Garden International School Kuala Lumpur vs IGB International School

The school is located in Mont Kiara, a modern township with numerous high-rise residential condominiums, office complexes, and international schools. Mont Kiara is known for its international community, with a significant population of expatriates from various countries. The area is well-connected to the rest of Kuala Lumpur via major expressways and is considered a very desirable residential area for families, with many amenities such as shopping malls, restaurants, and recreational facilities.

The main campus is structured into three main sections to cater for different age groups. These are the Primary School for ages 5-11, the Secondary School for ages 11-16, and the Sixth Form for students aged 16-18.

GIS is a co-educational day school and does not offer any boarding facilities.

The school has a dedicated Learning Support faculty that assists students with identified mild learning differences. Support is provided through in-class assistance, small group sessions, or individualised programmes, depending on the student's needs. The team works with teachers and parents to create and review individualised education plans (IEPs).

The school does not have a formal affiliation with any particular country.

GIS is a non-denominational school and has no religious affiliation.

The school day for primary and secondary students starts at 7:40 am and finishes at 2:10 pm for Years 1 to 3, and 2:20 pm for Years 4 to 13. The day includes a morning break and a lunch break.

The school offers an extensive bus service that connects the main campus with major residential areas across Kuala Lumpur. The service is provided by external operators, and the cost is determined by the distance from the student's home to the school.

The school has a uniform policy. There is a Second-Hand Uniform Shop to promote sustainability by recycling preloved uniforms.

The Main Campus cafeteria is run by Cezar's Kitchen and provides meals and snacks throughout the day. It offers ten food stations with International, Asian and Vegetarian options, plus Western dishes, pasta, Seoul food, Asian noodles, a salad bar, deli sandwiches, and a live station serving Rotisserie Chicken and Chicken Shawarma on alternating days.

GIS has a house system with four houses: Crest, Queen, Chancellor and Sultan. Every student from Early Years to Sixth Form belongs to a house and competes in a range of house events, with house colours celebrated.

GIS is part of Taylor's Schools, a network of six top-tier institutions in Singapore and Malaysia. Taylor's Education Group owns Taylor's Schools.

The curriculum at Garden International School is based on the National Curriculum for England and Wales, adapted for an international student body. In Primary School (Years 1-6), students follow a broad curriculum that builds foundational knowledge across a range of subjects.

In Secondary School (Years 7-11), students continue with a wide range of subjects, which narrows in Years 10 and 11 as they prepare for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations. For their final two years in Sixth Form (Years 12-13), students specialize in subjects of their choice to study for A-Level qualifications, which are recognized for university entrance worldwide.

The school has a dedicated pastoral care system to support students' well-being. Each student is part of a tutor group, and their form tutor is the primary point of contact for any concerns. The school also has an on-site counseling team that offers confidential support to students. Initiatives such as personal, social, health, and economic (PSHE) education are integrated into the curriculum to help students develop essential life skills.

The school provides support for students with mild learning needs through its Learning Support faculty. This is not a specialist SEN institution, but it has a team of specialist teachers who work with students who require additional support. Support is offered through in-class assistance, small group work, or one-to-one sessions, and the school develops Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) for students with identified needs. The school assesses each child's needs on a case-by-case basis to determine if they can provide the appropriate level of support.

The school has an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program for students who require support to access the curriculum. New students are assessed to determine their level of English proficiency. Based on this assessment, students may be offered a place in the EAL program, which can include intensive English classes and in-class support. There is an additional fee for the EAL program for students in Years 7 to 9.

The school supports student mental wellbeing through its pastoral care structure and a dedicated on-site counseling team. Located within the school's Medical Centre, the counseling unit provides a confidential space for students to discuss their emotional and psychological health. Form tutors also play a role in monitoring student wellbeing and are the initial contact for any concerns. This is supplemented by a PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic) curriculum that addresses wellbeing topics.

