Curriculum

The SEK Educational System is based on the exploration of concepts, research and the development of competencies that encourage critical thought and creativity. SEK students learn strategies that will permit them, throughout their lives, to be autonomous, self-assured and able to learn independently.Based on our innovative SEK Intelligent Classroom model, and the learning principles of the IB and NEASC, we have designed a Future Learning Model that offers personalized learning pathways for each student that foster collaboration, autonomy and the construction of meaning, and makes then future-ready for the third millennium

The SEK Future Learning Model includes an integrated learning and teaching sequence that brings together key elements such as: clear pedagogical objectives, innovative teaching methods, new dimensions for the roles of teachers and students, motivating tasks and diversified and authentic assessment.

The model also includes digitalization of learning when appropriate, and the central role of professional learning of the teaching staff. Likewise, it specifies the technology that our classrooms require to effectively deploy our unique learning sequence. Enriched learning processes take place in specially designed physical or digital environments depending on the pedagogical purpose they serve.

The central ideas of this model are:

• Making learning more personalised
• Nurturing student agency and self-directed learning
• Using assessment to best support learning
• Valuing diversity in learning approaches, environments and spaces
• Nurturing global citizenship
• Leveraging technology to support learning
• Supporting staff self-directed professional learning.

We distilled the Future Learning Model into eight key dimensions that impact on learning. They are:

 

1. Goals

We have an overarching central idea:

• We focus on student and staff learning.

and two guiding goals:

• A SEK education is not just what happens in class, but an entire holistic learning experience. 
• Learning and teaching should always be framed by a sense of purpose.

 

2. Sequence

The Sequence is the backbone of the learning and teaching model. It enables a holistic view of learning, and links with the IB and NEASC accreditation.

 

3. Evaluation (Evidence for Learning)

Evaluation is a key element of the learning and teaching process. Our process of evaluation uses our innovative Evidence for Learning protocols.

Our goals for evaluation are:

• To identify where students are in their learning.
• To identify and adapt learning and teaching methods and expectations.
• To make decisions about next steps for learning and teaching.
• To provide accessible information to parents and others.

 

4. Agency, co-creation and self-directed learning

We will nurture student agency to enable self-directed, independent learning pathways for students.

 

5. Learning Technology

Learning Technology is a key to supporting self-directed, autonomous learning, and enables a holistic approach to learning.

 

6. Professional learning and collaborative planning

Staff self-directed learning will be enabled through collaborative professional inquiries and co-created and shared micro-innovations.

 

7. Global Citizenship and Social Innovation

We will allow diversity of values, beliefs, and cultures to flourish. We will make this visible through our global citizenship and social innovation programme.

 

8. Quality

We will nurture a culture of quality through a diverse range of internal and external processes of quality assurance.

 

The SEK Profile, developed in collaboration with student representatives from all SEK schools, describes the competencies (characteristics, traits, skills and attitudes) that we want all members of the SEK community to practice, develop and evince. It also takes into account their learning and development in all academic areas, both curricular and extracurricular.

We embrace diversity and believe that all students have unique talents that, through diverse experiences, can be discovered and nurtured. The SEK Profile celebrates the aspects of our students learning experiences that highlight their individuality and ability to face the world with confidence and resilience.

SEK Tech Labs

The digital society in which we live needs citizens who are competent in technological and digital environments and who use technology and information with confidence. That is why SEK Education Group promotes a digital curriculum as a fundamental aspect of our students’ part of the development, so that they are able to acquire the necessary skills and competencies in these areas. SEK International Schools are designing and developing the SEK Tech Lab project for next year, a series of co-curricular courses related to programming, information management and robotics that will be accessible asynchronously, so that students will be able to take these courses from wherever and whenever they please.

SEK Portfolio

The objective of SEK portfolio is to document the all-round learning process of the student in a practical way. In this way, it allows an accessible, structured, effective and efficient record of evidence for learning. The portfolio enables collaboration, personalization, and portability of each student’s development. It is an environment in which students can collect and organize evidence of their learning from curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular activities. The main objective of the collection and organization of evidence in their portfolio is to support students in reflecting on their progress, identifying their achievements, facilitating self-assessment and peer-assessment and, therefore, determining, with the guidance of teachers, what are the next steps for learning. Teachers and students can use the evidence in a portfolio to draw conclusions about their learning and support them in their next steps. It is customizable and accessible to others and allows for collaborative feedback.

Be Challenge

At the start of the new academic year SEK International Schools are setting up the Genius Hour, a time slot for students to cultivate their personal passions in the form of challenges. For learning to be as real and meaningful as possible, it is important that students set themselves achievable challenges that they can solve. SEK has set up a platform on the MySEK digital environment to manage challenge-based learning following a series of well-established guidelines, a tool that allows collaboration between students from the all the SEK schools who share the same passion.

Be Well Centre

SEK Education Group has set up the Be Well Center with the aim of responding to people’s emotional, mental, physical and personal well-being and balance. The main mission of the Be Well Center is to provide the SEK educational community and society with training and support to live life in fullness, happiness and harmony. Therefore, Camilo José Cela University offers training in areas of mindfulness and socio-emotional skills in educational contexts, and the ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative has been launched.

More information on the SEK International Schools unique initiatives is available here.

We believe that quality professional learning has a positive impact on student learning. Professional learning supports teachers who want to have an impact on their student’s learning, with an opportunity to explore their passions and interests, co-create the best learning opportunities for their students, and be the best teachers they can be.

Our professional learning programme for staff is based on some key beliefs:

• Staff are also learners
• Cooperation and collaboration can lead to improved staff and student learning and achievement
• Reflection is an essential practice in learning
• We expect staff to develop their own agency and take responsibility for their learning
• Learning can be improved through professional educational inquiries by staff
• We are a community of learners who can share best practices

Through professional learning, our staff have the opportunity to:

• delve deeply into topics of their own interest and passions
• have a genuine impact on the learning of their students
• create their own solutions to respond to the particular and everyday challenges they face when teaching
• learn from their colleagues, and collaborate to implement their own ideas
• develop confidence as effective, competent professionals
• show the impact of their own solutions on student learning

At SEK-Riyadh our Professional Learning Community is engaged in the process of seeking new knowledge and ways of applying that knowledge to their learning, teaching, leadership, and administrative roles. This model focuses on professional growth designed to impact student learning and to progress the quality of learning and teaching and lead to school transformation and improvement.

We have also developed a digital platform to support staff professional learning. The SEK Playbook helps teachers to document their professional learning in collaborative, practical, and meaningful ways, with simple tools to record and share their learning process, so that they can make their professional learning visible, collaborative, and impactful.

International Accreditation

The SEK-Riyadh curriculum model is closely aligned to international curriculum frameworks and will meet the demanding international standards of globally recognized accrediting agencies that advocate holistic education. This will include the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

NEASC Accreditation

SEK International School Riyadh will soon start the process of accreditation from New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), one of the most prestigious international university and school accreditation agencies. Accreditation by NEASC will allow SEK-Riyadh to award a fully recognized US High School Diploma in the future. NEASC accreditation is a highly valued globally recognized standard of excellence; we will become part of their network of accredited international schools spanning more than 65 countries.

We will create a self-evaluation report which is an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement for, the entire staff (administrative and teaching staff). All staff will be assigned to working groups on each of the standards. were chaired by different members of the staff, not necessarily an SLT member. The findings from the committees were reported to the Senior Leadership Team (including Head of School, Director of Learning & Teaching, Head of Finance & Administration and IB Coordinators), who collaborated on editing the material for submission.