Diploma Programme (DP)

Students’ post-secondary plans, family situations, teacher recommendations, and anecdotal and academic data will all be considered in guiding students towards appropriate course selections and graduation pathways.  Exceptions to any guideline below will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  The principal, in consultation with the DP Coordinator, Director of Inclusion, and College Counsellor, is responsible for final approval.

Admission cut-off dates

Full Diploma or IB Courses: Incoming students must begin their studies at AISL no later than 1 September (HL) / 30 October (SL) of their Grade 11 year.  Their candidacy for DP courses is subject to review of their admissions file by the DP Coordinator, College Counsellor, and subject-area teachers. This is to ensure that AISL can provide the IB-recommended number of instructional hours.

Students from non-DP schools who arrive after these cut-off dates will not be registered for DP exams.  However, they can complete subjects for graduation credit as AISL High School Diploma students.  In some cases, incoming Grade 12 students may be offered a combination of Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses to meet their graduation requirements.

Prerequisite subjects for the full Diploma and IB Courses (MYP Grade 10 or equivalent):

Language & Literature

Language Acquisition

Individuals & Societies

Mathematics

Science

Full Diploma Programme candidates must be able to access the curriculum in English, maintain a strong attendance record, and demonstrate academic integrity. 

For AISL MYP or transferring MYP students:

1. A grade of “3” or above for all prerequisite MYP subjects by the end of Grade 10 

2. A grade of “4” or above in at least three subjects from among the prerequisites 

listed above, plus arts courses.

For transferring Grade 11 student from non-MYP schools::

1. Credit earned for all Grade 10 prerequisite subjects where available.

2. Sufficient credits from previous school(s) to allow for graduation within two years.

3. Where academic results or subjects from previous schools do not easily translate 

to their equivalents within AISL, students may be asked to complete Admissions placement assessments in Math and/or English to determine whether the full DP pathway is appropriate.

Minimum requirements for enrolment in specific subjects are explained under Subject Selection.

Transferring DP Candidates

Transferring DP candidates from other IB schools will be accepted into Grades 11 and 12 upon review of their application by the DP Coordinator and College Counsellor.  AISL will make every effort to meet transferring students’ needs, and the DP Coordinator will liaise with the DP Coordinator at the transferring student’s original school to support a smooth transition.  

However, AISL may not be able to offer the same combination of DP subjects that the student originally enrolled in.  In some cases, transferring students may need to supplement AISL’s offerings through Pamoja, or may need to become an IB Course candidate instead of a full DP candidate.  If Pamoja courses are necessary, the tuition cost (around $1350 USD) and transfer fee (around $420 USD) are to be borne by the family.

Inclusivity

 The American International School of Lusaka promotes a philosophy of inclusion. In accordance with the IB philosophy of inclusion, AISL strives:

to provide a safe and supportive environment for diverse learners

to know the whole child and support their academic, social, and personal growth

to collaborate to ensure that all AISL programs are accessible to all students

The inclusive policies are detailed in the AISL Student Support Services Handbook. 

The International Baccalaureate and AISL provide assessment access for students with diagnosed learning differences, and for whom English is a second or subsequent language.  These accommodations may include the following:

Additional time

Access to a word processor and spellcheck

Separate testing venue

Stop-the-clock breaks

Scribing

Further details can be found in the IB’s “Access and Inclusion Policy”.

The following IB DP subjects are offered at AISL.  All full DP candidates choose one course from each of the following groups.  However, instead of an Arts course, students may take an additional subject from Groups 1-4.  For complete course descriptions, please see Diploma Programme Curricula/Syllabi.  Please see Scheduling at AISL (below) for important information about subject combinations.

