In this edition, we talk about the term ‘student agency’ which is commonly used with the International Baccalaureate. Here, we explore what this looks like across our school. 

‘Student agency’ is students taking ownership and a more active role in their learning, which is driven by their interests. This in turn leads to the students reflecting on their learning and taking action from the knowledge and skills they have explored.  This fosters a sense of responsibility and self-efficacy, which can benefit them throughout their educational journey and beyond.

In the Early Years Centre, students are exploring pumpkins as part of their exploration of the Autumn season. They explore the texture, the differences between the outside and inside and the various colours and types of pumpkin. This leads to a cooking opportunity to make and try pumpkin soup! 

In Primary, the Grade 5 students’ inquiry is around the theme ‘Who we are’ and, in Language, they are exploring biographies. After looking at a range of different people, they are then asked to choose a key figure to create a biography. With this and their Mathematics inquiries, the students justify their own strategies and determine areas where further work is needed in order to take their learning further, with the teacher acting as facilitator to support  and guide them. 

In the Middle School Art lessons,  students can make their own path and explore an artist or theme of their own choice for their summative assessments. The ideas they have are then supported and everything facilitated to make this possible. 

We have also added a new twist to our Houses in Secondary: promoting students to take an active role in their education, make choices about their learning, and have a say in the decisions that affect their academic growth and personal development. With the current development of AI, our children must learn how to think for themselves, plan ahead and be responsible for their end products. Each House will be responsible for their outcome, and to gain the precious House points needed to claim the award as best House in 2023-24, students will need to show goal-setting skills, clearly voice their ideas and targets, reflect on their planning and collaborate as a team wherein teachers become facilitators and students take the lead.

In the High School, the students are required to complete the CORE aspect of the curriculum: Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Each of these components require the students to select an area of interest to explore and develop an inquiry around. At the end of the year, an Exhibition provides an opportunity for the students to share their findings and their learning with the entire school community.