EGYPT
British International School, Cairo
The British International School was specifically created for British expatriates but has developed into a multicultural environment where pupils from 50 different nationalities come together. Creative thinking is encouraged just as much as hard work. This is echoed in the curriculum which includes a good balance between creative and academic subjects. Gezirah Sporting Club is only five minutes’ walk away and its facilities are used extensively by the school. Music and drama are other non-academic subjects given serious attention.
Parents should not mistake that balance for a relaxed approach to academia as standards expected in the latter are extremely high. Class sizes vary between ten and twenty pupils with the school’s average teacher/pupil ratio at 1:8.
The curriculum from primary through to senior school is modelled after the British system with pupils preparing coursework for and sitting GCSEs. This is in contrast to most other schools in Cairo that opt for the IGCSE (GCSEs incorporate coursework whereas IGCSEs are purely exam-based). In the sixth form (ages 16 to 18) the curriculum takes on a more international flavour with the International Baccalaureate (IB) as the exam of choice.
The school has an impeccable record of securing places at some of the world’s top universities for its IB pupils.
Yearly fees 12,130 USD to 15,590 USD (depending on grade)
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel +202 738 0706
HYPERLINK "http://www.bisc.edu.eg" www.bisc.edu.eg
BAHRAIN
Bayan School, Manama
Bayan was Bahrain’s first bilingual school, a precedent it set in 1982 but which has since been replicated by others. It continues to focus on endowing students with a strong foundation in bilingualism and only students fluent in Arabic and English are eligible for admission.
There is an emphasis on Arabic and Islamic values while encouraging students to have a global outlook. Teaching respect for cultural differences is fostered through initiatives like an exchange programme with a Japanese school.
The curriculum prepares students for the International Baccalaureate diploma. Today it counts over 1,000 students who are able to enjoy a well-equipped campus that includes a 600-seat theatre, two full-size basketball courts, two squash courts, an aerobic dance studio, and a weight training and fitness centre.
As evidenced by its facilities, physical education is given strong encouragement and the school has the accolade of having had students represent the Kingdom of Bahrain in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, as swimmers.
The school makes sure there is a good selection of other activities available which are arts-related, service-related or focusing on leadership qualities. These include a work experience programme, participating in the International Model UN and Bahrain Model UN, a club focused on environmental concerns and journalistic training. On the negative side the school has been subject to more than one bomb hoax in recent years.
Yearly fees 5,570 USD to 6,960 USD
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel + 973 17 682 227
HYPERLINK "http://www.bayanschool.edu.bh" www.bayanschool.edu.bh
JORDAN
Modern American School, Amman
The Modern American School offers a bilingual comprehensive education that complies with national requirements but also meets international standards. Over 38 nationalities are represented among students and teachers, and while there is an international flavour to the school, respect for Arab culture is also conveyed.
The senior school programme offers students a flexibility that is not common in other schools in the city. They get to choose whether to study for the American High School Diploma (SAT 1 & SAT 2 – credits from other American high schools are transferrable), for the British IGCSE/GCSE and Advanced Level, or Jordanian High School Diploma (Tawjihi).
The majority of the school’s senior students go on to universities in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The University Counseling Office assists students to ensure that the transition process is smooth. Sports are supported with a wide range of clubs from skating and bowling to more conventional volleyball, swimming and basketball. Extra-curricular arts activities are also well represented.
Yearly fees 4,370 USD to 8,490 USD
Ages 4 years to 18 years
Tel + 962 586 2779
HYPERLINK "http://www.modernamaericanschool.com" www.modernamaericanschool.com
LEBANON
American Community School (ACS), Beirut
Boasting a history that stretches back over 100 years, the American Community School enjoys not only an advantageous geographic location close to the Mediterranean but also an enviable position as one of Beirut’s foremost schools.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing, though, with the school having undergone various phases of fortunes as war waxed and waned around it. Since the early 1990s it has made a concerted effort to recapture its international prestige and in 1994 it became the first school in Lebanon to be fully accredited by a regional accrediting association in the United States.
The high school section of the school has just over 300 students of the school’s total 1,000. Teachers are both local and foreign and class sizes are small – the teacher/student ratio at high school level can be as low as 1:7.
The upper school is a five-story building built in the 1940s and has its own auditorium and music room. Students are given the choice of preparing for the American High School program, the International Baccalaureate program, or the Lebanese Baccalaureate Program. Counselors are available to students as a support system.
A community spirit prevails and students are encouraged to participate in regional academic, athletic, and fine arts competitions, Model United Nations, student council, publications and concert bands.
