High School: Language of instruction is English for ages 14 onwards (Grades 10 and 11). Italian is taught as an additional mother tongue language or as an additional language (IAL). A choice of French and Spanish is offered as third languages. Chinese and Latin are offered as additional subjects after school.

View or download our introduction to the GCSE and IB programmes

View or download the IB Diploma - Grade 12 & 13

View or download the IB Diploma choices

View or download the Middle/High School Language policy

View or download the Middle/High School Rules & Regulations

View or download the Anti-bullying policy

View or download 2011/2012 Booklist for Grade 10, Grade 11 or Grade 12

The Transition from Middle to High School

Our High School starts with Grade 10 and continues through Grades 11, 12 and 13 (Grade 12 commenced in September 2009 and Grade 13 from September 2010) completing the cycle. The transition of pupils already attending Rome International School is not guaranteed and students in our grade 9 will be required to sit assessment tests during their last year of Middle School. Also serious consideration will be given to students with special requirements, in order to assess whether the High School can cater for his/her needs or whether parents might be advised to consider alternative schooling. Students will be expected to show the appropriate competences in all relevant subjects, in order to progress to the more challenging academic demands of the courses to be studied.

All external students applying for entry to the High School will be required to sit an entrance test in both English and Mathematics as well as having an oral interview with the Principal and/or Vice-Principal/GCSE/DP co-ordinator. There can be no exceptions to this rule. These English and Maths tests must be assessed exclusively by the relevant specialist teachers. These teachers' comments concerning individual performance in the test and their subsequent professional opinion of the applicant's suitability to follow our programmes will be recorded on the relevant acceptance form. If either the English or Maths teachers give a negative report, the candidate cannot be admitted to RIS. Students accepted from Italian schools will usually be those with a good reason for wanting to continue their education in English (e.g. future plans to move to an Anglophone country, or those recently returned from a period abroad). They will be required to have a good, working level of English which will be essential to enable them to follow our programmes.

In Grades 10 and 11 our students currently follow the two year British National Curriculum GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) course, offered by British and many international schools. Students study a full range of subjects, including English Language and English Literature, Maths, Science, Economics, Geography, History, Italian and another language, such as French, Spanish or Chinese. Mother tongue Italian speakers will follow a purpose-designed course in Italian Literature and non-native speakers study IAL (Italian as an Additional Language).

GCSE is assessed through a combination of coursework, completed throughout the two years, and authorized examinations, which are taken in the May and June of Grade 11. Grades are awarded individually for each subject on a scale of A*(highest) to G, with a C grade or above considered a sound pass. We would expect the majority of our Grade 11 students to achieve somewhere between 8 and 11 GCSEs upon completion of Grade 11.

In Grade 12 our students enter their final two years of High School (Grade 13 commences in September 2010) As a fully authorized International Baccalaureate World School we offer the prestigious Diploma Programme designed to prepare students for university entrance, which is studied and recognised throughout the world. Students follow an individually tailored course of six subjects (usually three at Higher and three at Standard level), with compulsory courses in Theory of Knowledge, an Extended Essay and a Creativity, Action and Service component.

For more information about the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme please visit www.ibo.org or contact us here at Rome International School, where we will be happy to explain the programme further and answer any questions you may have.