General Information

Our aims

The main aim of the educational policy at Canterbury is to help children achieve their full potential in all areas of their development within the bilingual framework of English and Spanish.

We aim:

• To promote skills and understanding to enable them to obtain the highest individual academic achievement.
• To encourage an understanding of art, music and literature to enable them to develop an aesthetic awareness and qualities of creativity and sensitivity.
• To provide a suitable atmosphere for the development of the necessary social values of mutual respect and understanding regardless of race, religion, sex or ability, enabling them to become, fair, just and successful citizens.
• To encourage them to think constructively about personal and social issues and develop points of view based on ethical considerations.
• To encourage pupils to consider themselves as world citizens with a desire to promote the well-being of all its inhabitants and to conserve and improve the natural environment.
• To encourage a spirit of co-operation amongst all those concerned with the school and to promote good communications between staff, pupils and parents.

Bilingual education

English has become established as the international language of business. There are approximately 40 countries whose official first language is either Spanish or English. In addition Spanish and English are widely spoken in many other countries. Bilingualism in these languages therefore offers enormous advantages in terms of employment. It also affords marvelous travel opportunities, providing greater access to the arts and links North and South America, Europe, India, large parts of Africa, Australasia and the Far East.

Authorization

The Canterbury School is authorized by both the British and Spanish Ministries as a centre providing a British type education to children between the ages of two and eighteen. On the successful completion of their school career, pupils may proceed either to British or Spanish Universities to continue their studies.

Admissions

The majority of pupils at Canterbury are Spanish although about 15% are of other nationalities. Most live in the town of Las Palmas but some travel daily from other Canarian towns both in the centre and south of the island. We prefer to take non-English speaking children as young as possible, usually in the year in which they complete their second birthday. For older children entering the school, we have a specially prepared intensive English course to bring their knowledge up to the required standard at the end of which they move back into mainstream teaching. Similar provisions are made for non-Spanish speaking children as we expect our pupils to achieve a high level of bilingualism and obtain good grades in both English and Spanish subjects.

Classes

In the early stages, classes at Canterbury are deliberately kept small as we consider that this is essential if we are to develop the language capacity of each of our children. From five-years onwards, classes have between twenty and twenty five pupils which is the maximum top limit. Classes are of mixed ability throughout the two departments, although in the upper years in the Secondary Department pupils are set into different ability groups in math’s on the sole basis of their achievement in that subject.

Pastoral care

A school is like a family, the Canterbury family being composed of children, parents, teaching and non-teaching members of staff. We believe that we are not only here to instruct the children in their academic studies but also to guide and care for them throughout their school career. Good manners, a helpful and caring attitude towards others, children or adults, are characteristics that we seek to develop and which we consider to be of great importance. Every teacher is involved in both the care and the discipline of the pupils.

School organization and building facilities

The Central Buildings consisting of the Secondary and Junior Departments are situated on a site of more than 60000 square meters on the outskirts of Las Palmas. The Infant building for children between the ages of 2 and 6 is in the centre of town. There is also a Primary Department in Maspalomas for children who live in the South of the Island. The whole school nevertheless functions as a complete unit and there is frequent communication between the Heads of the different buildings and sections.

The curriculum

Pupils at Canterbury follow the British National Curriculum which has been adapted where appropriate to our geographical location. In addition all pupils are expected to follow the Spanish section which deals with Spanish culture. The program stipulated by the Spanish Educational Authorities for language and literature is followed from Y2 to Year 13 (Enseñanza primaria – Bachiller) Secondary pupils also follow the established courses on Spanish history, geography and political organization.

British National Curriculum

• ENGLISH
• MATHEMATICS
• SCIENCE
• SPANISH
• OTHER LANGUAGES
• HUMANITIES
• COMPUTER AND BUSINESS STUDIES
• ART, MUSIC AND DRAMA
• MORAL EDUCATION
• PHYSICAL EDUCATION

ENGLISH

            Many children who enter the school when they are very small come from families whose mother tongue is not English and during the first three years at Canterbury great emphasis is placed on oral communication so that before a child learns to read and write he or she can understand the teacher and speak about normal daily events.  However In their final year in this section, many of the pupils already have a good understanding of the rudiments of literacy     
            Once a pupil is in the Junior Department, the program of study for English offers children a variety of opportunities to develop their ability as speakers and listeners, readers and writers. In the Senior Department many literary texts are studies and the emphasis is placed on the gradual build up of their competence in written English. All pupils take IGCSE English as a first or second language and the majority takes English literature. In the sixth form English and English Literature may be taken at AS and A level

MATHEMATICS

Throughout the school mathematics is based on the requirements of the National Curriculum. At the same time however, especially in the Senior Department, steps are taken to ensure the coverage of mathematical aspects dealt with in the LOE.  Mathematics is taken at IGCSE level and bright mathematicians may also take the Additional Mathematics IGCSE examination.  In the sixth form, pupils may also take both Mathematics and Further Mathematics at AS and A level.

