International School of Aleppo

"The International School of Aleppo (ISA) holds a distinctive and significant place in the educational history of Syria."

Founded in 1977, ISA was built on a commitment to providing a rigorous, internationally recognized education in the heart of one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. For families relocating to Aleppo — whether diplomats, researchers, humanitarian workers, or professionals drawn to the region — ISA represented a rare and reassuring constant: a school where children could receive a world-class education without interruption to their academic journey. As the only International Baccalaureate World School in Syria, ISA offered families the credibility and continuity that come with the globally respected IB framework. The school delivered two core IB programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for younger learners and the IB Diploma Programme (DP) for students in the upper secondary years. The PYP instills in children a love of inquiry and a broad, transdisciplinary approach to learning, while the Diploma Programme prepares older students for university entrance and lifelong intellectual engagement. Between these two pillars, students in the ninth and tenth grades worked toward the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), ensuring a coherent and well-scaffolded academic pathway from the earliest years through to graduation. English was the primary language of instruction throughout the school, making ISA an especially natural fit for expatriate families and internationally mobile professionals who needed their children to remain within an English-medium environment. This linguistic consistency meant that students arriving from abroad could transition smoothly into the classroom, and those departing for universities or schools elsewhere in the world were equally well prepared. The student body at ISA reflected the international character of its mission. The school drew children from the diplomatic community, international organizations, research institutions, and the wider expatriate population living and working in Aleppo. This blend of nationalities and backgrounds created a genuinely cosmopolitan learning environment, one where cultural exchange was not an aspiration but a daily reality. At the same time, ISA served Syrian families who sought an internationally oriented education for their children, fostering a community that bridged local and global perspectives. Aleppo itself provided a remarkable backdrop for this kind of education. As a UNESCO World Heritage city with deep roots in trade, culture, and scholarship, it offered students an almost unparalleled living classroom in history and civilization. ISA was embedded in this context, offering families not just academic excellence but a connection to one of the most storied urban environments on earth. It must be noted with sadness that ISA is no longer in operation. The school, which had served families and students for decades, closed as a result of the lasting and devastating effects of the Syrian Civil War. Its legacy, however, endures in the many students it educated and launched into universities and careers around the world. For families researching the history of international schooling in Syria, ISA stands as a testament to what dedicated international education can achieve, even in the most complex corners of the world.