Middle & Upper School
Grades 6 - 12

At ISU, our Middle and Upper School offers students a challenging, engaging and internationally minded education that supports both academic success and personal growth. Guided by our vision to empower a community of socially responsible learners to succeed in an ever-changing world, and by our mission to provide an engaging and challenging education in a caring, supportive and diverse environment, we aim to help every student fulfil their potential. Our guiding statements shape not only what students learn, but how they learn, grow and contribute to the life of the school.

Across the Middle and Upper School, our curriculum is designed to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills students need for success now and in the future. Through our three pillars of learning — learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be — students build strong communication, research, self-management and thinking skills; learn to value different perspectives, cultures and beliefs; and grow as healthy, ethical, active and balanced individuals. In this way, learning at ISU is both rigorous and holistic, combining academic challenge with reflection, inquiry and personal development.

Our curriculum reflects this commitment to high-quality learning. At ISU, high-quality learning is transformative: it helps students integrate knowledge, conceptual understanding and skills, sparks curiosity, encourages deep reflection and prepares learners to meet the challenges and opportunities of an ever-evolving world. In the Middle School, students follow a bespoke curriculum with Cambridge Secondary 1 at its core in English, Mathematics and Science, alongside a broader programme that supports interdisciplinary learning, creativity and physical education. In the Upper School, students follow the ISU High School Diploma pathway, including IGCSE courses in Grades 9 and 10 and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12. Together, these experiences provide a coherent and internationally focused pathway through Grades 6 to 12.

Middle School at ISU is a time of discovery, growing independence and strong foundations. Students are encouraged to become increasingly aware of how they learn, what motivates them and how they can take greater responsibility for their own progress.

Our Middle School curriculum is designed to challenge students academically while also supporting their social, emotional and personal development. Learning is broad, balanced and purposeful, with opportunities for inquiry, collaboration, creativity and reflection. Students deepen their subject knowledge while strengthening the communication, research, thinking, social and self-management skills that will support them throughout their education.

At this stage of the journey, growth matters as much as outcomes. Students are encouraged to ask questions, make connections, learn from mistakes and develop confidence in expressing their ideas. They are supported to understand different perspectives, engage respectfully with others and recognise their place within both the ISU community and the wider world.
This reflects ISU’s commitment to learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. By the end of Middle School, students have developed greater independence, resilience and self-awareness. They are ready to move forward with stronger academic foundations, a clearer sense of themselves as learners, and the confidence to embrace the increased challenge and choice of the next stage of their journey.

Middle School Subjects: English Language and Literature, German Language and Literature, German as a Foreign Language, French as a Foreign Language, Spanish as a Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Information Communication technology, Physical Education, Visual Arts, Drama, Personal Social and Health Education and Social Studies (History and Geography)

The IB Diploma Programme represents a significant stage in a student’s journey towards independence, purpose and life beyond school. In Grades 11 and 12, students are challenged to think deeply, make connections across disciplines and take increasing responsibility for their own learning.

The programme combines academic breadth and depth with opportunities for reflection, creativity, research and meaningful engagement beyond the classroom. Students learn to manage competing priorities, explore complex ideas from different perspectives and communicate their thinking with clarity and confidence.

At ISU, the Diploma Programme is more than preparation for university. It is an opportunity for students to develop as thoughtful, balanced and internationally minded individuals. Through their subject choices and the core elements of the programme, students are encouraged to explore their interests, question assumptions and connect learning with real-world issues.

The journey is demanding, but students are supported throughout by teachers who know them as individuals and who help them develop the strategies, confidence and resilience needed to succeed.

By graduation, IB Diploma students have developed far more than academic knowledge. They leave ISU as increasingly independent learners who understand how to manage challenge, reflect on their choices and engage thoughtfully with others. They are prepared to take the next step in their education with curiosity, confidence and a strong sense of personal responsibility.

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.

