School Profile

SCHOOL PROFILE

Le Bocage International' School (LBIS) offers an international secondary school education to boys and girls aged between Il and 19. It officially opened its doors in January 1990. ln the years since its inception, the school has grown rapidly and has achieved an international character providing a well-balanced education responsive to the needs of more than 650 students. English is the language of instruction.

SCHOOL SITE AND FACILITIES

LBIS is located on the slopes of Mount Ory , just off the motorway between Plaines Wilhems and the capital, Port Louis. From there it commands a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and plains leading down to the Indian Ocean. There are more than forty teaching rooms including three science laboratories, three computer rooms, two art studios, a three room Design &Technology leaming area, a home economics laboratory and a large purpose-built library .There is a playing field and outdoor hard court surfaces. The multi-purpose sports hall, completed in 2001, functions also as an auditorium for the many special events held each year. The school has a recently built modern canteen facility .

ENROLLMENT & STUDENT BODY

Middle School (Forms 1-3) 282
High SCHOOL (Forms 4-7) 381
Faculty 70

Students are enrolled in Forrns 1-7 (UK years 7-13, US grades 6-12) that comprise approximately twenty-seven nationalities. 89% of the student body is Mauritian, many of whom have lived overseas. Students come from a wide variety of social and cultural backgrounds. Most are bilingual. The student-teacher ratio stands at 10: 1 and the maximum class size is norrnally 25 students. From F orrn 4 onwards, many classes contain 20 or fewer students depending on student option choices. Not only does small class size en sure that each student receives more personal attention but that the teaching faculty can more closely monitor progress.

ADMINISTRATION

Mr David Muddle Headmaster
Mr Shekar Dewoo High School Principal
Mr Robert Roopnaraine Middle School Principal
Mr Hemraz Gunesie Business Manager

COUNSELLING SERVICES
Mrs Khatijah Ruhomutally Careers & University Counsellor
Mrs Prya Jundoosing Guidance Counsellor

ACCREDITATION
LBIS is accredited by the Mauritian Ministry of Education and is a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and the Near Eastl South Asian Council of Overseas Schools (NESA). LBIS is a member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and is now engaged in the process of accreditation by ECIS. This rigorous programme of self -study is expected to be completed during the academic year 2005.

GOVERNANCE

Le Bocage is operated by PROGOS, a non-profit making company that exists solely for the purpose of offering an English medium international education. The Board of Directors is the ultimate authority and delegates management of the school to the Headmaster. The Board and Headmaster meet regularly to discuss alI aspects of school operation and management.

TEACHING STAFF AND POSTS OF RESPONSIBILITY

LBIS employs more than sixty-five qualified full-time teachers. Most teachers are graduates, with many holding postgraduate teaching qualifications. Specialist staff includes three librarians, a careers counsellor, a guidance counsellor, a Special Educational Needs coordinator and a nurse. Alongside their classroom duties, many teachers fulfil other roles. These posts of responsibility include Heads of Department, Pastoral Coordinator , F orrn Coordinators, Life Skills Coordinator, Events Coordinator, Student Representative Council Coordinator and Model United Nations Coordinator .

LIBRARY
The school library is open to members of the school whenever school is in session, and operates on a reduced timetable during school holidays. It is managed by a staff of 3 trained librarians, and has a growing collection of approximately 9,500 resources. All students and staff are members of the library and may borrow books, journals and other materials. Other members of the school community may become temporary members by arrangement. Library and information skills sessions are held by the librarians at regular intervals to teach students study skills and search strategies.

COMMUNICATION/WEBSITE
Le Bocage tries hard to keep members of the community informed of its events and practices. Regular communications are sent home and the website (httP://www.lebocage.net) is frequently updated with news of coming events, reports and photographs of recent events

LANGUAGE POLICY
LBIS is an English medium school. Other than in foreign language classes, English is the language of communication with academic staff. The use of English by all students outside the classroom is also encouraged. Whilst both English and French are taught to some students as a second language, the school aims to ensure that each student studies at least one of these languages at first language and literature level.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME
The academic programme fosters continuity and coherence of learning across the school. It emphasises preparation for higher education boith in Mauritius and many countries around the world. Our programme is defined by three sequential and developmental levels of learning which are as follows :
Forms 1-3 Contents Standards Framework Curriculum involving eight key learning areas. This three year curriculum is based on best-practice programmes found both in other international schools and some national systems around the world..
Forms 4-5 The International Certificate of Education (ICE) preparing students for IGCSE examinations.
Forms 6-7 The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Nearly half of our IB students follow the requirements of a bilingual diploma.

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION RESULTS
The table’s below give information on the performance of our students in both IB and IGCSE examinations over recent years.
1. 2004 IB Diploma Examination results.
The results of our 2004 candidates are noteworthy in that:
· The Diploma pass rate rose to 78%
· All of our 60 candidates sat for the full IB Diploma
· 12% of our students achieved distinctions by scoring 36 or more points
· a higher % of candidates scored 6’s in individual subjects (19% as compared to the previous high of 15%)

Overall Distribution of Scores (2000-2004)

2. 2004 IGCSE Results
The results were notable for the following reasons:
· 9% of students received an ICE Distinction
· 50% of students received an ICE Merit
· three times as many A*’s and over twice as many A’s were achieved compared to 2003

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS

Over recent years students graduating from Le Bocage have gained entry to the following university’s :

Australia

Blue Mountains Hotel School
Curtin University
Deakin University
Edith Cowan University
Griffiths University
La Trobe University
Melbourne University
Monash University
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
TAFE, Victoria
TAFE, Perth
University of Sydney
University of New South Wales
University of Technology, Sydney
University of Western Australia
Flinders University
University of Adelaide

Canada
University of Waterloo
University of Toronto
Concordia University
University of British Columbia

France

American University of Paris
Amaury de la Grange Institute (Flying School)
Paris X
University of Montpelier

Italy

Florence School of Fashion & Design
International Business School
University of Y..rm

Mauritius

DCDM Business School
University of Mauritius
SSR Belle Rive Medical School
University of London External Programme

Poland
University of Warsaw

South Africa
University of Cape Town
Rhodes University
University ofn Durban
Ruth Prowse School of Art
Witts University

United Kingdom
Brunel University
European Business School
Imperial College, London
City University, London
Kingston University
Leeds University
Liverpool University
London Metropolitan University
Middlesex University
Oxford University
Oxford Brookes University
Queen Mary’s and Westfield Colleges, London
South Bank University
University of Brighton
University of Buckingham
University of Durham
University of Exeter
University of Hertfordshire
University of Sheffield
University of York
University of Bath
University of Leicester
University of Nottingham
University of Southampton
University of Surrey
University of Wolverhampton

United States of America
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
New York University
Pomona University, California
University of Boston University of Southern Virginia
University of Southern Alabama
University of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Washington College, Maryland
Yale University

© Le Bocage International School, Mauritius.