Mr. David Edwards
Head of School
On behalf of the staff of WISS, it is our pleasure to welcome you to our school as we share insights through this important initial source of information.
Founded in 2006, WISS made the bold decision to become the first and, as of today, only four programme International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) World School in China. In doing so, the founders aligned the WISS belief in the importance of a balanced education on the development of the whole child through the internationally recognized IB continuum of learning.
At WISS, we believe that international education brings together the best of East and West in both what and how we do things at our school. We celebrate the wonderful opportunity of residing within one of the world’s most dynamic cities, a tier-one location within a leading country.
As a leader in international education in China, bringing together the best of East and West through a focus on the development of the whole child through globally certified programmes, we look forward to partnering with you on the journey ahead.
Sincerely,
David Edwards
Scholarships
WISS is proud to offer a variety of scholarships that help diversify our student body. These scholarships are offered in an effort to provide students with exceptional talent an opportunity to receive a top international education in Shanghai.
Currently WISS is four in-house scholarships: Scholarship for University, IB Diploma full academic scholarships, outstanding achievement partial scholarships and financial assistance scholarships.
In addition to the in-house scholarships listed below, there are two more incredible opportunities for scholarships through the Western International School of Shanghai’s IB Career-related Programme and partnerships with the Savannah College of Art & Design and FirstPoint USA.
You can find more information here.
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 34 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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Peak enrollment 775
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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Around 50
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Most common nationality
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The Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) is a truly diverse community with students representing around 50 different nationalities and with no majority population.
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Native English speaking teachers
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Yes
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Language support for students not fluent in English
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Yes
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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English, Chinese, German, Spanish, Korean (some others as self-taught)
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Max. number of students per class
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EY/Primary: around 18
Secondary: around 20
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Average number of students per class
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14
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Use of technology in the classroom
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At the Western International School of Shanghai (WISS), an international school in Shanghai, China, technology is used in incredible ways. Students have access to 3D printing and laser cutting in their graphic design courses, state-of-the-art video and editing technology for their film courses, and robotics afterschool activities.
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External examinations or assessments available
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IB Exams
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Results in these examinations
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WISS offers a truly balanced and inclusive approach to the IB Programmes and invites all students to take part through our Diploma and Career-related Programmes. With 100% of our students participating in our IB Programmes, the achievements for our Class of 2020 are truly impressive. With a WISS average DP score nearly 3 points above the world average and 1 in 4 WISS students scoring in the top 22% worldwide, WISS results are remarkable.
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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The purpose of home learning at WISS is to support, enhance, and extend the work done in school during the day and to provide practice in key concepts and methods. But this does not mean that homework is example problems in math or worksheets. In line with our IB approach, we will often give homework that requires reading and then a thoughtful response. In higher grades, this response will need to be increasingly nuanced.
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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Yes
The Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) is an educational community with a wide range of nationalities, cultures, and languages. Our students’ educational and emotional needs are as diverse as they are. We seek to offer every student the tools needed to help them succeed during their years at WISS, and for their future success as well. The student support department offers academic, social, and emotional support. Our highly qualified counseling team provides student support to maximize each students’ skills, talents, academic achievements, and abilities. School counselors serve as student advocates and support the varying needs of the diverse student population by collaborating with parents, teachers, and students.
WISS provides academic support for Early Years, Primary, and Secondary students.
WISS provides social-emotional support for Early Years, Primary and Secondary students.
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Learning support offered
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Academic Support:
Early Years: Early Years is a play-based curriculum so academic support has a different focus, student’s academic assistance would be in the areas of either language and communication or sensory and motor development.
Primary: In Primary, support services may range from push-in individual support to pull-out small group instruction. The type of support is determined on a case-by-case basis, customized for the student. The LSS teacher works closely with both students and teachers to help that student succeed in their everyday classroom.
Secondary: WISS is committed to helping students reach their academic potential. To this end, the community is guided by the belief that effective support for learning must be based on an inclusive and collaborative approach. This perspective requires different strategies for learning, needs a range of different teaching approaches and experiences, and acquire, assimilate, and communicate information at different rates.
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Student access to education psychologist
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Yes
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Entry evaluation for students
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Yes.