Group 1 - Studies in language and literature: German or English Language and Literature Course (HL & SL)
Group 2 - Language Acquisition: German B (HL & SL), German Ab Inito (SL)
Group 3 - Individuals and societies: History, Geography (HL & SL)
Group 4 - Sciences: Biology, Physics (HL & SL)
Group 5 - Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation (HL & SL), Analysis and Approaches (HL & SL)
Group 6 - Arts and Electives: Visual Arts, French B, Spanish B, and Chemistry (HL & SL)

Self Study Language A is possible where ISU does not provide for your home language.

Grades 9 and 10 mark an important stage in the ISU journey as students move into greater academic depth, independence and responsibility starting the ISU High School Diploma and studying subjects of the IGCSE programme and those specifically developed for ISU.

At this stage, students begin to engage with subject disciplines in a more focused and demanding way. They strengthen their knowledge and understanding while developing the habits of mind needed for successful further study: critical thinking, organisation, problem-solving, reflection and the ability to communicate ideas with increasing precision.

These years are also a period of important personal growth. Students begin to identify their academic strengths, interests and aspirations more clearly. They are encouraged to take greater ownership of their learning, respond constructively to feedback and manage the demands of coursework and external examinations with increasing confidence.

At ISU, we see this stage not simply as preparation for examinations, but as preparation for the choices that follow. The experience helps students develop the resilience, independence and academic maturity required for the IB Diploma Programme, the ISU High School Diploma and future pathways beyond school.

By the end of Grade 10, students have completed a significant stage in their academic journey. They move forward with recognised qualifications, stronger learning skills and a clearer understanding of the subjects and pathways that best reflect their individual strengths, goals and ambitions.

Students at ISU have the opportunity to study for a wide breadth of subjects, some of which are assessed by Cambridge International Education as International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations.

English Language (First Language) English Literature*, German as a First Language or German as a Foreign Language, History, Geography, Spanish as a Foreign Language, French as a Foreign Language, Mathematics, Coordinated Sciences (double award), Visual Arts*, Computer Science, Drama*, Physical Education*, Personal Social and Health Education*
*Not IGCSE Subject

The ISU High School Diploma provides a flexible and personalised pathway through the final years of school, allowing students to build a programme that reflects their individual strengths, interests and future goals.

At the centre of this pathway is the student. Rather than defining success through a single route, the ISU High School Diploma recognises that students develop in different ways and may have different academic, personal and post-school ambitions. The programme therefore allows students to work towards graduation through a course of study that is appropriately challenging while remaining responsive to their individual needs and aspirations.

Students continue to develop the knowledge, skills and habits that underpin high-quality learning at ISU. They are expected to think critically, communicate effectively, manage their learning responsibly and engage positively with the school community. As they progress through Grades 11 and 12, they are supported to become increasingly independent and intentional in the choices they make.

The ISU High School Diploma is therefore not simply an alternative qualification. It is an individualised route towards a shared ISU goal: helping every student fulfil their potential and prepare meaningfully for life beyond school.
By graduation, students leave with a recognised record of their learning, a clearer sense of their strengths and direction, and the confidence and resilience to continue their journey into further education, training, employment or other future opportunities.

The foundation of our robust academic offering lies in our globally-recognized accreditations. An International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, we are also accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), Middle States Association of Colleges and School (MSA), and authorized by Cambridge International Education (CIE) for the IGCSE.

Additionally, the Bavarian State Government recognizes ISU, ensuring that our IGCSE can be transcribed as equivalent to the Realschulabschluss (Mittlere Reife). The culmination of study at ISU, the IB Diploma Programme, is also universally acknowledged, opening doors to universities globally, including in Germany.

WHAT OUR ALUMNI SAY

Berke, Alumni of 2020/21

ISU is a warm, supportive community where teachers truly care about helping every student succeed - a place you can call home.

Gabriel, Alumni of 2020/21

It is a small friendly community with teachers and staff who care about you and your success.

Middle & Upper School Grades 6 - 12

WHAT OUR ALUMNI SAY

Berke, Alumni of 2020/21

Gabriel, Alumni of 2020/21

Middle & Upper School
Grades 6 - 12