Nanjing Foreign Languages School
Nanjing Foreign Languages School has come at the top of school league tables in Jiangsu province for several years. The school aims to educate students to be open to international understanding whilst maintaining their ‘Chinese soul’.
About the international center
The international center was opened in 2006, initially offering A-level programs before starting the IB Diploma in 2012. There are nearly 320 students in the center and more than 30 expatriate staff. The center also has 15 Chinese staff working as tutors and classroom teachers, a large college counseling department and a fully qualified librarian. Education provision is also assisted with the help of two lab technicians.
The center has fully equipped labs for chemistry, physics and biology, as well as an ICT lab, lecture theater, art room and library. All of the 15 standard classrooms have data projectors and internet connections.
Although part of the main school, the center is a separate annex, some 1.5km away from the main campus.
The center’s mission is to ensure that our excellence in teaching, curricula and programs empowers our students to become successful global citizens, able to maximise their potential in life and future careers.
Life at the center
The school is close to transport links, such as the metro, and is located near the center of bright, vibrant Nanjing. It is surrounded by restaurants from many countries of the world. If you really feel a bit homesick there is even Costa, Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds nearby.
Teachers enjoy a good standard of off-campus accommodation. Most teachers choose to live close to the school or towards the eastern edge of the city. There is a good gym and a 50 meter indoor pool near the school.
Nanjing is a very pleasant place to live, although it can get blisteringly hot in summer and very cold in winter. The city has many parks, lakes and mountains and you can get to Shanghai in just over the hour by high-speed train, should you want a change of scene.
“The experience in the center is totally different from my old school, educationally and environmentally. I was longing for an English-only environment, which I have found here, and I have made a great improvements in my English skills. The program has also changed my way of thinking, encouraging me to think deeper and wider when seeing news and controversy.”
– Kehuan, student
“I enjoy the competitive nature of the I.B. program and the interactions with students and my colleagues are very rewarding. Key benefits include working with a great team of talented foreign and Chinese staff as well as students who are very amenable, intelligent and cooperative.”
– Abass, teacher
More about the partner school
Nanjing Foreign Languages School (NFLS or Nanwai) was founded by the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhou Enlai, in 1963. It has approximately 4,000 students, ranging from 12 to 19 years old.
NFLS emphasizes teaching that is “strict, careful, creative and flexible”. The school produces multi-talented graduates who have a good command of foreign languages with a wide knowledge of science and art, and powerful abilities to integrate these subjects.
Many acknowledge NFLS as the best high school in Nanjing. Students must apply through a lottery process in order to sit the entrance exam. Approximately 700 students per year are admitted to junior grade from an initial applicant pool of over 4,000.
Every year, top universities in China and around the world admit large numbers of NFLS students. The school is consistently ranked first in Jiangsu province for the national university matriculation tests. Many school graduates go on to have high-profile careers and the school has educated about 200 Chinese diplomats, ambassadors, general consulates, and party and state leaders.
Situated across two sites, the main campus accommodates approximately 3,400 students, 500 of whom live on campus as boarders. The second campus accommodates around 700 students and houses the Dipont Education international center.
Facilities are modern, with data projectors and internet and networking facilities in every room. Laboratories are good and classrooms are bright and airy with air-conditioning. Both campuses have good sporting facilities, including artificial running tracks and playing courts, gymnasiums and basketball courts.
