CADMUS^® International Schools follow the SABIS^® Educational System — an approach to education that has been tried and tested over 135+ years. With a balance of academics, self-development, and life preparation, the SABIS^® Educational System prepares its students for success in college, fosters a lifelong interest in learning, and develops responsible world-class citizens. It blends quality education with traditional values of hard work and responsibility for self and others.

International Curriculum

The backbone of the SABIS^® Educational System, implemented at all SABIS^® Network schools, is a rigorous and sequential curriculum that meets world-class standards. Supported by time-tested methods, this curriculum emphasizes a well-balanced body of knowledge, skills, and experiences.

The SABIS^® Academic Development Division continuously reviews the curriculum to ensure that it remains dynamic, comprehensive, and suited to the needs of a rapidly changing, global society.

In addition to the core subjects of English, mathematics, and world languages, the SABIS^® curriculum is designed to provide knowledge of a broad range of subjects including science, social studies, art, music, health, physical education, and computers. It is designed to develop a balanced, well-rounded, college-preparatory experience.

The curriculum is aligned to international standards where students can sit a variety of internationally standardized exams, from the British-based IGCSE and A Levels to the US-based SAT and APs, TOEFL, IELTS, and more. Additionally, the SABIS^® curriculum is aligned to national standards for students to successfully sit for local official exams.

SABIS^® Book Series

The SABIS^® Book Series includes over 3,100 titles for classes in Kindergarten through High School in all core subjects ranging from English and other languages to math to social studies to art. SABIS^® books enable students to develop a solid academic foundation.

Teams of SABIS^® professionals, including curriculum developers, content specialists, graphic designers, illustrators, and multi-media experts conceptualize, develop, and produce traditional and electronic books and supporting instructional materials written in 14 different languages – English, Arabic, French, Kurdish, Portuguese, Russian, German, Chinese, Urdu, Azeri, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and the universal language of maths.

The SABIS^® Book Series is available in all SABIS^® Network schools as it is the foundation of the SABIS^® curriculum and essential to the learning process.

Teaching Methods

Students in SABIS^® Network schools benefit from a system that views a successful learning environment as one in which students can learn the most in the least amount of time. Time is seen as a limited resource and one that must be maximized. In delivering instruction to students at all grade levels from first grade through High School, teachers in SABIS^® Network schools implement the SABIS^® Point System of instruction. This proprietary method is based on the precise identification of measureable learning objectives, called “points,” for every lesson and actively engages students in a community of learners.

In the SABIS^® Point System, teachers present one point at a time and then ask the class to demonstrate their understanding of the concept through the completion of a written exercise. Next, moving from teacher-led instruction, the class engages as a community of learners, checking each other’s work in small, manageable groups. One student in each group is selected to coordinate the group based on academic competence in the subject. This student oversees his/her own micro-community of learners, managing questions and offering further explanations (or looking to other group members to do so), when needed. The group leader also works in close coordination with the teacher, asking for support and keeping students on task until everyone in the group has shown mastery. Once the entire class has demonstrated mastery of the point, teacher-led instruction resumes and the learning cycle continues.

Testing & Monitoring

Continuous evaluation of each student's progress is an integral part of the educational process used by every school in the SABIS^® Network. Frequent formative assessments allow educators to detect any gaps and intervene to fill these gaps tin a timely manner. Testing students in this way has a number of very important advantages:

• Students are prepared to perform well under the pressure of time constraints and develop the ability to organize available time well.
• Students develop the ability to focus and to sustain concentration for increasingly longer periods.
• The feedback from testing allows close monitoring and follow-up.

The proprietary SABIS^® School Management System provides many programs that allow reliable and prompt assessment of student knowledge and effective follow-up. One such program, the SABIS^® Academic Monitoring System (SABIS^® AMS), is used to assess student knowledge of every concept taught. The SABIS^® AMS allows “gaps” in student knowledge to be pinpointed as they form. Working as a community of learners, teachers and students then focus their efforts on “filling the gaps.” The SABIS^® AMS allows the progress of each and every student to be continuously monitored and problem areas to be followed up through the use of student-targeted solutions.

When “gaps” in knowledge are identified and eliminated, a gap-free, cohesive structure is built in students’ minds, allowing further, secure learning to take place.

Follow-Up & Support

The progress of each student is continually followed up on and all students receive the support needed. Every available means is used to help catch up students who may fall behind. Students are advised in study techniques, motivated by the academic staff, and encouraged by receiving help from peer-tutors or teachers. In the SABIS^® Network, no one is allowed to fall through the cracks.

SABIS^® Student Life Organization

The schools in the SABIS^® Network firmly believe that education has the power to change the world. The SABIS^® Student Life Organization (SLO), a distinctive and integral part of the SABIS^® Educational System, gives students the opportunity to develop life skills that empower them to make a difference.

The SLO is the students’ mini-society. Prefects who are selected – not elected — to manage the SLO. All students are encouraged to join the SLO and to take an active part in their education. By working in cooperation with, and complementing the efforts of, the administrative and academic staff, prefects add even more value to themselves. Prefects also help to raise the general standards. They prompt high social and moral values and they encourage participation in a wide range of additional experiences. Student Life Coordinators allocate “real-life” tasks to students and advise and support them in all their efforts.

Involvement in SLO helps students develop essential life-skills. Students become responsible and caring citizens by learning to:

• Reverse negative attitudes
• Improve general standards
• Promote constructive thinking
• Experience real-life work and responsibilities
• Improve their communication and social skills

While being involved in the SLO and having a good time, students acquire and refine the skills, attitudes, and attributes that give them an edge. Having demonstrated that they have a broad base of abilities and experiences and that they can be effective team players, top universities from around the world are eager to attract and accept them. It is these same skills, attitudes, and attributes learned and developed through the SLO that make graduates from SABIS^® Network schools successful at university and beyond.

The SABIS^® Student Life Organization contributes to ensuring that SABIS^® Network schools educate outstanding students who are academically strong, morally sound, mentally sharp, and socially aware.