The British School - Rio de Janeiro

SCHOOL GOALS: Another important tool to help us
‘Strive for Excellence’
Mr Paul Wiseman, Director

When it comes to the matter of the school’s ‘Annual Goals’ this is an extremely important time of year. It is during March and April that we make our final analysis of the extent to which we met the Goals we set ourselves for last year. In parallel, we are checking out that we have everything in place for targeting and meeting the Goals we have set up for this year.

People sometimes ask me whether defining, every year, a small group of school Goals is useful. My answer is always a resounding, “Yes!” A few simple targets help to keep focus on the really important priorities in an institution where there are so many issues and challenges always running with us. The way I set out the rationale and role of school Goals is as follows:

(i) The rationale for Goals includes:
• Given the mass of aims and targets being set throughout the school, discussion and definition of up to 6 Main Goals for a year gives special focus to a few agreed key issues.
• Allocating Goals according to Board, School Management Team and Sites helps to give ownership, not only in the process of their formation, but also their achievement.
• Creating and agreeing on a Whole-School Goal helps to define the most important issue perceived by the school requiring specific focus and action from all parties.
• Establishing only 4-6 Goals enables the Director to focus the annual report on progress to the AGM of the ABE (and then to the wider community) regarding agreed key targets.
• Defining and communicating a few annual Goals creates a simple guide to priorities for all parties to see, understand and access.
• Goals have sometimes been directly linked to major recommendations from the CIS Accreditation Team Report and they ensure that we have fully followed up those recommendations.

(ii) The role of Goals in logistics and planning:
• Goals should derive from the Statements of Intent within the 10-Year Strategic Plan – thereby assisting in the achievement of some of the plan.
• Goals must have a two-way link to the short and longer-term Development Plans that are employed throughout the school at all levels.
• Goals should be formulated alongside the annual budget, ensuring that those with a financial or resource dimension are properly served.

Report on Progress for Goals
There is an established annual system of formally evaluating the degree to which the Goals have been met. The School Management Team has already compiled a Progress Report on Goals 2009 for the Board. A final analysis forms part of the Director’s Report to the ABE in April 2010. This Report is normally placed in full on the school’s website and parts of it are reproduced in The Falcon.

For 2009, the Whole-School Goal derived from the third Statement of Intent within the 10-Year Strategic Plan and was:

To define the four strands of the strategic Statement of Intent 3 in practical terms and set out specific strategies for the achievement of each one as follows:
• place the individual pupil at the centre of all practice;
• endeavour to meet their needs;
• fulfil their potential;
• prepare them for entrance into university.

There was, during 2009, a wide range of initiatives to meet this Goal across the whole school. These included in-service training activities designed to clarify the meaning of the four components of the Intent and the introduction of strategies to achieve each. The Site Goals were expressly set up to clarify elements of this Intent and the activities on the sites, especially within the in-service training programme, went a long way in addressing this Goal. A major focus and achievement entailed a school-wide review of what is meant by “Gifted and Talented”. This led to a clarification of the school’s position and strategies about meeting individual needs and fulfilling potential which I will be outlining in the next edition of The Falcon.

The Whole-School Goal for 2010 gives focus to the school’s ‘Pastoral System’:
To review the pastoral system across the whole school, identify all contributing structures and practices (and any evident gaps), develop a strategic plan for improvement of all services and devise a descriptive model of the system which can be communicated to all parents, pupils and staff.

This Goal is linked directly to three Statements of Intent (2, 3 and 14) in the 10-Year Strategic Plan. Much activity goes on under the umbrella of the “Pastoral System” (from the role of Form and Class Tutors, PSHE, Careers and University Guidance, the Pupil Profile etc). Indeed, it lies at the very centre of the ‘Curriculum Model’ (Pupil at the Centre). However, it is perhaps the least well-explained and understood area of the school. Linked to this area are, of course, issues like bullying, relationships and the potential role of Counsellors. We shall review all the components and procedures in place, redefine expectations, clarify roles and procedures and create some kind of schematic model or diagram which describes and links all the components into an understandable ‘package’ (rather like the ‘Curriculum Model’).

I look forward, in due course, updating you on the progress we are making with this important and exciting goal.

I hope the term has started positively for you and your children. Particularly, I would like to welcome new families to the school and l greatly enjoyed meeting some of you at the new parents’ welcome breakfasts we held this week. It is vital that, should you have any issues or concerns, however small, that you address them to the appropriate person in the school as soon as possible.

I trust you were able to read the recent letter from myself and Mr Blanch about the very encouraging examination performances and the initial feedback on university entrance. I was personally delighted that five of our Class 11 students were invited to interviews in December at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. There is huge competition to enter these universities and an invitation for interview is, in itself, a great achievement. Three are seeking places at Cambridge to study Chemical Engineering, Natural Sciences and Medicine and two are applying to Oxford to study Experimental Psychology and Philosophy, Politics and Economics. On this note of ambition and raised expectations, I have just heard that three students are having preliminary interviews to enter Princeton.