Group 1: Language and Literature

• English A: Literature (HL/SL)

• School-Supported Self-Taught Language A: Literature (SL)*

Group 2: Language Acquisition

• French Ab Initio (SL)

• French B (HL/SL)

• Spanish B (HL/SL)

Group 3: Individuals and Societies

• Economics (HL/SL)

• Environmental Systems and Societies (SL)

• Psychology (HL/SL)

• History (HL/SL)

Group 4: Experimental Sciences

• Biology (HL/SL)

• Chemistry (HL/SL) 

• Environmental Systems and Societies (SL)

• Physics (HL/SL)

Group 5: Mathematics

• Applications and Interpretations (SL only)

• Analysis and Approaches (HL/SL)

Group 6: The Arts

• Music (HL/SL)

• Film (HL/SL)

• Visual Arts (HL/SL)

Core

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

• Extended Essay (EE)

• Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)

**In addition, students may choose to take some DP subjects online through Pamoja

Pamoja is an approved online provider of IB courses. Each Pamoja course is taught by a qualified DP teacher, and covers the same content and required assessments as an in-person DP course. Pamoja courses are primarily asynchronous, with periodic live group sessions. Pamoja teachers are available for one-on-one online support as well. Students enrolled in a Pamoja course take their DP exams in May alongside all other AISL students. 

Students can take the following Pamoja courses:

Group 1: Language and Literature (HL/SL)

Group 2: Mandarin Ab Initio (SL) (if student qualifies; see “Admission to Ab Initio Classes”)

Group 3: Business Management (HL/SL)

Group 3: Psychology (HL/SL)

Group 3: Information Technology in a Global Society (HL/SL)

Group 3: Philosophy (SL)

Group 5: Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (HL)

Group 6: Film (SL)

Support for Pamoja students at AISL

Pamoja students at AISL have a timetabled block in their schedule to devote to their Pamoja studies.  However, since Pamoja learning is primarily asynchronous, students enrolling in Pamoja courses should have highly developed self-management and organizational skills.  It can be challenging for students to focus on their Pamoja coursework when other seemingly more urgent tasks are due on the same day. In addition, there is no physical teacher available to provide regular in-person support.  Students will thrive in Pamoja who are self-motivated and who enjoy working independently.  Students must be approved by the DP Coordinator in order to register for a Pamoja class.  To be eligible for Pamoja registration, a student’s Self-Management ATL must be at “usually” or higher level across the majority of subjects by the end of Grade 10.

AISL has a Site-Based Coordinator (SBC) who liaises between Pamoja, AISL, and students.  The SBC is responsible for registering students in Pamoja courses, invigilating exams, progress monitoring, reporting predicted grades, and reporting quarterly and semester Pamoja grades on AISL report cards.  In addition, the SBC may arrange a dedicated study space and/or supervision for Pamoja students who are struggling with self-management.

Registration and enrolment

Students wishing to enroll in a Pamoja course must also enroll in a “back-up” on-campus DP subject, which they attend from the beginning of the school year.  Pamoja courses begin in early September. By the end of September, students must decide which subject they want to continue with: their Pamoja online course or their on-campus back-up.

This system means that for about a month, students will have a challenging workload of 7 DP subjects.  However, it also means that students can withdraw from either Pamoja or their on-campus subject without having to make up a month of work.

Fees and billing

Parents are responsible for the additional cost of a Pamoja class, usually around $1350 USD per year (non-refundable). There is no registration fee, nor are families billed if students withdraw before the end of the registration period.

AISL will bill families for Pamoja tuition; there is no need for families to pay Pamoja directly.

Scheduling and Subject Selection at AISL

As a small school, AISL cannot offer all possible combinations of available DP courses. We do our best to place students in their recommended/chosen subjects based on scheduling considerations.

An annual retreat is held for Grade 10 students to introduce them to the programme offerings in Grades 11 and 12. Following this retreat, individual students and their parents meet with the College Guidance Counsellor and DP Coordinator to select their Grade 11 and 12 graduation pathway and courses.

Students can change from one subject to another within the first two weeks of school only.  With the exception of Mathematics courses, and subjects (like Literature) where SL and HL students are taught separately, students may change a course from Standard Level to Higher Level or the reverse at any time until the first interim reporting session is complete, usually in mid-October. All changes must be approved by the DP Coordinator and College Guidance Counsellor.

Under extenuating circumstances, students can make a written request to the DP Coordinator for HL/SL changes after October of the first year of the programme.  This will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Special cases: Chemistry, ESS, and Pamoja

Chemistry may only be able to be offered as a second science within the Scheduled Group 6 slot.  The exception to this would normally be if there is enough student interest to justify offering two sections of Chemistry.

Environmental Systems and Societies is an interdisciplinary subject. It fulfills the requirements for a Group 3 or Group 4 course, or both, enabling students to take a second subject from one of the other DP subject groups (except Group 5).

