Deputy Principal

PETER CUMMINS

Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning

Preparing for MYP Evaluation Visit 2020

Oakleigh Grammar began its association with the International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2011, as a Middle Years Programme (MYP) Candidate School. Over the next few years we worked towards meeting the high international standards of an IB World School. These standards cover: the School’s educational beliefs and values reflecting IB philosophy; the School’s leadership, administrative and support structures that are in place to ensure the proper implementation of the MYP; the collaborative planning by teachers to develop a quality curriculum; high teaching and learning and assessment standards, that again reflect IB philosophy and practice.

In 2015 the journey to authorization picked up pace, and in early June the School took part in a three day verification visit by two consultants from the IB. Then in July 2015 we received notification that Oakleigh Grammar had become an IB World School, authorised to teach the Middle Years Programme.

Now after four years, we are approaching the time for our next evaluation visit (IB School programmes are evaluated every five years) which is taking place in June next year.

Preparation for the visit is well underway. A key difference this time around, is the requirement to undertake a self-study. Self-study allows the School to gain an insight into the effectiveness of our Middle Years Programme i.e. the School’s alignment with the IB Philosophy, and how we are progressing toward meeting the MYP standards and practices, as perceived by all stakeholders i.e. students, parents, teachers, School leadership and the Board of Management.

Students, parents, teachers, School leadership and the Board of Management have or will undertake a self-study questionnaire. The School will then compile and analyse this valuable feedback to update our Action Plan, with the aim of addressing areas identified as requiring improvement and/or development.

In addition to the self-study, our MYP teachers are working towards developing a number of unit plans for submission to the IB Building Quality Curriculum Service. This is a compulsory requirement allowing the IB to audit a sample of our unit plans, and provide teachers with feedback some months prior to the Evaluation Visit in June 2020.

We value the input and support from students, teachers and the community as we prepare for the Evaluation Visit next year.

As an IB World School we are part of a global community of schools (over one million students world-wide in 5000 schools) committed to developing knowledgeable, caring young people, who will be ready to negotiate their futures successfully, and make contributions resulting in a more harmonious and peaceful world.