2015 - 2016 VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Annual Report Vientiane International School Ban Saphanthong Tai Vientiane, Lao PDR VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL To Challenge, Inspire and Prepare Learners for Life Table of Contents Page Introduction 2 Student Demographics 2 Mother Tongue Program Language Acquisition SEN/EAL Programs Student Performance 3 IBDP Results University Admissions ISA MAP Service in the MYP and DP 5 Activities and Events 6 Financial Outcomes 7 Facilities and Infrastructure 9 Staff Information 10 Strategic Plan 10 Community Partnerships 11 1 Annual Report 2015 - 2016 VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL To Challenge, Inspire and Prepare Learners for Life INTRODUCTION The year marked a shift in past enrolment trends indicating a decline for the first time in The 2015 – 2016 school year marked another many years. Through a collaborative and year in which our community of learners transparent process expenses were managed continued to aspire to the VIS Mission by the leadership team to ensure the year Statement - to challenge, inspire and prepare ended on sound financial ground. learners for life. During the past year, the Board of Trustees’ Student results on a range of assessments work focused on the development of a reserve indicate that our students are well prepared to fund policy and a review of the capital fee transition from VIS to their next academic structure for the next five years. environment. Student academic performance was measured internally on an on-going basis Throughout the 2015 – 2016 school year, VIS by our teachers and shared through our continued on the path of its 2020 VISion reporting structures with our parents. Strategic Plan to prepare for the future and Furthermore, the MAP (Measure of Academic simultaneously supported the growth of our Progress) tests and the ISA (International students in all aspects of their learning. The School Assessments) were administered to report below highlights a number of factors students throughout the school. The data from that indicate the success of the past school these tests are used by the school to year. benchmark the achievement of our students with similarly aged students around the world and to determine the growth of individual and STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS – FAST FACTS cohorts of students at VIS over the course of an • The 2015 – 2016 school year began with academic year. 459 students after a typical withdrawal rate of approximately of approximately Programs continued to grow and thrive, guided 20% at the end of the previous year by the recommendations of the strategic • Just over 80 new students were enrolled planning work groups from the prior year. for the first day of the school year. This Additional Chinese classes were offered was a decrease of 20% from the year throughout the school to support the growth of prior. the program, Mother Tongue parent forums • A total of 133 new students entered VIS were held throughout the year, second during the school year. language course offerings models were • A total of 136 students left VIS during examined and presented to parents and the Co- the year, including 22 at the end of Curricular program successfully transitioned to December and 93 in June (including three rotations throughout the year and an on- graduates). line sign up process. Furthermore, a handbook • Staff and students represented a total of for our SEN (Special Educational Needs) over 45 different nationalities. program was developed and the initial enhancements of facilities to support diverse physical needs began. 2 Annual Report 2015 - 2016 VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL To Challenge, Inspire and Prepare Learners for Life Mother Tongue Program SEN and EAL Program The Mother Tongue Program continues to be a VIS can admit students with mild learning focus area of our strategic plan. The number of difficulties and follows a non-selective languages studied by our student body and academic admissions policy. Furthermore, we participation of students across the three IB admit students whose first language is a Programs has remained consistent with language other than English. The school respect to overall enrollment numbers. employs two full-time SEN (Special Educational Needs) teachers and three full-time EAL Number of Languages Studied (English as an Additional Language) teachers to PYP MYP DP Total provide support for these students to access 2011 - 12 5 6 7 9 the curriculum. The following tables show the 2012 - 13 7 9 10 15 number of students in receipt of services from 2013 - 14 7 12 5 14 our student support services team. 2014 - 15 10 10 9 13 2015 - 16 10 9 9 15 SEN Services Area of Service Primary Secondary Students Studying a Mother Tongue SEN Services 15 4 (24*) Language Monitoring (SEN) 29 45 PYP MYP DP Total Extensions 9 2 2011 - 12 36 39 21 96 Monitoring (Ext.) 0 31 2012 - 13 49 64 25 138 In-School 6 4 2013 - 14 57 81 35 173 Therapy 2014 - 15 60 82 35 177 External Therapy 1 0 2015 - 16 59 69 35 163 Other Support 5 0 * SEN Services through Student Support Services Meeting structure. Language Acquisition Program The student population is continuing to be EAL Services fairly evening distributed between the two Support Primary Secondary languages on offer at VIS – Chinese and French. Higher Level 30 (3*) 13 (4*) Low Level 38 (9*) 31 (7*) Grade Chinese French *Number of students who transferred from HLS to LLS Prep 10 12 and from LLS to no support. 