In this letter, I would like to update you on some other significant matters concerning the school.
Facility development
We are making impressive progress in meeting the targets of our school facility development plan across all three sites. At Urca, the development of the new house on Avenida Pasteur for the History Department has created a fine new learning environment. The space created in the main building has enabled us to develop a new Science Laboratory so that the fourth floor Science suite now has six laboratories.

At Botafogo we have opened the new four-storey Mackenzie Building. It is a fantastic facility with a gymnasium/auditorium, large library with two linked computer laboratories, an Art room, two Music rooms, a Science laboratory and eight excellent classrooms for Classes 4 and 5. The corridors are wide and spacious and the whole building has a roomy and airy atmosphere. One by-product is to open up new spaces in the existing Cashman Building, giving an instant sense of greater spaciousness there. Another advantage of the new building is that the children will no longer have to travel out of school for their PE lessons.

At the same time, in Botafogo, we are opening a splendid new Pre-Nursery unit in a converted house on Rua da Matriz. The unit opens on 22nd February with a capacity of 44 children. The opening of this facility has also meant that the existing Nursery unit receives additional space.

In Barra we have only made some small-scale internal improvements. However, in July we start the next phase of development by beginning a new building project with a completion date of July 2011.

The range and number of significant projects reported above involves a massive amount of additional work and dedication from my colleagues, in particular, Da Claudia Ribeiro and her team of administrative staff. Claudia’s efficiency and determination in successfully undertaking and overseeing ongoing building and renovation projects is very impressive and I would like here to acknowledge and thank her for her leadership and resolve. Every new project requires considerable bureaucratic processes and inspections to ensure that the school meets all the exigencies of Brazilian educational law. In this respect, the efficiency, thoroughness and precision of our Brazilian Director, Da Therezinha, ensures that every requirement is met.

Barra Senior School Development
The Barra unit, which opened in temporary premises in Recreio in 2003 with 7 children, now runs from Pre-Nursery to Class 7 with some 640 pupils. We are now preparing for our Barra students to embark on the IGCSE and International Baccalaureate programmes. Our current Class 7 pupils will be sitting the IGCSE examinations (when they become Class 9) in November 2012 and starting the IB in February 2013. In preparation, we are building up our team of secondary school staff in Barra. To lead this development, we have appointed, as Director of Studies, Mr James Diver. James will have the support and experience of Head of Site, Mr Robert Franklin, and together, they will both gain a great deal from their colleagues at Urca who already have substantial experience of the IGCSE and IB.

Model United Nations, Harvard University
At the end of the vacation, Mr Dave Williams led, with the support of Mr Phillip Briggs and Ms Alison Farrell, a group of 32 students from Classes 8 to 11 to the Model United Nations hosted by Harvard University. Aside from a visit to Chicago and the MUN experience itself, the group had a special visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and, of course, Harvard University itself.

Teacher Professional Development
During the vacation eleven of our teaching staff spent time studying and visiting quality schools in Britain. Six Primary School teachers followed a course at Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln and five Senior School teachers undertook study within the Department of Education at Warwick University. We invest heavily in staff development and have a very well established programme of training and professional development opportunities. I am delighted to welcome to the school a new Staff Development Coordinator, Mr Craig Woollard. Craig has substantial teacher training experience both in the UK and the USA and left a headship of a London Primary School to join our team.

Class 2 Violin Scheme
One new development this year is the introduction of all Class 2 pupils to the violin. A small group of violin teachers will ensure that all children in Class 2 have the opportunity to learn the violin. While we do not expect every pupil to take this forward into Class 3, it is our expectation that many children will want to pursue the violin or take up another instrument in the future. Our aim is to encourage as many children as possible to learn a musical instrument and begin to build a British School orchestra.

School Goal 2010
Our whole-school goal this year is:
To review the pastoral system across the whole school, identify all contributing structures and practices (and any evident gaps), develop a strategic plan for improvement of all services and devise a descriptive model of the system which can be communicated to all parents, pupils and staff.

The “pastoral system” is all that goes on in the life of the pupil other than the academic curriculum experience. The pastoral programme includes the role of Form and Class Tutors, PSHE, Careers and University Guidance, the Pupil Profile, extra-curricular experiences and so on. It lies at the very centre of the ‘Curriculum Model’ with the “Pupil at the Centre”. However, it is also perhaps the least well-explained and understood area of the school. Linked to this area are, of course, the ongoing issues of bullying, relationships and the potential role of Counsellors. Our focus will be on the review of all the components and procedures in place. We shall redefine expectations, clarify roles and procedures and create some kind of schematic model which describes and links all the components into an understandable ‘package’ (rather like the ‘Curriculum Model’). I look forward to reporting on progress throughout the year.

I hope, like myself and my colleagues, you and your children are excited about the school year ahead. For now, I wish you all an enjoyable Carnaval with a return on 22nd February full of enthusiasm and determination to make this a great year.

