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British International School Zakho (BISZ) is an international school in Kurdistan run as a not-for-profit organisation. Established in 2014, British International School Zakho provides British-based learning with an international perspective for students aged 3–18. There are approximately 226 students at British International School Zakho, A strong pastoral system nurtures positive relationships, promoting an ethos that values and celebrates students as individuals while fostering a strong sense of community.

Admissions Criteria
The two admissions criteria to enter the school are that a student must have a level of English sufficient to access the curriculum and the school has the capacity to support a students' learning support needs. Waiting lists exist for some year groups. Children of staff and prospective students who have siblings already attending the school are some of those given priority on the waiting lists. A Placement Rights scheme exists to facilitate accelerated entrance into the school. Students may be asked to submit a sample of work, attend an interview or complete an exam depending on the circumstances.

Academics
The English National Curriculum provides the basis for the programmes of study which are enriched to reflect the calibre of students and the school's international setting. Primary School students are aged between 3 and 7 and the curriculum they follow is the Early Years Foundation Stage in Nursery and Reception followed by Key Stage 1 in Years 1 and 2. Students aged between 7 and 11, follow Key Stage 2 in Years 3 to 6. Students in the Senior School study Key Stages 3 in Years 7 to 9; Key Stage 4 in Years 10 and 11; and Key Stage 5 in Years 12 and 13. As students progress through Key Stage 3 to 5 of the English National Curriculum, they are presented with a widening choice of subjects to choose from for their General Certificate of Secondary Education (I/GCSE) and A Level or IB examinations.

The school will enable graduates to enter their universities of choice in the UK as well as other leading institutions around the world.

Outside the classroom
At BISZ there is a strong belief in the value of learning outside the classroom. The development of the child as a whole is paramount and it is recognised that different students are motivated by different experiences. Hence students can take part in a wide array of co-curricular activities and challenging residential field studies to enrich their learning experience.

Sport is an integral part of the British International School Zakho curriculum. Athletics, basketball, swimming, football, rugby, netball, tennis, gymnastics, badminton, cricket, golf, t-ball, softball and volleyball are all established activities that have well-developed training programmes in place and offer participants the opportunity to compete in inter-school events, both in Kurdistan as well as overseas.

History
The school was founded in 2014 by Shaun Michael Pender. It is the first British International School in Zakho. When it opened, it operated from premises withinthe New Zakho. It began with one hundred students, but soon began to grow rapidly.