Choosing a school that best suits your family as you organise an international relocation is a really important task. We are here to provide you with all the information that you need to support you in your family’s decision-making. Applications are welcomed from all students who can benefit from a challenging, international, university preparatory, English language education.
We would love to help you learn more about ISA and we hope that you will find a place your family can call a home away from home, and an international community you will be proud to be a part of.
The ISA Admissions Team
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 39 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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ISA currently has 1275 students.
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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Over 60 nationalities are represented at ISA.
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Most common nationality
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Seventeen percert of our students are North American.
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Ratio of local students to international students
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11% of our students are Dutch, but most join ISA after spending time abroad.
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Native English speaking teachers
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All language teachers are native speakers. Teachers teaching languages other than English are also native speakers of that language.
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Language support for students not fluent in English
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As ISA seeks to serve an international community and English is the primary language of instruction, the school recognises the need to support and develop students’ academic English proficiency to enable access to the programmes offered. Students may join the school without any prior English language proficiency until Grade 9. Students for entry into Grade 10 must demonstrate a minimum of intermediate proficiency in academic English. Students coming into Grade 11 must demonstrate advanced proficiency in academic English. Please note that English as an Additional Language support is not available for students in grades 11 and 12.
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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ISA offers the following in-curricular modern languages:
Dutch
Spanish
French
German
Mandarin
Japanese
Our Language Academy (Extracurricular) offers French, Spanish, Hebrew, Turkish, Mandarin, Hindi, Korean and German.
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Max. number of students per class
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ISA class capacity is 23 students.
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Average number of students per class
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The average number of students varies depending on the grades. Pre-school has 16 students on average. Grades 1 to 5 have 20 students. Upper School grade levels have up to 23 students.
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Teaching assistants are common in our Primary Years Programme.
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Use of technology in the classroom
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ISA has a bring-your-own-laptop programme for Upper School students. There are technology and innovation coaches in all divisions of the school and teachers make use of technology on a daily basis to support learning experiences.
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Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, ISA implemented an online distance learning programme for our Lower and Upper school students.
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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All religions and beliefs are respected and valued at ISA, however, there are no religious studies classes.
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External examinations or assessments available
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As an IB school, ISA complies with the International Baccalaureate examinations.
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Results in these examinations
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IB Diploma Results Summary 2022
ISA Pass Rate: 100%
ISA Average Score (average Points): 36
World Average Score (average points): 32
ISA Average Grade: 5.6
World Average Grade: 5.0
ISA Highest Score: 45
Class of 2022 Highlights
107 Graduates
99 Diploma Candidates
100% earned IB Diploma
29 Bilingual Diplomas
36 Average IB Score
50% obtained 36 points or more
23% obtained 40 points or more
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Most grade levels are expected to engage in some homework activity. The extent of time required is appropriate to the student’s grade-level and individual needs.
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Approximate hours of homework given
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Most grade levels are expected to engage in some homework activity. The extent of time required is appropriate to the student’s grade-level and individual needs.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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The great majority of graduates immediately attend higher education institutions, while the remaining have taken gap years before going to college or university.
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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While ISA has limited facilities and resources available to students with additional needs, support is offered to students with mild to moderate learning challenges or physical disabilities. Additional support services may be provided on a private tuition basis and may have associated fees.
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Learning support offered
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While ISA has limited facilities and resources available to students with special needs, admission may be offered to students with mild to moderate learning challenges or physical disabilities, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Initial screening, in-class, and group support may be provided through the Student Support Department and Counselling teams.
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The school supports gifted, able and talented students
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Differentiation practices are implemented by teachers in each and every classroom. Additional support is provided on a case-by-case basis.
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Student access to education psychologist
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ISA refers students to external educational psychologists and our counseling team works with these professionals directly.
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Entry evaluation for students
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Our Admissions Team facilitates intake interviews for all enrolled students, which vary depending on the entry grade level. For students entering Upper School, a placement test is required.
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Waiting list
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There may be waiting pools for specific grades. However, upon inquiry, our Admissions Team will offer detailed information about placement.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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Yes. Although you can make an application to ISA at any time there are a few key dates that you should keep in mind if you are hoping to begin school on the first day of the academic year in August.
