Federation of British International Schools in South East Asia and East Asia

Criteria

An application from an Applicant school may be considered for membership of the Federation if it adequately meets the criteria laid out by FOBISSEA’s By-laws (as approved by the Registrar of Societies, Singapore -  25th February 2010).

General Criteria

1. The school is located in the geographical region of South Asia, South East Asia, or East Asia, as defined by the Federation.
2. The school has an appropriate license or other such legal permission to operate, as described by the details in the application, within the host country.
3. The school has a clearly formulated set of objectives and educational philosophy set out in writing.
4. There is evidence that the school is committed to educational excellence rather than profit. Although it is accepted that all schools should be run on a business-like basis, and some schools create a surplus, the quality of education should not be sacrificed as a result of pure profit taking.
5. The school has provided education for its students for a minimum of three (3) consecutive years prior to the application.
6. The school is able to demonstrate that its financial resources are capable of sustaining its educational programme consistent with its stated philosophy and objectives. The school provides a suitable learning and working environment in terms of its provision of grounds, buildings, installations, furnishings, support equipment, staff, including their professional development. Curriculum resources are adequate to fulfil the needs of the instructional programmes.
7. The school has adequate provision for the health, safety, security and comfort of its students and staff.

Criteria relating to “Britishness”

1. The medium of instruction is predominantly English with the majority of the students accessing the entire curriculum at an age appropriate level.
2. The school delivers a British-type broad-based curriculum for all or a significant majority of its students, such as: the National Curriculum for England at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3; the Common Entrance Curriculum; Home-based GCSE, IGCSE, GCE ‘A’ Levels or GNVQ. If the school does not overtly offer typically British curricula it must adequately demonstrate that its programmes meet the following five (5) criteria.
3. The school has an educational programme such that should their students seek entry to UK state schools they would be able to do so without any great difficulty.
4. More than half of the teaching staff of the school are full time staff, hold the UK Qualified Teacher Status or its equivalent (as determined by the Executive Committee of FOBISSEA), and are fully acquainted with British educational systems (by reason of having been trained in the UK and/or having experience in British International Schools). FOBISSEA retains the discretion to allow exceptions to these requirements in respect of local language teachers, peripatetic staff or teaching support staff in, for example EAL or SEN).
5. The school utilises appropriate teaching materials and resources, as determined by the Executive Committee of FOBISSEA to support a British-style curriculum, both technically and culturally.
6. The school demonstrates a commitment to keeping teachers up-to-date with current educational developments in Britain by way of in-service training and staff development programmes.
7. The school shows a commitment to the formal monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning according to British norms and undergoes regular reviews or inspections by external agents acquainted with British practice at least once every six (6) years.  If a school cannot commit to an inspection team at regular intervals, it is a requirement for a follow-up school visit by a small team of FOBISSEA Heads, at the school’s expense, in order to assure continuing compliance with the membership criteria.

Criteria for the admission of multiple schools under one ownership or Board

1. Corporate members are multiple schools under the ownership of one (1) person, a central organisation and/or a company.
2. Where a school applying for membership is part of a group of schools under the ownership of a single owner, a central organisation and/or a company, the membership type granted to the school will be designated as Corporate.
3. Individual schools linked to a central organisation or company will only be granted Full Membership in their own right if they can adequately demonstrate clear autonomy in terms of management, separate governance, separate finances, independent planning etc.
4. Applications for Corporate membership must be made by each individual school.
5. The Heads of each Corporate member may attend FOBISSEA’s General Meetings, the Heads’ Annual Conference, the annual Business Meeting and AGM but may put forward only one (1) collective vote, should the need arise.
6. The Corporate membership fee will be paid by each member school in an organization or company on the same basis as for Full Members.

NB: The criteria set out above are an extract of the FOBISSEA By-laws and may be amended or updated from time to time.

Attachments

• Criteria for Membership (pdf, 71.38 KB)