1. About

Table of contents

1.1 Vision, Mission and Core Values

1.2 school culture

1.3 cis learning principles

1.4 academic programme

1.5 class configuration

1.6 outdoor learning

1.7 language acquisition programme

1.8 student support and wellbeing services

1.9 library services

1.10 digital literacy

1.1 Vision, Mission and Core Values

Vision

Unleashing the potential of every individual so they can own their future.

Mission

Engage. Enlighten. Empower.

Our International Mindedness

CIS is a community of global citizens who through its mission actively embraces opportunities to make the world a better place for ourselves, others and the planet.

As a learning community:

We are ENGAGED with our community and our environment.

We are ENLIGHTENED through sharing about ourselves, others and the world.

We are EMPOWERED to take action.

Core values

  • Collaboration
  • Creativity
  • Curiosity
  • Generosity
  • Respect

1.2 School culture

Our story

What will tomorrow look like for today’s student? They will work in jobs that don’t yet exist. They will tackle challenges we don’t yet understand. And they will experience opportunities we can’t yet imagine.

Our job is simple. We equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to adapt and navigate the world as it changes.

We believe those who will thrive in the future are those who can create connections, those with the ability to put things together.

They will connect theory and practice, people and places, collaboration and innovation, intention and action.

We instil the desire to question, to analyse and to explore.

We build the capability to create, to build and to implement.

To connect ideas in ways that push them forward.

To connect skills in ways that drive lifetime development.

To connect with people in ways that build understanding.

To connect to places in ways that will make the world their own.

This is what we empower our students to do.

To connect. To succeed. To thrive. To own the future.

1.3 CIS learning principles

The CIS Learning Principles are the fundamental understandings that guide teaching and learning. They are the beliefs that we see as essential for fostering optimum learning in our classrooms.

  • Learners need to feel safe, valued, and supported in order to learn.
  • Learners progress along a developmental continuum.
  • Learners are competent, creative, and full of potential.
  • Learners construct knowledge, and co-construct knowledge through social interaction.
  • Learning is optimised within stimulating and thoughtfully created environments.
  • Learners develop and express their understanding in a variety of ways.
  • Learners make the best progress toward their academic potential when they are challenged with high standards.
  • Learning requires meaningful feedback and reflection.
  • Dialogue is a primary process through which we construct knowledge.
  • Engaging students in inquiry with a focus on conceptual understanding fosters lifelong curiosity and depth of learning.
  • Learning is a process that comes with challenge and requires sustained effort, persistence and struggle.

1.4 Academic programme

As an IB school, we follow the International Baccalaureate from pre-kindergarten to grade 12.

By grade, our programmes are:

1.4.1 International Baccalaureate programmes

"The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world."

(International Baccalaureate Organization 2007)

Building on the inquiry-based IB philosophy, students are encouraged to question, discover and communicate through an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to learning. The combination of highly trained teachers, a challenging, yet flexible curriculum and an individual approach to learning, allows students to develop to their full potential. The end result is a quality education for the international student. The goals and philosophy of the three IB programmes are consistent. The MYP naturally follows the PYP, and it also serves as excellent preparation for the IB DP. Visit ManageBac and My.CIS for schoolwide curriculum information.

1.4.2 Nursery programme

Our nursery programme adopts the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage Development Matters and is PYP inspired. It is both inquiry and play based focusing on developing foundational social, literacy and numeracy skills, as well as fine and gross motor skills.

1.4.3 CIS Foundation programme

The CIS Foundation programme is designed for students in grades 3 to 8. It is a rigorous two-semester programme that aims to swiftly equip each student with the necessary English skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) so that they can successfully meet the expectations of CIS's curriculum.

1.4.4 Who to contact if you have programme or curriculum questions? 

Please contact your child's teacher(s) if you have questions about our curriculum. You may also contact our IB and curriculum coordinators, and our divisional principals.

