating programmes of study, we need better teacher training, higher standards, and continual assessment of what pupils are being taught.”

IT Industry welcomes the news

Many industry figures have welcomed the news of a shake-up. Talking in the Independent, Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of videogame industry body TIGA, said:  “The government’s decision on ICT and Computer Science is very positive. Schools will now have greater opportunities to teach Computer Science, a subject of great importance to the video games sector.”

‘Slap in the face for ICT teachers’

However Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT union, has called the plans “a slap in the face for ICT teachers”, saying there is no evidence that ICT teaching is dull, uninspiring and poor quality.

Concerns have also been raised over the ‘unrealistic’ timeframe:

“School leaders are becoming increasingly frustrated by the stream of contradictory and seemingly ad hoc announcements about the curriculum and qualifications. We have only just heard that changes resulting from the National Curriculum review will be postponed until September 2014. Now we are told that the ICT curriculum will change from this September, which is a completely unrealistic timescale for awarding bodies and schools,” said Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

‘Not a “one size fits all” solution’

“Many schools have introduced innovative ICT courses which grab pupils’ imagination and this best practice needs to be shared. Most important now is that young people have the ability to use new technologies intelligently and develop media literacy, such as selecting and critically analysing information. These skills need to be built into the whole curriculum and not just discrete ICT lessons. For some, a focus on programming and developing applications will be important and appropriate but this should not a ‘one size fits all’ solution for everyone.”

Your view

What do you think of these new plans? Is it a long overdue change, or an unrealistic headline spinner? Share your comments here.

• Previously on Eteach: Teaching ICT post-BECTA – Eteach interviewed an ICT teacher about his role, and his teaching ideas, including whether the National Curriculum constrains schools in the types of software they use, and the way children are taught the subject.

Michael Gove, who the Guardian points out is often described by his adversaries as an ideologue, entitled his speech ‘Who are the ideologues now?’ and opened by suggesting that academy opponents are “blighting futures and limiting horizons”:

“Last month, a headline appeared in the Hornsey Journal – a headline that would have been funny had its subtext not been so dispiriting. Stamped across the top of the page in stark, Nimrod Bold lettering were the words:

‘Campaigners: Hands off our failing school.’

Just think about that for a moment…

Futures are being blighted. Horizons are being limited. Generations of children are being let down. And yet the response of those ‘campaigners’ to an attempt to rescue the situation is ‘hands off.’”

1,250,000 pupils attend academies

He said that there are now 1529 academies open in England, with 45 per cent of all maintained secondary schools either open or in the pipeline to become academies, with over 1,250,000 pupils now attending an academy. While most local authorities are being co-operative and constructive, he said some were being obstructive.

“They are putting the ideology of central control ahead of the interests of children. They are more concerned with protecting old ways of working than helping the most disadvantaged children succeed in the future. Anyone who cares about social justice must want us to defeat these ideologues and liberate the next generation from a history of failure.”

‘insult to dedicated staff’

But commenting on Michael Gove’s speech, Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers said that government’s assertion that opponents of academies are ‘happy with failure’ was an insult to dedicated school staff.

“If academy status brought the benefits claimed by the government why have so few of England’s schools opted to convert?” she said.

“The forced academy programme is about bullying schools into academy status against the wishes of school communities and their local authorities who are best placed to judge what support any particular school may need, not an external sponsor with an eye to the future profits to be made out of the government’s programme of privatising England’s schools.

“The academy programme is wrecking local education authority services to schools, including school improvement services. Each time a school becomes an academy, funding is removed from the LEA, reducing services and support to remaining schools.

“It has nothing to do with school improvement but is part of an ideologically driven agenda to dismantle our current system of local accountability for education.”

‘Secretary of State for Academies and Free Schools ‘

Speaking for the NASUWT, general secretary Chris Keates said: “As it is clear that Michael Gove now considers himself to be the Secretary of State for Academies and Free Schools, rather than the Secretary of State for Education, questions need to be raised about who exactly is promoting the interests of the other 22,000 schools and the children and young people who attend them.”

Do you support academies? What are the advantages, or the disadvantages? Share your views and comment.

