National vs International School: Which Is Best Suited For Your Kid?

A School that Nurtures Interest

International school vs a regular school? CBSE school vs a state board school? The questions are never-ending. School education is the most important gift you can bestow upon your children. Some children are naturally talented in numbers and might choose a career in which math plays an important role, like astronomy or physics; some children would be good orators, and a career in politics or some other leadership role would be the best fit for them. No matter what a child’s interest is, if they were not given a proper nurturing environment to thrive, their innate abilities would most likely atrophy, and they might lead an unfulfilled life of mediocrity, not having experienced the true magnitude of potentials and the fruits they would have otherwise borne.

Importance of Schools

So why do schools play such an important role?

• The first thing is that children get a quality education. It doesn’t matter if the parents possess incredible skills and knowledge; teaching children even something as elementary as the ABCDs is a monumental task. And schools contain people who have just that noble ability to reach the children on their level and make them learn. 
• Socializing is yet another advantage of sending children to schools. Even if parents succeed at homeschooling their child–and do a remarkable job at that–they still could not teach children to socialize. The very absence of a vast pool of other children for your child to pick his/her friends from makes them anxious or shy when they grow up and need to mingle with people. Humans are social animals, and depriving a child of that is not only unnatural but counterproductive.
• Getting into college is not an easy task. A child must perform well in education, and for that, they need a structured progression which schools are much better equipped than the parents to provide. In many countries, a school mark sheet is mandatory to get into colleges. 
• Things like morality and empathy can be learned much better at schools. It is possible to teach children the concept of morals, good conduct, and perspectives through words, but it is nigh impossible to make them experience all these firsthand. School education provides the grounds for children to learn these things themselves. They share, they care, they love, and they get hurt. All these things make them develop into wise humans.

These are the fundamental positives of sending children to schools. But it can be overwhelming for a parent to choose what type of school they must send their children to. Schools can be divided broadly into two types: national and international. While most of us know what national schools are, a good portion of the populace hasn’t an inkling about international schools.

Role of International Schools

So what is an International school? As the name suggests, it is a school for the international community. Who is this international community? Well, it’s the expatriates–people who are not from the host countries but stay there due to their work. Like international business persons, the staff of embassies and whatnot. And international schools cater to children of these people. 

The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) has a set of prerequisites that a school must have for it to be an international school. They are:

1. English should be the primary language or a mandatory language. Like how Hindi is to India, English is to the world. Learning English and then studying other subjects through English would make the world more accessible to children since almost all the countries speak it.
2. Most international schools follow the curriculum of the US or the UK. Even if one of them is not followed, an international curriculum such as International Baccalaureate, Edexcel, Cambridge Assessment International Education, International Primary Curriculum, or International General Certificate of Secondary Education should be followed.
3. It should be accredited by international organizations such as the Council of British International Schools or the Council of International Schools.
4. The admission must be non-selective, meaning no children should be given partial treatment. If a child is suitable for the curriculum, then he/she is welcome to study there.

Differences Between International Schools and National Schools

• When your child studies in an international school, they have a better chance at becoming global citizens. Many universities across the globe accept the curriculum of an international school but the host countries’ national schools’ curriculum.
• Children study in a melting-pot environment, one that provides them an inclusive education, so they would understand other’s cultures. National schools seldom provide such a diverse environment.

• The career opportunities of children from international schools are far superior to that of children from national schools. This is because of a robust curriculum that follows new and advanced academic philosophies such as Orchids, The International School. It follows the S.H.A.R.P.E.R philosophy, aiming to provide its students a holistic academic experience opening up a globe of possibilities for future leaders.
• Not only are pupils diverse, but also the teachers. They bring to the table the humongous wisdom and knowledge of their own countries and lives in their countries. Children observe and absorb these varied experiences, getting an understanding of the world and the various types of people occupying it.

• Unlike most national schools, international ones do not cram students into a class. The classrooms in international schools are sparse and tiny, having fewer students so that a teacher can give each and every one of them the individual attention they need.

So it is fair to say that international schools are better than national schools. More career opportunities and a real probability of becoming global citizens and learning international cultures through international pupils and teachers should be reasons alone for you to pick an international school. Like we said at that beginning, education is the best gift parents can bestow upon their children. So why not give them the best of the best?

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