INSTITUT DE SARRIÀ DE TER
SECONDARY SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION

The Institut de Sarrià de Ter opened its doors in the 2019-20 school year, with four groups in the 1st year of secondary school. It will continue to grow until 2024-25, by which time it will also have implemented the baccalaureate and, perhaps, a vocational training course.

CONTEXT

The Institut de Sarrià de Ter receives pupils from the state-run primary schools in Sarrià de Ter (Escola Montserrat), Sant Julià de Ramis (Castellum), Medinyà (Santa Fe), Sant Jordi Desvalls (Sant Jordi) and Cervià de Ter (L’Aixart), which, in the latter case, also provides schooling for the children who live in Viladasens.

These six towns and villages share in common the fact that they are all on the left bank of the river Ter, very close to Girona and with an economy based on industry, in some cases, and livestock raising and farming, in the others. Many families also commute to Girona for work.

All of them have a broad range of associations that are particularly active in sports, offering a variety of municipal amenities used by their inhabitants in their social life: sports halls, sports fields, libraries or reading rooms, theatres, social centres, etc.

DEFINING THE SCHOOL

The Institut de Sarrià de Ter will be guided by six values that will form the core of all its activities.

Commitment to the quality and continuous improvement of the school on an organizational level and of the service it renders to society.
Active engagement with the environment, fostering knowledge, respect and also healthy, sustainable habits.
The pursuit of scientifically-based technological and educational research and innovation, with the goal of improving results.
Appreciation of diversity as something that is natural and positive.
Exercise democracy and encourage participation. Therefore, the appreciation of plurality and transparency.
Peaceful coexistence as a basic requirement and as a covenant between people.

THE SCHOOL’S GOALS

The school proposes a general goal for each of its stakeholders: for its pupils above all, but also for families, teachers and the community.

1. PUPILS: Within an inclusive setting, offer the best possible education to our pupils, so that each individual can develop his or her abilities to the full, with:
  - A solid, interdisciplinary, integrated education.
  - Formulas matched to the needs of each pupil that offer opportunities for everyone.
  - Availability of a variety of tools and methodologies.
  - Individually tutored monitoring.
  - A commitment to living by the school’s intrinsic values.
  - Knowledge of and respect for the environment.
  - Foster healthy habits.
2. FAMILIES: Cultivate a relationship based on dialogue, constant communication and the families’ engagement with the school, taking into account:
  - That there are different family realities.
  - That they can take part and assist in the pupils’ experiences.
  - That they must be able to play an active role in the educational goals pursued by the school.
  - That they must be informed of the school’s activities and the school must know their opinions.
3. TEACHERS: Transform the school into a space for debate, innovation and lifelong learning for the teaching staff, within a framework of teamwork and involvement in the school’s project, applying:
  - Professional work ethics.
  - The sum and interaction of knowledge.
  - Learning transfer.
  - Skill refreshing and lifelong learning.
4. COMMUNITY: Transform the school into a local activity hub that seeks to strengthen pupils’ sense of belonging to their community.
  - Become a socially useful centre for the towns and villages in its catchment area and act as a cultural, business and association energizer.
  - Foster knowledge, appreciation and a sense of belonging to the community and a hub for cultural activities.

THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE

In order to achieve these goals, the school gives priority to these ten principles:

1. Organisation of a timetable that takes pupils and their needs into account, with breaks for rest and play, for reading and for relaxation.
2. Planning to develop the basis academic skills (memory, note-taking, working on projects, oral presentations, summaries and charts, etc.) in a way that is well organised, correctly sequenced and properly distributed over the years and subjects.
3. Interdisciplinary development of seven competence domains throughout the entire period of school education: reading, oral and written expression, artistic expression, health and fitness, research and experimentation, technology, and knowledge of today’s world.
4. A well-structured tutorial action plan, with objectives for each age and an approach focused on providing personal attention to each pupil, through the role of the individual tutor.
5. Establishment of three interdisciplinary projects for each year.
6. A commitment to assuring the inclusion of all pupils, through different support and assessment strategies (two teachers per classroom, split groups, optional subjects, adapted syllabuses, etc.).
7. A carefully designed induction and transition process to secondary education for 1st year pupils (with monitoring in partnership with primary schools, a prior assessment for guidance, reduced number of teachers per group, etc.).
8. A constant process of debate, revision, reflection and training for the teaching staff.
9. A strong language project which highlights the importance of all the languages studied, using English in subjects such as Physical Education and Culture and Ethical Values and introducing French and German for the pupils who choose these options.
10. A respectful approach to the natural, social and cultural environment which immerses pupils in their local world and builds bridges between the school and the community.