July/August (Start of the school year)

Administration

Check students’ course schedules to ensure they are placed appropriately in DP subjects and levels.

Start with the IB CP2 students first, then check IB CP1 students.

Review last year's CP results and update your database with results and destinations.

Read the most recent CP coordinator’s notes from the Programme Resource Centre (PRC) and check the curriculum review cycle. Pass any relevant changes to curriculum to appropriate staff.

Update ‘My School’ profile on My IB webpage.

• Verify school address, demographics, and programme

• Remove faculty/staff who have left the school or update roles.

Assign supervisors and teachers as appropriate in ManageBac: PPS, Reflective Project, Service Learning and Language Development.

Ensure that annual IB fees were paid (the invoice is typically sent to the head of school between school years).

Register with any local or regional IB coordinator support organisations.

Check the final IB Exam schedule in the PRC under ‘Assessment Sessions’ and create a document with every IB exam that your CP offers and give it to your exams office.

Enter Exams into year group calendars in ManageBac as events for IB CP year groups. This could include:

• Exam name (subject + paper)

• Exam date

• Exam time (AM or PM, usually 8am or 12pm)

• Number of students (estimate and amend when there are changes )

Teachers

CP core team meetings and subject group meetings can be particularly useful for newer or smaller programmes.

Plan to meet with each IB teacher before the first day of school begins and conduct IB mini-sessions as appropriate.

New teacher induction can include:

• Review the previous teacher’s data.

• Debrief on any summer workshops attended.

• Be available to answer any questions.

• Discuss dates for any mandatory IB professional development.

• ManageBac training.

• Ensure they have access to MYIB and PRC.

Give an overview of your school’s current IBCP programme.

Set a mandatory collaborative meeting for all IB CP faculty during pre-planning and set the tone as the IB pedagogical leader.

Topics for this meeting may include:

• Celebrate achievement (begin with some positives!).

• Data review from detailed exam scores.

• Comparison of predicted grades and IA scores to IB grades and moderated IAs, including DP subjects, CRS results and reflective project grade.

• Overview of the year’s IBCP - related collaborative professional learning (meeting dates, etc).

• Reminders about resources available and review resources, e.g. ManageBac Language Development Quick Start Guide, Reflective Project Quick Start Guide, Service Learning Quick Start Guide , Personal and Professional Skills Quick Start Guide.
• Review the internal assessment calendar of deadlines for IB Diploma subjects and any other professional courses being followed (e.g., BTEC, SUMAS ,SCAD, CISI, LIBF).

• Integration of the CP core programme and approaches to teaching and learning (ATT and ATL).

Students

Create a ‘welcome back’ one-page newsletter/overview that would work for all IB stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, and school administration).

Update the CP student handbook to reflect any changes to curriculum (e.g., DP subject choices, CRS pathways, work experience opportunities and staff changes).

Interview any late applicants.

Survey your CP2 students for reflections on the programme. Student voice is important!

Involve your CP2 students and alumni in promoting the CP programme and allocate each new CP1 student a CP2 buddy.

Marketing

Communication is key to success! Promotion of the CP to the school community is vital to develop the programme, so consider your communications strategy to foster better understanding both with internal and external stakeholders.

The CP is still relatively new and you need to spread the love! Even experienced DP colleagues can be slow to understand the differences and the flexible nature of the CP.

Consider whole school PD. Organise in house training or a whole school staff meeting to help build understanding and commitment to the CP. Learning stories on the PRC can help promote and market the benefits.

Put together spotlights and success stories for the school leadership, local media and communications with parents.

Celebrate CP achievements and communicate to all stakeholders through schools internal and external communications platforms.

Establish strong partnerships and community links that will enhance your CP programme (e.g., community groups, local businesses, university links and other IB world schools).

Keep a database of existing and potential partnerships with opportunities for CP students. As well as local enterprises, community groups and volunteering opportunities parents, staff and governors can be a rich resource of contacts .