BISM Middle School Handbook 2017-2018 Final 05.10.17

Middle School Handbook

Table of Contents

Welcome from the Headteacher

3

Welcome from the Middle School Leader

4

Academic Calendar 2017-2018

5

School Hours

5

Arrival & Departure Procedures

5

Security

6

Curriculum

6

After School Activities

8

School Uniform

8

What Your Child Will Need For School

10

School Lunch

11

Behaviour

11

House System

12

Attendance

13

Health and First Aid

14

Role of the Parent

14

Homework

14

Home/School Communication

15

Using English in school

16

Educational Visits & Residential Trips

16

Meeting Student Needs

17

Summary

18

2

Welcome from the Headteacher

Dear Parents and Students,

It is our pleasure to welcome you to the 2017-2018 school year at The British International School of Marbella (BISM). We extend a very warm welcome to all new and returning students and parents.

Our aspiration is to provide a World Class Education for all pupils within the BISM community.

We are fortunate to be governed by the Executive Board of The British Schools Foundation, (BSF), a network of schools established across the globe. We are looking forward to providing your child with an outstanding educational experience. The Foundation has an excellent reputation worldwide and we will continue to build on that as we seek to meet the needs of all students enrolled in our school. Our staff members are enthusiastic and passionate about teaching, and bring a wealth of experience and expertise.

At BISM, we have created a stimulating, safe and positive learning environment, with high expectations of achievement, endeavour and behaviour. We are committed to making the curriculum accessible to all students through utilising a range of teaching styles and state of the art technology, which will motivate our students to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.

As BISM’s Headteacher, my role is to establish a culture that promotes excellence, equality and high expectations of all students. We value the opinions of our parents, therefore please feel free to send an email, call or arrange a visit. Parent input is invaluable and I look forward to working with you in the most important job you have - educating your child.

We hope you will find this handbook useful and look forward to working closely with you to ensure the success of BISM and our students.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Sian Kirkham Headteacher

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Welcome from the Middle School Leader

Dear Parents and Students,

A warm welcome to the Middle School of BISM. What an exciting time to be a member of our school. Building on the strong foundation laid in the Primary school, Middle school students are set to embark on the next stage of their educational careers.

Students from Year´s 5, 6 & now 7 will form the Middle School of our expanding international community, furthering our reputation for excellence. We have expanded rapidly since opening in 2010 as a small infant school. And, as the school continues to expand, an additional year group will be opened each year.

Transition to the Middle School represents a significant increase in the demands placed on the children.

Students will be challenged to demonstrate the charter values which we hold central to our educational philosophy: There is a greater expectation that the students become more independent in their thoughts and actions. They will have to be able to work collaboratively as part of a team whilst at the same time be willing to lead their peers. Their effort will be rewarded as they develop their self-discipline. As they mature they will be confronted with situations which require them to become more self-aware and reflect and cultivate a positive presence in the communities to which they belong. Their courage will be tested in a variety of scenarios and through it all they will be encouraged to be caring, responsible and decent young people.

We pride ourselves on the broad and balanced curriculum we offer. Our students are expected to do well academically but not as a goal unto itself. Our aim is to instill a lifelong love of learning and the realization of potential across a variety of fields. We have just as high expectations of our students in the sphere of arts, and on the field of sport, as we do in the classroom.

In the Middle School students will be taught by a series of subject specialists with the form tutor having the important pastoral role of coordinating all aspects of the pupil’s academic and social development. The form tutor will deliver the Personal, Social and Health (PSHE), programme which includes global citizenship and health education.

The academic programme is based on the English National Curriculum, but is not bound by its constraints.

Instead, we apply the most appropriate elements and enhance the curriculum where necessary to provide an innovative, challenging and creative programme that is crucial in laying the foundation of core knowledge, skills and understanding required to embark on the Key Stage 4 IGCSE programme. Lessons and materials are adapted to our international and local context.

Students study English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Drama, Art, Computing and PE. In addition, students will continue to study Spanish to the level prescribed by the Spanish Ministry of Education, allowing them to further their education at a Spanish university should they choose to do so. Their individuality is also catered for through a broad range of extra curricular and enrichment activities.

