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Science, Technology and Mathematics

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
Isaac Newton

Science is taught throughout the school and by specialist teachers in Secondary. Our teachers are experts in their fields and we have a practical approach to learning so wherever possible students will learn through doing experiments. This hands-on approach allows students to explore scientific theories and discover for themselves what is written in the text books.

Technology strongly supports learning. We use Seesaw and Google Classroom as our online learning platforms. From the Early Years onwards, students use iPads, and later Chromebooks in class, and have access to a well-equipped computer lab, creating projects that show their understanding. Art classes delve more into using digital graphic design tools to explore a range of techniques. Sport and science classes graph and analyze data from trials and experiments while many other courses use technology to look critically at their sources to examine validity and select appropriate resources for their research. A continued emphasis on digital citizenship and academic integrity also plays a key role.

Mathematics is of course taught throughout the school, with a planned and aligned progression from Early Years through to Secondary, based on a ‘mastery’ approach. Students apply their mathematical knowledge to solving authentic problems.

Student Support

student support

Our Commitment

The British College of Andorra is committed to building and maintaining an environment that proactively safeguards our students, promoting their personal growth, wellbeing, and care.

We establish a holistic, comprehensive approach to safeguarding, embracing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and aligned with the recommendations of the International Task Force on Child Protection.

As such, we:

  • create an atmosphere within the school which helps students to feel safe and able to talk freely, knowing that they will be listened to and valued;

  • ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried;

  • raise the awareness of all staff about their responsibility for identifying and responding to possible concerns of abuse;

  • provide support and guidance to all members of the school community;

  • dedicate time in the curriculum to help students understand how to stay safe from abuse and to give them the confidence to seek help.
Pastoral Care & Support

BCA is a warm, friendly and caring school that welcomes children from all cultures, backgrounds and experiences. It is important to us that we maintain an ethos where each child is happy, and feels secure, valued and fulfilled, and that we create an environment where their individuality is recognised and respected.

Our school prioritises the wellbeing of our students, placing their needs and happiness at the centre of everything we do, and everything we ask our students to do. Our teachers pride themselves on the individual attention and pastoral care that they provide to students and on the partnerships they develop with parents.


We work hard to build a professional yet caring rapport between the students and staff. In this way all students know that there are adults in the school they can trust. Every student has a teacher dedicated to overseeing their social, emotional and academic progress through the school (their class teacher in EYFS and Primary School, or their Form Tutor in Secondary School).

Safeguarding & Protection

BCA is committed to Child Safeguarding; a commitment that is underpinned by strong safeguarding systems and processes, and team of dedicated support staff, who together ensure that these systems are fit for purpose, and maintained and adhered to at all times.

These systems allow students to feel safe, to feel empowered to talk about their concerns, and to feel that their concerns will be heard. The systems are understood by everyone in our community and we all recognise our responsibility towards building an environment in which our students can grow into confident, caring and compassionate adults.

The wellbeing of our students is of paramount importance and is fundamental to the way we operate.

Career Guidance

We start discussing careers with the students in Key Stage 3 where we will do some personality tests and skills tests to help students start to identify areas in which they are particularly interested as well as skills they may need to strengthen. We encourage all students to explore future careers in a safe way and do not want then to be too channeled in their thinking. Careers guidance is through our extensive PSHE programme and the main tool we use is Unifrog. Unifrog is an exceptionally useful online platform which all of our secondary students have access to. Here they can learn how to research different careers and university courses from universities around the world. The platform also guides students through the university application process and writing of personal statements etc. All students have a personal tutor and we have specialist knowledge of entrance to UK, US and Spanish universities as well as many others around the world. We understand our students could want to apply anywhere and we are committed to fully supporting them throughout the process.

ESD

ESD

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at BCG is aimed at developing among our students the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable tomorrow, today.

ESD includes key sustainability issues into teaching and learning, like climate resilience, biodiversity, reducing inequalities, and sustainable consumption. It also promotes competencies like critical thinking, futures thinking, cross-cultural collaboration and responsible leadership.

Together with MOTI Foundation we have developed a transversal program that combines workshops, learning journeys, future-building exercises and an engaging curriculum focused on the key themes of the 21st century.

Languages

Languages

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.
If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart."
Nelson Mandela

At BCA we are very lucky to have such a multilingual student community! We are proud of what all our students bring to the learning environment.

The language of instruction at BCA is English. Students of all ages and abilities develop their skills and confidence in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, and these activities are central to the curriculum, in all year groups. There is a planned progression from the first steps in language acquisition in the Early Years, through to sophisticated language and literature analysis and use in Secondary. Students in the English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programme at BCA are provided the best possible opportunities, through specialist and individualised support, to develop their English language skills and help them to achieve academic success.

Catalan, Spanish and French are taught to all students from Early Years until the end of Year 9, after which Catalan remains compulsory, but Spanish and French become optional, in order to provide time for further acceleration in English proficiency. It is therefore not unusual for our students to speak three or four languages fluently.

IB Diploma Programme

IB Diploma Programme

IB Diploma Programme at BCG

The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous and broad programme of study for students from 16 to 18 years of age. It is respected by leading Universities throughout the world and is a benchmark for excellence in education. The Diploma Programme curriculum allows students to thrive holistically and develop excellent breadth and depth of knowledge.Through the Diploma Programme they acquire skills to reflect on themselves as learners and as global citizens, becoming aware of the world and their place in it. The Diploma programme requires academic competence, commitment and resilience from students whilst encouraging caring action in the community, the pursuit of extra curricular activities and contemplation on the nature of knowledge itself.

At BCG we strive to help our students develop the skills necessary to succeed in this challenging course, becoming reflective, principled, independent learners and globally-minded citizens. Students have the choice of a wide range of subjects at BCG, including the arts and our student-centred philosophy means our provision is assessed regularly to ensure we meet the needs of each cohort.

Our ESD project (Education for Sustainable Development) forms an integral part of our CAS programme, further consolidating our school mission to foster attitudes we believe are fundamental to shaping sustainable futures.

The Diploma Programme Curriculum


The IB Diploma Programme consists of 6 subject groups:

  • Studies in Language and Literature
  • Language Acquisition
  • Individuals & Societies
  • Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • The Arts

Students must study one subject from each group with the exception of The Arts which they can replace with a second subject from the language groups, individuals & societies or a science.

Teaching of all subjects is underpinned by the IB approaches to teaching and learning and all staff receive official IB training as well as ongoing internal professional development.

The Diploma Programme Core Subjects

TOK (Theory of Knowledge)
Students reflect on the nature of knowledge and how we know what we claim to know. This unique course allows students to question and debate, leading to an exhibition of their choice and an academic essay.
Extended Essay
An independent, self-directed piece of research culminating in a 4000 word essay. Students may choose to write about a subject they are currently studying or opt to broaden their knowledge of another IB subject. They are supported by a supervisor and given clear deadlines to work towards.
CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service)
Students participate in a variety of activities and complete a community project related to the subject’s three core elements: Creativity, Activity, Service. They are encouraged to make contacts with organisations in the local and global community and are supported by a supervisor. Our ESD project (Education for Sustainable Development) forms an integral part of our CAS programme as does the Duke of Edinburgh award.
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