International School of Phnom Penh
Encyclopedia
The International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) is an international school
in Phnom Penh
, Cambodia
. It is a private, non-profit, English language, coeducational day school that offers an educational program from preschool (2.5 year olds) through grade 12. The school was founded in 1989. At the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year, enrollment was 369 students, representing 29 countries.
In 1990, a villa was rented and ISPP took the first real steps to become a normal day school. A curriculum was developed and a Kindergarten
to Grade 4 program was set in place. Student numbers gradually increased at the start of the school year to 11. ISPP's Charter was then written and approved, establishing it as a parent-owned and operated non-sectarian, non-profit school.
By 1995, the full-time expatriate faculty numbered 14 and the student body 230. In February, following in-service training, the school developed an innovative approach to effectively meet the needs of the EAL learners at ISPP. A Biology
laboratory was established for the secondary school along with the continued expansion of the Computer Lab and the Media Center.
Early in 1996, a formal learning support program was developed and a full-time learning support teacher was employed later that year. A strategic plan was also developed for the integration of technology into the ISPP curriculum. A technology committee was established to facilitate this plan.
In 1998-99, the school presented for its final international accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) following three years' provisional accreditation. The full accreditation visit took place in March 1999 and in may, the school was told that it had received a full 6-year accreditation at its first attempt. ISPP had then become the only fully internationally accredited school in Cambodia at the time.
In 1999-2000, the decision to become an IB World School was taken. The International Baccalaureate Organization carried out an authorization visit and approved the school as an IB Diploma school
. in 2001, the school was also authorized to offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP)
of the IB. The authorization for the IB Primary Years Programme
was given in September 2004.
During the academic year of 2004-05, the school was also accredited by the CIS
and the WASC
.
Finally, in 2009-10, the faculty produced a comprehensive self-study for the joint 5-year CIS/WASC/IB accreditation visit, which took place in April 2010. ISPP was the first school in the world to use the open-source Moodle
software for the self-study and collaboration.
.
, art
, computer
studies, physical education, swimming
, ESL, French and Khmer
language classes are part of the curriculum for all grades. ISPP provides learning support and counselling activities. The school runs some after-school program activities including instrumental music. The School is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
and is a member of the Council of International Schools
(CIS), European Council of International Schools
(ECIS) and East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
(EARCOS).
The school year consists of 2 semesters, each of 2 terms, extending from mid-August to late December and from late January to mid-June.
members. The faculty is multi-national and the vast majority come from Australia
, Canada
, New Zealand
, the United Kingdom
and the United States
.
. The elementary school campus has been extended and has various facilities facilities including a library, computer and media center, art and music rooms, a basketball
court and medium-size swimming pool. The secondary school occupies recently renovated facilities, including an auditorium
, computer
laboratory, design technology workshop, library
, studio art and design center, two science laboratories, dance
studio, 15 general-purpose classrooms, a basketball
court, a smaller grass area for general sports, and has access to a full-sized football ground with 400m running track and sports equipment. All rooms on both campuses are air-conditioned. Recently, there was also a PA system installed.
1 This award may not be given out every year
2 Council of International Schools
3 European Council of International Schools
4 Creativity, Action, Service
5 East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
Additionally, there are capital fees per year, which is about 10-15% of tuition fees. Enrollment and entrance fees of US$ 3,250 are charged once.
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. It is a private, non-profit, English language, coeducational day school that offers an educational program from preschool (2.5 year olds) through grade 12. The school was founded in 1989. At the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year, enrollment was 369 students, representing 29 countries.
History
ISPP was started in 1989 by some families working for non-government organizations. The first six students, aged three to seven, met part-time in the home of one of the parents who became their teacher.In 1990, a villa was rented and ISPP took the first real steps to become a normal day school. A curriculum was developed and a Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to Grade 4 program was set in place. Student numbers gradually increased at the start of the school year to 11. ISPP's Charter was then written and approved, establishing it as a parent-owned and operated non-sectarian, non-profit school.
By 1995, the full-time expatriate faculty numbered 14 and the student body 230. In February, following in-service training, the school developed an innovative approach to effectively meet the needs of the EAL learners at ISPP. A Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
laboratory was established for the secondary school along with the continued expansion of the Computer Lab and the Media Center.
