PARENT ESSENTIALS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• How can I apply for a place at NAIS Pudong?

  We have an easy-to-use online application form which can be found here. You will need input some information about your child and your family and to upload documentation such as passports and school reports. If you have any questions above the process, the Admissions team will be happy to assist. You can contact our team via email at admissions@naispudong.com, by telephone at +86 (0) 21 5812 7455 ext.1015, or by WeChat by adding our account ID ‘NAISPudong’.

   

  Apply to NAIS Pudong here.

• How do you protect students on days which are polluted?

  We are serious about protecting our students from potentially harmful air pollution. We have clean air filters in every classroom and all communal areas throughout the school. Even on the highest of pollution days, indoor air quality is better than international health standards. We maintain our filtration system regularly and always monitor the internal air quality.

   

  We have an outdoor play policy based on the best available advice from the US Department of Health, the recognised leader in the field. Accordingly, we take regular readings for the Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5 (the most dangerous particles) throughout the day at four set times, and more regularly when required. When readings exceed the healthy range, students’ outdoor activities are limited or, during any high pollution, cancelled.

   

  As our extensive facilities include three indoor gymnasiums and other suitable indoor spaces, many activities are easily able to be transferred indoors. In 2014, the Chinese government developed strict regulations to reduce air pollution in China and since then the air quality has continually improved and the AQI is at its lowest levels in decades.

• Do you offer a bus service?

  Students from all over Shanghai are able to attend our school, including from our own neighbourhood of Kangqiao, as we have a dedicated fleet of school buses to bring them to and from school each day. Each school bus is supervised by a bilingual bus monitor who is a teaching assistant at the school, and all buses are fitted with seat belts which students are required to wear. Our bus routes adapt each year to the needs of our community, and we try to offer transport options for all families who request the service. You can speak to the Admissions staff for more information.

   

  You can view our current bus routes here.

• I want to get involved as a parent. How can I do that?

  We offer diverse volunteer opportunities, from becoming Class Representatives to joining our official Parents’ Association. These dedicated individuals play a vital role in strengthening the school's connection with our families, and we actively encourage open dialogue throughout the year. This spirit of community extends to our wide range of events, including picnics, school productions, international days, classes, fairs, and informal social gatherings – all designed to bring families together and build strong bonds within our community.

   

  Explore our events calendar here.

• How do you communicate with parents?

  We engage with families in a variety of ways that are convenient for parents:

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  1. Face-to-face conversations, either formally at planned Academic Review Evenings or informally at a parent or teacher request.
  2. Students receive four formal reports each year, a ‘Settling In’ report after their first month at the school and then a report at the end of each of the three academic terms.
  3. Emails directly to and from teachers and parents.
  4. In Primary school we use Class Dojo to send messages and for teachers to post pictures and information about what has been happening in your child’s class. Secondary school staff utilise the iParent portal for similar purposes.
  5. Social media includes our school Facebook page and our official WeChat account. You can find links to these at the bottom of every page of our website.
  6. Students use Microsoft Teams to access their work and keep track of homework.
  7. Weekly updates which summarise the week’s highlights and provide important notices of upcoming events and activities.
  8. A variety of events throughout the year in which parents are invited to come into school, including Parent/Teacher meetings each term, twice-yearly student showcases, and wide range of fun events.
  9. Each year group has parent representatives, and we also have a parent representatives’ group, all of whom are able to communicate with school on behalf of the parent community to support the school and raise any questions or issues.

   

  The school is committed to an open-door policy which means that parents are welcome to engage with teachers at any point to discuss their child’s progress and wellbeing. We encourage parents who wish to meet with teachers in person to make a formal appointment to do so directly with the teacher.

• What curriculum do you offer?

  We operate the British Curriculum with an international focus, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for our senior students. At our Primary School, we enhance learning through the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), making learning more global, active, and relevant. The strength of the UK Curriculum lies in its formal structure. Divided into Key Stages of education, for students from 3 to 16 years of age, it develops the key skills students need to learn, with a focus on Literacy and Numeracy with a balanced study of other subjects. Study is split into Key Stages which are split as follows:

   

  • Early Years Foundation Stage – Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception
  • Key Stage 1 – Years 1 and 2
  • Key Stage 2 – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
  • Key Stage 3 – Years 7, 8 and 9
  • Key Stage 4 – IGCSE – Years 10 and 11

  From the Foundation Stage, our students study Mandarin and our curriculum reflects both our Shanghai location and the diverse international membership of our school community.

  Each stage gradually builds knowledge and skills towards study of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) exams which are taken at the end of Year 11. These are a series of externally set and marked examinations which are recognised by education systems around the world. Students in Years 12 and 13 at NAIS Pudong then study the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme, the world’s most respected pre-college/university programme.

  You can find more information about our IGCSEand IBDP options in our handbooks which can be found here.

  Read more about our curricula here.

• Do you offer learning support for students?

  We are an inclusive school and are able to support students with additional needs where appropriate. Aside from EAL needs, where students have specific learning support requirements we would look to discuss these with families during the early stages of the application process to ensure that we’re able to support them. We have specialist staff in school who would meet parents and students and they would also be responsible for engaging for any other specialist teams currently involved in the student’s support network. We will ask for copies of any relevant documents such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or medical documentation where those are relevant.

   

  To discuss any learning support issues with our team, email us here.