PRIMARY PROGRAMME
CIS takes pride in its innovative approach to the teaching of the Primary curriculum in English and Chinese (Mandarin). This approach involves a variety of collaborative teacher partnerships, which ensure that students receive close teacher attention while also experiencing the two languages in a balanced and integrated way.
Every homeroom is headed by a pair of teachers with native-language abilities in English and Chinese (Mandarin), and at every year level teachers of the two languages collaborate to plan and teach outcomes from the school's enquiry-based and integrated programme.
In Primary, traditional full-form characters are used for Chinese.
Primary Learning Goals
At present, there are four learning goals that provide the framework for learning in Primary:
A Culture of Thinking
Balanced Literacy
Mathematical Fluency
and Well-Being
These learning goals are informed by our extensive teacher participation in Harvard "Project Zero", Columbia Teachers College's "Reading & Writing Project, and our own Positive Education work with Professor Lea Waters.
We seek to create a rich and balanced environment of intellectual stimulation where students are aware of their thinking processes and individual capabilities, feel at home with words, language, numbers and calculation, have a positive view of themselves as learners, and are inspired to express their ideas and ready to tackle complex tasks and problem-solving.
SECONDARY PROGRAMME
At CIS, the Secondary programme aims to empower students to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and personal qualities they need to participate effectively in life in the 21st century.
Years 7 through 9 are foundational years focused on encouraging students to be active, open-minded, independent learners. Through a balanced curriculum, an extensive student affairs programme and a variety of co-curricular activities (CCAs), students are provided with a holistic learning environment that encourages life-long learning.
Years 10 and 11 are unique programmes that encourage students to develop greater self-knowledge while also becoming more active contributors to the various communities to which they belong. The Year 10 experience takes place at Hangzhou CIS and offers considerable scope for personalised, project-based and interdisciplinary learning, as well as a focus on service. In Year 11, students return to the Hong Kong campus and undertake a school-developed curriculum and assessment model, designed to bridge the gap between MYP and DP expectations, while aligning with the Hangzhou experience.
Years 12 and 13 maintain the whole-person approach, offering an academically challenging and engaging programme with a focus on helping students develop their intellectual curiosity, confidence, independence, and leadership capacity.
A Single Pathway
DUAL-LANGUAGE LEARNING
Students at every year-level take both English and Chinese throughout their time at CIS.
English and Chinese are for the most part independent subject courses, although in Years 7-9, specific units within Individuals and Societies are offered as a dual-language course.
Among other learning aims, students also have the chance to experience Mandarin as an everyday language through the China Experience Programme (see below).
In Year 10, the Hangzhou CIS programme offers students an unprecedented opportunity to use their language skills in daily life and through carefully planned beyond the classroom learning activities over the course of a full academic year.
Please note:
Beginning level Chinese classes are offered at several year levels, and students without prior knowledge of Chinese may apply. Traditional full-form characters are generally used, with simplified characters used 1) for foundation classes, 2) for students who have previously used only simplified characters, and 3) for specific materials generated in simplified characters.
Secondary students also have the opportunity to study either French or Spanish, beginning in Year 7.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
All students take part in these core out-of-classroom learning opportunities:
Year 7-9 Camps (Oct): Week-long outdoor challenge activities in Hong Kong
Year 10-12 Project Week (Oct or May): Week-long trips or work experience for Year 10HZ in mainland China (May) and for Years 11-12 in Hong Kong and overseas (Oct)
Year 7-9 China Experience Programme (May): One- or two-week language-study, service and travel experiences in mainland China; current destinations are Xi’an, Nanjing, Yantai and Yangshuo
HANGZHOU CIS
Please view the Hangzhou section of this site to learn more about CIS's flagship Year 10 programme.
IB Programmes at CIS
The International Baccalaureate Organisation's Middle Years and Diploma programmes have been adopted as the frameworks for much of the CIS curriculum because of their convergence with the CIS mission and because of the internationally recognised qualifications that they confer. CIS has long experience with the IB programmes, having offered the IBDP since 1992, and the IBMYP since 2002.
All students in Years 7-9 pursue the Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) and all students in Years 12-13 pursue the Diploma Programme (IBDP). Students in the final year of the IBMYP complete an internally assessed, service-focused Community Project. In Year 11, students pursue a school-based curriculum. These form a transition from the IBMYP and Hangzhou year into the IBDP.
At the end of Year 13, students sit internationally IB-administered exams. CIS has achieved exceptional results, with both top marks obtained by individual students, but even more notably, consistently strong average point scores achieved by large cohorts.
Universities around the world enthusiastically accept the IB Diploma for university entrance.
