Founded in 1963 by three visionary educators, OIS has a rich history of providing an internationally-minded education in English to students in the Oslo region. Margaret Stark, Else Fearnley Hvas, and Frida Berents saw the need for an inclusive, multicultural school and OIS has been thriving ever since. Margaret Stark served as the school’s director until her retirement in 1996, and under her leadership, the school grew from a small primary school for 36 students to a thriving, globally diverse community of learners.
Throughout the 1960s, OIS continued to grow, eventually offering the British GCE “A Levels” and seeing enrollment reach 280 students. In the mid-1980s, the school embraced its role as a diverse international community, becoming an approved International Baccalaureate (IB) school in 1989. This was a pivotal moment in OIS’ evolution and continues to shape the school’s academic offerings today.
In 1997, Barbara Carlsen took the helm as head of school, leading OIS through a period of accreditation with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which we remain accredited by to this day. Throughout its history, OIS has been located in various buildings and has undergone several renovations, including a comprehensive refurbishment in 2006, the opening of a new Primary wing in 2008, a multipurpose hall and sports hall in 2013, and a new Upper Secondary building in 2017.
With 60 years of growth, dynamism, and evolution under its belt, OIS continues to provide a broad, stimulating, and balanced international education in a supportive, diverse school community. Today, under the leadership of Head of School Thale Herbertson, OIS is dedicated to maintaining its mission and providing families and young people in the Oslo region with the best possible educational experience.
