User:Csohier/Rome International School

Rome International School (RIS) is a private international school in Rome, Italy. The school offers an international education to children aged 2 to 18 years, from Nursery through to Grade 13. The language of instruction is English. Students in Grade 10 and 11 sit the externally assessed GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education, through the UK examination body AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance). Grade 12 and 13 students follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Rome International School became an IB World School in June 2009. The overall Head of School of RIS is Mr Ivano Boragine, the Principal of Middle and High School is Mrs Fiona Marshall and the Principal of Elementary School is Mrs Patricia Martin-Smith.

History
RIS opened its doors to its first Elementary School students in September 1988. The Middle School opened in September 2001 and the High School was launched in 2007. RIS was authorised to deliver the International Baccalaureate Organisation in June 2009. The first cohort of IB Diploma Programme students began in September 2009 and will graduate in the summer of 2011.

Organisation
Rome International School is a division of Pola srl, a company owned by Luiss Guido Carli. This division is managed by Mr Ivano Boragine. The school consists of four sections: -	Early years department: for ages 2 to 5 (Little Explorers, Nursery, Kindergarten and Transition) -	Elementary School: for ages 5 to 11 (Grades 1 to 6). -	Middle School: for ages 11 to 14 (Grades 7 to 9). -	High School: for ages 14 to 18 (Grades 10 to 13).

Curriculum
RIS is linked with the International Baccalaureate. In June 2009, RIS was granted full authorization to teach the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and became part of the family of IB World Schools. These are schools that share a common philosophy — a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education. From September 2008, Rome International School has also been also a candidate school for the IBO Primary Years Programme (PYP), with the long term goal of becoming an authorised IBO PYP school. The Primary Years Programme is a trans-disciplinary programme of international education designed to foster the development of the whole child. The PYP draws on research and best practice from a range of national systems with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools to create a relevant, engaging, challenging and significant educational framework for all children. RIS is a meritocratic school: advancement is based on individual ability and achievement. Admission to the school is selective, subject to interview, entrance tests and reports from previous schools, and there are scholarships available for worthy international students.

The Early Years Department
Children in the Nursery (international children from the age of 2) and the Little Explorers (Italian children from the age of 2) learn through play and programmes are developmentally appropriate to their age.

The curriculum of the Kindergarten consists of programmes incorporating Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, The Arts (drama, music, visual arts), and Units of Inquiry; these provide a trans-disciplinary approach to the teaching of Science and Technology and Social Studies and may incorporate Language and Mathematics and other subject areas where appropriate.

Transition class pupils continue working towards clearly defined learning targets, building on the work done in Kindergarten.

In broad terms the curriculum consists of Language, Mathematics, Units of Inquiry, Physical Education and The Arts.

The Elementary School
In the Elementary School pupils are instructed in English, Italian, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, The Arts, Physical Education, Music, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Since September 2008 RIS has been a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme. As part of the application process to become an authorised school, over the next few years the curricula, teaching practices and policies will be developed to meet this aim.

The Middle School
Students in Grades 7 through to 9 follow a curriculum broadly based on the UK National Curriculum. Whilst at this time RIS is not pursuing a full implementation of the IB Middle Years Programme, many of the fundamental concepts are included in the curriculum, with the aim of developing the qualities of international-mindedness outlined in the IB Learner Profile. The IB Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) has been devised to help students develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly inter-related world.

In the Middle School Italian mother-tongue students at RIS also follow some lessons in Italian Language and Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics and Science relating to the Italian curriculum At the end of Grade 9 these students take the Italian state Licenza Media examinations.

High School
Grade 10 and 11 students follow the British National Curriculum, working towards the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations at the end of Grade 11, usually gaining between 9 and 12 GCSE qualifications in various subjects. All students take GCSEs in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science (double award General and Additional Science or the three separate Sciences), Humanities (History and Economics, with Geography as an optional subject), ICT and Italian, with most students taking a French, Spanish or Chinese as a third language and Art as an optional GCSE for those students who would like to gain a qualification in the subject. In addition, RIS students continue to take PE, Music and Drama and have a weekly Form-Time pastoral session with their dedicated class Form Tutor.

Upon successful completion of GCSE in Grade 11, students are able to progress to the two year IB Diploma Programme, which is a highly prestigious qualification, recognised for its academic excellence worldwide.

RIS offers the following choice of subjects on the IB Diploma Programme:



Location and facilities
Rome International School is located in the Parioli neighbourhood of Rome. The campus comprises general teaching classrooms, sports facilities and dedicated rooms, such as science laboratories, music rooms, libraries and computer labs. Directly next to the campus is Villa Ada, a public park.

In the Elementary School, many classrooms and the ICT lab are equipped with electronic whiteboards. The Middle/High School has many computers available for student use within the ICT suite and student common areas. Nearly all Secondary School classrooms have interactive whiteboards.

The Elementary School library is well stocked with fiction and non-fiction books and managed by a full-time librarian. There is an autonomous-learning centre, equipped with resources which will allow students to work independently in specific areas. The Middle/High School Library and Self-learning Centre, named after Immanuel Kant, is rapidly increasing in terms of books, reference texts and resources. The entire catalogue of the Immanuel Kant library is digitalised.

The Middle/High School has two Science laboratories. The new laboratory, inaugurated in September 2008, is fitted with the most modern furniture and equipment, including a fume cupboard.

There are two dedicated music rooms, one for the Elementary school and one for the Secondary department. The latter is fully equipped with class sets of keyboards and acoustic and percussion instruments. The music rooms are also fitted with soundproof booths.

Scholarships
As from the academic year 2010/2011, RIS has a Scholarship Fund Programme. This programme is intended to promote the growth of the school’s international community and to give promising non-Italian students, whose families lack sufficient financial resources, a chance to have a high-quality international education. Four scholarships will be granted: two for the Primary school and two for the Middle and High school. This programme is a system of financial assistance which allows for total coverage of tuition fees. The programme is initially funded by RIS and its families.