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Shanghai Community International School: A student-centred approach to academic excellence

Few schools rework their curricula to match 21st century demands. Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) does — regularly.

In 2019, the school began unpacking and exploring their newly established School-wide Learner Outcomes (SLO). The process –– directly aligned to the IB Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning –– results from countless discussions concerning the best possible learning environment for pupils. By 2020, operational and curricular practices were improved –– a testament to SCIS’s commitment to student development.

As an International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum World School, it offers the IB, a world-class academic programme aimed at sparking rigorous critical thinking and global citizenship –– a testament that one of Shanghai’s first-ever international school is not just renowned but also progressive.

This innovative view on education works. SCIS students graduate as innovative thinkers, knowledgeable inquirers, self-directed learners, and positive contributors. In short: well-rounded individuals.

A flexible curriculum

Childhood ambitions often vary, which is why at SCIS, no two curricula are ever the same. Furthermore, this community is truly diverse, representing over 60 nationalities and 35 languages. Here, students are nurtured to evolve into the best versions of themselves as they explore their areas of interest with ample support. In enjoying this freedom to determine their paths, they prepare for life. They also gain the interdisciplinary knowledge needed to get into some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

For example, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) students between the grades of 11 and 12 are gearing up to success at university and beyond through the subject groups of: language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, the sciences, mathematics, the arts, and everything in between.

Nurturing innovative thinkers

From the power grid to smartphones—and with applications that focus on space, automotive, image processing, algorithms, and more—design the technologies that make modern life possible.

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Developing positive contributors through positive contributions

As more international students flocked to SCIS over the years, the school knew language programmes must be more rigorous to not only help students communicate with each other, but prepare them for a wide range of disciplines.

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Where knowledgeable inquirers are made

It didn’t take long before Jaeha Namkung found his place at SCIS. Sure, he arrived with limited English. However, he kept trying because everyone around him told him he could. With ample support, he was soon fluent.

Self-directed learning at its finest

Claire Tai may have been born in Hong Kong, but she basically grew up at SCIS (she started in Kindergarten!). While her first memories are understandably hazy, it’s not hard for her to summarise her overall experience in just one word: supportive.

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Shanghai Community International School: A student-centred approach to academic excellence

A flexible curriculum

READ more

Nurturing innovative thinkers

From the power grid to smartphones—and with applications that focus on space, automotive, image processing, algorithms, and more—design the technologies that make modern life possible.

READ more

Developing positive contributors through positive contributions

As more international students flocked to SCIS over the years, the school knew language programmes must be more rigorous to not only help students communicate with each other, but prepare them for a wide range of disciplines.

READ more

Where knowledgeable inquirers are made

It didn’t take long before Jaeha Namkung found his place at SCIS. Sure, he arrived with limited English. However, he kept trying because everyone around him told him he could. With ample support, he was soon fluent.

READ more

Self-directed learning at its finest

Claire Tai may have been born in Hong Kong, but she basically grew up at SCIS (she started in Kindergarten!). While her first memories are understandably hazy, it’s not hard for her to summarise her overall experience in just one word: supportive.

Discover more at Shanghai Community International School.