About NIS-Programme

Education at Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools is delivered in accordance with the educational NIS-programme developed by Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools AEO.

The NIS-Programme is based on the integrated approach taking into account the Kazakhstani context, national development priorities, and international trends in secondary education.

It is aimed at shaping students’ fundamental academic knowledge, developing critical thinking and functional literacy through in-depth study of Mathematics and Science, use of information and communication technologies and trilingual education.

History

Today the NIS-Programme is a Kazakhstani brand comparable to a wide range of international programmes, such as A / As-level (UK), O-Level (Singapore), International Baccalaureate, etc.

The NIS Grade 12 Certificate is recognized by international organizations and systems for the recognition of certificates of education (NARIC, ANABIN, UCAS, NUFFIC) and leading foreign universities for direct admission to undergraduate programmes (UK, South Korea, Netherlands, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia , New Zealand, etc.).

The NIS-Programme is also recognized by Kazakhstani universities and provides an opportunity for NIS graduates to apply for 3-year undergraduate programmes depending on the results of the 12th Grade Certificate. A number of universities in Kazakhstan award credits for the sections of high school curricula.

Features

The programme was designed following a value-oriented, activity-based, integrated and communicative approach.

The NIS-Programme propagates such values as respect, cooperation, open-mindness, patriotism and civic responsibility, work and creativity, and lifelong learning.

These values are instilled through the subject content of curricula, classroom and extracurricular activities.

The aim of the NIS-Programme is to create an educational space favorable for the harmonious development of a highly educated individual that would be able to apply knowledge in creative ways, think critically, do research, use information and communication technologies (ICT) and communication methods, work in a group and individually, solve problems and make decisions.

Structure

The NIS-Programme covers the following levels of education: primary education (Grades 1-5); secondary education (Grades 6-10); high education (Grades 11-12).

Subject programmes for all education levels are based on the principle of continuity (spiral approach) and coherence according to which each learning objective is built up from class to class, and from one level of education to another.

The NIS-Programme incorporates 6 education strands: Language and Literature, Science, Mathematics and Computer Science, Man and Society, Art, and Physical Education.

Trilingual Education

Trilingual education is an integral part of the NIS-Programme aimed at forming a multilingual personality who speaks three languages, knows the subject areas in these languages, is able to successfully conduct a dialogue, values the culture of his or her people, understands and respects the culture of other nations.

Trilingual education is implemented through:

A multilevel study of the Kazakh, Russian and English languages as individual subjects;
A study of individual subjects in the second (Kazakh/Russian) and third languages (English) regardless of the language of instruction: World Understanding, History of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan in the modern world), Geography, and Fundamentals of law in Kazakh; World History and ICT in Russian; Science, Economics, and Global Perspectives and Project Work in English.
extracurricular activities in three languages.

Languages are taught based on a communicative approach by developing four speaking skills.

Non-linguistic subjects are delivered in the second and third languages using the Content and Language Integrated Learning” (CLIL) approach.

Methodological support

The Center delivers seminars and trainings on modern teaching approaches for teachers of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools and other educational organizations implementing the NIS-Programme.

Electronic versions of curricula and mid-term plans; teaching aids, learning materials, etc. are available on an online platform (http://cep-forum.nis.edu.kz/) and can be downloaded.

Virtual and Vacation Schools

Virtual and Vacation Schools are forms of online education using distance learning technology for the target audience. In these schools, Grade 5 and 6 students get prepared for the competitive admission to NIS Grade 7 and NIS-Programme-based learning.

The Center provides teaching and learning materials for the Virtual and Vacation Schools.

In the Virtual School, students attend online lessons, complete assignments, and get tested. Following the test results, they are invited to the Vacation School for face-to-face studies and consultations on major subjects.

For more information about the Virtual School, as well as to register, please follow the link: https://vs.nis.edu.kz.