How would you describe success at different stages in your life? Would it be sufficient to achieve the highest grades, or get access to the best universities globally for your future career and beyond?
The new normal has changed the face of education and learning like never before. Robotics, automation and artificial intelligence are already transforming the workplace and no one can predict what successful careers or professions will look like in the future. However, we can forecast the quality of the people who will thrive in times of change.
The exponential rise in technological advancements and changing scenarios of jobs and workplaces clearly calls for students and future leaders who have the knowledge, skills, creativity, thinking and ability to learn and adapt in unprecedented times.
– The Fourth Industrial Revolution
At Charterhouse Malaysia, we believe in educating students for the new reality so that they are flexible in the face of change and resilient against setbacks. We allow students to take ownership of their learning, exercising agency in their education and life beyond. Hence, Charterhouse provides ample opportunities, supportive environment and structured framework you need to become the driving force behind your growth and development. Our Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels programmes are deliberately and carefully designed to provide students with the opportunities and support needed for personal and collective growth, and the framework within which you can plan, monitor, reflect, evaluate, adjust and showcase your learning journey.
Charterhouse Learner’s Portfolio – Nurturing future leaders
The belief at Charterhouse International school puts faith in our students as leaders and consequently, during their time with us, they will be provided with numerous ways in which to inspire others. All students are automatically members of the Charterhouse Forum, a student-led body that is responsible for the personal development of all our students. The Forum is democratically led by an Executive Committee and subcommittees reporting to the executive providing many leadership opportunities under many different strands of activity such as sports, performing arts, community outreach, technology, trips, well-being etc.
Students taking the Cambridge IGCSE or A-Levels are expected to participate in a broad range of activities where they develop skills that will be transferable to all walks of life, whatever they choose to be in the future. Their participation and development within the Forum will be guided by our Design Thinking process (WEAVE) and will be evidenced in their Charterhouse Learner’s Portfolio, in readiness for their applications to top universities globally.
Hence, Charterhouse Learner’s Portfolio (CLP) will act as the vehicle through which you chart your intellectual, ethical and spiritual growth. For personal growth to occur, the development of the CLP involves real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes; personal challenges or tasks that extend you but are achievable in scope; thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting, reflection on outcomes and personal learning.
Here are 7 elements of the Learner’s Portfolio that make it an integral part of future-ready education.
1. What kind of activities/tasks does CLP include?
The strands of CLP include:
- Academic
- Independent Learning Projects
- Career and University Research
- Co-Curricular Activities
- Creative and Performing Arts
- Health, Fitness and Sport
- Life and 21st Century Skills
- Community Service
- Enterprise
- Student Leadership
2. What life skills will you develop through CLP?
Through the building of your Charterhouse Learner’s Portfolio you will:
- become a reflective thinker: you will understand your own strengths and limitations, identify personal goals and devise strategies for personal growth
- be adventurous and courageous: willing to accept new challenges and new roles, often outside of your own comfort zone
- be aware of yourself as members of communities: with responsibilities towards each other and the environment
- be socially responsible: be an active participant in sustained, collaborative projects
- find balance: you will enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative, and emotional experiences.
- become SPECTRA Smart: embracing the full depth of human intelligence.
- be ‘Future Ready’: equipped with the skills and resilience needed to succeed in an uncertain future.
3. How does CLP showcase your talent and abilities?
The CLP will provide evidence that you have:
- increased your awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth
- undertaken new challenges
- planned and initiated activities
- worked collaboratively with others
- shown perseverance and commitment to a project
- engaged with issues of local, national and global importance
- considered the ethical implications of your actions
- developed new skills
- embraced the full breadth of your human intelligence
4. What evidence does CLP provide to support your application?
- Digital portfolio
- Self, peer, mentor and teacher assessments
- Community impact testimonials
- Certificates of participation and/or achievement accompanied by self, peer, mentor and teacher reflections and feedback
- Activity/Event participation logs accompanied by self, peer, mentor and teacher reflections and feedback
- Smart Targets/Goals with appropriate documentation to demonstrate monitoring and reflection
- Records and examples of growth in academic work, skills and SPECTRA Smarts
- Records of Leadership positions held: Job description, goals, growth within the role, accomplishments
- Career Tests, University and course summaries with evaluations
5. How is the progress of CLP monitored?
House Tutors will be responsible for monitoring your progress with your CLP and ensuring that you are fully engaged. Planning activities and other opportunities to develop within each of the strands and in respect of the 9 learning outcomes is a key responsibility of the House Tutor in partnership with you, although some activities will be the responsibility of the Charterhouse Forum, House Guardians, committees of teachers and School Leadership Team.
A Canvas course will be created for each House Tutor Group where the planning, monitoring and evaluation of all activities of your learning journey will be recorded. In essence, this is your working folder and is for internal use only. You will be expected to organise your folder into the different strands and provide supporting evidence of your learning journey.
6. How do you present the CLP in school?
We will be using Portfolium for the presentation of your CLP. Each of you will create an account online and at designated times in the Term will be asked to upload evidence to your personal portfolio. Links to your CLP will be shared with the admissions teams at the various universities that you apply to. This will be via your personal statement or reference from the school.
7. How does the grading of the CLP take place?
CLPs will be awarded one of 4 possible grades:
- Distinction
- Merit
- Pass
- Not passed
The academic performance of students will be expressed as a percentage at the end of their academic programme and will count with the CLP towards their graduation honour in the ratio of 80:20.
Charterhouse Malaysia – Education for a new reality
Our take on the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels involves moving away from a traditional education model that focuses exclusively on academic intelligence and the accumulation of knowledge – to one which empowers the students and embraces the full depth of human intelligence; we prepare young people for future successes. In the coming age of AI, when everything that can be automated will be, those who will flourish will be the ones who can work with the robots, not be outsmarted by them. They will be able to manage interpersonal relationships and successfully cooperate and collaborate with others. They will also be alert to their environment and able to adapt; understand the process of learning and be committed lifelong learners; be physically healthy and active, and be compassionate and caring towards others.
We refer to these five qualities – connect, notice, learn, move and give – as “Five for Life”, a cornerstone of Charterhouse Asia’s unique education programme. Our school culture and curriculum are designed to develop these core qualities in students. When they graduate, they will have both the exam results and the life skills to achieve their full potential. They will be “Future-ready”, having a confident take on the world’s complexity and opportunity.
Charterhouse Malaysia is an English-medium International School offering Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels. We are located in the heart of Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. Our comprehensive and holistic pedagogy focuses on equipping students with a Future Ready perspective and skills.
