Middle Years Programme

MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
At MIS, the Middle Years Programme provides a curriculum which allows students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to participate effectively in life in the twenty-first century. The concept of balance is fundamental to the programme in a number of ways.
The programme provides learning in a broad base of disciplines to ensure that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for the future.
The course objectives include skills and processes as well as a framework of concepts; the aim is to ensure that students are not only knowledgeable about a subject area, but also develop a genuine understanding of principles and an ability to apply these in new contexts, in preparation for further learning.
The MYP emphasizes the development of the whole child: affective, cognitive, creative and physical; its effective implementation depends on the school’s concern for the whole educational experience, including what children learn outside the classroom.
IB MYP Brochure (click to download)
Students in the Middle Years Programme engage in studies in 8 subject areas.
Group 1 Language and Literature
Group 2 Language Acquisition
Group 3 Individuals and Societies
Group 4
Sciences
Group 5
Mathematics
Group 6
The Arts
Group 7
Design
Group 8 Physical and Health Education
Assessment in the MYP
The MYP programme encourages a balance between formative and summative assessment, using a range of activities within units to allow students to use and demonstrate a full range of thinking skills. Assessment strategies used by teachers include teacher-led assessment, group and/or peer evaluation, and student self-assessment.
Assessment in the MYP is criterion referenced, which means that MIS teachers measure student attainment against specified criteria rather than against other individuals in the class.
Assessments are ongoing throughout the year. The grades are reflected in the semester report.
Criterion Referenced Assessment
For each of the subject areas taught at MIS, there is a set of criteria established by the IB MYP.
For each criterion, there is a level awarded, based on student performance at the time of assessment. There are clear descriptors that explain as clearly as possible what each student has been able to achieve at that point in time. Criterion scores fall in the range of 1-8. These scores are never converted to fractions or percentages. Nor does doing so have any meaning in the level of student achievement.
When the scores for each criterion are added up, the student‘s overall score falls within a Point Range, which corresponds to an IB Grade. The IB Grade gives the student a final grade for that curriculum area of between 1 and 7.
Final achievement grades are best awarded with reference to the descriptor that best matches the student’s progress and achievement up to that point.
MYP GRADE | SCORE RANGE | DESCRIPTOR |
Grade 1 (Very Poor) | 1-5 | Minimal achievement in terms of the objectives. |
Grade 2 (Poor) | 6-9 | Very limited achievement against all the objectives. The student has difficulty in understanding the required knowledge and skills, and is unable to apply them fully in normal situations, even with support. |
Grade 3 (Needs Support) | 10-14 | Limited achievement against most of the objectives, or clear difficulties in some areas. The student demonstrates a limited understanding of the required knowledge and skills and is only able to apply them fully in normal situations with support. |
Grade 4 (Satisfactory) | 15-18 | A good general understanding of the required knowledge and skills and the ability to apply them effectively in normal situations. There is occasional evidence of the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. |
Grade 5 (Good) | 19-23 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them in a variety of situations. The student generally shows evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate and occasionally demonstrates originality and insight. |
Grade 6 (Very Good) | 24-27 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them in a wide variety of situation. Consistent evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate. The student generally demonstrates originality and insight. |
Grade 7 (Excellent) | 28-32 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them almost faultlessly in a wide variety of situations. Consistent evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate. The student consistently demonstrates originality and insight and always produces work of high quality. |
External Assessment (eAssessment)
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a framework for teaching and learning, organized around teachers’ judgment of achievement against pre-published criteria. Formal recognition of achievement for MYP year 5 students is provided by the IB via eAssessment.
eAssessment consists of three component types that assess what students know and are able to do:
- ePortfolios of carefully defined coursework in language acquisition, arts, design and physical and health education, using a process of dynamic sampling to moderate results to a global standard
- on-screen examinations (two hours in duration) for selected courses in language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary learning
- Personal Project; a student-centred and age-appropriate extended project in which students consolidate their learning throughout the programme. Submitting the Personal Project is a requirement of all students in the MYP.
Onscreen Examination subjects Externally Marked | Mathematics | Sciences | Language & Literature | |
Individuals & Societies | Interdisciplinary | |||
ePortfolio subjects Internally marked and externally moderated | Language Acquisition | Physical and Health Education | ||
Design | Arts | |||
Personal Project Internally marked and externally moderated | All Personal Projects |
MIS Reporting for students in the MYP
Parents receive reports of their child‘s progress four times a year
Interim 1 Report (October) | Settling – in report for MYP 1 and new parents with comments and brief numerical report for returning students followed by Parent-teacher-student conferences |
Semester 1 Report (December) | Written report is sent home |
Interim 2 Report (March) | Brief numerical report followed by Parent-teacher-student conferences |
Semester 2 Report (June) | Written report is sent home |
AWARD OF MYP CERTIFICATE
In addition to the internal grades, report cards and transcripts that the school provides, the IB Organization will award an IB MYP certificate to each candidate who has met the following requirements:
- Participated in the programme for a minimum of one year (MYP year 5)
- Gained a grade total of at least 28 from six subject groups and the personal project combined, out of a possible maximum of 49
- Gained at least a grade 2 in at least one subject from each subject group
- Gained at least a grade 3 for the personal project
- Completed the school’s requirement for community service.
