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ISE is the leading innovation school in Estonia that

implements a program for the important skills of now

and the future: critical thinking skills, collaboration,

creativity, and innovation. 21st century learning is not

about computers; it is how children learn to adapt to

quickly changing circumstances through experience.

Our pedagogy is based on the power of inquiry; it is

project based and mobile. Hands on learning produces

deep thinking, not surface level memorization skills.

Our students are prepared for the future. We are a 1:1

iPad school and have been visited from schools around

the world to look at our pedagogical practice.

The International School of Estonia’s curriculum is the

only program of study in Estonia that is accredited

and verified by three separate groups: the Council of

International Schools (CIS), the New England Associa-

tion of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) from the USA,

and the International Baccalaureate (IB). ISE is an IB

World school that offers three separate programs;

the Primary Years Program (PYP) for children aged

2-11, we are a candidate school for the IB Middle

Years Program ages 12-15, and the challenging IB

Diploma program ages 16-19.

21st century learning.

Internationally accredited and verified curriculum.

We differentiate our instruction in our small classes by

a child’s individual needs for both review and accelera-

tion. We offer additional resources to families: special

needs services, counseling, and gifted learning pro-

grams. ISE prides itself on its family environment where

children are safe and respected by all.

High quality learning through caring, personal attention.

We have children from over 29 different countries with

an international staff. A mix of cultures brings synergy to

the classroom and celebrates the differences we all share

as global citizens. We embrace the IB learner profile that

encourages children and our community to be balanced,

principled, open minded, thinkers, knowledgable, caring,

reflective,communicators, risk takers, and inquirers. We

celebrate internationalism!

True international learning experience in Estonia.

Distinguished staff.

Our international and local staff is the most experienced

and highest trained in Estonia. Most hold advanced de-

grees and all receive international training experience.

Our staff contributes to international academic journals

and gives trainings in international conferences.

Success.

Our students are accepted to top universities worldwide

such as Oxford, London School of Economics, and the

University of Edinburgh. 100% of our students go on to

further learning and gain entrance with our accredited

high school diploma and/or IB Diploma.

Develop inquirers, communicators, risk-takers

and leaders

Provide an environment of creativity, innovation

and care

Foster intercultural understanding and respect

Empower students to implement positive change

in the face of future challenges

ISE is internationally recognized as a school that develops and empowers future innovators and leaders

The International School of Estonia’s secondary school (grades 6-12) is a comprehensive program accredited by the Coun-

cil of International Schools (CIS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). ISE is authorized to offer

the International Baccalaureate Diploma to students in grades 11-12 and is a candidate school for the IB MYP program for

grades 6-10. ISE is a full participant in international school organizations such as the European Council of International

Schools (ECIS) and the Central and East European Schools Association (CEESA).

The Middle Years Program Using the the IB curriculum framework, ISE provides a rigorous, high-quality, international education for students in grades

6-10. It is designed to inspire passion for learning while challenging intellectual curiosity, encouraging inquiry, and maximizing

individual potential. The community of learners (parents, students, and staff) share responsibility for developing life-long

learners and active, compassionate world citizens with a genuine commitment to affect positive change in the world.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) comprises eight subject groups:

• Language acquisition • Language and literature

• Individuals and societies • Sciences

• Mathematics • Arts

• Physical and health education • Design

The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each subject group in each year of the programme. ISE exceeds

these standards.

Each year, students in the MYP also engage in at least one collaboratively planned interdisciplinary unit that involves at

least two subject groups. MYP students in grade 10 also complete a long-term personal project, where they decide what

they want to learn about, identify what they already know, discovering what they will need to know to complete the pro-

ject, and create a proposal or criteria for completing it.

Instruction aims at developing higher order thinking skills and preparation for success in the IB Diploma program.

ISE offers the IB Diploma and the ISE Diploma to students in grades 11 and 12.

The Diploma ProgramThe rigorous IB Diploma is recognized worldwide as the best and most competitive qualification to enter international

universities. Our individual attention from staff helps each students reach their dreams to succeed in its completion.

95% of ISE students in grades 11 and 12 are enrolled in the IB Diploma Program, and 90% of those complete the full diploma

with most achieving a bi-lingual certificate. (This compares with the international average of 80%.) ISE students have been

accepted to 25+ universities worldwide, including Oxford, London School of Economics, and the University of Edinburgh.

The International School of Estonia is authorized to provide the prestigious International Baccalaureate Primary Years

Program (PYP) for children in preschool through grade 5. The PYP program emphasizes an inquiry-based learning program

that educates the whole child.

The core of all IB programs is the IB Learner Profile:

Inquirer: Acquires skills for purposeful, constructive research

Thinker: Applies thinking skills critically and creatively to solve complex problems

Communicator: Receives and expresses ideas in more than one language including the language of mathematical symbols

Risk-taker: Approaches unfamiliar situations with confidence

Knowledgeable: Explores themes which have global relevance and importance

Principled: Displays integrity, honesty, and a sense of fairness and justice

Caring: Develops a sense of personal commitment to action and service

Open-minded: Respects the views, values, and traditions of other individuals and cultures and is accustomed to seeking and

considering a range of points of view

Balanced: Understands physical, mental, and personal well-being

Reflective: Analyzes own strengths and weaknesses

At the heart of the Primary Years Program’s philosophy is a commitment to structured inquiry as the best approach to

learning. Giving more ownership to the students in planning and assessing their learning. By providing time, space,

resources and support, integrating subjects, exploring big themes, we have moved toward more authentic learning.

ISE has friends all over the world and our international community is continually expanding – former students, former teach-

ers, members of other international schools, etc. To fulfil our mission and to foster intercultural understanding and re-

spect, we organize different activities and communicate regularly with all of our friends.

ISE encourages participation in after-school activities as an extension of the academic program. A varied and interesting list

of offerings is established at the start of each semester. Past offerings have included archery, karate, ballet, tap dancing,

programming & robotics, piano, handicrafts, basketball, volleyball, and more.

ISE is one of the founding members of the Central & Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA). It was established as a

result of the growth of American and International Schools in Central and Eastern Europe. A unique offering of our associa-

tion is that CEESA sponsors student activities, focusing on a variety of academic and non-academic areas, and a full sched-

ule of internationally organized sporting events.

For over 10 years, ISE has hosted the Friendly Olympics for our middle school, where students from 5 or more international

CEESA schools come to compete in various events at the Kalev indoor stadium next to our school. Students look forward to

this wonderful event of competition and making new friends around the region.

We are very happy to have the support of our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) which plays a vital role in school life.

Our teachers come from 7 different countries and our students represent 29 different nationalities.

Together, we make up the Learning Community that is ISE.

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Our student/teacher ratio at ISE is 6 to 1.

Our teachers come from 7 different countries.

Our students represent 29 different nationalities.

72 % of ISE teachers hold advanced degrees.

Each student at ISE is provided with an iPad.

95% of ISE students enroll in the IB Diploma program.

100% of our IB Diploma students achieve the full diploma in the past 5 years- compared to the international

average of 80%.