What is an International School and where will it lead my child?
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f you are reading this article you probably already have a pretty good idea of what an international school is – a school that teaches an international curriculum usually in English. But what other factors make an international school different to a ‘regular’ school and what can your children do with an international school education? Traditionally, international schools were located in non-English speaking environments, however these days you can find them in the United States, Canada, the UK, and other English-speaking countries. Modern international schools also offer a diversity of languages and programmes, from German-language medium schools to schools that follow the Australian curriculum – there are all kinds
WRITTEN BY ISP EDITORIAL TEAM
of international schools to suit you and your child’s needs. The first international school was founded in 1924, however the concept can be traced back to the 1800’s to schools set up by missionaries in Africa. International schools as we know them, were established to provide the children of diplomats and expatriates the same quality and style of education as back ‘home’. However, recently, the international school student body has also undergone a massive change, with up to 80% domestic students in some markets. Most international schools follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) and/ or an adapted British or American curriculum. However, it is not unusual to find international schools delivering INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2021 | 14
other curriculums or even a blend of international and local content. Almost 25 years ago, there were around 1000 English-language international schools scattered around the world. In 2020, there were almost 12,000 international schools with a total student body of close to 6 million. International schools are on the up, largely due to the increased perceived value in the domestic market. Let’s look at what makes international schools different and increasingly popular in some markets:
The differences between an international and ‘regular’ school The main difference between an international and a regular school, be it public or private, is the curriculum. As
