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On Monday 6 September, we ran a Welcome Evening event for our Year 12 IB students and their parents. The focus of the evening was to introduce our new IB Team and communicate the roles that we will all play in supporting the students through this outstanding programme. We also wanted to give our parents an understanding of the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and how they can help their sons and daughters in achieving the best possible experience – academically and socially.
The IB Academy operates as a micro community within the wider school population. As the Head of the IB Academy, I am very keen to ensure that parents feel welcome within the community and informed about how we deliver this exceptional programme. As our students grow and mature, they can feel less inclined to talk to parents or to ask for advice. It is vital that we empower the students to lead their own learning, but also to let them know that there are experienced people who are available to help them. We are working to communicate the message that it is healthy to talk about the things that are troubling us and that knowing when to ask for help is a very positive and important attribute.
We have introduced a new role this year that will be carried out by Ms. Jessie Lee and Mr. Marlon Devonish. These experienced members of the BISS team will be available to students for pastoral coaching sessions. Each student has different needs and they are likely to use these team members in different ways. Some students may just wish to talk through things that they are struggling to organise in their own minds, whilst others may need more practical help or guidance on how to solve specific problems.
We are looking forward to the year ahead and hope that we can all work more closely together to support our exceptional students in the IB Academy.