The British International School Shanghai Pudong Campus

Community Life at NAIS Pudong

One of NAIS Pudong's most distinctive characteristics is its size. With approximately 300 students spread across Early Years through Year 13, it is one of the smaller international schools in Shanghai — a fact that many families find actively appealing.

A Truly International Student Body

Students represent more than 40 nationalities, reflecting the diverse expatriate and international community of Pudong. This mix creates organic cross-cultural learning on a daily basis: conversations at lunch, collaborative group projects, and shared extracurricular activities all build global fluency in students from an early age. The school's Chinese-language site highlights that students come from over 50 nationalities, suggesting the diversity continues to grow.

Small School, Big Impact

The small enrolment means students are known individually by teachers and staff. With a 9:1 student–teacher ratio overall (and 1:4 in Early Years), every child receives meaningful attention. Class sizes capped at 24 ensure that lessons are interactive rather than lecture-driven. Parents frequently cite the personal relationships between teachers and students as a key differentiator from larger Shanghai international schools.

Beyond the Classroom

With over 140 co-curricular activities on offer (per the school's Chinese-language site), every student can find their passion. From competitive Tiger Sharks swimming to ballet, rugby, cooking, Kung Fu, robotics, and community service, the breadth of activities ensures that the school day extends well beyond academics. Nord Anglia's global exploration activities — organised in Tanzania and Switzerland — offer further opportunities for students to grow through shared international experiences.

Parent and Family Engagement

The school actively engages families through open days, regular communications, and a transparent admissions process in which decisions are often made the same day as assessment. School buses with bilingual attendants serve Pudong and wider Shanghai, reducing the logistical burden on families and allowing the school to draw from a broad geographic catchment.

Academic Excellence at NAIS Pudong

Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong consistently punches above its weight academically, delivering outstanding results across both the Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma Programme despite its relatively small enrolment of around 300 students.

IB Diploma Programme

The Class of 2025 achieved an average IB score of 37 points — well above the global average of approximately 30.6 — with the highest individual score reaching a perfect 43 points. The pass rate was 100%, reflecting both individual student achievement and the quality of teaching and pastoral preparation. This performance places NAIS Pudong among the stronger IB schools in China.

IGCSE Results

The IGCSE Class of 2025 demonstrated equally impressive breadth. Highlights include:

• 100% A/A* in French, Spanish, and Chinese (modern foreign languages)
• 67% A/A* in Physics
• 100% pass rate across all sciences
• 80% A–C* in English Language

These results reflect a committed academic culture, particularly in STEM and languages.

Curriculum Breadth

Students follow the English National Curriculum in primary years (EYFS, IPC, KS1–3), transition to Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10–11, and sit the IB Diploma in Years 12–13. A subset of online IB subjects is also available through Pamoja Education, expanding choice even for a school with a small sixth form.

Nord Anglia Enrichment

The school's academic programme is meaningfully enriched by its membership of the Nord Anglia group. Partnerships with MIT (Maker Space curriculum), Juilliard (performing arts), and UNICEF (global citizenship projects) add distinctive dimensions that go beyond standard British international schooling.

University Destinations

The Class of 2025 secured places at leading universities including LSE, UCL, King's College London, and the University of Manchester. While no Oxbridge or Ivy League placements were reported for this cohort, the breadth of destinations — including MGIMO in Moscow and Raindance Film School — reflects the diversity of students' interests and ambitions.

For a school of 300 students, these outcomes represent a strong academic culture underpinned by small class sizes (maximum 24), a 9:1 student–teacher ratio, and a deeply supportive learning environment.

Educational Philosophy: More Than They Ever Thought Possible

NAIS Pudong's educational philosophy is grounded in the belief that every child, regardless of background or starting point, can achieve more than they ever imagined. This is not merely a marketing slogan but is operationalised through concrete programmes that bring world-class expertise directly into the school.

The Nord Anglia Difference

As part of the Nord Anglia Education global network, NAIS Pudong benefits from three signature partnerships that are rare at schools of its size:

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): The school houses a dedicated MIT Maker Space, where students engage in engineering challenges, design thinking, robotics, and innovation projects. The curriculum content is developed in collaboration with MIT faculty, bringing Silicon Valley-calibre STEM thinking to Pudong.

