Oakham School is proud to offer the IB Middle Years Programme to our Lower School pupils as part of our provision to equip them with the knowledge, aptitude and skills to thrive in the world of 2030 and beyond. The IB MYP is a framework of teaching and learning that encourages pupils to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. It is, however, more than just a set of subjects; it addresses the pupils’ intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being, and gives them the opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future.
At the heart of the MYP is the IB Learner Profile which encourages pupils to develop vital skills and attributes, including effective communication, being open-minded, taking responsible risks, and balancing different aspects of their lives. You can view the IB Learner Profile here.
On Friday, 6 October we formally introduced our Form 1 pupils to the IB Middle Years Programme by providing an opportunity to wonder, be curious and develop their international-mindedness through a visit to the award-winning National Space Centre in Leicester. During the visit the pupils had an opportunity to marvel at a live show entitled “it IS rocket science”, sit down and enjoy a presenter-led “journey through the solar system” in the Planetarium and visit many different galleries and exhibitions. The visit set the pupils’ minds whirring with questions about the universe, our place within it and travel around it – all the while considering the many exhibits that demonstrate the examples of the IB Learner Profile attributes in action!
The following Monday we considered our joint experiences from the visit to the National Space Centre during the launch of the MYP Community Project. Sir Ken Robinson, an author and educator, has infamously remarked that “we only have one planet. We have nowhere else to go. If we use our creative powers properly we don’t need anywhere else. If we take care of it, and each other, everything we need is right here”. And so during the day the pupils were introduced to the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development as part of the World’s Largest Lesson initiative. The pupils explored a range of global issues faced by many communities around the world and considered how some of those issues may also apply to their local communities. The day set a solid platform for the pupils to be inspired and enabled to use their learning to make things happen as they thought about how action or service can arise from what they learn, and how individually and together they can make a difference during the subsequent MYP Community Days that will take place throughout the academic year.
