Western Academy of Beijing

Western Academy of Beijing (WAB, Chinese: 北京京西国际学校) is an international school located in Beijing. Founded in 1994, the school provides education from early years 3 to grade 12. WAB uses the IB system, including the IB PYP (IB Primary Years Programme) until Grade 5, IB MYP (IB Middle Years Program) up to and including grade 10, and the IB DP (IB Diploma Program) for grades 11 and 12.

Western Academy of Beijing
北京京西国际学校
Main gate
Location
10 Laiguangying East Rd. Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102 China
40°01′18″N 116°30′38″E
Information
Type	International School, IB World School, Non-profit, Independent, Private School
Religious affiliation	Nonsectarian
Founded	1994
CEEB code	694203
Director	Dr. Marta Medved Krajnovic
Director of Innovation in Learning and Teaching	Stephen Taylor
Division Principals	Catherine Pierre-Louis (ES), Marina Frias-Gavidia (MS), Dr. Jaime Pustis (HS)
Grades	Nursery–12
Enrollment	1,400
Student to teacher ratio	8:1
Campus type	Large Private Campus
Colors	Red,  black,  yellow
Athletics conference	ACAMIS, APAC, Tri-Cities, China Cup, ISAC
Mascot	Tigers
Annual tuition	$55,000 USD
Website	www.wab-edu.cn

Western Academy of Beijing
Simplified Chinese	北京京西国际学校
Traditional Chinese	北京京西國際學校
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běijīng Jīngxī Guójì Xuéxiào

WAB was an Olympic Educational Model School for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Out of the 500 schools across China, which were awarded by Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games as an Olympic Educational Model School, WAB was among the top 120 schools.

History

WAB was established in 1994 by a group of parents and teachers to serve foreign-national families residing in Beijing.

Over time, WAB developed purpose-built facilities and expanded its campus to house Early Years, Elementary, Middle, and High School divisions.

Campus

WAB's three school sections, Elementary, Middle, and High, are all located on one campus across six buildings. Each school section has its own self-contained environment, and the entire campus is equipped with a professional-grade indoor air filtration system.

The 99,000 m² campus holds a wide range of facilities, including three libraries, Design Technology Studios, Science labs, film editing and recording studios, as well as professional-level music, drama and dance studios. It also includes five dining courts, multiple cafes and lounges, an indoor swimming pool, three full-size gyms, a private-use lake, an outdoor football field, as well as indoor basketball and tennis courts.

Student body

The Western Academy of Beijing currently has a student body of around 1,400 students from 58 countries.

The student-to-teacher ratio and average class sizes vary depending on division and grade level, with smaller classes in Early Years and larger but still moderated sizes in later grades.

Curriculum

WAB offers the IB PYP for Early Years through Grade 5, IB MYP through Grade 10, and the IB DP for Grades 11–12.

English is the primary language of instruction. The school provides support for English language learners through an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program embedded across grade levels. Other languages available as additional language programs are: French, Spanish, and Chinese.

Chinese is supported as a second language through systems like the After-school Language Program, HSK, and a general encouragement to learn.

Accreditation

WAB is accredited by:

• The International Baccalaureate (IBO)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• The Council of International Schools (CIS)

And is a member of:

• International Schools Athletic Conference (ISAC)
• Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS)
• East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)
• Tri-Cities Association Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai (Tri-Cities 北京，广州，上海)
• Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC).