Nurturing Academic Excellence through the UK ENC Curriculum blended with the Bahrain MOE curriculum for Arabic Language, Islamic Education, and Citizenship
At ISCS, we proudly implement the UK curriculum, drawing inspiration from the esteemed National Curriculum of England. The progression of the curriculum forms the backbone of our teaching methodology, ensuring that students receive a world-class education that aligns with international standards of excellence. Through this curriculum, we aim to empower learners with a comprehensive and globally recognized foundation, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. ISCS Bahrain will offer the Bahrain MOE curriculum for Arabic Language, Islamic Education, and Citizenship.
Overview of UK Curriculum
At ISCS, our curriculum is meticulously designed around the National Curriculum for England framework. The Senior Leadership Team has taken great care to ensure comprehensive coverage, including aspects beyond the dimensions of curriculum, in a structured and progressive manner throughout the school. Subject leaders have further detailed the knowledge and skills for each subject, ensuring a smooth transition from one stage of learning to the next.
Embracing a thematic and holistic approach, each class embarks on a new topic every half term, serving as the focal point for curriculum delivery. These topics are thoughtfully chosen based on considerations such as the ENC Curriculum, our local context, and our cherished school values. Foundation subjects are integrated to ensure balanced coverage and bolster long-term memory development.
We firmly believe that teaching through engaging topics brings learning to life, enhancing its relevance and memorability for our students. This approach aligns perfectly with our context and school values, providing children with enriching experiences that broaden their horizons and deepen their cultural knowledge. Our curriculum is rooted in knowledge and skills, with the goal of nurturing independent learners who can adeptly apply this knowledge, complemented by the skills acquired along their educational journey, to real-world context.
Whole School Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum is meticulously designed to cultivate resilient, well-rounded learners, equipping them with the knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to become responsible, impactful members of both local and global communities. Guided by a moral compass rooted in faith, our aim is to effect positive transformations in the lives of our students.
Empowering Confident Global Citizens
We envision our learners as confident, courageous global citizens whose voices are heard. They are prepared to confront any obstacles that may hinder the pursuit of their ambitions. Our curriculum is designed to inspire, support, and include, aligning with the UK National Curriculum, Bahrain Ministry of Education curriculum, and specially tailored holistic learning experiences that reflect our international context. This journey starts from each student's unique starting point and leads them towards a platform for success in higher education and the professional world.
Responsive and Aspirational
Our curriculum is dynamic, adapting to our diverse and ever-evolving context. We hold high aspirations at the heart of our educational intent, aiming to foster academic excellence deeply rooted in core values.
Empowering through Comprehensive Skill Sets
Our curriculum is crafted to support our learners' diverse needs, focusing not only on subject concepts but also on the development of essential personal skills and virtues. These skills, such as compassion, integrity, tolerance, courage, collaboration, responsibility, reasoning, reflection, resilience, and resourcefulness, are crucial for students to become well-rounded individuals capable of independent thinking, facing challenges, and leading with others.
Equipping for the Future
To prepare our students for success in the workplace, our curriculum hones a range of employability skills including collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, global citizenship, growth mindset, and effective communication.
Foundations: Literacy, Numeracy, and Oracy
Literacy and numeracy are fundamental cornerstones across our curriculum, empowering students to unlock their potential and engage with the world. Additionally, the development of effective oral communication (oracy) is integral to our regional culture, enhancing students' ability to articulate their thoughts and ideas confidently.
Beyond the Classroom: Extra-Curricular Enrichment
We believe that learning transcends the confines of classrooms. Our extra-curricular activities, linked to subject concepts and beyond, serve to enrich the learning experience. These opportunities are crafted to bolster and enhance our students' educational journey, providing them with positive and memorable experiences beyond traditional lessons.
Curriculum Aims:
The aims of our school curriculum are
- To fulfil all the requirements of the National Curriculum and the required Ministry of Education Curriculum of Arabic, Islamic Education , History and Geography.
- To provide a knowledge-rich curriculum, where children remember what they have learned.
- To provide enriching opportunities and experiences to promote cultural capital.
- To provide a broad curriculum in order to increase children’s knowledge.
- To provide a spiral curriculum, with opportunities to revisit prior learning and encourage deep learning.
- To provide children with a progressive curriculum, with explicit links with what the new learning builds on from and leads on to.
- To enable all children to understand that they are all successful learners.
- To enable children to understand the skills and attributes needed to be a successful learner.
- To encourage children to build a resilient attitude towards learning and challenge.
- To enable children to develop their own personal interests.
- To promote a positive attitude towards learning, so that children enjoy coming to school, and acquire a solid basis for lifelong learning.
- To teach children the basic skills of literacy, numeracy, and information technology (IT).
- To encourage a love for reading and to promote reading through all areas of the curriculum.
- To enable children to be creative through art, drama, and design technology.
