Middle school: IMYC
The International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) is designed to develop the essential skills students need as they transition into adulthood. This curriculum helps students make sense of their learning while encouraging collaboration and connection with others. IMYC units are crafted around Big Ideas, creating both rigorous and enjoyable learning opportunities that allow learners to connect with and find meaning in their subjects.
Grounded in neuroscientific research, the IMYC meets the unique needs of the adolescent brain by following a structured learning process that helps students become better organisers and planners. Students are guided by Subject Learning Goals to build Knowledge, Skills, and Understanding, Personal Learning Goals to develop character and attitudes and International Learning Goals to foster global competence and social consciousness, motivating them to contribute positively at both local and global levels.
IMYC Learning Outcomes
The IMYC outlines the Knowledge, Skills, and Understanding required across all subjects to help students develop into globally competent individuals. Through engaging in a multilingual education and learning about diverse cultures, students expand their global perspective. The IMYC can stand alone or be integrated with other curricula due to its internationally informed, research-based approach to middle years learning.
All IMYC Subject Learning Goals are developed in collaboration with the global teaching community, ensuring they are relevant to various national and regional curricula. This flexibility allows ISTCI to adapt the IMYC to meet local national curriculum standards.
IMYC process to facilitate learning
At ISTCI, all IMYC units follow the Process to Facilitate Learning, which places the learner at the centre and ensures that each child's learning experience is engaging and effective. This process is structured around five key stages, all connected through Assessment for Improving Learning, Self-Assessment and Action.
- Entry Point
Each unit begins with an engaging activity designed to spark interest, prompt recall of prior knowledge, and create excitement for the new learning journey. - Knowledge Harvest
This stage allows children to share what they already know about the unit’s theme. It helps teachers tailor and differentiate lessons to meet the needs of each student. - Explaining the Theme
The unit’s progression is outlined for students, helping them link their existing knowledge to the upcoming learning, fostering deeper connections and understanding. - Research, Record, & Reflect
Students engage in tasks that involve researching new information, recording their findings, and reflecting on their learning to develop knowledge, skills, and understanding. - Exit Point
At the end of each unit, the Exit Point brings students together to celebrate and showcase what they have learned, providing a meaningful conclusion to their thematic study.
At the end of each unit, the Exit Point brings students together to celebrate and showcase what they have learned, providing a meaningful conclusion to their thematic study.
IMYC Benefits
The IMYC offers numerous advantages for 11-14-year-olds, including:
- A tailored response to individual learning paths and the specific needs of the adolescent brain, providing both structure and support.
- The use of modern media platforms and active, skills-based learning that encourages self-reflection and helps students make sense of their learning.
- A relevant, engaging curriculum centred on both individual and shared learning experiences.
- A focus on Big Ideas, such as Adaptability, Responsibility, or Entrepreneurship, which link all subject learning and help students connect knowledge across disciplines.
- Opportunities for single-subject learning while promoting collaboration across subjects.
- A student-centred approach that fosters metacognition, agency, and critical and creative engagement with local and global issues.
What We Offer
At ISTCI, our bespoke IMYC curriculum provides your child with a global education passport, preparing them to study anywhere in the world. We follow the IMYC Big Ideas, using our Global Campus to connect students and teachers across our network of schools. An internationally recognised education at ISTCI will position your child to secure a place at top universities globally. Through an understanding of diverse cultures and customs, your child will be well-prepared for success in a rapidly globalising world, where knowledge, skills, and international awareness are increasingly important.
ISTCI offers access to some of the finest international schoolteachers and state-of-the-art facilities, providing your child with the support they need to thrive throughout their education.