european secondary campus handbook for parents 2012- 2013

7/28/2019 European Secondary Campus Handbook for Parents 2012- 2013

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British Secondary and High SchoolHandbook for Parents

Swire European Secondary Campus

31, Jian Ye Road, Taipei 11193, Taiwan

Tel: (02) 8145-9007

31


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Introduction

School and Community

Taipei European School is an independent, non profit foundation, co-educational dayschool, which was formed from the amalgamation of The Taipei British School (TBS), EcoleFranaise de Taipei (EFT); and Deutsche Schule Taipei (DST). These schools separatelybegan around 1990 and have shared campuses since 1992. It has grown rapidly and now has

over 1,250 students from 60 countries. TES serves students from the internationalcommunity of business people, educators and diplomats residing in the Taipei area. TES islocated on two campuses, one for primary students (approximately 700) aged 3 to 11 yearsand the other for secondary students (approximately 550) aged 11 years and above.

Taipei European School is authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation todeliver the Diploma programme, and is classed as an IB World School. TES is also anauthorised center for University of Cambridge International Examinations, EDEXCELInternational examinations, a member of FOBISSEA (Federation of British InternationalSchools in South East Asia and affiliated to AEFE (Agence pour l'Enseignement Francais al'Etranger), and BVA-ZfA (Bundesverwaltungsamt-Zentralstelle fuer das

Auslandsschulwesen). TES has just been accredited with the Council of InternationalSchools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

The Faculty

Teachers come from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Spain,Taiwan, the UK, and the USA. Teachers are licensed in their home countries, many holdadvanced degrees and all are experienced in international education.

School Year

The school year typically runs 180 days from middle August to middle June. High Schoolstudents take up to 10 classes in Years H1 and H2 and up to 7 classes in Years H3 and H4 ona rotating schedule of 80 minute periods.

School Terms for this year

Induction Week for Staff August 15th to August 19th 2012

Term 1 20th August 20th December 2012

Term 2 7th

January 22nd

March 2013

Term 3 8th April 14th June 2013


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TES School Mission, Vision and Core Values

Mission

The mission of the Taipei European School is to provide educational excellenceand

European culture and valueswithin the context of Taiwanese society.

The three key elements of the TES Mission statement are:

Educational Excel lence:

Striving to reach each childs own potential; Knowing and developing the whole child; Developing love of learning; Recognising mobility needs of the students.European cul ture and values:

Europe gives us common values that unite us and cultural diversity that strengthens us.Context of Taiwanese society:

Respecting, understanding and learning from our host country; Seeking interaction, partnership and service contribution.Vision

To be the school of choice for parents, students and staff who are looking for excellent

accredited education programmes delivered in a variety of languages and who want to join an

active and caring community.


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RespectWe are honest and thoughtful showing

respect for ourselves, others,

TES, local and global communities

as well as the environment.

ResponsibilityWe show leadership and strive

for independence whilst demonstrating

compassion through service

and make responsible choices.

PerseveranceWe honour our commitmentsby working to overcome

challenges, and striving

to be the best that we can be.

ParticipationWe take ownership of our own

learning. We make the most

of the opportunities available to us by

challenging our personal boundaries.

CreativityWe think imaginatively by

questioning ideas, generatingalternative solutions to solve

problems, and taking chances

when necessary.


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Leadership StructureBritish Secondary and High School Section

Head

Deputy Head

Assistant Head

(High School)

Heads of Year

7-9

SEN, Counselor

Sport, House, IA

Assistant Head

(Key Stage 3)

Gifted &

Talented

UCC

Heads ofDepartment

IB

Co-ordinator

Heads of YearH1 & H2

ECA

Co-ordinator

Year 7-9 tutors

& PSHCE teachers

H1, H2 tutors &

PSHCE teachers

Department

members

H3, H4 tutors

& PSHCE teachers,

CAS & TOK

CPDCo-ordinator

Operations

Co-ordinator


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Pastoral Year Teams 2012-2013

