The best schools in the world increasingly look beyond their parochial environment to acquire a greater global perspective, to benchmark against peers on an international stage and to better prepare their pupils as global citizens for a better connected, globalised world. This has seen a proliferation of international schools and the development of international programmes at established independent schools. Such schools have positioned themselves to better attract international students and, especially, to take advantage of emergent middle class demand in new market economies, allowing those schools to augment their reputation, prestige and standing but, more importantly perhaps, to lock in fee income growth.
However, many schools may have illustrious reputations in their home markets but this does not always transfer or translate easily to emergent markets. In response many schools have sought to establish international chapters, affiliates and campuses and we have seen a proliferation of formal and informal membership networks. Such networks exist to bring together members, enable the communication and sharing of best practice, ideas and technology but also to act as a badge of honour for the respective members, in turn giving confidence to prospective pupils and their parents that such schools are recognised by their peers as being amongst the best in the world.
The World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) Foundation is on such network that has many of the world's best schools amongst its membership, including a number in emergent markets. WLSA is a Dutch headquartered organisation that's primary aim is to bring together a number of world-famous schools that are known for their academic pedigree and advanced educational approaches.
To become an Associate (as the members are known), a candidate school must meet a set of defined criteria, including:
- Excellent academic ranking in their home country;
- Utilizes a holistic curriculum (developing students as a whole person);
- Promotes global citizenship as part of their curriculum;
- Motivation to participate in and a willingness to contribute to education, exchange and co-operation between our network of Associate Schools;
- Provides need based aid as part of their admissions package; and
- At least three hundred (300) registered students.
All of the schools admit pupils for the latter stages of secondary education (high school), preparing them for entry into the leading colleges, universities and Grand Écoles. Many of the member schools are familiar to one another as being at the vanguard of developing cutting-edge globalised education methodology and through their participation in a number of other peer-approved international associations, including the Global Alliance of Leading-Edge Schools (GALES), G30 Schools, Round Square, Strategic Alliance of Global Educators and The Winchester Network.
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 | African Leadership Academy Independent Private College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 16-19 (grades 10-12) Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 2004 |
 | Appleby College Independent Private College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (grades 7-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1911 Oakville, Ontario L6K 3P1, Canada |
 | Beijing No. 4 High School State Beacon International Middle and High School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1907 |
 | Beijing No. 8 High School State Beacon International Middle and High School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1921 |
 | Beijing No. 12 High School State Beacon International Kindergarten, Primary, Middle and High School Co-educational Ages 3-18 (forms K-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1934 Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China |
 | Beijing No. 101 Middle School State Beacon International Middle and High School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1946 Haidian District 100091, Beijing, China |
 | The Brearley School Independent Private Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle and College-Preparatory School Girls Ages 2-18 (grades K-12)
Day School
Non-denominational
Est. 1884 |
 | Chadwick School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (grades K-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1935 Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274, United States |
 | Cheltenham Ladies' College Girls Ages 11-18 (years 7-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1853 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3EP, England, United Kingdom |
 | Cranbrook School Independent Private Pre-School, Primary and Secondary School Boys Ages 4-18 (ELC-year 12) Boarding & Day School Anglican Est. 1913 |
 | Cranbrook Schools Co-educational Ages 3-18 (grades PreK-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1922 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303, United States |
 | The Emerald Heights International School Independent Private International Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (grades K-class XII) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1982 |
 | Episcopal High School Ages 14-18 (grades 9-12) Boarding School Episcopalian (Anglican) Est. 1839 Alexandria, VA 22302, United States |
 | Escola Sesc de Ensino Médio Ages 13-16 Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 2008 Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22775-004, Brazil |
 | Eton College Independent Private Secondary School - Public School Boys Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1440 Windsor, Berkshire SL4 6DW, England, United Kingdom |
 | The Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University (SDSZ) Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1917 Xicheng District, Beijing 100032, China |
 | Geelong Grammar School Independent Private Pre-School, Primary and Secondary School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (ELC-year 12) Boarding & Day School Anglican Est. 1855 |
 | Groton School Co-educational Ages 13-18 (grades 8-12) Boarding & Day School Episcopalian (Anglican) Est. 1884 |
 | Harrow School Boys Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1572 |
 | Harvard-Westlake School Independent Private College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (grades 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1900 Studio City, CA 91604, United States |
