Australian International Academy is an authorised International Baccalaureate World School. It offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) from Prep through to Year 5.
The PYP is designed for students between the ages of 3 and 12 years of age to engage them in a transdiciplinary curriculum which is relevant, challenging and engaging. It combines best practice and research in teaching and learning from a very large range of national systems throughout the world and supports schools and teachers with an extensive support system including an Online Curriculum Centre based in Cardiff, wales, ongoing professional development and a wealth of knowledge from practitioners around the world.
The PYP does not replace the curriculum set by the Victorian Government but rather integrates all subjects traditionally taught under the 'umbrella of this approach.
Your child will still be taught the Australian Curriculum as developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
The PYP focuses on the total growth of the child, touching hearts as well as minds and encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic welfare.
The philosophy of the PYP, as it directly affects the child, is expressed in a series of desired attributes and traits that characterize students with an international perspective. Taken together, they create the PYP student profile.
Students develop the following attributes and dispositions to become: inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective.
To ensure that teaching is targeted at improving learning outcomes, a variety of assessment processes are undertaken. These included both formative and summative assessment techniques.
Formative assessment includes teacher observations, student self assessments, individual Learning Plans and anecdotal note taking by teachers and is ongoing in nature.
Summative assessment takes the form of teacher devised tests, standardised tests, student projects, talks, Achievement Improvement Monitor etc. These activities are held at specific times throughout the year and are aimed at measuring what has been learnt.
Our purpose for assessing students is to:
Information on student progress and achievement is provided for parents in the form of:
Our faculties form the basis for the deployment of our exceptional educational services. Learn more about the various faculties that the AIA is comprised of below.
Art The Visual Arts at AIA consists of the following Dimensions:
During a Unit of Inquiry, all children engage in a continuous experience in the different Arts disciplines. All students have a single period every week of art lessons.
English is a continuing focus in the Schools Strategic Plan at the Australian International Academy where a vital and exciting program is in action. We recognise that active and effective participation in Australian society depends on the ability to speak, listen, read, view and write with confidence, purpose and enjoyment in a wide range of texts.
In English students are actively involved in reading, viewing, comparing and talking. They learn how language functions and how it both reflects and shapes social attitudes, assists students to gain a better understanding of themselves, their culture and the contemporary world.
At the Australian International Academy a dedicated literacy block in the mornings for students in the Early Years, enables students to establish firm foundation skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening.
A full time Literacy Coordinator assists both students and teachers in the development of essential skills.
The purpose of English in the Early Years P-3 is to teach students to use spoken language effectively, expand vocabularies, teach reading and writing skills and strategies, fostering critical perspectives on texts and introducing students to literature. See Intervention for further information.
Students in the Middle Years 4 8,5consolidate and build on basic knowledge and skills. They are becoming independent readers and writers who can undertake structured activities with some autonomy. They gain:
During this process students are monitored and assessed against the expectations of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.
Aims of the Additional Language program at the Australian International Academy
The Additional Language (Arabic/Turkish) program aims to develop an awareness and appreciation of another culture through dramatisation, story-telling, dance, songs and cultural activities.
Additional Language lessons follow closely the PYP and VELS, with focus on improving the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing through an inquiry approach.
Students from Prep to Year 5 work through progression points of VELS to reach level 4 by the end of Year 5.
Our Mathematics programmes aim to develop:
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the IB works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right
The PYP offers a transdisciplinary, inquiry-based and student-centered education. This gives students ownership of their learning with responsible action, allowing students to learn beyond subject areas.
The teachers at AIA plan within the PYP curriculum framework, which is supported by six transdisciplinary themes. The transdisciplinary themes incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum; this provides students with authentic experiences within subject areas.
The six transdisciplinary themes are:
The IB learner profile represents a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that encompass academic and personal success for students to become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
As IB learners, AIA students strive to be:
InquirersWe nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life. | ThinkersWe use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions. | CommunicatorsWe express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups. |
Risk-TakersWe approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. | KnowledgeableWe develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance. | PrincipledWe act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences. |
CaringWe show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us. | Open-MindedWe critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience. | BalancedWe understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognise our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live. |
ReflectiveWe thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development. |
