Internal Regulations
British School Algiers
Internal Regulations
01 September 2024
Introduction
1 In accordance with Article 3 of the Presidential decree n° 20-262 which sets out the legal framework of the British School Algiers (BSA), the organisation, functioning and methods of operation of the British School Algiers are set out in these Internal Regulations.
Section 1
Organisation of the School
Character of the School
2 The School is a two-form entry, co-educational British international school for 4 to 18 year olds located in Algiers.
3 The School does not select children for admission by ability other than to ensure that they have an appropriate level of English.
4 The School serves children of British, Algerian and a wide range of other nationalities, including the children of the returning diaspora.
5 The School provides an education based on the National Curriculum of England.
6 The School does not teach religion.
7 The School is fit for purpose being well-resourced, clean and fully maintained. It is a place which is safe for children and where both their learning and emotional needs are cared for.
8 The majority of students do not have English as their first language and so the School provides research-based, highly effective English as an Additional Language support.
9 Many of the teachers are Algerian and they follow a structured professional development programme which supports them in attaining UK Qualified Teacher Status. As a consequence, the School is a "training school".
10 The expatriate teachers are British with experience of teaching in the UK and/or a British school overseas and who welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with their Algerian colleagues.
11 The School develops resilience in its students and provides them with a coherent approach to managing behaviour based on student-staff relationships, together with vocational, aesthetic, creative and extra-curricular activities which go beyond the academic curriculum and widen students' horizons by providing a global perspective.
12 Our students, parents and staff feel part of a community where all treat each other with dignity and respect.
13 Our students are encouraged to engage in voluntary work. By doing so, they develop their capacity to act empathetically, becoming citizens who show awareness of the world around them and who make a valuable contribution to the communities in which they live.
Ethos and Values
14 Our aim is to develop students who will have the education and the resilience to thrive in an international environment. Teachers help students to do so by demonstrating:
- their own global perspective; one which is tolerant, inclusive, respectful and welcomes other cultures
- their willingness to establish a learning culture which consistently seeks out international best practice
- a professional approach when working with students, parents and colleagues
- integrity in all that they say and do
- diligence in application to the challenges that they face
- the natural capacity to treat everyone, irrespective of their position, with dignity.
15 Our teachers’ interest in and knowledge of their subject means that they are able to bring their lessons alive in a way which engages all students and so enables them to see the value and relevance of what they are being taught.
16 All students are given every opportunity to succeed. The school staff work together in order to ensure that students who may be struggling in any regard are always given the support they need to achieve their best.
17 Continuous assessment of students’ progress together with friendly, specific, helpful and timely feedback means that students, staff and parents know at any given time how students are performing.
18 Students take the initiative and responsibility for organising and assisting staff with extra-curricular activities. In this way, they create opportunities for themselves and their fellow classmates to broaden their range of skills and interests.
School Phases
19 The School is organised in three phases:
- Primary – Reception to Year 4
- Middle – Year 5 to Year 8
- Senior – Year 9 to Year 13.
20 Students are admitted to Year Groups based on their age at the start of the academic year. Exceptionally, students entering an external exam course may be asked to join the School one Year Group below the Year identified by the table below.
|
Phase
|
Year Group |
Student’s age on entry to Year Group |
Number of Students per Class |
|
Primary Phase |
Reception |
4 |
12 |
|
1 |
5 |
20 |
|
|
2 |
6 |
20 |
|
|
3 |
7 |
20 |
|
|
4 |
8 |
20 |
|
|
Middle Phase |
5 |
9 |
24 |
|
6 |
10 |
24 |
|
|
7 |
11 |
24 |
|
|
8 |
12 |
24 |
|
|
Senior Phase |
9 |
13 |
24 |
|
10 |
14 |
24 |
|
|
11 |
15 |
24 |
|
|
12 |
16 |
24 |
|
|
13 |
17 |
24 |
Years 12 and 13 are known as the Sixth Form.
All Year Groups have two classes.
