International Baccalaureate (IB)

Bancroft Middle School has been an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School since 2017. The Bancroft Performing Arts Magnet, STE[[+a]M Magnet, and Resident programs are all part of the IB Middle Years Programme, where instructional faculty implement a rigorous, culturally-sustaining, globally-minded curricular framework with the IB Approaches to Teaching and Learning framework, and service learning as student-initiated action at its foundation.

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is one of three Programmes offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is for students aged 11 to 16 and helps students develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to participate actively and responsibly, in an increasingly changing and interconnected world.

International Baccalaureate® (IB) Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Click here for the full mission statement.

What the MYP offers students

The MYP aims to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning.

The programme empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who are creative, critical and reflective thinkers.

Why we offer the MYP

Research shows that students participating in the MYP:

• build confidence in managing their own learning
• learn by doing, connecting the classroom to the larger world
• outperform non-IB students in critical academic skills [PDF, 647KB]
• consistently have greater success in IB Diploma Programme examinations
• thrive in positive school cultures where they are engaged and motivated to excel [PDF, 3.2MB]
• develop an understanding of global challenges and a commitment to act as responsible citizens.

Global Contexts for Learning

MYP Global Contexts common ideas that students will explore in all of their classes. Students learn what it means to be internationally minded while being in a program that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding, and global engagement.

The Six Global Contexts:

• Identities and Relationships
• Orientation in Space and Time
• Personal and Cultural Expression
• Scientific and Technical Innovation
• Globalization and Sustainability
• Fairness and Development

IB Subject Areas

Students are expected to develop a broad and balanced base of knowledge through the study of eight subjects:

• Arts: Performing and Visual
• Design: Design and Model, Green Architecture, Robotics, Energy and the Environment, Makerspace
• Individuals and Societies: World History, American History
• Language and Literature: English
• Language Acquisition: English Language Development, French, Mandarin, Spanish
• Mathematics including Honors Algebra I
• Physical and Health Education: PE, Dance: cultural & composition
• Sciences: Integrated Earth/Life/Physical, Health Education

Community Projects and Service Learning

Through the Middle Years Programme Community Projects, students experience the responsibility of completing a significant piece of work over an extended period of time.

MYP projects encourage students to reflect on their learning and the outcomes of their work – key skills that prepare them for success in further study, the workplace, and the community.

Bancroft faculty introduces grade 6 and 7 cougars to service learning in order to prepare them for the grade 8 (MYP Year 3) service learning-based Community Project. Students approach research in an inquiry-based way, follow the BMS IB Academic Honesty Policy, determine the type of action that is best suited for the identified problem, "do" the actions, and reflect on their service, learning, and present the process and outcomes to the local or global community.