1 12 16 2 10 9 STUDENT PERFORMANCE 3 9 15 4 7 9 IBDP Results 5 10 13 All students entering grade 11 are encouraged 6 2 9 7 7 12 to attempt the IBDP and graduate with an 8 7 9 International Baccalaureate Diploma as well as 9 2 2 the VIS High School Diploma. For some 10 5 12 students, the IBDP is not necessary to gain 11* 4 3 admission to their preferred university, 12* 1 11 however it is a prestigious certificate that helps *No option for Language B 3 Annual Report 2015 - 2016 VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL To Challenge, Inspire and Prepare Learners for Life to support any application. There were 22 VIS Australia Singapore DP candidates who attempted the full IB Maquarie University* National University Monash University* Singapore diploma in 2015 - 16. Of these, 86% were RMIT Nanyan University successful in gaining a full diploma. This University of Singapore compares with a global rate of 80%. Melbourne University of New Taiwan The diversity of the VIS community, and the South Wales* National Taiwan University of University* support for Mother Tongue at VIS was shown Technology Sydney in 68% of successful candidates receiving a Thailand bilingual diploma. This requires the student to Canada Stamford University complete a literature course in their mother Brock University tongue language. The global average for Carleton University United Kingdom Dalhousie University* Brunel University bilingual diplomas is less than 30%, so the VIS Memorial University City University London results are outstanding. Ontario College of Art Coventry University & Design* Essex University* The following table shows the comparison for McGill University Exeter University* Quest University Loughbourough the VIS IB Diploma results (total points) for the Thompson Rivers University past four years. Each subject is scored out of a University Glasgow Caledonian possible 7 points. With Extended Essay, Theory University of British University of Knowledge, and Creativity, Action and Columbia* North East Scotland Service component contributing to the overall University of Fraser College* Valley Napier University graduation, the best possible score for a University of Toronto Norwich University* student is 45 points. Robert Gordon University, Europe Scotland* IBDP Results IE University Spain* Teeside University Amsterdam University University of Aberdeen* Year Highest Average Global Leiden University Univ. of Birmingham Score Total Average Maastricht University University of Bristol Points Total ULC The Hague University of Dundee 2011 - 12 40 31.5 29.6 University College University of Edinburgh Utrecht* University of Liverpool 2012 - 13 40 31 29.8 Univ, of the Creative 2013 - 14 36 31 29.8 India Arts 2014 - 15 37 31 29.8 Symbiosis Law School, University of St Andrew 2015 - 16 35 31 30 Pune* University of Sterling Univ. of West Scotland Korea Univ. of Westminster University Admissions University College Thirty-one students met the graduation Seoul* USA requirements for VIS last year and were Univ. of Maryland* Emmerson College offered places at the colleges and universities Full Sail University* Malaysia UCLA listed below. Colleges and universities that Monash University* University of Illinois students have chosen to attend are starred (*). Urbana-Champaign Univ. of Washington 4 Annual Report 2015 - 2016 VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL To Challenge, Inspire and Prepare Learners for Life International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) in planning our goals for teaching and learning The International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) is on an annual basis. completed in February of each year for students in grades 3 – 10. This assessment ISA Results 2015 – 2016 (Grades 3 – 10) compares the overall results of students in a 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 grade level with their peers in more than 300 Math = = = = = = + = Reading + + + + = = = = schools across the world. More than 70,000 Narrative + = + = = = = = students are assessed by ISA annually. Expository + + + = = = = = Overall, the results this year show that the ISA Results 2014 – 2015 (for Comparison) performance of VIS students improved from 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 last year to this year and that the performance Math – = = = = = = – of VIS students is statistically the same as Reading = + = = = = = = students in international schools around the Narrative = + = = = = = – world. Expository = = = – = = = = MAP Results 2015 – 2016 (Grades 2 – 9) Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) tests Math – = – = = + + + are a computer-based assessment for Language Reading – + = + – + + + Usage, Mathematics and Reading.