International School of Catalunya, Barcelona

ISCAT offers a recognised international curriculum, through English, which synthesizes the best of educational systems around the world and encourages the highest standards of academic achievement. Catalan and Spanish are an integral part of the programme. Learning explicitly addresses intercultural awareness and social responsibility through developmentally appropriate thematic units.

ISCAT’s personal commitment to education requires that the classroom be, for each and every child, a place of welcome, a nurturing environment, where each individual enters happily each day, confident that his or her own personality, home language, creativity and rhythm of development is respected and valued. From the emotional security that this affords, he or she is always ready to take the next step in their personal learning programme.

‘Scaffolding’ children’s learning forms an integral part of ISCAT’S practice. This demands teacher awareness of each student’s ‘zone of proximal development’ – literally, what he or she can do unaided – and then building a metaphorical ‘bridge’ or ‘scaffold’ by which, with the aid of the teacher or other practitioner, the next stage of attainment can be reached.

Regular information to parents regarding curriculum objectives and schemes of work, allows non-Anglophone students an opportunity to share at home, in their first language, that which has been studied at school, and helps consolidate learning and deepen understanding.
Lines of communication with parents are consistently open, and it is ISCAT’s firm belief, that if the ‘triangular’ relationship between student, parents and teacher is easy and trusting, the progress of the student is assured.

School and class displays in the classroom are always children’s contributions. Respecting and stimulating the individual creativity of each student is at the heart of ISCAT’s philosophy, and both art and music are used as important agents in developing understanding and acquiring skills.
Learning to think and learning to learn are the cornerstones of the ISCAT progamme, ensuring that children are fully prepared to take their place in an increasingly global environment.

ISCAT’s pedagogy therefore supports high academic achievement, intellectual, creative and emotional development for each individual child, and fosters a life long passion for learning.

The curriculum, which is compatible with the “Plan de la Generalitat”, is based on the English National Curriculum http://www.nc.uk.net. It is supported by the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (PYP) http://www.ibo.org/pyp/ and The International Primary Curriculum http://www.internationalprimarycurriculum.com

ISCAT, a British International School in Barcelona, The English
National Curriculum. Native English speaking teachers with U.K.
experience, small classes, with Catalan and Spanish integrated in the
Programme.