21 The School offers a broad curriculum experience to support the development of 21st Century learning skills and provide time for our senior students to study for the assessed examinations; IGCSEs and A-Levels, with the addition of the T-Levels, when they are made available to international schools.
22 Special focus is also provided for Early Education (Reception/Year 1) within the Primary Phase and for the Sixth Form (Years 12 to 13) within Senior phase.
Primary Phase (Reception to Year 4)
23 The Primary phase works towards the following mission statements of intent, supporting students to meet the aims stated for both the Early Education sub-phase and Primary phase as a whole.
Mission Statement: Early Education at the BSA aims to foster and develop an interest and connection to the world, learning through investigation to develop initial skills in numeracy, reading and language.
Mission Statement: Primary Phase at the BSA aims to achieve the development and enhancement of the whole child by exposure to a wide range of subjects and learning experiences which develop and enhance their literacy, numeracy and investigative skills and abilities.
24 The Primary Phase has a maximum number of 20 students per class, except the Reception class where the maximum class size is 12 students. Teaching Assistants support the Class Teachers. There are also specialist teachers for subjects including Arabic, French, Music and P.E. In some Year Groups, some subjects may be organised in sets across the two classes.
25 The following subjects are taught in the Primary phase:
- English
- Guided reading
- Mathematics
- Science & Topic
- Arabic
- French (from Year 3)
- PE
- Music
- Art
- ICT (from Year 3)
- Curriculum enrichment
Middle Phase (Year 5 to Year 8)
26 The Middle phase works towards the following mission statement of intent, supporting students to meet the stated aims stated.
Mission Statement: Education in the Middle Phase is designed to maintain a child’s sense of curiosity and wonder in the world around them through the cultivation of an enquiring mindset which supports the development of research and enquiry skills, independent learning and teamwork, and confidence.
27 The Middle Phase has a maximum of 24 students per class. In some year groups, some subjects may be organised in sets across the two classes.
28 Specialist teachers teach most subjects. However, a cross-curricular investigative and experiential learning module is a feature of the Middle Phase curriculum. This session provides students with exposure to practical problem-solving in thematic sessions which encompass the sciences, humanities, art and design under the umbrella of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). This is taught in discrete blocks each half-term which focus on investigating issues and developing solutions.
29 The following subjects are taught in the Middle phase:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Global citizenship
- STEAM inquiry
- Arabic
- French
- Performing & creative arts (Art, Music, Dance and Drama)
- PE/Sport
- Curriculum enrichment
Senior Phase (Year 9 to Year 13)
30 The Senior Phase is characterised by:
- An introduction to academic and vocational studies;
- An introduction and preparation for external assessment;
- A broad curriculum supporting the selection of areas of interest;
- Social contribution to the School and external community.
31 These aims are reflected in the following mission statement.
Mission Statement: Education in the Senior Phase of BSA is a step forward in the acquisition and assessment of knowledge, skills and understanding applicable to a range of new situations. Students will be educated to apply their abilities to achieve their potential both academically and socially through rigorous study and a growing commitment to the community.
32 Students commence their preparation for the IGCSE Examinations provided by Cambridge International in Year 9 with the aim of concluding their IGCSE studies in Year 11 at the November series of examinations. Second language students in English, Arabic and French sit the second language IGCSE examinations paper at the summer series of Year 10.
33 This IGCSE cycle will be completed for the first time in the academic year, 2026-27. Until that time, students sit IGCSE subjects in the summer series within Year 11 and second language students in English, Arabic and French sitting the second language IGCSE examinations paper at the November series of Year 11.
34 All students take IGCSE:
- English
- Mathematics
along with Global Citizenship, PE/Sport and Co-curricular activities to maintain a broad curriculum.
35 In addition to English and Mathematics, students select five IGCSE options. The IGCSE optional subjects include:
- Science (Combined)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Design & Technology
- Arabic
- French
- Spanish
- Geography
- History
- Business Studies
- ICT for Business
- Economics
- Enterprise
- Travel & Tourism
- Art & Design
- Music
- Drama
36 The optional subjects offered may vary from one academic year to the next depending on the preferences expressed by students and their parents. It is the School’s intention to broaden the scope of vocational subjects.
