The basic framework for the Croatian Programme of the Secondary School is the same as for all other public general secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia (including use of same textbook materials). Students are obliged to learn English every day and are divided into groups, depending on their prior knowledge upon enrolment into the school. A second foreign language is learnt and it depends on the interest of each generation, and the choice of languages is either German or Italian. It is also possible to learn all three foreign languages, depending on the number of interested students (at least 5 per group).
Since classrooms have an average of up to 15 students, lesson strategies are devoted to frontal teaching, and a lot of attention is devoted to the design of individually planned classes. Such access to the curriculum allows greater fulfilment of the developmental and cognitive needs of each individual student. A particular student can, in some of the curriculum areas or activities, for which he or she is gifted or expresses a particular interest, progress faster and beyond the foreseen framework curriculum. This is especially true during the final grade, when students are expected to choose the preferred faculties they will compete for. In this case, it is possible to individually increase the teaching of the required subjects.
Taking into account the multiple development of each individual student, the professors, and together with parents, seek to ensure the participation of students in scientific, artistic, sports and practical activities. This approach also seeks specific didactic strategies that enable for the optimal individualisation of learning. Professors are orientated towards problematic teaching, researching and mentoring in realisation of individual and common teaching goals so that students are engaged in individual and joint projects so as to reach individual and common teaching goals.
Our students at the British International School of Zagreb (CAIE Program) have over 180 hours of teaching per year for each of the selected subjects. In this way, we as a school endeavour to provide the best possible conditions for a quality education from selected subjects. Pupils in the first and second grade of the secondary school program (Y10 and Y11) prepare for internationally recognised and highly esteemed IGCSE exams. During the two-year programme, in addition to theoretical instruction, practical lessons are used to provide students with the necessary knowledge to successfully master the test material. Third grade students (Y12) choose 4 subjects from which they want to further specialise and prepare for their faculty education and career. During this one year program prepare students for the internationally recognised and highly respected AS exams. Finally, in the fourth and final grade, named (Y13), our student’s select 3 out of 4 subjects from the AS program and prepare for official A level examinations enabling them to enrol into many international and national faculties.
The joint and executive programme of work for each school year is jointly agreed upon and planned by the school director, co-ordinators, professors, students and their parents, so that each generation does not have the same programme and activity. The first two grades (Y10 & Y11) at BISZ include English Language, Math, Science (Coordinated or Combined), Geography, History, Modern Foreign Language (German, Italian, French, Chinese & Russian) and PE as compulsory subjects. The elective subjects are Literature in English and ICT. In the third grade (Y12) students choose 4 subjects only (depending on what they want to study and pursue), and in the fourth grade three of these 4 subjects continue. Some of the subjects and at the same time the most popular at our school are: Mathematics, Economics, Business, Media Studies, IT, Computer Science, Physics, and Literature in English.
Teaching takes place from 9:00 to 16:35. Students at the school restaurant during the working day have three meals included in the tuition fee: breakfast, lunch and snack.
The school encompasses 9,000 m2 of indoor space with two sports halls and a large indoor swimming pool, and 25,000 m2 of outdoor greenery, and sporting fields which are highly praised by our students and who at the same time regularly participate in competitions organised by the Croatian School Sports Association. The most valuable achievements were achieved at table tennis: male and female teams were state champions for the 9th year in a row. Both teams are also current European Champions at table tennis for secondary schools. The young men won the silver medal in 2010 and the girls won bronze at the World Table Tennis Championships in Brno and the Silver Medal in 2012, at the World Table-Tennis Championships in Cagliari.