Pamoja subjects are normally selected as a 7th DP subject for the beginning of Grade 11.  See Pamoja Online Courses for more details.

Admission to any HL Class

Students must have achieved a grade of “4” or higher in their MYP prerequisite subject, or the equivalent, to be enrolled in a DP HL class.

Admission to Group 1 Classes

For English A: Literature SL, EAL students must have achieved solid, consistent performance in MYP Language Acquisition Phase 5-6 OR a WIDA composite of at least 4.9 by the end of Grade 10.  This must be followed by growth, teacher monitoring, and recommendation for continued enrollment by December of Grade 11.

For English A: Literature HL, EAL students must have achieved solid, consistent performance in MYP Language Acquisition Phase 6 OR a WIDA composite of at least 6.0 by the end of Grade 10. This must be followed by growth, teacher monitoring, and recommendation for continued enrollment by December of 

Grade 11.

School-Supported Self-Taught (SSST) Language A: Literature

The DP SSST SL course is for students who have another language (mother or strongest tongue).  It is a largely self-directed course completed under the guidance of AISL’s Self-taught Coordinator and a tutor, who may or may not be DP trained. To be approved for enrollment in the SSST course, the following conditions apply:

1. The student must demonstrate solid, consistent performance in Phase 5-6 MYP in the SSST language;

2. If Phase placement is not possible in the SSST language, AISL may require a recommendation from 

an MIH tutor following a diagnostic assessment (at parents’ cost).

3. Self-Management ATL must be at “usually” or higher level across the majority of subjects by the end 

of Grade 10.

4. On a case by case basis, students may be required to engage in a study of three literary texts, under the guidance of a tutor to be paid for by the family, across the second semester of Grade 10 as a prerequisite for enrollment in the SSST course.  An example of this case may be a conversationally bilingual student who has never engaged in academic study of the SSST language.

In most circumstances, students must enroll in English A: Literature concurrently with their SSST course in order to receive direct instruction on the skills necessary for success.  

Students are required to hire a tutor and are responsible for the purchase of all coursework materials.  AISL recommends MIH Unlimited tutors, but cannot guarantee that a tutor will be available for all languages.  Tutoring fees are arranged and paid between the family and the tutor; AISL does not facilitate or negotiate any tutoring fees.

AISL has a SSST Coordinator who is responsible for providing students with the logistical support necessary for success in the SSST course. Students normally meet with the SSST coordinator once every eight days.

Students enrolled in a SSST Language A: Literature course take their exams in May alongside all other AISL students.

Admission to Ab Initio Classes

“Language ab initio is a language acquisition course designed for students with no prior experience of the target language, or for those students with very limited previous exposure. . . Any student who is already able to understand and respond to spoken and written language on a range of common topics is not to be placed in language ab initio as this would not provide an appropriate academic challenge, nor is it fair for those students who are genuine beginners of the language” (Ab Initio Guide 6).

The IB stipulates that students in MYP Phase 3 or above are not to be placed in DP Language Ab Initio classes, and that students in MYP Phase 2 are only to be enrolled in DP Language Ab Initio in rare cases (Language Acquisition Guide (MYP) 6).  These exceptions will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis by the Secondary Leadership Team.

At AISL, incoming DP students will only be approved for enrollment in Language Ab Initio if they have studied the language for less than two years (=3 semester report cards) from Grades 6-10.

Students will only be eligible to select a new language Ab Initio in the DP if they have achieved satisfactory proficiency in Phase 4 in their current language by the end of Grade 10.

Admission to Applications SL

Where academic results from Grade 10 do not easily translate to the equivalent of a “3” in MYP Mathematics, students may be required to complete a placement test in math to determine whether they can access to Applications SL class.

Admission to Mathematics Analysis HL 

The minimum requirement for entry into the Analysis HL class is a mark of “5” on MYP Criterion A (Knowledge & Understanding).  However, teachers generally only recommend students for Mathematics Analysis HL if students have earned a 6 or above on MYP Criterion A (Knowledge and Understanding).  In rare cases, students may be recommended for Analysis HL if they have a mark of 5 on MYP Criterion A, combined with exceptionally strong ATL skills.  

