The Curriculum at AISJ is based on standards in each of the subject areas. AISJ researched and developed standards and grade level benchmarks based on standards from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and from other international schools around the world.

AISJ’s standards are vertically and horizontally aligned to reflect what the students will know, be able to do and understand as a result of learning in this area. Standards are the key skills, understandings, and knowledge in each area. Specific benchmarks outline the performance expectations to measure a certain standard at a specific grade level or particular course.

AISJ uses a comprehensive set of assessments to determine each student’s academic level. These assessments are used throughout the year to set individual goals and to track student progress toward the AISJ grade level standards. Some of the assessments are external and are used widely in the United States and internationally and others are internal and have been developed by AISJ staff. Our external assessments include the International Baccalaureate Organization, the Stanford Achievement Test, the Otis Lennon School Abilities Test, the Developmental Reading Assessment. Our internal assessments enable us set grade level expectations for complex performances such as writing, discussions, and projects. The balance of internal and external assessments allows us to use a wide variety of student work for assessment purposes. We use the assessment data to develop and advance individual goals for each child. We share the assessment data with parents at parent conference times, through progress reports and through grades on report cards. We use the data as a team to develop school goals and to look for opportunities to improve our academic program.

AISJ’s curriculum is dynamic and evolving. Our ongoing curriculum review process follows a three year cycle for each subject area. In addition to revising and updating the current curriculum, the review process integrates Information Literacy standards, Social and Emotional learning standards, and Service learning opportunities into the existing curriculum.

The Johannesburg campus and the Pretoria campus have the same standards but Pretoria follows a three year cycle of thematic units for Science and Social Studies. The standards for each of these subject areas would not be met annually but during the three year cycle.

Click here to view the Strategic Plan and AFG Protocol.