Our Vision

We have a vision for an innovative educational environment which provides an internationally minded, fully inclusive and holistic curriculum with a focus on driving skills for the future which better prepares learners for their next step, whatever and wherever that may be. All learners have access to a broad and balanced curriculum appropriate to their aptitude and skill level which enables them to grow to be natural inquirers, develop critical and creative thinking skills whilst also fostering their personal talents and interests. When it is time for our learners to leave CIS, they will have become:

‘Independent Minds, Global Citizens’

As an International Baccalaureate World School fully accredited to offer IB programme at both KS4 and 5 our curriculum is built upon the core-components of the IB which include a skill and trait framework. The CIS character trait framework is based on the IB Learner Profile which is embedded throughout the entire CIS curriculum supporting learners to develop 10 key traits. Through the CIS trait model Learners will become:

Reflective, Balanced, Knowledgeable, Open-minded, Inquirers, Risk-takers, Communicators, Principled, Caring and Thinkers.

The CIS skills framework is built upon the IB Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills framework which is embedded throughout the CIS curriculum and includes a core toolkit used by both staff and learners to ractice and develop transferable skills. We use a Commitment to Learning framework to measure the progress learners are making with skills and traits at CIS. Learners at CIS will develop the following transferable skills:

Thinking, Communication, Social, Social and Self-management.

Mission

Preparing our students for a prosperous career and a life filled with global opportunities.

We aim to:

• Provide a new educational model focused on developing international employability
• Help address the disparity between education, skills and employment outcomes for local young people
• Better prepare students for new developments in the international jobs market
• Better meet employer demand for highly developed and employable students with strong transferable skills

Principles

Chester International School is the ideal place for young people with independent and enquiring minds, and with a strong interest in the world around them. We aim to provide life-changing opportunities to students of all abilities and backgrounds. Logic, Communication and Creativity are the basis for students to be able to secure great jobs in whatever their area of interest. Subject and topic study has a strong international outlook to ensure our students leave us as global citizens with independent minds.

Students can expect to:

• Flourish and be challenged in a small school environment
• Develop their personal skills with the support of a personal coach
• Put their academic learning into action with project-based group challenges
• Broaden their horizons through an extensive programme of work experience and overseas visits
• Facilitate exceptional managed breadth in the curriculum
• Season our school with a cultural richness which will be of benefit to all of our students
• Connect us to the community of IB Schools
• Enable us to offer provision to the A Levels which are on offer at our sponsor academy

Strategic Objectives

• To deliver a consistently excellent standard of education to every pupil in the school within a safe and nurturing environment
• To develop a curriculum at which actively promotes mutual respect, tolerance and understanding of others and is able to meet both the changing conditions in the world and the needs of the pupils in the School
• To be a comprehensive school, educating pupils with a wide range of abilities, predominantly in mixed-ability classes
• To be an accessible school so that, as far as possible, social and financial status do not act as barriers to entry and class groups include pupils from a wide range of backgrounds
• Support excellence in education by training and developing all current teachers and support staff in the school
• To establish and maintain a compliant and well run school that is financially viable and sustainable in every sense
• To ensure that CIS works closely with the parent body and wider community to nurture, sustain, develop and strengthen our community

School Development Plan 2022-25