About Our School

The International School of Bologna  (ISB) opened in September 2004 to provide an international education for children from kindergarten to elementary levels (2 years - 11 years). This private school offers a programme designed to meet the needs of both Italian and International students living in the Bologna area.

The school has, at present, a roll of over one hundred and twenty students and caters for children in Early Years and Elementary School. Plans are confirmed to start the first year of a Middle School programme from September 2010.

The school is a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS) and plans to start the Accreditation process in November 2009.

Following a visit from The International Baccalaureate Organization in November 2009, The International School of Bologna has achieved the status of being an authorized IB Primary Years Programme school.

The school is staffed by some fifteen teachers assisted by Support Teachers in all the Early Years classes.

The students come from twenty nine different countries. The majority of students come from Italian families. 50% of the students come from Mother Tongue Italian families, 20% of our families have one Italian and one non Italian parent and the final 30% come from families representing twenty eight different countries.

The school welcomes inquiries from parents and teachers wishing to learn more about the International School of Bologna.

A brief history of the school

The founders of ISB invited educationalists and others experts from the International School of Milan (ISM) and the International School of Bologna (ISB) in the early management and development of the new venture. The ISM, founded in 1958, is now the largest provider of international education in Italy, with schools in Milan, Rome and Modena – there are over 1200 students in the Milan campuses. ISM is an established International Baccalaureate school, and its philosophy and ethos is clearly summarised in the motto that has been used since 1958 - “for a world without frontiers”.

The ISB benefits from the experience of ISM, but is developing into a distinctive school rather than a copy of the partners.