Year Head of Year Form Teachers PSHCE Teachers Connected

Transition

Yr 7Raymond Imbleau

Grace Kennedy

Yoko Tsai

Amy Beacock

Bronwyn Thompson

Yoko Tsai

Amy Beacock

8 Timothy Sing KeyElissa Campbell

Dylan Graves

Chris Laing

Elissa Campbell

Dylan Graves

Chris Laing

Gavin Matthews

Fenny Chen

Melody Lin

Florence Lee

Alex Elkins

Craig Morris

AJ Li

Katy Ho

Chin Lin Huang

9Timothy Sing Key

Richard Greaves

Ian Stewart

Claire Brown

Chris Papps

Ian Stewart

Claire Brown

H1 Gavin WinterRyan Delange

Simon Thomas

Wanda Frost

Sam Hebden

Ryan Delange

Nicole Billante

Wanda Frost

Sam Hebden

H2 Gavin WinterVicky Chen

Thomas Mowbray

Stephen Whittall

Rajesh Peswani

Vicky Chen

Thomas Mowbray

Stephen Whittall

Rajesh Peswani

Jonathan Woolley

Flora Sung

Melody Feng

Adrian Knight

Daisy Rana

Lorna Wright

Stephanie Gaudin

H3 Darren Latchford

Todd Greene

Henri Labuschagne

Robert MorrisAicha Chuan

Todd Greene

Paul Lee

Tara McNeillMaggie Hsu

Sean Kenny (TOK)

Graham Bean (UCC)

Andrew Weng

Tony Cornes

Chris Sparks

David Wong

Anna Chang

Matthew Hill

H4 Darren LatchfordJulie Dale

Tony Cornes

Fabrice Laureti

David Wong


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ESC School DayThe school day consists of 8 lessons of 40 minutes with most subjects having double lessons(80 minutes). Extra-curricular activities are available after school and during the lunchbreak.

Time Lesson Additional Information

There are always students in the school buildings for sports training and other extra-curricular activities after school. Students should have a valid reason for being in the

school grounds after classes finish at 15:00 each day. Students who travel home by schoolbus are able to catch a bus after ECAs finish during the week.

TES is part of the TEAMS network of Taiwan which organizes sporting competitionsbetween the international schools on the island and we are also a member of the FOBISSEAorganisation that holds Olympic style sporting events and musical festivals for memberschools in South-East Asia.

08:00 08:10 Registration Warning chime - 07:55

08:10 08:50 1 End of registration chime 08:10

08:50 09:30 2

09:30 09:50 Break

No access to the school field duringthis short breakWarning chime 09:45

09:50 10:30 3

10:30 11:10 4

11:10 11:20 BreakNo access to the school field or backof the gym during this short breakWarning chime 11:15

11:20 12:00 5

12:00 12:40 6

12:40 13:40 Lunch

The school field is open from 13:05to 13:35

Warning chime 13:35

13:40

14:20 714:20 15:00 8 End of school day chime 15:00

15:00 15:15 Bus

After SchoolOptional ECAs

Sports, Drama, Musicetc.

15:00 16:30 Extra French Sectionsclasses Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

16:30 18:00


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Heads of Faculty (or Department)

The Heads of Department are responsible for the curriculum in each subject and theteaching and learning for the subject in the classroom. Please contact them if you have aquestion about what your son/daughter is studying and if you are concerned with theirprogress in that subject.

Faculty Head of Faculty Contact

English Darren Latchford [email protected] English as Additional Language Bronwyn Thompson [email protected] Julie Dale [email protected] Neil Tollervey [email protected] Foreign Languages Fabrice Laureti [email protected] Chinese Flora Sung [email protected] Ian Stewart [email protected] Natasha Brock [email protected] and Economics Neil Elrick [email protected]

Art Matthew Hill [email protected] Chris Papps [email protected] Joanna Crimmins [email protected] Education Craig Morris [email protected]

Theory of Knowledge Sean Kenny [email protected] Educational Needs Michelle Lynn [email protected], Action and Service Maggie Hsu [email protected] Lorna Wright [email protected]

Personal possessions at school

Students should look after their personal possessions at school.ALL students need to either:

Remove valuables from bags Money, ipods, phones etc. Store in lockers or hand in toeither of the offices Phase 1 or Phase 2.Valuables should not be left in bags, leave valuable items at home or hand in to theschool offices or to your PE teacher during PE lessons.

