prospectus

British International School, Ho Chi Minh City British International School, Ho Chi Minh City 24 25

A Member of the BIS Group of Schoolswww.bisvietnam.com

Inspected, approved and rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the British Government


ContentsWelcome to the British International SchoolHo Chi Minh City

The British International School (BIS) offers a British style education to the international community of Ho Chi Minh City. A British

education system and its qualifications are recognised, valued and respected around the world and is a thorough preparation for students to progress to colleges and universities of their choice in any country.

Academic success is valued highly, but it is also our belief that the all-round development of each child is just as important. Through an extensive extra-curricular programme, the school provides an array of opportunities for each child to succeed and then recognises, praises and celebrates these achievements. This makes the children feel good about themselves and to have a more positive and confident attitude generally. We want our students to feel proud of themselves and of the school.

Shaun Williams CEO & Principal

We expect a lot from our children as they develop into adaptable, responsible and accomplished individuals. In an ever changing world our children need to confidently and independently prepare for life as global citizens in a global workplace. The traditional virtues of good manners, politeness and tolerance, now translated into multi-cultural contexts, still count for so much in life and are constantly reinforced to the students.

If you would like more information about our school may I encourage you to visit our web site www.bisvietnam.com. If you are able to visit the school in person you will be able to see first-hand just how good the school really is and that above all we are a happy school. You will be assured of a warm welcome and we very much look forward to meeting you.

“A British education system and its qualifications are recognised, valued and respected around the world”

3 Welcome to the British International School, Ho Chi Minh City

5 Introduction

Mission Statement

Accreditation and Approval

6 Facilities

8 Dedicated Educational Professionals

9 Educational Programmes

10 Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

11 Primary Key Stage 1 & 2

12 Secondary Key Stage 3

13 Secondary Key Stage 4

14 Sixth Form

University Destinations

15 Our Students

16 Learning Technology

17 All Round Development

18 Outdoor Education

19 Leadership Opportunities

20 Community Involvement

22 BIS Group of Schools

23 BIS Location Map

British International School, Ho Chi Minh City 5

Accreditation and ApprovalBIS is the first school in Vietnam to be British government inspected and approved. The British Schools Overseas Inspection Report states "BIS is an excellent school. It provides a very high quality of education and care for its students. The quality of learning, teaching and leadership is outstanding. The students, parents, and teachers are passionate about the school." March 2013

BIS is fully accredited through the prestigious Council of International Schools (CIS). This means that the school has undergone a thorough evaluation by a team of independent inspectors, who have provided external verification that it provides a high quality education and deserves its reputation as a leading school in the region. The school is a registered centre for the UK examination boards, Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). It is also designated as an IB World School, authorised to deliver the IB Diploma Programme and is registered with the UK Government DfE as an overseas school. It is a member of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and is fully licenced within Vietnam by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Introduction

Mission Statement The British International School, Ho Chi Minh City is a caring and multicultural community that enables all individuals to realise their academic and personal potential in a dynamic and challenging learning environment which values enquiry, perseverance and reflection. At the British International School we act with integrity and treat one another with respect, learning together as responsible global citizens.

BIS is an independent, co-educational day school. It provides a British style curriculum for an international student body of around 1,800 children aged from 2 - 18. It is the largest international school in Vietnam, operating from three purpose-built, modern campus sites in Ho Chi Minh City. One Primary campus is located in District 3 of the city whilst a second Primary campus and a dedicated Secondary campus are located in the quiet suburban, residential area of District 2. Both Primary campuses cater for students from the Foundation Stage (Pre-school) through to Year 6 and the Secondary campus caters for students from Years 7 to 13.

The school provides a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum to meet the wide ranging needs of the students. BIS operates within the framework of the National Curriculum for England and students are prepared for both the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Educational Excellence Since 1997


Facilities

All three of the school campuses have been designed fully in line with international standards and have excellent purpose built facilities - large libraries, music suites, computer suites, indoor 25 metre swimming pools, large sports halls and outside play areas. All of the classrooms are spacious, modern and fully air-conditioned and are resourced to a very high level.

