IB Diploma Programme

Subject Information

Note: Subjects are offered subject to sufficient student demand. Chatsworth reserves the right to amend subject offerings at any time.

Creativity, Activity and Service

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is at the heart of the IB Diploma Programme. It offers high school students an experiential learning environment through a range of different activities. CAS reflects the importance of having a balanced lifestyle that incorporates creative and physical pursuits in addition to helping others, especially the less fortunate.

Students are expected to be involved in CAS activities for 3 - 4 hours a week in a range of balanced activities. This provides a balance to the academic rigour of other subjects. CAS continues throughout Years 12 and 13 and all students must satisfy the requirements of CAS in order to be awarded the Chatsworth High School Diploma and the IB Diploma. CAS is organised around the three strands of creativity, activity and service defined as follows.

Creativity - exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance.

Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: teaching art to young people, oil painting courses, learning a new language, learning or teaching dance, drama productions, singing, creating newsletters or websites that are useful to others in some way. Students must show a commitment to a chosen creative project and involvement must be for no less than three months.

Activity - physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: Rock-climbing, figure skating, badminton, coaching teams, scuba diving. Students must show a commitment to a chosen action project and involvement must be for no less than 3 months.

Service - collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need.

Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: Riding for the Disabled, Child at Street 11 (non-profit making school for low income families), Tabitha (Cambodia), Action for Singapore Dogs, Blue Dragon Children’s foundation (Vietnam), working with younger students at school both in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities.

Assessment and Reporting

In our IB high school, students are awarded a semester grade in each subject, based on the IB 1-7 scale. These grades are communicated through end-of-semester reports that are available to parents and guardians through Managebac, the school’s academic portal. In addition, a mid-semester progress report is issued shortly before each parent-teacher conference to communicate the student’s current progress in the programme. For DP students these mid-semester reports will include an overall 1-7 grade. Note that only semester grades are recorded in a student’s permanent record (ie. transcripts for Years 10-13 (Grades 9-12).

In addition to achievement grades, students are also assessed and self-assessed on five skill categories from the IB Approaches to Learning (ATLs): Communication, Social, Self-Management, Research and Thinking. Methods of assessment of the ATLs vary between subjects and are communicated by departments and teachers. This is reported through written teacher comments each semester as well as students’ own writing on their achievement against personal ATL goals.

There are two Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences (PTSCs) yearly where the reports and student progress are discussed, together with students’ goals and strengths. Classes are not held on PTSC days so that teachers can confer with parents and students.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact the school at any time to discuss the student’s progress, or any problems or queries.

University Advising

Chatsworth International School believes in a student-centred approach with the university research and application process and provides the support high school students need to make an informed choice. Students are expected to take control of searching for universities, completing and submitting applications by the stated deadlines, paying application fees, making decisions driving the process forward, signing up for standardised tests, and ultimately making an acceptance choice. The student’s family plays an important role in making critical decisions but the process of researching and applying for tertiary education is student driven.

Finding the right higher education institution at which to achieve success requires the careful consideration of many variables. Factors like location, cost and the courses on offer are typically at the forefront of the research process. It is equally important for students to consider the method of course delivery to ensure they will achieve success. Students should also look at what the institution offers in terms of activities beyond the lecture hall to see if their social and emotional needs will be met. The University Advisor is available to guide and assist students so they can make well-informed decisions regarding their university applications. 

University Visits and Fairs 

Chatsworth endeavours to share information of upcoming university visits and education fairs either on campus or at specific locations in Singapore. On-campus visits are usually scheduled during lunch. Off-campus visits are held at other international schools, convention centres, or institutions. Chatsworth does not endorse any particular college or university. We welcome visits from around the world to share their programmes. Most visits, in fact, are initiated by the university and are scheduled based on availability. We believe students at Chatsworth will be able to make well-informed decisions as they explore a range of universities and the courses they offer. All of this complements each student’s independent research.