As you would expect of any good school, OIS and SIS have carefully designed curricula to meet the needs of their respective student bodies. What makes things a little different and, we like to think, rather special, is the existence of our Shared Program.
The OIS and SIS Curricula
OIS, as an IBO and WASC accredited school, uses the framework offered by the IB Programmes (PYP, MYP and Diploma) to offer a comprehensive, integrated curriculum to prepare students for continuing education anywhere in the world. More details on the OIS curriculum.
SIS has developed a curriculum designed specifically to meet the needs of its student body of returnee, domestic and international students. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and can design courses of study to help them pursue their interests and provide a solid basis for a life of learning beyond school. More details on the SIS curriculum.
The Shared Program
The art, music and physical education programs in middle school and high school make up what we call the Shared Program. These programs are generally taught in English, an exception being some PE classes where first languages are sometimes used for safety reasons, and combine students from both OIS and SIS. The Shared Program brings with it advantages and opportunities that neither school's students could have if these areas were kept separate.
In some other areas of the curriculum where it is mutually beneficial for the schools to share programs, we do so. In some cases students from SIS take advantage of OIS course offerings when these best meet their needs, and similarly for OIS students with SIS courses. For example, SIS students with superior English ability study English in OIS, and likewise OIS students with native-like Japanese ability study kokugo (Japanese mother tongue) in SIS.
