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British West Indies Collegiate
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ART
Departmental Introduction
Seeing is our cornerstone. When we teach children to
draw, we teach them to see. The Art Department at the
Collegiate aims to develop students' observation skills in an
orderly and systematic manner, using a wide range of media.
We believe that by doing so, we will both enrich their lives
and help them to achieve success. They will develop
self-discipline, creativity and confidence, in addition to an
awareness of personal and social heritage. The Turks & Caicos Islands are populated by a multinational
community, and we therefore consider it important that students
should be made aware of other cultures, to help foster
understanding and respect. We aim to develop
inquisitive minds, and eyes that constantly question and
revaluate the world they encounter. How sad it would be
if we went through life without noticing the potential beauty
in a blade of grass.
Teaching
Years 6 to 9 - In the early years, students
investigate and create Artwork in 2 and 3 dimensional media.
Themes are drawn from Western and wider cultures. It is
important that students make a personal response in the given
style or context.
Years 10 and 11 - In these years, students follow the IGCSE syllabus offered by the Cambridge board (CIE). They initially pursue a 'History of Art' course, which follows a linear timeline from Byzantine Art up to Twentieth Century Abstraction. Each period requires a related written and practical piece.
The IGCSE requirement is for students to submit one large unit of study, in addition to a final timed practical examination. The study entails a one-year (minimum) investigation which should be sketchbook based. For this we encourage the students to make a personal response to an artist's work, through which they can relate their own lives and interests.
Years 12 and 13 - In these years, students elect to follow the A/AS programme offered by the Cambridge board (CIE). The Advance Subsidiary (AS) is studied in the first year and, if continued into the second year, will form 50% of the assessment weighting of the full Advanced Level. AS can either be taken as a discrete qualification or as part of the full A Level course.
| The AS Level award comprises of the following two components: | ||
| Controlled Test | 60% (30%) | Externally Assessed by CIE |
| Coursework | 40% (20%) | Internally Assessed by Centre |
| The A Level award comprises two additional components: | ||
| Controlled Test | 30% | Internally Assessed by Centre |
| Coursework | 20% | Externally Assessed by CIE |
Accommodation and Resources
The Art
room is a well equipped air-conditioned space with large work
surfaces and two large sinks. It has excellent natural
lighting and a number of large
display boards. The room is approximately 550 sq. ft., and is
positioned next to the IT Laboratory. The facility
was extended at the beginning of the 2002 academic year to
accommodate pottery and 3D studio. A high specification
graphics computer and large format colour printer
were added in June 2005.
Staff
Ms Layla Kitson is responsible for delivering the Art programme to all year groups (including Advanced Level).
BUSINESS
Departmental
Introduction
The Business Studies Department at BWIC is
staffed by two specialists.
Business Studies is taught as a specialist subject at
International GCSE and Advanced level. The Department’s
philosophy is one of combining theory and real-life case
studies to allow the students to understand the way in which
business works at the local, national and international
level. Students are encouraged to pursue their own research,
using the internet and subject periodicals. The Department
is also active in organising visits so that the students may
be able to see business theory in action.
Teaching
There are basic skills that all students studying business
must learn. These are an understanding of business theory and
a realisation that this theory can not be applied to
businesses in an unmodified form i.e. the realisation that
each business is unique. Case studies and visits facilitate
this understanding.
Years 10 and 11 - These are the years when students follow the International GCSE, the UK’s 16+ examination. The syllabus followed is set by the Cambridge University Board (CIE), with examinations at the end of Year 11 and no coursework. The main areas of study are: People and Organisations; Introduction to Business Practice; Finance and Accounting; Business in a World Context; Motivation and Staff Development; and Business Mathematics.
Years 12 and 13 - These are the Years when the students follow the International Advanced Level Programme. This is again Cambridge University Board. At the end of Year 12 the students sit two examinations for the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) part of their Advanced Level.
At the end of Year 13 they sit two more examinations as for the A2 part of their Advanced Level. Successful completion of these allows the student to be awarded the full Advanced Level. The course followed is the same as that for the IGCSE, only with a much greater degree of difficulty.
