Jinan Thomas International School is a private, co‑educational international day school in Jinan's High‑tech/Innovation (Innovation) Zone, Shandong Province. The school describes its curriculum as bespoke: it publishes that the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) underpins primary teaching while content standards from the US Common Core and a Singapore‑style mathematics approach are adopted; Chinese language and culture are taught and non‑native speakers receive daily ESL support. Local education material and the school's prospectus list the school serving primary year groups (published as grades 1–7) and running inquiry‑based, thematic units linked to IPC personal‑learning goals. The IB Organisation lists JTIS as an IB World School (authorised 27 April 2026) and the school has previously presented itself as a candidate for the Middle Years Programme. Published school information also describes a broad after‑school programme and clubs — sports, music, drama, Chinese craft, Minecraft, Lego and business clubs — and an emphasis on internationalism and hands‑on learning.
Location
JTIS is located in the Jinan Innovation Zone in eastern Jinan, Shandong Province, China. The campus sits at 166 Boxue Road within the Innovation Zone, on a large, purpose-built site with modern facilities. The surrounding area is developed for international education and is accessible by major city transport routes.
Stages
JTIS currently serves grades 1 through 7, focusing on primary education with early middle school levels.
Type
The school is a private, international, co-educational institution. It operates as a day school.
Additional learning support
ESL support is provided for non-native English speakers.
Country affiliation
No formal country affiliation is stated.
Religious affiliation
No religious affiliation is stated.
School day structure
The school day includes standard English-taught classes and an after-school activities program. There is emphasis on a broad spectrum of activities after the formal school day.
Bus service
Public materials do not publish details of a school bus service. Families should contact admissions for transport arrangements. The school offers an after-school activities program that may provide optional supervision beyond instruction time.
Curriculum
Jinan Thomas International School offers a 12-year international program from Year 1 through Year 12. Primary education is organized around the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). In primary grades (roughly ages 5–11), IPC is used, mapped to US Common Core standards for Reading, Writing, and Language Usage, with Next Generation Science Standards and the Singapore Math program aligned to US standards. The school operates in English as the language of instruction (with Chinese taught as a compulsory subject); non-native speakers receive ESL support. The school is a candidate IB World School for the Middle Years Program (MYP) and is pursuing authorization to offer the IB pathway for Grades 6–10. A dual-class-teacher model supports personalized learning, with a high proportion of foreign teachers and a focus on inquiry-based learning. The curriculum also includes robust after-school activities and intercultural programming, with Chinese language and culture integrated to support bilingual development.
Student Teacher Ratio
1:3
Exam Results
Public exam results are not publicly published.
Higher Education Progression
Graduates have progressed to international and Chinese universities. The school is described as preparing students for top universities.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) provision.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision. JTIS is a full-immersion school with ESL support for non-native speakers. There is no explicit mention of a dedicated SEN department or specialist SEN staff in public materials.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
JTIS provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support. It operates as a full-immersion English school with classes conducted in English in the main, with Chinese as a separate subject. Non-native speakers receive extra ESL support throughout the day to strengthen language acquisition. JTIS uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) as its instructional model in primary, which aligns with US Common Core standards for reading, writing, and language usage. Public information indicates strong EAL support linked to English immersion and IPC.
Mental Wellbeing
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding mental wellbeing. Public sources describe after-school activities and cultural events as components of student life, which can support social engagement. The IPC curriculum emphasizes inquiry-based and collaborative learning, which can contribute to student wellbeing. There is no explicit mention of dedicated mental health counselors, wellbeing programs, or pastoral care services in public materials. Public content focuses on curriculum, student life, and cultural activities rather than explicit mental wellbeing services.
Safeguarding
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding safeguarding. Public sources do not detail JTIS safeguarding policies; the Jinan Education Bureau page outlines general information about JTIS and its status as an international school. There is no publicly documented safeguarding staff or procedures.
History
Jinan Thomas International School was established in 2018 as a government-supported initiative to provide a real international school for foreign children in Jinan. It operates as a private international school offering education from Year 1 to Year 12 with a 12-year schooling system. A permanent campus was planned to open in early 2019, while the school initially operated temporarily on the Hanyu Primary School campus. The school uses an English-immersion model and an international curriculum with internationally experienced teachers, including the IPC as a distinctive program. JTIS is described as the first real international school in Jinan and serves foreign nationals living in Jinan or Shandong.
Community
JTIS attracts a diverse student body from many nationalities, with both foreign nationals and Chinese students holding foreign passports. The campus features facilities such as science labs, a gym, a swimming pool, and a concert hall, supporting inquiry-based learning and small class sizes. The school emphasizes cultural diversity and celebrates a range of holidays and activities to foster a sense of belonging. After-school activities include sports, music, drama, and craft programs.
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Publicly accessible materials do not document a formal Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at JTIS. Public materials describe after-school activities and clubs that involve families. The school hosts cultural events and holidays with family participation. An established PTA structure and activities, if present, are not disclosed in the available sources. For precise PTA details, direct confirmation from JTIS would be required.
Facilities Overview
The campus covers 7.7 hectares with a total floor area of about 115,000 square meters and is composed of red-brick buildings arranged on a hillside in Jinan's Innovation Zone. The facilities include high-tech science laboratories and multiple gymnasiums to support science and physical education. There is a swimming pool on site and a modern concert hall for student performances. The campus is designed to support an international education environment with a large, modern footprint. The scale of the facilities enables a range of academic and creative spaces within a cohesive campus setting.