I invite you to join us on this voyage of discovery which will, very soon, have its base camp at a state of the art, purpose built campus.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Herron Middle School Leader/Deputy Head Teacher

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Academic Calendar 2017 - 2018 Autumn term Fri 1st Sept Thurs 12th Oct Mon 16th Oct – Fri 20th Oct Wed 1st Nov Tue 20th Dec

Spring term Mon 8th Jan Wed 28th Feb – Friday 2nd March Fri 23rd March

Summer term Tue 3rd Apr Mon 30th April – Tue 2nd May Mon 11th June Fri 29th June

First Day of Term One Spanish National Holiday Half term break National Holiday Last Day of Term One

First Day of Term Two Half term break Last Day of Term Two

First Day of Term Three Half term break Local Holiday Last Day of Term Three

School hours

Middle School 08:30 - 08:45 Registration/Literacy Skills 08:45 - 09:45 Lesson 1 09:45 - 10:00 Morning Break 10:00 - 11:00 Lesson 2 11:00 - 12:00 Lesson 3 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch/Break 13:00 - 14:00 Lesson 4 14:00 - 15:00 Lesson 5 15:00 - 16:00/16:30 Lesson 6/7

Registration time is used to register the students and to work on their Literacy targets. It is essential that students arrive at their classrooms for the beginning of registration so that they can be properly registered and take full advantage of the Literacy skills lessons. Please understand that teachers are not available to meet with parents during this time.

Arrival & Departure Procedures

It is, of course, essential that our students are supervised at all times for their security and safety.

Therefore, we request that students should not arrive before 8:30am. This is to ensure that teachers have sufficient planning, meeting and preparation time at the beginning of the school day. All students should, however, be in class at 8:45am at the latest.

Please ensure that you or your designated guardian collects your child from a member of staff at the end of each day from the playground. Please collect your child at 4:30pm every day. On the last day of each term, school finishes at 12:00 noon.

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Pickup Points

Middle School students are to be collected from the playground. It will help the end of school routine enormously if parents do not enter the school building unless there is a specific reason to meet with a member of staff.

Please be aware that a member of school staff needs to hand your child over to you. Therefore, please assist this process by ensuring your teacher is aware you have received your child.

If, for any reason, you have been delayed, please telephone the school so that we are aware and can inform your child to avoid any unnecessary anxiety. If you are unable to collect your child, please inform the school at your earliest convenience as to who will be collecting your child. For security reasons, teachers will not release a child to an unauthorised person.

Security

There is no issue that the school takes more seriously than the safety of our students. All families will be asked to have their photographs taken by the BISM team or send in electronic photos so that ID cards can be made for any adult picking up a child. No adult will be allowed on the school grounds without their ID card. Please support us in this.

It is essential that we have an accurate record of who is authorised to collect your child and their photograph in order to make an ID card. We will not release a child to the custody of a different adult unless we have received notification from the child’s parent.

If you need to collect your child during the school day please ensure that you inform your class teacher in advance. Parents will need to sign in then a member of staff will collect the child from the classroom.

Early Release Slips will need to be collected from the front desk before leaving the school premises and all children collected early will need to be signed out. Parents should provide the school with at least two contact numbers in case of emergencies. It is vital that you inform the school of any changes to these contact numbers.

Please be aware that school closes at 5pm. If your child stays after school for a club or tutoring, the lead adult will bring your child to the gate at pick up time. Parents and visitors are not permitted onsite after 5pm.

Curriculum

Weekly Curriculum Allocation:

Hours per week

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7

Maths

5

5

4

English

7

7

4

Science

2

2

3

6

Spanish

6

6

6

Music

2

2

2

Computing

1

1

1

1.5

1.5

3.5

1

1

1

PSHE

1.5

1.5

2

Drama

-

-

1

4.5

4.5

4

1

1

1

32.5

32.5

32.5

Humanities/Cu ltural Studies Art

PE

Total

All subjects are delivered by Specialist Teachers. Each class is allocated a form tutor. The form tutor will be responsible for their pastoral care and are the parent’s point of call should a parent wish to discuss anything. Please see below the allocation of Specialist Teachers for 2017/18:

Subject

Teacher

Subject

Teacher

English

Mr. Anthony

PSHE

Form Tutor

Maths

Mr. Kuhn

IT

Mr. Herron

Science

Mr. Herron

Drama

Miss Conliffe

Humanities

Mr. Herron

Art

Miss Flannigan

Form Tutors: Year 5: Mr. Herron Year 6: Mr. Anthony Year 7: Mr. Kuhn

Sports Programme

Our aim in Physical Education is to introduce students to a wide variety of sports and activities with the hope that they leave BISM recognising the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle after developing a love for physical activity. Children participate in sports at least four times per week and throughout the year are involved in sports competitions and inter-house tournaments that help develop key skills such as communication, leadership and teamwork.

Children participate in swimming lessons all year round. Swimming is part of the curriculum therefore not optional. If a child cannot attend a lesson due to illness then the question has to be asked whether the children should be at school at all. If there is a medical condition, such as a skin allergy, then a doctor’s note is required and the children will need to be collected at 3pm; they will not be able to join another class due to the disruption this causes to teaching and learning.

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Music

In addition to their English National Curriculum Music lesson, all Middle School children take part in the Primary/Secondary School Instrumental Programme, designed to develop each child’s understanding and appreciation of music. Each child’s musical experience is built up through learning to play a range of musical instruments to a basic level.

In addition, Middle School students are given the opportunity to join the Instrumental Music Programme (IMPs) in which they receive individualised music lessons once a week in their chosen instrument.

Spanish

We are very aware of the enormous opportunities that are available to us being based in Marbella. We are at the heart of southern Spain, a rapidly transforming area with a growing influence on Spain and the world at large. We recognise that an understanding of Spanish culture and a command of the Spanish Language will be invaluable assets for the future. Children receive six hours of Spanish lessons per week. Other languages are available as part of the After School Activities programme (ASAs)

After School Activities

The ASAs programme offers a range of activities including Sports, Music, Art, and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). The opportunity for students to develop interests beyond the classroom is an integral part of the school.

The ASAs are organised by staff members and outside instructors. ASAs generally start near to the beginning of each term, once the usual routines are established. You will be notified of the clubs on offer in advance so that you can assist your child in choosing the preferred activities.

Once an ASA is chosen for each term, it is important that the student remains committed to that activity. Certain ASAs may require a commitment across more than one term. Students and families will, of course, be made aware of the requirements of the activities that they select.

School Uniform

School uniform is compulsory for all students attending the school. We believe that wearing school uniform in a proud and smart manner promotes positive self-esteem and, therefore, is integral to the ethos of the school. All students are expected to arrive at school every day in uniform, worn in a tidy manner. We expect our students to take pride in their school uniform.

Students take part in sport every day and therefore are expected to bring their PE uniform to school each day in a separate bag. You will be informed about these days at the beginning of the academic year.

The Headteacher will give guidance regarding the dates when summer and winter uniforms are to be worn, according to the seasonal weather conditions. Summer uniform will be required at the beginning of the year.

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Below is the set uniform for Middle School students:

Girls: blazer, white shirt, skirt, blue, black or grey socks, tie, parents to purchase black leather school shoes separately.

Boys: blazer, white shirts, shorts or long trousers, blue, black or grey socks, tie (blue/yellow stripe), parents to purchase black leather school shoes separately.

PE: T-shirt, Shorts, White Ankle Socks, trainers to be purchased by parents separately, house shirt (Red, Green, Yellow and Blue), bathers, splashback, swimming at, towel.

Additional Items: school rucksack, jumper (optional) sun cap, hairband.

Pupils are also encouraged to bring their own stationery (including blue and green pen/biro), mathematical geometry set (ruler, protractor, compass, set squares) and scientific calculator.

Other Items: Footwear is an important aspect of the school uniform; the correct socks and shoes complete the uniform (see above). Shoes should be black leather and worn each day.

On PE days, students must wear appropriate footwear for the activity on offer - normally training/sports shoes. All students should wear regular PE uniform for lessons and house colours for competitions and events only. On swimming days please provide a swimming costume (one piece for the girls), swimming hat, goggles, pool shoes and a towel.

