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Avi-Cenna International School

Nigeria, Lagos

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees NGN 2,500,000
Ages 2 - 16 years
Pupil numbers 365
Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 1989
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)
Typical class size 20
Strengths Sport, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Academic and Intellectual
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

Located in Lagos, Avi-Cenna International School is an independent, secular day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2 to 16. Founded in 1989, it honors Avicenna and offers a British-style education from Pre-School to Secondary. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the foundation; Primary follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales and ends with KS2 SATs. The Secondary curriculum covers Years 7–9 (Key Stage 3) and Years 10–11 (Key Stage 4) with Cambridge IGCSE. Languages include French and Arabic. Facilities include safe, purpose-built EYFS spaces with a mini zoo and a learning hub, and classrooms equipped with audiovisual technology. The school runs a broad co-curricular program, including sports, music, drama, arts and crafts, and clubs such as chess, ICT programming, and French Club. Avi-Cenna is internationally diverse, with around 30 nationalities. The school is consistently recognized by Cambridge for strong IGCSE results, underscoring its track record in delivering a global, standards-aligned education.

The Essentials

Avi-Cenna International School has 365 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.

Location
6 Harold Shodipo Crescent GRA, Lagos, Nigeria

Stages
Early Years (2.5–5), Primary (6–10), Secondary (11–16)

Type
Independent, secular day and boarding school for boys and girls

Country affiliation
Nigeria; Cambridge International Examinations is used for IGCSE

Religious affiliation
Secular; no religious affiliation
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school offers day and boarding. It is independent and secular. A Head of Boarding oversees boarding and works with house-parents and the academic staff to organise supervised activities and homework. Boarders have access to school resources and facilities.

Uniform Requirement
The school has a formal uniform. Boys wear a black blazer with the school badge, white cotton shirt, black trousers, a plain black belt, plain black leather shoes, and a tie, with an optional V-neck sweater; girls wear a black blazer with the school badge, white shirt, black trousers or knee-length skirt, plain black shoes, a tie, and a watch, with one pair of small stud earrings allowed.

House System
There is a house system; polo shirts for PE and co-curricular activities are in house colours.

Governance and Ownership
The school is independent. Leadership includes Founder Darwish Foudeh and Principal Paul Olubajo.
Fees

Annual tuition at Avi-Cenna International School ranges from NGN 2,500,000 for 2026/27.

Application / Registration

- Application forms are available for a one-time fee of ₦50,000. Payments may be made by POS, bank transfer or direct deposit. Account details for deposits are provided by the school.

Tuition (annual / per-term information)

- The school operates as an independent day and boarding school; published, itemised tuition amounts by specific year group and per-term breakdown are not posted publicly.

- Publicly available fee reports and local listings show varying annual tuition figures for recent academic sessions. Figures reported by multiple local sources for the 2024–2026 period fall broadly in the ranges below (no official year-by-year schedule is published):
- Day students: commonly reported around ₦1,000,000 per year by some listings; other listings report ranges between approximately ₦1,000,000 and ₦3,000,000 per year.
- Boarding students / weekly or full-board options: third‑party listings report higher annual totals (some sources quote ranges up to several million naira per year), reflecting separate boarding charges in addition to tuition. Exact boarding charges are not published on the school's public pages.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees may be paid either for the full year or on a termly basis; a deposit is required to reserve an offered place. The school accepts POS, bank transfer and direct deposit for payments. Specific term-by-term instalment amounts and formal payment deadlines are not publicly itemised.

Boarding fees and arrangements

- Avi‑Cenna provides boarding options (the school is described as a day and boarding school). No publicly posted, itemised boarding fee schedule (weekly or full‑board rates) is available on the school's public pages. Separate charges for boarding are reported by third parties but precise, official boarding rates and what they include are not published.

Other costs and compulsory extras

- Uniform: a full school uniform is required; descriptions of required items for boys, girls and PE kits are published (blazer with school badge, shirts, trousers/skirts, PE kit items, etc.). Specific prices for uniform items are not published.

- Admission deposit: an unspecified deposit is required to reserve an offered place (amount not published).