Admission to Physics SL or HL 

The minimum requirement for entry into any DP Physics class is a mark of “5” on MYP Criterion A (Knowledge & Understanding).  However, teachers generally only recommend students for Physics if students have earned a 6 or above on MYP Criterion A (Knowledge and Understanding).  It is strongly recommended for Physics students to be in the Mathematics Analysis course.

Admission to DP Music

Students must be able to read music and perform (instrumental or vocal). Students who are transferring from another school and/or have not taken MYP Music may be required to complete a placement assessment in Music Theory, and to perform a vocal or instrumental solo to determine whether they can access the DP Music class.

AISL teachers report three kinds of predicted grades during the Diploma Programme.

Preliminary Predicted Grades

At the end of Grade 11, teachers create preliminary predicted grades for subjects in Groups 1-6 as well as TOK.  These grades represent teachers’ best estimation of how students will perform by the end of the Grade 12; they are not a report on demonstrated achievement thus far. Teachers use their professional judgment and consider all data available to them, including performance on summative and formative assessments as well as students’ ATL skills (e.g. commitment to long-term review, self-management, etc.). 

Preliminary predicted grades should help frame students’ plans for revision during the June-July break.

The DP Coordinator and High School Counsellor communicate these to students and parents via email in June. They are not reported to universities or to the IB. 

University Predicted Grades

Colleges and universities around the world require that AISL submit predicted grades for applicants to their institution. These grades are generated by each student’s individual subject teachers, ToK teacher, and Extended Essay supervisor in the first semester of Grade 12. Predicted grades submitted to universities are “aspirational but achievable” (“Predicted Grades”).  Teachers use their professional judgment and consider all data available to them, including performance on summative and formative assessments as well as students’ ATL skills (e.g. commitment to long-term review, self-management, etc.). 

The College Counsellor shares university predicted grades upon student or parent/guardian request from mid-October onwards (earlier for students with application dates in mid-October).

IB Predicted Grades

IB predicted grades are the most realistic estimation of students’ future performance.  They are created for all subjects from Groups 1-6 as well as TOK and the EE in December of Grade 12, and then revised as necessary and submitted to the IB in April.

IB predicted grades are not shared with universities.  Since they are meant to be the most realistic rather than being “aspirational”, these grades may be slightly lower than those submitted to universities. 

In rare cases in which a student is unable to write exams (for example, due to a medical emergency), the IB may use these predicted grades to calculate a final subject grade.  In this case, the final subject grade is created by combining the prediction with the student’s coursework (internal and external assessments where relevant).  Because there is a slight possibility that a student’s predicted grade may impact their final subject grade, students have a right to know their predictions in each subject.

These predicted grades are available to students at the beginning of April.  At that point, if a student or their family is unhappy with the prediction, the student may ask their teacher for a chance to do additional work to demonstrate their skills. This request is granted at the discretion of the teacher. Additionally, a student may request a review of the data that supports their current predicted grade.  This follows the same process as reviews for university predicted grades:

Requesting a review of the IB or University predicted grade

If a student or their family does not agree with the predicted/anticipated grade given, the student may request a review. This normally happens when a student believes their demonstrated achievement and/or commitment to their studies merits a higher prediction than what they have received.

The review procedure is as follows:

1. The student emails the specific teacher, CC’ing the DP Coordinator and Counsellor, detailing reasons why she/he considers that the grade should be revisited.

Requests from parents on behalf of students will be respectfully returned with a recommendation for the student to advocate for themselves. This is to support students’ ATL communication and self-advocacy skills.

2. The grade and data behind the grade will be examined by the subject Head of Department with the subject teacher’s input (and in consultation with the DP Coordinator if necessary.

Note that this meeting is intended to confirm that adequate data, both qualitative and quantitative, has been considered in creating the predicted grade.  It does not involve getting students’ work re-marked by a different teacher, nor does it call into question the professional judgment of a teacher in applying the assessment criteria to students’ work.

3. The FINAL predicted/anticipated grade will be communicated to the student and/or his/her family by the DP Coordinator and/or Counsellor within 5 working days of receipt of the appeal.

Following this process there will be no further changes to a predicted grade.

Rationale & Statement of Purpose

Developing the skills associated with academic integrity allows us to “confidently talk or write about what [we] are learning, making visible and explicit how [we] have constructed their ideas and what views [we] have followed or rejected.”  Academic integrity enables us to “make[] knowledge, understanding and thinking transparent” (Academic Honesty in the IB Educational Context 1).