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Use of coats and anoraks are encouraged during cold and rainy days, and sunhats on sunny days.

We encourage independence in our students. This does mean at times that items can go temporarily missing. With this in mind, please label all items of school uniform with your child’s name and class.

General Appearance

For safety reasons the wearing of earrings (except studs) or other jewellery (a small necklace can be worn under shirt provided it is removed for sports) must not be permitted. They represent potential hazards to all participants. Medical, professional and occupational safety advice confirms that they should be avoided at all times due to the active day the children are engaged in.

Hair should be worn in a neat style (long hair tied up), while mohicans, tramlines and bright colours are not considered appropriate hairstyles for school. If a student attends school with a hairstyle that is deemed inappropriate, the Headteacher will inform the parents and request a more suitable style.

What You Will Need For School

Water Bottles: ● Each student will be asked to bring their own reusable water bottle to school ● The bottle should be individual and never shared with others ● It should be clearly labelled with the name and class of the student ● The bottle will be returned home at the end of each day to be washed ● Only water should be contained in the bottles - no juice, carbonated drinks or flavoured drinks ● Water dispensers will be available at school for refills whenever required

Storage & Usage: ● Water bottles will be stored neatly in class and students will be able to carry them to specialist lessons ● Teachers will establish clear routines in their class to ensure drinks are available to students at certain times, but do not interrupt their lessons in anyway ● Please note that students may not be permitted to use water bottles in locations which are deemed hazardous, e.g. in the vicinity of ICT and/or electrical equipment

Resources While we will have the necessary resources in class, it is a very good idea to start the year with a small pencil case with personal items students will need for a school day. These items include a ruler, pencils, coloured pencils, rubber/eraser and pencil sharpener. These should be brought to school in a bag where other personal items may be kept.

Prohibited Items It is school policy not to bring the following items to school: ● S harp or pointed instruments (e.g. scissors) ● C hewing gum and sweets ● T oys or games unless at the request of a teacher ● M usic-playing systems, mobile phones or any other electronic devices not supplied by the school.

This is to ensure that students’ belongings do not get damaged or lost. If a parent needs to contact a student urgently a message can be passed through the school office.

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School Lunch

A hot and nutritious lunch is served to all children in school. School lunches are paid for in advance along with tuition fees. If you have not already informed the school that your child has dietary restrictions (whether for health, religious or allergy reasons), please do so immediately. We will inform the school kitchen and special arrangements will be made to provide proper suitable alternatives.

Snacks Students are encouraged to bring a healthy snack for morning break. This should consist of fresh fruit or a wholesome, nutritious snack. BISM discourages sugar-laden foods for health reasons and also because they can often have a negative effect on concentration and learning. Under no circumstances should snacks be shared amongst students. Please note that, due to existing serious allergies present within the school, snacks with nuts must be avoided. BISM is a nut-free zone.

Behaviour

Our school’s code of conduct aims to achieve a positive atmosphere in which more time is spent on teaching and learning. We recognise that the school has a critical role to play in developing self-discipline in students. We aim to establish acceptable patterns of behaviour and to encourage students to develop a sense of responsibility, self-respect and a respect for other people, property and the environment.

It is essential for parents and the school to work in partnership so that the values encouraged by home and school are mutually reinforced. The following outlines the key expectations we have of students:

● T reat everyone with respect and courtesy ● B ehave in a way that aids learning during lessons ● W alk at all times when indoors ● W alk on the left in corridors and staircases ● H old doors open for others ● R emove coats, jackets and hats during lessons and at lunch ● M ake sure that classrooms and playgrounds are kept clean and tidy; litter should be placed in bins ● G reet the teacher and guests in the school ● S peak and listen in turn ● A lways look after classroom resources and ensure that furniture and resources are tidy at the end of lessons ● K nock and wait to be invited into the room if late for class or visiting another class/office ● D o not leave the classroom without the teacher’s permission ● N o eating and drinking in the classroom – except water, and with the teacher’s permission ● S tudents are responsible for clearing trays, plates, etc., after break and lunch

All students are encouraged, taught and expected to demonstrate high standards of behaviour. We value highly the qualities of self-discipline, self-respect and respect for others and their property.

