FAQ

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  inspected by the French National Education Ministry, thus gaining recognition of its fulfilment of national educational requirements.

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).

ISL accepts all students for whom there are places available and who can be successful in our programmes regardless of gender, nationality, race or religion. Children with special educational needs may be catered for within the on-site and external resources we have available.

ISL is a secular school so does not teach or prioritise any religion or religious practice. The study of different religions and their histories and places in today’s world may be explored within our curricula, however, and is seen as a means of promoting international-mindedness and the embracing of others’ values and opinions.

There is no fixed deadline for applying to ISL at the moment. You can apply all year round and admission will be on a first come, first served basis as long as there are spaces in the class(es) you are applying to.

In primary school, you will have updates of your child’s progress through postings of their work on online platforms, semester reports, parent-teacher meetings and student-led conferences. In secondary, there are also interim progress checks twice a year preceding the parent-teacher conferences. Outside these formal reporting processes, you can contact or meet your child’s teachers or school coordinators/principals at any time and, similarly, we will contact you immediately if there is an issue that needs to be addressed or discussed.

The weekly schedule is designed to allow students to follow the required number of hours in all the age appropriate programmes while leaving time for extracurricular activities in and outside school. For Kindergarten to Grade 10 the school day is 8.20–15.35 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8.20–14.55 on Fridays. Wednesday is a half-day, 8.20–12.05, to encourage students to join local activities in French. Grade 11–12 students have a different, longer school week to cover all their options and subject choices in the IB Diploma Programme.

ISL students do not have to wear a school uniform. There is, however, a dress code which outlines what is acceptable school wear. The PTA also sell ISL merchandise which carries our logo and which is ideal for all school activities.

We do not have a dedicated bus service as our students live either close to the school or in different areas around the city. For those who do not walk, cycle or drive to school, the #6 and #8 buses run frequently from town and stop just outside the school.

There are IB schools all over the world where the programme will be the same as that of ISL and most national programmes will recognise and give credit for our ISL curricula, whatever the student’s age. If possible and appropriate, we can also help students prepare for any specific language, curricular or cultural requirements in the country they will be leaving us for.