EXPLORE_燎原

EXPLORE

Too often we give children answers to remember

rather than problems to solve.

R. LEWIN

Counselling

University Counselling

Optimal Learning Centre

Examinations

Learning Resources Centres

Counselling

Currently, there is too much emphasis on exams, qualifications and academic attainment, and not enough focus on the well-being of students. Well-being provision in schools is inconsistent and varies greatly around the world. This has created a situation, where some schools effectively support children to build resilience and develop their social and emotional knowledge and skills, whilst other schools do not. In LYBS student well-being is a priority because a “good school place” must be one which promotes good mental health and resilience, as well as academic achievement. Circumstances can change very quickly for students, for schools and for their communities. The way schools respond to well-being related concerns, issues, crises and incidents is closely linked to the way in which the school culture and associated values and beliefs underpin the curriculum, responses and pastoral care decisions. A strong well-being culture provides a foundation to fall back on in time of need. It guides the caring practice in the school and the school community is more resilient in dealing with traumatic incidents and restoring students' social-emotional balance. Our team of counsellors is working tirelessly alongside our teachers, staff and parents to make sure our students are healthy, safe and balanced in the life they lead on campus.

University Counselling

Highly qualified and experienced professional university counsellors assist students in identifying colleges and universities which best match their strengths and interests, and also provide support and advice in completing the necessary applications. A careers counsellor is also available to guide students in their consideration of possible career paths and potentially relevant university programmes.

Optimal Learning Centre

In LYBS, we believe that learning should be engaging and accessible for all of our students. We have a positive, personalised approach to teaching and learning and strive to provide a balanced curriculum that equips every student with the knowledge, understandings and skills to be lifelong learners. Students are introduced to concepts and strategies that enable them to take greater responsibility for their own learning, to understand the value of mistake-making and to reflect on and take greater ownership of their learning.

Access to learning for all students is further supported by our Optimal Learning Centre (OLC) team. The team is made up of enthusiastic, experienced and well-trained educators who may be involved in giving extra learning support or intervention for students as needed. Our support experts work collaboratively with subject and homeroom teachers. This, together with a co-operative partnership with parents aims at further enhancing students’ learning. It is expected that through early identification and effective support, all students will have the opportunity to achieve their full personal potential, promoting and fostering inclusion for those that learn differently or the gifted and talented.

Examinations

The examinations office is one of the operational arms of the Student Support Services and in close cooperation with the whole team of professionals. Its major functions include: (i) to looking after matters related to internal and external examinations; and (ii) planning, scheduling, organising, registering students and generally administering internal and external assessments. To ensure academic success, especially with regards to official, external examinations, here at LYBS, apart from offering our students the opportunity to grow socially and emotionally by providing individualized support through a network of counsellors and homeroom teachers, we mirror the Oxbridge tutorials/ supervisions system, so that students in small groups are supported by their academic tutors to ensure that no student falls behind with regards to assessment performance and skills development, as well as acquisition. The tutorial system we follow was established in the 1800s at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. It is still practised today and consists of undergraduate students being taught by college fellows (or sometimes doctoral students and post-docs) in groups of one to three on a weekly basis. These sessions are called "tutorials" at Oxford and "supervisions" at Cambridge and are the central method of teaching at those universities. Students are required to undertake preparatory work for each tutorial: for example, reading, essays or working through problems, depending on their subject focus. At Oxbridge, tutorials/ supervisions are the central element of the pedagogy (the 'jewel in the crown'), as opposed to lectures, seminars, or larger group teaching. During each such session, students are expected to orally communicate, defend, analyse, and critique the ideas of others as well as their own in conversations with the tutor and fellow students. It has been argued that the tutorial system has great value as a pedagogic model because it creates learning and assessment opportunities which are highly authentic.

Learning Resources Centres

LYBS Learning Resources Centres (LRCs) encourage curiosity, innovation and problem-solving. They are integral to the cultural and social life of the school. They are a central point for all kinds of reading, cultural activities, access to information, knowledge building, deep thinking and lively discussion. Research shows the significant difference well-resourced libraries can make to student learning outcomes. Our library collections, services and environment are all designed to help our school meet its targets and goals for raising student achievement. They are uniquely positioned to take a school- and curriculum-wide view of resourcing and technology for learning. Library staff are valuable members of curriculum planning and instruction teams within LYBS. They have a broad knowledge of inquiry models, information texts and tools, and literature to suit students at all levels. They also work with individual staff and students to understand their particular information or reading needs, then help them access the materials they need.