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Keystone Academy

China, Beijing

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Mandarin
Fees RMB 289,800 - 323,950
Ages 5 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1596
Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 2014
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages English, Mandarin
Typical class size 18
Strengths Languages, STEM, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Arts and Creative, Community and Service, Academic and Intellectual
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Keystone Academy is a bilingual (Chinese–English) K–12 day and boarding school on a suburban campus in Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing. The school opened in 2014 and states a distinctive “Chinese Thread” that weaves Chinese culture and identity into its bilingual programme. Primary years use an inquiry-based Primary Curriculum (IPC) in a bilingual immersion model; middle and high school progress to IB programmes, with the IB Diploma Programme offered in the high school. Boarding is part of the school's model (students are required to board from Grade 9). Keystone highlights a large activities programme (KAP), an emphasis on service learning and community projects, and a strong bilingual language-acquisition focus as defining features. All factual points above are taken from the school website (see contact, curriculum, admissions and programme pages).

11 Anfu Street, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing 101318, China

The Essentials

Keystone Academy has 1,596 pupils, typical class sizes of 18, instruction in English, Mandarin.

Location
Keystone Academy is in the northeastern suburbs of Beijing: No. 11 Anfu Street, Houshayu Town, Shunyi District (postcode 101318). The campus is in the Shunyi district near Beijing Capital International Airport and is reached by the S11/Jingcheng and local roads; the school's admissions office lists the campus address and phone for directions.

Stages
Keystone is a full K–12 school split into Primary (early years/primary), Middle (MYP-style curriculum) and High School (IB Diploma in Grades 11–12). The website presents distinct Primary, Middle and High School pages and materials for each division.

Type
Keystone is a private, co-educational K–12 school that operates both day and residential (boarding) programs. The school's Residential Life program describes dormitory living and student supervision; students are required to board starting in Grade 9.

Additional learning support
The school runs a Student Development Support Centre (CSD) that provides academic support plans, accommodations and ongoing case management; the centre also helps coordinate with external specialists when needed. The admissions policy asks families to disclose learning support needs so the school can assess whether it can provide appropriate support.

Country affiliation
Keystone is an independent school located in China; its program explicitly weaves a Chinese curricular thread into a bilingual, international model rather than being affiliated to a foreign national school system.

Religious affiliation
The school does not identify with any religion on its official pages; its materials present Keystone as a secular 'world school' focused on bilingual and experiential education.

School day structure
The school's published schedules vary by program and year group and the site does not offer a single public bell-time table for all divisions. Example program pages show typical arrival for programs around 8:15–8:30 and program-day end times near 15:30, and the FAQ notes after-school activities and evening boarding routines for residential students (including supervised study periods). For exact daily start/end and break times you should request the current parent handbook or contact admissions.

Bus service
Keystone provides a paid school-bus service (route and fee details vary by year and program). Summer/short-program pages list school-bus fees and typical pick-up (around 8:15) and drop-off (around 15:30) times for day programs, and the FAQ notes a school bus service for after-school activities (e.g., 16:30 pick-up after clubs). For route coverage, fees and pick-up/drop-off points the admissions office can provide the current routes and pricing.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
Keystone Academy provides a residential life program on campus. Beginning in Grade 9, students are required to board on campus; boarding and meal fees are 110,250 RMB per academic year. Dorms are supervised by dorm parents—teachers who live in private apartments on each hallway; each student room has a private en suite bathroom, and there are student lounges with kitchen facilities. The residential program includes 24/7 supervision, academic support, library access after hours, outings and activities, and a Health Center.

Food Options
Meals are provided as part of the boarding arrangement, with boarding and meal fees included in the annual cost (110,250 RMB).

Governance and Ownership
The school operates as a non-profit organization; Beijing Keystone School is described as a non-profit Chinese school.
Fees

Annual tuition at Keystone Academy ranges from RMB 289,800 to RMB 323,950 for 2026/27.

Application fee
- The school's public admission pages do not publish a fixed application-fee amount. Keystone uses the OpenApply application system and indicates that application submission includes payment of required application fees as part of the process.

Tuition fees (annual, current academic year)
- Primary School: RMB 289,800 per year.
- Middle School: RMB 320,850 per year.
- High School: RMB 323,950 per year.

Per-term breakdown
- Keystone publishes tuition as annual amounts by school division. A per-term (semester/term) breakdown is not published on the school's public pages and therefore per-term figures are not available in the school's public materials.

