International School of Tallinn

PSPE (Personal, Social and Physical Education) ensures the physical and emotional well-being of students. The school counsellor is available to speak to students about social, emotional, or behavioral challenges. The IST mission states teachers equip students to succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and morally. The IB framework and IST policies emphasise personal, social, and emotional development as a core part of learning. Social-emotional learning is embedded across the curriculum with pastoral support to foster wellbeing.

IST is inclusive and non-selective, and supports students with a broad range of needs. The school maintains a Learning Support Programme and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) process for identified students, coordinated by a Student Support Coordinator or equivalent. The admission process requires documentation and consideration of whether IST can meet a student's SEN needs before enrollment. Students with SEN are identified through a staged model of assessment and provision, with differentiated teaching and ongoing review of IEP targets. The school provides a range of supports including counselling and school psychology as part of its SEN services, and maintains a SEN coordination framework across PYP, MYP and DP.

The official language of instruction is English. English language learning is integrated across the curriculum, with focused ESL tuition in Language and Literature and additional ESL support during school hours or after school. Estonian as an Additional Language and Mother Tongue support are offered, and language learning is aligned with IB standards. The school emphasizes achieving proficiency in at least two languages and supports language development across subject areas. Language policy also promotes maintaining mother tongue development and accommodating language needs within inclusive classrooms.

The school places emphasis on mental wellbeing as part of holistic development. The school counsellor is available for students facing social, emotional, or behavioral challenges. PSPE supports emotional well-being, and IST's mission highlights support for students academically, socially, emotionally, and morally. The school maintains additional wellbeing resources, including a School Nurse, and communicates wellbeing through staff and student guidance structures. University/career guidance also contributes to students' broader wellbeing and readiness for life beyond IST.

IST has a Child Protection-Safeguarding Policy rooted in International and Estonian law and the UNCRC. Safeguarding leads and a dedicated safeguarding team report to the Director or Deputy, with divisions including the IB Coordinators and Counsellors. Staff receive safeguarding training on risk assessment, safety planning, and student protection, and safeguarding lessons are taught to PK-12 students. The safeguarding policy outlines a formal reporting process, requiring incidents to be reported to the child protection officer (CPO) or trusted adults as soon as reasonably practicable, with investigation and appropriate action by the school. The CPO is the Learning Support Coordinator, who coordinates the safeguarding response and liaises with external agencies as needed.