CLASS PLACEMENT

Teachers’ professional judgment is sought in placing students in classes for each academic school year. As many perspectives as possible are considered when placing students in classes; feedback from specialist teachers and parents is also considered.

Each year, as with all international schools, many families leave our community and so we change the composition of classes because we wish to ensure:

• A positive learning environment 

• A class “culture” which is focused around inquiry-based learning 

• Friendship groups that positively influence learning 

We discuss the balance of the newly created class being important for teaching, learning and for social interaction. 

A well-chosen class should contain a balance of:

• Gender 

• New and returning students 

• Home languages

• Academic ability 

We also believe it is important to consider:

• The known personality of students and their social/emotional needs 

• Friendship groups (those which both positively and negatively impact learning) 

• Behavioural dynamics of the students 

We strive to make thoughtful and professional decisions that support the social, emotional, and academic development of every learner. As part of this process, parents are invited in May to provide input that may assist us in thoughtfully considering class placements for the following school year.

While we are unable to accommodate specific requests regarding teachers or friendship groups, we greatly value parent perspectives. To support this process, we provide a series of guiding questions designed to help families share information that may be helpful as we consider the overall composition and balance of each class.