JANUARY 15: We release the first round of admissions decisions for each academic year around the middle of the preceding March. If you want to receive your admissions decision as part of that first round of offers it is crucial that you start your application before January 15. Applications are considered as started once the application fee has been paid, and the Student Application and Household Information sections in the online application portal are complete
FEBRUARY 1: If you successfully start your application by January 15, you then have until February 1 to fully complete the application by submitting all required documentation. Applications that are not complete by February 1 will not be reviewed on time to be part of the first round of admissions offers. If you complete your application before February 1, you will receive your admissions decision in the first round of offers in mid-March.
MAY 1: If you are applying to start school at ISA on the first day of the academic year in August, we highly recommend that you ensure that you complete your application by May 1 at the latest. At that stage in the year we will be continuing to review applications on a rolling basis, but with the summer holidays approaching we cannot guarantee that applications completed after this date will be reviewed on time for a new student to begin on the first day of term.
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Students can join after academic year begins
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ISA operates a system of rolling admissions. This means that students can join during the school year, and not just on the first day of term. The only limit we place on this is that new students cannot start at ISA after the end of April in any academic year, as this is too close to the ultimate end of the school year.
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School start time
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The school day starts at 8:30 from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, school starts at 9:30.
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School finish time
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The school day finishes at 15:30. Extracurricular activities are offered as of 15:30.
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Supervised care before/after school
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Yes. ISA offers an After School Care programme for students after the school day.
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School bus service available
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Yes, ISA offers a door-to-door bus service.
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School provided lunches
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Our school cafeteria is open daily from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Students may bring food from home or purchase from the cafeteria.
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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Our cafeteria team is able to accommodate different dietary needs upon request.
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Uniform required
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No, but spirit wear can be bought in the PTA store.
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Sports facilities at the school
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2 gymnasiums, playgrounds, playing fields.
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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The International School of Amsterdam is a globally-recognised leader in education for international understanding. Founded in 1964, ISA was the first authorised IB World School, offering International Baccalaureate programmes from pre-school through grade 12.
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Teaching approach of the school
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ISA offers an internationally accredited programme that provides students from ages two to eighteen with a student-centered curriculum which recognises diverse learning styles, preferences and individual needs. By integrating traditional academic subjects with the latest methodologies and technologies, ISA is able to move beyond conventional classroom teaching to ensure its students meet their full potential on the path to lifelong learning.
ISA curriculum is firmly grounded on the principles of the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) three programmes—the Primary Years (ages 3-11), the Middle Years (ages 11-16) and the Diploma Years programmes (16-18), allowing its students to benefit from a continuum of education from pre-school through high school, while also offering flexibility to best reflect the particular needs of the school's internationally-mobile students.
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Nursery and IB Primary Years
The ISA Nursery programme, designed for two to three year olds, introduces your child to learning in an educational setting, and prepares them for enrolment in the Primary Years Programme in Pre-School the following school year.
The programme is based on developmentally-appropriate practice with an emphasis on each child’s social-emotional development and well-being.
The ISA Primary Years Programme (PYP) offers children, ages 3-11, a worldwide perspective on education by encouraging our young learners to share knowledge, experiences and ideas through an inquiry-based curriculum. This means that our students are active participants in their education – learning through questioning and exploration.
Educating the whole child is central to the IB Primary Years Programme.
IB Middle Years and IB Diploma Programme
The Middle Years Programme is specially designed for the unique needs of children ages 11 to 16 (grades 6 through 10), at a time when they need to develop good learning habits, self-confidence and a thorough understanding of their academic subjects.
Our student-centred educational approach both embraces and transcends traditional school subjects by helping our students to see the connections between the academic disciplines.
The Diploma Program is an academically-focused curriculum for students ages 16 to 18 (grades 11 and 12) who are preparing to enter university. It aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
Extracurricular Activities & Sports
ISA offers a programme of after school activities to add diversity to the learning experience and an important social element to the lives of the students from Pre-School to grade 12.
The programme itself is non-competitive, meaning that the emphasis is on enjoyment, participation and improvement. The various activities offer students the opportunity to be physically active and develop skills and knowledge in their chosen area of interest.
Facilities
ISA is housed in a purpose-built facility designed for international education. Facilities include a professional development center, three libraries, a 400-seat theater, eight science laboratories, and specialist rooms for music, art, and drama. More than 1,500 computers and iPads are joined in a school-wide network that has direct access to the Internet. Three gymnasiums, discovery-oriented playgrounds, and adjacent playing fields are large, well equipped, and secure.
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