Bethlehem Community English Medium School (Bethlehem School) is a non-religious educational institution which is located on a four-acre land, on a scenic campus, about 1.5 kilometres from home town Nemmara, and 28 kilometres from Palakkad. The school is ideally located within the town limits, in the valley of Nelliyampathy mountains, at Pezhumpara. Our school serves approximately 1000 students, Kindergarten through Grade 10. Students are drawn from a large geographical area that extends from Chittilancherry, Alathur, Koduvayoor, Elevancherry, Pothundy, Olippara, Ayaloor, etc. The school community comprises a wide range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Although Bethlehem is a large secondary school, teachers, staff and parents work to make our school friendly and warm. Class sections are arranged according to grade level. Kindergarten classes are in ground floor with easy access to Kids Park and other facilities. Active members of our Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) plan and offer family events that draw students and parents to school on a regular basis.
There are 32 class sections, grades KG - 10th, with an average of 30 students in each class. Reading specialists, moderate special needs teachers, and paraprofessionals all support our classroom teachers in meeting our students' academic needs. Students, grades KG - 10th, take part in art, music and physical education classes each week. Our technology specialist supports students and teachers as they integrate the use of technology with the academic curriculum. Our school librarian helps students access books, print and digital materials that are available in our online drive. There is one computer lab with 30 plus laptops. The composite science lab is equipped with all the necessary instruments, specimens, and so on.
Bethlehem School aims to create a caring, harmonious and student-centred learning community. Also committed to provide, through purposeful teaching, opportunities for all students to achieve their personal best academically and socially. The school actively supports students to become confident, resourceful and responsible citizens.
The school is committed to continue improvement in teaching and learning. Teams of teachers planning and working together to deliver programs that cater for all students. The capacity of teachers in using multiple sources of feedback to evaluate student learning and inform targeted teaching underpins staff professional learning. The school has high expectations that the whole school community will work together according to the values like Excellence, Integrity, Responsibility and Tolerance.
Parental involvement is actively sought and vital to the success of a wide range of extra-curricular activities at Bethlehem School. Parents are encouraged to participate in the PTA, School Council sub-committees, and in all the events organizing at the school.
Student voice and leadership is a feature at every year level. Student-led election to elect school leaders. All students are provided with a wide range of opportunities to make decisions, make choices, support each other and contribute to the school community. School Captains, House Captains are elected by the students. Student leaders conduct school assemblies, report on yard duty and the House competition, welcome visitors, etc. There are students’ representative in many of the committees in the school. All the celebrations and the regular assembly are organized by the students.
How do we teach?
A safe and supportive learning environment forms the foundation for the provision of an engaging and positive culture of learning. Planning is undertaken every week where each teaching to ensure consistency across the year level and to enhance creative teaching by sharing ideas. The teachers are strictly following Annual Plans, Monthly Plans, Weekly Plans and Lesson Plans in imparting the teaching sessions in all the classes. The pedagogical committee make sure with principal and academic in charge in regularly monitoring teachers in their teachings.
We have continued our Student Wellbeing and Engagement focus, using Restorative Practices, Circle Time and explicitly teaching social skills through the promotion of values like Excellence, Tolerance, Responsibility and Integrity. We focus on a culture that embraces safe, collaborative relationships, shared philosophies, ideologies, values, assumptions, beliefs, expectations and attitudes. At the beginning of the year, each classroom establishes student-driven expectations and behaviours.
How do we know our students are learning?
We have an agreed Assessment Schedule recently reviewed and revised that outlines the assessment process at each Year Level. This enables Teaching Teams to monitor student progress to both inform parents and guide their planning and teaching.
The assessment and monitoring includes the Early Years Interview, On-Demand Testing and peer and self-assessment. In addition, student progress is reported in mid-year and end of year academic reports and during parent/ teacher progress meetings. We also complete Running Records for all students from kindergarten. This provides us with a whole school tracking system for reading.
How do we provide feedback to our students and families on learning progress?
Feedback to students is provided by the class teachers both formally and informally. Parents are encouraged to contact class teacher to organise a mutually agreeable time to meet as a need arises. The formalized whole school reporting to parents is:
Students and families are provided feedback through a further range of assessment and reporting practices.
