There are hundreds of schools in Qatar ranging from national to international schools, and independent to private schools. With Qatar being home to a thriving education scene, Bellevue Education, which operates schools in the U.K. and Switzerland, is excited to introduce its first school outside of Europe – the Swiss International School of Qatar (SISQ).

The Swiss International School of Qatar is an international private school for students aged 3 to 18. Located in Al Luqta, Doha, this recent school, and its beautiful new facilities are ready and excited for students to call it home! But, with Qatar having many prestigious schools, what sets the Swiss International School of Qatar apart from the others? We spoke with Philip Bradley, SISQ’s Head of School, to find out.

While many schools can have similar curriculums and student bodies, one thing that sets SISQ apart is that they’re an IB Candidate School. They are currently pursuing the authorisation to be an IB World School*.

Bradley stated, “Our school’s mission is to graduate children who aren’t just smart, but they’re also going to make a difference in the world, and we’re doing that in lots of different ways. Our curriculum is a big part [of that], but [so is] our culture.”

Helping to establish their culture, SISQ is very committed to promoting the French language. “We’re not a bilingual school, but we really know how important it is to maintain a mother tongue, and one of our big commitments is to maintain the French mother tongue,” stated Bradley.

Along with this, another positive influence on the school’s culture is the unique learning environment the school will have.

“The way we structure our school will be a little bit different to many [others] in that we are going to be co-educational through to grade 6, and then we’re going to, for good pedagogical and learning reasons, split into a boys and girls section,” stated Bradley.

The reason for this split is due to research that shows how boys and girls begin to learn differently around this grade. Everything but classroom instruction will be done together (lunch, recess, etc.) and in the end, this learning environment will benefit the student’s learning, which is the primary focus SISQ has.

The Swiss International School of Qatar is an incredible school that will not just challenge students academically but will challenge them personally as well. With a culture ready to be shaped by its students, SISQ hopes to leave a legacy that not only impacts its students but also impacts the educational scene in Qatar.

*For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org.

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Ashlee

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