Ningbo British International School (NBIS)

NBIS is located in Ningbo National Hi-Tech Zone, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. The campus sits in the heart of the Hi-Tech Zone, a developing economic district with good transport links and local amenities. A local report lists the campus address as No 1188 Yangfan Road, Ningbo National Hi-Tech Zone.

NBIS offers education from Early Years (Pre-School) through Year 13.

NBIS is a co-educational international school. Boarding is available for students in Years 7–13.

NBIS provides English language support and inclusion services through an Inclusion Team. In Early Years and Primary, classes are taught by an international homeroom teacher and a Chinese co-teacher to provide bilingual support; in Secondary, subjects are taught by specialist teachers.

NBIS has no formal country affiliation.

NBIS does not publish a religious affiliation.

Exact start and end times are not published on NBIS pages. The school day includes a lunch break, with morning and afternoon sessions under the Cambridge curriculum.

NBIS provides a Yellow School Bus Service with eight buses on fixed routes. The Bus Administrator is Ms Vicky and the Bus Supervisor is Chris Black; each bus has a dedicated Bus Teacher responsible for safety.

NBIS follows the Cambridge International Curriculum from Early Years through Year 13, with Cambridge Progression Tests from Year 3, Cambridge Checkpoint in Year 9, IGCSE in Year 11, and Cambridge AS/A-Levels in Years 12–13. In Early Years NBIS uses the UK Early Years Foundation Stage framework, with seven areas of learning and prime areas (communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development) plus four specific areas (literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, expressive arts and design). In Primary, the Cambridge Primary Curriculum is taught in English across English, Maths, Science, Global Perspectives, and Digital Literacy & Computing, with Chinese lessons and specialist Music, Art and PE; class sizes are small and there is bilingual support with an international homeroom teacher and a Chinese teacher. In Secondary, Years 7–9 follow Cambridge Lower Secondary with core subjects English/ESL, Maths, Science, Chinese, Humanities, Computing, Drama, Music, Art and PE and Cambridge Checkpoint at the end of Year 9; Years 10–11 study the Cambridge IGCSE with core English, ESL, Maths, Chinese and a Science option, plus a range of electives such as World Literature, Additional English, Art & Design, Travel & Tourism, Computer Science, Music, Business, Drama, History and Geography; Years 12–13 offer Cambridge AS and A-Levels with a selection of subjects and exams scheduled May/June and October/November. NBIS also runs a Chinese Language and Culture Programme across all stages with two pathways (Mandarin as Native Language and Mandarin as a Foreign Language) and a strong Cambridge Chinese results track (A/A or higher since 2019).

The Inclusion Team blends its expertise in academic, social, emotional and behavioural skills to support all students and promote inclusion across the curriculum and school culture.

Learning Support Teachers create individual Student Support Plans in collaboration with teachers, students, parents and sometimes external agencies, with targets to meet a diverse range of student needs including high achieving students, and these plans are reviewed and updated regularly.

EAL programmes are designed to support students who arrive with little or no English; learners may be withdrawn from class for 1:1 or small group work and are then integrated back into the classroom with EAL teachers providing in-class support.

The Inclusion Team's focus on social, emotional and behavioural skills supports students' mental wellbeing, implemented through inclusive practices and whole-school initiatives.

Safeguarding practices at NBIS include risk assessments for trips and staff safeguarding training expectations (including boarding staff), with safeguarding awareness integrated into recruitment and ongoing staff development.

1. Visit NBIS by appointment. Campus tours will be focused on the relevant age range. This initial visit is the first step in the admissions process, and staff can outline the NBIS program and entry points during the tour. A scheduled visit is required to start the process.

2. Assessments. For Pre-school to Reception, assessments are conducted through group-based interactive games that observe a child's ability to understand and follow instructions. Primary-level entrants undergo the Cambridge assessment, while Secondary entrants complete CAT4 assessments that examine verbal, quantitative, non-verbal, and spatial abilities. A School Report from the previous school is requested for students who are not in Pre-school/Nursery.

3. Interview. After the assessments, the student will have an interview with the Head of the relevant section or a delegated staff member. At least one parent or legal guardian must attend the interview with the Head. This step provides an opportunity for families to discuss the child's readiness and for the school to understand family expectations.

4. Enrolment Application and registration. The Enrolment/Application Form should be completed, relevant materials submitted, and the student registered. Documentation required includes a School Report from the previous school for non-preschool entrants. NBIS notes that the school is popular and oversubscribed for some classes, so early application is advised.

NBIS does not publish information about scholarships or financial aid on its admissions materials.

NBIS does not publish a formal waitlist or pool system in its publicly available admissions materials.