Interest grows for teacher scholarships

Almost 2,000 teachers have now applied for the government’s new £2 million scholarship scheme for teachers. The National Scholarship Fund for Teachers was set up earlier this year to help existing teachers in England develop their skills and deepen their subject knowledge. It offers scholarships worth up to £3,500 to help them acquire postgraduate qualifications and make further academic progress, reports wired.gov.

YouTube gets school friendly

Online video sharing site YouTube has launched ‘You Tube for Schools’ which allows them to let their pupils watch videos without the fear they may be exposed to inappropriate material, says a piece in the Metro. A school-friendly tool filters out “distracting” videos, allowing “students to learn more efficiently”.

Teacher apologises for Santa outburst

A teacher in America has hit the headlines after telling pupils that Father Christmas doesn’t exist, while talking about the North Pole during a Geography lesson, reports NBC New York. The teacher, who also told pupils that their presents were bought by their parents, has now apologised.

Chew gum for better results

A study by researchers at St Lawrence University in Canton, New York, has found those who chewed gum for five minutes before a test got better marks than those who didn’t, says the Daily Mail. Those students chewing gum for five minutes before a test achieved better scores on average. But for those chewing gum during the test, the activity had the opposite effect.

Betting on an education

GamCare, a support body for gambling addicts, has recommended that children as young as 12 be taught ‘responsible betting’ in schools, along with risk and probability, reports the Daily Telegraph. The organisation believes there may be around 100,000 problem gamblers under the age of 18.

To infinity and beyond

A new academy has been set up to help teachers use space as a theme in their core subject lessons, says an article by the BBC.  The National Space Academy will promote careers in the aerospace industry, and is designed to address the shortage of trained people.

French parents resort to kidnapping

An extraordinary standoff in the French town of Marseilles has seen parents take a headmistress and four other members of staff hostage, in an attempt to have a ‘tyrant’ teacher sacked from the school.

In an article in the Daily Mail, parents explain their actions by saying the teacher in question shouts at pupils and that the school needs to make some huge improvements in its standards.

School ‘squatter’ caught on camera

Students were thought to be to blame when a false fire alarm went off at an American school. But school security cameras revealed the culprit to be of a more furry kind: it turned out to be a squirrel which had taken up residence in the school’s kitchen where the alarm had been triggered. The cameras revealed the squirrel squatter had climbed up a wall and pulled the alarm, says a story on My Fox Tampa Bay.

Welsh schools in line for makeover

£1.4bn in funding has been announced for the first wave of Wales’ biggest ever school building programme, reports the BBC. Local authorities will now plan ahead and target areas where funding is needed, such as building new schools, improving school facilities and investing in additional learning needs.

A present for teacher

Pupils have revealed the different types of festive gifts they have given to their teachers at Christmas, in a fun piece in the Guardian. The gift choices range from handmade decorations to a chocolate pizza, toiletries, a mini computer and a sun catcher. And for one teacher in Truro, a turkey!

And finally…..

A bum deal for students who are hanging out!

A school in South Carolina is lending belts to pupils who arrive wearing “saggy pants”, reports News One. It is hoped the move will mean there is a decrease in the number of students ‘facing a disciplinary’.

Could you explain how you came to be living in France, and why you chose an international school for your children?

My husband was relocated to his company’s Geneva office. When we arrived, our two oldest daughters were 11 and 8 years old and we were keen to make the transition as easy for them as possible.  Since they didn’t speak French we felt that they would find the social and academic adjustment very difficult in the French system.

How did you all feel about the option?

Together with the children we visited three international schools in the area, and allowed them to have a say in which one they preferred.  The children were very keen to go to this particular school and, as it was also our choice it worked out very well.

Could you tell us a little about the school?

The school is one of the International School of Geneva’s three campuses. It is in a semi-rural location 20kms outside Geneva and serves the international community in Vaud and neighbouring France. It has a primary and secondary section and offers a choice of academic programmes. The primary school has recently introduced a bi-lingual programme (English and French).

How does it differ from schools back home?

In Scotland my children attended a small village school. Apart from size there are obvious differences in terms of the facilities on offer and the diversity of the student body. We also lived in Nairobi, Kenya for a time and our daughters attended a British-curriculum Kindergarten and preparatory school there. We felt at the time that our daughters benefited from the exposure to other cultures and backgrounds that they experienced, and it helped us to make our decision about whether to opt for an international school this time.

What’s the biggest plus of sending them to an international school?

