About ISB

ISB began its life in 1983. It was established by a small group of employees from international companies who wanted their children to have an international education so that, having finished their contracts in Korea, their children could transfer to any school system in the world without detriment. Their vision for the school was that it should possess a caring, family-like ethos, giving the children a high level of self-confidence and esteem, and teaching them tolerance and respect for other cultures.

This vision has not changed and ISB continues to follow these guidelines. As an example of this, the school has been awarded authorisation to offer the prestigious IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) for university entrance. The IB programmes are rapidly becoming the benchmark by which other international school programmes are assessed. In it, underlying the requirement for knowledge, is the need for students to possess the necessary social, thinking, research and presentation skills necessary to make full use of any knowledge learned and be able to take their learning beyond the four walls of the school. Also, it is expected that the curriculum overtly teaches children to be inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled, caring, open-minded and reflective.

ISB is a not-for-profit school run by a Board of Governors drawn from the parent body and the local community. They are all volunteers who give their time and expertise for the betterment of the school. Through this method, it is clear that any decisions made by the Board have as their one goal, the best interests of the students of ISB. The Governors set the broad school policy, create strategic plans for the future and supervise the school economy.

The school is a long-time member of the Council of International Schools (CIS), the largest organisation of its kind in the world and was accredited by them in 1994. In addition, it has also achieved accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is the first school in Korea to have achieved this dual accreditation status. We want to ensure that families, no matter where they come from in the world, are able to recognise and understand the standards held at ISB.

Since its beginning, ISB has grown and developed. It moved to its current site on Dalmaji Hill in 1999, but due to its rapid growth and development, is currently in the final negotiations with the city government to relocate to a new campus in 2010 where it will be able to provide even greater opportunities for its students.