Sotogrande International Day and Boarding School is proud to be an IB World School, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). With more than 1000 children from 50 countries, SIS provides a challenging, nurturing and academically rigorous International Education. Throughout the IB programmes teachers aim to combine academic excellence with extraordinary educational experiences. Embracing the creative use of technology and authentic service experiences students are encouraged to think independently and critically, developing their own unique interests, gifts and talents and taking opportunities to be the best they can be.
Our primary school follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), specifically designed for children from 3 to 12 years old. The PYP is an integrated approach to teaching and learning that balances the search for understanding, the acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, the development of positive attitudes and the opportunity for positive action.
At the heart of the PYP is a commitment to using structured inquiry as a vehicle for learning. Students are encouraged to think for themselves and generate and respond to questions, taking responsibility for their own learning. At SIS we strive to inspire a spirit of inquiry in all our students and to prepare them to be responsible global citizens. We believe parents are essential partners in children’s education and it is the child’s environment, both at home and at school which helps to nurture happy, inquisitive learners.
For further information on how we embrace the PYP at Sotogrande International School please see our Early Childhood Handbook for students aged 3 to 5 and the PYP Handbook for students aged 5 to 11.
The IB MYP is a balanced and academically rigorous programme of international education designed for students aged 11 to 16, a period which is a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development. The programme aims to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning.
SIS offers the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students of Years 4 and 5 (equivalent to Grades 9 and 10 in the US). Students take courses in six to eight subjects, and they participate in a work experience programme and the vast majority complete a personal project and an interdisciplinary unit. Students fulfilling the requirements receive an MYP Certificate and MYP Course Results in June of MYP Year 5.
Learning how to learn and how to evaluate information critically is as important as learning information. Students are encouraged to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who are creative, critical and reflective thinkers.
For a further information on how we embrace the MYP at SIS, please see our MYP Handbook
For information on study choices in the final two years of the MYP, see our Flexible Pathways Handbook
Students take action when they apply what they are learning in the classroom and beyond. IB learners strive to be caring members of the community who demonstrate a commitment to service – making a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Read our Service as Action Handbook to find out more.
The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous two-year course of study for students aged 16-19, which meets the needs of highly motivated and academically oriented upper secondary school students. The IB Diploma is accepted worldwide as a high-quality pre-university qualification and universities rightly perceive that a student who has completed the requirements of the IB Diploma is well prepared for the demands of higher education.
SIS offers the IB Diploma Programme (DP) for students for students of Years 1 and 2 (equivalent to Grades 11 and 12 in the US). Students can opt to take the full IB Diploma or Diploma Programme Courses. The curriculum is designed so that students can develop their own special talents and emphasizes critical and creative thinking, intercultural understanding and community service. All Diploma Programme students participate in the school’s Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) Programme and full IB Diploma students complete an extended research essay and follow a course in Theory of Knowledge (TOK).
Most of our DP students take the full IB Diploma. Assessment is through a combination of coursework and examination. Students complete their studies in May of the graduating year when they sit their final examinations. Final grades are evaluated by the International Baccalaureate Organization and published on July 6th.
Our IB graduates have gained places at top universities across Europe and in the U.S.A. and Canada. It is our aim to inspire students to realise their full potential as young adults, learners and individuals who can set and attain personal goals.
For a further information on how we embrace the IB Diploma at SIS, please see our IB Diploma Handbook
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.” (from www.ibo.org/)
