The International School of Penang (Uplands)
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The International School of Penang (Uplands) (ISP), commonly known as Uplands School or simply Uplands by its members (called Uplanders), is a British international school in Penang, Malaysia. Founded in 1955, it was first situated on Penang Hill, moving to Gurney Drive and finally Batu Ferringhi in 2006. The current headmaster is Gary Benfield who took over in 2007 from Ian Kerr (MBE), who had held the post since 1991.
Overview
Uplands currently occupies a five-and-a-half-acre site near to the sea in the tourist area of Batu Feringgi, approximately eleven kilometres from George Town. Housed in new buildings from 2006, facilities include 36 classrooms, four laboratories, two drama rooms, two music rooms, two computer labs, an indoor multi purpose hall, a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool, and a games field. The school also provides wireless internet access for students and staff who use their own mobile computers at school.
Students are mainly divided into thirteen year groups. The school curriculum incorporates the International Baccalaureate PYP (Years 1-6) and DP (Years 12-13) and offers a wide range of subjects for the IGCSE (Years 10-11). German, French, Japanese, Mandarin and Malay are among the language subjects offered, and there is a strong ESL programme for pupils for whom English is not their first language. The maximum class size is 25. All staff are experienced and qualified with university degrees and/or teaching certificates. Over one-half are expatriate teachers, many with previous international experience. A Special Educational Needs Department caters for children with mild learning disabilities. Uplands has recently been jointly accredited by the European Council of International Schools and NEASC. The school is authorised to offer courses leading to the IB Diploma.
Uplands has a diverse student body that represents 37 different countries. They number in the region of 600, between the ages of 3 and 19. Student boarding accommodation is available nearby for children of eight years and above. Currently there are 75 boarders accommodated at the school, including sixth form (years 12-13) students who are housed separately. Year 1-11 students wear a distinctive green/beige batik uniform with brown pants or skirts, while sixth formers only need to adhere to a black/white dress code. The school is split into three houses for academic and sporting activities; Crag (red), Hill (green) and School (blue).
Accreditation and membership
Uplands is an IBO World School, fully recognised and accredited by the following organizations:
- Malaysian Ministry of Education (MME)
- Council of International Schools (CIS)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
- International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
- Cambridge International Examinations (CIE)
- Edexcel International Examinations.
The school is also a member of the Federation of British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA) and the Boarding Schools Association (BSA).
See also
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