- Typical additional items that are commonly charged by similar schools and that appear in third‑party fee lists (but are not itemised officially by Avi‑Cenna) include examination fees, practical/science fees, activity or PTA levies, and stationery/uniform extras; no official line‑by‑line public amounts for these at Avi‑Cenna were located.

Refunds and deposits

- No publicly posted refund policy or a published schedule stating refundable/ non‑refundable amounts for deposits or fees was found on the school's public pages. A deposit is required to reserve a place, but whether that deposit is refundable and under what conditions is not published.

Accepted payment methods

- The school accepts POS, bank transfer and direct deposit for application and school payments. Bank account name and account number for deposits are published for use when completing admission-related payments.

Summary of availability of official fee detail

- The school publishes the application form price, payment channels (POS, bank transfer, direct deposit) and that a deposit is needed to reserve a place. The school's public pages do not publish an itemised, year‑group by year/group termly fee schedule, formal refund policy, or detailed boarding charges. Independent/local listings and news aggregators report annual tuition amounts that vary by source; those sources were consulted for reported ranges but do not replace an official, itemised fee schedule.
Academics

Avi-Cenna International School teaches British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage) for students aged 2 to 16.

Curriculum
The school is a British school and has adopted the national curriculum of England and Wales. The Early Years uses the EYFS framework. The Primary curriculum follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales and ends with the KS2 SATs. The Secondary curriculum covers Years 7–9 (Key Stage 3) and Years 10–11 (Key Stage 4) with Cambridge IGCSE; languages include French and Arabic.

Exam Results
Consistent recognition from Cambridge as top performers in the IGCSE examinations.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school creates a safe environment for learning and development, encouraging students to act on information, passions, and curiosity. The atmosphere is warm and built on trust and mutual respect. Diversity, Excellence, Ethics, Creativity, Individuality, Leadership and Collaboration are core values. The school aims for high standards in both the formal curriculum and extracurricular activities, helping students become well-rounded individuals. Under these values, the school focuses on developing interpersonal and leadership skills and fostering personal best to boost self-esteem and personal well-being.

Mental Wellbeing
Personal well-being is a stated focus in the Values. Individuality and leadership opportunities are promoted to support confidence and emotional well-being. The school aims for students to be well-rounded and ready to contribute to the world. The atmosphere is warm, built on trust and mutual respect, supporting emotional safety. Participation and achievement of personal best are encouraged to raise self-esteem.

Safeguarding
The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the security and welfare of children; staff are expected to share this commitment.
Parent Experience

History
Avi-Cenna International School began in Lagos, Nigeria in 1989, founded by Mr. and Mrs. Foudeh who came to Nigeria from Jordan, starting with seventy students and eight teachers. The school's name honors Avicenna, the Persian polymath known as The Prince of Physicians. The school expanded steadily and is now a well established co-educational school following the National Curriculum for England and Wales. It serves the Nigerian community and expatriates who are seeking a British education in Lagos, offering education from Pre-School to Secondary.

Community
Avi-Cenna is an independent secular day and boarding school for boys and girls from age 2 to 16 and is a truly international school with about 30 nationalities represented. The atmosphere is warm and engaging, with staff and students in a relationship built on trust and mutual respect. Students are exposed to cultural differences early and are sensitized to cultural nuances, equipping them to thrive in a shrinking global village.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Parent–Teacher Association is a volunteer forum for fostering good relations between parents and teachers, encouraging cooperation and pride in the schools accomplishments, and assisting in organizing special events and fundraising. The focus of activities each year depends on the interests of participating parents; an elected executive committee meets regularly throughout the school year. Officers include Chairperson (Parent member), Vice-Chairperson (Parent member), Secretary (Teacher member), Assistant Secretary (Teacher member), Treasurer (Parent member) and Financial Secretary (Teacher member). A Class Representative from each year group can be appointed to serve on the Executive Committee. The PTA is an advisory body and does not interfere in the day-to-day running of the School; the designing of all School policies is the responsibility of the School Board and Management.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Early Years are for ages 2 1/2 to 5; Primary is for ages 6 to 10; Secondary is for ages 11 to 16. The EYFS area is described as safe and purpose-designed and includes a mini zoo and a learning hub. Classrooms are equipped with audiovisual technology. The school offers a broad range of co-curricular activities. Co-curricular activities include a wide selection of sports and clubs.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Primary School Activities include Football, Rugby, Basketball, Swimming, Karate, Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Arts & Crafts, Chess, Music, Lego Robotics, Girl Guides, Brownies, Mad Science, Choir, Literacy support, Numeracy support, and Boy Scouts. Senior School Activities include Senior Boys Football, Junior Boys Football, Senior Boys Basketball, Junior Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Rugby, Volleyball, Swimming, Karate, Media Club, French Club, Chess Club, Debating/Drama Club, ICT Programming, Science, Technology & Robotics, and Music. Activities commence at 2:15pm for Primary and 2:45pm for Senior; Swimming ends at 3:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school is consistently recognized by Cambridge as top performers in the IGCSE examinations. Creativity is valued and enhanced through a wide spectrum of co-curricular activities. From Early Years through Year 11, students are groomed to tackle new challenges using skills learned both in and out of the classroom.

