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International School Telemark

Norway, Porsgrunn

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees NOK 34,000
Ages Not listed
Pupil numbers 200
Type Co-educational
Opened 2004
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP)
Taught languages Norwegian, Spanish
Strengths Languages, Visual and Creative Arts, Outdoor Education
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Primary School, Middle School
Introduction

International School Telemark (IST) is a private day school in Porsgrunn, Norway, offering IB World School programmes for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). English is the main working language. IST serves a multicultural student body from more than 25 nationalities and operates in small classes with a high staff-to-student ratio. The school opened in 2004 and moved to its current site at Hovet Ring 7 in August 2012. The IB curricula are delivered through inquiry-based learning, including the MYP Personal Project. Facilities support hands-on learning: a large hall/gym, library, science rooms (the kitchen converted into a science room), and arts and technology rooms. Outdoor spaces include playgrounds, a football pitch, ski tracks, and a skate park. Extracurriculars include outdoor trips, museum visits, ski days, design, painting and theatre, and Spanish language study. IST emphasizes intercultural understanding and global perspectives and receives state support with student fees making up the remainder.

Hovet Ring 7, 3931 Porsgrunn, Norway

The Essentials

International School Telemark has 200 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
International School Telemark is located in Porsgrunn, a coastal town in Vestfold-Telemark County, Norway. The school address is Hovet Ring 7, 3931 Porsgrunn. There are over 25 nationalities represented among students, parents and staff.

Stages
Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP); Grades 1 to 10.

Type
Co-educational, day school.

Pupil Nationality Mix
Over 25 nationalities represented among students, parents and staff.

Additional learning support
SEN Coordinator is on staff to support students.

Country affiliation
Norway

School day structure
School day runs 08:30–15:00; after-school care (SFO) runs until 16:30. Morning supervision runs 07:30–08:30. On Wednesdays the schedule includes an earlier finish for PYP (12:00) with normal sessions continuing for MYP until around 15:00.

Bus service
Bus transport arrangements exist; most PYP students are picked up or go home by bus at 12:00.
Diving Deeper

Food Options
After-school care (SFO) is available with fees: Full-time NOK 2,500 per month (186 school days); Part-time NOK 500 per month for each day (Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri); Wednesdays NOK 700 per month; Part-time places are bound to a specific day each week; Individual days NOK 200 per visit and NOK 300 for Wednesdays. From autumn 2023, the government provides 12 hours of free after-school care per week for 1st and 2nd Grade. Break Snacks: Milk, juice and Yoghurt can be ordered at Skolelyst.

Governance and Ownership
The International School Telemark is a non-profit making foundation.
Fees

Annual tuition at International School Telemark ranges from NOK 34,000 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- No separate application or registration fee is published for admission to International School Telemark.

Tuition fees (by year group)

- Grades 1–10: NOK 3,400 per month.
- Annual equivalent for Grades 1–10: NOK 34,000 per year (based on the monthly amount given).
- Sibling discount: full fee for the first child; 30% of the full fee for the second child; 50% of the full fee for the third child; and no tuition charged for any additional siblings.

Per-term detail and how fees are presented

- The school invoices tuition once per month over a 10-month billing period; July and August are payment-free months. No separate per-term (term-by-term) fee schedule is published; the annual figure of NOK 34,000 for Grades 1–10 is the published yearly total.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Invoicing frequency: monthly invoices issued for 10 months of the school year. Payment-free months are July and August. The school indicates that payment arrangements (for example, dividing payments over more months) can be made through the administration. Fees for other services may be revised in January and July each year.

Boarding fees (if applicable)

- International School Telemark operates as a day school for Grades 1–10; no boarding provision or boarding fees are published.

Other costs and typical additional charges

- After-school care (SFO) fees (after-school child-minding):
- Full-time place (186 school days): NOK 2,500 per month.
- Part-time (one fixed weekday per week, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri): NOK 500 per month.
- Wednesdays (part-time weekday specifically): NOK 700 per month.
- Individual day attendance: NOK 200 per day; NOK 300 for Wednesdays.
- Break-time snacks (milk, juice, yoghurt) can be ordered via an external provider (Skolelyst).
- The school notes that there are fees for other services it provides and that these may be revised in January and July; specific additional charges for items such as uniforms, textbooks, devices, excursions, exam fees or similar are not listed in the published fee summary.

Refund information

- No published tuition refund or formalised refund schedule is provided in the publicly listed fee summary. The school's published fee information advises that families with concerns about payments should liaise with school administration.

Fee payment options

- The publicly available fee information states the invoicing schedule and associated amounts but does not list specific accepted payment instruments (for example: bank transfer details, card payment, Vipps or international wire instructions) in the fee summary. Accepted payment methods are not published in the fee summary.
Academics

International School Telemark teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP).

Curriculum
IST is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). English is the main working language. IST provides high-quality international education in small classes. The school has a very high staff-to-student ratio. The curriculum is challenging and stimulating, delivered in a multi-cultural international environment.

Student Teacher Ratio
Very high staff-to-student ratio. Small classes.

Exam Results
Excellent Grade 10 results (Grunnskolepoeng) for preparation to upper secondary school, university and work life.

Higher Education Progression
Grade 10 results prepare students for Videregående skole (upper secondary school) and university.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
IST is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The core goal is quality learning and wellbeing for all, guided by the values of Respect, Responsibility, Reliability and Resilience.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
IST has SEN Coordinators for PYP and MYP; staff include Masters in Special Education, ensuring SEN coordination and specialist expertise within the school.