All bags need to be hung on the hooks outside Form Rooms and not left outsidecafeterias. Bags should not contain valuables.
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British Section Key Stage 3 School Uniform

All KS3 students are expected to wear the school uniform which is available from theuniform shop at the EPC.

High School Section Student Dress Code

Students are not required to wear uniform in the High School years (H1 to H4). Asambassadors of the school, for health and safety reasons and importantly in view of thecultural diversity of the student body and the staff, certain standards are necessary andmust be adhered to. All students are required to meet the expectations. Should studentschoose to wear clothing deemed unsuitable (e.g. too revealing), they will be required tochange clothes. The policy will be handed to staff by the Head of Year.

Should students be required to wear certain clothing or jewelry for religious reasons aletter must be sent to the relevant head of year explaining the situation.

For health and safety reasons, hair below shoulder length should be tied back duringScience practical sessions and during PE lessons. Students are not permitted to shave theirheads, and Mohican hair styles are not permitted. Please note that the colouring of hairwith un-natural colours (e.g. blue or green) is not permitted.

Extra-curricular Activities (ECAs)

During the school year, there are a wide variety of planned activities that occur outside ofnormal classroom time and involve significant numbers of students. These include sports,drama, music, CAS, International Award, MUN, competitions, Student Council, school trips,special celebrations, fund-raisers, and community functions. All staff participate in this

programme throughout the year, either as leaders, supervisors, coaches or assistants.

Lunches and Meals

Students are expected to order their lunch from the cafeteria or bring their own packedlunch to school. Students should not have their school lunch delivered to the schoolreception area each day unless there are exceptional circumstances. Group deliveredlunches are only permitted for special occasions.

H3 and H4 IB students are permitted to leave the school grounds at lunch time providedthe IB Office has written parental permission. They should sign out at the guard location inPhase 2 and should produce ID if necessary for departure and entry to the school premises.

Out of Bounds Areas

The roofs of the buildings The Gymnasium in Phase 2 (level 3), unless attending a teacher-supervised

sporting activity

The Multi-purpose room in Phase 2 (level 2), unless attending a teacher-supervised activity


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The Central Administration area in Phase 2 (lower level 1), unless required to goto the office.

The lifts should not be used, unless there are special circumstances Classrooms at any breaks, unless supervised by a teacher Phase 1 Corridors during lunch times The outside area Phase 2 between the administration entrance to phase 2, the

phase 2 building and the Performing Arts school, unless accompanied by ateacher

The outside area behind the cafeteria and Art rooms (Level 1, Phase 1) , unlessaccompanied by a teacher

All other areas outside the school grounds (car park, roads and lanes), unlessaccompanied by a teacher

Areas for Student Use

Lunch (ordered on a month by month basis) is served in the cafeterias for allstudents from 12:40 to 13:40. Students may use the outside play area behind thegym all lunch time and the field from 13:10 to 13:35 when a duty teacher will be

present or at any other time when there is a teacher-directed activity. At first break, students should use the Phase 1 and 2 atrium and step areas, the

cafeteria areas, and the outside area behind the Gymnasium (access throughlevel 2 doors). Food is restricted to the cafeteria, atriums and outside eatingareas.

Drinks purchased from the cafeteria drink machines must be consumed in thecafeteria.

In wet weather, students should stay inside the buildings, or use the ICT roomsor Libraries unless attending a supervised activity.

High School students may use level 3 and 4 areas during all break times. Foodshould not be eaten in the level 3 and 4 study areas which are provided for

students to be used for quiet study. A small recreational area is available for IB students on level 4 next to the study

area.

The libraries in both buildings are available for all students to use at breaktimes.

Mobile Phones and Hand-held Electronic Devices

Mobile PhonesMobile phones which students of any Section have on their person during school hours,including school breaks, must be turned off. School office telephones are available to dealwith any emergency that arises during school hours, be it on the side of the student orhis/her guardians. Where necessary, students participating in extra-curricular activitiesafter school are permitted to use mobile phones in making arrangements with parents.