Boarding and meals
- Boarding and meal fees (for students required to board from Grade 9 onward) are RMB 110,250 per academic year. Boarding is required starting in Grade 9.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school states that next year's tuition and other fee levels are determined and announced in February each year. Detailed billing schedules (term invoicing dates, due dates) and standard payment terms are not published on the school's public admission pages. OpenApply is used during application processing and the admission process references submission of application fees as part of that workflow.

Other costs and optional fees
- Some after‑school activities and specialist external programs may carry additional charges; most teacher‑run KAP activities are included but certain activities run by hired specialists may require extra fees. Uniform procurement and supplier arrangements are handled by the school (supplier selection has been announced) but uniform costs are not listed publicly. Additional costs such as trips, optional program fees, transport or personal items are not published as fixed amounts on public pages.

Refund information
- The school does not publish a detailed public refund/withdrawal policy (refund amounts, timelines, or administrative procedures) on its admission or how‑to‑apply pages.

Fee payment options
- The school's public pages do not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, Alipay, WeChat Pay). The application process is handled through OpenApply and the Admissions Office is the listed contact for payment and billing questions.
Academics

Keystone Academy teaches IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 5 to 18.

Curriculum
Keystone Academy (北京市鼎石学校) operates a K–12 bilingual (Chinese–English) programme that deliberately integrates elements of the Chinese national curriculum with international curricula and a boarding model. In the primary school the programme uses a dual‑language immersion approach and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), combined with a distinctive “China” thread that embeds Chinese language, culture and national curriculum standards. The middle school covers Grades 6–9 and explicitly blends the China national curriculum with the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) alongside continued bilingual, inquiry‑based learning. The high school prepares students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB DP), including the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) and a bilingual/China‑focused approach to TOK and the curriculum in Years 11–12. Across all stages Keystone emphasizes experiential learning, outdoor education and a broad co‑curricular programme (KAP) and provides university‑counselling support to prepare students for tertiary study.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Keystone integrates social and emotional learning across its curriculum and residential programme: Primary and Middle School pages describe CARE time, advisory groups (each student has a faculty advisor), experiential learning and co-curricular activities aimed at social and emotional development. The school's mission and programme pages also emphasise character and community-building as a core part of student development. Residential Life describes dorm parents and structured dorm activities that foster mentoring, conflict mediation and leadership development outside class time. These elements are presented as school-wide, routine provisions rather than a single separate SEL course.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The website describes a Student Development Centre and names learning-support teachers and psychologists in school communications, indicating an in‑school learning-support function. A programme page and news items reference “learning support” staff working with students (for example in short programmes such as Readers Theatre). The site does not list a public catalogue of specific categories of Special Educational Needs it accepts, nor does it describe itself as a specialist SEN institution. For clarity, the school's public pages show learning-support staff exist but do not specify which exact SEN conditions are supported.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Keystone operates a bilingual-immersion model and states that “every teacher…teaches not only his or her subject, but also languages,” which underpins language support across the curriculum. The site also publishes specific language-targeted programmes (for example a Readers Theatre short programme described as designed for students for whom English is a second language). These descriptions show EAL support is provided through the school's bilingual model and designated learning-support staff rather than a separately labelled EAL department. The website does not present a standalone, itemised EAL admissions policy or tiered EAL levels on public pages.

Mental Wellbeing
Keystone states that student mental, emotional and physical well‑being “drives everything we do,” and describes integration of well‑being into curriculum (CARE time), advisory groups and the residential programme. The site names psychologists and counsellors within its Student Development Centre in news content, and the Residential Life page lists counselling and support services plus a Health Center. Those pages indicate counselling and learning‑support staff are available as part of routine student services, but the website does not publish a public, detailed clinical or referral pathway for specialist mental‑health care.

Safeguarding
The website states faculty and staff are trained in child‑protection and describes measures for student safety in residential life, including dorm parents who provide 24/7 supervision, an advising system, counselling/support services and an on‑site Health Center. Residential Life and the Primary School well‑being page explicitly refer to staff training in child protection and to systems intended to ensure safety and security. The public site does not appear to publish a separate, detailed child‑protection policy document or a named online safeguarding policy page for external download.
Parent Experience

History
Keystone Academy (北京市鼎石学校) opened in 2014; the school's public “About” pages state it was established that year and presents itself as a Chinese K–12 school that borrows international curriculum frameworks. The school is governed by a board (校董会); the leadership page lists Edward Shanahan as board chair and names Meng Siyuan (孟思渊) as the founding/executive principal, indicating a governance model with an international leadership team.