We wish you a very warm welcome back to the new school year and trust that your children are rested and eager to make the very most of 2010. We are both very excited about the year ahead and we would like start the year by sharing with all parents some excellent news about the performance of our students at Urca.

Impressive IGCSE Results – once more the best ever!
Once again, last year’s Class 9 broke the school records in their IGCSE examination results. Following 2008’s record of 86% of all IGCSE grades being A* - C grades, in 2009 Class 9 reached the very impressive achievement of 90% of all grades being A* - C. Good schools in Britain would be proud of such levels of achievement and it is worth reminding ourselves that the great majority of our students are not native English-speakers and take a broad range of ten or eleven subjects each. It is also worth stating that we encourage all our pupils to take all the exams whatever their ability and forecast result. The Cambridge International GCSE is generally regarded as being more challenging than the British GCSE and several top schools in Britain are moving over to IGCSE to give their pupils more of a challenge. You can imagine how delighted we are with the Class 9 (2009) performance. The students and the teachers deserve our hearty congratulations for this high level of achievement.

Good International Baccalaureate Results
Class 11 scored good IB results that maintain the levels attained over recent years. The group scored an average point score of 31 and a record number of diplomas was achieved with 55 of the 61 diploma students earning the full diploma. 16 pupils achieved 35 points or more and 34 pupils achieved 30 points or more. The IB results provide a valuable external measure of our school’s performance in the international context. The IB diploma continues to be highly regarded as an entry qualification for universities worldwide and its adoption by good schools in the UK is growing fast.

University News
Overseas Universities Applications
Mr Garry Nash, Overseas Universities Adviser, has provided us with the latest news as follows:
Of our 62 Class 11 students, 19 students applied to universities in the UK and 16 applied to the USA. While it is too early for us to know the final destination of the students who intend to study overseas, we have some promising initial feedback. Final decisions for the USA come in March/April and for the UK they can be as late as July. However, some students have already been offered - and have accepted - places at their first choice overseas universities. Here is the list of universities to which they have already received offers:

Many students have had success with their applications but are waiting to receive replies before making their final decisions. One student has an Unconditional Offer to study Management with International Business at Royal Holloway University but is waiting for other potential offers before making her final decision. We have also just heard that another student, from the Class of 2008, has been accepted at Bentley University to study Business.

We were extremely encouraged at the end of the year when 5 students were invited to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge for interviews. Two were invited for interview at Oxford, and another three were invited for interview at Cambridge. One of them has already been offered a place at University College London to study Medicine.
Two students have both been awarded IBEU Scholarships for universities in the USA. The IBEU scholarship is worth 80% off tuition fees for all 4 years of study. Both are waiting for replies to their applications.
Brazilian University Applications
Ms Rose Peixoto, Brazilian Universities Advisor, has sent in the following information about 26 students who have already been offered places at university for a range of disciplines. Here is a list of the universities and disciplines to which they’ve already been accepted:

ENEM Results
Individual students are already accessing their results in the ENEM and accordingly submitting their applications to university. Their results are private and confidential but the school is keen to receive and collate them in order to undertake a proper analysis. Both the students themselves and the parents of Class 11 were asked last year to support the school by sending us their personal ENEM result. If you are a parent of an ex-Class 11 students or know a Class 11 parent or student from last year, please help us to compile as full a set of ENEM results as soon as possible.

We hope you will agree with us that these results and early university placement news presents a promising start to the year. A letter from the Director will follow shortly outlining some other new and significant developments across the school. Meanwhile, we wish you a calm and happy start of term and a wonderful year ahead.

Gostaríamos de dar as boas vindas ao novo ano acadêmico, esperando que nossos alunos estejam bem descansados e ansiosos para dar o melhor de si em 2010. Sentimo-nos bastante animados com o início do novo ano, sendo que já o iniciamos recebendo excelentes notícias sobre o desempenho de nossos alunos da Urca.

Excelentes Resultados no IGCSE – mais uma vez, os melhores resultados!
Mais uma vez, os alunos da Classe 9 do ano passado bateram o recorde nos resultados dos exames de IGCSE. Após o recorde de 2008 com 86% dos resultados entre A* - C, em 2009 os alunos da Classe 9 obtiveram o impressionante percentual de 90% de todas as notas entre A* - C. Mesmo as boas escolas da Inglaterra ficariam orgulhosas de tal nível de resultado. Não custa lembrar que a maioria de nossos alunos não tem o inglês como língua nativa e optam por fazer provas para dez ou onze matérias do IGCSE. Também vale relembrar que encorajamos todos os nossos alunos a prestarem todos os exames,não importando qual seja sua especialidade ou risco de resultado. O exame IGCSE (Internacional), de Cambridge, é considerado mais difícil do que o GCSE (Nacional), tanto que diversas escolas de elite da Inglaterra estão adotando o IGCSE, por ser mais desafiador para os alunos. Os senhores devem imaginar o quanto estamos satisfeitos com o desempenho dos alunos da Classe 9 de 2009. Tanto os alunos quanto os professores merecem nossos profundos agradecimentos por tão alto nível de resultados.

