ISSA Philosophy
The principle aim of the International School of South Africa is to provide a high standard of education for all its students within an international setting. It is the view of the Board of Governors that such an education is achieved best through a partnership between student, staff and parents which recognises the need for each and all to meet certain requirements of work and behaviour.
The School is a co-educational secondary, primary and pre-primary institution that offers places for students between the ages of 3 and 18. It is an independent school owned and administered by a Governing Body and it is a member of the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA) as well as the European Council of International Schools (ECIS). The following values are at the core of the ethos of the International School of South Africa:
- Respect for all,
- Hard Work;
- Honesty;
- Social Awareness,
- Responsibility, and
- Compassion.
Students of all faiths are welcome and no student is refused admittance to the School on grounds of his or her faith or beliefs. As an international school, it is the aim of the Board of Governors that the education and facilities provided at the school are of the highest quality and rank alongside those of comparable schools anywhere in the world. As a leading school on the African Continent, we are unique in fostering unity, friendship and high academic standards; encouraging all students to become mature, competent and qualified adults able to approach their world with integrity, knowledge and understanding. We encourage intellectual, cultural, ethical and moral growth and development in each student. The school aims to offer an international, balanced curriculum, broad and yet inclusive enough to allow all students to develop and realise their full potential in preparation for entering a global world. The International School of South Africa facilitates opportunities for a wide range of experiences in sport, drama and music. The school encourages all students to participate in individual and group events in sporting, musical, dramatic and aesthetic activities to the highest standard thereby bringing enjoyment and pleasure to themselves and others. Outstanding performances and sportsmanship are encouraged through the award of Standards, Colours and, to exceptional students, Honours. Consistent with and in support of our overall philosophy our educational objectives are:
To be sensitive to the varying capabilities of its students and to acknowledge the uniqueness of individual educational development:
To develop in all students mastery in the basic skills of literacy, numeracy, graphicacy, problem-solving and communication and to foster the love and enjoyment of learning;
To encourage all students to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do in the cognitive, psycho-motor and affective domains through their courses and in external examinations;
To develop the intellectual skills and abilities of all its students to the highest level possible by the provision of appropriate courses of instruction, appropriate teaching methods and by the quality of its teaching;
To set academic standards which will offer a challenge to all students;
To provide a tutorial and pastoral care system for monitoring, assessing and evaluating intellectual, personal and social development and skills
To provide a physical environment for boarding and day students which encourages and maximises intellectual, cultural aesthetic and sporting activities;
To provide facilities and opportunities for all students to experience a wide range of musical, dramatic, cultural , aesthetic and sporting activities;
To encourage all students to perform and to participate in individual and group events in all of the areas of the curriculum, to the highest standard possible, and to bring enjoyment and pleasure to themselves and to others;
To provide opportunities and schemes for students to support, assist and become part of local and national communities;
To provide opportunities and schemes for students to support and become involved with fellow students in other schools and form different backgrounds; and encourage the need for the sharing of the world's riches, resources and talents;
To develop an understanding of current affairs and of the significance of geographical, historical and economic events and of political and religious ideology on contempory issues. In addition, students should be able to detect bias in media reporting of contempory issues;
To develop and strengthen individual belief in spiritual matters and recognise the need to understand one's place and value in the world;
To provide opportunities for all students to worship God in accordance with their individual beliefs, practices and traditions.
