
IB Curriculum
The IB at RIS.
Curious minds, open futures.
Rome’s Only IB Pathway of Its Kind
Authorised IB World School in Rome
Rome International School is proud to be an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and the only school in Rome authorised to offer both the IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) for children aged 2-11 and the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) for students aged 16-18.
Between these internationally recognised programmes, students follow a rigorous preparatory Middle School curriculum with optional preparation for the Italian state exams (Terza Media). This leads to the Cambridge IGCSE examinations culminating in the IBDP. As a recognised Scuola Primaria Paritaria, RIS also delivers the Italian curriculum alongside the IBPYP in our Early Years and Elementary School.
Together, these programmes create a distinctive educational journey found nowhere else in Rome. By combining the inquiry-led philosophy and academic rigour of the IB and Cambridge programmes within a recognised Italian education system, RIS develops curious learners, critical thinkers, and confident graduates prepared to pursue future opportunities in Italy and around the world.
Developing
Inquiring Minds
Founded in Geneva more than 50 years ago, the International Baccalaureate was created with the vision of building a better world through international education.
Today, its broad and balanced programmes are recognised by leading universities worldwide for developing both academic excellence and personal growth. Research from leading institutions shows that IB students are more likely than their peers to succeed in higher education.
As an IB World School, RIS brings these values to life every day through an engaging, inquiry-led curriculum that encourages students to think critically, act with integrity, and make a positive contribution to the world around them.
"The IB develops inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect."
- International Baccalaureate Organization
The Learners We Grow
Our inquiry-led approach nurtures each student’s individual strengths while inspiring curiosity, open-mindedness, and a lifelong love for learning. Through active exploration, collaboration, and reflection students develop the confidence to think independently, communicate their ideas, and understand how learning relates to the world around them – locally and globally.
At RIS Rome, We Are a
Community of Learners & Educators
Who Strive to Be:
Inquirers
We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.
Knowledgeable
We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.
Thinkers
We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.
Communicators
We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.
Principled
We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.
Caring
We show empathy, compassion, and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.
Open-Minded
We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.
Risk-takers
We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.
Balanced
We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives-intellectual, physical, and emotional-to achieve wellbeing for ourselves and others. We recognise our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live
Reflective
We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.
One Education, Multiple Paths
Every student’s journey is different, and the RIS curriculum is designed to keep future pathways open. From the IBPYP, through Cambridge IGCSE, and the IBDP, students follow a carefully designed educational journey that combines the best of international learning standards and the Italian education system. RIS graduates can achieve equivalence to the Italian Maturità, with the appropriate IBDP subject combinations, giving them the freedom to pursue university pathways in Italy as well as leading institutions around the world.
University Offers &
Destinations

Where Curiosity Can Take You
The knowledge, skills, and character nurtured through the IB at RIS open doors to multiple pathways and leading universities around the world. Renowned for its academic rigour and emphasis on critical thinking, the IB Diploma is highly valued by higher education institutions worldwide, with many universities offering dedicated admissions pathways for IB students.