Early in 1996, a formal learning support program was developed and a full-time learning support teacher was employed later that year. A strategic plan was also developed for the integration of technology into the ISPP curriculum. A technology committee was established to facilitate this plan.
In 1998-99, the school presented for its final international accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC) following three years' provisional accreditation. The full accreditation visit took place in March 1999 and in may, the school was told that it had received a full 6-year accreditation at its first attempt. ISPP had then become the only fully internationally accredited school in Cambodia at the time.
In 1999-2000, the decision to become an IB World School was taken. The International Baccalaureate Organization carried out an authorization visit and approved the school as an IB Diploma school
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
. in 2001, the school was also authorized to offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP)
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
of the IB. The authorization for the IB Primary Years Programme
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
was given in September 2004.
During the academic year of 2004-05, the school was also accredited by the CIS
Council of International Schools
The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...
and the WASC
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
.
Finally, in 2009-10, the faculty produced a comprehensive self-study for the joint 5-year CIS/WASC/IB accreditation visit, which took place in April 2010. ISPP was the first school in the world to use the open-source Moodle
Moodle
Moodle is a free source e-learning software platform, also known as a Course Management System, Learning Management System, or Virtual Learning Environment...
software for the self-study and collaboration.
Organization
The school operates under an agreement with the Royal Government of Cambodia through the Ministry of Education, Youth and SportMinistry of Education, Youth and Sport, of Cambodia
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is the government ministry responsible for promoting and regulating education, youth and sport development, in Cambodia.The current Senior Minister of Education, Youth and Sport is H.E...
.
Curriculum
The curriculum draws from diverse English language sources. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is offered in Grades 11 and 12. In grades 6-10, the school has implemented the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. ISPP introduced the IB PYP (Primary Years Program) program in August 2002 to become an IB World School. In the elementary grades, the school operates a developmentally based preschool and Reception 1 to Grade 1 program incorporating appropriate academic activities. Grades 2-5 feature a comprehensive curriculum provision through composite classes. MusicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
studies, physical education, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, ESL, French and Khmer
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
language classes are part of the curriculum for all grades. ISPP provides learning support and counselling activities. The school runs some after-school program activities including instrumental music. The School is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
and is a member of the Council of International Schools
Council of International Schools
The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...
(CIS), European Council of International Schools
European Council of International Schools
The European Council of International Schools - ECIS is an association of international schools founded in 1965. ECIS is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education....
(ECIS) and East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
The East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools is an association of some 100 international schools in East Asia which use English as the primary medium of instruction. Its members have over 53,000 students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. EARCOS also has associate members including...
(EARCOS).
The school year consists of 2 semesters, each of 2 terms, extending from mid-August to late December and from late January to mid-June.
Faculty
In the 2004-2005 school year, there were 39 full-time and 4 part-time facultyTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
members. The faculty is multi-national and the vast majority come from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Facilities
As of 2006, the school was housed in rental facilities on opposite sides of Norodom BoulevardNorodom Boulevard
Norodom Boulevard is a major boulevard of Phnom Penh the capital of Cambodia named after King Norodom. It connects with Monivong Bridge in the south-east of the city at the Bassac River and joins with the north of the city at Wat Phnom....
. The elementary school campus has been extended and has various facilities facilities including a library, computer and media center, art and music rooms, a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court and medium-size swimming pool. The secondary school occupies recently renovated facilities, including an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
, computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
laboratory, design technology workshop, library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, studio art and design center, two science laboratories, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
studio, 15 general-purpose classrooms, a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court, a smaller grass area for general sports, and has access to a full-sized football ground with 400m running track and sports equipment. All rooms on both campuses are air-conditioned. Recently, there was also a PA system installed.
Honour Roll
Honour Roll for the secondary school is determined each semester. It is in recognition of outstanding performance in academics. The Honour Roll is based upon a student achieving any of the following:Grades 6-10
- Director's List: 50 total points (out of 56) or more, with no score less than four.
- Honour Roll: 42 total points (out of 56) or more, with no score less than four.
Grades 11-12
- Director's List: 36 total points (out of 42) or more, with no score less than four.
- Honour Roll: 32 total points (out of 42) or more, with no score less than four.
