News: Teach Abroad in Nantong - May 24, 2019
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Friday, May 24, 2019School Spotlights

Teach Abroad in Nantong

Expected to open in September 2019, Nord Anglia School Nantong (NAS Nantong) has been designed to provide a state-of-the-art teaching and learning environment for up to 1,728 students, including day students. The school's strategic partner, Nord Anglia Education, uses its powerful educational network to deliver the best international educational programs for all its students. Nord Anglia Education is one of the world's leading premium school organizations, supporting education for more than 50,000 K–12 students in international schools in China, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America.

The unique international learning experience at NAS Nantong will offer students aged 6–18 the best of Eastern and Western educational resources and philosophies. The bilingual curriculum will be based on the Jiangsu K–12 curriculum blended with globally respected international curriculum elements and teaching methods. Students will gain a solid foundation of Chinese culture, as well as the knowledge and skills they will need to be successful in an increasingly globalized world.

Spanning 71 acres, the NAS Nantong campus provides the perfect environment for a well-rounded education and can accommodate up to 864 boarders, starting from Grade 1. In addition to accreditation by the Provincial Education Department, the school is seeking authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to teach all programmes of the IB. Currently pre-enrolled are 240 mostly Chinese K–12 students, with 7% from North America and the U.K. Nearly half of the teaching staff of 32 is Chinese, with the other 50% from North America and the U.K.

Located on the north wing of the Yangtze River estuary, Nantong is in the southeastern part of Jiangsu province, near Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nanjing (the capital city of the province), which allows NAS Nantong to closely cooperate with several Nord Anglia schools located in these three cities. Nantong is a beautiful coastal city with many tourist attractions and historical sites, including Langshan Mountain, one of the eight famous Buddhist mountains in the country; Haohe River, with a history of more than 1000 years; and the Nantong Museum, the first museum in modern China. The city is surrounded by water on three sides, which makes it a crucial port near the economic center of the country—Shanghai. With a current population of 7.3 million, Nantong has rapidly developed its economy and society at all levels, earning a fine reputation for environmental protection, sanitation, gardens, ecology, excellent comprehensive management of public security, and advanced scientific and technological progress.

Most important, Nantong is also well-known throughout the country for its long tradition of emphasizing education. The municipal government and local parents attach great importance to their children’s education. The city has a well-developed education system, and local students have achieved excellent results in national college entrance examinations and domestic and international academic competitions.

Bilingual courses offered by the school will expose students to both Chinese and foreign education. The Content and Language Integrated Learning methodology used will ensure that learning is personalized. Both Western and Chinese homeroom teachers will be responsible for the balanced development of students' personal growth, academic development, and social interaction.

As part of their science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) program, Nord Anglia Education established a special collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to help bring some elements of their program to life. Their philosophy—Mens et Manus (Mind and Hand)—captures the blend of theory and practical application that is critical to a quality education. Inspired by MIT, a core element of the STEAM program is learn-by-doing, in other words, coaching students to test theories in practice in order to develop greater understanding of their knowledge.

The Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Collaboration allows students to engage deeply with performing arts while promoting cultural literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Focusing on music, dance, and drama, the program aims to embed arts into the entire curriculum while supporting the NAS Nantong Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) Program, providing regular music teacher training, and working with The Juilliard Summer School.

Nord Anglia produces excellent academic results worldwide. The pass rate of International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in the 2017–2018 academic year was 94%, while the global average pass rate was 78.4%. One in three of Nord Anglia’s graduates have gone on to study at one of the world’s top 100 universities, such as Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, and Stanford.

NAS Nantong is interested in hiring interns, certified singles and teaching couples, including those with a non-teaching spouse. They will also consider exceptional newly-certified candidates as well as those certified in a non-English speaking country. Teachers must hold an academic degree in the subject they will be teaching. Certified teachers up to the age of 58 may obtain a work visa.

The benefits package includes a competitive salary, a monthly housing stipend, and allowances for moving, settling in, and annual airfare. NAS Nantong says, “at least part of tuition is offered” for teachers’ children. For health insurance, the school fully covers teachers with the MSH full plan–international scheme, which includes emergency evacuation. The NAS Nantong package offers an outstanding opportunity for savings or the chance for a family of four to live on one salary. Additionally, there are local employment opportunities for non-teaching partners. Finally, NAS has much to say about professional development:

NAS Nantong says that when you join Nord Anglia School (NAS), you join a global community of more than 8,000 people working together to create unique learning opportunities. Their online Strategic Alliance professional development platform, Nord Anglia University, provides NACIS teachers with a platform which harnesses the collective expertise of professionals. Moreover, through Strategic Alliance collaborations with The Juilliard School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), teachers have access to leading experts in their fields. NAS also provides an opportunity for staff to attain their master’s in international education through King’s College London (KCL). Each year, the organization selects 100 of the best teachers from their schools to provide them with such learning opportunities.

To gain access to Nord Anglia School Nantong’s full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboards.

Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.


Did You Know…?

Senior Associate Ray Sparks's over 30-year career as an educator has involved working in Canada, Europe, and Asia.