Students who complete our primary framework transition smoothly into the Middle School at the International School of Florence, maintaining a strong continuity from our Primary Years programme. Our Middle Years Programme curriculum serves students aged 11 to 16 (Grades 6 to 10), providing a critical academic and emotional bridge during these developmental years.
Operating at our historic Upper School Campus (Villa Torri di Gattaia), we guide students as they grow from childhood into independent adolescence. Our average class size remains small at 16 to 18 students, allowing a faculty composed of 100% MYP-trained educators – of whom over 65% are native English speakers with an average of 10+ years of international experience – to provide deep, individualized guidance.
Book an Elementary School TourWhy Choose the International School of Florence for Middle School in Florence, Italy
The transition to Middle School marks a profound shift for young learners. Unlike traditional models, or a rigid local Italian school structure, our framework introduces specialized subject teachers while actively supporting the emotional landscape of pre-adolescence. Students manage multiple classrooms, adjust to new academic demands, and navigate peer relationships with increased autonomy across our three academic Terms.
We recognize that this stage is deeply emotional, not just academic. To structure this independence, teachers collaborate across disciplines to design interdisciplinary units, showing students how separate subjects intersect in the real world. Our dedicated homeroom advisory program ensures that every child meets daily with a trusted faculty mentor, safeguarding their wellbeing during this period of rapid personal growth.
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What is the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) at the International School of Florence
The curriculum organizes learning into eight mandatory subject groups to ensure a comprehensive, globally balanced education:
- Language and Literature: Students analyze complex literary works and develop analytical and creative writing skills in English and Italian.
- Language Acquisition: We offer multiple modern languages (including French, Spanish, and Italian) across six distinct proficiency phases to match each child’s level.
- Sciences: Classes explore biology, chemistry, and physics through hands-on laboratory experimentation and critical impact reflections.
- Mathematics: Students investigate numerical patterns, develop spatial reasoning, and apply mathematical proofs to real-world context scenarios.
- Arts: Children cycle through visual arts, music, and performance modules to foster creative thinking and cultural expression.
- Physical and Health Education: Lessons connect physical performance directly to personal lifestyle choices. Students wear the official International School of Florence PE kit during these practical sessions.
- Design: Students utilize the design cycle – inquiring, modeling, creating, and evaluating – to engineer physical and digital solutions.
- Individuals and Societies: This humanities module challenges students to critically analyze history, geography, economics, and global political systems.
The Personal Project: Grade 10 Capstone at the International School of Florence
As a major differentiator against non-IB systems, our students begin preparing for their capstone independent inquiry during the later months of Grade 8, leading into a structured execution phase. This major landmark project requires students to set a real-world goal based on personal passions, manage a detailed action plan, and produce a tangible product alongside a formal reflective report.
During this process, students take full ownership of their learning: they conduct independent research, interview experts, manage deadlines, and present their final results to the school community. This independent project builds critical self-management and critical thinking skills, directly preparing students for the advanced academic requirements they will face in the upper grades and during their final high school diploma years for the Extended Essay.
Italian programme track for bilingual families
To support our deep roots in the local community, International School of Florence provides a specialized Italian Programme track that runs parallel to the standard international MYP framework. This pathway accommodates bilingual families who wish to sit the official Italian Esame di Terza Media (the state lower secondary school leaving examination) at the end of Grade 8. Eligible students dedicate hours in a week to rigorous Italian history, literature, and geography lessons. This hybrid structure ensures that families retain absolute academic flexibility, allowing students to seamlessly continue into either high-level international paths or local Italian upper secondary options.
Mid-Year transfers and EAL support for expat families
To accommodate the dynamic schedules of international relocations, ISF offers flexible enrollment options, including the capability to support mid-year transfers when spaces are available. We understand that moving fields outside the standard September calendar requires careful handling, and our admissions team is fully structured to ensure a welcoming transition at any point during the school year.
For students joining us from non-English speaking school systems, our dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) department provides targeted assistance. Designed as a comprehensive framework, the program empowers students to acquire academic proficiency while fully integrating into the main curriculum. Multiple specialist EAL teachers deploy a flexible hybrid model, combining structured in-class co-teaching with small-group pull-out instruction to accelerate academic vocabulary and literacy. This differentiated approach focuses on individual language acquisition milestones, removing communicative obstacles rapidly so that new arrivals blend confidently into classroom social circles and academic routines from their very first weeks on campus.
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From Middle School to High School: how the International School of Florence prepares students
As students progress through Grades 9 and 10, they earn essential high school credits toward completion of their secondary pathways. Successful completion of courses awards credits contributing directly to the 24-credit requirement for our accredited American High School Diploma. Simultaneously, the rigorous academic criteria of the MYP train students for the high demands of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
Our counselors work closely with families in Grade 10 to navigate these academic pathways, helping students decide whether to pursue the pure global rigor of the full IB Diploma or the flexible academic specialization of the American Diploma, both fully hosted within our comprehensive High School programme.
A Day at the International School of Florence’s Upper School Campus: Schedule and Facilities
The daily routine at Villa Torri di Gattaia runs from 08:15 to 15:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays, school finishes early with an early dismissal schedule at 14:20. Life at the Upper Campus integrates academic rigor with highly organized support services to guarantee a smooth experience:
- Campus Logistics: Dedicated school bus routes service the Upper School Campus from key residential areas, coordinating with morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up windows managed by school staff.
- Dining Services:Students can purchase mid-morning snacks and lunches through a dedicated internal catering service. The kitchen prepares weekly menus and fully accommodates specific food allergies or dietary restrictions communicated by families.
- Co-Curricular Lifestyle: After standard hours, the campus hosts a vibrant extracurricular ecosystem including Model United Nations (MUN), Drama, and competitive sports leagues. You can explore our full calendars on our co-curriculum page.