The Anglo-American School in Sofia (AAS) was founded in 1967 in Sofia under the sponsorship of the American and British embassies to meet the educational needs of children from the United States and the United Kingdom. It is a private secular school without affiliation to any religious denomination, political party or interest group. In 2005 the school was incorporated by virtue of an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the United States of America. As such, the AAS is a non-taxable institution.
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The Anglo-American School of Sofia (AAS) was established in 1967 to meet the educational needs of children from the United States and the United Kingdom. The Charter permits the School to enroll children from other diplomatic missions and generally from the international community in Sofia. It is a private secular school without affiliation to any religious denomination, political party or interest group.
At present 350 students (Grades K -12), coming from 44 countries study at AAS. Around 25 percent of the enrollment is from the US and the UK diplomatic missions in Sofia. The remainder is drawn from the expatriate community with about 25 percent Bulgarian nationals.
The Anglo-American School of Sofia is a member of the Central&Eastern European Schools Association CEESA. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools(CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges(NEASC). AAS-Sofia is an authorized International Baccalaureate World School.
The Anglo-American School is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of nine members - four appointed by the American Ambassador, four by the British Ambassador and the elected President of the Parent Teacher Organization.
For several years AAS operated on two sites, 15 kilometers apart, but in January 1998 it moved to the campus of the American College of Sofia in Mladost II area.
In September 2006 AAS moved into its new state-of-the-art campus near Sofia.The school now boasts 7 hectares of land, about 70 % of which are green areas. The Building won major architecture awards in Bulgaria such as Building of the year (2006) and Most sustainable building (2010).
The Anglo-American School curriculum seeks to combine elements of the American and British programs and emphasizes on individualized instruction.
Based on students’ age the school is organized into three major sections - Elementary (Preschool – Grade 5), Middle (Grades 6-8) and High School (Grades 9 – 12). Through Grade 5 the homeroom teachers are responsible for the four core areas of English (Language Arts), mathematics, science and social studies and follow recently revised curricula. In Grades 6 and 10 there is more specialized departmental teaching. At all levels the core program is supported by programs in art, French (from Grade 1), Spanish, ICT, music and physical education.
The curriculum has four core elements: Language & Literacy, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The following subjects enhance our students’ learning and support our core program: Art, Music, Drama, Personal, Social, and Health Education, Physical Education and Bulgarian Cultural Studies.
The curriculum is supported by a range of computer hardware and software and by a spacious and well-resourced (with more than 15 000 volumes) library. There is an intensive ESL program from Grades 1-5 and a flexible resource program for students with some limited learning disabilities.
The AAS Elementary School teaches Kindergarten through to grade 5. The Elementary school fosters the keys skills of exploration and problem solving in a caring, diverse and international environment. The curriculum encompasses Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies and Science and also regular specialist teaching in subjects such as Art, Music, ICT and Physical Education. Although the language of instruction is English, Bulgarian and French are offered as foreign language options.
In order to facilitate the transition from elementary to Middle School, grade 6 students are self contained and taught by two core teachers. Students see specialist teachers for all other subjects. In grades 7 and 8, all students are taught by specialist teachers and benefit from a cohesive and diverse curriculum. The academic program is designed to ensure smooth transitions between all three areas of the school, from the elementary to the middle school and finally to the high school. The curriculum in grades 6, 7 and 8 continues to offer Mathematics, Science, English, Social studies, Physical Education, French and ESL. Bulgarian Language is also introduced in grade 6 as a foreign language option. Specialist programs in Art, ICT, and Music are also offered and supported by our purpose built, modern facilities.
A strength of the Middle School program is also realized in the Co-curricular element of the curriculum. AAS encourages students to take an active interest in the community around them and to offer their support to a wide range of community service projects.
The High School provides an academic program, which prepares students for university studies. High school students at AAS use Science and Chemistry Laboratories, Computer facilities and Art rooms. A balanced international curriculum is designed to encourage high academic standards through a practical approach to teaching and learning. The curriculum of Sciences, Mathematics, Languages, History and Art is adaptable to students of all nationalities and levels of ability.
All High School Students are required to complete extracurricular projects, which encourage collaboration, team spirit and commitment and provide opportunities for leadership. The CAS (Community, Action and Service) programme is a fundamental and compulsory facet of the IB Diploma.
Our students take six 2-year long courses chosen from the IBDP groups: 3 subjects at the higher level (HL) and 3 at the standard level (SL). The IB Diploma is recognized by the world’s leading universities.
Students at AAS enjoy access to particular subjects - Art, Theater,Music, Languages,Bulgarian Cultural Studies,ICT, PE.
Additional activities, offered during the school day and after school throughout the year, give students the opportunity to develop special interests, learn new skills, and socialize. These activities are described as co curricular, as they are intended to complement and supplement the regular academic program. The Co-Curricular program at AAS is extensive with between 30 and 40 different offerings per session.
This program offers the opportunity for students to learn some life long skills and to work collaboratively with a wide age range of students. In addition, students and teachers have the opportunity to work together outside the normal academic program.
The Anglo-American School of Sofia (AAS) awards several full academic scholarships to talented Bulgarian students, who would like to continue their education at the school. The scholarship covers tuition fees at AAS for the scholar’s entire course of studies (4 or 5 years).