PYP coordinators:

  • Nick Dykes
  • Kylie Broomhall

Chinese-English Bilingual PYP coordinators:

  • Minbin Yan

MYP coordinator (grades 7 to 10)

  • David Stewart

IB DP coordinator (grades 11 and 12)

  • Belize Kearin

Educational Technology Coordinator

  • Zachary Walters

Music Coordinator

  • Dan Hartig

Foundation programme lead

  • Robert Brown

French- English Bilingual programme lead

  • Allison Rabeau

1.4.5 The International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile

The Learner Profile is central to all IB Programmes at CIS. These are qualities that we hope will characterise all members of our school community. These attributes are taught and modelled by our teachers and staff, and are central to our evaluation of students’ progress. Visit the IB website for more information about the International Baccalaureate Programmes.

1.5 Class configuration

Our school has a long-standing, thoughtful, deliberate and educationally sound process for creating optimal class lists each year. There are a host of factors we consider, information we discuss and data we evaluate in building final class lists.

This process involves the observations we have made across the course of the year, and conversations we may have had with parents throughout the year. As we consider the confidential information we have on students, and what will be optimal from a learning perspective, we don’t use further feedback from parents in the final placement decisions.

Our policy is that we respectfully but consistently decline any and all parental requests to change class configurations or teacher assignments at any stage throughout the year.

1.6 Outdoor learning

Open Minds programme

Open Minds sees Primary students (grades 1 to 6) spending up to three days over the academic year in a variety of real-world settings. Investigation topics are linked to both our curriculum and the PYP units of inquiry. First-hand experience with artefacts, field experts, and opportunities to go behind the scenes create unique moments of extremely powerful hands-on, minds-on learning.

Please contact your child’s teacher to learn more.

1.7 Language acquisition programme

From pre-kindergarten to grade 6, students specialise in French or Chinese, while students in grades 7 to 10 specialise in English, French, Chinese or Spanish. Students will receive daily lessons (or equivalent) in the language chosen. You can view what is on offer on this page on our website. As indicated in the school’s terms and conditions of enrolment, parents are expected to commit to their child’s language choice for the entire school year. If parents wish to change their child’s language programme for the subsequent school year, they must notify the school by 1 March.

1.8 Student support and wellbeing services

English language learning

The English Language Learner programme (ELL), offered to English programme students in senior kindergarten (SK) to grade 10 and Chinese-English bilingual (CEB): ELL grade 1 to 3 / French-English bilingual (FEB) students in grades 1 to 3, develops a student's English language proficiency needed for academic success in all subject areas. Participation in the English Language Learner (ELL) programme is mandatory, if, after student assessment, CIS is of the view that the student requires support.

Learning Support

Learning support is intended for students who need additional services to help them achieve the learning outcomes of the IB curriculum. Participation in the learning support programme is mandatory, if, after student assessment, CIS is of the view that the student requires support. The learning support programme may include tiered learning support, occupational therapy, and/or speech & language therapy.

Specialists and external service providers conducting classroom observations or external services must do so at the written request of CIS. References and observation reports are strictly confidential and will be sent via the school directly to consultants. View our learning support policy here.

Pastoral care and counselling

Pastoral care and counselling focus on building relationships that recognise the uniqueness of each individual. We incorporate strategies that support and guide each student. Read about our pastoral care and counselling programme.

1.9 Library services

The CIS library focuses on providing supportive services and programme collaboration. Global information literacy and literature that reflect our multicultural school community are integral to active, authentic life-long learning and inquiry.

Our library staff provide a wide variety of resources that are appropriate for the range of age and language abilities of our students, mindful of the diverse, multicultural population, and support the IB curriculum that is taught in our classrooms. The library is a changing and dynamic place and is an intrinsic part of the busy daily life of the CIS community.

This document contains information about accessing the following library services:

1.10 Digital literacy

As a Common Sense Digital Citizenship certified school, we educate students to use their devices safely and responsibly. Students must ensure the security of their devices at all times and the school will not accept responsibility for loss or damage to these often expensive items. Read more about our iPad programme and MacBook requirements on the digital literacy page of our website.