Awards
The Secondary School also recognizes student achievement and effort with the following awards:| Award | Criteria | Selection Process | Presented At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Award for Educational Excellence (Gold) | Top two students on total semester marks for final two years completed at ISPP | Determined by scores on reports | Graduation Ceremony |
| Presidential Award for Educational Achievement (Silver)1 | Maximum two students who show outstanding growth and commitment but did not qualify for Gold Award. Nominated students must qualify for the Honour Roll in their final semester marks. Students must have attended ISPP for grades 11 and 12. | Staff nominates the students and the Secondary Administration determines the final recipient(s) | Graduation Ceremony |
| CIS2 International Student Award | The students must have demonstrated a clear commitment to sustained interaction with students of the other nationalities, languages or ethnic backgrounds in a spirit of understanding and cooperation. Projects should encompass efforts directed beyond participation in regular school activities. | The staff nominate a project or group of students from all grade levels. The Director and Principals discuss nominations and determine the recipient. | End of the Year Assembly (Elementary or Secondary). |
| ECIS3 Student Award for International Understanding | Awarded to a student who is a good representative of his/her own country, with a positive attitude toward the life and culture of others, able to converse in at least two languages and is a contributing force in the life of the school, with the ability to bring differing people together into a sense of community, thus furthering the cause of international understanding. | One award per school may be given each year. The Student Council organizes the selection and voting process. The students and staff are given one ballot each. | Second Semester Awards Ceremony |
| ISPP Legends | Issued for graduating students and leaving teachers who have been a part of the ISPP community for 10 years or more. | Determined by records | Graduation ceremony |
| Athletic Achievement Awards | Given to students with outstanding achievements in sports. | Selected by the ISPP coaches | Second Semester Awards Ceremony |
| Leadership Award1 | Presented to up to two graduates who should be recognized for their leadership contributions and participation in the ISPP decision-making process | Staff nominates students and the CAS4 Coordinator and Secondary Admin review the nominations and vote for the final recipient(s) | Graduation Ceremony |
| EARCOS5 Global Citizenship Award | This award is presented to a student who embraces the qualities of a global citizen. this student is a proud representative of his or her country while being respectful of the diversity of other nations. He or she should have an open mind, should be well informed, aware and empathetic, concerned and caring for others, thus encouraging a sense of community and strongly committed to engagement and action to make the world a better place. Finally, the student must be able to interact and communicate effectively with people from all walks of life while having a sense of collective responsibility for all who inhabit the globe. | Staff nominate students for the award. A panel of 2 students, 2 teachers and the Secondary Management Team discuss the nominations and vote for the recipient. | Second Semester Awards Ceremony |
| Community and Service Award | Presented to a maximum of two grads, who should be recognized for their positive character and service to the school and the community | Staff nominates students and the CAS4 Coordinator with the Secondary Admin review the nominations to vote for the final recipient(s) | Graduation Ceremony |
| Achievement and Effort Certificates | Awarded to one student in each class for their outstanding achievement or effort during the semester. | Each class teacher selects a maximum of one student for achievement and effort recognition. | Second Semester Awards Ceremony |
1 This award may not be given out every year
2 Council of International Schools
Council of International Schools
The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...
3 European Council of International Schools
European Council of International Schools
The European Council of International Schools - ECIS is an association of international schools founded in 1965. ECIS is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education....
4 Creativity, Action, Service
Creativity, Action, Service
Creativity, action, service is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It aims to provide a 'counterbalance' to the academic rigour of the educational programme. Before the 2010 examination there was a 150 hour requirement, with an approximately equal distribution of creativity,...
5 East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools
The East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools is an association of some 100 international schools in East Asia which use English as the primary medium of instruction. Its members have over 53,000 students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. EARCOS also has associate members including...
Finances
As of 2010-11, the tuition rates were as follows:- Early Years Morning: US$ 4,750
- Early Years (full day): US$ 5,920
- Primary Years Reception to grade 5: US$ 11,530
- Grades 6-10: US$ 13,920
- Grades 11-12: US$ 15,130
Additionally, there are capital fees per year, which is about 10-15% of tuition fees. Enrollment and entrance fees of US$ 3,250 are charged once.