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WELCOME TO BISW
AN EXCEPTIONAL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON
Part of the Nord Anglia Education global family, BISW is the leading private international school in Washington, DC — ranked among the top 10 private high schools in the District by Niche. Our passionate teachers shape generations of confident, creative, and resilient global citizens, who are set for lifelong success.
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Discover the Skills AI Can’t MatchBritish International School of Washington
#8 in Best Private High Schools in District of Columbia
#11 in Best Private K–12 Schools in Washington, D.C. Area
BRITISH HERITAGE. GLOBAL EDUCATION.
At the British International School of Washington (BISW), our personalized approach to learning will inspire your child to achieve more. Our school program combines the best global practice, perfected across our family of international schools, with innovative, highly respected curricula to open pathways to the world's best universities.
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As one of the best private schools in Washington DC, we’ll nurture your child’s development through every stage of their educational journey, from our British Early Years and Primary School curricula to our Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary School programs.
BUILDING INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS
NO TWO STUDENTS LEARN THE SAME WAY
At our international school in DC, we place each student at the center of their own learning experience. Teachers consider learning styles as well as existing knowledge, skills, and understanding to develop lessons and activities that offer personal challenge, growth, and success.
Our approach is based on the latest education research. BISW teachers challenge and stretch students' abilities through teacher-led and student-led learning across individual and group activities. Your child will be inspired to go beyond the books and truly engage with their personal learning journey.
We don’t stop at just academic success. Our approach is designed to develop your child into a socially-confident global citizen. We foster leadership skills, ambition, dedication, respect, cultural awareness, and sensitivity. Our school will prepare your child to succeed anywhere in the world.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES DESIGNED FOR THE FUTURE
As one of the leading private schools in Georgetown, DC, our globally recognized curricula are created by world-leading education experts. Our programs are complemented by our school’s British heritage and international outlook. We organize our learning by six themes.
Academic excellence
Our individualized approach to learning means that your child will receive the right amount of both support and challenge to achieve their bestresults. We know that with the confidence provided by their results, they’ll have exciting pathways ahead to the world’s best universities.
Academic excellence
Whether it's using “personal learning portfolios” in Primary School or the structured assessments of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programmes (IBDP) in Secondary School, we’ve got best-in-class tools and resources to measure you child’s academic growth.
At the heart of it all, we're developing our students' lifelong love of learning in a place where they feel comfortable and supported to grow into their best selves – and this naturally gives them the motivation and resilience to eventually go on to their first-choice university.
Our strong results in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme – where our school’s average score of 33 is four points higher than the IB global average – prove that we’re confidently ahead of the curve.
Exceptional learning experiences
At the British International School of Washington, your child will grow through our world-class curriculum that’s personalized to each student, and also through our many initiatives beyond the classroom. These support our students in developing their confidence, resilience, and teamwork skills – which they’ll need to make their positive mark on the world.
Exceptional learning experiences
Under our world-class curricula, our teachers lead lessons by a topic or theme that encourages our students to think across different subjects. For example, we might have a lesson that connects English, science, and art. In response to these classroom challenges, our students learn to think outside the box!
Our students also benefit from being in the heart of Washington, DC when they apply their thoughts beyond the classroom – as we can frequently take inspiring morning, afternoon, or full-day trips to amazing sites in the city (like world-class museums or parks), and can easily get involved with community service activities, too.
We want your child to be excited when challenged. We'll support your child through their growing body, mind, and heart with fun opportunities like extended overnight trips. Year 2 students have stayed overnight in Delaware, for example, while Years 7–9 have attended the North Bay Adventure Camp in Maryland. Years 10 and 11 have gone camping in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. And our Year 12 students take a service trip each year to spend ten days helping with local construction projects and other community initiatives.
The world's best teachers
Our passionate, dedicated teachers create a culture of lifelong learning and self-improvement in all aspects of our school. We’re proud that our teachers are leaders in their fields – and so that we can support them further, we’ll always invest in their ongoing professional development.
The world's best teachers
We hire the best teachers in the world to support BISW’s international curricula. Over 90% of our teachers have experience with British education and are specifically trained in our curricula, allowing them to be true masters of their subjects. Our global education team and advisory board are led by world-renowned academics, and also offer IBO (International Baccalaureate Organisation) for our IB Diploma Programme teachers.
We provide our teachers with excellent resources at Nord Anglia University to stay current with the newest practices in education – and they also use tools from our collaborations with world-class institutions like MIT and The Juilliard School.
Our internationally experienced teachers are also important for creating a culture that celebrates diversity at BISW – they'll help your child discover new cultures and nurture their global citizenship.
The Nord Anglia Education family
When you join our diverse school community, you become part of the Nord Anglia Education family of successful students, parents, and alumni, who participate in a fantastic network of global opportunities.
