Craighouse School is a bilingual, co-educational school with Chilean and British traditions. We warmly welcome families, value open-mindedness, appreciate cultural, religious and social diversity, and promote teamwork. Our family oriented Educational Project fully integrates the academic and formative areas so that each pupil develops her/his full potential as a person.

The Educational Project sets out the philosophy and directives for the exercise and fulfilment of the School’s aims and objectives. It is a foundational document insofar as it concerns the School’s educational policies and practices and, as such, should be considered a beacon to be used for the alignment of future policies and decision-making within Craighouse School.

The school’s aim is to provide an education that offers each of our pupils and community members the opportunity to achieve their best and develop their personal interests, considering the individuality and educational needs of each one of them. As an institution Craighouse School is committed to offering high-quality academic and formative standards as well as outstanding achievements in all other endeavours our pupils undertake, both individually and collectively. Our role is to support pupils in their process of personal growth and education, providing models that will help them face this challenge so that they may all access, take part in, and make progress in the teaching-learning process.

Our Educational Project is based on the values which inspired our founders and constitute the basis of school life at Craighouse School. These values are the principles that govern the relationships amongst pupils, teachers, parents and staff. As a school we are committed to ensuring that all our actions are guided by the following values: respect, honesty, responsibility, effort, tolerance, loyalty, friendship, justice and solidarity.

The traits that uphold and inspire our Educational Project are described below.

We believe in the formative role of the family and the positive influence it exerts on our community and society. The school and our pupils’ families together share a commitment to achieve the development of our pupils’ full potential. We believe that a child’s personal and educational development is a joint challenge, in which both parents and school must work in close coordination and in a spirit of mutual respect.

The greatest responsibility for a pupil’s personal development lies within the family, the school being the main partner in this task. Pupils’ families are expected to contribute to their children’s significant learning through being well-informed about the school’s Educational Project, academic and formative curricula, methodologies and evaluation systems.

To help parents become directly involved in their child’s education, the school offers professional guidance through a series of activities that will enable them to understand in greater depth the educational process, both in academic and formative terms.

Our school’s admissions policy also reflects our family orientation. Craighouse School believes that all children within a family unit deserve equal educational opportunities. Provided they are able to benefit from the education we offer, all siblings in a family will be admitted to the school.

Our goal is to provide a warm and caring environment where there is concern for and commitment to our pupils and our community. We offer a comprehensive, well-balanced education that fosters pupils’ development both as individuals and as members of a group. We encourage our community to act with respect, consideration and clearly defined limits for the benefit of the individual and the community itself.

Teachers and school staff play a fundamental role in creating and maintaining this caring environment, through the support and concern with which they interact with their pupils on issues regarding their learning and overall well-being.

The social service and experiential learning project in Craighouse School is part of the strategy of the school to heighten pupils’ social conscience, self-esteem and concern for the needs of others.

Our curriculum also promotes pupils’ commitment to the protection of the environment together with an awareness and sense of responsibility for nature.

The appreciation of difference and diversity is rooted in our own local cultural identity. Our first interactions in the family influence how and what we know and understand and, progressively, as we grow, we become acquainted with our neighbourhood, our city, and the country where we live. In this process, the school plays a major role. At Craighouse School our pupils become rooted in Chilean culture and inducted into our British traditions from an early age.

We believe a person’s view of reality is enriched by interacting with a multiplicity of different perspectives. The interaction between the different cultures, languages, religions and social conditions represented in the school provides many opportunities for pupils to enrich their understanding of themselves and to strengthen their awareness of others, fostering in them a flexible outlook and open-mindedness.

Altogether, this interchange and interaction between different perspectives enriches our pupils’ knowledge of the world and their understanding of human beings, heightens their creativity and, hopefully, will strengthen their desire to contribute to peace and the continuous development of our local and global society.

Consistent with this philosophy, we are open to a diversity of religious beliefs and the spiritual development of our pupils. We offer families the possibility of choosing a specific religious formation for their children through Catholic, Protestant or Jewish religion classes and learning about religions of the world.