Ótimos Resultados no IB
A Classe 11 obteve ótimos resultados no IB, mantendo o nível de resultados obtidos nos últimos anos. O grupo obteve uma média de 31 pontos, garantindo um número recorde de diplomas, com 55 dos 61 alunos recebendo o Diploma do IB. 16 alunos obtiveram 35 pontos ou mais e 34 alunos obtiveram 30 pontos ou mais. Os resultados do IB servem como um valioso parâmetro para avaliarmos o desempenho da escola no contexto internacional. O Diploma do IB continua sendo considerado uma credencial para o acesso às universidades internacionais, e está sendo cada vez mais adotado pelas boas escolas do Reino Unido.

Aprovação em Universidades
Universidades Internacionais
O Sr. Garry Nash, Orientador para Universidades Internacionais, enviou-nos as últimas informações recebidas:

Dos 62 alunos da Classe 11, 19 inscreveram-se para universidades no Reino Unido e 16 para universidades nos Estados Unidos. Embora ainda seja cedo para sabermos o destino final dos alunos que pretendem estudar no exterior, temos recebido algumas notícias promissoras. As decisões finais para as universidades dos Estados Unidos saem entre março e abril e para o Reino Unido apenas em julho. Entretanto, alguns alunos já foram convidados e confirmaram o ingresso em universidades de sua primeira opção. Abaixo seguem as Universidades para as quais eles já aceitaram:

Vários alunos tiveram bons resultados em suas inscrições iniciais, mas ainda estão aguardando resposta para que possam tomar a decisão final. Uma aluna recebeu uma oferta incondicional para cursar Administração em Negócios Internacionais na Royal Holloway University, mas está aguardando outros convites antes de tomar sua decisão final. Fomos também informados de que outra aluna, da Classe de 2008, foi convidada pela Bentley University para cursar Business.
No final do ano passado, ficamos bastante empolgados quando cinco de nossos alunos foram convidados a participar de entrevistas para as Universidades de Oxford e de Cambridge. Dois foram convidados para entrevistas na Universidade de Oxford, e outros três foram convidadas para entrevista na Universidade de Cambridge. Um deles já recebeu convite para cursar Medicina na University College London.
Duas alunas receberam bolsas do IBEU para universidades nos Estados Unidos. A bolsa oferecida pelo IBEU é de 80% de desconto nas mensalidades, por 4 anos de estudo. Ambas estão aguardando resposta das universidades para as quais se inscreveram.
Ingresso em Universidades Brasileiras
A Srta. Rose Peixoto, Orientadora para Universidades Brasileiras, recebeu a seguinte informação a respeito de 26 alunos que já confirmaram suas aprovações em diversas disciplinas e respectivas universidades. Abaixo seguem as unidadesidades e cursos para as quais eles foram aceitos:
Relações Internacionais/ IBMEC

Resultados do ENEM
Os alunos que prestaram o exame do ENEM já têm acesso aos seus resultados individuais, podendo enviá-los para as universidades. Os resultados são individuais e confidenciais, porém a escola espera receber e reunir estes dados a fim de analisá-los adequadamente. No final do ano passado, solicitamos aos pais e alunos da Classe 11 que apoiassem a escola enviando-nos seus resultados individuais no ENEM. Caso os senhores sejam pais ou conhecidos de alunos da Classe 11 de 2009, por favor, nos ajudem para que possamos reunir o máximo de informação sobre o desempenho de nossos alunos no último ENEM.

Esperamos que concordem, que estes resultados iniciais apontam para um início de ano promissor. Os senhores receberão, em breve, uma carta do Diretor informando sobre novos desenvolvimentos importantes em nossa escola. Enquanto isso, desejamos a todos um início de ano tranquilo e feliz e um excelente ano de 2010.

Isabela Goulart Lopes, Winner of the Director’s Award 2009
Mr Paul Wiseman, Director

Presenting the Director’s Award is one of my greatest privileges. This year some fifty teachers nominated 13 different pupils for the Director’s Award. The nominations included pupils from Classes 8 and 9. The fact is, we have so many excellent young people in this school who would readily merit this prize for that person “who best represents the spirit of The British School”.

As I define it every year, the “spirit of the school” is the positive character, mood or atmosphere which prevails in our community. School spirit uplifts, inspires and gives life and breath to the community. The winner of this prize will be someone who both ‘breathes life’ into the school, and also gets fully involved, ‘living and breathing’ the school in their daily life.

