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Italy, Florence
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The International School of Florence is a non-profit independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school founded in Rome in 1952 by Paul Burke-Mahony and Horace Gibson. Eleven years after its founding it moved to a farmhouse on Via del Guarlone outside Florence, then to Torre Bellosguardo in 1968, and in 1980 settled at Villa Torri di Gattaia in Bagno a Ripoli. Two campuses exist: the Junior School at Via del Carota 23/25 in Bagno a Ripoli and the Upper School at Viuzzo di Gattaia in Florence. The 15th‑century Villa Torri di Gattaia was purchased with the generosity of Julie Jenkins and the Gucci family, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was introduced in 1983; in 2003 the school was renamed the International School of Florence as the Middle/High School operation moved to Villa Torri di Gattaia. ISF is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the IB Diploma Programme is recognized for admission to universities worldwide.
ISF serves families from more than 40 countries and enrolls around 545 students across two campuses. Community life includes events like Cross Country and Field Day that bring students, families and staff together. The school runs a Community Service Program (CAS) for Upper School students and a Parent Engagement Program to involve families in learning. Leadership emphasizes collaboration with the Florentine community to connect classrooms with Florence's history, art, and culture.
The International School of Florence Parent Association supports the educational goals and strategic vision by partnering with faculty, students, and the broader community to plan events, facilitate communication, and provide a welcoming social environment. It is a group of enthusiastic parents from many nationalities who plan and assist with events including our annual field day, career forum, autumn bazaar, new family welcome breakfast, fundraising gala, and the festival of song. Everyone is welcome; the PA requires no initiation – being a parent automatically qualifies you as a member. Volunteers help connect families with the Florentine community and support school life.
The International School of Florence (ISF), founded in 1952, offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes for students aged 3 to 18. The Upper School operates out of Villa Torri di Gattaia, located a short walk from Piazzale Michelangelo, while physical education takes place at the nearby Olympus sports complex. Instruction is entirely in English, supplemented by language courses in Italian, French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese. Students participate in signature initiatives such as the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme, which includes the student-led Florence Model United Nations (FloMUN) and an independently organized TEDx event held each November. Unique to ISF is the Tuskan Times, the student-run newspaper named after the school mascot. The school also offers a Monday-to-Friday weekday boarding option, allowing students to live on campus during the week while spending weekends with their families.