We are attentive to the signs of our time. Awareness of our environment and timely action enable us to make constant improvements. The educational process must attend to the academic and formative needs required to become an active citizen in the 21^st century.

Inside and outside the classroom Craighouse School fosters its shared set of values, creativity and courage to innovate; personal and team responsibility to achieve goals and accountability for our results.

Together with the family, teachers and pupils, Craighouse School strives to build a positive school culture so that every pupil feels safe and secure at all times. Our core values serve as guiding principles in the school’s day-to-day life and are expected to orient the decisions and judgments made by pupils, families and staff members.

Both the academic and formative curricula in our school provide learning opportunities so that all pupils develop their individual talents and interests in many and very diverse domains, considering their skills and preferences, which includes the mathematical, scientific, artistic and humanistic fields, as well as in languages, sports, and social, emotional and spiritual areas.

We are committed not only to exposing our pupils to this range of curricular areas, but also progressively, as they get older, to allow them to perfect and deepen their understanding and competencies. That they do so is first and foremost a shared responsibility between teachers and pupils, but also one that cannot be achieved without the involvement of parents, and sometimes, the wider community.

Literature, visual arts, music and drama are the art forms offered through our curriculum. In the same way technology is considered as a means to inquire, investigate, work collaboratively, share information and communicate with others in a respectful manner. We value these subjects and the opportunities they present for our pupils to experiment and expand their technical expertise and knowledge on the one hand, and deepen their understanding of both the creative process and the human condition on the other.

Craighouse School also regards physical education and sports as a fundamental aspect of a pupil’s development. Participation in physical education and sports has always held a central place in the school’s activities. Under the careful guidance of responsible adults, competitive team sports are an excellent vehicle for cultivating and strengthening the values of honesty, effort and loyalty, as well as developing a sense of fair play and an understanding of teamwork.

Our commitment to the English language enables our pupils to become bilingual or highly proficient in English by the time they graduate. Craighouse School provides all the pupils with an education in both languages together with the influence of both cultures, in order to achieve bilingualism and bi-literacy by the end of their fourteen years at school.

The learning process takes place entirely in English while our pupils are young. This is what we understand as full immersion from Playgroup to Year 6. From Year 7 onwards, the teaching of English includes a complete and varied programme of studies reinforced by the school environment.

Through its comprehensive curriculum and extra-curricular activities, Craighouse School complies with the national Chilean requirements as well as offering the three International Baccalaureate Organisation Programmes:  the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).  The Craighouse School Academic Curriculum, together with its Formative Curriculum, aims to develop our pupils’ ability to express emotions, critical and reflective thinking, personal autonomy, responsibility and self-esteem.

In order to support and help further develop the Educational Project, over the last decade Craighouse School has actively incorporated the managerial areas of the school into the educational focus. As a result, both the Financial and Human Resources Areas are aligned with the objectives of the Educational Project and their role is to support and service it.

Over the years, the Craighouse School board of directors has contributed to the development of this Educational Project and as trustees uphold the values and philosophy inherent in it.
 

It is the responsibility of Craighouse School staff to ensure the richest possible academic and formative atmosphere inside and outside the classroom.

The quality of learning, teaching and behaviour are inseparable issues, and it is the responsibility of all staff and pupils to promote them.

(Our school profile is based on the International Baccalaureate Learner’s Profile (www.ibo.org); however, it incorporates some additional characteristics in line with our own Educational Project.)

Craighouse School pupils have a very important role in their learning process, and their responsibility increases as they reach higher levels of independence and autonomy.

We aspire not only for our pupils to be actively involved in their own learning and development, but also to become agents in the creation of a better world.   These goals can be achieved in many different ways.  Nonetheless, the school has identified the following qualities for our pupils.

Craighouse School pupils should strive to be:

Inquirers, by developing their natural curiosity and acquiring the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research, and by showing their independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning, and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable, by exploring concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers, by exercising initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognise and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions, including those concerning social, scientific, technological issues and protection of the environment.

Communicators, by understanding and expressing ideas and information confidently and creatively in English and Spanish and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others, demonstrating leadership abilities.

