The International School of Penang (Uplands)

The International School of Penang (Uplands) was founded in 1955 as a preparatory boarding school for the children of planters in Malaya (now Malaysia). In 1976 the school moved to its present site and as an all-age international school. It is a non-profit making educational trust.

The schooling incorporates the normal UK curriculum and offers a wide range of subjects for the Cambridge IGCSE. German, French, Japanese, Mandarin and Malay are offered as second languages and there is a strong ESL programme for pupils for whom English is not their first language. The maximum class size is 25. All staff are experienced and qualified with university degrees and/or teaching certificates. Over one-half are expatriate teachers - mostly with previous international experience. A Special Educational Needs Department caters for children with mild learning disabilities. Uplands has recently been jointly accredited by the European Council of International Schools and NEASC. The school is authorised to offer courses leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

At present there are students of 37 nationalities at The International School of Penang (Uplands). There are three terms in the school year which begins in late August. There is a varied extra-curricular programme.

The The International School of Penang (Uplands) occupies a four-hectare site next to the sea, three kilometers from Georgetown. Currently housed in a heritage building, facilities include 36 classrooms, four laboratories, two drama rooms, two music rooms, an indoor badminton court, hall, all-weather tennis and basketball court, a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool, fitness room and a games field. Student boarding accommodation is available on site for children of eight years plus. There is a separate Sixth Form Centre with boarding facilities.

Admission to The International School of Penang (Uplands) is dependent on interview and previous school reports. There is a test of English for non-native speakers. Entry to the Sixth Form requires evidence that the candidate has the necessary academic ability.