Following an “outstanding” Ofsted inspection of our welfare and care of students back in December, we are planning to open a full Central London residence. This would make us the only IB boarding school in London.

This is a really exciting development for those students studying at ICS.  It would not only help their acclimatisation to life in the UK, but also enhance their learning by providing pastoral care specially designed to support their studies.

Being based in a secluded area of Central London would also offer our IB students access to cultural life in one of the world’s great capital cities, regularly host to spectacular global sports, arts and cultural events.

Preparing for your diploma

We are also extremely pleased to announce two additions to our current educational offering – the enhancement and development of two key preparative stages of the diploma programme that will help students reach their full potential and prepare for their university careers, either in the UK or elsewhere in the world.

Up until now, we have offered the IB Diploma to students aged 16-18+ and so far, this has been an extremely popular option for our overseas students as it offers a more transferable qualification than A-Levels. 

This form of education offers students a more comfortable transition into living within the UK.  Since introducing the course two years ago, we have identified even more ways to help prepare our students for the Diploma – through developing not only their English language skills but also their academic skills.

As a result, we have decided to extend our Diploma preparation programme into two strands - an English language preparation strand and an academic preparation strand. 

For example, it may be the case that some students kick off their studies with the English language programme and then move on to the academic prep course too, whereas others who have stronger English language skills might choose to simply take the academic prep course prior to working their way through the Diploma.  In addition, the IELTs English Language qualification offers an appealing option for our older students. Once they have completed their qualification, they will be able to apply for a foundation course at a University, working with those of the same age.   

For the final week of the autumn term, ICS had its first official Language Week. In keeping with the principles of the IB, ICS has a language policy which promotes the maintenance of students’ mother tongue, which allows students’ to keep their cultural identity. Furthermore, intercultural understanding is a key component of the ICS philosophy. 

As part of this initiative, on Monday 12th December students were given language lessons in a range of different languages, including Icelandic, Arabic, Chinese and Italian. These lessons were led by ICS students and the challenge was to teach students who were absolute beginners.

All of the language lessons were supervised by teachers, who were very impressed by the way our student teachers rose to the challenge. 

Language Week continued on Wednesday 14th with a celebration of the work of William Shakespeare. All MYP students study a Shakespearian text, this year MYP 2 students have studied The Tempest and MYP 4 students have studied The Merchant of Venice. Students worked in groups to adapt a scene from a Shakespearian play using modern language and settings. This approach allowed students to recognise the timelessness of Shakespeare’s themes and characters. The students performed their adaptations at the end of the day and teachers were impressed by their imaginative response to literature.

All in all, the week was a huge success and it was great to see how involved our students got in all the activities.

Joanna Cooper, IB Diploma Co-Ordinator, ICS

When it comes to the IB, we are all aware of the various facets and precepts involved...but what better way to bring those messages home to your students than to incorporate them into the daily school environment?  

That’s exactly what the United World College of South East Asia has done.  A group of 13 visionary schools, the United World College very much places experiential learning at the heart of its curriculum.  So much so, they have broken the IB messages free of the classroom notice board and policy document in favour of the walls, floors and pillars of their school – they are now literally part of the fabric of the school! 

Over the past eight years, the IB Heads World conference has become a staple event for IB school Heads from across the globe – which is where I come in. In keeping with the nature of the conference, the events are held in each of the key IB regions in turn – Asia Pacific, the Americas, EMEA and this year, much to my delight, Singapore (IB Asia Pacific). With the conference theme - “The Adventure of Leadership”, and a number of inspirational presentations and talks from the likes of Monique Seefried, and Kavita Ramdas, there was certainly plenty to look forward to!

And when such great minds collide, what better place to host the event than in Singapore, and more specifically the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel? Built on reclaimed land, the hotel is a truly stunning spectacle and one which is really representative of the country at large. Safe, clean and non-corrupt, Singapore has recently been defined by the World Bank as the “best country in the world” to do business and has become one of the world’s most developed countries in less than 50 years. A remarkable feat and one which really serves to bolster the importance of strong leadership and inspiration in driving success – a key tenet of this year’s conference.

So far, so impressed – but what about the talks themselves?

Kicking off the opening ceremony was Professor Sugata Mitra of the University of Newcastle. A really thought provoking lecture in which he discussed his extensive research across India – little known fact; it was his book “Q & A” which inspired the Blockbuster that was Slumdog Millionaire. By placing computers in the walls of a number of Indian villages, Professor Mitra has been investigating the basic premise that groups of children can teach themselves, a learning process which the internet has made even more profound. A very inspirational talk but with some challenging findings which we were all left pondering; is there a role for education, for teachers, for schools? Do schools and formal education actually slow down learning? Food for thought!

For any educational leaders with an eye on the future, I'd definitely recommend attending. 

Philip Hurd, Head of School, International Community School