Community Engagement
Engaging with our local and international communities is an integral and inspiring part of the ISL experience that empowers our students to make a positive difference on campus, in their community, and beyond in service of others.
Alongside this, at the Diploma College, students undertake Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) as a core part of the IB Diploma Programme.
Creativity, Activity, Service
Life doesn’t fit inside the boundaries of the 6 IB subject groups! (Plus Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay.) Sometimes the invaluable lessons you learn through your own experiences are the ones that teach you the best lessons.
CAS gives you a chance to try new things where you don’t need to worry about being graded from 1-7. In fact, the only thing that matters is that you reflect on what you have experienced and what you take away from it.
If you are someone who needs more external motivation, your CAS experiences often help to illustrate your enthusiasm for your chosen Higher Education course when you write your university applications. For example, those who want to study medicine often need to show that they have worked in a voluntary capacity to care for people. They might have volunteered in a residential home for the elderly or worked with children with special needs. Your university advisors also use your CAS portfolios to help them write your university references.
CAS Projects
The Bigger Picture
The skills that employers often look for are commonly termed the “soft skills.” This means skills beyond your academic ability, such as your ability to work in a team, your ability to take the initiative, leadership, problem-solving and communication skills. You will find that many of these are aligned with the CAS learning outcomes.
Ealing Food Bank Project
Diploma College students organise regular food collections and work with Ealing Food Bank to identify and source key items they require to support local people.
CAS Defined
CREATIVITY > This strand involves making something or learning a skill that is outside of the IB curriculum.
ACTIVITY > This strand relates to sporting experiences that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
SERVICE > This strand is helping a cause of genuine need. There are 4 types of Service:
(i) Direct service: This is where you help your cause by face-to-face volunteering. For example, helping to run an arts and crafts club with children with special needs.
(ii) Indirect service: This is where you help to support the cause but without being there in person. For example, fundraising for a charity or creating a collection box for a cause.
(iii) Advocacy: This is where you represent a cause or a particular issue. For example, if you go on a demonstration to stop climate change or you help to educate others about a cause you feel passionately about.
(iv) Research: You can support a cause by investigating a problem. For example, carrying out a litter survey in your local park in order to petition your local council to have more bins.
CAS is part of the IB core. This means it is a central part of the IB Diploma and CAS is a passing condition of the full Diploma, as well as the high school certificates.
Home Language / Mother Tongue
ISL promotes multilingualism as a fundamental part of increasing intercultural understanding and international-mindedness. In line with our ethos, our language programmes are carefully designed to meet the diverse language needs of all our students.
Residential & Field Trips
The Diploma College trips are packed full of inspiring adventures and academic rigour to bring out the best in our students.
We build confidence in our students to try challenges in new environments, increase engagement back in the classroom, encourage and strengthen team building and develop essential life skills for the next stage of their higher education journey and future careers.