The Secondary campus in particular has excellent specialist facilities including a gymnasium, auditorium, mini theatre, science laboratories, music rooms, drama studio, art & design rooms as well as ICT suites.

Foundation aged children have their own mini swimming pools, sand pits and dedicated playgrounds with appropriate climbing and agility apparatus.


Dedicated Educational Professionals

The three campuses are staffed with dedicated, skilled and committed teachers, ensuring the education on offer is amongst the very best available anywhere in the world. Our teaching teams are strong and innovative, constantly re-visiting ways of bringing the curriculum to life. Often this is done using the most modern technology but our classrooms remain ordered and disciplined and we place great value on trusting relationships between students and their teachers.

All of our teaching staff are well qualified with relevant British curriculum experience. We select energetic and innovative teachers with a proven track record of successfully motivating and inspiring the children to make the best of their abilities at school in a caring and happy environment.

Our programme of continued professional development ensures that our teachers are kept up to date with the latest teaching methodologies and ideas. All Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Primary classes have at least one English speaking Vietnamese teaching assistant to support the work of the teachers.

CAMPUS KEY STAGEAGE ON ENTRY

NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR

ENGLANDYEAR GROUP

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES

Tu Xuong Primaryand

An Phu Primary

Early Years Foundation

Stage

2 years Foundation Stage 1

EYFS Programme for England



Key Stage 1

5 years Year 1

National Curriculum for England

6 years Year 2

Key Stage 2

7 years Year 3

8 years Year 4

9 years Year 5

10 years Year 6

An Phu Secondary

Key Stage 3

11 years Year 7

12 years Year 8

13 years Year 9

Key Stage 4

14 years Year 10

IGCSE

15 years Year 11

Sixth Form

16 years Year 12IB Diploma Programme

17 years Year 13

Educational Programmes

IGCSE – International General Certificate of Secondary Education IB – International Baccalaureate

“Dedicated, skilled and committed teachers”


EYFS offers children aged from 2 – 4 an outstanding environment providing Pre-Nursery (F1), Nursery (F2) and Reception (F3) education of the highest quality at both the An Phu and Tu Xuong Primary campuses. The school offers a play-based curriculum using teaching and learning materials from the British Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. The main emphasis is on providing a secure and nurturing environment that allows for all of the children to develop at their own pace. Children have the opportunity to work towards Early Learning Goals in seven areas of learning whilst being closely supported and challenged along the way. Readiness and flexibility are therefore key considerations in the planning of effective and differentiated teaching strategies. Experienced and qualified teachers and assistants support children through structured play experiences, offering open-ended learning and opportunities for child-initiated projects. There is a strong emphasis on social and emotional development as a means by which children develop their skills of independence, problem solving and confidence.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

EYFS classrooms on each of the Primary campuses are self-contained units. This ensures that the children feel safe and comfortable in a secure environment. However, as the young children develop confidence in their surroundings, there are opportunities for them to use the facilities of the primary school. This gives them access to a large library, music rooms, ICT rooms, a sports hall and a swimming pool.

The Early Years Foundation Stage includes the following seven areas of learning:

The three prime areas:

» Communication and language

» Physical development

» Personal, social and emotional development

The prime areas will help them to develop skills in the following four specific areas:

» Literacy

» Mathematics

» Understanding the world

» Expressive arts and design

Primary Key Stage 1 & 2

At both the An Phu and Tu Xuong Primary campuses, the children follow the National Curriculum for England appropriately modified to provide an international dimension using the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).

We consider ourselves to be a learning focussed school. We aim to provide the skills, knowledge and understanding for our pupils to become successful life-long learners. In order to do this, we define what good learning is, how we achieve it and for what purpose. We ensure that this is shared with the whole school community.

English, Mathematics and Science are regarded as core subjects and receive the largest time allocation from the class teacher. The class teachers also use IPC topics and themes to deliver the National Curriculum for England in History, Geography, Design Technology and Art. There is also a programme of personal, social and health education for the children. Music, ICT, Vietnamese culture and PE are taught as individual subjects by specialist teachers. French, Spanish and Mandarin taster sessions begin from F3 to Year 2 followed by full weekly lessons in Year 3 and 4 before they make a choice of languages to study from Year 5 onwards. Vietnamese language is available as an extra-curricular activity.


