Lucy Cooker, Lucy Bailey, Howard Stevenson and Stephen Joseph—The University of Nottingham
This global study explored the social and emotional well-being of students (ages 3–19) in International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools, and examined how well-being is manifested in the curriculum and enacted in school practices. The researchers drew upon a student survey and interviews with school administrators, teachers, counsellors and students. The survey indicated that students in IB World Schools have good relationships with others, report positive attitudes towards themselves and their friends and family, and rated positively the support given to them by their teachers. The scores of Primary Years Programme (PYP) students were significantly higher on the well-being measures than those of students in other programmes. Educators perceived specific curriculum elements to be helpful in supporting well-being, in particular: the learner profile, approaches to learning (ATL) and the creativity, activity and service (CAS) component of the Diploma Programme (DP). Rather than identifying specific components or documents from the curriculum, interviewees felt that it was the ethos of the IB and the way the programmes had been conceptualized that allows schools to focus on social and emotional well-being. In all schools visited by the researchers, the development of well-being was considered significant and an important role for the school.
