As the first international school in Beijing, ISB has a tradition of excellence dating back more than 40 years. ISB has a reputation as a leading international school and institution at the heart of Asia. Our principles and beliefs are captured in our aspirational Mission and Vision statements, and these are put into action day to day through our Strategic Focus Areas by a team of highly qualified teachers and staff, and a community of students, families, and alumni who share our values. With a mutual core set of values, we are all ISB Dragons.We have a commitment to diversity, intentional design, and providing robust support so students and staff are socially and emotionally thriving. ISB students enjoy a vibrant school experience in which they can pursue their passions and achieve impressive outcomes. ISB students experience challenging and joyful learning every day, and are destined for success once they graduate, wherever in the world they choose to pursue it.

OUR CORE: CHALLENGING AND JOYFUL LEARNING
At ISB, we focus on quality academic programming especially literacy plus science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM), ensuring appropriate challenge for ALL learners so that every student is achieving their potential in their courses. We are empowered with purpose and compassion, an inspiring international community in Beijing, where thinkers and leaders find their place in the world and serve others. So that our learning is at its best, we build strong relationships and set high expectations together. We are committed to challenging and joyful learning with the freedom to explore.

What does it mean to be a Dragon?
Our Dragon Spirit embraces diversity of thought and cultural exchanges. We are a place for people with curiosity who want to enjoy peer relationships across cultural and international lines.

Our Dragon Spirit is shared by students, staff, parents, and alumni and unites us as global citizens in Beijing and around the world. Enrolling at ISB provides an excellent education for your children and lifelong membership of the school’s community for the whole family.

At ISB, we strive to make learning challenging and joyful for our students and of most benefit to them when they graduate into our fast-changing world. A lot of schools choose to follow a set curriculum that has been tried and tested by other schools and that will remain in place for a long time. We take another approach.

ISB is not tied to any one curriculum and therefore we are free to cherry-pick the best standards from around the world and design our own courses. We are committed to keeping up with research and best practice in education. As expert educators, what we know now about how best to teach is very different to what teachers in the previous generation knew. This means that good teaching today is far removed from what the parents of our students would have experienced at school.

ISB’s international curriculum empowers students with purpose and compassion. We recognize the power of innovation, and our commitment to continuous improvement means that we’re always on a path of change and updating how we teach. We look to new practices backed up by research when we’re creating learning environments that will inspire your children. At ISB, students think about things in an interdisciplinary way. They learn the modern skill of design thinking, they study science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM), and they use educational technology to support creativity.

School is about so much more than academics! We want to keep ensuring our students have integrity, strength of character, and that they are healthy socially and emotionally. To that end, we want each student to find at least one academic area and one co-curricular pursuit they are passionate about and in which they can excel. We ensure students can sample real-world professional experiences and have chances to provide service to others and create a positive social impact.

At ISB, we believe that a strong co-curricular program, offering competitive and non-competitive sports, after-school activities, performing arts, and service opportunities can, as a part of the school's overall curriculum, prepare the students to be successful in life. Our program gives students the opportunity to explore their passions and stresses hard work, leadership, camaraderie, sportsmanship, and fair play.

We believe that:
- Co-curricular activities are an integral part of the overall curricular program
- Every student should have the opportunity to become involved to some extent
- Sponsors and students should, at all levels, develop and exhibit accepted attitudes of cooperation, citizenship, good sportsmanship, and dedication.