VISION
Yes they all can
Regardless of their economic, social and ethnic background, we believe that learners can cope with high disciplinary & academic expectations in the right environment.
This belief will show through all the aspect of the school, from Primary (and nursery) to Secondary (and post-16) in order to prove that a 100% pass rate is not an option but a requirement. All Connected School will embed values that put human relations above anything else in the learning and in the sharing of knowledge. |
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One of the benefits of globalization is the opportunity it offers to connect minds. Connected Schools will provide the tools i.e. Rosetta Stone, for learners to learn as many languages as they wish, and not only the local or the main European ones. Being part of a network of school with so many abroad will provide the natural motivation.
The school will use a Social Learning Platform, Curatr, to ensure that learners, parents and teachers can communicate at any time, from anywhere and therefore support the learner in his or her endeavour. It will also guarantee a high level of personalisation. We will have small classes where, even after Primary School, the home-teachers spend a third of their time with the same learners and will be supported by local partners (e.g. Berkshire Maestros for Music in the UK) and technology (e.g. Curatr) to teach truly cross-curricular lessons. There is no evidence that a small class means better results in general. In certain conditions, very big classes (30-45 learners) can still do extremely well. However, when some children need more support than others, there is no doubt that a small class is one of the tools that support the teacher in helping his or her learners be successful. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for teachers to team teach while keeping the class size manageable. |
A Connected School is a school with close links with the local university to offer a range of after school activities for learners until 6pm, and organisation like the Workers' Educational Association in the UK (WEA) to offer services to parents and the community after 7pm.
As a holistic Education is what a Connected School aims for, every member of the staff will be given opportunities and time to offer extra-curricular activities. Learners showing a particular talent in a few disciplines (e.g. sport) will also be supported by local partners such as Berkshire Maestros in the UK for music. The community plays an important role in supporting the learner. Connected schools thus support the community in return. Part of the school will stay open very late to provide Adult Learning Courses for instance. Local businesses will play an important role in supporting the teacher when he or she will be facilitating the learning of subjects which are not his or her specialism. E.g. the teaching of music to be supported by Berkshire Maestros in the UK |
All of this prepares the learners that decide to take the academic route to do extremely well when they will take the International Baccalaureate or equivalent, and to secure a place in their university of choice. It will also ensure that, if they go for an apprenticeship for instance or any other less academic option, they will be successful and apply everything they learnt in the school as learners and as persons to thrive and be highly successful.
