International schools in Asia setting students up for a lifetime of success

In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, the importance of education cannot be overstated. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is essential for students to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the challenges and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. International schools, renowned for their commitment to academic excellence and cultural diversity, have emerged as pioneers in shaping well-rounded individuals who are prepared to excel both today and tomorrow.

Schools in Asia are especially excellent in offering a holistic education and future-facing curricula. These schools understand that success in the modern era requires more than just academic prowess; it demands a broader skill set encompassing leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. Incorporating these vital attributes into educational frameworks empowers students to thrive in a dynamic, interconnected global society.

By equipping students with the tools they need to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially, these international schools are creating an environment that fosters lifelong learning, personal growth, and limitless possibilities:

Jerudong International School

Jerudong International School (JIS) in Brunei is a well-established, holistic, and future-facing school that prepares its students for academic success and beyond. JIS offers an international curriculum that includes IGCSE, A Levels, IB Diploma, or BTEC, catering to a diverse range of student needs. Graduating students from JIS have been accepted to the world’s leading universities, including Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Yale as well as Oxford and Cambridge.

JIS is committed to building leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity into the curriculum. The school’s bespoke leadership development programme based on the House system creates a strong sense of community and belonging, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for students. JIS is also the largest centre for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award in Asia, with an impressive number of students achieving Bronze (93), Silver (57), and Gold (49) Awards in 2023.

JIS prioritises student welfare, with a particular emphasis on pastoral care and support for the well-being of all students in the community. This is reflected in the school’s achievement of the COBIS Beacon Status for Standard 2 – Student Welfare and Standard 6 – Boarding.

Moreover, JIS is known for providing a wide range of enrichment activities, including sports, music, drama, and community service. The school’s commitment to offering a rich and engaging extra-curricular programme is reflected in the COBIS Beacon Status awarded to the school for Standard 10 – Extra-Curricular, Enrichment, and Engagement.

In conclusion, JIS is an exceptional school that provides a holistic and future-facing education. With its commitment to academic excellence, student welfare, leadership development, and extracurricular activities, JIS sets its students up for success not just in school but in all aspects of their lives.

JIS is known for its ability to launch dynamic academic careers. Source: Jerudong International School

Alice Smith School Malaysia

Alice Smith School is the first British international school in Malaysia and is the only “not-for-profit” British international school in the nation’s fast-rising capital. Growing from strength to strength since Alice Fairfield-Smith, a biology graduate from Harvard University and an experienced teacher, first set up the school in her home in Jalan Eaton, today the school is synonymous with the phrase “outstanding international education.”

Step into any class, and you’ll find interaction and collaboration between the teacher, the students and their peers. In small tutor groups, coaching and reflection exercises take place — sometimes led by expert guests — so students get the most from their education. Enriched, challenging and holistic, it’s a curriculum that nurtures young minds into critical and analytical leaders, ready for university and beyond.

It all kicks off in the Foundation Stage, where students between the ages of three and five follow the English National Curriculum. Teachers guide according to a number of recognised approaches as to how children best learn at this age, including Reggio Emilia, Anna Ephgrave, Maria Montessori and Alistair Bryce-Clegg.

Across Primary, Secondary, and Sixth Form programmes, older students combine their academic achievements with their unique strengths, aspirations and needs. Students take GCSE and A Level, customising their own pathways with enrichment activities, including leadership, service and physical activity.

Alice Smith School Malaysia provides students with an outstanding British education in Asia. Source: Alice Smith School Malaysia

Dover Court International School

Diverse. Global. Success. These three words define Singapore’s Dover Court International School (DCIS). Situated in the heart of Singapore, the green 12-acre campus is home to children aged three to 18 who learn in a supportive and inclusive environment that sets them on a path to lifelong success.

Here, identity, equity and diversity are ingrained in the school’s culture and curriculum. Psychologists, speech and physical therapists, and teachers with qualifications in special needs integrate students with additional needs into main-school activities. Students from Nursery to Year 6 not only explore the origin of specific cultures, practices, and lifestyles but also commit to individual and group projects that deepen the understanding of their research.

What sets DCIS apart is how it prepares students to thrive successfully in their journey beyond school. To achieve this goal, they modified the English National Curriculum to create an education with an international perspective – suitable for children who will grow up to be members of a global community. Young minds flourish through this combination of rigorous grounding in core subjects — like English, Mathematics, and Science — with international awareness, social responsibility, and language acquisition.

The best part? DCIS students benefit from global programmes like “Global Campus” (a virtual learning environment that connects DCIS students with peers in 79 Nord Anglia Education’s schools) and global collaborations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), UNICEF, and The Juilliard School.

Children learn from a caring and community-orientated school that sets them up for lifelong success. Source: Dover Court International School

Bangkok International Preparatory and Secondary School (Bangkok Prep)

Nestled in a peaceful residential area in the heart of the city, Bangkok Prep is where students are preparing for life. And they’re doing so in one of the most established international schools in Thailand.

Established in 2003, Bangkok Prep now has over 1,400 students from more than 50 countries enrolled with a robust, well-rounded British education accredited by the Council of International Schools. It is the first international school in Thailand to achieve the Eco-School’s highest status — the Green Flag Award — and many more.

Located just a stone’s throw from Sukhumvit 71, Bangkok Prep is the only international school in the Sukhumvit CBD to offer the British curriculum on one campus from Early Years Foundation Stage through to A Levels (three to 18 years old). The campus is home to world-class facilities, including a FIFA standard football field, an Olympic size swimming pool and a tennis academy, providing an excellent environment for ambitious learners to reach their full potential.

Bangkok Prep’s recipe for success includes its diverse student body, qualified teachers, state-of-the-art campus and a wide range of subjects for students to choose from. The success of its students proves this: 92% of IGCSE grades were A* to C and 70% of A Level results were A* to B grades.

Bangkok Prep offers students a robust, well-rounded British education accredited by the Council of International Schools. Source: Bangkok International Preparatory and Secondary School (Bangkok Prep)

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