Middle School
The BES programme for secondary school is designed to foster growth and development in pre-adolescence. Students learn to make connections between disciplines and cultures, sharing and discussing different opinions and points of view.
The integrated BES curriculum allows students to discover connections between different disciplines and the relationship between them and real-life experiences. By working in groups to solve problems, they also gain confidence in their own abilities, discovering their personal skills and talents.
Weekly hours
Our school day begins at 8.30 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., with an organisation designed for the well-being and learning of the students. Wednesdays, on the other hand, have a different rhythm: classes end at 1.20 p.m., leaving the afternoon free for optional activities. During this day, the boys and girls stay at school and, with the opportunity to ask questions or seek clarification from their teachers, devote themselves to homework and educational activities that enhance cooperative learning. Thanks to the presence of teachers from different disciplines, students can collaborate and grow in a stimulating and enriching environment.
Curriculum
The BES curriculum meets the fundamental requirements of the Ministry of Education, with particular emphasis on Italian Language and Literature, History, Geography, Science and Mathematics. Teaching is 50% in Italian and 50% in English and guarantees the necessary preparation for admission to Milan's most rigorous and prestigious upper secondary schools, both Italian and international.
The curriculum is broad and rigorous, encouraging students to make constant progress in intellectual skills and to mature, revealing themselves as self-confident, attentive to others and proactive adolescents. English language teaching takes place for a total of fifteen hours per week and allows our students to consolidate and further develop the skills and competences acquired in Primary School. In addition to the core curriculum subjects, secondary school students enrich their skills and abilities through lessons in art, technical drawing, music, drama and physical education.
Through the English curriculum, students develop essential skills to think critically from a plurality of viewpoints, to communicate their ideas in different forms (written, oral, visual, multimedia) with local and non-local interlocutors, to investigate reality through issues of personal and global interest, and to act recognising that language is a tool that improves the world. French and Spanish are introduced as a third language, families can express their preference at the beginning of the secondary school cycle.
Global citizens
In line with what happens in primary school, the curriculum in secondary school is also structured to form young citizens with an international mindset. The Learner Profile of the International Baccalaureate best expresses the characteristics we aim to develop in our students: we help them to become knowledgeable, balanced, responsible, curious, courageous, open-minded, communicative, reflective and capable of structured thinking.
BES prepares students to be lifelong learners and to develop refined problem-solving skills. Our students are encouraged to develop four essential skills: analysing the surrounding reality; recognising and nurturing multiple perspectives; communicating their ideas effectively; and taking action to improve situations.
Innovation and empowerment of individuals
Among the cornerstones of innovation is, of course, the regular use of IT tools. The ability to work in a team, to relate correctly to others and to express oneself in public are also part of the school background. Methodological synthesis, valorisation of the individual peculiarities of the students (the multiple intelligences), a staff of motivated, passionate and committed teachers and continuous training are the flagships of the Bilingual European School.
Our goal is to train the leading men and women of the 21st century: we provide them with the cognitive tools to nurture their self-esteem and critical sense. All these characteristics have enabled us over the years to create a unique pedagogical environment in today's school environment. Consistent with ministerial indications, our students face the study of a third community foreign language: from Year 6 onwards, it is possible to choose between Spanish and French.
This wide range of pathways allows secondary school pupils to get to know their own strengths and interests and, at the same time, acquire a solid foundation in thinking and learning processes, with a focus on personal growth and development on an intellectual, emotional and social level.
