International Baccalaureate Programme

 What is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme?

Students learn through, with and about the arts within an IB Framework at Victoria School. IB education is motivated by a mission to create a better and more peaceful world through education. IB promotes intercultural understanding and respect, as an essential part of life in the 21st century. The programs form a coherent sequence of education by promoting the education of the whole person through an emphasis on intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth.

Which International Baccalaureate Programmes does Victoria School of the Arts offer?

Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP),  Career-related Certificate Programme (IBCP).

• The IB Primary Years Programme, for students aged 3 to 12, focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world.
• The IB Middle Years Programme, for students aged 11 to 16, provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers.
  
• The IB Diploma Programme (Grade 11 & 12) develops students breath and depth of knowledge within six specific subject groups and helps them flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
• The Career-related Certificate Programme (Grade 11 & 12) combines recognised IB Diploma Programme courses with an arts career-related study and a unique IBCC core. IBCC students engage in a challenging program of study that focuses on their artistic interest while gaining transferable and lifelong skills.

How Do The Four IB Programmes Work Together?
The four programmes form a coherent sequence of education by promoting the education of the whole person through an emphasis on intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth. In all three programmes, the education of the whole person is manifested through all domains of knowledge, involving learning in languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics and especially the arts.

All Programmes:

• Require study across a broad range of subjects drawing content from educational cultures across the world.
• Give special emphasis to language acquisition and development.
• Encourage and focus on developing skills for learning.  
• Include the study of individual subjects and of transdisciplinary areas.
• Provide students with opportunities for individual and collaborative planning and research.
• Include a community and service component requiring action and reflection.

IB Learner Profile

The IB learner profile describes character traits that staff and students at Victoria School value and wish to foster. As a school, we accept the IB Programme aim to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

As IB learners we strive to be:

Inquirers:  We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

Knowledgeable: We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signifi­cance.

Thinkers:  We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators : We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled: We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Open- Minded: We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring: We show empathy, compassion, and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-takers: We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced: We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Reflective: We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

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