The school has a child protection policy in place to ensure student safety and welfare. The school is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all students, and all staff members receive safeguarding training. There are designated safeguarding leads who are responsible for handling any child protection concerns that may arise, following established procedures for reporting and support.

Attend an Open Day or book a tour. The school holds regular open days for prospective families. This is a good opportunity to see the campus, meet teachers, and get a feel for the school environment. You can also arrange a personalised tour with the admissions team.

Submit an application. You will need to complete the online application form and submit it along with all the required documents. These typically include previous school reports, a copy of your child's passport, and passport-sized photos. An application fee is payable at this stage.

Admissions Assessment. Once the application is submitted, the school will arrange an age-appropriate assessment for your child. For primary and secondary students, this usually involves an online diagnostic assessment to understand their learning style and academic potential. For Sixth Form entry, students will also need to meet specific IGCSE (or equivalent) grade requirements.

Offer of a place. If the assessment is successful and a place is available, the school will send you a formal letter of offer. To accept the place, you will need to pay the registration fee and a deposit within the timeframe specified in the offer letter.

GIS offers scholarships for students entering the Sixth Form (Year 12) to study for their A-Levels. These scholarships are open to both current students and external applicants and are awarded based on academic merit, as well as talent in areas such as music or sports. The scholarships typically cover a percentage of the tuition fees and may also include the waiver of the application and registration fees. The application process is separate from the standard admissions process and has specific deadlines. It usually requires a personal statement, references, and evidence of achievements.

The school does experience high demand for places in most year groups, and a "wait pool" system is in place when a year group is full. When an application is received for a full year group, the student's name is added to the pool. The school does not operate a simple first-come, first-served system. When a place becomes available, they consider various factors to select a student from the wait pool, including the student's academic profile, English language proficiency, and the overall balance of gender and nationality within the year group.

The school is situated at Jalan Sierramas Utama, Sierramas, in Sungai Buloh, Selangor. Sierramas is an upscale, green, and secure residential area known for its spacious homes and community feel. The school is well-connected, with easy access to major highways like the NKVE, LDP, and MRR2, facilitating travel to Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Selangor. Public transport options include the Sungai Buloh MRT station, which is a short distance away, and bus services that serve the area.

IGB is divided into Early Years, Elementary, and Secondary Levels

IGB is co-educational day school.

IGB provides support for students with additional learning needs through its dedicated Learning Support team, which works across Early Years to Secondary School. This team includes staff with qualifications and experience in various special educational needs. The school also collaborates with external providers like speech and occupational therapists to further support students.

It does not have a direct affiliation with a specific country.

The school does not have a religious affiliation.

The standard school day runs from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, with some variations for certain class levels.

After-school activities are also offered, extending the school day from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, with additional activities available until 5:00 PM.

IGB provides a bus service for students covering most areas of greater Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. All buses are equipped with seat belts, which students are required to use for safety. The cost for transportation is paid termly by the student, with prices varying based on the location. Popular residential areas covered by the bus service include Sierramas, Mont Kiara, Desa Parkcity, and Bangsar.

The school colours are red, black, grey and white. Uniforms are required for all students except on nominated free dress days; students wear the IGBIS polo or white shirt, and for PE days they wear the PE T‑shirt and shorts. Hijab in school colours is acceptable; house shirts may be worn on specified events.

IGBIS is served by two cafeterias, one for elementary and one for secondary. The Elementary Cafeteria offers Asian, Western and vegetarian options, with breakfast and snacks available; the Secondary Cafeteria provides balanced dishes and international flavours, with the IGBIS Café near the Theatre offering beverages and pastries. Meals are cashless via the Vircle app and parents can oversee allowances.

IGBIS uses a four-house system. Students wear house shirts on designated house days. House colours are red, yellow, green and blue.