Staff
Mr Michael Connolly
is Head of the Business Studies Department and sole subject teacher. He teaches the subject by virtue of the elements of Economics and Business
Studies in his Bachelor of Education Degree,
and utilizes both his qualifications and diverse work experience in his teaching of Business,
to give students a greater
awareness of the wider world in
which businesses operate.
Accommodation and
Resources
The
Department has its own base
room which is
air-conditioned and large enough to
accommodate any of the classes. The Department
has access to a range of central resources
such as projectors, televisions and video cassette recorders.
Each student has his/her own textbook for each topic, and
each has access to many other resources. In addition,
the Department has several CD-ROMs
which can be used by students in this highly computer literate
school.
ENGLISH (including DRAMA)
Departmental Introduction
Teaching
Students’
understanding of the different ways in which meanings are
conveyed is also developed through drama and the media, areas
that encourage close analysis of language in real situations.
Students are given many opportunities for speaking and
listening. These take the form of paired analysis of poems,
presentations and debates,
and role-plays and discussions.
Teachers try to make English lessons lively and enjoyable,
and relevant to students’ lives. The nature of English lessons
means that students are often exposed to a variety of themes
and topics. Freedom of expression is encouraged, as is
tolerance of others. We aim to create considerate,
articulate, thoughtful and curious students, capable of
engaging with the deepest of ideas and able to express
opinions clearly and with confidence. We aim to encourage at
an early age the ability to critically evaluate experience,
preparation for the higher demands of Key Stage 4.
Years 10
and 11 -
At Key Stage 4 students follow the
curriculum for IGCSE.
Students are entered for both
Language and Literature. Evaluation is made through a
combination of coursework and examination, as is often the
norm.
IGCSE Language students learn how to analyse, interpret,
evaluate and criticise. Students write in a variety of styles
for different audiences and purposes. Presentation skills,
including the use of computer applications, are given a high
priority. Over the two-year course students produce a folder
of their own writing (informative, creative, argumentative
etc.), and sit an examination at the end of Year 11.
This examination tests the students’ ability to read with
understanding and to write in a variety of styles.
Students are entered either for the Core Paper - a 2 hour
examination on which they may attain grades C-G; or the
Extended Paper - a 2¼ hour examination, on which A* to E may
be attained.
For Literature it is typical that students read a novel, a
play and a selection of poems for both coursework and
examination. They are required to write essays on these
texts, including more critical and imaginative responses to
literature. Texts come from a variety of cultures and
periods, covering pre-20th century classics as
well as modern authors.
Students write a final external examination at
the end of Year 11, which lasts
Years 12 and 13 - At Advanced Level, students can choose to study
AS Language for one year, and/or Advanced Level Literature for 2
years. AS Language builds on the skills of IGCSE, requiring
students to critically evaluate the style and techniques of
various authors and to write their own pieces in a variety of styles.
Assessment is made solely through examination. Many of the
Year 12 students are involved in the Reading Mentor
Programme.
Advanced Level Literature is a two-year course,
though a one-year AS is available. We follow the Cambridge
syllabus, which provides a great deal of choice in the
literature studied. Recent authors studied at Advanced Level include
William Blake and Sylvia Plath, Tennessee Williams and Arthur
Miller, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Margaret Atwood and Chinua
Achebe. Students are taught ways of analysing texts for
style, technique and language.
Students
may also receive help in preparing for SAT
testing for American colleges and
universities.
Staff Mrs Nicole Brittan, our Librarian, is responsible for the Year 6 English curriculum. The whole Department is responsible for running the Reading Mentorship Programme.
Accommodation and Resources DRAMA
The
syllabus focuses on improvisation skills and group work.
Drama
is an active subject that rarely requires a pencil. What is
asked for is enthusiasm and commitment, a willingness to take
risks. It is used as a tool to learn about ourselves and others
and it is a way to deal with issues as they arise. Through
role-plays, students are encouraged to empathise with others.
They are encouraged to work together, to improve language
skills, to use their bodies to exert control. Drama is also
used to approach sensitive issues pertaining to the life of
young people, and is often used in PSHE (Personal and
Social and Health Development) because of
this. Staff
GEOGRAPHY
Department
Introduction
Teaching
Staff
Accommodation and
Resources
HISTORY
Departmental
Introduction
Teaching
Year 6 -
During this year the students are introduced to the study of
Classical
History. The civilizations of
Rome, Egypt and
Greece are covered. The approach is one of interesting the
students in the period and bringing it to life for them as
much as possible. This is not difficult with such an exciting
period that is so often
linked to myth and
legend. Students are encouraged to seek parallels between
their own time and that of the Classical World.
