Dear Students and Parents,
Strong research suggests that a lifelong love of a subject is often born in Key Stage 3 (KS3). KS3 comprises years 7,8 & 9 and are the years that students transition from the primary setting into option decisions for their GCSEs. The characteristics of eagerness, inquiry and energy is very present when children come close to their teenage years. Add transitioning from a different learning environment to the next, and you start to see how important KS3 is; it truly starts to be recognised as the ‘formative’.
What you can expect from El Alsson at Key Stage 3:
- A holistic educational experience encompassing the academic and extra-curricular;
- A rigorous and robust approach to Teaching and Learning;
- A focus on student progress through data-driven decision making;
- High expectations regarding Behaviour for Learning (BfL) and Readiness for Learning (RfL);
- Supportive teachers who put students and their learning at the forefront.
What parents can do to help their child at Key Stage 3:
- Support the decision making of teaching staff and senior staff at the school;
- Enquire about the student day, focusing on their positive learning experiences;
- Monitor their emotional development and status;
- Support your child and school with high expectations of behavior and attainment;
- Support your child on the use of technologies such as Google Classroom;
- Engage in the ‘3 way relationship’: Parent – Student – Teacher.
We hope that the Student and Parent/Guardian Handbook proves useful to you over the coming academic year.
- Is a working document that is continually improved based on feedback, innovation, student and parent experience and developments in the school.
- Has been written to help answer any routine questions that students and parents/guardians may have about KS3.
- Is an essential document and it contains information about the school day, policies, our expectations and other useful information.
- Should be referred to regularly throughout the year to remind yourself of school procedures.
Finally, may we wish you all a very successful year at El Alsson.
Mr. Philip Thomas – Head of KS3 (Years 7-9)
In Key Stage 3, students study the IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme) the following subjects groups:
- Language & literature: English and Arabic
- Language acquisition: French
- Individuals and societies: geography, history and Arabic social studies
- Design: Digital Design
- Arts: Drama, Music and Visual Arts,
- Physical and health education.
Egyptian students study Arabic, Religion and National Social Studies, in preparation for the Ibtediya and Adadiya examinations. Arabic as a Second Language courses are studied by non-Arabic speaking students.
Assessment and Reporting
Each subject is assessed using MYP assessment with levels 1-8 with a MYP International Grade of 1-7. Level 7 is the highest grade and level 1 is the lowest level. Staff are able to make judgements on student attainment and predictions through a range of Teaching and Learning practice, diagnostics and assessments.
Students are assessed in Cognitive Ability Test (CAT) with GL Assessments in Year 7 and Year 9. A CAT4 will assess 4 areas of ability and provide the teaching staff and senior leadership powerful data to make decisions about the students current ability and predictive ability. Teaching staff will utilise this data with other assessment data through the year to inform decision making.
Progression and Options Procedure
In Year 9, parents/guardians and students will be provided with counseling to enable the most appropriate GCSE courses choices. These choices are important as they inform A-level courses and the students’ entry into university. The school has minimum requirements for progression from KS3 to KS4. Therefore, teaching staff will use CAT4 assessments to inform more data-driven decision making for students’ IGCSE and GCSE options process in the Spring.