School History

The IBS Group was founded in 1996 based on the shared vision of three co-founders: Jean-Marc Gobbi, Joel Trotebas and Trevor Tricker, all three of whom were teachers. United by their passion for international education and their desire to offer excellence in teaching, they created the group's first school: IBS of Provence, initially dedicated to secondary education. Ninety-six pupils started school in September 1996, including around forty boarders.
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​Building on this initial success, the group began its development with a carefully considered expansion strategy. The acquisition of Ninos' School in 2013, which became ISMontpellier, marked the first stage of this growth, enabling the group to extend its expertise to primary education. 
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In 2017, a major milestone in the group's history was reached with the acquisition of Epim: two primary schools located in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, subsequently renamed ‘ISMarseille’ and ‘IBS Primary’. This integration enriched the educational offering of the historic site by adding a nursery and primary school, thus creating a true educational continuum from early childhood to secondary school.

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The year 2025 marks a new chapter with the creation of IBS West Campus, a primary school strategically located between Aix-en-Provence and Éguilles. This opening demonstrates the group's commitment to meeting the growing needs of families in the region while maintaining the family spirit and educational excellence that have characterised the IBS Group's DNA for nearly thirty years.