High School: How We Achieve Good Results
We achieve good examination results by employing well qualified and experienced
international staff, having high expectations of students and ensuring all departments
are suitably resourced. Our students are expected to work hard and our teachers
are expected to teach in a way which will motivate students to learn. We aim to
teach well and inculcate in our students a work ethic which will enable them to
achieve to the limit of their abilities. Throughout each phase of the school we
encourage students to strive to achieve the maximum of their individual potential.
Students are provided with challenge and opportunity for development in line with
the traits of the IB learner profile.
All members of staff are encouraged, and provided with opportunities, to further
their own learning and teaching methodology. At EIS-J we provide staff with training
in established methods of good practice as well as current and emerging ideas. This
training involves cooperation with other schools in the region, other IB schools
as well as the use of invited experts from overseas.
The school runs an after school activities programme which is now overseen by our
After School Activities Coordinator (Please refer to the After School Activities
page of this website for further information). As part of this programme, many departments
run their own activities to stimulate interest. Some departments provide regular
local fieldwork expeditions/trips and annual international exchanges/trips as well
as further academic support to students.
Every student in the High School has a Form Teacher to provide guidance as the first
line of the student welfare system. Relatively small form sizes enable teaching
staff to focus on individuals to greater effect. Grade 12 and 13 classes are often
much smaller in number.
Parents' Evenings for each grade are held twice an academic year at key points in
each grade's academic calendar and all staff, especially those in key positions,
are available throughout term-time to discuss any concerns parents have about their
child's academic progress. The IGCSE Coordinator and IB Diploma Programme Coordinator
also run course selection information sessions during the academic year.
Parents are encouraged to contact staff via email when they have concerns. The website
lists the names, by faculties, and email addresses of all High School staff in order
for parents to communicate concerns in writing. High School staff should respond,
in the first instance, to all parent communiqués within 48 working hours.
A weekly parent forum will operate following Ramadan, giving a small number of parents
the opportunity to meet informally with the High School Principal for one hour each
week. Parents register their intent to attend with the High School Secretary prior
to the day of the forum, as places are limited. Restricting attendance to a small
number of parents each week maintains the close and informal environment of the
forum. Invited parents then meet with the High School Principal for an hour in a
round table session to discuss any issues of importance to you, as parents and to
your child/ren.
During the 2008/09 academic year, the High School will investigate the feasibility
of operating a "Grade Parent" system to support the grade teachers shoring up the
student welfare and curriculum structures within the High School and to provide
a "point of contact" between the parents.
Libraries
In September of 2007, the High School began operation of a second library. The original
library caters primarily for Grades 7 to 11 with the establishment of a second library
to cater predominantly for Grades 12 and 13 in a purpose built library facility
designed for students completing the IB Diploma Programme. The Grade 7 to 11 library
holds a comprehensive collection of academic and reference books and a wide range
of journals and periodicals. It is both a serious working library and a peaceful
place of study and recreational reading. Both libraries incorporate an information
technology network with filtered Internet and full e-library access.
Monitoring progress
Any student who does not have English as their first language will be given a test
of their competency in English and we are able to provide specialist EFL tuition
if the student needs this. Students can access either the SELS (Specialised English
Language Support) or EMP (English Modified Programme) according to their individual
needs. Progress is monitored on a regular basis to ensure most students reintegrate
fully with the mainstream programme.
An interim progress report is sent to the parents of each student in the Autumn
term. A full report on each student is sent to parents at the end of each of the
Spring and Summer terms.
The High School maintains a Learning Support capability to assist students working
below expectations for their age due to a learning difficulty. This support is also
available to extend and to provide for gifted and talented students.
The school will employ internal and external monitoring facilities. These, along
with analysis of external examination results, allow us to check student progress
in comparison with their peers, national averages and international cohorts. More
detail of the student monitoring procedures can be found in the Evaluation section.