School Philosophy

To 'educate', as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is ‘to give intellectual, spiritual and moral training to'. This is our objective at the International School of Madrid: to prepare our students for the world of the 21st Century. For 40 years the school has strived to provide an excellent education, marked by quality and individual attention and adapted to the world we live in. Our former students often write back and comment on this preparation.

Education obviously includes teaching, but the former word has a much wider meaning. We attempt to continue and complement the education which children have already begun in their homes, by adding to this professional direction and instruction, attention to the learning process of children, and the transmission of learning skills and techniques so that the student develops the ability to learn independently. ISM encourages the children in active rather than passive learning. No amount of book learning can make up for an equal period of first-hand experience.

Our goal is to prepare our children to become worthy citizens of whatever country they may live in when they grow up. We are educating them - children of different races, creeds, colours and tongues - to live together in peace and harmony, appreciating and understanding each other's different backgrounds and cultures. Our theme is not 'I teach, you learn.' No! We prefer 'We are all here together to learn from each other'. And the basis of this philosophy is respect - for classmates and companions, mutual respect between adults and pupils, respect for property, for rules, etc. Without respect there cannot be discipline, nor can there be a happy learning environment. Thus there is an important emphasis on these values at ISM.

In accordance with our philosophy, the education of the whole person and education for life are the principal aims around which the curriculum revolves. In order to fulfil these aims successfully, we consider at ISM that good manners and an attention to social behaviour must be included among the elements which go to make up the education of the whole person. At ISM there is an emphasis on good discipline, and students are helped to see the social and personal benefits of this, whilst at the same time teachers seek to encourage self-expression, individual ability and talent.

The International School of Madrid endeavours to be a school with a happy, family type atmosphere. There is a small student body and this ensures that all pupils know each other, building up lasting friendships. The students at ISM like to feel that they are a little United Nations. And who knows? Perhaps these grey-uniformed boys and girls will be the leaders of the future generation. At least they will have their International School of Madrid years to draw on for experience.