37 The Sixth form (Years 12 and 13) is characterised by:
- Preparation for young adulthood and higher education;
- Identification of study and work options to support students’ futures.
38 These aims are reflected in the following mission statement.
Mission Statement: the Sixth Form comprises the final two years of education at BSA and is designed develop rounded individuals through opportunities to learn, lead and take responsibility. Students are prepared for the transition to higher education or the workplace with the necessary skills and knowledge gained from the pursuit of a select group of specialist subjects studied in depth and with rigour.
39 The Sixth Form is a crucial sub-phase of the Senior Phase which involves a greater degree of specialisation and freedom of choice. Students are free to select their chosen A-Level subjects. The eventual target size of the Sixth Form is approximately 100 students in order to make a wide range of desirable option choices viable and available to students.
40 Students commence their Sixth Form studies when they have completed their IGCSE examinations in November of Year 11. Students select three A-Level subjects. In addition, all students take Academic English, Global Citizenship, PE/Sport and co-curricular activities to maintain a broad curriculum.
41 The A level subjects are:
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Design & Technology
- English Literature
- Arabic
- French
- Spanish
- Geography
- History
- Business
- Economics
- Travel & Tourism
- Art & Design
- Music
- Drama
42 These subjects offered may vary from one academic year to the next depending on the preferences expressed by students and their parents. It is the School’s intention to broaden the scope of vocational subjects offered to students.
Section 2
Functioning of the School
Governance
43 The legal entity for the British School Algiers is Eurl Alligan Algerie, an Algerian registered company. The legal document which defines the establishment of the school is the Algerian Presidential decree n° 20-262.
44 The School is accredited as a British School Overseas (BSO) school by the United Kingdom Department for Education (DfE). The responsibilities of the “proprietor” are defined in the DfE's BSO Standards. The DfE's inspectors periodically visit the School to ensure that these standards are maintained. The proprietor of the School is the owner of Eurl Alligan Algerie; that is, Graham McAvoy, the Founder of the School.
45 The role of the Founder is to set the principles for the governance of the School through determining the character of the School, its ethos and values, its internal regulations, its policies & procedures and its strategy.
46 The role of the Headmaster, subject the School's governance principles, is to provide the operational management of the School. The Headmaster is responsible for delivering the School's Development Plan.
47 The Founder is responsible for ensuring that the School is managed in accordance with its governance principles. In doing so, the Founder takes advice from external sources.
48 The primary source of external advice comes from the DfE's BSO inspectors' triennial reports. Between these inspection visits, the Founder takes advice from one or more external experts whose roles are to review the operation of the school and to provide support to the School.
49 The Founder has established an Advisory Body. The Advisory Body acts as the critical friend to the Founder. The Founder appoints up to six members and chairs the meetings of the Advisory Body. The Headmaster may be invited by the Founder to provide reports and to attend meetings of the Advisory Body. The Advisory Body also receives the reports of the Parents' Forum, the Students’ Council and staff consultations.
Communication
50 Good communication between all of the School’s stakeholders is essential to the effective functioning of the School.
51 Each year the Founder of the School attends a meeting with the British Ambassador to Algeria.
Parents’ Forum
52 The Parents' Forum facilitates communication between parents and senior staff of the school. Daily communication between class teachers and individual parents regarding their own children continues as usual.
53 The Forum comprises one parent representative from each year group and the members of the Senior Leadership Team. Each year, parents are invited by the Headmaster to volunteer to be members of the Forum. Only one parent per family may be a member of the Forum.
54 If more than one parent volunteers in the same year group, the Secretary will arrange for the parents in that year group to vote for their representative. Prior to the vote, if candidates wish, they may write a short personal statement which the Secretary would circulate to the other parents in that year group.
55 The parent representatives are appointed for one academic year. A parent may not serve more than once in any four-year period.
56 The Forum meets every half term; six times per academic year. The Forum meetings are arranged and chaired by the Headmaster.
