FAIRVIEW International School, Bridge of Allan, has been formally recognised as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World school after receiving official certification for the delivery of its Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged 11-16.
With presence in over 150 countries and over 5,000 IB World Schools worldwide, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a globally renowned leader in international education with a unique approach to learning going beyond the classroom. It offers programmes for students aged 3-19 years, designed to develop well-rounded and open-minded individuals through the application of student-centred learning.
The 15-month rigorous process as a candidate school working towards achieving world school status involved consistent training and workshops to educate teachers on the philosophy of the IB programme, as well as regular consultation support from IB representatives. In order to achieve MYP certification, the school was required to submit curriculum plans and conducted a two-day visit whereby students and teachers were interviewed and observed as part of the benchmarking process for the highly regarded programme.
Certification of the delivery of the programme offers students quality assurance on their education as well as official recognition for their academic achievements and has opened up a new range of professional resources to the school.
Following the authorisation visit, Fairview was commended in multiple areas including;
- Providing extensive support for its students through a combination of robust policies and a strong student support programme
- Hosting a stimulating learning environment based on understanding and respect throughout the school community
- Delivering learning experiences that provide a reflection on human commonality, diversity and multiple perspectives.
Having achieved IB World School status, Fairview is now on the way to becoming the first school in Scotland to offer an uninterrupted continuum of IB learning with aspirations to achieve certification on two further IB academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged 4-11 and the Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 16-19.
While pursuing IB World certification, the school has been delivering the PYP and MYP as an authorised IB candidate school. Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its academic programmes.
Fairview is the fourth school that David Hicks, Fairview International School, Bridge of Allan Headteacher has taken through the process of becoming a certified world IB school. He said:
“This is a fantastic milestone to have reached on our journey to becoming a World Continuum school. The IB programme is both robust and well-recognised as an educational curriculum. The rigorous authorisation process and focus upon professional development is there to ensure the quality of delivery of the programme and it is one aspect of many that sets the IB apart from other education systems.”
“Having successfully put all three programmes through the certification process at a previous school, I am confident in our team’s ability to take Fairview through this process. We hope to soon achieve our PYP accreditation, and have already begun implementing plans to deliver the DP to offer our current students a progression plan in preparation of them reaching that stage of their education. It’s incredibly rewarding to see first-hand how positively the IB programme reflects on the students and now having achieved world school status, many more opportunities will become open to the students of Fairview.”
Earlier this year, the school welcomed the local community to the soft launch of their new boarding facility, set to open in August 2023, offering accommodation to MYP and DP students.
Fairview International School, Bridge of Allan is a co-educational independent school for children aged five years and above.
Visit fairviewinternational.uk for further details of the developments, school, and application process.
