International School of Florence:
With two locations, in Bagno a Ripoli, just south of Florence, and on the south side of the Arno in central Florence in the Tuscany region of northern Italy, the International School of Florence is one of the oldest international schools in Europe. Originally catering to an international, Anglophone community, in the more than 57 intervening years, it has grown and changed, developing into a model international school. Among the programs offered are the International Baccalaureate Organisation's Primary Years Program, an integrated Italian equivalency program (grades 1 through 8) for our host country students who wish to prepare for and take the Italian Terza Media exam, and the challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.
Instruction is in English. Students may also study Italian and French. The school takes advantage of its setting in Florence to study history, art and architecture, and there are frequent field trips to places of interest in the surrounding area. There are elective courses in music, theatre, art, drama, journalism, computers, physical education and yearbook. We are accredited by ECIS and the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges.
ISF has two campuses, one for students from Preschool to Grade 5 and the other for Middle and High School students. Both school buildings are Renaissance villas.
The Junior School is located in Villa le Tavernule in Bagno a Ripoli, about a 20 minute drive from the center of Florence.
The Middle and High Schools are located off viale Michelangelo, on the south side of the Arno in Florence. Both schools are housed in Villa Torri di Gattaia, a five minute walk from the famed Piazzale Michelangelo with its unique view over the city of Florence. The villa is immersed in the nearby countryside and just 10 minutes from the city center.