20 Waterside Plaza, New York, New York 10010 Tel: (212) 481-2700 Fax: (646) 607-5970 e-Mail: info@bis-ny.org - Parent PortaL
Key Stage 3
Years 7 - 9 (Grades 6 - 8)
In order to continue to provide your children with a rigorous yet broad curriculum The British International School of New York teaches the Key Stage 3 (KS3) programme from the National Curriculum of England and Wales.
We recognize that our parent body has differing long-term aims for their children, often depending upon which country of study they will likely end up in.
This curriculum has been chosen for its rigorous standards of excellence and its adaptability to school systems in the US,
UK and other countries around the world.
How will my child make this transition?
There is a broad set of common purposes, values and aims that underpin the school curriculum and the work of the school across all ages. As within the PYP, the main aim for the KS3 curriculum is to focus on the qualities and skills learners need to succeed in school and beyond. These aims inform all aspects of curriculum planning , teaching and learning at whole-school and subject levels.
The framework of the PYP has laid the foundations and prepared our students to explore in greater depth the concepts, processes and skills of a specific area of study. They will also continue to hone skills which encourage independent work habits to enable them to manage their time and resources most efficiently.
Expectations for intellectual development increase as students approach more complex subject content and are encouraged to not only solve, but also pose problems in order to acquire greater knowledge and skill. Within these heightened expectations, learners must also manage increased homework demands.
At BIS-NY, KS3 continues to foster the attitudes and traits that will help promote international mindedness, leadership, and an application of learning that is purposeful, significant, relevant and challenging.
Students are supported by their form tutor and the faculty at large in their emotional and social development. They are guided towards being able to make important, informed choices in a rapidly changing world.
BIS-NY students entering Key Stage 3 will have a form classroom (homeroom) but also use the Science, Music, Art, and Language rooms for those areas of instruction.
What exactly is Key Stage 3? What subjects will my children learn and how will they be taught?
At BIS-NY all children in KS3 must follow a programme of education in the following areas:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science (Physics, Chemistry, & Biology)
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Design Technology
- History
- Geography
- Modern Foreign Language
- Art and Design
- Music
- Physical Education
- Citizenship
- Sex Education
- Careers Education
Subject- specific lessons are taught by specialist teachers to allow for deep content-based learning and analysis.
Cross-curricular ‘Dimensions’ have recently been added to the planning of the curriculum, enabling students not only to make progress within subjects, but also to understand how learning in different subject disciplines can be applied and developed through meaningful and real world contexts.
These Dimensions, which include ‘identity and cultural diversity’, ‘global dimensions and sustainable development’ along with ‘creative and critical thinking’ ensure that children are able tobuild connections and make learning meaningful within and beyond the classroom and give education relevance and authenticity. This philosophy ties neatly back into the manner in which the students have been used to learning within the IB PYP.
Crucially, there remains an emphasis on the core subjects, which include English, Mathematics and Science, with increased use of ICT to support all subjects.
All students are provided with personal laptops at the start of the year for planning and developing solutions using a range of ICT tools and techniques; handling data, sequencing instructions and modeling, finding, using and communicating information, organisation skills for files and documents.
That’s not all…
In addition, your children will have the opportunity to explore their own areas of interest. To challenge and motivate them there is an extended school day (Tuesday –Thursday until 4.35pm), optional morning classes and elective language choices. In addition there are increasingly structured sports activities, music options, community service opportunities as well as key roles of responsibility within the school.
At BIS-NY we take every opportunity to personalise curriculum areas, catering to our particular students own needs and interests through differentiated instruction. The result is a rigorous curriculum which BIS-NY is able to adapt to its own learners, maximizing the advantages of living in one of the world’s most exciting cities.
Placement: Where can KS3 take them?
The KS3 curriculum was deliberately chosen by BIS-NY for its transportability whether students are moving onto local private schools in New York, returning to the UK or moving to an international school elsewhere in the world.
In addition to providing a competitive and high quality curriculum, the school also recognizes the importance of advising and guiding parents at this critical juncture in their children’s lives.
The school continues to build relationships with leading schools both locally and internationally to aid advising and preparing parents and students as to the most suitable onward schools for their children.
All students will also receive regular counsel from the Head of School to determine and finesse their strengths, interests and character culminating in an individualised Student Profile.
Capitalising on our internationally-experienced faculty and growing relations with schools around the globe, we also offer support in preparing each student for the specific entrance requirements of their chosen on-going schools, wherever they may be.
We take great pride in our process of placement and in the impressive results of our students.
Please click here for a selection of the schools that our students have gained placement at.