SECONDARY & JC NEWS
IB 5 Year Evaluation Report

Every five years, each school that offers any International Baccalaureate (IB) programme must go through a very thorough evaluation. Following a year of reflections and evidence gathering, a team of evaluators from the IB inspected our documentation, met with students, teachers, leaders, parents and governors, and took a virtual tour of the school. They then wrote a detailed report on the improvements we have made since we became an IB school, describing our strengths and any areas for improvement. 

We’re delighted that the report outlined many strengths. The IB particularly noticed our caring SIS-PIK community, and they specifically referenced the quality of our academic team, noting that the leadership and staff are qualified in their required duties but also committed to the school’s purpose and ongoing professional development. They describe teaching and learning at SIS-PIK in glowing terms, stating that classroom learning is ‘conceptual, contextual and highly interactive’. Further welcome praise came for our broad and balanced curriculum offer, and our provision of digital platforms, including PowerSchool, Kognity and Cambridge CEM baseline testing. Finally (and potentially most importantly) they noted that our students were capable independent learners, which has been a focus of our ‘Building Learning Power’ strategy over the last two years. 

The report notes that all IB requirements are in place at SIS-PIK. However, we are always keen to grow. Prior to the evaluation, we told the team that we wished to develop our pastoral care programme, including the appointment of a new educational psychologist wellbeing/emotional counsellor. The IB agreed with our aim, and we look forward to showing these improvements over the coming months. They also recognised the improvements we have made in pupil support, with particular reference to our Academic Mentoring Programme. 

The conclusion of the report is exceptionally pleasing, and we proudly present excerpts here:

“It is obvious… the school is committed to the IB mission and philosophy… The IB programme at the school provides internationally recognised structures that support the needs and expectations of the community… The school must be commended in persevering in the face of the challenges presented by the Covid pandemic… The school continues its long-standing commitment to the IB philosophy… 

The school’s status as an IB World School is confirmed.”