About ISB

ISB has its roots as a U.S. Embassy School. It began in the early 1970's under the auspices of the U.S. Liaison Office that opened in Beijing following the historic visits to China of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and U.S. President Richard Nixon.

In January 2002, ISB was restructured as an independent school for foreign children under the auspices of the Beijing Municipal Education Bureau and moved from the Lido Complex to a new multi-million dollar facility located in Shunyi District, near residential complexes in northeast Beijing.

ISB is proud to educate and inspire over 1,850 students from over 50 countries. Students come to us at three years of age and often stay until high school graduation because of our exceptional academic programs as well as the commitment to the social and emotional development of the whole child.

ISB is proud to educate and inspire over 1,850 students from over 50 countries. Students come to us at three years of age and often stay until high school graduation because of our exceptional academic programs as well as the commitment to the social and emotional development of the whole child.

Mission Statement

As a world leader in international education, it is the mission of ISB, in partnership with parents, to educate and inspire our students to reach their unique potential and contribute positively to society by providing a world class education that is enriched by the diversity and the Chinese culture in which they live.

Offering outstanding educational programs drawn from the best international curricula and standards, ISB strives to inspire each and every student with knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to become a responsible contributor to the global community. They think you will find ISB’s teachers, as well as their comprehensive, child-centered curriculum and programs are among the best in the world.

Library Media Center

The library fosters a community of learning and literacy that leads to high academic achievement, independent reading and learning, and collaboration throughout the school.

They have over 72,000 items in our print and audio visual collection and they subscribe to over 160 magazines. In addition, they subscribe to 13 online research databases and have an interlibrary loan agreement with the National Library of China.

The library staff is available throughout the school year to assist you in understanding better what resources we have to offer and how to use them. In addition the library holds special events and activities throughout the school year such as author visits, book fairs, book clubs, etc.

Staff Members and Academic Programme

At ISB you will find more than 350 of the world’s best teachers, administrators, and staff members, all focused on helping children learn, grow, and succeed.

These firmly held beliefs guide them as they work in partnership with parents to provide a world-class education for every student at the school.

ISB has adapted the best American standards-based curricula, and together with the International Baccalaureate diploma program, offers a world class international education for all students. The standards describe the skills, knowledge and understandings to be demonstrated by students by the time they graduate from High School.

ISB’s exceptional campus is home to four distinct school divisions: Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. Each division has its own identity, yet all work together toward the common goal of delivering the mission of the school. Each division’s programs are engaging and challenging, and they are proud of their students’ academic achievements, extra-curricular involvement, community service efforts, and appreciation of the host culture of China.

You will find that ISB is a warm, welcoming center of educational excellence, with a stellar track record and exciting opportunities at every grade level. Here you have had a chance to peruse all the materials on the website.