For over thirty years we have been working with schools with the aim of improving learning. With a rich history of collaboration and school support, looking to the future, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Sarah Blackmore as the Director of the International Curriculum Association (ICA).
Our journey began with the belief that learning and teaching in schools is best when it is learner-focused, positioning how and what is learnt in schools around the learner and best measured by what improvements in learning we can identify and influence. As an organisation, we have evolved over the past decades; initially established as a consultancy supporting schools, we launched the first International Curriculum, the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in 2000, followed by the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) in 2011, and International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) in 2016, now learnt and taught in over 1,000 schools and over 90 countries.
Our focus on improving learning led to the creation of the International Leadership and Management Programme (ILMP) in 2005, Accreditation process in 2011, and a comprehensive range of Professional Development. We now work with over 15,000 teachers and leaders around the world, with the shared focus on the learner and their learning.
In 2021, together with schools we launched the International Curriculum Association (ICA) as the identity to focus on improving learning across the International Curriculum, with Professional Development, Recognition and Accreditation, and the International Curriculum Conference.
We have achieved so much already, following the launch of the ICA. We completed the award-winning review of the IEYC, IPC, and IMYC, with over 100 teachers around the world to ensure the International Curriculum, continues to be a contemporary, internationally researched, and improving-learning-focused resource for schools, developed for teachers, by teachers. We established the Recognition and Accreditation process, part of the ICA, working with schools through the journey of preparation, planning, implementation, and continuous school improvement with the International Curriculum. We developed and launched a Professional Development pathway, now available digitally, face-to-face and in hybrid versions, for teachers and leaders across the IEYC, IPC, and IMYC, in addition to those working with other curriculum options.
As the interim and founding director, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Sarah as the first Director of the International Curriculum Association, recognising her significant contribution to the community over the past 8 years, in the roles of Head of the ICA, and Head of International Outreach and Development. The past 5 years have been an absolute pleasure for myself, working with and for you as an inspirational community. We look forward to Sarah’s leadership in supporting you, your learners, teachers, and leaders in driving our focus on improving learning forward, together.
Gregory Biggs
Former Director of Fieldwork Education
"I am both honoured and humbled to have been entrusted with leading this community that has been created and shaped by so many insightful and talented people – all committed to the common goal of improving learning.
The commitment and support of the ICA learning community continuously pushes us to pursue our goal: to promote best practices in the implementation of the highest quality international curriculum. This year we have re-branded from Fieldwork Education to the International Curriculum Association, pursuing our vision of an active, well-connected learning community focused on championing quality, improving learning and unlocking potential.
Thank you for the kind words of congratulations and support from so many of you and for the active part that you continue to play in our community. Thank you too to my colleagues in the ICA team who tirelessly bring skills, ideas and commitment to ensure our continuous improvement as a learning organisation.
I hope to see you at our International Curriculum Conference 2023 later this year in Vietnam, to hear your thoughts and feedback through our curriculum surveys and to welcome your participation in our regional professional development events.
I am looking forward to working together with you all to unlock the potential of our association; to collaborating with you to strengthen our community; and to driving forward our common purpose."
Sarah Blackmore - Director of the International Curriculum Association
