The Middle School programme of MES for 5th-9th grade students, the basis of which consists of the International Baccalaureate Organization’s 'Middle Years Programme' (MYP), is targeted at children between the ages of 10 and 15. It is a continuation of the preschool 'Primary Years Programme' (PYP) and, at the same time, is an excellent opportunity for students to prepare for their progression into the older grades in the 'Diploma Programme' (DP) of the International Baccalaureate’s pre-college educational curriculum. On completing the elementary school programme every student independently completes a personal project, creating an individual creative work, which will demonstrate their ability to work independently.
10 Reasons Why Students Should Use the International Baccalaureate Middle School Programme (IB MYP):
- It teaches students the ability to study, something which will last for their entire adult life
- It encourages them to be active, empathetic individuals, who are able to act decisively in various real life situations
- It develops their critical thinking skills
- It offers students the possibility to study and understand the problems of the modern world
- Learning takes place through investigation of the world around us, and this knowledge can then be utilized in everyday life
- It teaches students to be responsible and organized
- It teaches students to find connections between the subjects and themes studied
- It offers a variety of opportunities for the development of the talents and abilities of every student
- It prepares students for learning in the context of the Diploma Programme and for further education in the world’s top universities
- It teaches them to value a multitude of cultures of different countries and races and to recognize the existence of many different world views
9th grade students have to pass the 'State Final Examination'.
The middle school programme encourages students to become creative individuals, critical thinkers and to understand the connections between academic subjects and the real world. This facilitates the development of communication skills, intercultural awareness and engagement with the world around them – the characteristics of utmost importance for young people who are going to become world leaders. The programme is based on the knowledge skills and attitudes, which form the preschool curriculum, and prepares students for the more intensely academic study of the high school curriculum.
How the progress of MES students is assessed:
The middle school uses the descriptive-criteria form of assessment system, which involves the assessment of various types of activity undertaken by the student according to certain criteria. Assessment of the Personal Project takes place in 9th grade, in full accordance with the procedure proscribed in the Personal Project guidelines.