Baku-Oxford School Winter Newsletter

Happy new year to the BOS community and best wishes for 2018! Many of you will have already heard that BOS has now been formally accredited by The Council of International Schools (COIS) and shortly expect full accreditation with The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Full accreditation can only be achieved in schools that can show they are continually improving, committed to international education and demonstrate best practice in all areas of school life both academic and operational. We will be the only school in Azerbaijan to achieve this dual accreditation.

While this is great news for the school currently, it also locks us in to a continuous accreditation cycle that means we have to get better and make improvements year on year and have a new accreditation every 5 years. Only the best schools around the world are accredited and we are now part of this prestigious group. Congratulations must go out to the staff and school community for their continuous support in achieving this goal!

Here is an excerpt from the accreditation letter:

‘In reaching their decision, CIS took into account the Visiting Team’s commendations which were based on evidence of excellent and effective alignment with the standards for CIS accreditation. In granting the award of accreditation, CIS felt that the commendations – or strengths of the school – far outweighed any areas in which the school was deficient. Of particular note is the school’s positive approach to accreditation as a tool for continuous self-improvement and the completion of a thoughtful self-study. This was evident in all sections. Highlights of the school’s strengths include a strong language provision for all students, a clear commitment to interculturalism and global citizenship, and attention to issues of child protection, health and safety. Both the Head of School and Advisory Board are to be commended for their efforts in achieving so much over the past few years while working toward accreditation, which has been particularly challenging given the economic climate in Azerbaijan. These strengths should be celebrated by the school community.’

And a further excerpt from the concluding comments:

A focus on student learning has resulted in numerous curricular and pedagogical initiatives across the divisions of the school. The VT believe the self-study process has facilitated changes that have been initiated by the school. Data have begun to be collected, analysed and used to look at teaching and learning across all grades. Student well-being is taken seriously. Faculty and staff have had professional development opportunities to become well-informed. Activities have reinforced healthy habits. Systems and staff are in place to keep students healthy and safe

The VT’s commendations and recommendations will come as no surprise to the school. Major commendations come largely from the positive changes that have occurred in the school in a relatively short period of time. Recommendations come directly from written reports and discussions with the school’s leadership, faculty and staff members, parents and students. At BOS, they know where they want to go, appear to be unified in reaching for the same goals, and are working cooperatively together to get there. The VT’s report will serve to validate what the school already knows about itself. The VT is confident that the enthusiasm and dedication that were demonstrated to the peer visitors during the visit will contribute to the school’s continuous improvement.