Learning to think, question, connect and act.
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) at UWC East Africa is a five-year programme for students in M1–M5, typically between the ages of 11 and 16. These are important years: students are becoming more independent, developing their own perspectives and beginning to understand where they fit within the world around them.
The MYP is designed for exactly this stage of learning. It combines academic challenge with a strong focus on conceptual understanding, skills and the ability to make connections between learning and the world beyond school. Students are not only asked what they know, but how they can use that knowledge: to investigate, analyse, create, communicate, solve problems and respond thoughtfully to unfamiliar situations.
The IB Middle Years Programme
- addresses holistically students’ intellectual, social, emotional and
physical well-being - provides students opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future
- ensures breadth and depth of understanding through study in eight subject groups
- requires the study of at least two languages (language of instruction and additional language of choice) to support students in understanding their own cultures and those of others
- empowers students to participate in service within the community
- helps to prepare students for further education, the workplace and a lifetime of learning
The Curriculum
The MYP in M1 to M5 consists of eight subject groups:
- language acquisition [English, French, Swahili],
- language and literature [English, Swahili],
- individuals and societies [Geography, History],
- sciences [Biology, Chemistry, Physics],
- mathematics,
- arts [Visual Art, Drama, Music],
- physical and health education, and
- design.
Details of the options available for M4 and M5 students are given in the current MYP Handbook.
Assessment
MYP students around the world are measured against pre-specified standards (called criteria) for each subject group. These standards or criteria are published by the IB. Teachers set assessment tasks that are assessed internally in the school.
At the end of M5 year, students can sit eAssessments which are externally set by IB examiners and are carried out to ensure worldwide consistency of standards.
Students are graded on a scale from 1 to 7, with 4 representing a satisfactory level of achievement and 7 representing an excellent achievement level. Students earn a MYP Record of Achievement which states their academic standard in the eAssessments, along with their involvement with community and service projects. In addition students complete a Personal Project, based on a topic of their own choosing.