57 Prior to each meeting of the Forum, parents may submit topics for discussion to the Secretary who compiles a report for the Forum meeting listing of all the points raised. The Secretary consults the Headmaster on the agenda for the meeting which will include a written report by the Headmaster.
58 In the meeting, the Headmaster may deal with some of the points raised by parents in his written report and other points are dealt with as individual agenda items.
59 In managing the school, the Headmaster takes account of the views expressed by parents. The Parents’ Forum communicates views rather than makes decisions about how the school operates.
60 After the Forum meeting, the Secretary writes a report of the meeting which is circulated to all parents and members of the Advisory Body.
School Council
61 The School Council is the representative body for the students of the School. The School Council meets monthly. The student members of the School Council provide a voice for the students that they represent through these meetings with the School’s management.
62 School Council representatives set out concerns as well as proposals for improvement. The School’s management also take the opportunity of School Council meetings to share their intentions for the development of the School.
63 The School Council representatives have a role in facilitating communications within the student body.
64 The reports of the School Council meetings are circulated to the members of the Advisory Body.
Contacting the School
65 If parents need to contact the School, in the first instance, they should e-mail the school receptionists ( admin@britishschoolalgiers.com ) who will ensure that the parent’s email gets to the right member of staff. If a parent needs to contact the School urgently, they should telephone the School Receptionists.
66 The School is always keen to meet with parents. However, an appointment must be arranged in advance. Otherwise, if parents arrive at School without an appointment, they may not be able to meet with a member of staff.
Complaints
67 If a parent wishes to make a complaint, they must follow the School’s Complaints Procedure. Firstly, they would speak to the teacher or member of staff concerned to see if the issue can be resolved informally. If the issue remains, they should then contact the relevant Head of Phase. If the issue still remains, then they contact the Headmaster and finally if the issue still has not been resolved the parent would contact the Founder. More detail is available in the School’s Complaints Procedure.
Legal Framework
68 The School and the Parents are obliged to comply with the laws and regulations in force, in particular:
- Ordinance n° 75-58 of 20 Ramadhan 1395 corresponding to 26 September 1975, amended and supplemented, relating to the Civil Code.
- Law n° 04-02 of 5 Joumada El Oula 1425 corresponding to 23 June 2004, amended and supplemented, fixing the rules applicable to commercial practices.
- Law n° 04-08 of 27 Joumada Ethania 1425 corresponding to 14 August 2004, as amended and supplemented, relating to the conditions governing commercial activities.
- Presidential decree n° 20-262 of 27 Moharrem 1442 corresponding to 15 September 2020 ratifying the memorandum of understanding between the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the opening of a British international school in Algiers, signed in Algiers on 09 March 2020.
- Executive decree n° 05-468 of 8 Dhou El Kaada 1426 corresponding to 10 December 2005 setting the conditions for drawing up the invoice, the transfer order, the delivery order and the summary invoice.
- Executive Decree n° 06-306 of 17 Chaabane 1427 corresponding to 10 September 2006, amended and supplemented, fixing the essential elements of contracts concluded between economic agents and consumers and the clauses considered unfair.
- Executive Decree n° 13-378 of 5 Moharem 1435 corresponding to 9 November 2013 setting out the terms and conditions relating to consumer information.
69 In the event of failure to comply with the provisions of these texts, the defaulting party will be subject to the penalties provided for in the relevant legislation.
Section 3
Method of Operation of the School
70 The School operates the following academic management structure:
72 The Head of the Primary phase is supported by the Deputy Head of Primary Phase. The Head of Early Education and curriculum leaders in English, Maths, Languages and Creative & Performing Arts report to the Deputy Head of Primary Phase. The curriculum leaders have responsibility for curriculum leadership and coordination from Year 2 to Year 4.
73 The Head of the Middle phase is supported by the Heads of Faculty and is the line manager for the Heads of the Maths, Science and Business & Technology faculties and the Science, Technology, Arts and Maths (STEAM) coordinator.