Community
Keystone describes its community as a bilingual, residential-capable learning community that combines classroom and experiential learning and pursues schoolwide initiatives such as service‑learning and global-facing events. The site's community pages highlight regular student-led projects, public talks and outreach (for example service projects and school events) that bring families, staff and students together.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school's parent body is organized as 鼎石家校委员会 (the PTA/parent‑school committee); all parents and staff are considered members and an executive committee of around ten parent and teacher volunteers coordinates routine activities. The PTA sponsors recurring parent groups and activities listed on the site, including a PTA choir, a “dad's football” team and a parent cooking group called 鼎鼎大厨. The PTA also helps organize and support community service programmes and publicity for school events; the site lists examples such as online teaching in Gansu, services for people with visual impairment, and traditional building‑protection projects. For contact or coordination the PTA provides a mailbox (pta@keystoneacademy.cn) on the school's parents page.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Keystone Academy is located at No.11 Anfu Street, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing. It operates a Beijing campus with a residential life program. The school uses a bilingual immersion curriculum in English and Chinese, with every teacher contributing to language development across subjects. The residential life program provides a structured community that emphasizes leadership and character development. The learning model emphasizes experiential learning, service learning, and global engagement on campus. Graduates are prepared for top English-speaking universities worldwide.

Academic Facilities
Primary School uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in the primary grades. The High School offers the Keystone Diploma Programme (IB DP) and is authorized to deliver the Diploma Programme; the Middle School Programme is in the process of authorization. Keystone Academy is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from foundation year to grade 12.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Keystone Academy provides a broad range of extracurricular clubs and groups (KAP), and students can establish new clubs. The program includes service learning and experiential learning, with school-wide initiatives addressing issues such as climate change, environmental protection, and wildlife. The campus emphasizes a world-school approach that integrates local and global perspectives.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
Keystone Academy uses a bilingual immersion model in English and Chinese across the school. The Primary School follows the Inquiry-Based Primary Curriculum (IPC) to deliver integrated studies. In secondary, the school offers the IB Middle Years Programme for Grades 6–10 and the IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from foundation year to Grade 12.

Arts & Creative
Arts education includes Chinese Performing Arts and Chinese Visual Arts in the primary and middle years. The English Immersion Program covers humanities, sciences, and performing arts. The Keystone Activities Program provides extracurriculars in music, visual arts, theatre, athletics, student council, and community service.

Cultural & Language
Keystone maintains a bilingual environment with instruction in both English and Chinese. The Chinese Thread weaves Chinese language, culture, literature, and related topics into the curriculum. In high school, bilingual learning supports the international and Chinese cultural context within the Diploma Programme.

Social & Hobbies
The Keystone Activities Program offers team sports, music, visual arts, theatre, and social clubs. There are extensive co-curricular opportunities, including student council and community service. Weekly activities and groups enable students to pursue personal interests beyond academics.

Community & Service
Creativity, Activity, and Service are embedded in the Diploma Programme. The school encourages community engagement and service through co-curricular activities and DP requirements. Students undertake service projects as part of their learning and personal growth.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership development is a hallmark of Keystone's high school program. The program emphasizes residential character and leadership education. University and career counseling supports help students plan their college pathway.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The Chinese Thread includes health and wellbeing as core components of Physical Education and Wellness. Bilingual immersion fosters cognitive flexibility and social-emotional development. Arts, athletics, and service activities support balanced wellbeing and personal growth.
Languages

Language Provision
Chinese and English are the core languages taught. The bilingual approach aims for graduates to be proficient in both languages. The program spans Primary School through High School.

Bilingual Teaching
The school uses bilingual immersion in Chinese and English across the Primary School, Middle School, and High School programs. Every teacher teaches not only their subject but also languages. Graduates are prepared to think, communicate, read, analyze, and innovate in both English and Chinese.

Immersion Programs
Bilingual immersion in Chinese and English is integrated into the curriculum, with teachers acting as language teachers alongside subject instructors to develop bilingual proficiency across the student body.
Reputation

Accreditations
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): Keystone is accredited by WASC (covering foundation year through Grade 12). WASC is a U.S.-based regional accrediting body that evaluates whole-school quality and continuous improvement; its accreditation indicates the school meets a set of international standards for governance, curriculum, student support and school improvement.

- International Baccalaureate (IB) — Diploma Programme (DP) authorization: Keystone is an IB World School authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme in its high school. The IB Diploma Programme is an internationally recognised two-year curriculum for ages 16–19 that focuses on academic breadth, critical thinking and international-mindedness; authorization means the school has met IB standards and is approved to assess and award the IB Diploma. (The school's site also shows ongoing DP cohorts and published DP results.)