Yearly fees 7,694 USD to 11,396 USD
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel + 961 1 374 370
HYPERLINK "http://www.acs.edu.lb" www.acs.edu.lb
L’Athenee, Bsalim
With a regular 100 per cent success rate in official exams, L'Athenee enjoys an understated but well deserved reputation as one of Lebanon's premium educational establishments. Boasting such academic credentials it's no surprise that many Lebanese universities are happy to let L'Athenee students forego the entrance exam and take them on the basis of their school record. Many graduating students from the school also go on to universities in the US, Canada and France.
Lessons are taught in French and Arabic as a base with English introduced at age eight. From the age of 12, Italian and Spanish are also available. Pupils work towards the Baccalaureate exam which the school offers in both its French and Lebanese versions.
In addition to the academic success there are plenty of extra curricular activities including football, basketball and painting. Older students are taught swimming in nearby country clubs, while skiing outings are also included in the school's extra curricular offerings.
The school is also noted for its caring spirit. Students of all abilities are welcomed into the inclusive atmosphere. Those with difficulties will receive the attention they need to improve and this is helped by the class sizes being between 15 and 22 pupils.
Yearly fees 3,700 USD to 4,700 USD
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel + 961 4 716 301
OMAN
Sultan’s School, Muscat
The Sultan’s School was founded 30 years ago under the patronage of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It believes firmly in providing a superior education which will lead directly to students being accepted by Arab or western universities of the highest standards.
Located on an expansive garden-like campus, there is a peaceful air to student life. This co-educational establishment takes its position in Omani society seriously and conveys a respect for the cultural and religious traditions of Oman to its student body which is overwhelmingly composed of Omani nationals. A mosque is among the facilities set in the grounds. A swimming pool, grass pitch, athletics track and auditorium are among other facilities.
The bilingual curriculum (Arabic and English) is divided so that some subjects are taught in purely Arabic and others in English. Students in later years wishing to be accepted to university study for the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Teachers represent a diverse pool of nationalities not just from the region but beyond and almost all are university graduates. Less than two per cent of students transfer to other schools each year – a major sign of student satisfaction.
The school also accepts boarders for scholarship students age 11 to 18+ although the vast majority of its students are day pupils.
Yearly fees 3,120 to 7,150 USD
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel +968 24 536-777
HYPERLINK "http://www.sultansschool.org/" http://www.sultansschool.org/
QATAR
American School, Doha
Considered by many as the best learning establishment in Doha, the school prides itself on being one of the top international schools in the world. In just short of two decades the school has undergone a metamorphosis from a small establishment geared toward the American expatriate community to an institution with 1,300 students.
Today, while the two largest groups within the school population are Americans and Canadians, overall there is a diverse, international feel with around 40 nationalities represented. Class sizes are small, which helps contribute to the goal of academic excellence. Students from year 9 through to year 12 work towards earning credits where a total of 25 is needed for graduation. The school’s values are respect, honesty, responsibility and compassion.
Students have the opportunity to participate in arts, sports, academic activities across the Middle East while travel farther afield takes place through the school’s participation in the International Mock United Nations.
For parents that like to be deeply involved in their children’s progress, this school comes up tops. In addition to the parent-teacher conferences, progress reports and report cards, there is a weekly newsletter sent out.
Student welfare receives high attention and the school believes in preparing its pupils well for university. From year 11, a college counselor is on-hand to advise students during the transition process to university.
Yearly fees 9,400 USD to 12,500 USD
Ages 4 to 18 years
Tel + 974 442 1377
HYPERLINK "http://www.asd.edu.qa" www.asd.edu.qa
KSA
Najd School, Riyadh
The Najd School was founded by Lebanon’s late PM Rafik Hariri in the early 1980s and his spirit continues to pervade the school, not just through his wife Nazek Hariri’s position as owner, but also through a sense of dedication to his memory.
Over the years since Hariri founded the school its popularity has grown and it has managed to retain a loyal teaching staff. Classes are in Arabic but English is also given a great deal of attention and is considered one of the school’s fortes. French is a third language option.
The school has developed a reputation for its challenging exams, considered among the hardest of the national exams in Saudi Arabia. All the rigor pays off though as many students go on to the top universities around the world. Its roster of teachers is composed of mostly Arab nationals from across the region with a heavy Lebanese leaning. Girls and boys are taught separately.
Yearly fees 9,400 USD to 12,500 USD
Ages 4 to 18 years
HYPERLINK "http://www.asd.edu.qa" www.najdschools.edu.sa
British International School (also known as Continental School), Jeddah
There’s a heavy British influence to this school not only among the teachers (90 per cent are of British nationality) and curriculum but also among the students. That’s not to say that there isn’t an international flavour – over 50 nationalities represented and the school can boast being the largest of Saudi Arabia’s international schools.
