IB, IB PYP, The Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, Montessori

The goal of our curriculum is to serve our mission by encouraging personal and academic achievement, challenging students to excel in their studies and personal growth while focusing on developing an international outlook and a sense of responsible global citizenship. With these objectives in mind, EIS chose to offer the international Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) for students up to Grade 5, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) in Grades 11-12, and provide a bridge in Middle School using the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Program in Grades 6-10. The PYP and IB DP are the most wide-spread curriculum frameworks in international education, and IGCSE is most commonly used in Middle School. It is usual to bridge these programs by parallel curriculum framework in Middle School.

IB PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAM – Nursery to Grade 5
The IB Primary Years Program (PYP) for students from Nursery to Year 5 nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong learning journey. The program is famous for its inquiry-based and transdisciplinary approach. It challenges students to think for themselves and take responsibility for their learning, as they explore local and global issues and opportunities in real-life contexts.

CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – GRADES 6-10
Cambridge IGCSE encourages learner-centered and enquiry-based approaches to learning. It stands out as being an academically rigorous, well-structured and very well-resourced curriculum. With clearly-defined learning outcomes and content, it is designed to be compatible with other curricula, and to be internationally relevant and sensitive to different needs and cultures. It prepares students for a series of exams that can be taken in Grades 9 and 10 in the following disciplines:

• Global perspectives (Year 9)
• Information and Communication Technology (Year 9)
• Combined science (Year 9)
• Coordinated Science (Year 10)
• English as a Second Language or English Literature (Year 9, Year 10)
• Math (Year 9, Year 10)

At EIS, IGCSE serves as an excellent bridge between the inquiry-based PYP and the exam-driven IB DP.

IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM – GRADES 11-12
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) is a comprehensive, rigorous, program for Years 11 and 12 students, and has become the preeminent university preparatory program globally. Candidates for the IB diploma focus on six areas: the native language of the student, a second language, social studies, sciences, mathematics, and the arts. Additional mandatory components include Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay, and the CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) program. The program is famous for its academically rigorous exams and its focus on student action, individual research, and skill development. For more details contact our IB DP Program Coordinator, or visit the IB DP Program website.

CORE SUBJECTS & CURRICULUM STANDARDS

EIS offers its students a versatile curriculum that prepares them for college admissions locally and abroad and is created in accordance with the school’s mission. The core disciplines of English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education are supported by robust Mother Tongue, Foreign Language, Arts and Computer Science programs. It sets out clearly the learning path towards successful completion of the IB DP program. These curricular content goals are supported by programs that focus on Social and Emotional Learning, Service and Action, Responsible Citizenship, and Interdisciplinary Academic Skills.