Academics

Learning Philosophy and Accreditation Pathway

The ISF Academy believes that learning is active construction of knowledge best experienced through meaningful activities. Learning is visible when students enthusiastically discuss and debate issues, express themselves freely and demonstrate intellectual curiosity. Therefore learning is best done in groups through collaboration with other individuals.
 
To bring about this kind of learning, teaching methods need to cultivate the joy of learning as well as develop in students the social, creative, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary to achieve success in an ever-competitive and changing world. This means asking questions, taking risks, and not being afraid of making mistakes. Our students learn to learn. This individual responsibility for learning is reflected in the curricular framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and is the reason that The ISF Academy has selected the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) as a pathway for academic advancement in the Secondary Division.
 
An added component to ensure the success of an inquiry-based learning environment is our small class sizes, ranging from 15 to 20 students in the Primary Division to a maximum of 22 in the Secondary Division.

Assessment Methodology

Assessment plays an important role in shaping The ISF Academy's programs. Students are assessed on their ability to achieve set criteria in each learning area. Clear sets of scoring criteria or rubrics, setting out standards and benchmarks, are established in each subject for each grade. Summative as well as formative assessments are conducted along with students' self-evaluation and peer assessment for special projects. In the Primary Division, our assessment model also focuses on portfolio, class performance, and/or written tests after each unit.