Letter to Year 7 Parents – Lower School Award

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 

I am writing to inform you about a new Award Scheme that all Year 7 students will be starting next week. The Award is student-driven and will recognise their learning and their adoption of key skills, or what are known as ‘Approaches to Learning (‘ATLs’), throughout the curriculum, as well as in CAS activities. The award will involve students selecting evidence and writing reflections on their learning throughout the rest of Year 7 and Year 8.

 

The Lower School Award is a student led, online “Learning Journal” which will be based around the ATLs designed by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. These ATLs (Communication, Social Collaboration, Self-Management, Research and Thinking) are a collection of the processes, skills, techniques and strategies needed to learn any subject or activity. ATLs are not more content to be learned, rather they are processes to be experienced and improved. The purpose of the Lower School Award is for students to reflect on their own learning and progress within the ATLs. Students will be given full guidance on how to write an effective reflection as well as what is considered to be good quality evidence. Later on in Year 7, students will be given training on how to lead a 1-1 conversation with their Tutor so they can present their Learning Journal to their Tutor in the Summer term. Students will complete their Learning Journal during Tutor Time as well as in their own time.

 

At the end of Y8 there will be an “End of Lower School’ Awards Ceremony where the students will be awarded either a Gold, Silver or Bronze Lower School Award. Parents will also be invited to attend this celebration. The criteria required can be found on at this link: Info about the Lower School Award

 

Next week, Y7 students will take part in an induction workshop where they will be given full details about the Award, as well as training in the new piece of software called ‘Evidencer’.  This software is what students will be using to document their achievements building towards their Award. This will mean that, rather than attending their timetabled lesson, students will attend the induction workshop for two lessons. Please see the schedule below:

 

Monday 22nd February

Periods 2 &3 Y7 Dragon

Periods 4 & 5 Y7 Griffin

Wed 24th February

Periods 3 & 4  Y7 Pegasus

Thursday 25th February

Periods 2 & 3 Y7 Phoenix

 

If you have any further questions about the new Lower School Award please do not hesitate to contact me at purvesl1@stconline.edu.hk

 

Warm wishes

Lucie Purves

Head of Lower School