Hand-held electronic devices e.g. IPODs.Devices may be used to and from school on the bus but these should be kept safely inschool lockers or in school bags during school time. There are not to be used during normalschool hours.No responsibility for the loss or damage of these devices will be taken by the school.


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The Student Council

The Student Council provides students with leadership opportunities, encourages teamwork and is an important bridge between the students, staff and management. TheStudent Council comprises of the Executive, students who lead the committees of thecouncil and manage events and activities.

The committees are:

Service, Central and Events.

The executive and committees meet once a week to discuss events and developments. Atthe start of the academic year elections are held to secure the committee members fromYr 7 to H4 and from the French and German Section. The Student Council has beeninvolved in raising funds for and creating awareness of local organizations, canvassingstudent opinion on improvements to the school, organizing discos each term, welcomingnew students to the school as part of the induction programme and representing thestudent body at special occasions and whole school events. A dynamic group of students

have developed the council in the last four years, this years president is Christine Shih H4,she will handover her responsibilities at the end of Term 1 to a new president.

To learn more about the Council or to express interest in involvement see DH, AHKS3 orAHHS

House System

The Secondary Houses are BORA (Blue), SIROCCO (Red), MISTRAL (Yellow) and MARIN(Green). The houses are named after European winds and all students and staff areallocated to a House at the start of the year. The House System offers IB students the

chance to take on a leadership role as House Captains who lead the Houses throughout theyear. All students have the opportunity to become House Year Leaders. The election forHouse Leader positions takes place in the first few weeks of the school year. VariousHouse Events are held throughout the year and include Literary and Sporting events andChinese New Year celebrations. Competition between the houses is healthy and fun andprovides the opportunity for good teamwork and the integration of students from all agegroups and sections of the school.

Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education

PSHCE is taught across the school (Year 7 to H4) on Thursday afternoons, lessons 7 and 8.PSHCE is an important element of the curriculum in the school. In addition to Wednesday

afternoon lessons this academic year there is one focus day on the calendar: Values Day held on Thursday 6th December.Parent-Teacher meetings are scheduled on Wednesdays commencing from 13:30 and makeuse of PSHCE time. There are two formal meetings opportunities each year that parentscan request appointments for. These are indicated in the reporting schedule in this booklet


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CURRICULM INFORMATION: The 12 14 Years Curriculum (British Section Key Stage 3)

KeyStage Threecovers Years 7 to 9 in a childs education (ages 11 -14). These years arecrucial to a students academic and personal development and the Key Stage 3curriculum and the pastoral framework of the Taipei British School aims to maximise thepotential of each individual student as they progress.

Students study a broad and balanced curriculum programme in the British, French orGerman Sections. There are combined classes in Physical Education, Music, Art, EAL andChinese Language and Culture. Other subjects studied are English, Mathematics, Science,Information Communication Technology, History, Geography, French, German, Spanish,Drama and a wide range of extra curricular activities.

The academic progress of each individual student is monitored using National CurriculumLevels.This criteria based, numbered grading system enables students to closely monitortheir own progress and for teachers to implement a rolling programme of target setting.

There are 8 levels in the National Curriculum. Children are expected to work their waythrough one level every two years. If a child has achieved the expected level in theNational Curriculum, it means they show knowledge and skills that are the same as, orslightly better than, most children of the same age.

When students enter the secondary school in Year 7 after completing Key Stage 2 in theJunior Section most students will be working in the range of achievement levels from level4 to 6, with many already working in level 5 in English, Mathematics and Science.

At the end of Key Stage 3 the English National average in English, Mathematics and Scienceis Level 5. This indicates that a student has the potential to attain a C grade or higher atGCSE. In TES, it is expected that the majority of students will achieve a level 6 or better.


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For more information, please see the Key Stage Three Handbook. This can be downloadedfrom the TES website http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdf

The High School Curriculum: 14 16 years (Years H1 and H2)

For students who intend to go on to university or college, the International GeneralCertificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an intermediate qualification before takingthe International Baccalaureate Diploma. After completing the IGCSE curriculum, a studentshould acquire a knowledge and skill level that will allow them to continue their final twoyears of secondary education at Diploma level.

