INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
A Welcome from the Principal I have been fortunate to be here at the British International School, Nanxiang Shanghai, since the school's opening in August 2007. We have undergone a number of changes during that time, but one thing has remained constant - the pupils here are without doubt the friendliest, most polite and happiest students it has been my pleasure to work with.A small school undoubtedly encourages relationships between pupils and the staff, and between the pupils themselves, to grow and develop in a way that is not always possible in a larger institution, and this is perhaps what I am most proud of here - the way in which pupils from all age groups co-exist in an atmosphere of respect, of understanding and of good will. This manifests itself in many ways throughout school life: a visit to our dining room at lunch time will see an older student enjoying the company of their younger peers over lunch; our school House events will see pupils of all age groups happily co-operating and working together; and when I walk around the school, I can feel assured of receiving hearty greetings (and perhaps some playful banter!) from everyone I meet. These may seem like small things but to me they are overwhelmingly important - it means that the children here are enjoying their school life, they understand the importance of open and honest relationships and they value the feeling of belonging to a real community in which there are no closed groups and in which all feel safe and secure.
The same approach is apparent in our dealings with home, as well. Every day, parents receive an email from class teachers outlining the work that was covered in school that day and that evening's homework expectations. Furthermore, all parents have direct email contact with all class and subject teachers and I hold frequent key stage parent forums that enable us to discuss school life, forthcoming events and to share other important information. In addition, I am always happy to meet with parents at any time to discuss any aspect of your child's education. These channels of communication also exist, of course, alongside regular formal parents' meetings and pupil academic reports. (A full schedule of parent meetings can be found on the School Events Calendar.)
In terms of the academic life of the school, it is clear that we are achieving some exciting things. In the 2008-09 academic year, for instance, in KS2 and KS3 English our pupils progressed by, on average, over four levels during the course of the year (UK national avergaes are two levels); recent CATS testing (September 2009) showed that a significiant number of our KS1 pupils are ranked above the UK average in all three categories (verbal, non-verbal and number); our pupils acquitted themselves especially well in the World Maths Day challenge held in early 2009; and the fantastic array of visual art on display around the school are all testimony to the fantastic work being done by pupils of all ages and in all subject areas.
To me, therefore, it is apparent that BISS Nanxiang pupils are being afforded ample opportunity to perform to their true and full potential in all areas of the curriculum and this is of course in no small part due to the excellent and dedicated teaching staff we are blessed with here. Our international staff bring with them a wealth of work and life experiences, from a wide variety of schools and countries, and this is of course one of the joys of learning in an international environment - the people that you encounter are often likely to bring to the classroom something extra, something beyond the everyday, and I believe that our school life is all the richer for that.
Elsewhere on the website you will find detailed information about the programmes of study that we offer, the extra-curricular activities in which children can become invoved and, hopefully, just a taste of school life here at BISS Nanxiang. Of course, there is no substitute for experiencing these things for yourself so I would most warmly encourage you to arrange a visit and see our school in action for yourself. Please contact our Admissions Officer Miss Nicola Collins (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
) and she will be delighted to arranage a visit for you.
I hope you find the information here useful and of interest, and I look forward to welcoming you to BISS Nanxiang soon.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Angus BA MA PGCE - Principal |