Students who, for various reasons do not meet these requirements, can earn a record of achievement which documents their scores in any subject that they completed assessment in.
MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
At MIS, the Middle Years Programme provides a curriculum which allows students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to participate effectively in life in the twenty-first century. The concept of balance is fundamental to the programme in a number of ways.
The programme provides learning in a broad base of disciplines to ensure that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for the future.
The course objectives include skills and processes as well as a framework of concepts; the aim is to ensure that students are not only knowledgeable about a subject area, but also develop a genuine understanding of principles and an ability to apply these in new contexts, in preparation for further learning.
The MYP emphasizes the development of the whole child: affective, cognitive, creative and physical; its effective implementation depends on the school’s concern for the whole educational experience, including what children learn outside the classroom.
IB MYP Brochure (click to download)
Students in the Middle Years Programme engage in studies in 8 subject areas.
The MYP programme encourages a balance between formative and summative assessment, using a range of activities within units to allow students to use and demonstrate a full range of thinking skills. Assessment strategies used by teachers include teacher-led assessment, group and/or peer evaluation, and student self-assessment.
Assessment in the MYP is criterion referenced, which means that MIS teachers measure student attainment against specified criteria rather than against other individuals in the class.
Assessments are ongoing throughout the year. The grades are reflected in the semester report.
Criterion Referenced Assessment
For each of the subject areas taught at MIS, there is a set of criteria established by the IB MYP.
For each criterion, there is a level awarded, based on student performance at the time of assessment. There are clear descriptors that explain as clearly as possible what each student has been able to achieve at that point in time. Criterion scores fall in the range of 1-8. These scores are never converted to fractions or percentages. Nor does doing so have any meaning in the level of student achievement.
When the scores for each criterion are added up, the student‘s overall score falls within a Point Range, which corresponds to an IB Grade. The IB Grade gives the student a final grade for that curriculum area of between 1 and 7.
Final achievement grades are best awarded with reference to the descriptor that best matches the student’s progress and achievement up to that point.
MYP GRADE | SCORE RANGE | DESCRIPTOR |
Grade 1 (Very Poor) | 1-5 | Minimal achievement in terms of the objectives. |
Grade 2 (Poor) | 6-9 | Very limited achievement against all the objectives. The student has difficulty in understanding the required knowledge and skills, and is unable to apply them fully in normal situations, even with support. |
Grade 3 (Needs Support) | 10-14 | Limited achievement against most of the objectives, or clear difficulties in some areas. The student demonstrates a limited understanding of the required knowledge and skills and is only able to apply them fully in normal situations with support. |
Grade 4 (Satisfactory) | 15-18 | A good general understanding of the required knowledge and skills and the ability to apply them effectively in normal situations. There is occasional evidence of the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. |
Grade 5 (Good) | 19-23 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them in a variety of situations. The student generally shows evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate and occasionally demonstrates originality and insight. |
Grade 6 (Very Good) | 24-27 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them in a wide variety of situation. Consistent evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate. The student generally demonstrates originality and insight. |
Grade 7 (Excellent) | 28-32 | A consistent and thorough understanding of the required knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them almost faultlessly in a wide variety of situations. Consistent evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where appropriate. The student consistently demonstrates originality and insight and always produces work of high quality. |
External Assessment (eAssessment)
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a framework for teaching and learning, organized around teachers’ judgment of achievement against pre-published criteria. Formal recognition of achievement for MYP year 5 students is provided by the IB via eAssessment.
eAssessment consists of three component types that assess what students know and are able to do:
- ePortfolios of carefully defined coursework in language acquisition, arts, design and physical and health education, using a process of dynamic sampling to moderate results to a global standard
- on-screen examinations (two hours in duration) for selected courses in language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary learning
- Personal Project; a student-centred and age-appropriate extended project in which students consolidate their learning throughout the programme. Submitting the Personal Project is a requirement of all students in the MYP.
Onscreen Examination subjects
Externally Marked | Mathematics | Sciences | Language & Literature | |
Individuals & Societies | Interdisciplinary | |||
ePortfolio subjects
Internally marked and externally moderated | Language Acquisition | Physical and Health Education | ||
Design | Arts | |||
Personal Project
Internally marked and externally moderated | All Personal Projects |
MIS Reporting for students in the MYP
Parents receive reports of their child‘s progress four times a year
Interim 1 Report
(October) | Settling – in report for MYP 1 and new parents with comments and brief numerical report for returning students followed by Parent-teacher-student conferences |
Semester 1 Report
(December) | Written report is sent home |
Interim 2 Report
(March) | Brief numerical report followed by Parent-teacher-student conferences |
Semester 2 Report
(June) | Written report is sent home |
AWARD OF MYP CERTIFICATE
In addition to the internal grades, report cards and transcripts that the school provides, the IB Organization will award an IB MYP certificate to each candidate who has met the following requirements:
- Participated in the programme for a minimum of one year (MYP year 5)
- Gained a grade total of at least 28 from six subject groups and the personal project combined, out of a possible maximum of 49
- Gained at least a grade 2 in at least one subject from each subject group
- Gained at least a grade 3 for the personal project
- Completed the school’s requirement for community service.
Students who, for various reasons do not meet these requirements, can earn a record of achievement which documents their scores in any subject that they completed assessment in.