Secondary
School

Secondary School
Overview

Verita International School proudly offers the National Curriculum of England and Wales through the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) for Year 7-9, the Edexcel International GCSE for Year 10-11, and finally, the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Year 12-13. We have chosen these curricula carefully as they have a focus on inquiry and experiential learning. Students are encouraged to explore the world around them and learn through hands-on activities. Classroom spaces and learning experiences are carefully structured by our teachers, coordinators, instructional coach, and administrators. Through this structure, it allows us to facilitate an interdisciplinary approach to learning that allows students to apply their knowledge, skills, and understanding from a variety of academic areas.

In Secondary School, we are committed to developing students academically, physically, socially, and emotionally. We believe that to prepare students for high academic achievement levels, we must first ensure they feel safe emotionally, socially, and physically at school. We are aware that secondary students are going through a wide variety of changes and the most important thing is for them to feel understood by adults. In essence, that is our focus at the secondary level. We strive daily to build positive relationships with the students in order to enhance their learning experience in the classroom. In turn, we hope they will become globally-minded citizens of society with a strong sense of social justice to make a positive impact in the world.

International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC)
Year 7-9 

The International Middle Years Curriculum is a framework which is founded on the National Curriculum of England and Wales. It transforms the curriculum into a more relevant and inquiry-based approach to learning for Year 7-9 students.

Students in the IMYC learn their subject content through a central conceptual theme paired with a theme descriptor, called the Big Idea; Courage (central theme)/ “being true to yourself requires bravery” (big idea). This topic and descriptor serves as the central focus for student learning in all subjects.

The purpose of this is to help students understand that everything can be connected to a central idea. It is to help them make connections and meaning of their learning across all subjects. In short, it allows them to see the independence and interdependence of subject learning.

Throughout each IMYC unit, students engage in a wide variety of formative and summative assessments. More importantly, they complete reflective journaling to illustrate their personal understanding and connection to the Big Idea. At the end of each IMYC unit, students conclude with a celebratory project called the Exit Point. The Exit Point is a meaningful opportunity for students to utilize what they learned in each subject to reflect their understanding of the Big Idea individually. These Exit Point projects vary from podcasts, videos, apps, service learning, or even short films. In essence, the mediums for students to depict their understanding is limitless. The Exit Points are designed to provide greater student agency to help students take ownership and make meaning of their own learning.

For more information about the IMYC, please visit their website. 

Here is our programme of inquiry for the IMYC in the Secondary School.

International General Certification of Secondary Education (International GCSE)
Year 10 & 11

VIS offers the International GCSE through Pearson Edexcel, UK’s largest examination board, for Year 10 and 11 students. Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are qualifications recognised around the world. The academic content and assessments are tailored to international students.

VIS offers the following International GCSE subjects:

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP)
Year 12 & 13

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is a 2 year curriculum designed for Year 12 and 13 students. The DP programme is comprised of six subject groups and three additional required components.

Verita International School is an authorized IB World School for the Diploma Programme. As an IB World School offering the Diploma Programme, we are part of a global community of schools committed to developing knowledgeable, caring young people who will be ready to negotiate their futures successfully and make contributions resulting in a more harmonious and peaceful world.

Approaches to
Learning

Approaches to Learning (ATLs) are transdisciplinary skills that are intended to develop students as lifelong learners and reinforce that we are teachers of learners, as well as teachers of subjects. ATLs enables students to develop a variety of skills that help them become better learners. It helps students question their own learning.

Secondary teachers plan their units and teaching activities with the ATLs in mind to ensure students learn how to become a better learner.

The five areas of ATLs are:

1. Communication Skills
2. Social Skills
3. Self- Management Skills
4. Research Skills
5. Thinking Skills

Inquiry-Based
Learning

At the secondary level, there is a heavy emphasis on inquiry-based learning. Students showcase their understanding through various explorative projects and assignments. For instance, students may research on a topic and showcase their understanding through the creation of a magazine, podcasts, and etc. The emphasis is on independent learning and learning through mistakes. It is a shift from the conventional model of viewing students as empty vessels waiting to be filled with the teacher’s information. This allows students to take greater ownership and responsibility for their own learning.

After-School
Activities

During and after school we offer students a broad range of opportunities to express creativity, performance, athletics and inclusion. We believe in finding and developing every student’s unique talents. A strong sense of community with an emphasis on the arts, sports and a social curriculum reinforces our rigorous academic goals.