We encourage all students to act as positive citizens and bullying will not be tolerated at our school.

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House System

On entry to the school, each student will be allocated a ‘House’; members of the same family being placed in the same house. We always seek a balance of male and female students in each one. The house names and colours are as follows:

The whole school is involved in the merit system and each teacher and assistant teacher will be part of a house. There will be regular house assemblies held throughout the year. The first meeting elects house captains for each house (one boy and one girl).

The House system comprises two parts: 1) Merit system, where students gain house points for individual awards relating to their progress and efforts in all aspects of school life.

2) Inter-house competitions such as sports days, swimming galas, poetry and music competitions.

Merit Certificates in the Middle School

At BISM, we believe that great efforts should be rewarded and recognised. With this in mind, we have a house point system designed to encourage high standards and positive action from our students throughout the year. House points, therefore, will only be awarded when students do their very best.

During the year, students will be awarded house points for excellent work, effort and progress. Teachers award points to each student when deserved and it is the responsibility of the student to enter their house point on the chart displayed in the class. This can be a coloured square or a tick alongside a name. There will be no negative actions such as minus house points. Certificates will be awarded in assembly to successful students. Certificates are presented monthly depending on how many have been earned (bronze: 40, silver: 50, gold: 60). At the end of each week, the house points from each class are collated, with the winning house announced during the next assembly. The house captains from the winning house will be responsible for changing the colours displayed each week to the winning house colour until the next assembly. A house point cup is awarded to the winning team annually at Speech Day.

It is the expectation of all students to apply enough effort to receive at least a bronze certificate. If it is felt that your child is not applying minimum effort then you will be asked to meet with the class teacher to discuss possible solutions.

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Dojos are awarded for social development and citizenship. Parents receive notifications when children receive both positive and negative dojos. Although the option is there, please do not use the dojo app to message Teachers; always use email.

In Middle School dojos are only awarded in relation to the BSF Charter Values (Teamwork and Leadership, Independence, Courage, Self Discipline, Decency, Presence and Awareness). When the students have demonstrated these qualities their Charter Card will be ticked. When each value has been ticked three times their card will be framed and presented to them in assembly.

Attendance

Regular daily attendance is essential if students are to achieve their potential. We ask that parents support attendance at school wherever possible. Absence from school for reasons which are neither health-related nor involving an emergency are strongly discouraged and should be kept to a minimum, since frequent absence can result in the student falling behind - perhaps seriously - in his/her studies and/or missing key assessments and can have a negative impact on friendships.

Parents who are aware of such future absences should inform the class teacher/tutor and seek permission as far in advance as possible.

If students are unable to achieve the standards required to enter the next year group due to poor attendance, the following actions may take place at the discretion of the Headteacher: 1.

The student will be asked to repeat the year 2.

The student may be asked to withdraw from the school

Please note that it is not school policy to provide work for students who are absent. Parents will receive notification of the number of absences in the class teacher’s report at the end of term.

Absence Through Sickness While regular daily attendance is important, sometimes absence is unavoidable through sickness.

Please inform the school if your child is unable to attend school for health reasons. Please telephone as early as possible after 8:00am and leave a message for the class teacher.

In order for us to ensure the health and safety of your child, please advise us of any medical problems your child may have when there is an allergy to materials or food. Please ensure that the health questionnaire has been completed.

If your child becomes unwell and the class teacher feels that s/he may not be well enough to participate in lessons, the student will be referred to the Headteacher. After further observation, if the student is clearly not well enough to return to class, you will be telephoned to collect your child. Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the parents to collect an unwell child and that the school cannot provide a driver in such circumstances. Please ensure that school always has updated contact phone numbers.

If a child has suffered a tummy virus, please be aware that it is school policy that the child cannot return to school within 24 hours of the last episode to avoid further infection.

If a child has live head lice you will also be called to collect your child.

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Health and First Aid

All staff are first aid trained who can deal with day-to-day matters such as cuts or bruises, and students who feel unwell whilst at school. If there is an accident/injury at school and the child needs to see a doctor the parents will be called immediately. If you have private medical insurance you can take your child to your preferred doctor. If you would like to use the school´s medical insurance provided by Mapfre insurance you will need to go to the Clinica Ochoa, Avenida Severo Ochoa s/n, Marbella. If you decide to take them to the Clinica Ochoa you will need to take along an accident declaration form which has been filled in by the school, signed and stamped with a unique file number.