In alignment with the IB Learner Profile, AISL students are expected to act in a principled, honest way on all work that they complete within the Diploma Programme.  The following policy covers both AISL and IB assessments, and both formative and summative work.

AISL Referencing

AISL uses MLA referencing. Paraphrased or quoted material should be immediately followed by a parenthetical citation; each parenthetical citation should correspond to a complete Works Cited entry.

Parenthetical citation:

There have been “some positive environmental outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Lindsey et al. 

1302).

Matching Works Cited entry: 

Lindsey, Peter, et al. “Conserving Africa’s Wildlife and Wildlands through the COVID-19 Crisis and 

Beyond.” Nature Ecology & Evolution, vol. 4, no. 10, 29 July 2020, pp. 1300–1310., 

doi:10.1038/s41559-020-1275-6. 

Student Responsibilities - good practice

AISL students are responsible for engaging in academic integrity by doing the following:

Making sure that all work submitted for assessment is authentically created and produced by the student

Reviewing their own work to identify any ideas, sources, and work that need to be acknowledged

Acknowledging the authors and owners of ideas, texts, data, and work that inform their learning in the DP, using the most recent version of MLA  to create in-text citations and Works Cited lists.

Submitting work to ManageBac in .pdf or Microsoft Word format so that it can be run through Turnitin

Speaking with teachers regularly about their work, including possibly showing drafts and notes

Proving that their work is their own, if questioned

Recognizing that the responsibility for academic malpractice is the student’s

Signing the IB’s academic integrity declaration when uploading work to IBIS

Submitting work to the IB that is authentic on the first upload; work cannot be re-submitted

Following the IB’s conduct of examinations rules and regulations

Teacher Responsibilities

AISL teachers should model and teach academically honest behaviors. Specifically, AISL teachers are responsible for:

Providing a safe, fair, and supportive environment in which students can learn about academic integrity issues and responsibilities

Modeling academically honest behaviors

Recording each incident of academic malpractice on the Academic Integrity Issues Form

School Responsibilities

The AISL administration are responsible for:

Applying the academic integrity policies fairly and with consistency

Providing a safe environment for teaching and learning

Providing professional development for teachers

Promoting parent awareness

Assisting student learning

Modeling academically honest behaviors

Parent Responsibilities

AISL parents are encouraged to:

Understand and support AISL’s Academic Integrity Policy and discuss it with their children

Ensure that they are aware of deadlines and support children in meeting deadlines

Encourage students to communicate with teachers about academic integrity question

Contact the teacher or DP Coordinator with any questions about what constitutes help and what constitutes malpractice

Education and Support

AISL students will have the opportunities to learn about academic integrity in a variety of learning settings. Specifically, students will have the opportunities to learn about academic integrity in:

Subject (Groups 1-6) and TOK classes;

Extended Essay support classes with the DP Coordinator and/or the Secondary Librarian;

With the DP Coordinator during the August/September Grade 11 Retreat. During this retreat, students work with age-appropriate scenarios depicting both good and poor referencing/behaviours.

The consequences of academic malpractice, described below, provide a supportive environment in which students can make and learn from mistakes.

AISL Student Declaration on Academic Integrity:

In August/September of Grade 11, all DP students will sign a Student Declaration on Academic Integrity.  This will be kept on file by the DP Coordinator.  This declaration includes the following statement:

I understand the meaning and spirit of “academic integrity” as outlined in this document and as explained to me by the teaching staff at AISL.

I declare that all work submitted by me will always be my own authentic work. Where I rely on 

others’ work, I will give proper reference to the original author. I will not participate in 

collusion, duplication of work, or any other form of academic malpractice.

I understand that deadlines for work to be submitted are to be adhered to and will treat the deadlines with careful planning to meet all of them.

