Skip to Main Content
WAB Faculty & Staff

CAS & Service as Action: Overview

What is CAS?

The Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component of the International Baccalaureate is part of the core requirements of the IB Diploma and is at the heart of WAB’s mission to develop students that ‘Connect, Inspire, Challenge and Make a Difference’. 

CAS is a wholistic approach to learning, which allows students the flexibility to explore their interests and talents in the areas of creativity, physical activity, and community service engagements in local, national, and international contexts. The CAS component amplifies and supports subject area experiences and demonstrates a student’s ability to develop and reflect on themselves as a Global Citizen.  

The program formally begins at the start of grade 11 for all WAB students and continues regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between ‘Creativity’, ‘Activity’, and ‘Service’ strands. Students are expected to complete at least 2 experiences for each C-A-S, and one Long-Term Project. At WAB, students have various opportunities to participate in CAS experiences, such as during DAY 9, in Student Led Clubs, WABx and other self-directed time. Students have time set aside during Flex/Mentor to develop a CAS portfolio and reflect on their experiences supported by their mentor. 

What are the benefits of CAS?

Who Supports You?

Your Mentor will be the ongoing person of support and contact for the student during the CAS program.  

Their role will be as follows:  

  • Educate students on all aspects of the CAS programme 
  • Educate students on the meaning and purpose of the CAS learning outcomes 
  • Assist students with clarifying and developing the attributes of the IB learner profile  
  • Support students in understanding ethical concerns and Global Citizenship 
  • Develop purposeful reflection skills through individual interviews, group discussions and presentations 
  • Provide feedback on student reflections 
  • Assist students in identifying personal and group goals 
  • Discuss goals and achievements in regular meetings 
  • Provide ongoing guidance and support to students 
  • Monitor the range and balance of experiences undertaken by individuals 
  • Advise and monitor progress towards meeting the CAS learning outcomes 
  • Periodically review students’ CAS portfolios 
  • Meet each student in three formal documented interviews. 

The CAS coordinator facilitates understanding of CAS and oversees the effective implementation of CAS experiences, working directly with students, staff, Mentors and CAS supervisors. The CAS coordinator is responsible for reporting the progress of CAS students to the Diploma Programme. CAS coordinators are ultimately responsible for determining whether students have met the CAS learning outcomes at the end of the Diploma Programme. 

Their role is as follows:  

  • Familiarize students, colleagues, parents and the wider community with CAS  
  • Promote the importance of CAS to students, colleagues, parents and the wider community  
  • Approve and support the development of a CAS project for each student 
  • Identify safety issues (risk assessment) of external CAS experiences 
  • Report on student progress to school and parents  
  • Promote and publicize student achievements in CAS  
  • Support CAS supervisors and mentors  
  • Inform and work with outside providers in their involvement in CAS experiences  
  • Report completion/non-completion of CAS to the IB  

The CAS supervisor assists, offers guidance and oversees the students’ CAS experiences when needed. A supervisor may not be necessary if a student is able to undertake a CAS experience without assistance or supervision. Students should take responsibility for their own CAS experiences where possible and be provided with opportunities to report on their own attendance and participation. Dependent on the nature of the experience, the school should decide whether a supervisor is required to guide and assist the student, to ensure safety and to provide feedback on student involvement to the school. CAS supervisors can be teachers, non-teaching members of the school or wider community, or volunteers with the skills and/or knowledge of the CAS experience undertaken by the student.  

Their role is as follows:  

  • Be familiar with elements of the CAS programme as applicable  
  • Be responsible for student safety and risk management procedures  
  • Provide students with guidance, support and feedback on the CAS experience  
  • Encourage reflection  
  • Comment on the student’s engagement with the CAS experience in a supervisor review if required. 

CAS Overview

What is required for CAS?

“The school and students must give CAS as much importance as any other element of the Diploma Programme and ensure sufficient time is allocated for engaging in the CAS programme.” IBO CAS Guide [2019] 

Student responsibilities:  

  • Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the expectations of the CAS program and timelines. 
  • Meet for an interview with your CAS Advisor/Mentor according to the timeline, at least two times over the duration of your CAS programme; be sure to come prepared. 
  • Base your choices on your interests, skills, talents and areas for growth to stay motivated; challenge yourself! 
  • Balance your experiences between Creativity, Activity and Service - Minimum 2 experiences per strand. One Service Experience must be a Global Issue based on the SDGs
  • Initiate or engage in at least one significant and meaningful CAS Action Project in collaboration with others that extends over at least one month. 
  • Engage with the Learning Outcomes by planning your CAS program experiences intentionally. You will need to show evidence and reflect on each of the 7 learning outcomes 2-3 times throughout your program.
  • Use the CAS stages as much as possible when considering, planning, and undertaking your CAS experiences; be sure to apply these to Service and to the CAS Project. 
  • Ask questions along the way when you need assistance or clarity. 
  • Participate in meaningful reflection as a way to capture your experiences and summarize your evidence linked to the Learning Outcomes. 
  • Enjoy CAS!  That’s most important—to participate in experiences that assists your personal growth and offers you a world of possibilities. 

 

Note: Experiences completed as part of the requirements of the IB Diploma subjects including Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay cannot be counted as part of your CAS portfolio.