West Island School’s Post 16 years contribute to the development of unique individuals in a unique global environment. It is a place where students learn to understand and respect themselves, each other and the international community. The Post 16 phase promotes lifelong learners who explore, participate and contribute to society showing tolerance and compassion with the confidence to make a difference.
The Aims of the Post 16 Years
- to create an effective, caring and supporting learning environment
- to provide students with the qualifications and study skills necessary to access tertiary education and future careers
- to provide challenge and opportunities to succeed for all students in order to create high expectations of behaviour and involvement
- to develop a sense of social responsibility and develop participation in the international community
- to foster self-discipline, leadership, respect for others and the ability to work independently
- to provide an ethos of continual improvement and lifelong learning
Post 16 Pathways
Students at WIS choose from three main pathways for their Post 16 education. The two pathways have been designed to cater for a wide range of students and offer personalised learning with appropriate challenge for each individual in the final phase of their secondary education.
IB Diploma
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a world renowned pathway to a wide range of tertiary education institutions, including the best universities in the world. It is a challenging and academically rigorous programme that offers both breadth and depth through the study of six different subjects in six different groups. Three subjects are taken at higher level and three at standard level. Assessment takes place throughout the course but relies heavily on terminal examinations at the end of the programme. At the core of the programme is the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service).
International Diploma
Our bespoke WIS International Diploma is our applied learning pathway. The diploma has been designed to cater for students who wish to focus more carefully on two main areas of study and enjoy a style of learning that is explicitly linked to real world situations. They are assessed through coursework throughout the course and there is no terminal examination. Students select a major and a minor subject from the BTEC qualifications (UK based), leading to a National and Subsidiary Diploma in each of these subjects. They may select from:
- Art & Design
- Business
- Engineering
- Performing Arts
- Sport and Exercise Sciences
The core of the diploma is made up of work experience, the Extended Project Qualification and CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service).
Foundation Diploma
The Foundation Diploma is designed to fit the specific individual needs of each student for whom it is appropriate. WIS is an inclusive school and, as such, has pathways right through Post 16 for a wide range of students. The Foundation Diploma is designed around each student’s needs and aims to develop the knowledge and skills of students in the areas of:
- English
- Maths
- Elective Subject Area
- Work Right – Structured Workplace Learning
- Personal and Social Development
- Applied or Vocational Course
IBCP
The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme is an IB pathway which is more focussed and tailored for a specific career or industry. This can lead onto university degrees, or employment within the industry the student has chosen to focus in. It is a challenging and rigorous programme that allows for flexibility to select courses that best suit the students’ and industries priorities.
Students complete a career related study, which consists of a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in the subject of their choice, and complement this with 2 or 3 relevant IB subjects at standard or higher level, which could come from any of the 6 IB diploma groups.
The real strength of this programme is the IBCP core, which consists of a personal and professional skills course, developing employability skills relevant for their chosen career. The core also includes compulsory language development course, embedding students in language learning, culture & etiquette immersion, with a language that would be useful to them within their future career. An externally assessed reflective project allows students to develop research questions focusing on an ethical dilemma within their career industry, and the service learning component involves specific industry linked service projects.