Principled, by acting with integrity and honesty, a strong sense of fairness and a clear sense of justice. They champion human rights and equality amongst all people, based upon a strong social awareness. They are responsible for their own actions and the consequences that may ensue.

Open-minded, by understanding and appreciating their own cultures and personal histories, and being open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring, by showing empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Good friends, building close relationships and strong bonds with their fellow pupils, many of which will last well after they have graduated.

Risk-takers, by approaching unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and having the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced, by understanding the importance of an intellectual, physical and emotional equilibrium to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.  They have a well-balanced self-image and are aware of their own personal traits, capabilities and limitations.

Reflective, by giving thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

Resilient, by facing and overcoming adverse situations, and not giving up when faced with obstacles.

Informed about physical well-being, feeling comfortable with their bodies and undertaking different activities in a search for physical, emotional and intellectual stability.

Teachers are the main guides of the educational processes, and fundamental promoters of an environment appropriate for education. They are the authorities who implement the Educational Project and develop the student profile and pupils’ comprehensive education, respecting each person and their uniqueness.

Craighouse School teachers are firmly committed and their actions should consistently reflect the values described earlier and seek to aid their pupils in every way possible to achieve the pupil profile, first and foremost by acting as good role models of those qualities that pupils are meant to acquire.

The teachers Craighouse Schools seeks to maintain are committed to professionalism based on the following characteristics:

• High academic standards and knowledge of their subject area
• Passion for teaching
• Enjoyment in working with children and young people
• Life-long learning
• Ethical standards and sense of fairness
• Critical thinking skills
• Problem-solving skills and a resilient attitude
• Responsibility for actions and words
• Ability to work with diversity taking into consideration that all pupils must participate in the teaching-learning process
• Capacity for team work
• Constant concern for the protection of the environment
• Committed with the development of a social service and experiential learning formation in their pupils
   

Teachers reflect these qualities by being:

Family-oriented, by forming collaborative relationships with their pupils’ families. They maintain close contact with parents to inform them of their child’s personal development and academic progress and provide parents with opportunities to become active participants in their children’s education.

Caring, by demonstrating affection and responsibility for their pupils.  They help pupils face problems and challenges, and encourage them to seize opportunities.  They also build constructive and supportive relationships with colleagues and other members of the school community.

Respectful of diversity, by acting as role models within the school community, and by helping pupils to gain knowledge and an increasingly deeper understanding of the nature of human diversity in all its complexity, ensuring a quality learning outcome under the principles of equal opportunities for all pupils.

Proactive, by being attentive to the individual needs of their pupils and ensuring that their learning requirements are satisfied, and at the same time identifying needs, visualising changes in education and adapting to them.

Promoting school values, by raising pupils’ awareness of values, in order to make them significant, applying personal values to academic learning and the day-to-day interaction of each class, constantly making them explicit. Teachers model values and show examples of them in their subjects.

Families hold the greatest responsibility in the education of their children. When a family joins the Craighouse School community, they are expected to adhere to the set of values promoted by the school and to its four pillars (respectful of diversity, family-oriented, caring and proactive), to commit themselves to strengthen the values at home and promote the institutional pillars, and to take an active role in their child’s education and actively support the Educational Project, their policies, programmes and School Life Guide.

We encourage parents to create a stimulating home environment that will help to enrich their child’s intellectual, spiritual and cultural development. In these areas, parents can greatly aid their children; for example, by reading to them on a regular basis, by asking questions or listening to their children’s questions and thinking about alternative answers to them.

Perhaps most generally, parents educate their children by exposing them to a diversity of experiences of the world around them.

Other helpful ways of maintaining a healthy parent-child relationship are being mindful of each child’s individual nature, recognising each child’s achievements, and identifying potential problems and taking timely action to resolve them. We believe it is essential for parents to set limits consistent with each child’s personality and age.

The school’s co-founder, Mrs Joan Darling, actively participated in the writing of the original Educational Project of Craighouse School. The school is committed to its periodic revision, hence this latest version, in an on-going effort to evolve with society and the times.

October 2017 edition