Shanghai Pinghe School (SPS): The Complete Guide for International Families

Introduction

Ask any parent in Shanghai about the top bilingual education schools. They will mention 平和 (Pinghe) along with the other well-known names. Shanghai Pinghe School (SPS) was founded in 1996. It is tied for 3rd in the Forbes China 2025 Bilingual High School rankings. Over the last 30 years, it has built a strong International Baccalaureate (IB) track record. Still, it is nearly invisible in English searches. Its main website isn’t serving a public homepage right now, and the little English coverage that exists is thin and years out of date.

This guide shares trusted information from government and school sources. It covers campuses, curriculum, tuition and outcomes. It also explains how international families can apply, and what they cannot do.

Key Takeaways

What Is Shanghai Pinghe School?

Shanghai Pinghe School’s official name is 上海市民办平和学校. It does not include “双语” (Bilingual). Many media and advertisements still call it “Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School.” The “Bilingual” tag comes from the “Shanghai Bilingual School” label the school received in 2004. It stuck in everyday use but never became its official name. A nearby sister school does have “Bilingual” in its legal name — more details are in the disambiguation section below.

SPS began operating in September 1996 and was legally registered on 4 February 1997. It was founded through a partnership between Jianping High School (建平中学), Shanghai Xinhe Real Estate Company (上海信和房产), and Shanghai Jinqiao (Group) Co., Ltd. (上海金桥集团). The school’s name carries that history: “平和” combines a character from 建平 (Jianping) and a character from 信和 (Xinhe). Xinhe later withdrew from the arrangement. Today SPS is wholly owned by Shanghai Jinqiao (Group) Co., Ltd., a state-owned enterprise that also develops the Jinqiao Export Processing Zone, as disclosed in its filings (stock codes 600639 / 900911). The school’s registered legal representative is Wan Wei (万玮), who also heads its admissions leadership group.

The Shanghai Pudong New Area Education Bureau supervises SPS. The school is also registered with the Pudong Civil Affairs Bureau as a 民办非企业单位 (private non-enterprise unit). Two milestones stand out. In 2004, it was recognised as one of Shanghai’s first “Bilingual Schools.” In 2014, it was among the first 21 schools authorised to offer high-school international courses. Among Shanghai parents, it is routinely named alongside the city’s small handful of top-tier bilingual and international schools.

Campuses & Facilities

SPS operates across three sites in Pudong District (Pudong New Area), each serving a different stage:

The Jinding campus is the newest and largest. Built in 2019 with a Pudong New Area Bureau permit (沪浦规建金(2019)FA310361201905170), the site covers 31,809.2 m² with a total floor area of 181,075.7 m² (95,918.9 m² above ground, 85,156.8 m² below). Media reports place the opening at 28 March 2024. A laboratory expansion received environmental approval in March 2026, indicating ongoing development. The campus is reachable via Metro Line 12, Shenjiang Road station, roughly a 15-minute walk.

Sports facilities include a 650 m² gym, a 25×12.5 m indoor swimming pool, a 250-metre plastic sports track, and a rock climbing room.

Note: A fourth site in Lingang is described as “planned” in some reports. No government or school confirmation has been found. Treat as unconfirmed.

Curriculum Pathways

Elementary and middle school follow a Bilingual Curriculum based on China’s national curriculum, taught in two languages using domestic textbooks only. No overseas curricula are permitted at this stage — this is compulsory education governed by Shanghai’s admissions rules.

High school is where SPS earns its global reputation. There are four pathways, split between the Mingyue Road and Jinding campuses. See the campus table above for locations.

Alongside the four high-school pathways, SPS offers a wide range of extracurricular activities across arts, sports, and academic competitions. Holistic development programmes include robotics competitions, Model UN, drama festivals, and mandatory “Growth Courses” for psychological and social skills.

Admissions & Eligibility for International Families

Most English coverage misses this section or ignores it. It is the most important part for families holding foreign passports who are considering SPS.

Elementary & Middle School

Admission runs through Shanghai’s unified compulsory-education enrolment platforms. The school’s past notices state that eligible applicants include:

High School International Track (IBDP / A-Level / AP-IEP)

The Shanghai Municipal Education Examinations Authority splits applicants into two groups:

The key point: the admissions document states that students with a foreign passport cannot use the 本市生源 (Shanghai-source) channel. It does not say they cannot attend the school. The 非上海生源 (non-Shanghai-source) category has no nationality restriction — it looks only at grade level and age, and requires that the student has not already been admitted elsewhere. The document may not have been written with foreign nationals in mind. Confirm directly with the school before assuming this is the right route for you.

For the 2026 admissions cycle, the direct-application process includes:

Tuition & Fees

Figures below are the current, verified rates for each stage.

Elementary and middle-school rates apply from September 2025 under a “new students, new rate; old rate for continuing students” rule — a family enrolling this year may pay more than one from last year. The Jinding figure was approved as a two-year trial rate starting September 2024 and remains the confirmed current rate. Tuition for the Mingyue Road AP/IEP track does not appear in any government document we found; if it differs from the Jinding rate, we could not confirm that.

SPS operates as a boarding school at the high-school level, with dedicated facilities at Jinding. Boarding fees are charged separately from tuition. The school runs a 12-year boarding system with facilities including theatres, libraries and pools, and 24/7 student support.

University Placement & Outcomes

The school announced the IBDP Class of 2025 results on 9 April 2025. The figures below cover the IBDP cohort only. A-Level and AP-IEP graduates may be reported separately.

Note: The school’s announcement does not list the 11 Ivy offers by institution, so no per-school breakdown is included here. Some recaps cite “8 Ivy League institutions” for SPS — that figure refers to the 2024 graduating class, not 2025. They are different cohorts, not competing counts for the same year.

Rankings & Recognition

SPS placed tied 3rd nationally (96.5 points) in the Forbes China 2025 Bilingual High School category, published 10 June 2025:

Note: This ranking covers bilingual high schools only — it is not an “overall best school in China” list. Sources describing SPS as “3rd best school in China” are overstating the scope of the category.

Which “Pinghe” Do You Mean?

Several schools in Pudong and Qingpu share the “Pinghe” brand. They can be easy to mix up. Some do not even have the same legal sponsor as the school in this guide.

Disclosure: Alifa Education Services is an independent education placement consultancy. We may earn a referral fee from partner schools when families enrol, at no extra cost to the family. Our recommendations are based on fit, not fee structure.

Sources