The following courses comprise the Years H1 and H2 curriculum: English Literature,English, Chinese, German, French, Spanish and Dutch First and Second Languages,Science, Mathematics, World History, Geography, Business Studies, Economics, InformationTechnology, Art and Design, Drama, Music and Physical Education. Mathematics classes

follow an integrated model (Geometry, Beginner and Advanced Algebra, Statistics) and theScience courses follow an integrated model (Biology, Physics, Chemistry).

The IGCSE is administered by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and is designedas a two-year programme of study. The syllabus for each subject is detailed and covers abroad range of skills in that subject. All subjects are assessed by examinations at the endof the second year of the IGCSE programme. These examinations are written by CIE andadministered all over the world. CIE examiners in the UK also mark the papers. The finalexaminations assess skills as well as knowledge in each subject. These skills can beacquired only through consistent application and effort during the course. In somesubjects, coursework completed during the course is assessed to give a proportion of themarks available.

To take account of differing abilities, there is a choice between Core and Extendedcurriculum papers in most subjects. This allows teachers to decide on the most appropriatelevel of papers for their students. In some subjects, the examination covers the completeability range and there is no choice of curriculum. For those subjects the full range ofgrades is available.

For more information, please see the IGCSE booklet. This can be downloaded from the TESwebsite http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEBooklet2010-2012.pdf(H1)http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdf(H2)

Target Grades Grades Available

Core Curriculum

Extended Curriculum

D E F

A B C

C D E F G

A* A B C D E
http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEBooklet2010-2012.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEBooklet2010-2012.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEInformationBook2009-2011.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/documents/IGCSEBooklet2010-2012.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdfhttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/tbs/documents/KeyStage3InformationBooklet2010-2011_000.pdf


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The overlap of three grades (C, D and E) is designed to accommodate students whoperform either better or worse than their teachers expect. Students who fail to meet theminimum satisfactory standard for either the Core curriculum (Grade G) or the Extendedcurriculum (Grade E) will be ungraded. For more information about the IGCSE go to:http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subjects

For the latest school handbook for the IGCSE courses at TES go to our website:http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IGCSE_information_book.php

The High School Curriculum: 16 18 years (Years H3 and H4)

The International Baccalaureate Diploma programme offers a rounded education forstudents aiming at university or college and is awarded on successful completion of thewhole 2-year programme, with points score based on results in each subject. It is acceptedfor admission to Universities in virtually every country in the world, but particularly inEurope, USA and Australasia.

Three subjects are taken at Higher Level and three at Standard Level. Years H3 and H4offers courses in Higher and Standard Levels for English, Chinese, French, German andJapanese Literature, Self-Study Literature (students own language, if not taught inschool), Foreign Languages (English, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Dutch), History,Geography, Economics, Business and Management, Information Technology in a GlobalSociety, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, and Music.

All IB Diploma students take the Theory of Knowledge course, which teaches them to thinkcritically. Students also write an extended research essay of 4,000 words and complete aminimum of 150 hours in a creativity, action and service programme (CAS).

Students who do not wish to take the full IB Diploma programme can take the IBCertificate programme. This allows the students more flexibility to take more standardlevel subjects, or in some cases less subjects. IB Certificate students can still take IBsubject examinations and will still receive a certificate form the InternationalBaccalaureate Organisation for these subjects. This course of study in conjunction with theTES High School Diploma still provides access to university courses, but not to the sameextent as the IB Diploma provides.

A TES High School Diploma will be awarded to both IB Diploma and IB Certificate studentsif they successfully pass the required number of courses and meet the attendance

requirement. The grades that students achieve for their courses for each semester will berecorded on their official school transcripts.

For more information go to:http://www.ibo.org/ andhttp://www.ibo.org/diploma/

For the latest school handbook about IB subjects and courses at TES go tour website at:

http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IB_information_book.php
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subjectshttp://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subjectshttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IGCSE_information_book.phphttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IGCSE_information_book.phphttp://www.ibo.org/http://www.ibo.org/http://www.ibo.org/http://www.ibo.org/diploma/http://www.ibo.org/diploma/http://www.ibo.org/diploma/http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IB_information_book.phphttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IB_information_book.phphttp://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IB_information_book.phphttp://www.ibo.org/diploma/http://www.ibo.org/http://www.taipeieuropeanschool.com/ths/IGCSE_information_book.phphttp://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subjects


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Grading System in the High School

High School full reports are criteria-based, defined by attainment descriptors for eachcourse rather than by statistical percentages. The grading system is conceptualised ingeneral accordance with IGCSE standards for Years H1 and H2 and IB standards for YearsH3 and H4. TES does not rank students.

