General School Information
What are the school hours?
Lower School students
School hours are from 08:30 to 15:25 Monday to Thursday, and 09:30 am to 15:25 on Friday.
Upper School students
School hours are 08:30 am to 15:30 Monday to Thursday, and 09:20 am to 15:30 pm on Friday.
The school remains open after school to accommodate a wide variety of extracurricular activities and athletics. All Lower school students remaining in the building must be supervised by a parent, guardian or after school instructor at all times.
What accreditations does the school have?
ISA is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and by the International Baccalaureate.
Learn more about ISA Accreditations
How many children attend ISA?
We have over 1300 children (ages 2-18) representing more than fifty countries.
How diverse is ISA’s student body?
We have approximately 1300 students representing over fifty countries. Roughly 37% are from continental Europe, 18% of our student body is from North America, 14% are from the United Kingdom, 8% are Japanese and 23% are from various other countries around the world.
What is the average class size at ISA?
Class sizes vary in the Primary Years Programme.
Nursery and preschool
We enroll up to sixteen children per class, each with a teacher and a full-time teaching assistant.
Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten
We enroll up to eighteen children per class with a teacher and full-time teaching assistant.
Grade 1
We enroll up to 20 children per class with a teacher and full-time teaching assistant.
Grades 2-5
Have one teacher and up to 20 students.
Middle Years Programme
We enroll up to 23 students per class.
Diploma Programme
The Diploma Programme has an average of fifteen students per class; however, due to a greater range of individual curriculum choices some class sizes may be much smaller.
Admissions
Is there a waiting list?
At ISA, enrollment changes regularly. Occasionally there is a waiting list for specific grades. Priority is given to ISA siblings, international students and then by the application receipt date. Learn about our Admissions.
Do you accept children who do not speak English?
Although English is the language of instruction at ISA, we offer considerable assistance for students who do not speak English or are learning to speak English as an additional language.
Students who require this language-learning support in Upper School take English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes, taught by specialists while simultaneously following grade-level appropriate Adapted English classes.
In the Lower School, an EAL support teacher is assigned to each grade level (grade 1-5). The language specialist delivers a combination of withdrawal classes and in-class support in the homeroom class. Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten students receive EAL support as an alternative to Dutch classes, if they need it. The EAL specialists also work closely with teachers in other disciplines to make sure these students have the necessary accommodations and support to ensure their learning in all subject areas.
For students entering grade 10 or higher, we require an intermediate or higher level of English proficiency.
Learn more about our language programmes.
Do you offer preschool?
Yes, we offer a full-time preschool programme for children who are age three by August 31. Learn about our Early Childhood programme in the Lower School.
If my child is not age three by August 31, do we have to wait a full year to register?
No. ISA offers a nursery programme designed for children who are ready to experience school, but are not yet old enough to join the preschool programme. Children may join the nursery programme if they are two-years old by August 31. Learn more our Nursery Programme.
Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
What extracurricular activities do you offer?
We offer an extensive extracurricular programme that includes creative arts, athletics, student government, Model United Nations, debate, grade-level challenge trips, music, yearbook, publication, choir, language clubs, chess, the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards and theatre productions.
Learn more about our Extracurricular Activities.
What athletics are offered?
In addition to the sports-related extracurricular activities that are available to students, ISA offers a full range of competitive athletics for students in grade 5 and higher. Team sports include basketball, cross country running, soccer, swimming, tennis, golf, track and field, softball and volleyball.
Learn more about ISA Athletics.
Health and Wellness
Is there a doctor on campus?
ISA has small clinic and two registered nurses on location. We also have a doctor and a dentist who visit on a regular schedule for wellness checkups.
Languages
Do you accept children who do not speak English?
Although English is the language of instruction at ISA, we offer considerable assistance for students who do not speak English or are learning to speak English as an additional language.
Students who require this language-learning support in Upper School take English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes, taught by specialists while simultaneously following grade-level appropriate Adapted English classes.
In the Lower School an EAL support teacher is assigned to each grade level (grade 1-5). The language specialist delivers a combination of withdrawal classes and in-class support in the homeroom class. Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten students receive EAL support as an alternative to Dutch classes, if they need it. The EAL specialists also work closely with teachers in other disciplines to make sure these students have the necessary accommodations and support to ensure their learning in all subject areas.
For students entering grade 10 or higher, we require an intermediate or higher level of English proficiency.
Learn more about the ISA Language Programmes.
What other languages are taught?
We offer an extensive choice of language instruction, which includes Dutch, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin.
For Upper School students in grades 6 through 10, we offer mother tongue classes in Dutch, French, Japanese, German and Spanish in addition to English. Mother tongue classes in Dutch, French and Japanese are offered in grades 11 and 12 in addition to English.
In the Lower School, Dutch is introduced to Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students who are not in the EAL programme. All students in grades 1 -5 study Dutch; EAL beginners study Dutch Culture in English for their first year.
After the first year at ISA, students in grades 2-5 can opt to study French as an alternative to Dutch. Additional mother tongue language classes are offered on an extra-curricular, private tuition basis.
Location and Transportation
How close to Amsterdam is the school?
We are located just over eleven kilometers south of Amsterdam city-centre and are easily accessible by bike, auto, bus and tram. View our location.
Do you offer transportation to and from school?
We organise bus services for children needing transportation to and from school. This door-to-door service is offered to families who live both close to the ISA campus and in the outlying towns. Bus routes are determined according to the addresses of the students. Bus fees and bus routes can be accessed in the Admissions section of the website.
Additional Information
Are there dining facilities on campus?
George’s Place, our main school cafeteria, is open daily from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. George’s Jr., a small canteen for Upper School students, is open for the morning break (all upper school) and for lunch (Diploma Programme students only). Students may bring food from home or purchase from the canteen. Beverages and snacks are served all day. Lunch is served between 11:30 and 2:00 pm. Lunch and milk cards can be purchased on location or online, where the daily menus can also be viewed.
Is there a Parent Teacher Association?
Our parent community is very involved at ISA. Parents play vital roles, participating in the PTA and Advisory committees, serving as national representatives for their countries, organising events and joining the life of the school. Every parent is welcome to join and encouraged to participate in activities. Learn more about our PTA.
Are there facilities for students with special needs?
Admission to ISA can be offered to children with mild educational or physical difficulties, within the scope of the limited facilities and personnel available at the school. The school’s Student Study Teams, composed of the Lower and Upper School Heads, Student Support Coordinator, Guidance Counsellor, Counsellor, Learning Support teachers and the School Nurse meet regularly to discuss referrals and support strategies for students with special needs. Learn more about ISA Student Support and Counselling.
Is learning to swim mandatory?
ISA follows the appropriate Dutch National Swimming Diploma Programme that focuses on water safety. Children from grades 2 and 3 participate in a swimming lesson once a week to train for the A, B and C diplomas. All students in these grade levels are expected to attend swimming lessons.
Still have a question?
To ensure that you receive a prompt response to your inquiry, please be sure to contact the appropriate person or department for your query.