International Baccalaureate Student Profile

Our school joined the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) five years ago due to its compatibility with our educational values. The IB Diploma Programme fit into our educational project naturally, as it focuses on a learner profile that seeks skills such as enquiry, critical thinking, communication, integrity and solidarity to prepare them for university and life.

What we want to become

Five years ago, our school joined the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). From the very beginning it was clear to us that the programme offered for students at the Baccalaureate stage by this organisation – which has worldwide prestige and recognition – would be a great fit for our school for two reasons:

1. Firstly, the International Baccalaureate programme provides an excellent culmination to the period of their lives that our students spend at the school, as both the values that inspire it and the way of working fit perfectly with our methodology.
2. Secondly, the programme prepares our students very well for their university life, allowing them to build on a series of skills that will help them to excel in higher education.

The fundamental pillars of our educational project and the principles of the International Baccalaureate Organisation have multiple synergies, which is why the implementation of the IB programme in our school has been natural.

As one of the core aspects of the IB Diploma Programme, this month in our Newsletter we would like to highlight the learner profile. The learner profile is a description of what we want to invite our students to achieve when they finish their studies at Atalaya International School. It is defined by the following traits:

1. Inquirers. Knowledge is not finite in any discipline, that is why, beyond textbooks, we encourage our students to investigate, to search for the truth. Knowledge is interest, effort, error, correction, discovery.
2. Informed and educated. In times of information overload, in order to be able to live independently it is essential to be able to identify what information is reliable and what information is not. Without a critical appraisal of information, autonomy is impossible.
3. Thinkers. We encourage our students to be able to stop and think because, without thought, there is no science, nor life that may be considered one’s own. To stop and think in order to know themselves, to consider new ideas, to develop mental skills that will equip them for life and higher education.
4. Good communicators. The development of the ability to express ideas orally and in writing, together with the development of the ability to listen and understand cultural and intellectual positions different from one’s own is the aim of many of the activities we carry out at the school. We want our students to be able to communicate fluently in both English and Spanish.
5. Integrity. Honesty in daily classroom work, respect for fellow students, the ability to recognise one’s own mistakes and correct them, and a willingness to be true to oneself are for us central to the personal development of our students.
6. Open-minded. Working on the basis of respect for all people, we want our students to be able to discover and critically evaluate, identifying their own prejudices, ideas and practices of other people and cultures.
7. Solidarity. In a world plagued by injustice and inequality, the commitment of the new generations is necessary to develop a society where people’s lives are respected and cared for and where the sustainability of the planet is guaranteed.
8. Bold. We want our students to face uncertainty with anticipation and resolve. To work independently and in teams to investigate new ideas and innovative strategies. To demonstrate creativity and resilience in the face of change and challenge.
9. Balanced. We work on self-awareness and the ability to identify and manage emotions to give our students the necessary tools to lead a healthy and happy life.
10. Reflective. We carefully analyse the world and our own ideas and experiences. We strive to understand our strengths and weaknesses, with the aim of contributing to learning and personal development.