BASIS International School Nanjing

PreK & Kindergarten

Preschool and Kindergarten are both taught in self-enclosed classrooms. During these years, each classroom has an assigned Subject Expert Teacher Early Childhood Education (SET ECE), a Learning Enhancement Teacher Early Childhood Education (LET ECE) who has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher and who aspires to become an SET ECE, and a dedicated classroom assistant. The SET ECE is responsible for most of the instruction. However, in specialized subjects such as Music and Engineering, a Subject Expert Teacher (SET) may replace the SET ECE.

Grades 1–5

Starting in Grade 1, BASIS Curriculum students are no longer in a self-contained classroom for the full school day. In every subject, an SET who specializes in that subject (Humanities, Math, Science, Engineering, Art, Chinese, etc.) teaches the students. Across all subjects, the Learning Enhancement Teacher (LET), who focuses on effective pedagogy, teaches alongside the SET.

Grades 6–8

In Grades 6-8, BASIS Curriculum students complete rigorous courses in all core subjects, including the three sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology), economics, and a course in logic.

Grades 9–12

By grade 9, BASIS Curriculum students have cultivated the organization and independent work ethic necessary for advanced coursework. Students demonstrate mastery in Honors and AP courses, then further develop their ability to think creatively and critically in post-AP courses.

The culmination of the high school program in BASIS Curriculum Schools is the senior year. Seniors who have gone through the program from middle school benefit from the expertise of their teachers in Capstone courses, equivalent to upper division college courses, with such topics as Biomedical Engineering and Postcolonial Literature. After taking these courses, they then apply their knowledge in a professional or research setting during their Senior Projects.

Connections Curriculum

The BASIS Curriculum’s unique Connections course is an opportunity for students in grades 1–3 to demonstrate ingenuity, teamwork, and mental agility.

Capstone Courses and Senior Projects

Capstone Courses
Our advanced curriculum enables our students to go above and beyond what is traditionally offered in most American schools. 12th grade Capstone courses transition students from student-centered learning to independent learning. Capstone students study subjects like Category Theory, Organic Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics, Differential Equations, Literary Theory, Game Theory and Political Philosophy.

The Senior Project
The BASIS Curriculum cultivates students who are highly engaged, inquisitive and autonomous learners. The Senior Project is the culmination of the BASIS Curriculum.

After three and a half years of intensive academic college preparation, our seniors are ready to spend the last trimester of their high school careers applying what they have learned in previous years to an independent project that allows them to explore their individual path of learning, their passion and their potential future course of study.