CURRICULUM
We are introducing a new curriculum – the Oxford International Curriculum (OIC).
We piloted the OIC in years one and seven last year and were impressed with its philosophy, structure and scope.
The OIC offers a new approach to teaching and learning focused on wellbeing, which places joy at the heart of the curriculum, and develops the global skills our learners need for their future academic, personal and career success.
STAFF
We welcome new staff members – teachers and teaching assistants – to our team.
Our staff now includes a highly qualified English as a Second Language teacher. He will be providing support to some of our older students – Year 4 to year 8 – who are presently unable to access the curriculum at the level required and for those who show reading development complications.
RESOURCES
We have been updating and adding to our ‘hands-on’ resources, textbooks, library books and digital hardware and software. We have sourced as much as we could here in Lao PDR to support the local economy. This included having a local carpenter producing lovely, mathematical materials made from wood, rather than plastic.
An overview is listed below:
- Tablets to be used primarily by our year seven and eight pupils. These will enable the children to conduct research about their Global Skills Projects. In these projects the pupils set out to establish objectives and plan actions to solve real world problems.
- Up-to-date textbooks to support the implementation the Oxford International Curriculum.
- Maths manipulatives i.e. concrete objects that children can touch and manipulate. These are essential tools in helping students understand many mathematical concepts including place value, fractions, geometry and measuring. Without concrete objects, many children fail to gain the secure understanding necessary to move forward with confidence.
- A host of materials for our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). These include a range of sensory equipment, creative role-play dress-ups and toys, some lovely wooden cars and puzzles. We have really tried to avoid plastic, preferring wood where possible.
YEAR 1
The teachers and assistants have spent their holiday decorating the landing and corridor outside their new classrooms which are located upstairs in the Early Years building. They have painted a beautiful mural and will set up a peaceful and comfortable area for the children to enjoy learning and socializing.
NURSERY
The nursery classroom has been extended to double its original size. The bathroom can now be entered directly from the Nursery classroom, making toileting easier.
The nursery, along with all the other classrooms, have been freshly painted.
YEAR 8
We are growing. We are now well into Lower Secondary with the year eights our top class.