Learning Support

'Inspiring and challenging young minds as a caring and committed international community to achieve excellence, assume responsibility and pursue life-long learning.'

The BIS mission statement is the foundation for our learning support handbook. With the increase of inclusive practices and a growing awareness of the rights of students and parents, perceptions of learning support are changing in the wider community and in education in particular. In line with current practice learning support most often occurs in an inclusive manner.

The learning support handbook aspires to fulfill each aspect of the mission statement as follows:

Inspiring and challenging young minds

The learning support handbook ensures that our learning community is inspiring and challenging young minds through supporting each individual student to reach their full potential.

As a caring and committed international community

The learning support handbook validates the equal status of all learners and the context and cultures from which they have come. It endorses an awareness of the diversity of learning styles and educational needs of all our students within our international community. Our referral process ensures a collaborative approach where there is a sense of responsibility being shared by all who are part of a student’s education. At BIS the classroom/subject teachers are collaboratively supported by specialists and the support services team, to ensure that students receive what is required to be successful in their learning environment.

Achieve excellence

The learning support handbook recognises the need for differentiated learning in order for students to reach their full potential. The handbook also ensures that students receive what is required to be successful in their learning environment.

Assume responsibility

The learning support handbook supports the shared responsibility of teachers, students and parents for all students’ learning.

Pursue life-long learning

The learning support handbook is pivotal in ensuring the success of students with learning needs along their educational pathway. The transdiciplinary skills of thinking, communication, social, self- management and research are essential to the growth of all children. The learning support handbook ensures the development and reinforcement of these skills to provide a solid foundation for learning.

Purpose of the Learning Support Handbook

This learning support handbook is a working document developed by staff and administration from each section of the school and each programme experienced at the school (IBPYP, IBMYP, IGCSE and IBDP). The handbook is consistent with the stipulated principles and practices of the IB.

The purpose of this learning support handbook is to identify student’s learning style, scaffold their learning and differentiate the curriculum in order to highlight their true potential. The focus is on the differentiation of learning.

The handbook is intended to provide an overview and guiding principles for learning at BIS that permeates the entire school curriculum through authentic contexts in a culturally rich and diverse environment. This handbook is a statement of agreement – one to which the staff and the BIS community are asked to commit to so that our school can achieve its mission.

Beliefs and Aims

We believe it is the responsibility of all those who interact with students to provide a supportive emotional, social and academic environment, focusing on the unique talents, abilities and needs of the whole child.

All elements of the learning support handbook aim to increase independent access to the curriculum. We believe effective learning support utilises a collaborative approach, supporting students, teachers and parents in developing an environment that results in optimum learning. It is the responsibility of all teachers to ensure that support is relevant, contextual and consistent with the school curriculum, occurring inclusively wherever possible.

In order to support learning for all students at BIS we have adopted the term ‘Learning Support’ to cater for the wide spectrum of need and support along a continuum, including the gifted and talented.

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