For an all-round education, both in and out of the classroom, the International School Aberdeen is the perfect choice.
ISA’s mission is to deliver excellence in education through a safe and caring learning environment. Students are challenged to reach their maximum potential through academic success and personal growth, becoming learners for life and socially responsible, active global citizens.
The school provides students with a comprehensive university preparatory education, utilising best practices in education from around the world. The internationally diverse student body is served through a partnership of excellent staff, committed parents, and an involved community.
The students develop international mindedness through the educational programme and from being a part of a diverse community. They learn local and global perspectives through the numerous co-curricular activities and have opportunities to grow academically, artistically, and athletically.
The programme at ISA provides students with a safe setting in which to develop into young adults and reach their full potential.
New families recognise the quality of care on offer and how the school makes the extra effort to identify individual needs, supporting both emotional and educational development. Diversity is celebrated: each child is unique, with different backgrounds, talents and dreams. From pre-school to high school, students are provided with some of the very best purpose-built, learning facilities to be found anywhere in Aberdeen.
ISA offers the International Baccalaureate Programme in Grades 11 and 12 (S5-S6). This qualification offers students both breadth and depth academically with aspects such as theory of knowledge, creativity-activity-service and an extended essay, setting it apart from other educational systems.
The approaches to learning that students develop help them find success in further education, and returning alumni refer to how well prepared they were having taken the IB at ISA.
ISA is an approved testing centre for the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), the most popular recognised international qualification for 14 to 16-year-old students.
ISA students have the option to sit these exams in many of their subjects at the end of Grade 10 (S4). In addition to ensuring good preparation for the IB Diploma Programme, the curriculum has been designed to meet the requirements of these qualifications.
As an international school, modern language study is a high priority. In addition to the foreign language study options of French and Spanish, there are formalised French and Dutch Mother Tongue programmes at ISA. The French programme (CNED) allows French native speakers to follow the French national curriculum in French language and history/geography through a well-established and respected distance learning programme set up by the French Ministère de l’Education Nationale.
Meanwhile, the Dutch language programme is in line with learning goals set by the Dutch Ministry of Education. The Dutch ministry supervises this programme at ISA and has rated it as excellent.
Students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of co-curricular sports and after-school activities throughout the year, which are seen as an integral part of their education and development.
After-school activities have included Model United Nations (MUN), computer club, drama, engineering, robotics, pottery, circus, rollerblading and hockey, snorkel and scuba diving, fencing, water polo, gymnastics, environmental club, amongst many others. ISA is a founding member of the International Schools Sports Association (ISSA), and regularly competes in regional tournaments.
The school annually fields highly competitive teams in basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, badminton and golf. ISA is also affiliated with the Scottish Basketball Association, the Scottish Volleyball Association and the Scottish Schools Football Association, providing students with a rich variety of sports and levels in which to participate.
The school values social responsibility, global thinking, and service. Students have numerous opportunities to engage in these values in various ways through the school year.
ISA is proud to be an active member of Eco-Schools, and attained the Green Flag Award in 2016.
Students can also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award schemes, giving them the opportunity to experience new activities or develop existing skills. The awards are personalised, achievement focused, achievable by all and lead to a balanced development through a focus on the whole person: mind, body, and soul.
Tuition fees are inclusive of bus transportation, textbooks, IB examination fees, and the majority of after-school activities. ISA has no formal school uniform. Weekday after-school care is available for children aged 3-11 from 3-6pm.
The school’s website has more details about its educational programme.