For us, the ability for them to feel that they ‘fitted in’ very quickly was vital, especially since we had moved them around a bit already.

And the biggest downside?

Not having the opportunity to integrate fully into the local community.

Do you think it will set them up for the future in terms higher education, employment, etc?

Yes, definitely.  The school has an excellent academic reputation and in addition I believe that my daughters are benefiting socially. They are becoming more outgoing and confident already and I can see that standing them in very good stead in the future.

Could you give us a flavour of what it’s like to live, and perhaps to work, in your part of the world for an expat?

We live in France, practically on the border with Switzerland and with views of the Alps and Lake Geneva. It’s an amazing place to live: the physical landscape is stunning, and the climate is excellent, with a lot to do in both summer and winter. There is a large expat community in this area and there is a huge range of sporting, cultural and social activity which is accessible to it.   Being only two hours from family and friends back in Scotland with direct air connections means that we have plenty of visitors and can easily nip back to Edinburgh if we want to. The only disadvantage we have found is that the cost of living is comparatively expensive.

Fancy teaching in Switzerland, France, Germany or Belgium? Then sign up to these countries’ Talent Pools and let the jobs come to you as soon as they crop up.

January

The month when… teachers voiced concerns over new search powers saying they may damage their relationships with pupils, and a school in Petersfield was made to apologise after mistakenly saying a pupil was ten years older than the 14 years he claimed to be.

February

The month when…education secretary Michael Gove landed in hot water with a High Court judge after failing to consult local authorities in his decision to scrap the school’s building programme; the National Association of Head Teachers called for every school in the UK to have rules about how teachers use Facebook; and the largest class in the country was revealed to have a whopping 71 pupils!

March

The month when…Ofsted revealed plans for a new website to encourage parents to rate the performance of their child’s school, and some Bristol schools were found to have as many as 16 CCTV cameras in place – reaching a ratio of one camera for every 14 pupils in some instances.

April

The month when…teachers reported pupils were turning up to school hungry and in worn out clothes because their parents do not have enough money to feed and clothe them; playground games such as British bulldog, conkers and leapfrog faced the axe over safety concerns; and it was revealed that more than one in three children in the UK think Rudyard Kipling makes cakes.

May

The month when…the government announced new plans to tackle the number of pupils leaving school without a basic grasp of English or maths; a study revealed teachers may be avoiding using longer texts as they believe boys ‘switch off’; and the parents of pupils at 11 Middlesbrough primary schools were asked to improve their ‘decency and respect’ by ensuring they come to the school gates properly dressed. And that meant no more collecting pupils or attending school meetings dressed in pyjamas!

June

The month when…a top government adviser called for algebra to be taught from a younger age and suggested climate change should not be included in the national curriculum. Plus one Liss Infant School claimed that a short singsong and dance session each morning before lessons is the best way to start the school day.

July

The month when…top achieving graduates were tempted into taking up teaching in key shortage subjects such as science and maths with the prospect of receiving a substantial bursary; it was found more than half of primary pupils and around two-thirds of secondary school youngsters were rejecting healthy school dinners; and pupils at Longfield Academy in Kent become the first in the country to be provided with an iPads.

August

The month when…figures showed that more than 30,000 children are leaving primary school with a reading age of seven or below; celeb Carol Vorderman authored a report calling for maths to be taught up to the age of 18; and The National Association of Head Teachers’ General Secretary warned that social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are a greater threat to schools than Ofsted.

September

The month when…Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced a £50m project to provide summer schools in basic skills for 100,000 disadvantaged pupils in England; British children slipped to joint bottom of a table listing the number of languages learned in each country; and 30 scientists and campaign groups joined forces to call for creationism to be banned from the school science curriculum.

October

The month when…truancy levels were shown to be on the rise with official figures revealing more than 450,000 children missed the equivalent of a month of school; French schools introduced a ration on the use of ketchup by school cafeterias in a bid to help children keep their cultural identity; and one school in Chesterfield opened its doors to a record nine sets of twins within its Year Seven starters.

November

The month when…we were told that many youngsters are living on a daily diet of junk food; the annual Teaching Awards named their ‘teaching stars’ for 2011; and teachers were officially named and shamed as the worst dressed profession – in an astonishing revelation, one in five teachers even admitted wearing the same shirt for three days in a row!

