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Colombo International School

Sri Lanka, Colombo

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1600
Type Co-educational
Opened 1982
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Taught languages French, Sinhala, Tamil, German
Typical class size 30
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School, Kindergarten
Introduction

Colombo International School (CIS) delivers the British Curriculum through Pearson Edexcel IGCSE to students aged 2–18. The Senior Section comprises Intermediate (Years 7–11) and Sixth Form (Years 12–13). In Years 10–11, a two-year IGCSE course requires English and Mathematics and seven subjects from Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Modern Languages and Sciences. In Sixth Form, Year 12 offers four AS subjects, followed by three or four A2 subjects; many students achieve A or A* grades. An Enrichment Programme supports university preparation, including BMAT, UKCAT, LNAT, SAT and IELTS, with three specialists guiding UK, US/Canada and Australian/Asian admissions. CIS operates from Cinnamon Gardens on purpose-built campuses, with a sister campus in Kandy sharing the same ethos. Facilities include a senior library, an Electronic Reference Library, a Museum, five computer labs, science laboratories, an auditorium, a 25-m pool and extensive sports grounds. The school emphasizes sport, performing arts and visual/creative arts, with a broad clubs programme.

28 R.G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka

The Essentials

Colombo International School has 1,600 pupils, typical class sizes of 30, instruction in English.

Location
28 Gregory's Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka. Colombo 7 (formally Cinnamon Gardens) is a central area of the city.

Stages
Infant Section; Junior School; Senior School.

Type
International school; English-medium.

Country affiliation
Sri Lanka
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The two CIS schools follow a uniform academic programme based on the British curriculum and share the same standards of instruction.

House System
Every pupil and staff member is assigned a House. The House system is a long-standing tradition at CIS.

Governance and Ownership
The Colombo International School is governed by a Board of Governors. The Chairman is Mr. Armyne Wirasinha; the Executive Deputy Chairman is Mr. D. P. C. Lawrence; the Principal is Mrs. S. Philipps.
Fees
Summary statement
- Exact numeric fee amounts for the 2026/27 academic year (and for 2025/26) are not published in the school's publicly available prospectus or admissions information; the school requires parents to request the official fee schedule directly from the admissions office.

Application fees
- No fixed application fee amount is published publicly. Application forms and entry documentation are available on request from the school's admissions office; submission of an application and supporting documents is required to begin the admissions process. Contact details are provided for obtaining the official application and registration fee information.

Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year)
- The school does not publish a term-by-term or year-group fee table on its publicly available materials. Specific tuition amounts for each year group (Infant, Junior, Senior, Years/Grades 1–13) and the per-term or per-year figures must be requested from the admissions office. The academic calendar (term dates) for 2025/2026 is published and shows the school operating on a three-term year; the school therefore issues an academic-term structure but does not publish corresponding numeric fee amounts in its public prospectus.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- No public schedule of billing dates, payment deadlines, installment plans, or late-payment penalties is published in the school's publicly available documents. Parents should obtain the official billing schedule and payment terms from the admissions or finance office when requesting the fee schedule.

Boarding fees (if applicable)
- Colombo International School operates as a day school and does not publish boarding provision or boarding fees; boarding is not applicable to the main Colombo campus.

Other costs and recurring charges
- The school's prospectus describes standard curricular and extra-curricular activities (music, sport, clubs, trips, examinations) and indicates the existence of associated activities and resources, but no public comprehensive price list for uniforms, learning materials, external exam fees, transport, optional clubs, instrument/music tuition, or school trip charges is published. Parents should expect additional costs beyond tuition (uniforms, textbooks, examination fees, transport, optional activities) and should request a detailed breakdown from the school.

Refund information (deposits, cancellations, withdrawal)
- No public policy text detailing refundable deposits, withdrawal notice periods, refunds on tuition or other refundable charges is provided in the publicly available prospectus or admissions pages. Parents must request the school's formal refund and withdrawal policy directly from the school.