 | The High School Affiliated to Fudan University (FDFZ) & Fudan International School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (forms 1-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1950 Shanghai 200433, China |
 | The High School Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1959 Xi'an, Shaanxi 710043, China |
 | Jian Ping High School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1944 Pudong, Shanghai 200135, China |
 | Korea International School Co-educational Ages 5-18 (grades 1-12) Day School Progressive Est. 2000 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul, South Korea, 13543 |
 | The Lawrenceville School Independent Private College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 14-18 (grades 9-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1810 |
 | The Lovett School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (grades K-12) Day School Progressive Est. 1926 Atlanta, GA 30327, United States |
 | Marlborough College Independent Private Secondary School - Public School Co-educational Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1843 Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1PA, England, United Kingdom |
 | Maru-a-Pula School Co-educational Ages 11-18 (Forms 1-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1972 Gaborone, Botswana |
 | Mayo College Girls' School Girls Ages 9-18 (classes IV-XII) Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 1988 Nagra, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305007, India |
 | Merchiston Boys Ages 7-18 (years 3-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1833 Edinburgh EH13 0PU, Scotland, United Kingdom |
 | Millfield Independent Private Pre-Preparatory, Preparatory and Secondary School - Public School Co-educational Ages 2-18 (Pre-School-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1935 Street, Somerset BA16 0YD, England, United Kingdom |
 | Montgomery Bell Academy Independent Private Middle and College-Preparatory School Boys Ages 12-18 (grades 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1867 Nashville, Tennessee 37205, United States |
 | Nanyang Model High School State International Experimental High School Co-educational Ages 15-18 (forms 10-12) Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 1901 Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China |
 | Norfolk Academy Co-educational Ages 6-18 (grades 1-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1728 Norfolk, VA 23502, United States |
 | No. 2 High School of East China Normal University Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1958 Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China |
 | No. 2 Middle School of Hohhot Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1942 Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China |
 | Oakham School Co-educational Ages 10-18 (year 7-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1584 Oakham, Rutland LE15 6D, England, United Kingdom |
 | Oundle School Co-educational Ages 11-18 (years 7-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1556 Peterborough PE8 4EE, England, United Kingdom |
 | Poly Prep Country Day School Independent Private Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle and College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 2-18 (grades K-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1854 Brooklyn, New York City, NY 11228, United States |
 | Queenwood Ages 3-18 (years K-12) Day School Christian Est. 1925 Mosman, Sydney, NSW 2088, Australia |
 | Ridley College Co-educational Ages 2-18 (grades K-12) Boarding & Day School Anglican Est. 1889 St Catharines, ON L2R 7C3, Canada |
 | Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (forms K-12) Day Shool Non-denominational Est. 1994 Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050021, China |
 | Tonbridge School Independent Private Secondary School - Public School Boys Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1553 Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1JP, England, United Kingdom |
 | Tsinghua University High School & Tsinghua International School Co-educational Ages 5-18 (forms 1-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1915 Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China |
 | The Webb Schools Co-educational (separate boys' and girls' schools) Ages 14-18 (grades 9-12) Boarding & Day School Non-denominational Est. 1922 Claremont, CA 91711, United States |
 | Welham Girls' School Independent Private Secondary School Girls Ages 10-18 (classes VI-XII) Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 1957 |
 | Westminster School Boys (co-educational Sixth Form) Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding & Day School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1560 Westminster, London SW1P 3PB, England, United Kingdom |
 | Westminster Schools Independent Private Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle and College-Preparatory School Co-educational Ages 4-18 (grades K-12) Day School Christian Est. 1951 |
 | Westville Boys' High School Boys Ages 13-18 (grades 8-12) Boarding School Non-denominational Est. 1955 Westville, KwaZulu-Natal 3631, South Africa |
 | Westville Girls' High School Girls Ages 13-18 (grades 8-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1964 Westville, KwaZulu-Natal 3629, South Africa |
 | Winchester College Independent Private Secondary School - Public School Boys Ages 13-18 (years 9-Sixth Form) Boarding School Church of England (Anglican) Est. 1382 Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9NA, England, United Kingdom |
 | Xiamen Foreign Language School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1981 Haicang District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361026, China |
 | Yangzhou High School of Jinagsu Province State International Middle and High School Co-educational Ages 12-18 (forms 7-12) Day School Non-denominational Est. 1902 |
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World Leading Schools AssociationEst: 2010
A: Binderij 7F, 1185 ZH, Amstelveen, Netherlands
T: +310206403803
E: info@wlsafoundation.org
W: wlsafoundation.org
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See also: Global Alliance of Leading-Edge Schools | G30 Schools | Round Square | Strategic Alliance of Global Educators | The Winchester Network