Fostering Excellence Beyond the Classroom


Our Co-Curriculum is such an important part of what we do at IS Milan! As an IB World School, we know that our students learning can take place anywhere and not just within the regular classroom – and there are many ways in which our IB Curricula extend our students’ learning. As an Inspired global school, alongside academic excellence, our educational pillars of Sport and Creative Arts are also of great significance within our students’ educational journey.

Our Co-Curriculum includes the following elements:

  • After-school activities
  • IB Core activities
  • Sport
  • Creative Arts
  • Educational Visits
  • House, Clubs and Student Leadership

Across these different elements, all of our students receive regular opportunities to supplement their learning outside of regular lesson time.

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After-School Activities


We offer families in certain year-groups the opportunity to extend their children’s learning with additional after-school activities on Mondays to Thursdays. Further details of the activities currently offered appears below. These activities are available on a ‘first come first served’ basis, so we would encourage an early sign up. If the demand for activities exceeds our supply, we will seek where possible to schedule additional activities, subject to the availability of staff and rooms at school. Most after-school activities carry an additional cost, which is charged to parents on an annual basis.

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IB Core Activities


Our IB Curricula provide many opportunities for students to work together outside of the regular classroom. There are no additional charges for these activities, which normally take place within the regular working day.

Our PYP core curriculum already includes specialist lessons in Sport & Movement,  Music, Drama & Public Speaking, as well as Library Skills. In addition, other core learning opportunities include day and residential trips, membership of the Student Council, and The PYP Exhibition (Grade 6).

For MYP, in addition to ongoing specialist lessons in Sport and the Creative Arts, our students engage in regular Service as Action projects, developing their leadership skills and approaches to learning. They complete inter-disciplinary units that link together individual MYP disciplines, as well as a range of special events to enhance their personal, social and health awareness, help them focus on their career objectives, and prepare them for university and beyond. They also enjoy day and residential trips that enhance their learning, as well as a wide range of other practical activities that culminate with the End of Year Programme.

Within the DP, students complete the three Core elements of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Extended Essay (EE). They also carry out in-depth specialist investigations for their Internal Assessments, participate in specialist exhibitions such as for Visual Arts and TOK, as well as continuing with a programme of special events to enhance their personal, social and health awareness. We run an intensive programme to help them focus on their university and career objectives, ensuring that every student receives individual specialised advice. Day and residential trips continue, and student leadership is a major focus within these final two year-groups.

middle school sport activities

Sport


Physical activity is essential for mental and physical wellbeing – and Sport is one of the pillars of the Inspired education programme. Our students receive regular opportunities to participate in PHE (Physical and Health Education) within the regular curriculum, and they can also sign up to the optional after-school sports activities offered throughout the year.

In addition, our Physical Education specialists run an additional Sport Team programme – this includes lunchtime and after-school clubs. Some clubs focus more on developing physical and mental skills to help prepare students for competition, whilst other clubs focus on developing healthy habits and friendships through sport. 

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Creative Arts


The Creative Arts are also a pillar of the Inspired education programme, and our students gain great inner confidence and collaboration skills from their work in these areas. Within the regular curriculum, our students receive regular teaching in specialist Creative Arts areas such as Music, Drama, Movement, Public Speaking and Visual Arts, and can also supplement this with a number of after-school activities. There are numerous opportunities to perform each year, whether by joining a Music or Drama club, or as the regular culminate of a class activity with a special event or performance.

Recent special events have included concerts, drama productions, inter-disciplinary collaborations, art exhibitions, as well as a wide range of other group activities. Our Parent Advisory Board (PAB) also run a number of special events throughout the year, providing further great opportunities for our students to showcase their individual talents.

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Houses, Clubs and Student Leadership


Our students receive many other opportunities to participate and develop themselves outside of the classroom, often within the longer lunchbreaks. Other opportunities include:

  • House Events, for example a house sport competition; 
  • Sports Leadership, for example Secondary students leading sports activities and Sports Days for Primary; 
  • Clubs & Societies, for example a lunchtime Business Club; 
  • Student Leadership Forums, for example Student Council, Grade 6 and Grade 12 House Captains, Food Forum or Eco ISM; 
  • Celebratory Events.

Developing our students as leaders is one of the core objectives of our IB curricula, and of our Inspired mission to develop global leaders. It is very common that students may take on leadership of other students within specific CAS, or Service as Action Projects. Students also regularly identify areas where they wish to lead and make a difference, for example in connection with their PYP Exhibition or MYP Personal Project.

In the Secondary Section, the year also culminates with the End of Year Programme. This includes a Careers Convention for Grades 10 – 12, House Challenges and Competitions in areas such as debating, art, spelling, sport and music, a play-in-a-day, ISM film festival, Entrepreneur Day, residential trips, day trips to local museum, a water park and a leisure club. 

Student Leadership and Voice is a crucial element of our programme, and we are always very keen to listen to our students, whenever they have a good idea.

Educational Visits


Learning in the classroom is very powerful – but sometimes there is no substitute for experiences that take place in the wider community. From time to time, all year-groups will therefore be invited to take part in Educational Visits.

Educational Visits will always be designed to supplement learning, whether in connection with a specific Academic subject, topic or cross-curricular theme, in connection with the pillars of Sport and Creative Arts, and also to assist students with their social development. An Educational Visit may be a day trip, or a residential trip.

It is noted that Educational Visits can inevitably cause disruption to the regular curriculum for those not taking part if their regular teachers are absent as a result. Therefore, our calendar of educational visits is very carefully managed. The schedule for each year is published separately and further details can be found in our Co-Curricular Handbook.

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Learn more about how our Co-Curricular programme can enrich your child's development at our welcoming school in Milan.