December

The month when…£1.4bn in funding is announced for the first wave of Wales’ biggest ever school building programme; an inquiry is launched into the way exam boards may be advising schools on preparing pupils for upcoming tests; and GamCare, the support body for gambling addicts, recommends that children as young as 12 should be taught ‘responsible betting’ in schools.

Join us again in 2012, for more coverage of serious, and not so serious, education news stories. Happy New Year!

Which was your favourite story of the year? Why not share, below.

“Make of it what you can and Jeddah will return your efforts and not disappoint you.

The sun always smiles in Jeddah.”                              

“Make sure you have plenty of fancy dress costumes!”

“You never have to iron again!”                     

“Make sure you are good at journey directions especially if your partner is not, alternatively buy a GPS on arrival!”

“Visiting old Jeddah is magical and an experience you should not miss and try to repeat.

Interview:

Could you give us an introduction to The British International School of Jeddah?

The British International School of Jeddah (BISJ) is one of the largest international schools in Saudi Arabia. Established in 1977, BISJ provides a British-style education to the expatriate and local community in Jeddah. The school is a non-profit organisation governed by a Board of Trustees.  It was originally set up by the British and Belgian Embassies and was called the Continental School until 1998, when the Ministry of Education designated it the British community school and renamed it as The British International School of Jeddah.  However many in the community still refer to the school as affectionately as the ‘Conti’!

Since its inception, the school has grown and developed rapidly, culminating in relocation to the current purpose built campus in 1999. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. We are a member school of the British Schools in the Middle East and are authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation and Cambridge International Examinations.

In total, the school now has more than 1550 students from over sixty countries. Teaching staff are mainly recruited from the United Kingdom, Australasia, North America and locally. The school has primary and upper school sections, each with their own individual buildings, play areas and administration. There are some 90 rooms, eight science laboratories, five computer rooms, a large sports hall, a gymnasium, a multi-purpose hall, a refectory, three libraries, a clinic, two pools and an outside sports area with running track.

Could you ‘introduce’ readers to Jeddah?

Jeddah is a cosmopolitan city on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.  It is a busy commercial seaport as well as being the entry point to the Kingdom for millions of pilgrims visiting Mecca and Medina.

The town has grown very rapidly and continues to do so, with development in Saudi Arabia little affected by the economic difficulties faced elsewhere in the world.  Major shopping malls abound, with several being within a five-minute drive of our school.  Supermarkets are well stocked with the full range of products normally found in the West.  While imported products may be expensive, local produce is relatively cheap.

The climate of Jeddah is moderated by its proximity to the Red Sea.  Thus summers, whilst hot, are cooler than the interior of Saudi Arabia.  Winter temperatures are perfect, ranging from around 22°C in the evenings to 28°C during the daytime.  In some years we have one or two days when it may rain, but this is not certain!!

Where is the school?

The school is situated in the northern suburbs of Jeddah, some 15 minutes from the International Airport.  For those interested in diving, wind surfing and other water sports, the private beaches to the North are within a twenty-minute drive of the school.

Could you tell us about the syllabus that you teach.

The curriculum throughout the school is British in style. The school does not follow the English National Curriculum, but uses it as a basic instructional resource, for example drawing on publications issued by the Qualifications & Curriculum Authority, and literature concerning standards and curriculum changes. Additionally, the school is heavily dependent on British textbooks, which are, quite naturally, based on the National Curriculum. There is strong support in the Primary School for the use of enquiry based learning through the development of integrated thematic units, which draw on the International Primary Curriculum.

In Years 10 and 11 the curriculum leads to the externally assessed examinations of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, set by Cambridge International Examinations. Post 16, education is based on International Baccalaureate courses, with the majority of students taking the full Diploma course.

Our results at both IGCSE and IB are consistently higher than world averages.

What kinds of opportunities exist for UK teachers – and others working in education – to live and work in education in Saudi Arabia generally?

There are a large number of international schools in Saudi Arabia, the majority of which are privately owned.  Schools advertise internationally for staff and facilitate entry into the Kingdom.

And to work at your school specifically?

BISJ is classed as a community school and as such is allowed to be co-educational.  We recruit staff both locally and internationally.  By regulations however, the Ministry only allows us to employ teachers who are fully qualified with a degree and teaching qualifications and who hold a passport from a western country.