The Nord Anglia Education family
When your child joins BISW, you’re joining our whole community. Thanks to our active BISW Parents’ Association, who organize many events to bring the entire school together, our connected students and families remain a key part of school life.
As part of the greater Nord Anglia family, your family also joins our large global community of international students, parents, teachers, and alumni. From Boston to Beijing, Hanoi to Hyderabad, and Dubai to Dublin, we stretch across many borders! We love that our NAE students can additionally meet and collaborate through Global Campus – our Nord Anglia online learning platform – where they work together on common global challenges.
Our parents stay closely in touch with their children’s learning and development and, in turn, our parents also give their helping hands at various opportunities like career days and international holidays, or by providing guided transportation to different facilities around DC.
As part of the greater Nord Anglia family, your family also joins our large global community of international students, parents, teachers, and alumni. From Boston to Beijing, Hanoi to Hyderabad, and Dubai to Dublin, we stretch across many borders! We love that our NAE students can additionally meet and collaborate through Global Campus – our Nord Anglia online learning platform – where they work together on common global challenges.
Our social purpose
BISW has a special curriculum for each student to develop their social purpose – that’s what motivates them to become a positive agent of change within the world around them. We collaborate with UNICEF and local impact programs so that your child grows tremendously and recognizes their place in the world.
Our social purpose
At BISW, we’ll open your child’s eyes to the world around them so that they can one day become the future leader that our world needs. We educate our students about the rights of children around the world through our global partnership with UNICEF, for instance, and also work on exciting initiatives in response to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Our students’ opportunities to explore social impact are particularly built into the IB Diploma Programme’s CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) component as well as our (ToK) Theory of Knowledge student-led service projects. We connect your child to communities with authentic needs, whether close to home or on the other side of the world.
Locally, at BISW, our IB students are making a difference: they’re volunteering in hospitals, organizing car washes for hurricane relief, and creating art for fundraising for charities like Martha’s Table, Diaper Bank DC, So Others Might Eat, and Bread for the City. Internationally, they’re also assisting populations in need.
Our students’ opportunities to explore social impact are particularly built into the IB Diploma Programme’s CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) component as well as our (ToK) Theory of Knowledge student-led service projects. We connect your child to communities with authentic needs, whether close to home or on the other side of the world.
Locally, at BISW, our IB students are making a difference: they’re volunteering in hospitals, organizing car washes for hurricane relief, and creating art for fundraising for charities like Martha’s Table, Diaper Bank DC, So Others Might Eat, and Bread for the City. Internationally, they’re also assisting populations in need.
An advanced learning environment
We’re committed to providing a safe and happy learning environment so that your child can explore their individual interests and be supported in their learning goals. We’ll make sure they’re always inspired to succeed.
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An advanced learning environment
Because BISW is located in the beautiful neighborhood of Georgetown, we’re right next door to Dumbarton Oaks National Park – our students’ favorite natural space to explore and relax in – and nearby world-class museums that inspire our students with their immersive events, exhibits, and more. We love to take advantage of the city we live in, so we’ll expand on our classroom activities by going to exciting sites in the city. Your child will forget they’re even learning!
Inside our school building, our learning spaces are warm, open, and designed for the future as we’re always looking to encourage seamless connections between students and staff.
We’ll also quickly connect our parents to our students’ success and achievement through our online platforms, such as SeeSaw, where our teachers can communicate with parents and students can showcase what they’re proud of, for both teachers and parents to talk about.
At BISW, our facilities include:
- Specialist pre-nursery and nursery environments
- Specialist environments for the sciences, visual arts, music, dance, and integrated technology
- Learning support center
- Library with learning spaces
- Café and an on-site kitchen for school lunches
- Nearby playing fields and gymnasium
- College and university counselling
- Mental health counselling and a nurse’s suite
We offer a highly personalized admissions process and are here to help you every step of the way.
JOIN OUR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON
- Contact us today to start your child's journey at the British International School of Washington.
- Join us for a school tour or virtual discovery meeting.
- Submit our easy-to-complete online application form.
The latest BISW news
OUR NEWS
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Blog
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Blog Developing Strong Reading Habits in Primary School Children
Discover practical strategies for developing strong reading habits in primary school children. Learn how families and schools can work together to foster a love of reading, build literacy skills, strengthen confidence, and support lifelong learning through engaging books and daily reading routines. At The British International School of Washington, we nurture curious, enthusiastic readers who are prepared for success both in and beyond the classroom.
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Blog
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Blog What Expats Should Know About Education at the British International School of Washington
A practical guide for expat families navigating education in Washington, DC, highlighting key considerations and how The British International School of Washington provides continuity, global perspective, and a supportive environment for internationally mobile students.
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Blog
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Blog A Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Private School in Washington DC
Choosing the right private school in Washington, DC can feel overwhelming. This guide helps families understand what to look for in a school from curriculum and pastoral care to community and enrichment, so they can make a confident, informed decision for their child’s education.
