At O Castro British School, our aim is for every student to learn and progress. To this end, students are encouraged to participate actively in class, develop critical and analytical thinking skills, learn to work effectively as part of a team, debate thoughtfully and respectfully, experiment, and work hard and productively to achieve their goals. As they progress through the school, students are taught how to take responsibility for their own learning in preparation for life beyond the school gates. We believe that school is just the first step on a learning journey that should last a lifetime.
Students learn most effectively when they feel motivated and appropriately challenged by their work, and thanks to our excellent teaching staff, our students are exposed to a wide range of stimulating, innovative and interactive learning experiences. In the science laboratories our pupils are taught objective, scientific, critical and analytical skills and around the school they develop a sense of environmental responsibility and respect for nature. Cultural and sporting outings provide opportunities to learn art, history, culture and to acquire a better knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
Our teachers use their skills, experience and all of the resources available to them to ensure that every student is able to fulfil their maximum potential. We employ a wide variety of teaching and learning strategies to help every student progress, including project work, direct instruction, research, development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and extensive use of new technologies.
Teamwork is the basis of cooperative learning, which is why communication and social interaction forms part of our students’ daily life and is a key factor in their all-round development. Working in groups and teams helps our student to develop skills such as empathy, cooperation, leadership and how to work together to achieve one’s goals; skills that are frequently required in the world of work.
At O Castro British School, we encourage our students to “learn how to learn”, helping them to think critically and independently and to work towards achieving academic confidence and self-sufficiency from Early Years onwards. Throughout all stages of their education, students learn to investigate, analyse, evaluate and create, instilling a sense of intellectual curiosity and the ability to cultivate and develop their own ideas both in and outside the classroom.
The student evaluation process is constantly evolving at O Castro British School, and we believe that effective evaluation is key to effective teaching and learning. Teachers use a wide variety of techniques to assess student progress, including correcting tasks, classroom observation, student tutorials and analysis of students’ work. The feedback acquired during these processes allows teachers to identify appropriate next steps for each student’s learning pathway and to adapt teaching and learning strategies to ensure maximum academic success for each child.