University Applications and Placements

TES graduate students apply to a range of universities in a variety of countries, includingUK, Europe, USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore and HongKong.Here are some of the universities from the past six years graduating classes, wherestudents have either been offered places or are studying:

US: Brown, Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Boston,Brandeis, Case Western, Connecticut, Denver, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn State,Rochester, Rutgers, USC, Washington, Parsons Design School NY.

UK: Cambridge, Imperial College London, London School of Economics (LSE), University

College London (UCL), Kings College, Bristol, Durham, Warwick, Manchester, Birmingham,Exeter, Chelsea Arts College and St. Martins College (both part of University of the ArtsLondon), SOAS, Aberystwyth.

Europe: The Sorbonne, Paris, University of Rennes, France, Nantes, Tilburg, Utrecht andLeiden Universities in Holland; Technical Universities of Munich and Katlsruhe, HumboltBerlin, Regensburg in Germany

Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, McGill, Ottawa, Toronto, and Simon Fraser University

Australia: ANU, Sydney, New South Wales, Macquarie, Melbourne, Monash, Queensland

Asia: National Taiwan University (NTU), City University Hong Kong, National UniversitySingapore, Sophia and Meijo Universities (Japan)

IGCSE IB DIPLOMA DESCRIPTION TES GRADES

A* - B 7/6 Excellent achievement A

C - D 5/4 Good achievement B

E - F 3/2 Satisfactory achievement C

G 1 Unsatisfactory D

U 0 Ungraded F


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Homework Guidelines and Information

Homework is an important aspect of the educational process. It represents an increase intimeon task and can be considered valuable for the following reasons:

It can help pupils to make more rapid progress in learning. It can allow pupils to develop the practice of working on their own without the constant

presence of the teacher or other pupils on the one hand and the external discipline ofthe timetable on the other. This way of working is vital at the later stages of secondaryeducation and study beyond this point.

Work at home can provide the quiet and private conditions needed for creative andthoughtful work of all kinds and stimulate further reading and research.

It can allow valuable practice of skills learned in the classroom. It can allow pupils to use materials and other sources of information that are not

always available in the classroom.

It can involve parents and others in the pupils' work for their mutual benefit. It can give opportunities for long-term research and other work.

It forms a link with the methods of study important to success at higher levels ofeducationThe Nature of Homework

The assignment of homework is the responsibility of the class teacher. Besides being wellplanned and of suitable duration, homework should:

have a definite purpose and where appropriate be part of the planned curriculum be in a variety of forms ( research, written work, reading, projects, revision) be within the capabilities of the student be differentiated where possible reinforce and where appropriate, extend class work in progress be clearly explained and recorded in each students Diary/Home Link Book be followed up, acknowledged, marked and given credit where appropriateOrganisation of Homework

How does the school help students to organise their homework?

Each student is provided with a homework diary at the beginning of the year. This diaryis used to record homework each day and is checked on a regular basis (normallyweekly or fortnightly) by teachers. It can also be used as a means of communicationbetween teacher and parents. Parents are also asked to check their childs diaryregularly.

We try to make sure that our instructions concerning homework are clear to everyonein the class, and that all pupils have plenty of time to copy down what is expected.

We aim to mark or respond to homework regularly, and in a way that is helpful topupils.

How can parents or guardians help with homework?

Check that homework details are filled in clearly and regularly in the homework diary.There is space there for your regular signature.


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Help your child organise his or her time to best advantage so that things are not all leftto the last minute or even forgotten.

Try to make sure that there are suitable working conditions at home. Take a positive and active interest in your child's work at home rather than just

insisting that it is done.

