Uplands International School of Penang

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The International School of Penang (ISP), commonly known as Uplands School, is a British International school in Malaysia. It has recently moved from Gurney Drive to Batu Ferringhi. The current headmaster is Ian Kerr (MBE), who has held the post since 1991.

1 Overview
2 History
3 Accreditation and membership
4 Alumni
5 See also

[edit] Overview

The International School of Penang currently occupies a four-hectare site next to the sea, three kilometers from Georgetown. Housed in a colonial heritage building, facilities include 36 classrooms, four laboratories, two drama rooms, two music rooms, an indoor badminton court, hall, all-weather tennis and basketball court, a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool, fitness room and a games field.

The schooling incorporates the normal United Kingdom curriculum and offers a wide range of subjects for the Cambridge IGCSE. German, French, Japanese, Mandarin and Malay are offered as second languages and there is a strong ESL programme for pupils for whom English is not their first language. The maximum class size is 25. All staff are experienced and qualified with university degrees and/or teaching certificates. Over one-half are expatriate teachers - mostly with previous international experience. A Special Educational Needs Department caters for children with mild learning disabilities. Uplands has recently been jointly accredited by the European Council of International Schools and NEASC. The school is authorised to offer courses leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Uplands has a diverse student body that represents 37 different countries. They number in the region of 600, between the ages of 3 and 19. Student boarding accommodation is available on site for children of eight years plus. Currently there are 75 boarders accommodated at the school, including sixth form who are housed separately. The uniform of olive green and white has recently been replaced by a vibrant beige and batik combination. The school is split into three houses for academic and sporting activities; Crag (Red), Hill (Green), School (Blue).

[edit] History

Uplands, the International School of Penang was started by the Incorporated Society of Planters. Forty five years ago the main source of income for Malaya was the sale of rubber and tin. Most of the companies involved were British so the majority of the estate and mine managers were expatriates. In those days, most planters sent their children to boarding school in the UK. There was only one boarding school for younger children in Malaysia at the time, situated in Cameron Highlands, which was a dangerous area due to communist activities.

The Incorporated Society of Planters decided to start a school for their children and leased the premises of the old Crag Hotel on Penang Hill from January 1955. Many of its first pupils and teachers, were from a small private school on Penang Hill called Uplands. The uniform was blue in the early years, and not the green theme of today. In 1965, it was necessary to acquire another building as the enrollment of students had increased. Hillview then became part of the school.

In 1972, HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip paid a visit to the school. It was a proud and memorable moment in Uplands history. In 1977, Uplands saw the start of a secondary department, and an important move to Burma Road. After a short period, Uplands eventually arrived at Kelawei Road and from 1996 a Sixth form was established. In August 2006 the school moved to a newly completed Batu Ferringhi complex. The School calls itself the International School of Penang, thus retaining the original initials I.S.P, shared by the Incorporated Society of Planters.

Miss Daniels, a boarding house matron, is the longest serving member of staff and an institution in herself.

[edit] Accreditation and membership

The School is an IBO World School, fully recognised and accredited by the following organizations:

Malaysian Ministry of Education
Council of International Schools (CIS)
New England Association of School's and Colleges (NEASC)
International Baccalaureate Association (IBO)
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE)
Edexcel International Examinations.

The School is also a member of the Federation of British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA) and the Boarding Schools Association (BSA).