Academic Malpractice

Students engage in academic malpractice when they engage in any behavior that results in the student gaining an unfair advantage on any AISL or DP assessment (internal or external, formative or summative). Malpractice includes:

Plagiarism: "Representing the ideas, words, images, and work of someone else (including artificial intelligence, e.g. Chat GPT) without proper, clear, and explicit acknowledgement, whether intentionally or not. The use of translated materials, unless indicated and acknowledged, is also considered plagiarism." (“Academic Honesty in the IB Diploma Programme”)

Collusion: helping someone else by letting them copy or submit work that is not their own;

Duplication of work: using the same work for different assessment components or different subjects; for example, submitting the same piece of work for a Language and Literature Extended Essay and a Language and Literature written task; 

Cheating: “using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, assistance, and/or aids in an effort to gain an unfair advantage” (Academic Honesty in the DP ibid.).

Malpractice also includes: 

Making up data for an assignment (e.g. fabrication of data for a lab)

Falsifying a CAS record

Writing a sentence/passage of  text into a digital translator (e.g. Google Translate), and then submitting the translated text as your own.

Providing unwarranted access to materials or information to another student

Skipping class when a summative assessment is due

Failing to submit an assessment component by the due date without an approved extension

Uploading a corrupt file to ManageBac to make it appear that the student has submitted complete work

Academic malpractice during IB DP exams 

(The full list of IB examination rules are listed in the IB publication The Conduct of IB Diploma Programme Examinations)

Taking unapproved items into the examination room (e.g. cell phone, unauthorized calculator, rough paper, notes, etc.);

Disrupting an exam (e.g. any misbehavior or distracting other candidates);

Copying another candidate’s work;

Disobeying instructions from an invigilator;

Discussing or disseminating the content of an examination paper to anyone outside the school cohort within 24 hours of the examination;

Using an unapproved calculator;

Concealing and/or using unauthorised software on a graphic display calculator.

Procedures for Reporting, Recording, and Monitoring Academic Integrity

In accordance with IB guidelines, AISL keeps electronic records of academic malpractice situations and consequences. In order to ensure fairness and consistency, all teachers must report any suspicion of academic malpractice to the DP Coordinator. 

When an incident occurs, the teacher records the student’s name and details and evidence of the incident in an Academic Integrity Issues Form. When the form is submitted, the Secondary Principal, DP Coordinator, and Counsellor are automatically notified.

The DP Coordinator will investigate further, and may communicate with all of the student’s teachers, to apprise them of the infraction and the consequences (if applicable).

All AISL teachers are encouraged to communicate with the DP Coordinator if and when suspicions arise in order to fully support DP students. 

Rights of the Student

Students have the right for all incidents involving academic malpractice to be recorded and investigated in a fair and consistent way.

Students have the right to submit their work to Turn-it-in prior to submitting to their teacher, with no penalty for infractions that may be found in the pre-submitted work.

Consequences of Academic Malpractice and Remediation

If a student is unsure of how an action may be perceived, they should ask their teacher or coordinator to get clarification.  In cases of academic malpractice, the following procedures will guide the administration in taking appropriate action. The spirit of the consequence is to demonstrate to students that there are repercussions to one’s actions linked to the violation. Note that the following consequences apply to both formative and summative work.

Plagiarism, Collusion, Duplication of Work, Cheating, or any action taken by a student whereby they gain unfair advantage: 

First learning opportunity - At the teacher’s discretion, the assignment may be redone for feedback purposes. The student’s name, along with the infraction details, are recorded in the Academic Integrity Issues log. The student will receive guidance from the teacher and/or librarian on how to properly integrate secondary source material. The teacher or the DP Coordinator will inform parents.

Second learning opportunity - At the teacher’s discretion, the assignment may be redone for feedback purposes. The student’s name, along with the infraction details, are recorded in the Academic Integrity Issues log. The student will receive guidance from the teacher and/or librarian on how to properly integrate secondary source material.  The IB DP Coordinator will inform parents, and remind students and parents of the consequences for subsequent infractions.

Third learning opportunity - At the teacher’s discretion, the assignment may be redone for feedback purposes. The student’s name, along with the infraction details, are recorded in the Academic Integrity Issues log. The student will receive guidance from the teacher and/or librarian on how to properly integrate secondary source material. The DP Coordinator will inform parents, and remind students and parents of the consequences of subsequent infraction. One or more of the following consequences may be applied:

The student will serve a suspension.

The student will complete an online course in academic integrity, paid for by their family.