Arts & Creative
Arts and creative opportunities include Music, Choir, Ballet and Contemporary Dance, and Arts & Crafts in the Primary School. In the Senior School, Debating/Drama Club, Media Club, and Music expand creative expression. These activities extend creative opportunities beyond the classroom.

Cultural & Language
French Club is part of the co-curricular program. Avi-Cenna is an international school with about 30 nationalities represented, which supports cross-cultural learning.

Social & Hobbies
Primary activities include Football, Rugby, Basketball, Swimming, Karate, Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Arts & crafts, Chess, Music, Girl Guides, Brownies, and Boy Scouts. Senior School expands to include Senior Boys Football, Junior Boys Football, Senior Boys Basketball, Junior Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Rugby, Volleyball, Swimming, Karate, Media Club, French Club, Chess Club, Debating/Drama Club, ICT Programming, Science, Technology & Robotics, and Music.

Leadership & Professional
Senior School offers Debating/Drama Club and Media Club as part of the co-curricular program. The program also includes ICT Programming, Chess, and other clubs that foster collaboration and problem-solving.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Extensive sports and physical activities are offered, including football, rugby, basketball, swimming, karate, and both ballet and contemporary dance in the Primary School. Senior School adds volleyball and additional teams for girls and boys. Activities run after school each day: Primary activities from 2:15pm to 3:15pm and Senior activities from 2:45pm to 3:50pm.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Obtain the Admission Form. The form costs ₦50,000 and can be paid via POS, bank transfer, or direct deposit. Cash payments go to Zenith Bank, account 1014076258, in the name Jodar Avi-Cenna International Ltd; the bank slip is submitted to the Registrar to obtain the Admission Form. 2. Submit the completed forms and documents. Completed forms should be returned to the Registrar to arrange the entrance examination date. The submission must include 1 passport photograph, a copy of the birth certificate, a copy of the passport information page, and the academic transcript or last three full reports from the previous school. The school reviews the documents to confirm eligibility. 3. Entrance examination. Prospective students sit for an entrance examination designed to indicate a student's academic level, taking age into account. The examination helps determine the appropriate year-level placement in relation to the student's age. The results guide the next steps in the admissions process. 4. Interview. Successful applicants are invited to an interview with the Principal to discuss readiness and fit. The interview complements the examination results in the decision-making process. The interview provides an opportunity for families to ask questions. 5. Offer and deposit. An offer of a place is made if the candidate meets the criteria. Upon offer, a deposit is required to reserve the place. The deposit confirms the allocation and holds the slot. 6. Year-group placement. Based on experience, Avi-Cenna avoids placing a student in a year group above their age and will not consider doing so. The policy supports appropriate academic and social development. The school uses age and readiness to guide final placement. The policy is applied consistently for all admissions.

Scholarships
Academic scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and potential for continued development. After a scholarship examination, suitable candidates are invited to interview prior to awards. The size of a scholarship ranges from 50% to 100% of tuition fees. Typically, up to 10 scholarships are awarded each year for entry into the Secondary School, with applications available from the School or the website.
School Events
The school has not added events
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