A Guide To The International School Of Florence

International schools in Europe are known to uphold high education standards. The rise in the popularity of these schools is understandable, considering the volume of migration the continent receives annually. Ex-pats want their children to acquire the best education that doesn’t restrict their growth due to cultural and linguistic differences.

We have been covering many such schools at CEOWorld. Today, our focus will be on one of them based in Florence. The International School of Florence (ISF) is a renowned institution with a set of exceptional educational, extra-curricular, and infrastructural facilities.

And we’ll explore why you should consider sending your kids here. This article is significant for immigrant parents with young children expecting admission to an excellent European elementary school.

Here is a small guide to the ISF:

1. An Overview 

Before we focus on the specifics, let’s know more about the school. IFS holds the distinction of being one of the oldest international schools in Europe. With over 70 years of long legacy, the school operates as an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school. Children from Early Years to grade 12 are enrolled here.

The school carries out its operations from two campuses, with the Junior School in the Tuscan countryside and the Upper School at a medieval Florentine villa in the Oltrarno region. All in all, more than 44 nationalities are represented in its entire student body, with 40 percent being Italians. The teacher: student ratio is 7:1 here.

2. Major accreditations 

ISF has several major accreditations to its name. These accreditations are essential for the consolidation of an international school’s reputation. Thus, credibility is attributable to any school with these honors.

To name a few accreditations, ISF has received recognition from the Council of International Schools (CIS), the Middle States Association (MSA), and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).

3. Academics 

The academic structure is divided into four phases:

• • Early Years: As the name suggests, it denotes the beginning of a child’s formal education journey. At ISF, Early Years is instructed through the IB Primary Years Programme.
  • Junior School: Following the Primary Years Programme (PYPP, elementary education is administered through transdisciplinary themes.
  • Middle School: Children between 11 and 14 take up middle school. Interdisciplinary subjects and extra-curricular are especially emphasized.
  • High School: It is the final preparatory stage for children seeking admission to universities. The said school is bifurcated into two parts. The first part involves grades 9 and 10, and the second involves the IB Diploma for grades 11 and 12.

4. Beyond the classrooms 

Academics have been taken care of, but extra-curricular is as much important. And ISF ensures that a healthy learning ecosystem is provided. Several events and activities are organized throughout the year. These include a TED event, Model United Nations, Strozzi Project/Art Fridays, World Speech Day, Cantabile Choir, and a school-level ‘Got Talent’ series called ISF’s Got Talent. Aside from these, historical city walks, field trips, and museum visits.

5. Application Process 

You can apply to the school online. The applicant will have to take care of certain documents, including:

• • Vaccination records for admission to Eary Years Programme.
  • Report cards from Grades 1 to 12.
  • Two recommendation Letters.
  • Teacher Reference Forms.
  • Copies of Student and Parent’s passports.
  • Recent passport-size photographs.
  • Results of the English Placement Test.
  • Application Fee Receipt.

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