Middle Years Programme

At Al Zahra College we are committed to the vital task of preparing our students to flourish within an increasingly global environment. We aim to develop active learners with strong values who can empathise with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning. Students are supported to make the most of their talents and to discover and relish the joys of intellectual and creative commitment.

During the MYP (Years 7–10), the NESA curriculum is delivered through the methodology and philosophy of the International Baccalaureate. The MYP provides a rigorous framework that builds on the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by the IB Primary Years Programme. As a school, we aim to equip our students with the skill-sets and attitudes required to live successfully and with integrity in the 21st century.

Approaches to learning in the MYP encourage our students to manage their own learning, to connect the classroom to the larger world, to develop an understanding of global challenges and to act as responsible citizens. MYP students acquire the knowledge and attitudes they need to participate in the senior years of high school, the IB Diploma Programme and beyond.

The MYP framework

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme encourages students from Year 7 to Year 10 to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life. 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.

The MYP divides academic studies into eight subject groups, which closely align with the courses offered through the mandatory NESA curriculum. Each subject is assessed through four specific criteria — A, B, C and D — ensuring excellent standards of teaching and learning are maintained.

Why Al Zahra College delivers the IB

We believe that the MYP allows us to deliver our vision to be a world class school, while supporting each student to explore and achieve their potential. The MYP provides a rigorous framework that integrates powerful pedagogy with the requirements of the NSW curriculum, and prepares students directly for the demands of the Diploma Programme in Years 11 and 12.