Heritage International School has become the first educational institution in the Republic of Moldova to achieve full accreditation from the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) after successfully meeting all the organisation’s accreditation and compliance standards for a day school. This milestone is a first for the country and confirms the school's alignment with internationally recognised standards of excellence in education.

The accreditation process assessed key areas including safeguarding and safer recruitment, student welfare, school facilities, governance, ethos and values, communication, extra-curricular activities, leadership, and the quality of teaching and learning. By achieving full accreditation, Heritage joins a select group of international schools committed to continuous evaluation, development, and improvement.

From initial recognition to full accreditation

In 2021, Heritage became the first school in Moldova to join the COBIS community after successfully completing an initial evaluation against five compliance standards. This year, the school successfully completed the full COBIS accreditation process – a significantly broader and more rigorous evaluation that assessed compliance with all accreditation and compliance standards.

During its initial review, COBIS recognised Heritage as a visionary and ambitious school, commending its commitment to the national community and its contribution to the development of education in Moldova. The full accreditation achieved now reflects the significant progress the school has made in recent years and is the result of the collective efforts of its students, teachers, parents, founders and administrative team. It also demonstrates the school's ability to meet the highest international educational standards while maintaining a culture of continuous improvement.

COBIS CEO, Colin Bell: "This achievement reflects the dedication, professionalism and ambition of your leaders, your teachers and your staff. As a COBIS Accredited Member School you are now part of a global community of quality which demonstrates the strength and ambition of your school and the fact that you are never standing still. To reach this level of COBIS recognition too, we are really confident that you reflect and live out on a daily basis the vision, the mission and also our guiding principles of ambition, inclusion and collaboration.” 

What COBIS accreditation means for parents, students and teachers

For parents, full COBIS accreditation provides an additional assurance of educational quality. Heritage not only delivers an international British education but has also successfully undergone a rigorous external evaluation. The accreditation confirms that students learn in a safe, modern environment connected to global educational opportunities.

For students, being part of the COBIS community means access to competitions, projects, activities and international experiences that broaden their horizons and connect them to a global network of schools.

For teachers, accreditation provides more opportunities for professional development, access to specialist resources, and the exchange of best practices with educators from around the world.

Casey Barnes, Director, Heritage International School: "Achieving full COBIS accreditation is a recognition of the work and values that we have built together at Heritage over the years. For us, this achievement is not a destination but an important milestone in an ongoing process of development. It reflects what happens every day in the Heritage community: the desire to learn, to grow, and to create meaningful opportunities for every student. I am deeply grateful to our teachers, students, parents, and the entire team for their contribution to this journey, and I am confident that we will continue to build together a school that inspires, challenges, and prepares young people for the world of tomorrow.” 

Through this achievement, Heritage International School further strengthens its position among international schools that meet globally recognised standards of excellence and marks a new chapter in the development of international British education in the Republic of Moldova.

About COBIS

The Council of British International Schools (COBIS) is a global association of educators, school leaders, and education experts dedicated to raising standards and supporting student success. COBIS member and accredited schools educate over 200,000 students and employ more than 17,000 teachers across 80 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.