Year 7 -
This is the year when the students begin the British-based
National Curriculum. The main topic under
investigation is Medieval Britain, roughly 1066 to 1500.
In addition, students will study the Italian
Renaissance.
Year 8 -
During this year students undertake an investigation of the
period 1500 to 1750, with
an emphasis on Britain. They will examine
the making of the UK and will focus
on particular studies of the important
Historical characters of the day, as well as social History.
Additionally, they will look at the role of African
Americans in the war of 1861-65.
Year 9 -
During this year, we will look at causes, nature and
consequences of the First World War, and will complete the
first Core Unit of the IGCSE programme.
Students will also complete a special case study on The
Holocaust.
Years 10 and 11 -
These are the years when students fully focus on the
IGCSE, the UK’s 16+ examination. The syllabus followed is the
Modern World in Conflict, set by the Cambridge University
Board (CIE), with three examinations at the end of Year
11 and no coursework. In Year 10 the students will study the period between the
First and Second World Wars
and international diplomacy of the time, with a special
investigation into the League of Nations; the build up to the
Second World War; the Cold War and the USSR’s relations with
Eastern Europe. In Year 11 the
students follow one depth study: Germany 1919 to
1945. The IGCSE examinations are source-based, and
source skills will be stressed throughout.
Years 12 and 13 -
These are the years when the students follow the
International Advanced Level Programme. This is again
set by the
Cambridge University Board (CIE). In Year 12 the students
study the French and Russian Revolutions; nineteenth century
Liberalism and Nationalism; Italy,
Germany and Russia in the period between the First and Second
World Wars; and a document topic on the Origins of the First
World War. At the end of Year 12 they sit the Advanced
Subsidiary (AS) examination – a three hour paper. In Year 13
the students study US History from
1840-1941. This includes examining the Westward
Expansion, the causes and nature of the Civil War, the Great
Depression and Civil Rights. Again, they
sit a three hour examination at the end of the year. This is
called the A2 and combines with the AS of the previous year
to make a full Advanced Level
qualification in the subject. Both of the
examinations are primarily essay based.
Staff
Accommodation and Resources
INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Teaching
Years 6 to 8 - Students at this
level are provided with foundation skills and knowledge to
help them make the most of the software and hardware tools
they encounter.
Years 10 and 11 -
Staff
Accommodation and Resources
LIBRARY
Departmental
Introduction
To ensure that all children are
numerate and can deal comfortably with any problem of an
arithmetical nature that they may encounter in their everyday
lives.
To ensure that students reach
their full potential in Mathematics, and obtain the highest
grade possible in their examinations.
To provide those students who
wish to take Mathematics at Advanced Level, or continue the
subject at College of University,
Teaching
Years 10 and 11 -
In these years students follow IGCSE
Mathematics course (without coursework)
Years 12 and 13 -
Sixth Form
Staff
Accommodation and Resources
MODERN LANGUAGES
Departmental Introduction
Teaching
Audio
tapes and CDs are frequently used when introducing new units
and topics. These resources provide adequate practice for
listening comprehension and self-expression. Students
develop a better understanding of more detailed information
in formal and informal announcements, conversations and
interviews. They are able to play an active part in
discussions, present ideas and express opinions clearly,
which is a main requirement at IGCSE level.
Staff
SCIENCE
Departmental
Introduction
Teaching
Years 7 to 9
-
Years 10 and 11 - At
Key Stage 4, students begin the two-year Cambridge
(CIE)
IGCSE course of study, for which they are examined at the end of
Year
11. This course consists of three written papers,
all of which are compulsory, as well as a
practical based examination.
Biology is in the list of core subjects and Chemistry and
Physics are optional subjects. Therefore students may choose
either one Science subject; namely Biology, two Sciences or
all three Sciences. The group sizes are small and all
teaching is in specialist laboratories. As in the lower
school, the emphasis is on the acquisition of scientific
skills and knowledge through experimental investigation.
