How We Learn

Many students who require less extensive, class-based teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within mainstream classes in all kindergartens and schools.

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) prepares students to become active, caring, lifelong learners who demonstrate respect for themselves and others and have the capacity to participate in the world around them. Learning focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in and beyond the classroom and encourages students to be critical, creative and reflective thinkers. The MYP is a framework on which to hang a challenging and rigorous curriculum, which provides authentic, real-world connections to the learning in the classroom.

The curriculum consists of 8 subject groups integrated through 6 interactive areas providing global contexts for learning.

1. Language acquisition
2. Language and Literature
3. Individuals and Societies
4. Sciences
5. Mathematics
6. Arts
7. Physical and health education
8. Design

Our MYP centres around and is underpinned by the following five key components:

• Teaching and learning in context
• Conceptual understanding
• Approaches to teaching and learning
• Service as action through Community Service
• Inclusion and learning

As a further means of developing autonomous, self-directed learners, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through completing a project, which encourages reflection on their learning and outcomes of their work. This is a long-term project, which is embedded within a global context and generates a synthesis of creative and critical thinking and approaches to learning through an in-depth investigation.

MYP Projects
Students who complete the MYP in Year 9 or Year 10 complete the community project, enabling them to develop their commitment to service as action within the community. All students who complete the MYP in Year 11 complete the personal project.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is a course designed for students aged 16 to 19. Students can choose to follow either the full IB Diploma Programme or their choice of individual IB Diploma courses. Widely recognised as the best possible preparation for study at university, the IB DP builds research skills, promotes personal responsibility and encourages independent learning.

The full IB DP core comprises six subjects and the following key components:

• Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
• Extended Essay (EE)
• Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

Students can choose one subject from each of the groups below, three at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL).

1. Studies in Language and Literature (Language A);
2. Language Acquisition (Language B or ab initio), or a second Language A;
3. Individuals and Societies (Humanities);
4. Experimental Sciences;
5. Mathematics;
6. Arts (or a second Science, or a third language).

Parents should refer to the “Determining Year Group” guidelines under the admission process to determine the appropriate year group to apply for when submitting their kindergarten application.

ESF’s all-through education, K1 to Year 13, enables a seamless transition from kindergarten to primary and from Year 6 to secondary. The close links our primary schools have with their associated secondary schools play an important role in delivering a positive experience and a good start to the year, for our Year 7 students.

ESF will process and allocate according to an ‘associated secondary school’ for Year 7 placement. Below are the associated secondary schools for each primary school.

The Year 7 transition information will be sent to parents via email with details to login and access the form.

All Year 6 students enrolled in an ESF primary school by 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF secondary school on completion of Year 6.

For Year 6 students in Learning Support (LS): the child’s placement will be managed and allocated through a different process that takes account of the availability of Year 7 LS placements across all secondary schools. The student’s Year 7 placement will be confirmed by the end of November.

A student joining Year 6 from 1 December onwards can not be guaranteed a secondary school place at their corresponding ‘associated secondary school’ but offered a Year 7 place at an alternative secondary school where there is availability.

For Renaissance College and Discovery College Year 6 students

The guarantee of Year 7 place is with the corresponding secondary sections. Transfer requests to an ESF secondary school may be considered based on availability and date of written request starting from 1 September to your school’s admissions office. There is no guarantee of transfer to Year 7 in an ESF secondary school.

Please note transfer between a private independent school and an ESF school and vice versa will mean payment of deposit and capital/building levy to take up the school place.

Please note the following key dates:

Students who are attending ESF kindergartens will complete the Year 1 transition process. Information from ESF kindergartens will support the transition process.

Students in ESF kindergartens identified as needing additional learning support may be recommended to apply through the Admission and Review Process. This is a separate application process managed centrally at ESF Centre. This process also applies to all students applying from outside ESF. There are limited resources for placement within Learning Support and Jockey Club Sarah Roe School. Not all students going through the Admission and Review Process may be placed, as the demand is often greater than the number of places available.

The Year 1 transition information will be sent to parents via email with details to login and access the form.

All K2 students enrolled in an ESF kindergarten before 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF primary school on completion of K2.

A new student joining K2 on or after Year 1 offers to go out cannot be guaranteed a primary school place but will be given high priority on the waitlist for a Year 1 place.

Allocation for primary school is based on priority order plus EDB requirements (when necessary), and computer-generated random numbers. K2 children may be directed to an alternative primary school if there is an oversubscription at their first preference school. There is no guarantee of the school of first preference. All ESF primary school offers are accepted with a two-year commitment before any transfer request, regardless of residential address.

Please note the following key dates:

The ESF Levels of Adjustment (LOA) provide a framework for identifying and documenting the adjustments and accommodations for students who require support for learning.

ESF uses LOA 1 to 6 to describe the amount and type of support a student requires in order to access the curriculum. The LOA also reflects the level of provision required.

Outlined below are the most common placements for students with LOA 1 to 6. Occasionally, placements may differ depending on the profile of the individual student.