Let us know if there are problems with homework that you cannot resolve. Perhapsyour child seems to be doing too much, or not enough, or is finding it too easy or toodifficult. Contact the class teacher in the first instance who will be glad to help.

Homework schedules and expectations

Parental and student expectations for homework (both its frequency and duration) mayvary depending on cultural background, past experiences and individual values and beliefs.The schools rationale for homework determines the basis for the way homework isscheduled and the expectations we have for setting student homework. While variationsmay occur, we attempt to monitor the degree of consistency with regards the schedulingand duration of homework tasks within and through the key stages. General guidelines areas follows:

British Section Key Stage 3 Year B7 to Year B9

A schedule is published during the first term of the school year. At secondary level,timetabling of curriculum determines contact times that subject teachers have with classgroups. The schedule is an attempt to rationalise homework expectations for studentsthroughout the school week. As an approximate guide, students should be working onschool tasks at home for these times each day:

Year 7 and 8 1 to 2 hours

Year 9 1 to 2 hours

Often homework tasks in some subjects may span a week or more and students need todevelop effective time management skills. Parents can be very supportive in this area byestablishing and monitoring effective routines at home.

High School H1 to H4

A homework schedule is not used at this level. There is a need for greater flexibility androom for negotiation between students and teachers (particularly for longer projectsinvolving coursework toward assessment) and students need to be continually reviewingclass work in preparation for final external examinations. Students are supported indeveloping time management skills and curriculum overviews are developed to assist themwith their personal management of their studies.As an approximate guide, students should be working on school tasks at home for thesetimes each day:

H1 and H2 1 to 3 hours

H3 and H4 2 to 4 hours

As students prepare to take examinations, the intensity of their study programme at homeshould increase. It is important to remember however, that consistent effort and hard


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Frequently Asked QuestionsGENERAL QUESTIONS

Why should my child study at TES?TES has a diverse, culturally rich student and staff population. It has high standards ofacademic achievement and a broad extra-curricular programme. The supportive and

encouraging learning environment helps students to feel valued and work towardsachieving their individual potential.A strong and purposeful English as an additional language programme and an inclusiveattitude to student-centered education are features of the school.

What is the student population of TES like?TES has students from over 60 nationalities but the main nationalities by passport are US,UK, Canada, European and Australasian. Many of the students are not native Englishspeakers but the majority of students are proficient in English language which is thelanguage of instruction in the British and High School Sections of the school. The studentsare polite, friendly, caring, motivated and hard working.

What languages can students study in the secondary school?English and Chinese are compulsory languages right through TES and they are offered atdifferent levels depending on the needs of the learner. Dutch is also available for nativespeakers.

At secondary level ages 12 -14, students proficient in English may also choose an additionalforeign language from French, German or Spanish. Hence a student may study threelanguages to the age of 14. This can continue through the high school for some students,although most students focus on the study of two languages. Many students achieve a bi-lingual IB Diploma (English/Chinese, German/English, French/English are examples).

At high school, instructional support is provided for as many first languages as possibleincluding Spanish, Korean, Japanese and Dutch. Other first languages may be continued asself-study programmes.

Do students from the French, German and British Sections study together?Chinese is studied together by students, at their appropriate level, throughout the school.In the middle school, the students also study Physical Education, Music and Art together.Students have joint assemblies, extra-curricular activities, house events and competitionsand TES competes in interschool sports competitions as the Typhoons.

How is my childs academic and personal progress at school reported to me?Comprehensive school reports are issued twice each year. These include feedback toparents on each childs personal development at school in addition to their academicachievement and progress. Parent-teacher meetings are also offered twice each year butparents can meet with class teachers by arrangement with the school office.

High School students completing IGCSE and IB external examinations receive statementsand/or certificates of their achievement grades from these examination authorities.


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The schools average point score corresponds to 5 grades of 5 in the College BoardsAdvanced Placement tests (this based on a mixture of group A and group B subjects asdefined by UCAS). Using the new UCAS Tariff point scale the TES average score correspondsto more than 3 A* grades at A level, placing the average TES IB student in the top 10%of A level students by comparison.

