About 1,200 students from 56 nations study at the Bavarian International School gAG (BIS) – Germany's third-largest international school – between the two campuses located in the village of Haimhausen and Munich city. The motto 'Believe.Inspire.Succeed' shapes the pedagogically rich and holistic education the students, aged three through to 19, receive from this institution. Intercultural competence, collaborative and inspirational learning, respect, social responsibility and tolerance all characterise the spirit of this accredited IB World School.A team of 170 teachers from 29 nations provide BIS students with an exceptional 7.5: 1 teacher-student ratio that allows teachers to identify and accommodate the individual needs and strengths of each child. The tangible proof of this successful approach is seen each year in BIS students’ IB Diploma scores. In 2019, the average score was 34.3 points, which is well above the worldwide average of 29.7. The BIS strives for state-of-the-art school standards by investing in interactive whiteboards and Apple TVs, iPads (1:1 programme for Grades 4-6), MacBooks (1:1 programme for Grades 7-12), science and technology laboratories, art and design studios, sports halls, theatre spaces, an auditorium and an extensive extra-curricular programme.

A personalised focus 

"We provide our students with the intellectual, intercultural, social, emotional and, most importantly, with the critical perspectives they will need as adults in a global, technological world. Our students will be able to solve the challenges of the future and make the world a better place," says Dr Chrissie Sorenson, head of school at BIS. “Each child’s individual development is placed at the very centre of the educational focus at BIS.”Internationalism and diversity are truly the intertwined, double-helix DNA of this school. The language of instruction is English, but German language classes are offered from Grade 1 onwards for all proficiency levels. Starting in Grade 6, French, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin and the optional “Mother-Tongue Programme” allows students to maintain and develop literacy in their native language. Mother-tongue learning is currently offered in 17 languages. Merely 25 per cent of the students are German natives, meaning the remaining 75 per cent come from international families.Pupils and parents alike regard the multitude of extracurricular activities on offer as an exceptional feature of BIS. These activities include approximately 40 sports offerings over the two campuses, as well as CAS (Community, Action, Service), the Model United Nations debate team, the Eco-School project, the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, and a mix of fitness, scouting and expeditions. The social engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration and the exploring of new horizons play a particularly significant role in an educational environment, according to Dr Sorenson.

IB World School

BIS is one of only two schools in Germany authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer all four IB programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP) and the Career-related Programme (CP). The IB Diploma is recognised by the best universities in the world, including more than 700 universities across approximately 70 countries, with Germany among them.Info box 

About the Bavarian International School

• Website: bis-school.com
• Students: 1,200
• Staff: 210 (of which 170 are teachers) from 29 nations
• Nationalities; 56 with 44 different mother tongue languages
• Established: 1991 (30th anniversary in 2021)
• Location: 1, School: 2 campuses: Haimhausen Campus
• and City Campus on Leopoldstraße in Munich
• Status: International School (IB World School)
• Programmes: all four IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, CP)
• IB Diploma BIS 2019 average: 34.3 (worldwide: 29.7)

This article is from Relocate Global's Guide to International Education & Schools 2019/20 which is packed with expert tips and information for those relocating and the professionals supporting them. For volume options, co-branded editions, digital or online licence agreements and advertising opportunities, contact Fiona Murchie at +44 (0)1892 891334 or email fiona@relocatemagazine.com 

Now available as an ebook on Amazon! Simply download from Amazon onto your Kindle, mobile phone or tablet to read wherever you are!

---

Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online DirectoryFor more education and school-related news, visit our Education and Schools pages.^{© 2019. This article first appeared in the 2019/20 edition of the Guide to International Education & Schools published by Relocate Global, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Relocate Global. Relocate Global accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.}

©2024 Re:locate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.