74 The Head of the Senior phase is supported by a Head of Sixth Form and the Heads of Faculty. The Head of the Senior phase is the line manager for the Heads of the English, Modern Foreign Languages and Creative & Performing Arts faculties.
75 There are two Assistant Heads with responsibility for Pastoral matters and for Teaching & Learning across the whole school, line managed by the Headmaster. The SENCO manages Additional Support and is line-managed by the Assistant Head (Pastoral).
76 The Heads of Primary, Middle and Senior Phases sit on the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The Extended Leadership Team (ELT), which includes the SLT plus the Deputy Head of Primary Phase, the Head of Early Education, the two Assistant Heads and the Head of Sixth Form, meets on a three-weekly basis.
Initial Teacher Training
77 Both British and Algerian teachers are recruited. Where the British teachers have significant experience of teaching in the UK, or in a British international school, they provide support in the training of the Algerian teachers. This aspect of their role is discussed during the recruitment phase.
78 The Algerian teachers are selected on the basis of their academic qualifications, relevant work experience and personal characteristics. The school is responsible for the training of the Algerian teachers.
79 The focus of the school's training programme is to support the Algerian teachers to obtain pedagogical knowledge from a PGCE followed by professional training to QTS and subsequently through their Eary Career Teachers (ECT) years.
80 The training programme is comprised of five stages:
Stage 1: An external specialist delivers initial training with follow up support.
Stage 2: Teachers build up a portfolio which demonstrates how they are meeting the Teachers’ Standards. Classroom visits/feedback from Senior Management and HoFs/mentors, together with completion of expression of interest documentation forms the basis for an interview for sponsorship on Stage 3.
Stage 3: The school selects teachers to sponsor on a distance learning PGCE/iPGCE course at a UK university.
Stage 4: The school selects PGCE/iPGCE graduates to sponsor on the Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) one year iQTS programme with in-house mentoring supervised by CCCU.
Stage 5: On gaining QTS, the teachers will be supported to complete their two ECT years with in-house mentoring.
81 The British teacher mentors for the CCCU programme are trained and validated by CCCU.
Curriculum & Teaching
82 The School has regard to the National Curriculum of England. Students take IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) qualifications in Year 11 and A-levels (Advanced levels) in Year 13. Most students take IGCEs in seven subjects and A-level in three subjects. Depending on their grades, this would enable them to apply to a University in the UK, in Algeria or anywhere in the world as these UK qualifications are recognised worldwide.
83 The School does not offer the Algerian Baccalaureate or BEM. Parents wishing their child to take the BEM would need to register their child externally with the Ministry of National Education.
84 All students learn Arabic in the Primary and Middle phases. Algerian History and Geography is incorporated into Arabic lessons. The School does not teach religion.
85 The School provides much more than solely preparing students for examinations. The School aims to develop the “whole person” and as such extra-curricular activities are very important to the School. There is therefore an emphasis on the Arts and Sport as well as Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), and Global Citizenship.
86 As an international school, there is an emphasis on students not only learning about the UK and Algeria but also on developing an awareness of global issues and seeing themselves as global citizens. The School is keen for students to learn about, and be respectful and welcoming of, different cultures.
87 There is an emphasis on students developing a good understanding of what is learned rather than students copying and learning by rote. The aim is for students to develop their ability to think about what they are learning and to be able to work things out for themselves. There are continuous assessments, where the priority is on assessing students’ work in order to give students feedback on how to improve rather than awarding a grade.
88 We follow British teaching methods. Our teachers are either teachers from the UK or Algerian teachers who, over a period of time, study for UK teaching qualifications (PGCE) and train to qualify for the UK Department for Education’s “Teachers’ Standards” (QTS).
Arrival at and Departure from School
89 The School gates open at 8.00am. Students should normally arrive at school between 8.20am and 8.30am. Students should be in their Form rooms by 8.45am for the start of registration.
90 Any student arriving after 8.45am is considered as late and must sign in at the Reception desk before proceeding to their Form room.
91 The student’s attendance is recorded in the Attendance Register by their Form teacher during registration and so any student arriving after 9.10am must report to the Reception desk before going to their class.
