At Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai students are awarded an engaging learning experience, the challenge of developing a real understanding of cultural diversity and the support of a thriving international community. Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai follows the framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme from Pre-KG to Grade 12 and the Swiss Baccalaureate programme from Grade 6 onwards.
Find out why University Admissions officers favour IB Students
SISD is an IB Continuum World School authorised by the IB Organisation to offer and teach the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP). SISD is also a candidate school for the IB Career-related programme (CP)*.
Our unique international programme offers students the opportunity to choose between one of our bilingual English-French or English-German streams OR follow the English+ STEAM stream (Pre KG – Grade 5) and English+ stream (Grade 6 – Grade 12).
Find out how the International Baccalaureate curriculum compares to others.
Click here for our curriculum overview
*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit www.ibo.org
What are the advantages of an International Baccalaureate education?
The Early Years programme at SISD has been carefully designed to encourage enquiry-based learning. We follow the programme of the IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). Students are fortunate to learn in a multilingual and multicultural environment that provides a wide range of opportunities academically, culturally, socially and physically.
Admission to the Early Years bilingual stream is no guarantee for continuation of bilingual in Primary. At any point during a student’s SISD school career a change to English+ STEAM will be discussed if progress reports, language support provisions and teacher feedback recommend this transition to the student’s academic benefit. Details of each programme below.
Learn more about Early Years at SISD here.
English / French
At SISD, we currently offer two fully immersive bilingual streams: English/French and English/German. We define bilingualism as the regular use of two or more different languages in daily life. Therefore, a bilingual person is able to communicate, think and reflect in (at least) two different languages, even if one of the languages remains dominant. Bilingualism is designed to offer learners the chance to develop international-mindedness, to broaden their skills and capabilities and to acquire the information needed to access other cultures.
Teaching and learning across the grades:
Pre-KG
KG1
KG2
English / German
At SISD, we currently offer two fully immersive bilingual streams: English/French and English/German. We define bilingualism as the regular use of two or more different languages in daily life. Therefore, a bilingual person is able to communicate, think and reflect in (at least) two different languages, even if one of the languages remains dominant. Bilingualism is designed to offer learners the chance to develop international-mindedness, to broaden their skills and capabilities and to acquire the information needed to access other cultures.
Teaching and learning across the grades:
Pre-KG
KG1
KG2
English+ STEAM
The programme is built as part of the IB framework and will be continued across Pre-KG to Grade 5. Students will have a dedicated STEAM education focused on design process and thinking.
Arabic
The Primary School at SISD encompasses Grades 1-5. Students in the Primary School follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), a curriculum framework that is learner-centred, enquiry driven, concept-based and transdisciplinary.
At any point during a student’s SISD school career a change to English+ STEAM will be discussed if progress reports, language support provisions and teacher feedback recommend this transition to the student’s academic benefit.
Learn more about the SISD Primary School here.
English / French
At SISD, we currently offer two fully immersive bilingual streams: English/French and English/German. We define bilingualism as the regular use of two or more different languages in daily life. Therefore, a bilingual person is able to communicate, think and reflect in (at least) two different languages, even if one of the languages remains dominant. Bilingualism is designed to offer learners the chance to develop international-mindedness, to broaden their skills and capabilities and to acquire the information needed to access other cultures.
Bilingual Grade 1-2
Bilingual co-teaching English/French
Bilingual Grade 3-5
One week in English and one week in French
English / German
At SISD, we currently offer two fully immersive bilingual streams: English/French and English/German. We define bilingualism as the regular use of two or more different languages in daily life. Therefore, a bilingual person is able to communicate, think and reflect in (at least) two different languages, even if one of the languages remains dominant. Bilingualism is designed to offer learners the chance to develop international-mindedness, to broaden their skills and capabilities and to acquire the information needed to access other cultures.
