CURRICULUM

Educational Philosophy

As Christians, we believe that each child is created as a unique individual and should be taught so that their gifts will be developed to bring glory to their Creator.  It is our aim to develop students intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally, culturally and spiritually. In order to do so we encourage students to evaluate, from a Biblical perspective, what is learned and experienced in life. Educational programs promote both cooperative and independent learning, and special programs will be developed for those with additional needs. The conduct and relationships of all members of the school community should be intentionally Christ-like.  We hope to equip students with the necessary life skills and confidence for life including: thinking, studying, working, playing, creating, imagining and discovering.

Curriculum

HOPE acknowledges God as the Creator of all things and the source of all wisdom, truth and knowledge, as revealed in the Bible. The curriculum is the deliberate and purposeful plan of instruction through a variety of learning experiences reflecting the values and ethos of HOPE School. The curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure the Vision and Mission of HOPE is sustained. It is delivered in English and all students are expected to communicate in English at all times, unless instructed otherwise by their teacher. 

Through the curriculum, students will be encouraged to: wisely apply knowledge and understanding in their life, fulfill the plans and purposes God has for them, become a servant leader, live as Christ lived in an attitude of worship to God, aim for excellence in the development of their skills, discover and develop their gifts to their full potential.

Assessment is closely linked to the learning objectives, and clear criteria are given to make accurate judgments of ability.

Primary School | Preschool 1&2

Preschool (Ages 3 to 5 years old): HOPE International School Preschool runs for two years. Our Preschool follows and reports against the UK Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS). There are seven areas of learning and development that shape our Preschool programmes and comprise the knowledge, skills and understanding that  students aim to achieve by the end of the HOPE Preschool program. These include: Communication and Language, Physical development, Personal, social and emotional development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the world and Expressive arts and design. Preschool students also receive specialist Art, Music, Library and PE lessons. 

Primary School | Grades K-5

 The Primary Core Curriculum is based on the UK National curriculum and is supplemented by integrated studies and specialist subjects.  The integrated curriculum includes science, health, and social studies. The specialist subjects include Computing, Art, Music, Language (Khmer or Korean), Library and PE. All subjects are taught with a Biblical worldview in mind.

Middle School | Grades 6-8

The grade 6-8 Curriculum has been developed as a continuum allowing students to progress seamlessly from Primary to IGCSE, with a Biblical worldview at its core. The Curriculum has been developed to ensure that it becomes relevant to the broadest range of international students possible and is a strong pathway to IGCSE. Mathematics, English, Science and SOSE (Study of Societies and Environment) are the core and supplemented by the following specialist lessons–Languages, Art, Music, Computer Science and Physical Education. Christian Perspectives (CP) lessons offer students an opportunity to study the Bible and the Health and Wellbeing Curriculum has been designed to complement CP by affording students the time to explore the ways in which they can put their Christian faith into action.

High School | Grades 9-10

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for Grades 9 and 10

High School Curriculum (Grade 9 to 12): Beginning in Grade 9, students at HOPE may study a number of internally assessed courses, called ‘HOPE’ courses, in combination with a number of externally assessed two-year International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) courses across Grades 9-10. The IGCSE is an internationally examined curriculum, based on the examinations taken by UK children aged 16. It is administered by the University of Cambridge examinations Board. An internationally recognised qualification the IGCSE follows on from HOPE’s Middle school curriculum and is an excellent preparation for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme which HOPE students access in Grade 11. 

All Grade 9 students start the two-year IGCSE course with 4-5 core courses in English Language, English Literature, Maths & Coordinated Science (dual award, equivalent of two IGCSEs). Additional options include choices from the following IGCSE subjects: French, History, P.E., Global Perspectives, Art, Geography, Business, Computer Science, Music, and Additional Math. They take HOPE accredited courses in P.E., Health and Wellbeing, and Christian Perspectives. They also complete service hours through our Vision in Action (VIA) program.  Subjects such as ELL, Khmer, and Korean are also offered. Subjects offered in any given year are dependent on cohort choices and staff availability. It is recommended that for entry into the IB Diploma programme in Grade 11, a minimum of 6 IGCSE’s including Maths, English Language and Science must be completed at grade C or better for taking IB Diploma Standard Levels (SL) and grade B or better for taking IB Diploma Higher Levels (HL).

High School | Grades 11-12

International Baccalaureate Diploma and HOPE Diploma for Grades 11 and 12

HOPE is one of over 4000 IB World Schools offering the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) to students in Grades 11 and 12. The programme is over forty years old and is recognised and respected by universities around the world. 

The IB curriculum consists of courses from six learning areas: Sciences, Individuals and Societies, Mathematics, Language and Literature, Language Acquisition and Visual Arts. HOPE has chosen course offerings which meet the requirements of each area. In addition, students in the Diploma Programme take foundational IB courses in Theory of Knowledge (TOK), CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) and Extended Essay (EE). These three courses form the IB Core. Students choose three IB HL (Higher Level) courses, three IB SL (Standard Level) courses, CP and the IB Core. Graduates receive a HOPE Transcript and IB Diploma recognised in all international universities.

HOPE offers students pathway alternatives should they not require or desire to complete the full IB Diploma. This may involve students taking a decreased number of subjects.