The IST Curriculum covers a wide range of disciplines which encourage academic curiosity and confidence in the learner. It is organised into core and non-core subject areas in the IST Early Childhood and IST Elementary School, which are joined by elective courses in the IST Middle School and IST High School.
The IST Curriculum is the product of a development process carried out by faculty members which has examined a variety of curricular models and teaching standards in order to create a rigorous academic program which prepares students for college and university studies. It is subject to a cyclical review by subject specialists, which ensures that IST maintains a teaching ethos which seeks out and embraces new and distinct ideas in the field of education.
Throughout IST, English language acquisition and learning is conducted using a total immersion model. Hence, all subject areas, with the exception of Italian, Latin and World Languages, are exclusively instructed in English.
Early Childhood Section (Kinder 2-Kinder 5)
- Core subjects: Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
- Non-Core subject: Physical Education is introduced in Kinder 4 and Kinder 5
Elementary Section (Grades 1-5)
- Core subjects: Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
- Additional core subject: Italian, taught by native speaker teachers according to the specifications of the Italian Ministry of Education.
- Non-core subjects: Physical Education, Art and Music
Middle School Section (Grades 6-8)
- Core subjects: English Language and Literature, Italian Language and Literature, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
- Additional core subjects: World Languages. Students elect to study one of three modern foreign languages: French, German or Spanish. In Grade 8 students may take the A2 CEF level external examination in French (DELF), Spanish (DELE) and German (ÖSD).
- Non-core subjects: Art and Physical Education continue as compulsory.
- Electives: A dual-track elective choice is introduced, through which students may opt to follow either a classical study path in the form of Latin; or further tuition in the English language as a practical tool in the form of Communications. (NB. Latin is introduced in Grade 7).
High School Section (Grades 9-13)
- Core Subjects: English Language and Literature, Italian Language and Literature, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies & World Languages
- World Language Exams: In Grades 12 and 13, students may take the B1 or B2 CEF level external examination in French (DELF), Spanish (DELE) and German (ÖSD).
- Electives Grades 9-11: Students choose from 2D Art, Mandarin Chinese I, Math Lab, Communication or Latin. PE is taught in Grade 9 and Grade 10.
- Electives, Grades 12 & 13: Students choose from 3D Art, Mandarin Chinese II, Physics II, Study Hall, Communication or Latin.
The final two years of High School include an additional subject, Research Design, which supports the production of the capstone assessment in High School, the Senior Thesis. This is an 8000-word academically-rigorous research project involving primary and/or secondary data collection, analysis and publication.