Bilingual Grade 1-2
Bilingual co-teaching English/German
Bilingual Grade 3-5
One week in English and one week in German
English+STEAM
Our International English+STEAM programme in Primary follows the framework of the IB Primary Years Programme
This programme allows students to develop a wider range, wider scope of knowledge in the STEAM areas through project-based learning. All subjects are taught in English and learners attend three additional language lessons per week. During these lessons, the qualified additional language teacher communicates systematically in the target language, using an inquiry-driven approach while following a specific language acquisition curriculum. Learners build the communicative language skills and competencies they will use as global citizens. The school’s unique international and multilingual environment provides students with authentic exposure to French, German and Arabic through the daily contact with native speakers.
Grade 1 – 5
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is a holistic programme in that it requires students to develop depth of knowledge across a broad curriculum. The MYP is organised around three main principles: multilingualism, intercultural understanding and holistic learning. The curriculum is organised around building conceptual understanding in a discipline-based model with interdisciplinary units in each year. Students develop academic skills organised into ten skill clusters known as the Approaches to Learning (ATL). The MYP culminates in the new MYP eAssessment suite of onscreen exams and eportfolios for the award of the IB MYP Certificate.
The curriculum consists of eight subject groups:
The MYP core comprises three additional components:
Grades and Assessment
Each examined subject is graded on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum) as a final grade. This grade is determined by how students perform against four assessment criteria in each subject. Through a programme of continuous assessment, students demonstrate progress against the assessment criteria throughout the year and final achievement levels determine the final IB grade. On completion of the fifth year of the programme, students take final onscreen exams and – if successful – are awarded the IB MYP Certificate.
Programmes
Students in the English+ programme attend four weekly lessons of French or German as an additional language. As they learn to communicate perfectly in English, they also move towards fluency in French or German with intensive Arabic lessons. Our bilingual programmes extend through to the Middle Years Programme, where students study certain disciplines in French or German and others in English. The bilingual students who take subjects in French or German as well as English are eligible for the award of the bilingual MYP Certificate on completion of the programme.
At any point during a student’s SISD school career a change to International English+ will be discussed if progress reports, language support provisions and teacher feedback recommend this transition to the student’s academic benefit.
Learn more about our Secondary School.
The two year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme allows students to develop an excellent breadth and depth of knowledge. The Diploma (DP) is a truly international programme, developed in consultation and collaboration with educators from around the world.
DP students are prepared for active participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they develop intellectually, emotionally, physically and ethically, while acquiring the skills that will prepare them for further education and life in the 21st century.
The curriculum consists of six subject groups:
Learn more about taught subjects here.
A compulsory core comprises three distinct components, and is an integral part of the DP student experience:
Grades and Assessment
Each examined subject is graded on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). The award of the IB Diploma requires a minimum total score of 24, based on the principle that a grade 4 represents a passing level in each of the six subjects. Excellent performance in the six subjects results in a grade 7 for each, or a total score of 42 points. Students can earn an additional 3 points for superior work on the Extended Essay and in Theory of Knowledge.
Programmes
Our bilingual programmes extend through to the Diploma Programme, where all students study English Language and Literature. In addition to this, we encourage those who have the relevant experience to study Language and Literature in French, German or Arabic, which results in the award of a bilingual diploma. For those who are not yet bilingual, our English+ programme will ensure that all students achieve a degree of bilingualism depending on the level at which they study.
The Career-Related Programme is a framework of international education that incorporates the values of the IB into a unique programme addressing the needs of students engaged in career-related education.
The programme leads to further/higher education, apprenticeships or employment. Find out more about the CP.
In Grades 6 and 7 students are to attend preparatory classes. These two years in our so-called hybrid classes (German-English bilingual, IB combined with Swiss Baccalaureate Curriculum) lay the foundation for a successful Swiss Baccalaureate education.
Upon completion of this two-year phase, a student can be admitted to the Swiss Baccalaureate section or can switch to our MYP/DP programme. The final decision to join the Swiss Baccalaureate section is taken in Grade 8. The curriculum then covers eleven basic subjects, one specialist option and one supplementary option (Grade 10-12). At SISD we prepare students for the bilingual Swiss Baccalaureate. Beside English Language and Literature three subjects are examined in English: Geography, History and the chosen supplementary option.
For learning objectives and assessment click here.
For more information on the Swiss Baccalaureate click here.
7-year programme (Grade 6–12)
