International School of Beijing

ISB is the city's oldest and largest international school, founded in 1980 and on a purpose-built Shunyi campus. Full IB continuum, around 1,800 pupils from over 50 countries, US-aligned in feel.

The default first call for diplomatic and senior corporate families. Strengths are STEM, sustainability and a deep co-curricular programme, and university outcomes are the equal of anything in Beijing. Class sizes sit between 12 and 22 across the school, which is tight by the standard of a school this large.

Parent satisfaction surveys run high, and the practical issue is access rather than fit. Demand outstrips supply in the popular year groups, particularly early years and primary, and the waiting list is real. Fees range roughly 244,000 to 343,500 RMB. The Shunyi commute is the structural cost: families living in central Chaoyang or south Beijing usually rule ISB out on geography before they get to the academic conversation.

• Routinely placed on East Asia tier-one shortlists alongside Shanghai American School, Western Academy of Beijing and Tanglin Trust, with one teacher commenter calling it "the best school to work on Earth when considering salary and benefits".
• Working hours flagged as unusually civilised among Beijing internationals, with one teacher noting an 8 to 3:30 day and contrasting that with secondary teachers at Dulwich who reported four to five preps and no work-life balance.
• Compensation and demand for staff drive the conversation: package described as roughly 33% above peers with housing allowance, base tuition reported around 300,000 RMB (about 43,000 USD) a year, and admin jobs said to attract around 1,500 applications.
• Strong reputation for university outcomes; alumni include high-scoring IB graduates who go on to selective US universities.
• Domed P.E. fields and strong campus facilities surface as a routine reference point in community discussions.