Our Primary School is located at Kodra e Diellit 2 residential area. The two story building, which houses Primary Years 1 to 6 and Secondary Years 7-11, has open, airy and bright learning spaces, as well as a library, gym, music room and science and computer labs attached to each classroom called “resource centres”. There is also a well-equipped playground for our youngest children in Key Stage 1.
The school day begins at 08:30 and finishes at 15:30. We have been developing our curriculum throughout the school in order to prepare our students for the challenges of a global world and a more than ever unpredictable future. As a result, in all year groups in Primary school, students follow the English National Curriculum. Our qualified teachers develop lessons, activities and resources tailored to individual needs and abilities starting from the objectives set by the British government in the National Curriculum of England and Wales. Life skills such as critical thinking, analytical thinking, problem solving and working in teams are not separate subjects but are fully integrated into all aspects of the school day.
Regular reporting and close contact with parents ensure that channels of communication on children’s progress are kept open and feedback is collected using different tools including an annual parents’ survey.
Our well-resourced library, and the online library where children and parent are all given free access by the school, takes children into the worlds of fiction and non-fiction and pupils are encouraged to pursue their interests and attend the after-school clubs offered by teaching and non-teaching staff.
Key Stage One – Years 1 and 2
Key Stage 1 (KS1) sets standards for the learning and development of children from 5 to 7 years old. It is the most comprehensive and well established programme for pre-school children offered in Albania which is called Year 1 and then into Year 2 (klasa e 1-rë).
In KS1, we educate the whole child supporting both academic ability alongside personality development. Safeguarding children and creating an enabling environment is crucial for them to be happy and if children are happy and come to school with a positive attitude each day then they will learn.
In KS1, the first assessment is also organised as in any other Primary school in the UK. Our children participate in “Phonics Screening” assessment at the end of Year 1 and the well-known SATs
(Standardised Assessment Test) at the end of Year 2. SATs primarily assess progress in “core subjects” such as maths, reading, spelling and punctuation and grammar in the English language. Albanian language is another core subject studied every day for one hour (60 minutes) throughout the school. Other subjects in the National Curriculum include: Computing, History, geography, Art, Music and Physical Education. These subjects are assessed using a variety of methods from teachers’ observation, internal assessment and quality of work as recorded in the child’s own subject / thematic notebooks.
In KS1, all subjects are taught in English through a thematic and creative approach by our qualified British teachers and other international teaching staff.
If you would like to know more about the KS1 programme, we encourage to read about it on the UK’s national website. You can find it by clicking here.
Key Stage Two – Years 3 through 6
Key Stage 2 (KS2) sets standards for the learning and development of children from 7 to 11 years old. The National Curriculum sets out the learning and expectations for Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6). All subjects are taught using many different teaching strategies with the children working individually, co-operatively in small or large groups and at times as a whole class.
Teachers do not make reference to only one textbook only but utilise a number of resources and tools to enhance learning of each students as individuals. The main home learning continues to be reading independently or together with the parent but some weekly or project-based tasks are also given to children to carry out at home.
We promote our pupils´ moral, social and cultural development throughout a wide range of activities both during the school day and as part of our after-school activities which provide additional opportunities for children to express and enjoy themselves at Primary school, not only academically, but also in sports, art and music. Every day, there are clubs offered free of charge before or after lunch and more individualised clubs after 15:30 for a small fee. Every term, there are whole school thematic weeks such as science week, art and culture week and specific activities such as sports tournaments, World Book Day and many more where children are encouraged to engage with cross-curricular work rather than subject centered.
The journey from Year 3 to Year 6 enables children to unlock the potential scientist, historian, author, mathematician or artist that they may become.
If you’d like to know more about our primary school curriculum, click the button below to download our overview.