Medicine For Students Academic Staff are prohibited from giving any medication to students while on-site. School Administration require a prescription from a doctor with the doctor’s signature and stamp in order to administer any medication to a child. If this cannot be provided, a family representative known to the school will need to give medicine to the student.

Role of the Parent

At BISM we acknowledge the importance of involving our parents in their child’s education and we encourage the support of parents throughout the school.

Parents are often invited to support class assemblies, activities, open days and curriculum days in order to be involved in school life as much as possible. Parents are invited to join the EFC (Events and Fundraising Committee) to support school events and charity work.

Other opportunities to get involved: To be involved in school life as much as possible parents are invited to take part in the following activities: ● Reading with children in class (support booklet is given) ● Helping with class trips ● Helping with cookery or art lessons ● Supporting class assemblies and other activities

Please get in touch if you would like to offer some of your spare time in school. We would love to have your input.

Homework

In addition to your role within school we also encourage your support with your child’s learning at home. Although the teaching and learning your child experiences during each school day is more than adequate to ensure most of our students make expected progress, there are certain disciplines such as reading, spelling and mental arithmetic that will certainly be beneficial to your children’s progress if worked on at home. Tasks related to these disciplined will be allocated on Friday to be completed on Thursday.

Monthly optional homework projects are also assigned which are designed to build the students resilience, self-discipline as well as their creative, problem solving skills. All tasks are email to the children as well as posted on the Parent Portal. A corresponding sheet may also be sent home.

This said, we also understand that the school day is long and that evenings and weekends should also be a used for quality family time as well as resting and playing. Therefore, homework is not compulsory

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and we trust parents to use their judgment rather than dictate to them how they should spend their precious time with their children.

Home/School communication

At BISM we greatly value working in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure the very best for your children. As part of this, we place a strong emphasis on opening up many avenues of communication between parents and teachers. Please take the time to read the following to help you understand the different ways that we can share information with each other.

Daily Communication: ● P arent Portal. Most communication from the school is provided via the online Parent Portal.

Therefore, it is essential that all parents review all of the information on the Portal regularly. Not only will information from key staff members be presented there but also important calendar events that we would hate you to miss.

● E mail. Critical/individual communication can also be maintained by email, though we ask you to do this selectively and concisely so that email communication remains manageable for teachers and they can focus on their classroom work. The class teacher would be the first point of contact on most issues.

When appropriate, they will refer any important issues to the Senior Leadership Team. If you wish advice on administrative aspects of school our admin team are always happy to help.

Weekly: ● W eekly Blog. Teachers will inform you of learning experiences that took place during the week and upcoming events via the weekly blog that is posted on the Parent Portal.

Monthly ● S chool newsletter. This will be published on the Portal and the school website every month. It includes articles from staff and students and photos celebrating what the children have done throughout this period.

Termly: ● C urriculum Letters. At the beginning of each term, a curriculum letter is sent out to inform parents of the topics and objectives that will be taught in the coming term.

● S chool Reports. Each term you will receive a written report on your child’s progress and attainment.

● P arent Teacher Consultations. These take place 5 times a year and give you the opportunity to talk one-to-one with the teacher about your child’s progress, development and targets.

Additional Information and Correspondence during the Year:

● C urriculum Evening. Before the start of the academic year, a Curriculum Evening will be held, during which time parents will be invited to visit the classroom of their son or daughter and gain an insight into their new class and teaching staff. It is also an opportunity for the teachers to share important information about class procedures and expectations.

● C lass Timetable. This timetable indicates which activity your child is doing at what time during the week.

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● C urriculum Overviews. These will be posted directly onto our school website and is an overview of what the year group will be addressing.

● N ews. We have regular updates of school activities provided by the news coordinator on each site via newsletter, website and postings.

● F ace-to-face. Class teachers/tutors are happy to discuss concerns you may have about your son or daughter but are unable to do so during teaching time. Any small issue that can be discussed briefly at drop off or pick up time must be completed outside of lesson time.