The school takes the English curriculum as a basic instructional resource and uses a lot of British textbooks. Years 10 and 11 study for IGCSEs. Students that continue their education beyond the age of 16 study for the International Baccalaureate.
The staff’s constructive approach adds to the positive learning environment. There has been strong investment in the school facilities with the present-day school campus built in 1998 (the school was originally founded in the late 1970s).
Sports and art are encouraged and the school has a busy calendar of extra- curricular activities. The higher the school year, the harder it is to find a place and the school has been known to resort to lengthy waiting lists.
The message to parents: register children early to have the best chance of a place.
Yearly fees 8,160 USD to 30,600 USD
Ages 2 to 18 years
Tel + 9662 699 0019
HYPERLINK "http://www.continentalschool.com" www.continentalschool.com
UAE
Choueifat, Abu Dhabi
One of the names of renown from the old school set, Choueifat continues to hold its own among its educational peers. The curriculum is neither English nor American but has been specially designed by SABIS, the network of which the school is a member. Although the original school was founded in Lebanon in the late nineteenth century, Choueifat has been in the Gulf for more than the last three decades.
Students that move to the school may be in for a shock if they are used to a more liberal learning environment. Discipline is high on the agenda and a premium is placed on manners. While students have been known to liken the school's rigorous approach to that of a prison, there is no getting away from the fact it boasts an impressive record for getting its students into the crème de la crème of universities around the world. The school’s pride in this respect explains the letters of acceptance from universities that line the walls of the lobby.
Academic excellence may come at a price though as the school isn’t known for its emphasis on creativity. There is, however, a large range of facilities with sports being particularly well catered to. In addition to the large sports hall and gymnasium there are two swimming pools, gymnastics and ballet rooms and a football field. The school regularly participates in inter-school sporting events as well as musical events.
Yearly fees 4, 370 USD to 8, 090 USD
Ages 3 to 18 years
Tel + 9712 446 1444
HYPERLINK "http://www.iscad-sabis.net" www.iscad-sabis.net
Dubai American Academy, Dubai
Located on a spacious 23 acres of land in the Dubai suburb of Al Barsha, the Dubai American Academy boasts state-of-the-art facilities including four computer labs, a 25-metre swimming pool, soccer pitch, gymnasium, full theatre/auditorium, cafeteria, and amphitheater.
The Dubai American Academy manages to score exam results well above national averages but its philosophy is that academic success is only one part of a child's education. The Academy has a very strong variety of extra-curricular activities and participating in them is viewed as of equal value as academic subjects and as an essential contributing factor to developing an all-round personality.
Arabic studies begin at elementary level and plans are underway to expand this to middle and high school students. French and Spanish are other languages the school offers. High school students study a core group of subjects that include reading, languages, arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. To these they can add their choice of a wide variety of electives including computer technology, visual and performing arts, and world languages. By the end of grade 12, students will sit exams for a US High School Diploma. Exceptional students will also sit additional exams for the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Yearly fees 4,105 USD to 15, 200 USD
Ages 4 to 18 years
Tel + 9714 347-9222
HYPERLINK "http://www.gemsaa-dubai.com/" http://www.gemsaa-dubai.com/
Syria
Damascus Community School, Damascus
The Damascus Community School is a piece of American government property in the heart of Syria's capital. The school has somewhat of a reputation for an elitist atmosphere among its pupils and if you like the thought of the majority of your child's classmates being the offspring of diplomats then this is the right place to put them.
This co-educational day school was founded in 1957 and offers a college preparatory American curriculum taught exclusively in English resulting in the SAT exam. There is an emphasis on academic success as a primary goal but fun is also actively encouraged and from an early age children have the possibility to take part in the wide range of extra curricular activities the school offers. At high school level, as well as being expected to participate in sports, drama, academic games, National Honor Society and High School Student Council, students also have to complete 30 hours of community service.
Around three quarters of the teaching staff have a master's degree and the majority of them are of American, Canadian and British nationality. Class sizes are small and usually range from five to fifteen pupils with the average teacher/pupil ratio at 1:7.
Arabic is taught from elementary level and French is offered from middle school onwards. Students usually leave the school fluent in three languages.
Yearly fees 4,900 USD to 15,700 USD
Ages 4 to 18 years
Tel + 963-11-333 7737
HYPERLINK "http://www.dcssyria.org/" http://www.dcssyria.org/
