Welcome to the IB Journey at GEMS International School

The Three Pillars

As such, from August 2026 we will base our school leadership focus not around ages but three interconnected pillars central to student success:

• Teaching and Learning

• Curriculum, Standards and Assessment

• Student Life and Culture

These pillars reflect the focus areas of our improvement journey: strengthening classroom practice, sharpening standards, improving transitions, and ensuring that student wellbeing, behaviour, leadership and belonging have the same intentionality as academic outcomes.

The real benefit is that this model allows leadership to sit around priorities that students experience consistently throughout school. For example, our approach to inclusion will now sit within the Teaching and Learning pillar rather than as a referral process to a separate function. This matters because inclusion is not phase- or age-specific. Students’ strengths, needs and barriers to learning do not sit neatly within primary or secondary structures.

A learner who requires adaptive teaching, language support, executive-function support, stretch, emotional regulation strategies or carefully planned access arrangements needs continuity of understanding as they move through the school.

By placing inclusion within the Teaching and Learning pillar, we ensure that inclusive practice is part of everyday pedagogy: identifying barriers, adapting instruction and creating learning environments that allow all learners to access, participate and succeed.

The same principle applies elsewhere.

For example, by bringing curriculum, standards and assessment together through a whole-school lens, we can strengthen progression between IB curriculum stages and ensure that students are better prepared for each stage of learning.

Similarly, expectations around behaviour, wellbeing, student leadership, belonging and voice should develop as students get older, and need to feel consistent across the school. A Student Life and Culture pillar allows us to achieve that while still respecting age-appropriate differences.

For example, student leadership can become a progressive journey with the confidence, responsibility and agency developed in the primary years built upon in the middle years and then strengthened in the Diploma and Careers-related Programmes.

Approaches to Learning Skills

At GIS, we believe that learning how to learn is just as important as what is learned. The Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills are a core part of the IB curriculum and help students become confident, capable, and independent learners. These skills are taught and practiced across all subjects and grade levels, supporting students in their academic progress, personal development, and lifelong learning journey. The five ATL skill categories are:

• Thinking Skills – Encouraging critical, creative, and reflective thinking.

• Communication Skills – Helping students express themselves and understand others.

• Social Skills – Building teamwork, collaboration, and respect for others.

• Self-Management Skills – Supporting organization, resilience, and emotional well-being.

• Research Skills – Fostering curiosity, inquiry, and the ability to find and evaluate information.

Together, these skills empower students to take ownership of their learning and thrive in a changing world.

Learner Profile Attributes

• Inquirers – They nurture curiosity, ask questions, and enjoy learning.

• Knowledgeable – They explore ideas across subjects and build deep understanding.

• Thinkers – They apply thinking skills to make reasoned and ethical decisions.

• Communicators – They express themselves clearly and listen respectfully to others.

• Principled – They act with integrity, fairness, and respect for all.

• Open-minded – They value different perspectives and learn from diversity.

• Caring – They show empathy, kindness, and a commitment to helping others.

• Risk-takers – They are brave and resilient when facing new challenges.

• Balanced – They understand the importance of well-being for themselves and others.

• Reflective – They thoughtfully consider their learning and experiences.

10 Reasons to Choose the IB

Homework Guidelines - COMING SOON