ISS International School
🇸🇬 Singapore · Founded 1981 · IB / American · Ages 4–18
A long-established, deliberately small full-IB-continuum school offering personalised attention and an alternative US-style diploma — robustly accredited, though with a smaller facilities footprint.
Curricula
IB, American
Age range
4–18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD 25,000–54,430
Boarding
No (day school)
IB authorised
PYP, MYP, DP
Accreditations
CIS, WASC, EARCOS, EduTrust, EAPISA
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
ISS International School is a co-educational, not-for-profit private international school in Singapore, founded in 1981, making it one of the country's longer-established international schools. It occupies a heritage hilltop campus at 21 Preston Road (Alexandra/Queenstown) on the grounds of the former Alexandra Grammar School.
ISS is an authorised IB World School offering the full IB continuum — PYP, MYP and DP — from Kindergarten to Grade 12, one of the relatively small number of Singapore schools delivering all three IB programmes in a single continuum. Alongside the IB Diploma, ISS uniquely offers an American-style ISS High School Diploma for Grades 11–12 as an alternative pathway. English is the sole language of instruction, with EAL support and a 'Bilingual Diploma' track available.
The school positions itself around small class sizes, a personalised-learning model and a tight community. Its accreditation base is robust for a school of its size: WASC since 1986, CIS since 2011, plus EARCOS, Lexis Education and EAPISA memberships, and a 4-year EduTrust certificate (2023–2027).
ISS serves expatriate and internationally mobile families, and locally-resident families seeking an established small-cohort IB environment. It suits families who prioritise individual attention over the scale and facilities of Singapore's biggest international schools.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
Full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP) with WASC (since 1986), CIS (since 2011) and a 4-year EduTrust certificate — a robust accreditation base for its size. No public inspectorate verdict exists, so the tier reflects accreditation depth only.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Full IB continuum (PYP + MYP + DP) under one roof — uncommon and verifiable
- Long track record: established 1981, one of Singapore's older international schools
- Strong, layered accreditation for a small school: WASC (1986), CIS (2011), EduTrust 4-year certificate (2023–2027)
- Dual senior pathway — IB Diploma plus an American-style High School Diploma
- Explicit EAL / multilingual-learner support and a Bilingual Diploma option
- Small class sizes and a personalised-learning / mentorship model
Trade-offs
- Small scale typically means fewer specialist facilities, sports teams and CCA breadth than large campuses (ISS joined EAPISA, an association for small international schools)
- No published total enrollment figure, limiting transparency on cohort size
- Fees are mid-to-high (senior grades exceed SGD 50,000/year before development and protection-scheme fees), without the facilities footprint of similarly-priced larger schools
- No independent inspectorate rating published (EduTrust is a regulatory certification, not a graded inspection)
- Published IB results (top score 43; 94% diploma rate) are school-reported and not independently verified
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Families wanting the full IB continuum (PYP→MYP→DP) with continuity across all stages
- ✓Students who thrive in small classes with close teacher attention and mentorship
- ✓Internationally mobile / expat families needing strong EAL support and a Bilingual Diploma route
- ✓Families wanting an IBDP alternative (the American-style High School Diploma) within the same school
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families prioritising extensive sports, arts and specialist facilities or large CCA menus
- ✕Those seeking a very large, broad peer cohort and the resources of Singapore's biggest international schools
- ✕Families wanting a British curriculum / IGCSE / A-Level pathway
- ✕Families needing on-campus boarding (no boarding/homestay provision is publicly stated)
Curriculum
Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) plus an American-style ISS High School Diploma alternative at Grades 11–12. No Cambridge/A-Level pathway.
Fees
Annual tuition for AY2025/26 ranges from approximately SGD 25,000 (Kindergarten–Grade 5) to SGD 54,430 (Grade 12), per the school's official fees page, plus a Development Fee (SGD 2,582), Fee Protection Scheme charges, a one-time Enrolment Fee (SGD 3,667) and Placement Test Fee (SGD 510). Verify directly with the school as fees change annually.
Admissions
EAL and multilingual-learner support (Lexis Education certified) and a Bilingual Diploma option. PEI No. 201316975E. Not-for-profit.
Campus Life
A heritage hilltop campus at 21 Preston Road (Alexandra/Queenstown) on the former Alexandra Grammar School grounds, with small class sizes and 'Kampong' homeroom community branding.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: ISS publishes a highest IB score of 43, a 94% IB Diploma attainment rate, an 88% Bilingual Diploma rate and a 100% HSD pass rate (2024–25). No independently published IB average or university-placement list was found.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- ISS official website — homepage · 2026-06
- ISS official — accreditations page · 2026-06
- ISS official — school fees (AY2025/2026) · 2026-06
- International Schools Database — Singapore · 2026-06
- Wikipedia — ISS International School · 2026-06
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