The winners of the Director’s Award are invariably generous young people who often put service before self; they put in extra efforts or make sacrifices for the sake and good of the community. They are independent people who never have to be asked to do something but who act positively, proactively and enthusiastically under their own initiative. Above all, however, through their daily actions, they influence others in a positive way and contribute fully to our communal spirit. They make things happen and they make a difference. Invariably, the winner does this, not in a boastful or arrogant way, but with humility and in the spirit of simple goodwill.

The recipient of the Director’s Award for 2009 bears the characteristics I have just described. As early as Infants 2 her teacher reported that Isabela “enjoys challenging activities and uses skills and knowledge to overcome them”. (I like that – a telling forecast of a Director’s Award winner!). The Infant teacher continues: Her pleasant and reliable nature make her a most popular member of our group........ a joy to teach!”

The phrases “a joy to teach”, “a pleasure to teach” or “a privilege to teach” appear at regular intervals throughout Isabela’s reports, as does reference to “a happy and enthusiastic member of the class......... who (as early as Class 2) realises the importance of working with others and often takes the initiative in group situations”. And in both Class 3 and 4 we see similar comments:......... “Isabela continues to make a positive contribution to the class through cheerfulness, enthusiasm and perseverance..... always willing to help her classmates.”

As might be expected, some significant character traits begin to emerge by Class 5. The Drama teacher at the time, David Johnson, gets very excited and is quick to note: “Isabela has exceptional ability in this subject”. He talks about after school rehearsals for a school production (Fame) and writes: “She has acted, sung and danced as if her life depended on it....... consequently her work in all areas is always superb........ she never lowers her standards and has managed to complete every task set with nothing less than perfection....... There is no limit to what she can achieve........ quite fantastic!”

While in Class 5, the winner of the Director’s Award for 2009 gained grade ‘A’ for Effort in all ten subjects at the end of the year. In Class 6 this was repeated for 13 subjects and again, in Class 7 for all 11 subjects. I think someone made a big effort over those three years!

But, as we all know, not all Director’s Award nominees are perfect! In Class 7, our award winner was required to set targets for improvement. The target set was to improve Physics where, despite getting an “A” for Effort, only scored 8.5 for Attainment! And how was this target to be achieved? I quote: “Arriving at lessons on time. Sitting away from distractions. Using time more efficiently. Putting hands up to talk. Listening when others talk. Making revision notes for tests.” By October, by applying this formidable set of targets, Isabela managed to get her Physics grade up to 9.5!

And in English, in Class 9, Mr Jennings, having talked about the Isabela’s “talents, and rising to difficult challenges...... and responding with intelligence, imagination and a sense of humour”.... notes: “Her only problem is that sometimes she has to wait for inspiration and the Muse does not always seem to know what day the homework is due!”

And then there’s Maths! Again, in Class 9, Mrs Martins declares (and this is a message to all of you): “If you are to excel in Maths, you can never relax entirely. Maths has to be always in your thoughts.” (As an aside, this contrasts with a comment made by one of my own Maths teachers who always said: “If you can swim, you can do Maths”!)

Reading through Isabela’s reports is a real pleasure. We read about “infectious enthusiasm”, “charming and talented”, “responsible, gives of her best”, “always contributes to lessons and asks for clarifications”, “enjoys the work”, “gifted and dedicated”, “witty and intelligent”, “takes pride in her work”, “extremely conscientious”, “takes advantage of all learning opportunities”................. it reads like the Pupil Profile!

At the end of Class 9, in IGCSE, Isabela gained 6 A*s, 5 A’s and 2 B’s. And all this academic effort and attainment while maintaining an active life after school. The Class 5 Tutor had noted: “These excellent academic results are the more pleasing considering that Isabela has been involved in almost all the extra-curricular event offered by the school. She has worked to support the House, has sung in the choir, and also taken on a leading role in the Class 5 play. These are positive signs indeed in a student heading towards Urca, and I can only hope that she will continue to find time for all her pursuits in Class 6.”

The Class Tutor would be proud to know that this is exactly what Isabela did, and more! By the end of Class 11, Mr Blanch was able to write: “It is impossible to give credit to Isabela for all the things that she has achieved over her time at The British School because there is just so much............”

Here is a list of some of Isabela’s most recent contributions and achievements: Supported school events like the Founder’s Day Fête and Sports Day and performed on the piano and sang in school choirs; a House Captain; participated fully in Model United Nations, Public Speaking and gained the challenging Gold Award in the Duke of Edinburgh Award; played the lead in ‘Chicago’ and ‘Kiss Me Kate’.

Beyond all these consistent academic achievements, contributions and evident talents, in her final school report I was delighted to read: “It is Isabela’s character that is perhaps the most important factor in his/her achievement. Each morning, even though she may be exhausted from the day before, she will come through the school gate with a smile on her face ready to make the most of the opportunities on offer and she does just that.”

And Mr Blanch concludes: “I believe Isabela has lived the school mission and we should be proud of her. She has something to offer society and will make a difference. I would like to congratulate Isabela and thank her for the enormous contribution she has made to the community of The British School.”