Fourth instance - At the teacher’s discretion, the assignment may be redone for feedback purposes. The student will receive guidance from the teacher and/or librarian on how to properly integrate secondary source material. The teacher will contact the IB DP Coordinator, who will set up a meeting with the student, the student’s parents or guardians, the counsellor and/or the secondary principal. One or more of the following consequences may be applied:

The student will no longer be eligible for continuation as a full DP candidate.

The student will no longer be eligible for continuation as an IB Courses student in (a) particular subject(s)

The student will be asked to leave AISL.

In all cases regarding academic misconduct, the teacher must have clear evidence.  Using the Academic Integrity Issues form (or by email), teachers will report any incident to the DP Coordinator, the College Guidance Counsellor, and the Secondary School principals. The administration will oversee a fair investigation of academic misconduct.

Review of the Policy

This policy was updated in May 2021. This document is a working document that can be adapted, edited, and updated according to best practice. It will be reviewed annually by the DP Coordinator and the Secondary Leadership Team, and with Diploma Programme teachers at the beginning of each academic year.

Standard and Practices

This document seeks to meet the IB Standards and Practices:

Section B: Organization - Standard B1: Leadership and structure

The school’s leadership and administrative structures ensure the implementation of the IB programme(s).

DP requirements 

e. The school has developed and implements an academic integrity policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

Section C: Curriculum - Standard C3: Teaching and learning 

Teaching and learning reflects IB philosophy. 

4. Teaching and learning promotes the understanding and practice of academic integrity.

AISL Student Declaration on Academic Integrity:

In August of Grade 11, all DP students will sign a Student Declaration on Academic Integrity.  This will be kept on file by the DP Coordinator.  This declaration includes the following statement:

I understand the meaning and spirit of “academic integrity” as outlined in this document and as explained to me by the teaching staff at AISL.

I declare that all work submitted by me will always be my own authentic work. Where I rely on others’ work, I will give proper reference to the original author. I will not participate in collusion, duplication of work, or any other form of academic malpractice.

I understand that deadlines for work to be submitted are to be adhered to and will treat the deadlines with careful planning to meet all of them.

DP assessment components

Students’ final DP grades are based both on exams and on assessment components that are completed throughout the two years of the DP. These assessment components, often referred to collectively as “IA’s” since most of them are internal assessments, are standardized worldwide and have subject-specific weightings and criteria. They are either externally or internally moderated by trained IB examiners. Whenever possible, AISL teachers will also standardize their assessment of DP components prior to submission to the IB by cross-grading student samples with another qualified teacher.. Examples of assessment components include:

Internal assessments (e.g. lab work, field work, oral commentaries)

The extended essay (EE)

The Theory of Knowledge presentation and essay

Comparative studies in Visual Arts

Director’s Notebook in Theatre 

To complete an assessment component, students discuss a topic and plan with the teacher, submit final draft work, receive feedback, revise, and submit a final submission. Then, schools do an authenticity check, and submit student work and/or marks in advance of IB-set deadlines. 

The internal calendar

IB schools are encouraged to create an internal calendar of deadlines to manage the logistics of having 1-3 assessment components per student per subject:

“The school will establish procedures to ensure that the calendar of deadlines is adhered to and clearly communicated to all stakeholders.” (“DP Action Plan 2016-19”)

An internal calendar also supports students in their time-management and organizational skills, and helps space out components so that students are not overburdened by many assignments falling due at the same time. The creation of the calendar is facilitated by the DP Coordinator with input from all teachers.

Extensions

The AISL community acknowledges that developing strong self-management skills is a learning process, and that students may not always be ready to submit their work on time for a variety of reasons. Students may request extensions for DP assessment components by following the process outlined below. Requests must be made by email to the subject teacher, with the DP Coordinator copied. The email should state the reason for the request and propose a new submission date.

The teacher and student will then meet to determine the length of the extension. The DP Coordinator may join at the discretion of any of the interested parties.

This process is intended as an opportunity for students to strengthen their self-management skills and get assistance in creating an effective completion plan. The decision on the extension must be guided by the following principles:

• Deadlines are set  in the interest of students; they allow for all DP work to be spread out, and for timely feedback to be given on drafts.

• Teachers will always act in the best interest of the student when reaching an agreement.  DP assessment components have a considerable impact on a student’s final DP results and students should have the opportunity to produce their best work.

• Students are expected to demonstrate responsibility and integrity when making requests; last-minute requests that aren’t justified by unforeseen circumstances are unlikely to result in an extension of more than one day.

