International Bridging Programme
- Using an enquiry-based approach develops learners’ global skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, intercultural competence, self-regulation and digital literacies.
- Short, engaging videos lead discussion and debate.
- Language-in-use lessons and skills strategies improve fluency and all four skills.
- Life skills lessons develop transferable skills for lifelong learning.
- Project lessons enable students to collaborate in English, thus enabling the whole of their English resource.
- Literature lessons introduce diverse literary genres.
- Writing workshops help students to refine their general and academic writing skills.
- Synthetic phonics helps lower-level students understand spelling and sound relationships.
Topic-based lessons | At lower levels, students are taught a variety of engaging and accessible topics covering a range of humanity and science subjects; for example: Lessons on the broad topic of ‘Competition’ relate to competitive behaviour in the natural world, innovation in technology, psychological pressure, and how competition affects free time in society. At higher levels, students are taught both humanities and science using KS3 materials. |
Reading to Learn | A full range of reading skills are taught, for example, prediction, gist reading, text-mapping, recognising fact and opinion, reading critically etc. In addition, students explore how to recognise word-forms such as compound nouns, prefixes, and adjective/noun families. |
Language in Use | A full grammar syllabus presented in context and with progression throughout the blocks and course. |
Life & Academic skills | Life skills are, for example, group decision-making, planning and prioritising, and developing powers of observation. Academic skills include listening and speaking skills in an academic context such as listening and taking notes, or speaking persuasively in a debate. |
Writing | The task-based writing lessons include both writing strategy and developing language. Tasks include: writing essays (with different structures), reports, articles, and descriptions. Writing strategy includes writing persuasively, presenting arguments & counter-arguments objectively, structuring paragraphs, making writing interesting etc. Language development includes items such as introducing examples, verbs for providing evidence, describing feelings, etc. |
Projects | Mini-projects enable students to work collaboratively using English as a tool of communication to complete a task. Projects include: simple scientific experiments; debates, and planning events. |
Mathematics | Students learn both Mathematics, and the language of Mathematics, and are therefore ready to study mathematics in their chosen course. |
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Term 1: Monday 16/09/24 – Friday 13/12/24 (13-week term with 12 weeks of study) 1-week mid term break: 28th October – 1st November |
Baseline English proficiency test 270 hours of study A2 End of term English proficiency test |
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Term 2: Monday 06/01/25 – Friday 11/04/25 (14-week term with 12 weeks of study) 1st x 1-week mid-term break (Chinese New Year): Jan 27 – Jan 31st 2025 2nd x 1-week mid-term break: 24th – 28th March |
Baseline English proficiency test (for new starters) 270 hours of study B1 (lower) End of term English proficiency test |
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Term 3: Monday 28/04/25 – Friday 25/07/25 (13-week term with 12 weeks of study) 1-week half-term break: 9th – 13th June |
Baseline English proficiency test (for new starters) 270 hours of study (B1 upper + lower B2) End of course English proficiency test |