Sports Facilities
On-site gymnasiums support indoor sports. The campus includes a swimming pool for aquatic activities. An after-school sports program includes basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, fencing and rock-climbing.
Academic Facilities
High-tech science laboratories support hands-on science learning. The campus footprint is large, with 7.7 hectares and 115,000 square meters of floorage, enabling ample academic space for classrooms and laboratories.
Extra Curricular Facilities
After-school activities include basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, fencing and rock-climbing. Music and drama classes are offered. Chinese crafts and cultural celebration activities are part of the program.
Academic & Intellectual
JTIS delivers an IPC-based curriculum and is pursuing authorization to offer the IB Middle Years Programme in Grades 6-10. The IPC framework integrates humanities, science, art, and astronomy through eight thematic units and delivers these themes across core subjects as well as Technology, Art, Music, and PE. Learning emphasizes inquiry-based, student-centered approaches to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills across disciplines.
Arts & Creative
JTIS provides music and drama classes and has a modern concert hall for student performances. The program includes piano and painting as regular after-school arts activities, along with other visual and performing arts offerings. An annual arts festival and additional arts events are part of campus life.
Cultural & Language
JTIS celebrates a variety of holidays to promote cultural diversity, including Mid-Autumn Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Earth Day, and Chinese New Year. IPC fosters interdisciplinary themes across humanities, art, science and astronomy, promoting cross-cultural understanding. All instruction is in English, with Chinese language and culture activities integrated into the program.
Social & Hobbies
JTIS offers more than 20 after-school activities each week, including swimming, rock climbing, baseball, golf, chess, basketball, football, tennis, and martial arts. Other options include music, painting and various creative and strategic games to support personal interests. The activities provide opportunities to participate in drama, music ensembles, and student clubs.
Leadership & Professional
JTIS offers student leadership opportunities through governance structures and student organizations, including a Student Union and business or entrepreneurship clubs. Life coaching support is provided by a dual-class-teacher model, with two teachers per class and a designated life coach to support student well-being and daily routines. Leadership development is embedded in IPC and MYP projects, encouraging students to develop global citizenship and professional skills through clubs such as the Business Club and other academic and service activities.
Lifestyle & Wellbeing
JTIS's campus facilities include gymnasiums and a swimming pool to support physical activity and student wellbeing. After-school offerings include sports and fitness activities that promote balanced lifestyles alongside academics. The IPC and MYP programs emphasize balanced development that combines academics with physical and creative outlets.
Language Provision
Languages taught are English (instruction language) and Chinese (compulsory). Non-native English speakers have access to ESL support to develop proficiency. Foreign students may study Chinese as a foreign language as part of their program. In primary, the IPC-based curriculum is used, aligning with international standards and supporting language learning within an internationally-focused framework.
Bilingual Teaching
JTIS does not offer a bilingual program. It operates as an English full-immersion school, with all classes taught in English except for the Chinese language instruction. Chinese is a compulsory subject for all students, and non-native English speakers receive ESL support throughout the day to strengthen language development. The school serves grades 1–7.
Immersion Programs
JTIS provides an English-language immersion framework. English is the language of instruction across the curriculum, while Chinese is taught as a separate compulsory subject. ESL support is available for non-native English speakers to assist language acquisition. The primary immersion framework is designed for primary students in grades 1–7.
Admissions
1. Eligibility and program fit: Jinan Thomas International School is the only recognized international school in Jinan that serves students in grades 1–7 and attracts families from multiple nationalities. The school operates as a full-immersion English-language program with ESL support for non-native speakers. The curriculum includes the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), with content standards drawn from US Common Core, and JTIS is a Candidate School for the Middle Years Program (IBMYP) and is pursuing IB World School status. This mix informs eligibility and expectations for families considering JTIS.
2. Initial inquiry and application submission: Families should begin by making direct contact with JTIS admissions to request information and guidance on the application process. The Admissions Office is the central point of contact, and JTIS provides a campus location in the Innovation Zone at 166 Boxue Road, Jinan.
3. Language and academic readiness assessment: JTIS is a full-immersion English program with ESL support, which suggests that language placement and readiness are likely components of the admissions process. The school's public profile also indicates the IPC curriculum and international standards alignment, which may influence any language and academic assessments used during screening. Applicants should expect potential language placement tasks and review of prior academic records as part of the process.
4. Family/student interview and decision timeline: An admissions interview is commonly part of the process at international schools to assess fit with JTIS's international-curriculum culture and inquiry-based approach. Specific timelines, decision dates, and the exact sequence of steps for JTIS are not publicly published; families should await official communication from the Admissions Office after the completion of any required assessments and interviews.
5. Offer, enrollment, and onboarding: Once an admission decision is made, families typically proceed with enrollment by returning the enrollment forms and completing any financial arrangements as required by the school. JTIS public materials do not publish detailed timelines, deposit requirements, or what documents must accompany enrollment; families should follow the official guidance provided by the Admissions Office.
6. Tuition, fees, and start‑of‑term preparations: Public materials from JTIS do not publish tuition or fee schedules. Families seeking exact tuition, any incidental fees, payment terms, or scholarship options should obtain the official figures and terms directly from the Admissions Office.
Scholarships
Public materials about JTIS do not list any scholarship programs.