Secondary Key Stage 3

All students follow a common curriculum based on the National Curriculum for England. The following subjects are studied:

» English

» Mathematics

» Science

» French, Mandarin, Spanish or Vietnamese

» Geography

» History

» ICT

» Design Technology

» Physical Education

» Music

» Drama

» Art

In addition to these subjects the students also follow a programme of Personal, Social and Health Education as well as Vietnamese language and culture. Towards the end of Key Stage 3, a Careers Educational and Guidance programme leads into the selection of IGCSE courses for Key Stage 4.

“Learning to learn and

developing study skills

to make our students

lifelong learners is a key

focus at BIS.”“A broad and balanced curriculum with a wide range of subjects”

Secondary Key Stage 4

Core Subjects

» English

» Mathematics

» Combined or Separate Sciences

» Physical Education (non-examination)

Additional Subjects

» French, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese

» Economics

» Business Studies

» Geography

» History

» Physical Education

» ICT

» Design & Technology

» Art and Design

» Music

» Drama

All students study a common core of subjects plus four additional subjects of their choice leading to IGCSE examinations at the end of Year 11.

In addition to these subjects the students also follow a programme of Personal, Social and Health Education as well as a programme of Careers Education and Guidance.


Our senior students follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The IBDP is an academically rigorous course which goes a step further than many other curriculum models by engaging all students in personal challenges in non-academic areas of school life. The development of international mindedness is encouraged by promoting a caring and socially responsible attitude. By setting targets of personal improvement in respect of creativity, action and service, each participant’s efforts and achievements are recorded in a personal log. This record along with a 4,000 word extended essay and an understanding of the Theory of Knowledge all contribute to the final IBDP graduation process.

Students leaving BIS can be confident in the knowledge that they have been well prepared for a smooth transition to the university system of any country.

The historical examination results for the school compare very favourably with other top international schools around the world, as well as the best grammar schools and independent schools in the UK. The school continues to set extremely high standards and year on year the students rise to the challenge. This means that graduating students are able to gain entry to top universities around the world. Most students continue their studies in the UK, the USA, Australia or Canada. We also have students graduating to Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and a variety of European countries.

Our Students

University Destinations

Our students come from more than 50 different countries. If we were to draw up a profile of a typical BIS student it would cut through national and cultural differences and highlight a background where academic achievement is held in high regard, where access to university is the principal aspiration, where social discipline is valued and independent learning is the norm.

House System

Each child becomes a member of one of four different Houses when they join the school. Each House is named after a Vietnamese city; Saigon, Hanoi, Dalat and Hue. These Houses form the basis of many activities and competitions across the school.

English As An Additional Language

All lessons are taught in English and we expect all children to be fluent in English. However, we are able to offer support to some children for whom English is not their first language.

Learning Support

Our Learning Support Department is able to offer support for a limited number of students with mild learning difficulties. However, the school is unable to accept children with significant learning difficulties.

Sixth Form


Alongside a strong academic focus within the school is the explicit intention to develop individual talents and strengths so that each child has the opportunity to be successful. To ensure this occurs throughout the entire school a wide range of activities is organised which aids physical development and the exploration of interests as well as providing opportunities for experiencing the thrill of challenge and competition, the spirit of teamwork and a sense of accomplishment. The school provides a rich extra-curricular programme of activities from Year 1 onwards. A selection of the opportunities available are shown below:

All Round Development

Inter-house sporting competitions and fixtures against other schools occur on a regular basis as well as the regional FOBISIA Games.

The school stages a number of very polished musical and drama productions and concerts each year.

The visual arts subjects encourage the presentation of ideas and feelings and great value is placed upon the display and celebration of student work throughout the three campuses.

