Improving learning around the world for over 30 years
Writing about international schools in 2008, Hayden and Thompson1 located their origins in the perceived need in some contexts for a form of schooling not available through national systems. At that time, the growth in the number of schools was relatively steady. In 2024, the effects of globalisation, the dominance of English as an international language and the post-pandemic shift towards regionalisation are some of the influencers on a market that now has 14,010 schools serving 6.9 million students and employing 646,645 teachers2.
International schools have not only grown significantly in numbers but evolved – in response to shifts in global demographics, educational trends, technological developments and the increasingly diverse needs of students. Such diversification has contributed to a richer and more inclusive learning environment with greater emphasis on critical literacies, cultural responsiveness, global competence, environmental stewardship and well-being and holistic development.
From its nascent years committed to improving learning with the original development of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), the International Curriculum Association (ICA) now works in partnership with schools in over ninety countries. Its early tagline of Great Learning, Great Teaching, Great Fun has evolved into the ICA Model for Improving Learning, underpinned by the latest research and neurological understandings in addition to being reviewed, improved and co-constructed in partnership with its community of schools.
The ICA Model for Improving Learning is at the heart of our International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC), implemented by a team of over 15,000 committed educators from around the world, benefitting students in over 1,000 schools.
Ensuring that our International Curriculum is responsive to the shifting landscape of international education, and that it remains current and relevant is a key priority for us. One of the strengths of our Association is that we strive to find new ways to work in partnership with our community of schools and to continually engage in the conversation focused on improving learning.
International learning goals have been embedded in our curriculum model from its inception. The goals have evolved from an initial focus on international mindedness to a more holistic approach to international learning that includes global competence and most recently glocalisation. We are engaging with our community now to explore the powerful relationship between a glocalised curriculum and culturally responsive pedagogy to ensure relevance, authenticity, equity, inclusion and enhanced engagement and agency of learners.
The ICA Model for Improving Learning is at the core of our association – an active, well-connected, global community of educators committed to improving learning, championing quality and unlocking potential. We work in partnership with schools to realise this commitment through a range of services encompassing our curriculum, impactful professional development opportunities and a supportive and sustainable accreditation pathway. At the heart of all our services is the ICA Model for Improving Learning which drives experiences designed to improve learning and nurture environments where learners can flourish and educators can thrive.
Building further on our commitment to improving learning and unlocking potential, the ICA Accreditation pathway provides a supportive mentorship scheme for all schools looking for quality learning and how they can identify the impact on their learners. Our mentors work alongside school leaders to facilitate a rigorous self- review process, championing quality of learning and teaching and nurturing truly progressive learning communities. Marking a school’s successful journey through this process is the ICA Accreditation status.
From its origins thirty years ago to the association it is today, the ICA continuously drives to translate its vision into a reality. Through strategic planning, comprehensive research and collaborative approaches, the ICA is nurturing a dynamic learning ecosystem where continuous improvement and knowledge sharing are shaped and enhanced by its learning community and for its learning community. As the ICA expands its reach and impact – improving learning, unlocking potential and championing quality – it is not merely imagining a future educational landscape but actively engaged in shaping it, empowering educators and learners alike.
- Corporate author : UNESCO IIEP [3186], Person as author: Hayden, Mary [5], Thompson, Jeff [7], Parent: Fundamentals of educational planning, ISBN: 978-92-803-1320-8, Year of publication: 2008 ↩︎
- ISC Research, February 2024 What data tells us about the international schools market ↩︎