- To enable children to be healthy individuals who enjoy sport and appreciate the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
- To teach children about their developing world, including how their environment and society have changed over time.
- To help children understand their local heritage and cultural heritage.
- To enable children to be positive citizens in society and to feel that they can make a difference.
- To enable children to understand and respect other cultures.
- To teach children to have an awareness of their own spiritual development, and to understand right from wrong.
- To help children understand the importance of truth and fairness, so that they grow up committed to equal opportunities for all.
- To enable children to have respect for themselves and high self-esteem, and to be able to live and work cooperatively with others.
- To enable children to be active and take responsibility for their own health.
- To enable children to be passionate about what they believe in and to develop their own thinking
- To enable children to ask questions and take risks.
Students will be educated to the highest standards in a warm, friendly, secure and conservative environment. The environmental conditions to learning are further achieved by the school's healthy and balanced emphasis on discipline and fostering respect by all, for all.
Early Years Provision at ISCS Bahrain; building strong foundations.
Our curriculum encompasses seven total areas of learning and development. All areas of learning and development are important and are interconnected.
The first three areas are particularly important for building a strong foundation of igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships, and thriving. These are called the prime areas:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social, and emotional development
The next four areas help children strengthen and apply the prime areas. These are called the specific areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
At ISCS, we are committed to offering children the best start to their education through a mixture of adult directed tasks and child-initiated learning.
Through the areas of provision, we aim to spark curiosity and investigation to move learning forward in all areas of the curriculum.
Adults support children to develop skills in order to become independent learners and foster that learning to develop language, literacy, and maths skills for future learning.
Weaving throughout the EYFS curriculum at ISCS Bahrain, are three Characteristics of Effective Learning.
Playing and exploring; children investigate, and experience things, and ‘have a go’.
Active learning: children concentrate, and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements.
Creating and thinking critically; children create and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
These elements underpin how we reflect on each child’s development and adjust our practice accordingly. Supporting children in their individual learning behaviour and observing the context of children’s play is essential.
Primary School
At ISCS Bahrain, we are committed to providing a challenging curriculum, with high expectations.
Students in the Primary phase follow the National curriculum of England, and through a rich, diverse and exciting curriculum, our students develop into well rounded, confident learners, pursuing ‘excellence’ in all that they do.
Students are instructed in the following academic subjects:
- English
- Math
- Science
- Arabic Language
- Islamic Education
- History
- Geography
- Quran
- Arts
- Physical Education
- Topic
Physical Education Throughout Primary, links are made across the curriculum to ensure students are taught through a holistic methodology, which recognizes that the learning experience is greatly enriched when subjects are not taught in isolation.
Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)
Key Stage 1 is an important bridge between the Foundation Stage, and the more rigorous content taught in Key Stage 2. We ensure students are equipped with a strong foundation, to ensure a smooth transition into Key Stage 2. Phonics and Mathematics are provided daily, to enhance students’ reading, writing, and problem-solving skills.
Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)
In Key Stage 2, our students explore subjects in more detail, allowing them to extend their learning. The development of leadership and independent learning skills are an integral part of the learning modules, for students of Years 3 to 6.
As students’ progress throughout Key Stage 2, we ensure that they are adequately prepared by the end of Year 6, for the best possible transition to our Secondary school.
Content Delivery
At ISCS Bahrain, our course delivery practice is rooted in globally recognized teaching strategies and best practices, all geared towards achieving several key objectives:
- Fostering a Lifelong Love for Learning: We strive to ignite and sustain students' interests, enabling them to unlock their full potential.
- Holistic Development through Purposeful Play: Nurturing Confidence and Independence:Our approach aims to cultivate self-confidence and self-awareness, empowering students to take charge of their own learning journey.
- Building a Strong Knowledge Foundation: We lay a robust groundwork in core subjects like Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. This is achieved through an enriched cross-curricular approach that seamlessly integrates Art, Physical Education, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This holistic learning experience ensures a well-rounded education that goes beyond textbook knowledge.
Teachers
Teachers at ISCS play a pivotal role in the educational journey of our students. They are dedicated to:
- Unleashing Potential: Our educators celebrate diversity and work diligently to identify and nurture the unique strengths and capabilities of each student, allowing them to realise their full potential.
- Partnering with Parents: Open collaboration with parents is paramount. This active involvement ensures that parents can contribute effectively to their child's learning experience.
- Prioritising Safety and Values: Providing a safe and secure environment is of utmost importance. This environment is built upon our cherished culture, morals, and values, ensuring a nurturing space for all.
- Leveraging Technology for Engagement: Our teachers integrate cutting-edge technology to cater to diverse learning styles, sustaining high levels of enthusiasm among students.
- Encouraging Ongoing Assessment: Through regular feedback, our teachers foster a positive and secure learning atmosphere, enabling students to thrive and grow confidently.