Fee payment options (credit card, bank transfer, online payment, cheque)
- The prospectus and admissions information available publicly do not list explicit payment channels or the accepted methods of payment. Parents should obtain the school's official payment options and instructions from the admissions or finance office at the time the fee schedule and invoice are requested.
Academics

Colombo International School teaches British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
UK-based IGCSE and A Level examinations form CIS's senior curriculum. The Senior Section comprises Intermediate (Years 7-11) and Sixth Form (Years 12-13). In Years 10-11, a two-year course leads to IGCSE examinations, with English and Mathematics required and seven subjects chosen from Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Modern Languages and the Sciences. In Sixth Form, Year 12 students study four subjects for AS Level, followed by three or four subjects in Year 13 for the final A2 Level examination; examination results have been consistently outstanding with many students achieving three or more A or A* grades. The school provides an Enrichment Programme in the Sixth Form and prepares students for a range of examinations beyond A Levels, including BMAT, UKCAT, LNAT, SAT and IELTS, alongside comprehensive university and career guidance with three specialists supporting UK, US/Canada and Australian/Asian university admissions.

Student Teacher Ratio
Staff to student ratio is approximately 1:9 in the Senior Section.

Exam Results
Examination results have been consistently outstanding, with many students achieving three or more A or A* grades every year.

Higher Education Progression
Three specialists coordinate UK universities/UCAS, US and Canadian college admissions, and Australian/Asian universities. A comprehensive university and career guidance program begins in Year 12, with interview training and ongoing support throughout the application process.

Gifted and Talented
Enrichment Programme in the Sixth Form broadens intellectual horizons and develops critical thinking.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Pastoral care supports all students and creates a nurturing, inclusive community that fosters social and emotional development.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school caters to children with different needs, talents and abilities.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school teaches in English.

Mental Wellbeing
Pastoral care supports student well-being; students are nurtured and encouraged to spread their wings.
Parent Experience

History
Colombo International School was founded in 1982 to meet the demand for quality co-educational, English-medium education in Colombo. It has three sections—Infant, Junior and Senior—on a Cinnamon Gardens campus with purpose-built classrooms and playgrounds. In 1998 CIS opened a sister campus in Kandy; the Kandy branch shares the same ethos and curriculum and prepares students for Edexcel's IGCSE and A Level examinations. The UK curriculum has been delivered from Nursery through Sixth Form for decades, and alumni have attended universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, Harvard, Stanford and the University of Melbourne.

Community
A wide range of co-curricular activities is offered, including arts, clubs and societies, with regular cultural evenings and drama productions in the 700-seat CIS auditorium. Active clubs include Animal Welfare, Debating, Chess, Interact, Math Olympiad, Environment and MUN, with student Presidents and Secretaries appointed annually. The choir and orchestra perform regularly at events. The CIS community is inclusive, welcoming children from all ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Over the past few years CIS has progressively improved and enhanced its facilities to provide a first-class teaching and learning environment. Classrooms have multi-media facilities to support tailored learning for different student groups. The senior school library is exceptionally well-resourced with a wide range of reference works and publications and a computerized search system. The Electronic Reference Library provides guided online study resources and is updated by teachers. The Virtual Museum offers 360-degree videos and virtual tours to bring subjects to life. The campus also includes Computer Rooms, fully equipped Science Laboratories, an air-conditioned auditorium, swimming pools and a diverse sports grounds and pavilion.

Sports Facilities
The Sports Department includes specialists in athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, netball, rugby, soccer, swimming and tennis. All students from age 4 upwards have weekly swimming classes, with a 25-meter six-lane pool and a smaller learning pool. A lifeguard is on duty whenever the pool is in use. The sports ground and pavilion host facilities for cricket, football, basketball, athletics and other sports. CIS competes island-wide against local and international schools, with many students representing the school in national and international events.