- International Primary Curriculum (IPC) registration: Keystone states it is registered with the inquiry-based International Primary Curriculum and uses the IPC in its primary grades. The IPC is a thematic, inquiry-led curriculum for young learners; registration indicates the school follows IPC units and framework in primary years.

- Middle Years Programme (MYP) — status on the school website: the school's materials refer to the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in their middle‑school descriptions and in DP-related reporting, while the FAQ also states the school has been “in the process of gaining authorization for [its] Middle School Programme.” That wording indicates the school references MYP practice and/or staff for middle years while its formal authorization status was described as in-process on the FAQ. (See the FAQ and the program/news pages for the school's description of middle‑school provision.)
Admissions

Admissions
1. Create an application account (OpenApply) and start your child's application. Keystone asks families to open an account on keystoneacademy.openapply.cn and begin the online application as the first step; because places are limited there is an application cap for the Foundation Year, Grade 1 and Grade 7, so families interested in those grades should start as early as possible. If you have previously applied to Keystone or registered for an admissions event with the same email, you can log in with that address rather than creating a new account.

2. Expect the school to invite scheduled meetings and assessments within a few business days. After you submit the initial application, the Admissions Office will email guidance to schedule a parent meeting and a student meeting/assessment (the site notes this guidance usually arrives within 2–3 working days). Parents should watch the inbox they used for the application and be ready to propose times for those meetings.

3. Prepare and request required school documents and recommendations. Keystone asks applicants to request a current teacher recommendation through the application system; personal recommendation letters are optional. School records must be provided according to the grade: applicants for Foundation Year–Grade 3 should supply one and a half years of school reports; applicants for Grades 4–11 should supply two and a half years of reports.

4. Complete the written statements and (where required) student essay inside the application. Families must complete a parent statement in the OpenApply account; applicants in Grades 6–11 are also required to complete a student essay in the application. These written materials are part of the Admissions Committee's review packet.

5. Track application progress online and wait for committee review. You can log in to your OpenApply account at any time to check whether the application file is complete; completed files are submitted to the Admissions Committee for discussion. Keystone states final decisions are normally communicated in early spring for on-time applicants; families should plan for a multi-week review timeline once the file is complete. If you have particular timing constraints (for example mid‑year entry), contact Admissions directly to discuss options.

6. Post‑decision practical steps if accepted. The school's scheduled next steps typically include formal acceptance communication and then the usual enrolment actions (parents are asked to follow the admissions office's instructions to complete enrollment paperwork and any required payments). For short programs and Archway offerings the site explicitly states that fees are collected after acceptance; for full-year enrolment the Admissions Office will provide the enrollment checklist and payment instructions at the acceptance stage.

7. Be aware of grade availability and language/age requirements. Keystone indicates primary entry grades they plan to admit each year (notably Grade 1 and Grade 7) and says other grade-level admissions depend on vacancies from departing families; Grade 1 entrants must be six years old by August 31 of the entry year. The school also notes applicants for Grade 1 and above should have sufficient Chinese and English to access the bilingual, immersion curriculum. Parents should contact Admissions early to confirm whether there are current openings for the grade you need.

Scholarships
Keystone operates both merit‑based scholarships and need‑based financial aid; families must submit a scholarship application in addition to the standard admission application. The school states it offers named scholarships (for example the Academy's “Scholar” awards reported in school news) and has an established scholarship/financial aid program intended to help talented students who cannot otherwise afford tuition. The Admission Policy and FAQs make two points parents should note: (1) scholarship applicants complete a separate scholarship form as part of the process, and (2) limited financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need and is managed annually by the Admissions Office. Selection is competitive and the school treats scholarships and admissions as related but distinct evaluations — if you intend to seek assistance, complete both the main application and the scholarship form and be prepared to supply any supporting materials the admissions team requests. For the most up‑to‑date guidance on application deadlines, required financial documents and the scale of awards, contact admission@keystoneacademy.cn or consult the school's scholarship pages and admissions office directly.

Waitlist
Keystone does not present a public, numbered “first‑to‑be‑offered” waitlist on its website; instead, the school describes a rolling process for reviewing late/over‑capacity applications and vacancies. The Admissions Policy explains that if spaces become available, the school will review overdue applications from late April onward on a rolling basis, and that places in many grades (especially Grade 1 and Grade 7) are limited and only other grades are considered when space opens up because current families depart. Practically, that means families whose applications arrive after the main deadline or who apply for non‑standard grades should expect their files to be held in a rolling admissions pool and reviewed against available seats rather than being placed on a public, position‑based waitlist. Parents who want to be considered for an unexpected vacancy are advised to keep their application current in OpenApply and to contact admission@keystoneacademy.cn to confirm their interest and status.
School Events
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