It is these characteristics that enabled us to award, in 2009, Isabela Goulart Lopes as best representing the spirit of The British School. She has, indeed, been a model for other students, reminding us, once again, of what can be achieved by every young person at our school.

The British School, Rio de Janeiro 1924 - 2009
Mr Paul Wiseman, Director, The British School, Rio de Janeiro

Every school is unique but The British School, Rio de Janeiro defies ready classification. It is careful not to call itself a bi-lingual or an international school. Part of its intriguing quality is the degree to which it is “British” and the extent to which it has absorbed Brazilian culture. It is, indeed, a fascinating blend of two educational philosophies and cultures. The Mission Statement describes “a challenging British-based education” in “a bi-cultural environment” and the school claims to meet the needs of all students, whatever their nationality and destination. Its success in achieving this is measured by the excellence of its public examination results and university entrance record.

The school is one of the oldest foreign-founded schools in Latin America. It began in 1924 as a small British-style primary school in a modest house in Copacabana. The school served expatriate families in what was then the capital city of Brazil. In 1949 the school moved to the commercial district of Botafogo, on the site where an Anglican Church had been established by British commercial interests. A purpose-built school building was constructed there in 1951 with funds raised by British companies. In 1967, a neighbouring residence was purchased and the British Headmaster lived on the top floor. This slow and modest beginning is in contrast to the prestigious foreign-founded schools established on prime sites in Latin American cities such as Buenos Aires, Lima and Santiago during the same period.

Gradually, the school became increasingly popular with Brazilian families. In 1975 the pupils were divided into two distinct “wings”, one for Brazilians and the other for British and international pupils, and to cater for expansion another larger neighbouring house was rented. In 1989, however, the British Board of Governors made a very significant decision – to unify the British and Brazilian wings within a single curriculum and teaching structure. At the same time, the school became accredited by the Brazilian authorities to offer a secondary education (the segundo grau) and, a year later, in 1990, the school was approved by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to offer the IB. These three events set in motion the opportunities and challenges that the school would have until today. In short, these could be stated as: “How to meet the needs of all pupils, regardless of their nationality and destination, within a single unifying curriculum”.

In Latin America all schools founded by foreigners have today a large majority of local national students. The British School, Rio is no exception since, of the 35 nationalities in attendance, 85% of the students are Brazilian. All pupils are taught in English and every child is expected to develop fluency in English and Portuguese, as well as study French and Spanish.

The curriculum, which the school has painstakingly constructed over the years to ensure authenticity and relevance, is broadly based on the National Curriculum for England, leading to the International General Certificate of Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB). However, Brazilian law requires the compulsory teaching of Portuguese and Brazilian history and geography. Recently, the government required all students in the last three years of schooling to study Philosophy and Sociology, both to be taught by qualified Brazilian teachers. A further challenge is that the International Baccalaureate is not recognised for Brazilian university entrance which depends on performing well in rather different national university entrance examinations.

The school has responded to these potential constraints and requirements positively and with creativity, seeing opportunities to generate a curriculum which serves every pupil. Indeed, each one has, through the school’s unique programme, the option of studying in Higher Education either overseas or within Brazil. Historically, some 35% head overseas.

The school provides a broad and balanced education and an interesting mix of experiences, Brazilian and British. A pupil can learn capoeira and represent the school in volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer, but can also participate in extremely popular Duke of Edinburgh Award and Model United Nations programmes. A pupil can at once enjoy a British-style House System but also benefit from recuperação, the uniquely Brazilian system to monitor and support academic progress. A student can participate in a British-style ‘Work Experience’ and also undertake community service in a local favela. A single arts event will reveal how cultures are entwined, from samba and Brazilian percussion to British-style rock and classical violin, from Brazilian folklore to English fairy tales, from the artistic influences of Turner to Tarsila do Amaral. The residential fieldtrips that the school offers all pupils will take them from Petropolis, Itatiaia and the Pantanal to London, Brighton and Stratford-upon-Avon.

While the great majority of teachers are Brazilian, the school aims for 30% of the educational staff to be native English-speakers with overseas experience. Currently, 45 teachers are employed on overseas contracts. The school has a well established staff development programme and 1% of school fee income is committed annually to staff training. This includes a highly successful in-house teacher training course for Brazilians who are employed as assistant teachers and may be promoted to teacher status and substantial opportunities for teachers to undertake study trips and school visits in the U.K.

To ensure international standards, the school has been engaged in the Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation programme since 1996. The latest CIS Team Visit saw twenty-three educators from across the globe visit the school for a week.

The school, now functioning on three sites across the city of Rio, has 1775 pupils from age two to the International Baccalaureate. Testimony to the school’s success is the fact that the two sites in Zona Sul (Botafogo and Urca) have waiting lists for most year groups and the new school unit, established in 2003 in the Rio suburb of Barra, is growing at a significant rate, rising from its original seven pupils to a current 570. It is due to grow by a further hundred pupils by the beginning of the next academic year.