Mental Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a central focus of IST's learning and school life; the school emphasizes a safe, inclusive environment and aims for the wellbeing of all students.

Safeguarding
There is zero tolerance of bullying, discrimination, violence and harassment; safeguarding information and regulations are provided within IST's documentation and policies.
Parent Experience

History
The International School Telemark opened in 2004 and is located in Porsgrunn, Vestfold-Telemark county, Norway. IST was originally established in 2003 as a project led by Vekst i Grenland, with several large companies aiming to create an international school in Grenland to support economic development and educational quality. The school was first located at Herøya and moved to its current site at Hovet skole in August 2012. IST is a private international school and an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The school receives financial support from the state and student fees make up the remainder of funding.

Community
IST has a diverse community with more than 25 nationalities among students, parents and staff. The school serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 10 and maintains a school calendar to coordinate events and activities. Parents share feedback about IST through testimonials, underscoring their experience with the IB-based educational approach and school environment.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
IST operates at Hovet Ring 7, 3931 Porsgrunn. The facilities include a large hall or gym with changing rooms and showers, a library, playground areas, a football pitch, and kitchenettes. There are several reception areas, many office rooms, storage spaces, and group rooms, plus large art and technology rooms. The kitchen has been converted into a science room, and there is access to ski tracks, orienteering routes, a wild area and a skate park. The school uses two car parks, with the first car park available to parents before the main building.

Sports Facilities
IST has a large hall or gym with changing rooms and showers and a football pitch for PE and games. Outdoor sports and activities include access to ski tracks and a skate park, as well as orienteering routes in the surrounding area. The school grounds provide space for playground activities and intramural games.

Academic Facilities
IST features a library and multiple arts and technology rooms. The kitchen has been converted into a science room to support science teaching. There are numerous office rooms, storage spaces and group rooms to support collaboration. The facilities support IB Primary and Middle Years programmes through a broad, hands-on learning environment.

Extra Curricular Facilities
IST offers activities including outdoor school trips, museum visits and ski days. Design, painting and theatre activities are available as extracurricular options. In addition to English and Norwegian, students learn Spanish. Projects and presentations are used to develop collaboration and communication, with interactions among students from Norway and other countries.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
IST offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP) as part of the International Baccalaureate. The learning approach centers on guided inquiry, collaborative learning and the development of globally significant concepts. In the MYP, eight subject groups are integrated through five areas of interaction, and students complete a Personal Project in the final year that demonstrates understanding and skills over time. IST aims to develop life-long learners who are active, independent and internationally minded, able to apply their learning in new contexts.

Arts & Creative
Design, painting and theatre are among IST's beyond-the-classroom activities. The school emphasizes arts alongside science, design and maths, with facilities to support creative work. Students pursue creative projects and presentations within the IB framework, which fosters creative expression as part of learning. The environment is designed to extend opportunities in art and design beyond core classes.

Cultural & Language
Spanish is taught in addition to English and Norwegian. IST is home to students from over 25 nationalities, reflecting a strong intercultural emphasis. Spanish language studies are integrated within the IB program, expanding language and cultural awareness. The IB framework at IST promotes intercultural understanding and global perspectives.

Social & Hobbies
IST offers a range of social activities including leirskole (school camps), museum trips and ski days, alongside design, painting and theatre. Students learn together in groups, give presentations and work on exciting projects with peers from Norway and around the world. The diverse community, with many nationalities, fosters lasting social connections and friendships.

Community & Service
IST maintains strong links with local schools, other international schools in Norway and IB schools worldwide, creating a broad educational network. Membership in international organizations reinforces collaboration across regions for the IST community. The school also emphasizes awareness of environmental and community issues and encourages student involvement.

Leadership & Professional
The MYP Personal Project provides an opportunity for students to pursue a passion, plan and create a meaningful outcome, with supervision from a teacher. IST emphasizes independence and resilience as core learning outcomes, preparing students to be self-directed learners. Through collaborative work, presentations and project-based activities in design, theatre and other subjects, students build leadership and professional skills.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Quality student learning and wellbeing is a core goal at IST. The mission envisions students who thrive in life, underpinned by respect, responsibility, reliability and resilience. The IB framework and IST's learning environment promote active engagement, healthy living and a positive, safe community for all students.
Languages

Language Provision
English and Norwegian are taught as core languages. Spanish is offered as a third language. The school is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The school serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 10.

Bilingual Teaching
The school teaches in English and Norwegian. It serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 10 and delivers IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP).
Admissions

Admissions
Step 1. Student Information. The online application collects the child's surname, first name, and middle name, along with the intended grade, enrollment year, and intended starting date. It requests the date of birth, sex, Norwegian Personal Number, and nationalities. It collects home address details (street address, postal code, city, municipality) and the country if applying from outside Norway, plus a home telephone number. Fields marked with an asterisk are required. The form can be completed in either English or Norwegian.

Step 2. Parent/Guardian Information. Provide contact details for the parent or guardian. The section is labeled "Parent/Guardian Information" in the form. It is used to collect information necessary for school communications and to identify the primary contact for the student.

Step 3. Additional Information. The "Additional Information" section is used to provide supplementary information relevant to the application as needed.

Step 4. Submit. Submit the completed application to finalize the admissions submission.
School Events
The school has not added events
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