In their discussion, the student and teacher may also agree on support strategies such as:

• attending one or more Diploma After-School Help (DASH) sessions (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 14:45–15:45);

• seeking assistance from another teacher;

• submitting interim evidence of work completed.

Once an agreement has been reached, the student must send a follow-up email to the teacher, DP Coordinator and parents/guardians confirming the decision. The extension length agreed upon with the teacher is final. 

Students must upload whatever work they have completed by the original submission date. This version will serve as back-up and be submitted in case no new work is submitted by the end of the extension.

If a student believes their request has not been considered fairly, they may appeal directly to the DP Coordinator.

If a student feels unable to share the reason for their request with their teacher and/or family, they may bring the request instead to the DP Coordinator, a school counsellor, the Secondary Principal, or the Secondary Dean of Students, who will act on the student’s behalf.

Communication

The DP Coordinator will share AISL’s internal calendar and policy digitally with teachers, students, and parents during Semester 2 of Grade 11. The DP Coordinator and counsellor will also host a parent coffee morning reviewing the calendar and policy. By the end of September in Grade 12, the DP Coordinator will share the most recent version of the internal calendar again with all stakeholders.

Subject teachers will create assessment component deadlines (final draft and final submission) on ManageBac at least three week in advance of the due date. However, students are expected to use the complete internal calendar for planning their time, and will be held responsible for meeting deadlines as published in the calendar.

The DP Coordinator will inform parents when a student fails to meet a final draft or final submission deadline. 

At the beginning of Grade 11, students select their IB candidacy status as being “full DP” or “IB Courses”.  To maintain this candidacy into Grade 12, students are expected to show commitment to their studies.  For students who are struggling, AISL advisors will support through an ATL monitoring plan.

1. Students must maintain an attendance record of 85% per subject. Attendance will be reviewed at the end of each quarter for every subject.

• Grade 11 End of Q1: If a student’s attendance is below 85% and there is further cause for concern about the student’s progress, s/he may begin an ATL monitoring plan under the guidance of the Advisor.

• Grade 11 End of S1: If attendance in any class is still below 85% and there are still concerns about progress, a meeting will be called with the parents, DP Coordinator, and Advisor or Grade-level Leader to review the student’s progress. At this point, a formal warning will be given and the ATL monitoring plan will remain in effect.

• Grade 11 End of Q3: If attendance is still below 85% and there are still concerns about progress, the candidate’s approval for registration as a full DP/IB subjects candidate will be withdrawn.

Placement on any ATL monitoring plan will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

2. Students must maintain academic integrity with no more than 3 recorded instances of malpractice across the two years of the programme, as per AISL’s Academic Integrity Policy.

3. Students must demonstrate strong ATL skills and/or growth in ATL skills, as evidenced by a descriptor of “usually” or higher on ATL self-management skills in the majority of subjects on quarterly reports.

If these conditions are not met, a student’s candidacy for the full Diploma or specific DP courses will be withdrawn. Withdrawal after IB registration deadlines incurs fees to be charged to the families.

Appropriate support from Student Support Department

Scribing student’s ideas either verbatim or into summaries/point form

Sharing graphic organizers in the planning stage

Analyzing an exemplar

Encouraging recitation of class content

Chunking big tasks & helping prioritize steps

Prompting student to form questions

Asking questions about student’s work

Prompting self-reflection

Reviewing citation expectations using other examples; (student should apply this to their work independently)

Visually re-formatting a teacher’s feedback to sequence it more clearly if needed

Explaining command terms and providing non-subject-area examples

Inappropriate guidance from anyone besides student’s subject teacher

Providing feedback on the draft or any part of the draft

Making suggestions or answering questions about anything content-related - methodology, structure, topic choice, accuracy of data, etc.

Suggesting improvements on the topic, draft, method, etc.

Advice on which tool/apparatus/equipment to use, where appropriate

Appropriate support from laboratory assistant (Groups 3 Geo & Group 4 only)

Supervising data collection (during normal work hours);

Informing students of available resources;

Explaining the purpose, functions, and/or limitations of different equipment and tools; showing students how to use equipment and materials, and to do so safely;

Providing access to resources & materials

Calibrating equipment prior to student use