What Kind of School is The British School?
by Mr Paul Wiseman, School Director

I am frequently asked the question: “What kind of school is The British School?” I hope, through this article and the next, to address this question.

Every school is unique. However, there are classifiers that help us to know to which general category a school might belong or aspire. Some characteristics which help define schools are, for us, as follows: non-profit, independent (private), fee paying, coeducational, 2-18 age range. But how British are we? Are we an international school?

If you were a British family coming to Brazil, what would you expect from “The British School, Rio de Janeiro”? If your experience was with “British” schools in Europe, the Middle East or Asia, you would find some tangible differences. If you had come from an “international” school in the USA or Europe, again there would be evident differences. If, on the other hand, you were a Brazilian family coming from a Brazilian school in the city, your expectations of the school would be different again. The British family might be asking, “How will my children adapt? Will they be able to transfer back to Britain after three years? Will their standards of English be developed? Will they be happy?” The Brazilian family will be asking, “How will the school prepare my child for entry to Brazilian university? Will he have enough English to cope? Will his standards of Portuguese be developed? Will he adapt? Will he be happy?”

In our Mission Statement we say we offer “a challenging British-based education” in “a bi-cultural environment”, but we do not call ourselves a bi-lingual school or an international school. To what extent are we “British” or “international”?

In terms of our founding and legal status, our school is maintained by the Associação Britânica de Educação, which is the current body of parents of British and Commonwealth nationality. The ABE statutes define the purpose of the ABE as to “…. maintain schools catering to the international community and families who choose the British style of education….” The school is governed by a Board elected from that parent body and the school must adhere in all areas to its own statutes and to Brazilian law. The Brazilian educational authorities recognise and approve the school as being able to offer a full Pre-School, Primary and Secondary education (the Brazilian Ensino Fundamental and Ensino Médio).

With these contextual points in mind, one can begin to see the kinds of factors that affect the day-to-day functioning of the school. Being a “British” school in Brazil is a completely different scenario from a national school in Great Britain or a “British” school in the Netherlands. Our school’s particular situation, of course, creates restraints but also, I would argue, generates significant opportunities from an educational point of view.

The term “international school” covers such a large range of school types. In general, it includes schools which usually have a foreign foundation in a given country, follow a curriculum which is distinct from that of national schools, and serve children of a range of nationalities. An “international school” therefore usually has some foreign elements on the Board and foreigners in the teaching staff. The variance in the proportions of foreign and local nationals (either in the pupil or staff populations), however, is great. In Latin America, many schools like ours have a history similar to ours and most have a large majority of local national students. Our school is, in fact, one of the oldest “foreign founded” schools in the continent. Considering the key events and decisions in our 85-year history gives us a good idea of why and what we are today.

The British School was founded in 1924 as a small Primary School in a house in Rua Santa Clara, serving the expatriate community. In 1949 it moved to Botafogo where the Anglican Christ Church was established. The Cashman Building was constructed with funds raised largely by British companies and opened in 1951. Over the years, the school clearly became popular with Brazilian families since, in 1975, an Ala Brasileira (Brazilian Wing) was opened. To cater for evident expansion, in 1983, the Thompson Building was rented.

In 1989 a very significant decision was made – to unify the Ala Britânica and Ala Brasileira (the British and Brazilian wings) within a single curriculum and teaching structure. At the same time, the school became accredited to offer a secondary education, with the approval of the Brazilian Segundo Grau. This dual decision set in motion all the opportunities and challenges that the school would have over the next twenty years, until today. In short, these could be stated as, “How to meet the needs of all pupils, regardless of their nationality and destination, within a single curriculum”.

A year later, in 1990, the school became accepted as an International Baccalaureate school (Classes 10 and 11). This gave all pupils the opportunity to continue their international educational studies until the end of Class 11. However, for the school to be able to provide this programme financially, it needed to be supported by Brazilian families. At that time, in order to address Brazilian concerns, the Brazilian Universities Initiative (BUI) was set up with a brief to investigate and resolve the issue of how a student following the IB programme could also be appropriately prepared for Brazilian university entrance. It only took a few years for parents and students to see that not only was the National Curriculum of England, the IGCSE and IB the basis for a superb education, but that British School students had the option of studying either overseas or within Brazil. What is more, they could all study together in one common programme.

In my view, in terms of “big decisions”, those two years – 1989 and 1990 – were the most significant to date in the school’s history. These decisions created the scenario we have today – with all pupils following an identical, monolithic programme from age 2 to 18. Rather than maintaining a “Brazilian route” and an “overseas route”, the school built a unique curriculum that meets everybody’s interests and needs. This is an ambitious aim and I believe no other school in the city achieves this. From the undeniably excellent performance and results of our students at both IGCSE (Class 9) and the IB (Classes 10 and 11) and the evident success our students have, every year, in entering universities either in Brazil or overseas, we are fulfilling this mission.