IGB International School is owned and operated by Detik Harapan Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IGB Berhad. It is governed by a Management Board and an advisory Board of Governors. The Board of Governors includes Tan Sri Abu Talib bin Othman (Chairman) and other members; the Management Board includes Tan Mei Sian, Sayf Tun Ismail, and Kiong Wei Yang.

IGB is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the full continuum of IB programmes from Early Years to Grade 12. This includes the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP). The school's curriculum is centered on a design, thinking, and innovation-based approach, emphasizing inquiry-based learning and critical thinking across all stages. These programmes aim to develop knowledgeable, confident, and lifelong learners.

The school emphasizes student well-being, which is integrated into the curriculum from Early Years to Grade 12 through various units and standalone lessons. A dedicated Student Services team supports social and emotional well-being, comprising professionals in counselling, learning support, and health. This team works alongside teachers to foster a safe, healthy, and meaningful learning environment for all students.

IGB is committed to inclusive teaching practices and supports students with Special Educational Needs through its Learning Support team. This team provides services from Early Years through Secondary School, aiming to enable students to access the mainstream curriculum. While the school offers support for a range of needs, including working with external speech and occupational therapists and providing access to an educational psychologist, it assesses SEN on a case-by-case basis and is not a specialist SEN institution.

IGB provides an English Language Support (ESOL) program for students in Grades 1 to 8 who require additional assistance to fully access the curriculum. This is a paid program, with placement determined during admissions through an interview and English Language Proficiency assessment in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Trained ESOL teachers collaborate with classroom teachers to help students develop proficiency. For students in Grades 1-6, there's also an Intensive English Academic Programme (IEAP) designed for non-native English speakers to build English proficiency while engaging with academic subjects.

A dedicated Student Services team, comprising professionals in counselling, learning support, and health, is responsible for supporting students' social-emotional, academic, and health needs. Counsellors at IGBIS provide individual and group counselling, offer post-secondary guidance, and facilitate peer mediation, aligning with International School Counsellor Association (ISCA) standards.

The school has a Child Safeguarding Policy based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Malaysian Child Act 2001. The policy mandates that all staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are required to report any suspected abuse or neglect. The school conducts thorough background checks on all employees and implements on-campus safety procedures. A Child Safeguarding Designated Lead oversees a Safeguarding Child Protection Team, which includes principals, the head of student services, school counsellors, and the school nurse, to ensure a safe and secure educational environment.

Submit a complete application. Parents should complete the online application form and pay the application fee. This step also requires submitting a comprehensive set of documents, including school reports from the previous two academic years, copies of passports for the applicant and parents, a recent passport-style photo of the student, and any relevant reports for additional learning services. Only fully completed applications will progress.

Participate in an interview and assessment. After an initial review of the application, your child may be invited for an admissions assessment and an interview with a school team member, typically a Division Principal. For students in Grade 3 and above, assessments are conducted to determine suitability for the school's programmes. For overseas applicants, interviews and most assessments can be completed online, with an invigilator from the child's current school overseeing online assessments.

Receive the admissions decision. The admissions committee reviews the complete application and assessment results to make a decision on acceptance, grade level placement, and start date. Parents will be notified of this decision.

Accept the offer. If your child is offered a place, you will receive a letter of acceptance. This letter will outline the deadline for accepting the offer (usually two weeks) and provide instructions on how to return the signed terms and conditions form and how to pay the enrolment, tuition, and any other required fees to secure the place.

IGB International School offers various scholarship opportunities to talented students, primarily for those entering Grades 11 and 12 for the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and IB Career-related Programme (IBCP).

These include full academic scholarships and outstanding achievement partial scholarships (ranging from 50% to 100% for CP candidates).

Eligibility requires strong academic achievement, English proficiency, and demonstration of qualities aligned with IGBIS values such as innovation, leadership, service, and contribution to the community.

Applicants typically submit academic records, a personal statement, and two references from educators. Scholarships are reviewed annually based on maintained academic and character requirements.

The school does not provide information regarding a waitlist.