How do you foster global citizenship at a virtual school UK? Ways to promote the Global Goals in an Online School
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Newsletter Highlights (click to jump to section): Accreditation Update | How We Develop Character | Mental Health & Wellbeing | Our Global Community | Global Citizens
Dear Parents and Friends,
At Sophia High, we inspire our children to be Global Citizens through teaching of the Global Goals in our virtual school UK. To grow from learners to leaders and to be the change makers that the world needs for a brighter future for everyone.
All schools, online or traditional, have aims and aspirations for children; Sophia High is no different. But what defines our virtual school UK is our ability to bring these aspirations to life, to create purposeful and meaningful contexts for our children to actively engage in the development of these personal goals and skills for life and to be our voices for change as we commit to teaching the UN Global Goals at our Virtual School UK.
Our prospective parents don’t have to take our word for it, they can experience our aims and aspirations coming to life through the words and work of our children as they engage with our innovative and inspirational curriculum and unmute their voices as they engage with the UN Global Goals at our leading Virtual School UK.
This week one of our brilliant Year 1 students provided me with his permission to share his wonderful message about the importance of doing all we can to save the rainforest. Not only did this show his maturity in understanding how to learn effectively online as he considered the impact of being on the internet, but also how motivating and inspiring our curriculum is for our students.
Building on the knowledge he has gained as part of our IPC “Vanishing Rainforest” topic this term, this passionate speech is a living example of how we encourage our students to unmute and embrace their Voices for Change through the UN Global Goal: Life on Land.
At Sophia High, we teach our students that they have the power to change the course of actions we take and have the power to decide what the future will hold and what life will look like on earth. We develop global citizens through a future-proof digital learning environment that encourages personalisation and human to human interaction with peers and teachers without disruption, and at the same time crucially ensure that we support and develop the mental health and wellbeing of our students as a central part of our provision.
If you are thinking about online schooling for your children, I encourage you to arrange a call with myself and my Education Team. We would love to hear more about your child and to share more about how we inspire children at Sophia High School.
Melissa McBride
Chief Education Officer
Accreditation Update
Following our work last term with the UK Department of Education and Ofsted as 1 of 4 schools chosen to take part in the pilot inspection programme for the Online Education Provider Accreditation Scheme, we have been asked by the DfE to contribute to their Ofsted Consultation and feedback on the OEAS draft handbook for quality assurance visits to online providers as part of the scheme. This scheme is set to launch in January 2022.
We are also delighted to share that our membership has been approved by the globally recognised Council of International Schools and our evaluation visit will take place in early November 2021. As a leader in the field of school evaluation and accreditation worldwide, membership with COIS provides Sophia High with a unique international accreditation with a focus on the development of students as global citizens.
The quality and rigour of CIS International Accreditation is recognized by ministries, departments of education, and universities around the world as demonstration of our school’s commitment to high quality international education and as a mark of quality assurance.
We are accepting applications for November 2021.
Please complete our registration form to start your application.
To answer any questions you may have about joining Sophia High School, Schedule a call with our Education Team.
How We Develop Character
One of the most important things we do as educators is to work alongside children to equip them with the skills set, knowledge and understanding they need to grow from Learners to Leaders.
A huge part of this is the development of personal goals which we embed fully into our comprehensive curriculum.
At Sophia High School, we are building a global community of learners within a safe, secure and happy online learning environment, where our students are inspired, challenged and supported in all they do. We aim to empower young minds to think creatively, develop independence, problem solve and to make connections with the world around them.
Modelled on the richness of the best international approach to education, our virtual school UK unlocks potential, nurtures talent and realises dreams, so that students exceed expectations. Above all our guiding principles ensure that our students are aware of their responsibilities as the learners of today and the leaders of tomorrow.
Mindfulness & Wellbeing
At Sophia High School, the promotion of good mental wellbeing for all of our students is at the heart of our curriculum and online provision as we inspire all of our students to be mindful, resilient learners.
According to the UK Department for Education, schools have a central role to play in enabling their pupils to be resilient and to support good mental health and wellbeing, by developing approaches tailored to the particular needs of their pupils. All schools are under a statutory duty to promote the welfare of their pupils, which includes: preventing impairment of children’s health or development, and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Our aim, in putting Mental Health at the forefront of our purpose and direction, is to create a safe and calm online learning environment and to strengthen the growth mindset, self-belief and resilience of our students.
Our whole school approach to mental health, wellbeing and behaviour is a consistent part of our curriculum. This is supported by Mindfulness Coaching and Training for all of our teachers, as well as PSHE lessons throughout the school led by Mr Dom.
Our Global Learning Community
Our Global Learning Community continues to expand as we welcome this term 38 children in 18 countries across 5 continents. At Sophia High, we place huge importance on developing Global Citizens as our students connect with their peers from around the world and have the opportunity to learn from each other and about each other every day.
Inspiring Global Citizens
This term students in our Digital Primary School will be learning about the hugely important theme of Vanishing Rainforests. We are thrilled to have children who join us from Bolivia, Uganda, and Zambia, where forest biomass and rainforest biodiversity are on the doorstep of our students.
What a wonderful opportunity to share our unique local contexts with the wider school community and bring our IPC unit to life this term!
At Sophia High School, we are proud to be a supporter of the UN Global Goals, placing this mandate at the heart of our curriculum and acknowledging our role in shaping a new future.
In the senior part of the school, we turn our attention to Community as part of our IMYC curriculum focus. Through the exploration of the key concept; ‘A shared sense of belonging occurs when people are able to negotiate and appreciate their complex, often messy, differences’ our students will develop the knowledge skills and understanding to define the meaning of community and embrace their role as our student leaders in building a belonging community at Sophia High School.
If you have any questions or if there is anything you would like to know, please feel free to schedule a call with us or email us at admissions@sophiahigh.school.
Best wishes,
Melissa McBride, Chief Education Officer
David McCarthy, Director of Education