Catholic lay minister Rolph Balgobin founded The Oxbridge International School (OXIS), an academic institution in Trinidad and Tobago that he continues to preside over as chairman today. This article will take a closer look at The Oxbridge International School and its mission of expanding and extending learning with Cambridge subjects to boost prospects for university and beyond.
OXIS is a Cambridge International school that operates with a keen focus on play and exploration as a driver of learning and knowledge acquisition. It operates six schools in total, namely:
- OXIS Early Years
- Lower School
- Middle School
- Upper School
- OXIS Advanced
- OXIS+
OXIS+ was formulated in response to requests from students currently enrolled at public schools. It enables students who are currently enrolled in a public school to take additional subjects through the Cambridge system, thereby expanding the range of subjects they can take or reinforcing what they are already learning. In-person lessons are presented at the OXIS Notre Dame campus on weekends, with online learning available during the evenings on weekdays.
OXIS Advanced is a Cambridge Advanced school geared towards students aged 16 plus who require advanced study to prepare them for university and higher education. Learners studying at OXIS Advanced have two routes open to them: SATs, and Cambridge International AS and A Level. The curriculum builds on the foundations of OXIS Upper School but is also open to learners from other learning institutions.
The OXIS Advanced programme helps learners to develop independent study skills valued by the world’s best universities. Implementing a range of assessment methods, with educators providing frequent detailed, personalised reports to parents on the progress of each child, OXIS Advanced forecasts grades where possible. Its team meets with parents regularly, holding in-depth discussions on each student’s progress.
OXIS also provides teaching and training to prepare students for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs). Running for around 12 weeks in total, these classes operate on a scheduled basis, with personal attention provided to students by the best local and international tutors to prepare learners for their examinations. This learning route is available to learners after the iGCSE phase in addition to, or as a replacement for, the Cambridge Advanced Levels.
Five core elements lie at the heart of The Oxbridge International School:
- Teaching and learning, including providing professional development for educators to help them improve their practice and performance throughout their career
- International curriculum, providing a flexible learning programme that suits the learner’s culture, ethos and context, with curriculums tailored to meet the individual needs of students
- Continuous assessment of subject knowledge, higher level thinking skills and conceptual understanding
- International recognition, providing qualifications that are recognised by learning institutions and employers internationally
- A global community, with Cambridge schools belonging to a global education community, connecting students and teachers all over the world
A Cambridge education encourages young people to develop deep subject knowledge, higher-order thinking skills and conceptual understanding. This helps instil in students a deep level of knowledge in their chosen subjects, as well as allowing them to develop the skills required for future study and work.
The OXIS curriculum provides a clear route of progression in stages for students aged from 5 to 19. At each stage in their academic life, students build on previous learning, with the learning institution adopting a spiral approach that reinforces what students have already learned while at the same time taking them forward. In a recent survey, 100% of OXIS university admissions tutors agreed that Cambridge programmes provide excellent preparation for university and higher education. OXIS is dedicated to standing young people in good stead for both their academic lives and future careers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve their true potential.
