About – Paragon ISC

Paragon International School, Cambodia (Paragon ISC), formerly known as Zaman International School, was established in 1997. It is governed by the School Board and is one of Cambodia’s premier international schools.

The school is certified by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Cambodia and by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), UK. Paragon ISC is a registered center for CAIE examinations as well.

Paragon International School, Cambodia, has been awarded accreditation through the prestigious Council of International Schools (CIS).

We offer an exclusive blend of national and international curriculum to meet the diverse needs of our student body. The Bilingual program adopts both the Khmer National Curriculum as well as the Cambridge curriculum. The International program adopts the CAIE curriculum which leads our students seamlessly from Primary through Secondary and Pre-University years. The students from the International program benefit from recognized programs such as Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge Upper Secondary (IGCSE) and Cambridge Advanced Levels (AS/A Levels).

Our curriculum strives to incorporate the experiences, cultures and perspectives of our students; specifically, an appreciation of Cambodia’s culture and its contribution to the heritage of the civilized world and with a primary focus on internationalism, so as to create open-minded world citizens who have international perspectives, are self-confident and conscientious, and who can function as leaders and team members in societies all over the world.

The teaching and support staff represent more than 9 countries and dedicated to delivering the highest quality of holistic education to our students.

We inspire our students to pursue and achieve their dreams and get admitted to the best universities around the world. The alumni network has been our pride and we continue to build strong bonds between alumni, students and parents.

Diploma Equivalency

Paragon ISC’s High School Diploma for the international programme is recognised by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport as equivalent to the national high school diploma.

What does Diploma equivalency mean?

It means that the Paragon International School’s Grade 12 diploma is recognized as equivalent to the Grade 12 National Diploma by the MoEYS (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport). Students will receive their national diploma without sitting for the Grade 12 National Examinations.

Where can I use this diploma?

To be considered for admission to National & International Universities
To apply for jobs in the public & private sectors in Cambodia

There are two programmes at the Paragon International School. Which programme do students need to complete to gain the equivalency diploma?

Students need to complete the international programme in high school to receive the equivalent national diploma.

What is the difference between international and bilingual programmes?

Students in the International programme follow the Cambridge International Curriculum. All courses are taught in English. Students can choose to study a foreign language as well. A requirement for equivalency will also require local students to take Khmer Language and Khmer History classes.

Students in the bilingual program study all required national curriculum subjects in Khmer and a minimum number of Cambridge subjects in English. In order to get the national diploma, bilingual students will need to successfully pass Grade 6, Grade 9 and Grade 12 examinations.

What exams will international programme students take?

Students studying in the international programme do not need to sit for the Grade 6, Grade 9 and Grade 12 national examinations. Students will sit for the school-based summative examinations from the Cambridge courses they study. At the end of each academic year students passing the required expectations will be promoted to the next grade levels and final Grade 12 results will be sent to the MoEYS (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport) for approval of the equivalent diploma.

In addition, if a student desires Cambridge qualifications at different levels, he or she must register and take the Cambridge examinations for the desired subject or subjects.

What grade level can students apply to register for this programme?

A student can register for this programme at any grade level from the start of primary level.

What is the procedure to register to this programme?

The student should contact the school reception or visit the school office.

Are there any fee differences between the bilingual and international programmes?

Yes. More details can be obtained by contacting the school office.

Is switching between bilingual and international programmes permitted?

A student can switch from a bilingual to an international programme at the end of the academic year. However, switching from the international to the bilingual program is not permitted.

Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport Diploma Equivalency Guidelines

School Guiding Statements

Vision

To bring up individuals who will thrive and contribute to this world having a solid sense of who they are, respect for others as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nation, and as members of the global community.

Mission

Paragon ISC strives to advance academic quality in a safe and supportive environment to enable its students to realise their potential and develop into mature, responsible and socially aware citizens of the world.

Internationalism

The School’s primary focus is on internationalism in order to create open-minded global citizens who have international perspective, are self-confident and conscientious, and who can function as leaders and team members in societies all over the world.

Our Value and Beliefs

We understand that all children have different abilities, skills, and interests, which if developed and nurtured, will enable them to become mature, self-sufficient and productive members of the community:

A lifelong love of learning to support the development of a student’s full social and academic potential; the all-round development of the individual and encourage curiosity, reflection, and questioning;
Respect for people from a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds and of various religious and political orientations; foster an understanding of human values, confidence, and responsibility to society;
A lasting commitment to international co-operation and an understanding of the interdependence of individuals, groups, and nations;
Skill and pride in developing communicative competence in languages other then the mother tongue;
The determination to achieve the highest possible standards in all that they do.

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We consider our valuable students to be assets in our school.

Our curriculum strives to incorporate the experiences, cultures, and perspectives of our students; specifically, an appreciation of Cambodia’s culture and its contribution to the heritage of the civilized world.

Students, staff, and parents regard one another with respect, acceptance, and friendship.

Definition of High Quality Learning at Paragon ISC

Paragon International School, Cambodia seeks to Educate, Empower and Enrich i.e mentally, physically, socially and emotionally, the local and international students who stride through its gates each day.

We recognise the tremendous honor and privilege we have at hand – to transform impressionable young minds to knowledgeable, skilled, mature, responsible, wise, compassionate, and caring upstanding citizens who contribute to the communities they find themselves in, wherever life’s journey may take them now or in the future.

To this end, as educators, we thrive to provide high quality learning experiences to our students.

The following is the collective agreement (Primary and Secondary Campus) on the definition of high quality learning and what it looks like in our institute.

Students understand what they are learning, the process for learning and how their learning is progressing.
A system in place to differentiate learning, continuity, monitor and feedback to students about their learning outcomes.

Teachers and students collaboratively identify barriers to learning and progressively work on removing and/or overcoming these barriers through monitoring and feedback.

Students see the connection between what they already know, what they are about to learn and feel that the work they are doing has value as they progress up in grades and for their post-school life.
The facilitation of club activities enhances the learning experiences, social interactions and life skills

Students have opportunities to take initiative towards their own learning, stretch their thinking through asking questions, contribute to the learning process by challenging them to what they discovered, and connect learning to different subject areas.

Students are exposed to a variety of ways in which they are assessed i.e for work done independently and in groups.

Students are explicitly guided on the process of group work and are guided on how to get better at working within groups to achieve a desired outcome.
Teachers use different success criteria to create different groups and for different purposes

Students’ wellbeing is paramount; an emphasis on students’ voices and positive teacher-student relationships.
Students are actively and purposefully engaged with issues and activities that they regard as important

Opportunities are created for students to relate issues in the curriculum to societies – locally, through ethnicity, internationally and to their own personal lives.

Learning opportunities are created to enable students to become knowledgeable citizens who have problem-solving skills, and good interpersonal skills for collaborative endeavors.
Students appreciate, respect and care for the concern, views and feelings of others.

The teacher’s role shifts beyond that of an all knowing provider / controller of learning to that of facilitator of learning.
Parents and students are actively engaged in the learning process; a tripartite partnership towards academic success and wellbeing