How the right international school can set children on pathways to success

Finding the right international school for your child can be daunting, especially when there are so many top schools to choose from. After all, there are now more than 11,000 schools across the globe — with a seemingly endless list of factors to look into. 

Does the school have a transition plan? Is it in a good location? Do we believe in the same values? Are students learning on the latest devices? Is there a track record of success? 

The best international schools can answer yes to these questions — and more. They are the institutions where your child will join as a student and emerge as a graduate armed with a lifetime of memories and ready for their next steps in life. 

St. Joseph’s Institution International

Let your children find their footing at St. Joseph’s Institution International. Source: St. Joseph’s Institution International

Established in 2007, St. Joseph’s Institution International (SJI International) is a Lasallian Catholic school in Singapore that offers a holistic, values-driven and international education for students aged four to 18.

Recently marking their 15th anniversary, SJI International is today home to a diverse student body of 40 nationalities, where families of all cultural backgrounds and faiths are welcomed. Only 35% of SJI International students are Catholics.

SJI International has over 2,000 students across two schools — an elementary school for Prep 1 to Grade 6 (ages four to 12) and a high school for Grades 7 to 12 (ages 12 to 18). This means your children can find their footing at SJI International from the very start.

What sets the school apart is its holistic education. Through the school’s four distinct pillars — academic, service, outdoor education and co-curricular — children can access a trove of experiential opportunities. Its Academic (IPC, IGCSE, IB Diploma) programme is enriched by beyond the classroom activities that build character.

The Virtues Project, based on the beliefs and virtues valued by diverse cultures and world religions, make the school values (Community, Service, Faith, Excellence and Respect) accessible to the children. These empowering strategies inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life.

These features ensure SJI International students gain far more than outstanding academic achievements — they reach the highest levels of personal growth. At SJI International, children will experience an international, modern-day Lasallian education, eventually growing to become people of integrity and people for others. Click here to see how students here learn how to learn and learn how to live.

Concordia International School Shanghai

At Concordia International School Shanghai, it’s not just about studying. Source: Concordia International School Shanghai

Situated in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, Concordia International School Shanghai is known for its strong community feel, which creates a caring atmosphere of connection and concern for others. The Concordia experience powerfully impacts both students and families. Its embracing community, culture of familial partnership, and robust academics all lend themselves to an environment in which students can flourish and grow.

Concordia provides a holistic education that focuses on more than rigorous academics. Here, the focus is on educating the whole child. Physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development are equally important.

At Concordia, this whole child philosophy comes to life through its Applied Learning courses. These courses encourage 11th and 12th grade students to think and delve deeper into their passion for a subject beyond the depths of their curriculum, helping them discover unique connections between their studies and real-world endeavours.

Whether it’s Social Entrepreneurship, Big Data, Epidemiology, or Global Development and Public Health, students will read and analyse journal articles or literature pertinent to their fields of study; foster leadership; and collaborate with peers as well as with experts in the field. Beyond these, students have competed nationally in its first-rate robotics team and the QuizBowl, among various other opportunities to discover and expand their passions.

On top of sparking academic vitality, Concordia encourages students to contribute to society. This is done through their Service Learning projects, such as the Youth Empowering Progress (YEP) that provides education and human care services in impoverished communities while fostering social responsibility within the Concordia student body. In a recent project, students learned how recycled plastic bottles were used to create fashionable swimwear.

The result of such authentic opportunities? Test scores that are higher than the US national average, matriculations to top universities, and graduates with their own unique balance of Global Citizen, Servant Leader, Spirited Athlete, Confident Artist, and Passionate Scholar.

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong

A school passionate about performing arts. Source: Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong

Established in Hong Kong in 2014, Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong has grown to become one of the top international schools in the city for children ages three to 18. Here, there is no limit to what students can achieve. Every student can be ambitious, reach for their dreams and step out of their comfort zones. 

As every student is different, Nord Anglia carefully tailors an individual approach that will suit their students. Plus, with great teachers, committed students and a vibrant community that encourages hard work and engagement, these make Nord Anglia an excellent school that delivers world-class results. 

What sets it apart further is its passion for the performing arts. Dance, music and drama are part of the curricula. These are offered in collaboration with the renowned Juilliard School, a world-leading American institution.

What’s more, with superb and extensive facilities such as a rock-climbing wall, a 25-meter swimming pool, a studio, designated computer labs, a gymnasium and more, Nord Anglia is an exceptional school for students to thrive and excel at. 

“From 2.5 to 16 years old, we offer a rigorous, balanced learning experience based on the English National Curriculum with ‘added-value’. Free from the restrictions of having to follow a single syllabus, our teachers and leaders consistently devise ways to enrich the core curriculum, stretching and challenging our learners in every lesson,” says Principal Kenny Duncan. 

“Post-16, we offer the world-leading IB Diploma, often regarded as the ‘perfect’ preparation for university study. It provides a broad yet demanding curriculum, with emphasis on self-directed study through the extended essay and its enrichment programme, CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service).”

Marlborough College Malaysia

Boasting a massive 90-acre site, Marlborough College Malaysia has everything students need. Source: Marlborough College Malaysia

Striving to provide students with the best of the best, Marlborough College Malaysia (MCM) in Johor, Malaysia, boasts a massive 90-acre site packed with outstanding facilities and various academic offerings s that will see through a child’s journey from age four to 18.  

At this independent British boarding and day international school, students have everything they need on campus. During co-curricular activities, students can use the on-campus facilities, including an organic farm with crops and animals, a golf driving range, a lake for watersports, Olympic and beginner swimming pools, a theatre, climbing walls, rugby and football pitches and many more. 

On weekends and semester breaks, boarders will also get the opportunity to go on educational trips to museums, galleries, treks, and more within Malaysia and beyond, such as the UK, Australia, and more. 

MCM has received numerous awards and achieved outstanding academic results, making the international school one of the top 15 schools in Asia as rated by Spear’s 2021 Schools Index. 

Thanks to the school’s world-class teachers, MCM students carry a burning passion for learning and striving for success. As the COBIS Report 2021 states, “The pupils are commended for their exemplary behaviour and attitudes towards learning.”

“With our shared DNA and close links with Marlborough UK, we value and instil breadth of experience, intellectual rigour, creative joy and sporting excellence,” says Alan Stevens, Master of Marlborough College Malaysia. “Many of our children take the opportunity to develop independence and inter-reliance within the security and care of our outstanding boarding community.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International