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1. Are communications fit for purpose and timely to meet the needs of the parents/ guardians?

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1. Are communications fit for purpose and timely to meet the needs of the parents/ guardians?

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2. Are communications appropriately culturally-sensitive and, where necessary, translated to the main languages of the parent body?

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2. Are communications appropriately culturally-sensitive and, where necessary, translated to the main languages of the parent body?

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3. Do parents and guardians feel at ease in communicating with the school?

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3. Do parents and guardians feel at ease in communicating with the school?

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4. Does the school provide appropriate and clear channels of communication to encourage parents to communicate willingly?

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4. Does the school provide appropriate and clear channels of communication to encourage parents to communicate willingly?

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5. How do links with other schools benefit the students and how do they help the school fulfil its mission?

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5. How do links with other schools benefit the students and how do they help the school fulfil its mission?

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6. Are service learning opportunities suitably varied, accessible to all students?

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6. Are service learning opportunities suitably varied, accessible to all students?

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In secondary, for individual concerns about a child, parents are encouraged to contact the grade group coordinator either by direct email or via the generic school email. More general comments and concerns are directed via the parents delegates

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Evidence of IST links with other schools

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Currently in a process of review. Done by staff, and will go through students, parents and board

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As an International School we aim to create a friendly, safe and supportive environment for our students whether benefiting from an IST education for one year or fifteen.

We recognise the importance of maintaining a quality staff at IST and are committed to providing ongoing opportunities for development and creativity allowing us all to make best use of our modern facilities and outstanding resources.

As a team we provide an inspiring, balanced and innovative curriculum ensuring that each student achieves to the maximum of their ability.

As a community we celebrate and value our cultural diversity and we actively promote international mindedness.

Together we will enable our students to flourish as open-minded, confident and independent young people with a lifelong desire to learn and the will to have a positive impact on the world around them.

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As an International School we aim to create a friendly, safe and supportive environment for our students whether benefiting from an IST education for one year or fifteen. We recognise the importance of maintaining a quality staff at IST and are committed to providing ongoing opportunities for development and creativity allowing us all to make best use of our modern facilities and outstanding resources.

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Students in secondary complete a questionnaire at the end of every year

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IST Secondary - student questionnaire summer 2020

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The purpose of this short Survey is to get feedback from students on * Information on how you have found your classes over the last year * Information on what you think about the IST Mission Statement and the IST Learner Profile.

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Inclusion has become a priority at IST...include links to documents here

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Written communication is in English. Many staff are able to communicate with families in French and a few in Spanish and German where necessary

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We use different approaches to communicate to parents and guardians the purpose of these different approaches and platforms vary. Some examples in the Primary school include: face to face communication at pick-up and drop-off for our youngest pupils in KG. Classes using Seesaw and Kidblog to communicate everyday snapshots of learning to parents. “Weekly notes” are sent via email/Seesaw to give Primary parents an overview of the learning and reminders upcoming events. Managebac is the platform for parents to access their child's progress reports (December and June) and MAP Growth assessment reports for reading and mathematics twice per year.  The  Head of Primary shares a weeklg blog with parents which aims to spread awareness of the school’s educational values and beliefs. Over the year parents are invited to a number of workshops aimed at teaching parents about the school’s pedagogical approach and beliefs. Parents are invited to celebrate learning with students at least once per term. Several information meetings take place throughout the year. These include: “Meet the teachers” at the beginning of the year; “Wellbeing meetings” for new students who join IST; “Consultation meetings” between the teacher, student and parents about social, emotional and academic learning.

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My impression as a teacher is that the face to face conversations that teachers and parents can have in Kindergarten facilitate easy and direct communication.

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The Secondary School keeps parents updated via Managebac and through emails sent out via Tess. The Parent Delegate meetings are also a valuable way of sharing information, allowing us, the delegates, to pass on relevant information to the parents. I thought the communication during the confinement period was particularly well handled - both parents and students were updated on a regular basis, which was really important during such an unusual period of schooling.

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As a parent I find the school and individual grade co-ordinators/teachers very approachable - I think the majority of parents would agree.

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As a kindergarten/primary school parent I feel at ease with communicating with the school as there are multiple means to do so which are easily accessible i.e. seeing the teacher during drop off/pick up, writing a direct email to the teacher / Seesaw message or arranging a meeting outside normal school hours. Additionally, there are the parents’ delegates who help to communicate to the school. My experience is that at all levels the staff are accessible and responsive.

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In general the school communications are timely and well adapted. A recent example of this was during the school reopening process where naturally parents were concerned and had many questions. The school addressed these via a ‘frequently asked questions’ sheet and also through specific zoom class meetings with the room teachers and head teacher together. This was offered for all parents and definitely helped them to get answers through addressing their questions directly. Additionally, a video was created by Mrs Bengtsson and Mrs Maxwell which showed how the school had adapted its class layout and procedures which really aided parents and students to familiarize themselves with the new environment in advance of the school reopening

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With reference to the weekly reports issued by class teachers, from my experience, these are always written in a culturally neutral way. Also, in my opinion, the themes published by the Head of Primary in the weekly blog are culturally sensitive and unbiased.

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In Primary the parents receive communication every week through the weekly note that is posted on the class seesaw blog and then the link to this is sent to parents using the family announcements part of seesaw.

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Communications are culturally sensitive without emphasis on any particular religion or culture. The children's cultures are valued throughout the year as an ongoing and integrated part of the curriculum. Communications in primary are written in English but their are staff and parents who can translate these. Official school documents from Tess are often available in French and English.

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Parents contact staff in Primary via email and sometimes seesaw.  Parents know they can email to arrange an appointment with their child's teacher if they have questions or concerns.  They also email regularly to find out information or to give us information about their child.

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Some more examples for communication with parents;
written reports - normally twice a year
home visits for K1 and K2 - staff visit the children in their home setting and develop links and relationships with the family. It also gives parents a time to ask questions and share any worries they have about their child starting school.

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As the use of Seesaw continues to grow in Primary - purpose of which Estelle detailed in Q1, parents and teachers are able to make use of the translate tool when communicating via this platform. The tool automatically translates text into the language set on the device in use. The tool translates into over 55 languages.

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I've added to the sheet re the schools we have connections to where students are directly connected with other students. I think it's also important to mention the connections we have as educators ensuring we build and maintain relationships with other schools when staff are on PD for example. E.g. in the past staff have visited schools where connections have been established during PD Workshops, in order to further develop practice at IST. Relationships with other schools is often made during PD off site workshops where individuals connect and maintain relationships. I know this may not be exactly where the question is going, but I do feel building relationships with schools as educators and widening or circle is an important aspect of PD that ultimately impacts learning and teaching. AS PYPC, and I know I can say the same for both HoP and the School Principal, professional working groups have been formed with ISP, ISL and ISN and meet face to face at lease once a year, with email contact throughout the year. Job alikes have also been set up for Primary Librarian, Music, French and PE teachers in Primary with ISP, ISN and ISL via PYPC - although these have varied in success due to input from the other school, unfortunately.

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Sorry - think I might need this question explained a bit more face to face as not understanding what is being asked.  I guess that's where Friday comes in ;)

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I think the varied means of communicating we have in Primary provides parents with many opportunities, both formally and informally, to communicate effectively and easily - e.g. Seesaw messages would be perceived as a more informal, quick and direct communication with the teacher. Email and Face to face can take on both formal and informal forms and parents have easy access to and do use both in such ways.

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G4 PE trip was to a French school, I can't remember the name but PE staff or Phillip will know. Not sure if it happened last year or this. Involved the school visiting them for a day of sports activities and bonding then the next year they would visit us.