The Lower School provides for children aged 4 to 11 and is contained in a separate wing of the school complete with its own library, art room, ESL room and playground. Children are placed in homeroom groupings in the care of a main teacher and receive instruction in all of the core subject areas – Language and Literature, Math, Social Studies, Science and Art– from that teacher. Music, Physical Education, French and ESOL are taught by specialist teachers. The Science and Social Studies curriculum is taught through trandisciplinary topics. To see the topics for 2009-2010 click here and for ISN rolling programme of topics click here.

The curriculum is eclectic, drawing on the best of aspects of British, American and other national curricula to provide an International Education. The Lower School at ISN is an IB PYP Candidate School. To find out more about the PYP and how it is being implemented at ISN click here.

The guideline which ISN adapts for placement is age on the 1st September. The placement of students in an international school is a complex issue. Students come from all kinds of national and international systems with as many types of preparation which emphasize different skills and areas of knowledge. The situation is further complicated by the fact that students start their formal schooling at different ages, and depending on the hemisphere, at different times of the year. The nomenclature is also different, sometimes using different numbers or letters to indicate what is in reality the same grade or age level. What we have found is that the one most consistently accurate guideline for placing students is age. This allows students to be working at an appropriate developmental and intellectual level.

A feature of the teaching in the Lower School is that it is focused on the individual needs of children. Classes are small with a maximum of 22 students per class and the approach is always one of trying to help not only in academic development but in social and emotional development as well.
French is taught to all students who are fluent in English and different levels are offered from beginners to bi-lingual.

Kindergarten (Class 2006)

Please click here for the Lower School Handbook.