Dwight School Hanoi

A Swiss non-profit, working since 1968. Its programmes are among the most widely recognised school programmes in the world. Authorisation is granted stage by stage, so a school with the final stage does not necessarily run the younger ones; which stages this school holds is set out in the line below.

What the badge means for this school. The school is allowed to run this programme and to award its certificate. This is a confirmation of the programme, not a judgement on the school as a whole. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it. At this school: PYP (ages 3-12), MYP (ages 11-16), DP (ages 16-19). PYP is the primary stage, ages 3 to 12. It is not a set of subjects but a frame for the whole school: learning is built around lines of inquiry, and there are no exams at the end. MYP is the middle stage, ages 11 to 16. There are no exams here either; at the end an optional electronic assessment of pupils' work is possible. DP is the final stage, ages 16 to 19: six subjects plus a compulsory core of theory of knowledge, an extended essay and CAS. The diploma is accepted by universities all over the world, and in a number of countries it counts for admission on the same footing as the local leaving certificate.

It accredits international schools and is a paying association at the same time. It examines governance and ownership, the curriculum, teaching, student wellbeing, staff and premises; a team of volunteers from other CIS accredited schools visits the school. Membership and accreditation are different things here, and schools confuse them more often than anything else.

What the badge means for this school. The school belongs to this organisation but has not been through its accreditation. The difference matters: membership is usually paid for and has no external inspection behind it. The entry is confirmed in the organisation's open directory.

Dwight Schools - an international family of International Baccalaureate schools grown out of a New York school founded in 1872. Its own site speaks of nine campuses and lists them by name: New York, the Franklin School in Jersey City, London, Seoul, Qibao Dwight in Shanghai, Dubai, Hanoi, Cairo and the online school Dwight Global. The Cairo one, though, is declared as opening in September 2026, so a site that is not working yet is counted in the nine. The years for the individual schools: New York 1872, London 1972, the online school 2014, Dubai 2018, Hanoi 2024, Cairo 2026. The network does not name an owner and nowhere divides ownership, management and franchise: on what terms the schools belong to the family the site does not explain. The leadership is described as a family one, chancellor Stephen Spahn and vice-chancellor Blake Spahn, three generations. The programmes are IB everywhere: the New York school is called the first in the Americas to offer all four programmes, and the Seoul one the first full IB continuum school in Seoul.

What this means for this school. The network owns or operates the school. Its accreditation and programme authorisation the school obtains separately, in its own name.