School Calendar August 2019 – July 2020 calendar of Overseas School of Colombo (OSC)
VIEW MORE
Accreditation The Overseas School of Colombo is fully accredited with the U.S. based Middle States Association of Colleges
Online Payments Pay tuition fees online with convenience. Click below to access the OSC payment platform.
Welcome to The Overseas School of Colombo
I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome you to OSC! We are fully committed to guiding our community of learners toward international and intercultural understanding. As an IB World School, OSC develops the whole child as a responsible learner, striving for personal excellence within a culturally diverse environment.
Dually accredited, and IB authorized, OSC operates at the highest standards ensuring that its students are at the centre of all decision-making. Starting from the IB Primary Years Program and moving into the Middle Years and High School IB Diploma Programs, OSC is steadfast in its vision to build independent, caring, and responsible world citizens who integrate perspectives, think critically, and are unwavering in contributing at both local and global levels to help shape a more sustainable world. OSC students are agents of their own learning who recognize that “together, embracing our differences, we can make a greater impact.”
Our students are welcoming and accepting. Eager and interested in learning, they follow their passions and personalize their education. Upon graduation, they matriculate to universities of their choice all over the world. The IB Diploma, widely acknowledged as the best preparation for post-secondary success, is highly recognized worldwide and provides the widest reach to all university systems across all nations.
OSC achieves its educational aims by attracting highly experienced, qualified, and enthusiastic teachers from all over the world. Our outstanding staff and faculty pride themselves in providing a positive and growth-minded learning environment which offers academic rigor paralleled by a diverse array of interesting and challenging programs including leadership opportunities, service activities, performing arts, and athletics. Together, as a community, we are all learners who are intellectually curious, engaged and involved in cultural heritage activities to realize our international-mindedness.
OSC families hail from more than 40 countries imparting our motto “unity in diversity.” We view parents as our partners, and work in a genuine parent-school partnership which encourages all students to achieve our mission.
We all look forward to welcoming you to the OSC family.
Dr. Michelle Kleiss
Head of School
Students must be at least three years of age on or before 31 August of the academic year of entrance for admission to the Pre-School.
Admission is granted to a student when it has been determined that the school has a vacancy and an appropriate programme to meet his/her individual needs. The final determination of grade placement will be made by the Head of School. This placement will reflect the student’s previous educational experience, age, maturity, linguistic proficiency and academic needs. In certain circumstances students will be placed in a lower grade level to meet their educational needs.
In the Preschool, the school aims for a target of 15 students with a teacher and assistant teacher in each class. This number may increase to 20 at the discretion of the Head of School after consultation with the Primary Principal. From Kindergarten through to Grade 12, the school aims for a target of 20 students. This number may increase to 24 at the discretion of the Head of School in consultation with the relevant Principal.
English is the teaching medium in the school and there is an expectation that students have, or will acquire, a satisfactory standard of English. The school maintains an EAL support programme. However, it should be stressed that non-English speaking students should gain maximum exposure to the language and if a student does not have a satisfactory standard of English at the time of application, the Head of School may refuse admission if there is no appropriate programme to cater for the student’s needs.
OSC does not undertake to provide for all specialized educational needs such as severe learning difficulties or job-specific vocational training. Mild to moderate special educational needs may be provided for from Pre-School to Grade 8 depending on the level of service required. In the Secondary School (Grades 9-12), the courses are essentially college-preparatory and with a demanding academic emphasis. Support for students with learning disabilities at this level is very limited.
Diversity & Culture
Student Enrollments from all parts of the world
“Our students are exposed to a variety of values that are different from their own. In this environment, and through the delivery of our curriculum and approaches, we teach children how to be flexible and adaptable in life; that we are not competing, but rather we are winning when we cooperate and collaborate and embrace our differences.”
– Dr. Michelle Kleiss, Head of School