Amsterdam International Community School

The Amsterdam International Community School aims to provide a curriculum which is still partly dependent on subjects, but consists largely on modules, chunks of worthwhile experiences. At secondary level, the knowledge and skills are tracked with the help of expert educators. They operate not so much as single instructors but in teams. Students have the responsibility to achieve to the best of their ability and demonstrate what they have learned. At the AICS progression is continuous and is regularly monitored and tested, producing clearly documented outcomes which are held up against officially approved benchmarks. At secondary level, students are not required to be 'in class' all the time, although there are time-tabled periods when they must attend for some activities. In practice, this means that, in order to complete cross-curricular modules, teachers sometimes operate more as facilitators than instructors, and that students are free to seek for help where it's needed.
 
 Children at the Amsterdam International Community School will be taught in English and they will all learn Dutch. Provision will be made for children who have English as an additional language. The development of their own mother tongue and culture will be encouraged. At Primary level students aged 4-10 (Reception - Year 6) will be taught through the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). English and Maths will be taught according to the National Curriculum for England. Dutch is an integrated and substantial part of both Primary and Secondary programmes. Year 1-5 Secondary students (aged between 11-16) follow the requirements of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). The programme will have its final assessment in Year 5 with the award of the school Certificate. In the school year 2006-2007 we plan to offer a two-year course for students aged 17 or 18. When authorised, it will start with Year 6 Secondary students, and it will lead to the Diploma of the IB for Year 7 Secondary students in the school year 2007-2008. Schooling at the Amsterdam International Community School is education of the international community, in the Dutch and international community, and largely by the Dutch and international community.