Parent's Review of International School of Iceland in Reyjavik, Iceland

What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

International School of Iceland

In what town or city is this school located?

Reyjavik

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

International

What grade levels are represented at this school?

K-8

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

Walking or private transport. Some embassy children have a taxi provided.

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

Extra-curricular activities vary according to the age of you kids. A wide variety of activities are offered over the school year but there may come a time when nothing that is on offer appeals to your child! There is also an after-school club, everyday, for the younger kids. Run together with the Icelandic school system, so a chance to make local friends. The facilities are excellent, state of the art swimming and sports facilities. A cozy well stocked library, and access to craft,art,and woodwork rooms. The building is very new and also houses a regular Icelandic state school.

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

The school bases it´s teaching on individualized teaching, so they will assess your child when you arrive and place them appropriately. They use a system called Singapore Maths, also Singapore grammar in the upper grades. The Oxford Reading Tree system and Letterland are used in the K-2 grade. It is a IPC school, which was my kids favorite part of the day!

I know some of the other kids took some kind of repatriation tests from their next schools. ISI helped with the administration around that process.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

The school provides a number of social events throughout the year for parents, teachers and children to come together and socialize. These have included Games nights, lucky dip meals, Bingo, school carnival etc.

The teachers are extremely friendly and several of them became good friends to me and my family.

However, it is an extremely small school so as yet a parent organization has not been established...you just have to get out there and make your contacts!

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

The school is small which means your child will be in a small class. The school promotes a whole school philosophy with a lot of interaction between the grades. The teachers are professional, friendly and always ready to help. They are always available to address any concerns you have about your child.

My children thrived here and I will miss the individual attention that my son received there. This school is very different to the large International schools in other countries,but in spite of their size they offer great teaching and happy days for your child.

They welcome parent help for example lending a hand on school trips, sharing your own talents, holidays or specialist knowledge with the kids or various other school activities.(Great fun for the parents!)

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