So, what kind of school are we? Unfortunately, I don’t think we fit easily into any existing category. We are what we are. This is not such a big issue, provided we give every parent and pupil considering our school for their education a full and honest explanation of our strengths and our limitations and inform them about what we do, what we believe in, what we value, what we expect, and what our students have been able to achieve.

In the last Falcon, I reviewed the school’s history and character. I now look at the school in terms of what we believe in, value and, most importantly, do and achieve.

“A caring community, striving for excellence, where every individual matters”
A vision statement declares where an organisation wants to be. Aspects of ours require further attention but we are working hard to reach this vision so that it becomes an accurate description of the school’s character.

Responsible, well-informed, open-minded, confident and caring individuals
Our Mission states that we will “develop responsible, well-informed, open-minded, confident and caring individuals….in which… pupils are motivated to realise their full potential through a challenging British-based education in a non-discriminatory and bi-cultural environment”.

Our graduates carry the spirit of the five characteristics listed in our Mission. This is the result of a broad curriculum, wide ranging opportunities and the positive effects of our pastoral programme. High expectations and standards are encouraged by teachers in an atmosphere of kindly, respectful and accessible relationships. There are elements of “non-discriminatory and bi-cultural environment” which require further attention and we are making efforts in the area of relationships and capitalising on the opportunities our multicultural community affords.

A challenging British-based education with a unique curriculum
The curriculum meets the needs of a wide range of pupils. It is well planned and organised and is how the Vision and Mission are put into practice. Based on the National Curriculum for England, the IGCSE and the International Baccalaureate, well-established Brazilian elements give it authenticity and relevance for all pupils. The curriculum is dynamic and we are at work, within a structured development plan, to improve the curriculum, teaching and learning.

A school with the “pupil at the centre” where pupils are motivated to realise their full potential
The Curriculum Model places the pupil at the centre of everything the school does. This commitment includes: differentiated teaching and learning to meet individual needs and styles; identifying and extending strengths; supporting learning challenges; providing emotional and social support; establishing strong links between school and family. This list can be subsumed within the term “Personalised Learning” - a challenging area to which we are committing time, resources and energy.

An inclusive school, with students of a relatively wide range of ability gaining excellent academic results
The school provides an inclusive education; a child who enters the school is encouraged to complete the programme until Class 11. Very few children leave due to difficulties in coping with a bilingual programme. Our school is unique in that all our pupils - whatever their nationality, ability or intention - follow a common curriculum throughout their entire schooling but are equally well prepared for Higher Education locally or overseas. Our students achieve excellent results at IGCSE and IB, particularly when you consider the inclusive nature of the school.

A broad, balanced education which motivates, develops all-round character and provides the opportunity for individual talents to be recognised and nurtured
Pupils have a rich school experience which includes: a strong Arts programme; developed ICT resources and programme; a House system encouraging leadership and positive competition among pupils; international, residential and day trips; a varied extra-curricular programme; Model United Nations from Class 6; the Duke of Edinburgh Award - outdoor education and skills development from Class 4; community service in Classes 10 and 11; national residential sports tournaments; international student conferences; a ‘Work Experience Programme’, preparing young adults for the workplace.

A programme which very successfully prepares all students for entry to university within Brazil and overseas
The school is committed to preparing every pupil for university and graduates leave with fluency in two languages and possibly three or four. Since 1992, 573 have graduated with both the Ensino Médio and International Baccalaureate. All graduates followed the same course through to Class 11. We are unique in Rio de Janeiro: since our programme is designed with international and Brazilian university entrance in mind, all our students graduate with privileged options and choices. This commonly shared school experience generates very strong ties of friendship and collegiality.

A school with a commitment to staff development and improvement
1% of all fee income is committed to staff development. The school employs a full-time Staff Development Coordinator and part-time Assistant. This is a serious financial commitment which enables us to run our own training programmes and allows staff to attend courses and training in the UK and elsewhere, thus encouraging networking and collaboration with other schools and institutions.

A community which is fulfilling an ambitious vision of strategy and development
Since 1994, the Board has overseen significant developments including: initiation of and accreditation by the International Baccalaureate Organisation; accreditation and re-accreditation by the Council of International Schools; two school inspections by the Latin American Heads Conference; establishment and physical expansion of a new Senior School at Urca; establishment of a new campus at Barra; the upgrading of Botafogo with a major building project there this year.

A school that is aware of its weaknesses and determined to do better, constantly seeking improvement and objective assessment from accrediting agencies
Vision and Mission are referred to throughout the school in committees and staff training sessions and reviewed annually against practice by the Education Committee.

The school, through the recommendations of its accrediting agencies, its own reflections, and the ready receipt of parental and student views, is aware of its challenges and weaknesses. In some ways, while 85 years old, the school is young. We only became a full school to Class 11 in 1992 and witnessed rapid growth since then. We have come a long way but still have some way to go in certain areas; these are being vigorously pursued and addressed.