92 Classes end at 3.30pm for Primary and Middle Phase students and at 4.15pm for Senior Phase students. After school clubs and other activities end by 5.00pm at the latest. The School gates close at 5.00pm.
Lesson and Homework Timetables
93 Students are given a lesson timetable which sets out the subjects that the students will be studying each day. Parents should use the lesson timetable to ensure that their children have the correct books, files and equipment for each day.
94 Students are also given a homework timetable which sets out their homework slots for the week. The setting of homework enables students to expand their learning and encourages self-motivation and self-organisation. Students have a responsibility to complete all homework set and ensure that it is handed in promptly on the due date. Parents are expected to support their children’s learning at home.
School Uniform
95 All students should wear the official uniform specified by the School. Details of the School uniform are available from the School Receptionists.
Physical Education Arrangements
96 Physical Education (PE) is an important part of the curriculum. Students learn and develop their physical literacy through a range of sporting, fitness and health-related activities. Students are expected to take part in all aspects of the PE programme. Non-participating students must bring a note from their Parent explaining the medical issue.
Behaviour
97 The School expects the highest standards of behaviour from all students. The School’s approach to engendering good relationships is to follow restorative practice.
98 Good attendance and punctuality are considered to be of the utmost importance. If you know that your child will be absent on a particular day, please make sure you email the School Reception (admin@britishschoolalgiers.com ) in advance with the name, Year Group and reason for absence. Similarly, if your child is ill, please email the School Reception giving the details.
Aggression and Abuse
99 All members of the school community have the right to live and work without fear of violence and abuse, and the right, in an extreme case, to appropriate levels of self-defence. Types of behaviour that are considered serious and unacceptable are listed below:
- shouting at members of the School staff, parents or children either in person or over the telephone;
- physically intimidating a member of staff, parent or child e.g., standing close to her/him;
- the use of aggressive hand gestures;
- threatening behaviour;
- shaking or holding a fist towards another person;
- swearing;
- using abusive/ offensive language
- pushing;
- hitting, e.g., slapping, punching and kicking;
- spitting;
- discriminatory behaviour including racist or sexist comments;
- breaching the School’s security procedures, including taking images of children or members of staff.
100 This is not an exhaustive list but is intended to illustrate behaviours which will not be tolerated. If a visitor, including a parent or carer, behaves in such a way towards another member of the school community, they may be banned from entry to the School site for a period of time. The School reserves the right to take further action, including legal, should this be deemed necessary after the event. Such unacceptable behaviour may result in the police being informed of the incident. Unacceptable behaviour on the part of members of staff is subject to the School’s Internal Regulations (Employment).
Photographs of Children
101 Photographs are taken of children in lessons and other activities. These photos are used in newsletters, displays and the school website. If you do not want your child’s photo to be used, please let the Reception team know.
School Lunches
102 The School provides lunch for your children and the cost is included in the School fees. Parents may wish to provide their child with a healthy snack for break time.
School Transport
103 The school does not provide home-school transport.
Learning Equipment & Materials
104 The School issues learning equipment and learning materials to students. Parents are responsible for the care and attention required of such learning equipment and materials. The School may charge the parents for damage to, or loss of, School equipment.
Valuable Items
105 Students should not bring any valuable items to school as the School does not accept responsibility in the case of loss or damage.
Payment of School Fees
106 Student school fees should be paid in advance of the school term to which they relate. Unpaid school fees will result in school reports not being issued to parents and their children may not be allowed to join classes in the following term.
107 Fees for Algerian children are in Algerian Dinars. Algerian children’s fees must not be greater than the fees for children of other nationalities. Student fees for children of other nationalities are charged in GB pounds, Euros or US dollars.
Policies & Procedures
108 The School operates on the basis of a set of policies and procedures which are available to students, parents and staff on the School website. These policies and procedures include:
- Anti-bullying Policy
- Curriculum Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Parental Concerns & Complaints Policy
- SEN EAL Policy
- Student Admissions Policy
- Student Safeguarding & Welfare Policy
