International Baccalaureate
The International School of Bergamo is a fully authorised IB® Continuum World School offering the Primary, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes.
The IB continuum of international education is unique because of its academic and personal rigour which challenges students to excel in their studies and in their personal growth.
The International Baccalaureate ® offers a continuum of education, consisting of 3 programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) for students aged 3 to 18. The IB learner profile is at the heart of this common framework as a clear and concise statement of the aims and values of the IB and an embodiment of what the IB means by "international-mindedness"
IB® CURRICULUM
The IB Primary Years Programme® (PYP) is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12. It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside.
It is defined by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills derived from six subject areas, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning.
The Middle Years curriculum is based on the IB® MYP, a framework for learning, designed for students aged 11 to 16 which promotes learning through inquiry and conceptual investigation.
The MYP encourages students to pursue excellence in all their endeavours while promoting international mindedness. As independent learners, MYP students’ are expected to apply relevant knowledge and critically evaluate information in order to understand an ever-changing world.
The Diploma Programme® for students aged 16 to 18 is a demanding two-year curriculum that meets the needs of highly motivated students, and leads to a qualification that is recognized by leading universities around the world.
International School of Bergamo is an authorized IB World School for the Primary, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes.
For over 40 years, IB programmes have gained a reputation for their high academic standards, for preparing students for life in a globalised 21st century, and for helping to develop the citizens who will create a better, more peaceful world. Founded in 1968, currently there are over 1 million IB students at 4,162 schools in 144 countries across the world.
HOW IS THE IB DIFFERENT?
International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes aim to do more than other curricula by developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.
The programmes encourage both personal and academic achievement, challenging students to excel in their studies and in their personal development.
Throughout all IB programmes, students develop approaches to learning skills and the attributes of the IB learner profile.
Our programmes help IB students:
- ask challenging questions
- think critically
- develop research skills proven to help them in higher education.
IB programmes also encourage students to be active in their communities and to take their learning beyond academic study.
The IB learner profile places the student at the centre of an IB education.
The 10 attributes reflect the holistic nature of an IB education. They highlight the importance of nurturing dispositions such as curiosity and compassion as well as developing knowledge and skills. They also highlight that along with cognitive development, IB programmes are concerned with students’ social, emotional and physical well-being, and with ensuring that students learn to respect themselves, others, and the world around them.
Each of the four IB programmes provides a detailed and developmentally appropriate curriculum or curriculum framework that is broad, balanced, conceptual and connected.
IB programmes offer students access to a broad and balanced range of academic studies and learning experiences. They promote conceptual learning, focusing on powerful organizing ideas that are relevant across subject areas, and that help to integrate learning and add coherence to the curriculum.
The programmes emphasize the importance of making connections, exploring the relationships between academic disciplines, and learning about the world in ways that reach beyond the scope of individual subjects.
Our focus on approaches to learning is grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education.
The five categories of interrelated skills aim to empower IB students of all ages to become self-regulated learners who know how to ask good questions, set effective goals, pursue their aspirations and have the determination to achieve them. These skills also help to support students’ sense of agency, encouraging them to see their learning as an active and dynamic process.
The same five categories of skills span all IB programmes, with the skills then emphasized in developmentally appropriate ways within each programme.
The five categories are:
- thinking skills, including areas such as critical thinking, creative thinking and ethical thinking
- research skills, including skills such as comparing, contrasting, validating and prioritizing information
- communication skills, including skills such as written and oral communication, effective listening, and formulating arguments
- social skills, including areas such as forming and maintaining positive relationships, listening skills, and conflict resolution
- self-management skills, including both organisational skills, such as managing time and tasks, and affective skills, such as managing state of mind and motivation.
The International School of Bergamo is committed to include and support all children with a variety of needs and ability. The school and its staff prides itself on delivering an education that aims to maximise the potential of all children. An Inclusion Manager as well as a team of external consultants, ensure that the Learning Support Policy implemented throughout the whole school.