Teachers will gladly arrange for you to make an appointment (with class teachers) to discuss any important topics that you wish to raise.

In order to maintain consistent lines of communication, we ask that you ensure that your contact details including mobile phones and email addresses remain regularly updated with the school office.

If you have a question or concern, please arrange a meeting with your class teacher. If you are not satisfied with the result of the meeting, then please meet with the Phase Leader. If the issue still cannot be rectified, please meet with the Headteacher.

If you have a grievance to bring to our attention please always use a polite and respectful tone at all times. All BISM staff work very hard for the good of your child and we expect them to be treated with the respect that they deserve.

Student Work and Portfolios Parents will have regular opportunities each term to see the work being achieved by the students as part of the parent teacher consultations. Portfolios will be collated throughout the year and shared at these meetings. All student books will normally be sent home at the end of the year (with the exception of examples required for inspection or display purposes).

Using English in School

Bilingualism at BISM is an asset to the pupil and the school, and this is reflected in the way we approach the use of language in school. English is the first language of the school and we should encourage it to be used as much as possible. It is the one common language that all pupils will share and therefore has the capacity to unite all pupils.

It is not forbidden for children to use their native language in the school, however our graduation towards exclusive use of English in the classroom and on the playground grows with the age of the children and their English language proficiency. Younger children and those new to English, may use their native language when necessary but move gradually towards more and more English.

When determining use of native language in school, the age and capability of children is key and all staff will take a common sense approach. Pupils are not reprimanded or sanctioned for using their mother tongue. Instead, they are positively encouraged to use English wherever possible.

Educational Visits & Residential Trips

Educational visits are crucial opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. Educational visits are organised in relation to the topics and themes being taught in class. Educational visits may be to

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museums, cultural sites and events or activity centres and are designed to support the learning in the classroom.

In Years 3 to 7, we offer the opportunity to enjoy an annual residential trip. The trip typically takes place within Spain or another European country for a period of one or more nights. This opportunity is of great benefit in supporting independence, leadership and teamwork, maturity and self-esteem. For many students, it is the highlight of the year.

Every effort is made by the organising staff to share information and costs at an early stage. We hope that all students will be able to attend. For those that are not able to go, a topic-related programme is offered at BISM during the residential week.

Meeting Student Needs

EAL (English as an Additional Language) As an international school, we seek to accommodate students from a range of cultures, nationalities and backgrounds. We strictly limit the number of students who need significant support to fully access our curriculum to 20% of any class. This means that effective support can be offered and that English remains the language of our school and the playground.

EAL students may initially be withdrawn from other classes to work individually or in small groups with one of our EAL team. Progress is monitored regularly with the aim of being fully integrated into classes without additional support. An intensive EAL course is available for children with exceptionally low English at an extra cost.

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Our teachers are skilled at meeting the needs of different abilities within a typical class. Some students may need additional, specialised support due to a moderate learning difficulty. This can be generally supported through the development of an IEP (Individual Education Plan) that can be designed by our Learning Support Coordinator.

However, due to our limited capacity to support SEND here in Marbella, it is the school policy not to accept students that require more extensive support.

A G & T (Able, Gifted and Talented) Able students are accommodated by effective differentiation to challenge high ability groups in classes across the curriculum. All students´ talents and academic potential is recognised. A register recognises these talents and academic areas of strength for each child and this is updated regularly by teachers, in collaboration with parents.

We believe that it is important that talented students are challenged and have an opportunity to showcase their abilities. Some of the practical examples of opportunities for our most able students include:

● Entry in COBIS competitions and festivals ● Competitive sports teams ● Leading roles in productions ● BISM talent show competition ● Art exhibitions ● Primary choir, ensembles and recitals ● Intervention groups and streamed sessions for excellent readers, writers and mathematicians

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Summary

We hope that this handbook provides an informative introduction to the school. Of course not every piece of information will be here and if you should need any further guidance, please feel free to contact the appropriate member of the school for further advice. We look forward to working with you this year.

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Calle Jacinto Benavente 29601 Marbella Málaga Spain

+34 952 779 264 www.bsm.org.es

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