Year 12 and 13
- Students can take any combination from one to two or three
of the Science subjects at AS and A level. They are entered
for the Cambridge Board's (CIE)
International AS and A level examinations at the end of Year
12 and 13 respectively. Both qualifications consist of a core
syllabus and in A2 two options examined in written papers. As
well as the theory there is a practical examination at the
end of both Years 12 and 13. The small group sizes and
generous time allocation enable students to achieve a high
level in terms of practical skills.
Staff
Accommodation
We aim
to enable all students to use and understand English to their
full ability. This means developing skills in speaking,
listening, reading and writing, as well as spelling, grammar
and handwriting. These are bound together and their
interaction creates language competence. Our teaching
approach is therefore holistic and integrated. The English
Department follows the English National Curriculum at Key
Stages 3 and 4, adapting the programmes of study to reflect
the international composition of the students and the nature
of the islands.
Years 6 to 9 -
I
Dr Simon Brittan, the Head of
Department, and Ms Sarah Wilson, currently deliver the Secondary English programme. Both
offer various areas
of expertise, which allows for the development of strong
cross-curricular links between English and other subjects.
The
Ms Penelope Thompson, who is also our Music Teacher, is primarily reponsible for teaching Drama, which is timetabled for Years 6 to 9 only.
The
The
The Geography Department has its’
own class room, large enough to house 25 students with
numerous resources within. It is equipped with a TV, video
cassette, numerous wall maps, atlases, globes and CD-ROMs.
Each student is provided with their own textbook, as well as
access to the resources found in the Geography classroom and
Library.
There are basic skills that all students
studying History must master. These are an understanding of
cause and consequence, empathy and the ability to analyse and
evaluate Historical evidence.
Mr Richard Burt is Subject Head and sole History teacher. Mr Burt pursued his passion for History at the University of Cambridge, from where he graduated with both a BA (Hons) and an MA in History, in addition to a Postgraduate Teaching Certificate (PGCE). He has taught History for almost 30 years, almost exclusively in UK based schools. Mr Burt is also Deputy
Head of the Sixth Form.
The
Department
is accommodated in the History Room which is
air-conditioned and large enough to
accommodate any of the classes. The room is equipped
with a television and multi-region video/DVD player.
The room has extensive display boards that are used to
display students’ work and posters. The Department
has a variety of resources for the different year groups.
Each student has their own textbook for each topic and there
are many other resources that they can access. The Department
has an extensive video/DVD library which is continually being
expanded and updated. In addition the department has
some
CD-ROMs which can be used by
students in the school's computer suite.
Departmental
Introduction
Information
All Students
-
The
Introduction
The Library of the
British West Indies Collegiate supports and enriches the
education and research of students by providing access to,
and instruction in, the use of Library resources.
Years 6
to 9 - All pre-examination year students follow the
National Curriculum to the end of Key Stage 3, incorporating
Number, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics.
The
Department
is accommodated in the Mathematics Room which is
air-conditioned and large enough to
accommodate any of the classes. All students are
provided with textbooks relevant to the course they are
studying.
The
primary 'foreign' language of the region is Spanish, and is
viewed by teachers and parents as vital to providing a
balanced education to
children growing up in the Caribbean.
Years 6
to 11 - From early in Year 6 through to their IGCSE
examinations in Year 11, students follow the established
'Spanish for Mastery' programme, which provides the
flexibility needed to meet the requirements of the Key Stage
3 Modern Languages curriculum. Students learn the
mechanisms of the Spanish Language and develop proficiency
through a wide variety of oral and written activities.
As the students advance further into the course, they learn
to express themselves using various tenses and more complex
grammatical patterns. Although greater emphasis is
placed on structural language, conversational skills continue
to be developed. Students are encouraged to show a
positive attitude towards learning a foreign language.
One of the strengths of this programme is that it places
great emphasis on the breadth of the Spanish-speaking world
and many facets of the Hispanic culture.
Senor Jimenez
Casas, Head of Spanish, has been teaching at the Collegiate
since 1996. He was born, raised and educated in Havana,
Cuba.
All teaching
is carried out in three specialist
Science
laboratories, each fully equipped and resourced to meet
twenty-first century
demands of their respective specialist area.