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Brief description of entry evaluation required
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Placement tests and visit days may be required as part of the admission process. Students applying to WISS may be evaluated for their English speaking, reading, and writing ability. As the school wishes to maintain an environment where English is the primary language of academic instruction, preference is given to those students who are most functional or have the greatest potential to be functional at their grade level in English. All students entering Middle and High School not having English as their native language must, as a minimum, be at a level from which they can work to complete the IB Subsidiary English B program by graduation, along with self-taught study of their mother tongue literature.
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Waiting list
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Yes, in grade levels throughout Early Years and Primary.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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Rolling enrollment
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Yes
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School start time
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8:20 am
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School finish time
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3:20 pm
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Supervised care before/after school
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No
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School bus service available
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Yes. The annual school bus fee is 17,900 RMB. An additional fee is charged for locations outside the normal pickup areas. There is a 20% discount for families with two or more children or for families living close to the school. The transportation fee includes regular morning and afternoon pick up and drop off. It does not include buses for after-school activities.
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School provided lunches
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Yes. A healthy and well-balanced snack and lunch are provided daily for students included in the tuition.
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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Yes on a case-by-case basis.
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Uniform required
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For Pre-Nursery - G10
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Sports facilities at the school
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Sports facilities include both grass and Astroturf football fields, a running track, basketball courts, badminton courts, a gymnasium equipped with a rock climbing wall, and two swimming pools.
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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The Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) is a leading international school in Shanghai and the first and only full continuum IB World School in mainland China offering the four programmes of the International Baccalaureate (IB): the Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), the Middle Years Programme (IBMYP), the Diploma Programme (IBDP) and the Career-related Programme (IBCP). Educating young people from across the globe in a caring and inspirational environment since 2006, WISS strives to send compassionate, brave, ethically-minded global citizens into the world. As an IB World School, WISS is uniquely placed to promote new perspectives and broaden the minds of the children in our care; deepening their sense of understanding and wonder.
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Teaching approach of the school
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WISS is the only full continuum IB World School in mainland China offering the four programmes of the International Baccalaureate (IB): the Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), the Middle Years Programme (IBMYP), the Diploma Programme (IBDP), and the Career-related Programme (IBCP) in four pathways: Sports, Arts & Design, Business and Sustainability, and Aeronautics. - providing the entire and unbroken IB curriculum model leading to the most sought after qualification for university entry in the world
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Our Campus
WISS is located in New Hongqiao, minutes from the Hongqiao International Airport and Railway Station, two metro lines (2 and 17), and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC). Our beloved Xujing offers the quiet, green spaces of residential compounds 30 minutes from the exciting entertainment of downtown Shanghai.
WISS has one of the largest international school campuses in the city with facilities for Early Years, Primary and Secondary spread out over 18 acres. The modern campus features open plan, bright classrooms equipped with ceiling air purification units, a well-resourced library with areas for Early Years, Primary, and Secondary, a large cafeteria, two cafes, and a multi-function community room as well as specialized areas for the arts, sciences, and sports.
Academics
WISS is a leading international school in Shanghai and the first and only full continuum World IB School in Mainland China offering the four programmes of the International Baccalaureate: The Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme, the Diploma Programme, and the Career-related Programme.
Our small student-teacher ratio allows our students a personalized and flexible learning experience. WISS places an emphasis on student-centered learning, both inside and outside the classroom walls.
As an international school in Shanghai, China we believe our student’s learning experience should reflect the globally-minded, diverse, and technological world we live in. Following the IB philosophy, we nurture our students to inquire, think independently, and drive their own learning.
Activities
The Western International School of Shanghai offers a vibrant array of extra-curricular activities and is home to world-class academies, such as the ISTA Performing Arts Academy and the Stoke City FC Football Academy as well as offering unique opportunities to develop leadership such as GAIL, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and MUN. EY and Primary students enjoy one afternoon of activities per week. There are also many after-school activities offered daily and on weekends.
We believe in offering a diverse selection of activities and athletics that will enhance our students’ learning experience. We encourage our students to not only follow their passions and develop their skills and interests, but to also be risk-takers who are always challenging themselves to try new things.