Juilliard School (New York): Through the Nord Anglia Performing Arts programme developed with the world's leading conservatoire, students receive music and performing arts instruction influenced by Juilliard methodology. This programme elevates the quality of music education and provides opportunities for performance at a high standard.

UNICEF: Nord Anglia's Global Campus partnership with UNICEF embeds real-world global citizenship and social impact projects into the curriculum. Students work on genuine UNICEF campaigns, developing empathy, research skills, and an awareness of global issues.

Holistic and Child-Centred

Beyond these partnerships, the school adopts a holistic, child-centred approach in which academic rigour is balanced with character development, wellbeing, and co-curricular breadth. The EYFS and Primary years use the English National Curriculum alongside the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), emphasising themes, connections, and inquiry-based learning.

Inclusive by Design

The school's non-selective admissions philosophy means students of varying starting points are welcomed. Free EAL support for Years 1–11 ensures that non-native English speakers are never disadvantaged, and learning support services accommodate students with diverse needs. This inclusive approach, combined with high expectations, creates an environment where outcomes consistently exceed the global average.

Admissions at NAIS Pudong

NAIS Pudong takes a refreshingly straightforward approach to admissions that reflects its non-selective, inclusive philosophy.

Non-Selective but Academically Ambitious

The school is explicitly non-selective. While an assessment takes place for all applicants, the primary purpose is not to filter candidates but to understand each child's learning needs and ensure appropriate support is in place from day one. This approach means that academically diverse students can thrive together — and the IB average of 37 points demonstrates that inclusion and excellence are not mutually exclusive.

Assessment by Stage

• Early Years (Pre-Nursery to Reception): An informal, play-based observation session. No academic test is required; readiness for school life is assessed through interaction with teachers.
• Primary (Years 1–6): Written or online assessments in English and Mathematics. Designed to place students accurately rather than screen them out.
• Secondary (Years 7–13): Subject examinations covering English, Mathematics, and relevant subjects; may include a brief interview with a senior staff member for older applicants.

Fast Decisions

One of the standout features of NAIS Pudong's process is its speed: in most cases, a conditional offer is made on the same day as the assessment, or within 48 hours. This is particularly helpful for families relocating to Shanghai who need to make rapid school arrangements.

EAL-Friendly Entry

Non-native English speakers are actively welcomed. The school provides free English as an Additional Language (EAL) support for all students in Years 1–11 who need it. Families are frequently reassured that even students who arrive with limited English quickly adapt and thrive within the English-medium environment.

Fees and Onboarding

Upon receiving a conditional offer, families pay an application fee of RMB 3,500 and an enrolment fee of RMB 4,000 to secure their place. A refundable resourcing deposit of RMB 16,000 is also required. Sibling discounts of 5% (third child) and 10% (fourth and subsequent children) are available, as is a 3% early-payment discount on annual tuition.

Campus and Facilities

Situated at 2888 Junmin Road in Shanghai's Pudong New District, NAIS Pudong's campus has been developed over more than two decades to support its comprehensive educational programme from Early Years through Sixth Form.

Signature Spaces

MIT Maker Space: Perhaps the most distinctive facility, the on-campus Maker Space was developed in partnership with MIT and is equipped with robotics equipment, 3D printers, design workstations, and engineering tools. Students from primary through secondary engage with real engineering and innovation challenges here.

Indoor Swimming Pool: A 25-metre indoor pool with spectator seating serves the competitive Tiger Sharks swim team and physical education classes year-round, providing opportunities that many Shanghai schools of this size cannot match.

Multi-Purpose Hall / Auditorium: A large multi-purpose venue accommodates school assemblies, theatrical productions, indoor sport competitions, and whole-school events. The space supports the school's strong performing arts programme.

Science Laboratories: Well-equipped labs support IGCSE and IB science curricula across biology, chemistry, and physics.

Arts and Creativity

Dance studios, visual arts rooms, and media production facilities reflect the Juilliard partnership's influence on the school's arts culture. A music suite and recording-adjacent practice spaces support ensembles, chamber choir, and individual tuition.

Outdoor Spaces

The campus includes grass and all-weather synthetic sports pitches and a dedicated athletics track, supporting football, netball, rugby, and athletics programmes. Separate outdoor play areas for Early Years and Primary provide age-appropriate environments.

Dining and Wellbeing

A multi-level cafeteria offers buffet-style lunch options (charged separately from tuition). The campus atmosphere is described as warm and purposeful — a community where students are genuinely known by name.