What’s the major appeal for someone in the UK thinking about teaching in Saudi Arabia?

In general the students attending the school are hard-working, enthusiastic and committed to their learning.  Parents are supportive and the school is well resourced.

The school offers a very attractive benefits package to teachers including a tax-free salary, fully furnished housing, travel allowance, medical insurance and end of service bonus.

Staff are able to save a significant proportion of their monthly salaries and travel widely in the holidays.

And what are some of the drawbacks?

Working overseas, whilst professionally rewarding and offering opportunities to travel and experience new cultures, also has challenges. Living away from home and family presents challenges for some.  One major challenge that faces women is the fact that, currently, they are not allowed to drive in the Kingdom.  The school provides transport, however, and has buses going to the shopping malls most evenings.  The buses, with driver, can also be hired at minimal cost by staff members.

What kind of teachers are you looking for, and how would the interview process take place?

We are generally looking for candidates whose track record proves they are excellent practitioners, who go the extra mile and contribute widely to the life of a school.  We would normally look to recruit teachers with at least two years’ experience. [You can view current BISJ vacancies by scrolling down from this link].

Our main recruitment period is in late January and we would look to interview candidates face to face in London at that time.  However, where candidates are in other parts of the world, we may use Skype or Facetime for interviewing.

What support do you offer new teachers?

Prior to arrival new teachers are paired with ‘mentors’ who are able to inform them in more detail about what to expect in terms of living and working in the Kingdom.  On arrival we offer new staff an orientation period which covers both professional and personal settling in issues.

It’s doubtful that many UK applicants would speak Arabic: is that a problem?

The school operates in an English-speaking environment and English is widely spoken throughout Jeddah.

Many thanks for taking part.

We also asked some of the school staff to give us a quick quote about working at the school. Here’s what they had to say:

“The stars in the desert are amazing as is the life under the water.”

 “Wonderful community life for families.’’                           “Family orientated community life.”

 “Living in Saudi Arabia has its challenges but the pros far outweigh the cons. I enjoy the community spirit here and the activities available for my children and me are great. The beach is wonderful and when diving you could be anywhere in the world. I do seem to shop more than I used to – not sure if that is a good or bad thing.”

“Working in Saudi Arabia is very similar to schools around the world. There is a great mix of cultures and the children are generally well behaved and enthusiastic. The curriculum offers a teacher the opportunity to respond to their class and develop their skills in an interesting and relevant way. For a parent, the support the school offers is invaluable and the crèche and after school clubs allow flexibility.”

“Overall I thoroughly enjoy working and living in Saudi Arabia. It is a great place to be with young children.”

Click here to go to the Saudi Arabia Talent Pool, and scroll down to view current teaching vacancies in the country.

An undercover investigation by the Daily Telegraph claims to have exposed the ‘questionable practice’, and now Mr Gove has instructed the exams regulator Ofqual to investigate and report back their findings before Christmas.

It’s claimed that some examiners may be giving schools detailed advice on what they should focus their teaching on, so the temptation for schools could be to “teach to the test” rather than to cover the entire syllabus. It’s also claimed that teachers attending special exam board seminars may be getting information on which areas will be examined.

The story, covered by a number of national and regional news sites, has been causing some debate among readers. Here is our pick of the top comments:

Daily Telegraph – marxbrother comments: “Nowadays passing the exam is all, learning is secondary.”

Independent – saffapat comments: “Schools often choose which board to use based on what grades their pupils might get.  The higher the grades in the school, the better it is for the school.  No school wants to be at the bottom of the table.  Until the league tables are scrapped, education will continue to suffer. “

Guardian – Thequillguy comments: “The bottom line is that we have a need for an independent exam board.”

Daily Mail – Ex Services Veteran comments: “Nothing new in this at all – way back in the 50s and 60s we students of the old GCE syllabus all spent time going over previous exam papers looking for the ‘repeat’ and ‘banker’ questions, it was and has always been part of ‘the exam technique’ part of any studies. There were also books published showing old questions and the ways to answer exam questions to get better marks/grades.”

What do you think about this issue? Should there be a nationalised exam board? Or is this, as some people have claimed, nothing new and just part of ‘exam technique’? Share your views with other Eteach readers below.