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What is the Middle Years Programme (MYP) ?

The MYP is a challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. The MYP is a five-year programme, which can be implemented in a partnership between schools, or in several abbreviated (two, three or four year) formats. Students who complete the MYP are well-prepared to undertake the IB Diploma Programme (DP) or Career-related Programme (CP).

The MYP curriculum

The MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents.

The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each subject group, in each year of the programme. In the final two years of the programme, carefully-defined subject group flexibility allows students to meet local requirements and personal learning goals.

External assessment and recognition

In the final year of the programme, optional MYP e-Assessment provides IB-validated grades based on examinations and course work.  Students who undertake external assessment are eligible for MYP course results and the IB MYP Certificate.

Middle Years Programme (MYP) comprises eight subject groups:
  • Language acquisition
  • Language and literature
  • Individuals and societies
  • Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Arts
  • Physical and health education
  • Design.

The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each subject group in each year of the programme. In years 4 and 5, students have the option to take courses from six of the eight subject groups within certain limits, to provide greater flexibility in meeting local requirements and individual student learning needs.

Each year, students in the MYP also engage in at least one collaboratively planned interdisciplinary unit that involves at least two subject groups.

MYP students also complete a long-term project, where they decide what they want to learn about, identify what they already know, discovering what they will need to know to complete the project, and create a proposal or criteria for completing it.

Teaching and Learning Approach

The MYP aims to help students develop their personal understanding, their emerging sense of self and responsibility in their community.

Teaching and learning in the MYP is underpinned by the following concepts:

Teaching and learning in context

Students learn best when their learning experiences have context and are connected to their lives and their experience of the world that they have experienced.

Using global contexts, MYP students develop an understanding of their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet through developmentally appropriate explorations of:

  • Identities and relationships
  • Personal and cultural expression
  • Orientations in space and time
  • Scientific and technical innovation
  • Fairness and development
  • Globalization and sustainability.

As part of the MYP curriculum, schools address differentiation within the written, taught and assessed curriculum.

This is demonstrated in the unit planner and in the teaching environment, both of which are reviewed during programme authorization and evaluation.

The MYP allows schools to continue to meet state, provincial or national legal requirements for students with access needs. Schools must develop an inclusion/special educational needs (SEN) policy that explains assessment access arrangements, classroom accommodations and curriculum modification that meet individual student learning needs.

STEM education in the MYP

The MYP curriculum focuses on STEM as an important perspective from which to consider integrated teaching and learning in concepts and skills related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Additional Support

At BAT, we prioritize meeting each student at their level, and helping them achieve their highest level or learning. This is done with a combination of collaboration, communication, and additional support services as needed.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

As an International School, BAT offers free EAL sessions to students with language barriers. Our EAL teacher works in conjunction with the school’s guidance counselor, teachers, parents, and management team staff to identify students who could benefit from EAL services. These sessions are designed around the needs of the student rather than simply following a set program. That way, students can progress quickly with their language skills in the areas that will particularly benefit them most. Whether students are starting from the ground up, or simply need to brush up on some reading skills, our EAL support services are designed to promote success.

After school, tutoring services are also available to our students based on requests from parents and recommendations from our teaching staff. Tutoring services are designed to bolster skills in specific areas and are discontinued once the student reaches the appropriate level.

In addition to our other services, our Guidance Counselor works with staff and students to create Individual Learning Plans (ILPs). These plans comprise goals that have been mutually agreed upon by the Guidance Counselor, student, and teacher, and are updated monthly. The Guidance Counselor works closely with the EAL teacher to determine which remedial measures are needed. The Guidance Counselor also monitors the students’ safety and emotional well-being, helping to create healthy and happy students who have the confidence to succeed.

Our team is consistently working together to ensure student gains. Students who have fallen behind due to long absences are provided with support plans to help them catch up. We strongly believe that no student should ever fall through the cracks and our team will do whatever it takes to make each student thrive.

Our BAT Labs are equipped with desktop computers, projection devices, and printers needed to achieve BAT’s information technology learning goals. In particular, the Lab is a place where learners are empowered to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

The BAT library offers students and teachers an extensive collection of print books, eBooks, audio books, and research tools to support learning goals. Students are empowered to take an active role in choosing books and resources to read for personal enjoyment and for gathering information.