Academic Facilities
Classrooms have multi-media facilities to support the learning needs of different student groups. The senior library is well-resourced with a wide range of reference works and publications and a computerized database for quick resource searches. The Electronic Reference Library provides curated online resources and is updated by teachers. The Secondary School has five computer labs with state-of-the-art computing facilities and Internet access, while the Infant and Junior sections have similar facilities for their classes. The Secondary School has fully equipped science laboratories for Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Integrated Sciences, with lab technicians supporting supervision.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Art, Dance, Drama and Music play an important role in the Senior Section at CIS. Art is offered as a subject in Years 7/8/9 and is featured outside the timetable with competitions and exhibitions. Regular Musical and Cultural evenings, drama productions and other events provide opportunities to perform, including in the 700-seat CIS auditorium. The school choir and orchestra perform regularly at events. Students can join clubs and societies covering Debating, Drumming, Environment, Engineering, Interact, IT and Social Service, with student presidents appointed annually. Active clubs include Animal Welfare, Choral, Drama, Eureka, Literature, Orchestra, Scrabble, Art, Cultural, Drumming club, Interact Club, Math Olympiad, Science, Chess, Debating, Environmental, IT Society, MUN and Social Service.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school has an Extra-Curricular Programme that enhances academic life with sport, the arts and intellectual clubs. Annual competitions are held in the performing arts, debating and sports, and students are encouraged to participate actively. The Senior Section integrates art, dance, drama and music as a central part of school life, with regular performances and exhibitions in the CIS auditorium. Students can join clubs and societies including Debating, Drumming, Environment, Engineering, Interact, IT and Social Service, with staff supervision and student Presidents and Secretaries appointed each year. Academic clubs include Math Olympiad and Science that supplement classroom learning.

Arts & Creative
Art, Dance, Drama and Music play an important role at CIS. Art is taught as a subject and is also showcased outside the timetable, with students preparing for competitions and exhibitions. Regular Musical and Cultural evenings, Senior and Intermediate Drama productions and other events provide opportunities to display talent in the 700-seat CIS auditorium. The school choir and orchestra perform regularly at events, and students are encouraged to explore creative talents through clubs such as Debating, Drumming, Literature and Cultural activities.

Cultural & Language
The school has Culture and Literature clubs that promote language development and cultural awareness. Performing arts groups such as Choral and Orchestra contribute to cross-cultural experiences and a global outlook, enriching students' understanding of language and culture.

Social & Hobbies
Clubs and societies include Scrabble, Interact Club, IT Society and Social Service, all overseen by staff. These clubs provide opportunities for social interaction, teamwork and creative thinking beyond the classroom.

Community & Service
Social Service, Environmental and Animal Welfare clubs offer opportunities for volunteering and community engagement. Students participate in activities that promote social responsibility and awareness of local and global issues.

Leadership & Professional
The Prefects' Guild consists of senior students selected on merit, who hold leadership roles and responsibilities across the school. Prefects exemplify leadership in academics and extracurricular pursuits, and student leadership is reinforced through club roles and school initiatives such as Model United Nations.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The House system fosters teamwork and healthy competition across the school, uniting pupils through shared activities. The Sports Department covers athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, netball, rugby, soccer, swimming and tennis, encouraging broad participation. Swimming is part of the Junior Section curriculum with dedicated pools and annual inter-house meets, while overall participation in sport supports physical and mental wellbeing.
Languages

Language Provision
The school teaches in English from Nursery through to the Sixth Form and follows the UK curriculum.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Obtain the application form. The school is located at 28 Gregory's Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka. For assistance, call +94 112 697 587.

2. Admission to the school takes place throughout the year. It involves an assessment in English and Mathematics. Reports will also be reviewed at an informal interview.

3. Age Groups and structure. The school is organized into three sections, Infant, Junior and Senior, providing a structured, progressive education from the age of 2 ½ to 18. Each section has its own purpose-built classroom block and playground. It features ICT and Science laboratories, multimedia suites and classrooms, and a 700-seat theatre. The auditorium block houses two swimming pools, one indoor and one 25-metre outdoor pool, and there are multimedia classrooms equipped with up-to-date ICT teaching aids.

Scholarships
The school offers generous scholarships, to reward the high achievers. Scholarship criteria include more than just academic progress, reflecting the holistic contributions to school life made by our top performing students.
School Events
The school has not added events
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