School Council

Student Leadership Team

School Magazine

Trips and Visits

Eco Committee

Community Service

Recycling

Conservation

International Award

Model United Nations

Football

Basketball

Swimming

Athletics

Volleyball

Rugby

Hockey

Badminton

Kung Fu

Fencing

Golf

Orchestra

Brass/String Ensemble

Swing/Jazz Band

Choir

Concert Band

School of Rock

Photography

Expressive Arts

Formula One Club

Drama

Ballet/Hip Hop

Community Sport Creative

We are committed to the development and integration of learning technologies for all students. We ensure age and activity appropriate access to a variety of learning devices which includes laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards. Wireless access to the internet is available throughout the school and all students can access the school's virtual learning environment (Studywiz) from home.

Through carefully structured access to technology within lessons, we nurture students’ natural desire to enquire, recognising and addressing that this places increased demands on the skills necessary to source, assimilate and synthesise new knowledge. Our first class teaching is supported by technology allowing us to create enhanced learning experiences, utilising connectivity and online tools to encourage collaborative learning. This meaningful use of technology within education ensures our students are prepared with the skills necessary to succeed in the 21st Century.

Learning Technology

“Developing individual talents and strengths”


All children are expected to participate in a planned progression of outdoor education residential experiences from Year 2 to Year 10. From Year 10 onwards students are encouraged to participate in the International Award Scheme. The programme includes visits and trips to Dalat, Hoi An, Sapa, Vung Tau, Thailand and Malaysia some of which contain a curriculum component. These activities allow students to develop greater self-confidence, increased independence and leadership skills as well as strengthening relationships with peers through team building activities.

An important part of the all-round education we provide for students is the systematic development of Leadership Skills. This starts in the primary schools where a wide variety of activities are used to develop young future leaders. These include school council, playground committee, sport team captains, house captains, eco-warriors, residential trips and community service opportunities. These extend into the secondary school where additional activities and opportunities are introduced which include the prefect system, head students and Model United Nation participation.

Outdoor Education

Leadership Opportunities


The significance of community is an integral part of the educational ethos of the British International School and is a compulsory part of the school curriculum. The school has invested heavily in recent years towards developing a programme which encourages students to be conscious and active members of their community. Our vision statement on the subject states:

“The British International School, Ho Chi Minh City has a core commitment to the all-round (holistic) development of each child. Through a range of planned community service and fund raising activities the school will provide appropriate opportunities for the students to develop a respectful and caring sense of social responsibility towards other people and the environment on both a local and global scale”.

The Community Service Programme includes over 50 projects spanning the entire student population of the school from Fundinotots to Year 13 (ages 2-18 years). The majority of projects are designed to focus on time and energy donated by the students rather than funds, encouraging a ‘hands on approach’ and enabling sustainability. Where funding is necessary a combination of student led fund raising activities and Parent Teacher Group (PTG) activities are initiated to meet these expectations alongside direct school funding.

Community Involvement

Spring Spectacular – Annual Whole School ConcertOver 300 students, from all three BIS campuses come together annually, to perform an impressive and thrilling musical extravaganza for the ‘Spring Spectacular Concert’. This culminates in an inspiring and breath-taking grand finale.


BIS - TU XUONG PRIMARY43-45 Tu Xuong St., Dist 3, HCMCTel: (848) 3932 0210

BIS - AN PHU PRIMARY225 Nguyen Van Huong St., Dist 2, HCMCTel: (848) 3744 4551

BIS - AN PHU SECONDARY246 Nguyen Van Huong St., Dist 2, HCMCTel: (848) 3744 2335

BVIS - HO CHI MINH CITY44-46, Street 1, Binh Hung Ward,Binh Chanh District, HCMCTel: (848) 3758 0709

BVIS - HANOI (Vincom Village)Hoa Lan St., Vincom Village, Long Bien, HanoiTel: (844) 3946 0435

BVIS - HANOI (Royal City)72A Nguyen Trai St., Thanh Xuan, HanoiTel: (844) 6266 8800

BIS Group of Schools BIS Location Map

Tu Xuong Primary Campus

BINH THANHDISTRICT

DISTRICT 3

DISTRICT 2Thao Dien Ward

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An PhuPrimary Campus

An Phu Secondary Campus

Tu Xuong Primary Campus

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DISTRICT 3

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An PhuPrimary Campus

An Phu Secondary Campus

prospectus

Education

excellent school

happy school

british government

british education system

british style education

ho chi minh city24

approval bis

bis group of schools