SCIENCE

In the Primary School emphasis is placed on children understanding the scientific method of deducing conclusions from previous experiments. In the Senior Department pupils follow courses covering physics, biology and chemistry. In the sixth form, Years 12 and 13, Psychology as well as the three main sciences are studied as separate subjects for AS and A level examinations.

SPANISH

All pupils follow the programs stipulated by the LOE for Spanish language and literature and the historical, geographical and political development of Spain. If these courses are followed successfully pupils may at any time move into the Spanish system of education. Most pupils usually take A level Spanish, with excellent results, at the end of Year 12.

OTHER LANGUAGES

In the Secondary School a third language, either French or German, is introduced and usually taken as an IGCSE examination. Both French and German may be taken as AS and A level examination in the sixth form.

HUMANITIES

In the Primary School and early secondary years history and geography are studied according to the requirements of the National Curriculum. In Years 10 and 11 Geography and History may be studied as optional subjects leading to IGCSE examinations. History and Geography may also be taken as AS and A level examinations in the sixth form.

COMPUTER AND BUSINESS STUDIES

In the Primary Department computers are in every classroom and are incorporated into daily learning: there is also a special computer room for class lessons The Senior Department has two special computer rooms with enough up-to-date machines for each child in the class to work individually. It is the school’s policy that all children at Canterbury will be computer literate as this is an extremely important aspect of modern life. Computer Studies and Business Studies are offered as optional subjects in IGCSE, AS and A level examinations.

ART, MUSIC AND DRAMA

Art, music and drama are important at Canterbury. The personal pleasure that a developed aesthetic awareness gives should never be underestimated and for the younger children in the school such experiences form an important part of their learning. Both Music and Art may be taken as IGCSE, AS and A level examinations and both Junior and Senior School choirs have taken part in various local events.  Music and drama frequently come together for summer and Christmas productions and create some of the highlights of our school year Dance lessons, including jazz and tap, are available for all pupils including the Infants. Individual piano lessons may also be arranged for pupils in San Lorenzo.

MORAL EDUCATION

Pupils at Canterbury come from a varied background of religious belief and we consider that a general approach dealing with ethical and social values to be more appropriate that the specific teaching of any one religious faith. Many aspects of moral and social development are dealt with during tutorials. In the secondary department outside speakers frequently visit the school to give general talks when the topics involved are presented more successfully by specialists. Parents of strong beliefs in any one particular faith who wish their children to have instruction are advised to make their own arrangements.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

PE and sporting activities are a very important part of most children’s lives. Junior children have PE and games every week and may take part in karate, football and athletics at the end of the school day. Pupils may also choose to study PE for an optional IGCSE examination.  As well as their weekly organized sports lessons, all pupils are invited to stay to 5.15 p.m. every evening to practice any one of the major sporting activities as late buses are arranged to Las Palmas. The most important of these activities is basketball. Pupils are trained to play this game well from the age of five and more than two hundred children of different ages take part in the Spanish School League and the Federated League.

Validations

Canterbury has a fully recognized British system of education. However pupils may move to Spanish schools at any time. On occasions this move is necessary if parents change their address and go to live in places where the type of education that Canterbury offers is unavailable.
At the present moment no validation is needed for children up to and including S3 (Year 9). Pupils up to S3 who have successfully completed a certain grade at Canterbury are automatically accepted in the following grade in Spanish schools. The studies of the older pupils must go through a validation process. This is undertaken by Canterbury at two different levels via the Canarian Autonomic Government and the Central Spanish Education Authorities. At the end of S4 (Year 10) the school validates the studies of the "Educacion Secundaria Obligatoria" corresponding to S1, S2 S3 and S4 (Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 N.C.) and the pupils are issued with the "Homologación de ESO". The following stage is the termination of S5 and S6 (years 11 and 12 N.C.) when pupils obtain confirmation that they have passed "Bachillerato" and are issued with the "Homologación de Bachillerato".
Until S3 validation is based on the grades the pupils achieve at school. Four IGCSE passes however are necessary at S4 and five at S5 or two subjects at "AS" level. To validate S6 the pupil must obtain two passes at "A" level or 1"A" level and two "AS" passes. They also have to obtain passes in the internal reports of the Spanish section. The pass grades for IGCSE exams are A, B, and C. At "AS" and "A" level these pass grades are A, B, C, D and E.
If validation is necessary at the end of S5 (Year 12), parents must do this personally via the "Alta Inspección"; the secretary will give full information on this procedure.

Further education

On successful completion of S6 students have the option of studying at Spanish, British or American Universities. During S5 and S6 students and parents are advised and assisted in deciding on which path to follow. English universities will take applicants with three A level passes, though some will accept students with two or one. Special selectividad pass is compulsory for entries in Spanish Universities.

Equivalence between British and Spanish system