8am to 4pm
Monday to Friday
Welcome to the International School of Lyon! I am delighted you have made your way to our website and hope you will find all the information you need within its pages. ISL is a thriving, community-minded IB World School situated in a pleasant…
ISL is a values-driven school. We recently re-defined our vision, values and mission in consultation with our staff, parents, students and governing board. We strive to live by these guiding principles on a daily basis in everything we do, both in and out of class. Our mission is to develop curious…
The school is open from 8:05 every weekday morning, with lessons for all beginning at 8:20. For students from Kindergarten to Grade 10, school finishing times are 15:35 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 12:05 on Wednesdays and 14:55 on Fridays. IB Diploma students (Grades 11 and 12) have a variable timetable…
ISL staff are nationally and culturally diverse, with more than a dozen nationalities amongst them. The teachers, whilst all being qualified and experienced in their specialist curriculum areas, are trained in and actively embrace the philosophy and quality of the IB programmes for the benefit of ISL students and families…
Nestled in the peaceful suburb of Sainte Foy-lès-Lyon, just south west of Lyon, ISL benefits from its unique location between a family-centred village and a world class city. We cultivate close ties with the local town hall, cultural associations and neighbouring schools. Our upper primary children are regularly elected onto the local Children’s Municipal Council and our students are welcome members of many local clubs and sports teams which helps with integration into neighbouring communities outside school.
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After moving from Asia 3 years ago, we are grateful for ISL’s heartwarming and kind welcome and appreciate the dedicated and approachable Director and staff, my son’s excellent IGCSE results, and the great mix of international backgrounds.
—Lis, British, son in Grade 11
The most important difference between ISL and the other schools our daughters have attended is that in ISL they don’t learn the answers… they learn how to ask themselves the right questions!
—Anna, Italian, children in Grades 5 and 7
My son is really happy with all aspects of life in ISL but was anxious about the change to online learning last year during the Covid lockdown. To our relief, it was very well-organised and a difficult situation was made simple and enjoyable by his skilled and patient teachers. Thank you!
—Padmaja, Indian, son in Grade 6.
Having had my twin boys, who are now in top UK universities, enrolled in ISL from Grade 1 to Grade 12, I can definitely say that ISL is THE place to ‘Build Our Best Selves’ with the support and expertise of great teachers who really care!
—Miruna, Romanian, Twins in Grade 12
The International School of Lyon is a not-for-profit association (French law 1901). The capital provided by the Enrolment fees is reinvested in the school for the improvement of the campus and the enhancement of student learning.
ISL is an IB World School under the supervision of the International Baccalaureate® for its Primary Years Programme and Diploma Programme. It is a registered Cambridge Assessment International Education school, a member of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools and the English Language Schools Association. Although not part of the national system, ISL is regularly inspected by the French National Education Ministry with very positive reports each time.
ISL has a diverse student population covering over 45 nationalities. French is the largest nationality represented in the school (approximately 30%), whilst other large nationality groups include American, Brazilian, British, Indian, Japanese and Korean. The teaching staff represent more than a dozen nationalities between them.
Fluency in English is not a requirement to be accepted into ISL. Students from all nationalities with different home languages attend our school, with special support in English (ESOL) for those who need it. In secondary school, however, a minimum level is required in order to access the curriculum and ensure academic success.
French is compulsory for all students in ISL, with the number of periods per week ranging from 10 in Kindergarten to 5 in Grades 1-10 and 4 or 6 in Grades 11 and 12. All levels are mixed for immersion in Kindergarten, but after that students are divided into Ab Initio (beginners), Language B (intermediate) and Language A (native/advanced). Extra French lessons are usually available for Ab Initio and Language B students who wish to progress more quickly.
At the International School of Lyon we are committed to helping our students fulfill their personal and academic potential through the development of independence, a lifelong love of learning and a sense of intercultural understanding and respect.
We are accredited by or members of:
International School