International School of Béarn

Introduction

We are the only school in the Béarn that offers an international Anglophone education.

We offer reassuring continuity for children who have previously attended international or English-speaking schools, whilst also providing an alternative for those parents who seek an international Anglophone education as a key to future opportunities. Families of more than 40 nationalities put their faith in us every day to help us offer an enriching and challenging experience within the wonderful backdrop of the Pyrénées (in Southwest of France).

Welcome from the head of school

I am delighted to welcome you to the International School of Béarn’s web site. I founded ISB in May 2002 as a non-profit institution to provide an excellent international education for children of the community of Pau and its surrounding areas.

ISB has quickly become renowned throughout Pau as the only school offering an Anglophone education for the international community of Béarn. It is also known as a school children enjoy coming to and learning in. Everybody associated with the school is very pleased by this. We know the excellence in educational quality which our school offers lies in well-motivated children in small class sizes supported by an extremely professional and caring teaching staff who work closely as a team.

We currently offer classes from Early Years (age 2 ½) through to grade 13 (age 18). The majority of the curriculum studied is based upon the English National Curriculum adapted to an international environment. French as a foreign language is focused on basic oral comprehension and communication. For French mother tongue children the content of the lessons is based on the national programme for French schools (French lessons start from age 4).

More than seventy percent of our pupils come from English – speaking families, but many nationalities are represented and all are welcome. Family involvement in the school is encouraged and there is an active PTA association. We realise that parents often do not have any choice in the timing of their relocation and we welcome children in school at any stage in the school year, not only at the start of a term.

If you would like more detailed information about ISB, please send us an email (contact@isbearn.com). Please feel free to have a look at our school. My staff and I look forward to meeting you and your family.

N.B. Notre site Internet est en anglais. Cependant n’hésitez pas à m’envoyer un email et je vous enverrai des informations détaillées en français.

Yours faithfully.

Maria Elias

Head of School

The way to excellence

Our vision of education demands that the International School of Béarn provides an education for the modern global world which is founded on the principles and values of

We value the development of confidence and encourage children to make the most of their abilities.

To structure our vision of resourceful, creative students, who know their own and others’ worth and develop and operate as independent confident learners, we believe that the development of values and curriculum go hand in hand. Individual skills and abilities should always be valued and nurtured in an atmosphere that provides support for each student’s personal needs and which celebrates and respects all differences of nationality, culture and religion.

In keeping with our vision and values, admission is open to all students. To pursue our vision we guarantee a broad, balanced, relevant, international curriculum, which aspires to enable students to attain the knowledge, skills and understanding to take a full and active role as citizens of an international world. Our programme is taught in English and is structured around an exciting academically challenging curriculum, dedicated to the growth of the individual and the realisation of human potential.