GETTING HELP FORM THE SCHOOL

Who do we contact at school if we have questions?TES has a strong pastoral system and each student has a form teacher. The form teachersees each student each morning before classes commence and helps to oversee thepersonal well-being of the student at school. You can contact the school office to make anappointment to talk to the form teacher at any time during the year.The Head of Year oversees the pastoral education for all students in a year group. Thisincludes the Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education programme which is animportant element of the curriculum.

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE ADMISSION

Can our son/daughter go to college in the USA or Canada if they do not study in a UScurriculum school?Yes, the High School Section of TES offers two international external examination studycourses the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for 14 16years olds and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) for 16 18 years olds. An IBDiploma is an internationally recognized qualification for university and college entrance.It is highly regarded by all universities, including Oxbridge and Ivy League.

Is our son/daughter disadvantaged by studying for the IB Diploma?No. The IB Diploma is a rigorous and challenging academic course of study over two years.It prepares students extremely well for higher education. Universities in North Americaneven offer students 1st year credits for Higher Level IB courses in which the students haveachieved a grade of 5 or better in their external IB examinations.

Where do TES graduates go to university?TES graduates go to universities all around the world but the UK and Europe, NorthAmerica and Australasia are the major destinations. Almost all graduates complete the IBDiploma and go on to study tertiary education.

What support is given to help students and parents with university and collegeapplications?TES has a university and careers counsellor to support students, a dedicated careers officeand has US College Board membership. TES has a partnership with the Princeton Review toprovide SATs and TOEFL preparation for US College admissions. The diverse professionalbackground of the teaching staff allows us to provide individual support to every studentregardless of where they may be seeking to study after graduation. Representatives fromuniversities around the world visit the school each year to talk to prospective applicants


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and provide advice about college applications. Tertiary education fairs for the UK, US,Europe and Australia are annual events in Taipei.

How do scores in the IB compare to grades in other pre-university courses such as A levelsin the UK and AP courses in the US?IB courses are highly regarded as rigorous and challenging.

As individual courses, the highest IB HL subject grade of 7 has a UCAS tariff point score of130 compared with the highest UK A level course grade of A which has a score of 120.

Collectively, an IB total points score of 34 is equivalent to four As in A levels and four 5sin Group A courses at AP level in North America.A score of 29 is equivalent to three As at A level in the UK.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA

Is the IB Diploma suitable for all students aged 16 to 18 years?To achieve the full IB Diploma, a student must 6 subjects (three at a higher level) which

includes two languages, their first language and one other. They must also successfullycomplete the core elements of the diploma (Creativity, Action and Service; an extendedessay; and Theory of Knowledge). While it is a rigorous and challenging two year course, ifstudents apply themselves consistently over the two years, they should achieve theirdiploma.

Does TES have an alternative High School Diploma as well?All students who meet the mandatory requirements in their high school studies receive aTES High School Diploma upon graduation at the completion of H4. TES has a 100% passrate for the high school diploma and a pass rate of over 90% for the full IB Diploma.

How is the IB Diploma graded and scored?Each subject is graded from 7 (highest grade) to 1 (lowest grade). The highest scorepossible is 45 points 42 from the six subjects studied and 3 additional points from thecore elements (Creativity, Action and Service; an extended essay; and Theory ofKnowledge).Scores above 40 points are exceptional. Scores in the range of 32 to 40 are very good.The world average IB score is 30 points. The TES average score is 32 points.

INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

How widely is the IGCSE accepted by other school systems around the world?

TES families can be very mobile internationally and the IGCSE for 14 to 16 year olds iswidely accepted internationally and by national school systems. A school transcript andsupporting documentation helps students with school transition and students have nodifficulty in entering other school systems around the world.

How is achievement graded in the IGCSE?


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IGCSE subjects are graded from A* (the highest) to G (the lowest), with U being anungraded subject. TES transcripts convert IGCSE grades to US grades to assist with schooltransition.

How do TES IGCSE grades compare with other international schools?TES students perform at very high levels when compared with their peers internationally.

In the last four years, the total number of A* to C grades has been around 90%, withapproximately 44% of these grades being at A* or A level. This compares very favourablywith the best international schools offering IGCSE around the world, and with selectiveschools in the UK and in other world locations.

european secondary campus handbook for parents 2012- 2013

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