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British International School Riyadh

Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees SAR 49,095 - 107,933
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 2052
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Typical class size 24
Introduction

The British International School Riyadh (BISR) is an international co‑educational day school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operating as a multi‑campus organisation across seven sites. BISR serves children aged 3 to 18, delivering the English Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum of England through primary and secondary Key Stages, with IGCSEs at Key Stage 4 and a range of post‑16 pathways (A‑Levels, BTEC and the International Baccalaureate Diploma at the Diplomatic Quarter campus). English is the language of instruction; Arabic is taught across the school and World Languages such as French and Spanish are offered from upper primary and as IB/IBDP options. Campus facilities are described on the school site and include purpose‑built classrooms, science and design laboratories, performing‑arts spaces and substantial sports provision (notably multi‑lane 25m and learner pools, sports halls, outdoor pitches and a 750‑seat auditorium at the Al Waha campus). The school also highlights pastoral support, enrichment programmes and technology provision (one‑to‑one iPads in lower years and BYOD in Senior School).

2786 Ibrahim Mubarak Said Ad Dusari, Ghirnatah، 7693, Riyadh 13241, Saudi Arabia

The Essentials

British International School Riyadh has 2,052 pupils, typical class sizes of 24, instruction in English.

Location
British International School Riyadh operates across seven campuses in Saudi Arabia, including three in Riyadh: Al Hamra, Diplomatic Quarter, and Al Waha. In Riyadh, Al Hamra is located at 2786 Ibrahim Mubarak Said Ad Dusari in the Gharnatah District; the Diplomatic Quarter campus is at 3586 Alradaef Street, Al Safarat District; and Al Waha sits at 2822 Muhammad Ali Janah Street in the Gharnatah District. These campuses are part of one not-for-profit British international school network and offer cross-campus collaboration for families living in and around Riyadh.

Stages
BISR is an all-through school for ages 3–18, with nurseries through Year 12 on its Riyadh campuses. The Diplomatic Quarter campus offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for the 16–18 age group, while other campuses follow the English National Curriculum with GCSE and A‑Level pathways.

Type
The school is co-educational (mixed-gender) and operates as a day school. Boarding is not offered.

Pupil Nationality Mix
The student body comprises students from over 90 nationalities. The most common nationality is not published, and exact local-to-international ratios are not publicly disclosed; the school presents a highly diverse international mix.

Additional learning support
Limited support for Additional Learning Needs (SEN). The school runs a Student Services programme with capacity for mild to moderate needs (e.g., dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism) and offers limited EAL support.

Country affiliation
BISR is a British international school overseas and is accredited as a British School Overseas (BSO) and by the Council of International Schools (CIS).

Religious affiliation
There is no formal religious affiliation stated for the school.

School day structure
Most campuses run a day that starts around 07:45 and finishes around 16:00, with breaks and a lunch period. At the Diplomatic Quarter campus, students may bring lunch or use catering options where available.

Bus service
School transport is organized and run by the residential compounds in Riyadh. Families should register for transportation with their compound management; BIS does not operate a dedicated in-house bus fleet.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Students are required to wear full school uniform. Uniforms can be ordered online via Zaks and delivered anywhere in Saudi Arabia; there is also a BIS uniform shop at Al Hamra (to the right of the main gate) and a campus store at the Diplomatic Quarter, with an additional in-person option at Atyaf Mall. Opening hours for the Al Hamra store are 7:30–8:30 and 14:30–15:30, Sunday–Thursday.

Food Options
Primary students generally bring their own lunch. In Senior at Al Hamra and Al Waha there are two lunch options: Paul's (open to KS3, 4 and Sixth Form) and a pop-up canteen; at Diplomatic Quarter there is no onsite cafeteria but a preordered catering option is available; at Tabuk campus students may bring lunch or choose from the Al Fresco restaurant's school lunch menu (to be ordered and paid weekly in advance).

House System
BISR runs a four-house system: Blunt Scorpions, Doughty Falcons, Palgrave Leopards and Pitts Vipers. The house system provides formal leadership roles (House Captains and House Leaders) and regular inter-house events, with an emphasis on values such as fair play, teamwork, citizenship, self-discipline, initiative, perseverance and resilience.

Governance and Ownership
BISR is a not-for-profit school administered by a Board of Governors. All revenue from school fees is reinvested into student learning, including staffing, resources and campus facilities, under the oversight of the Board and the Director of Schools. The school operates across seven campuses in Saudi Arabia and its governance focuses on safeguarding, finance, staffing and premises in line with regulatory requirements.
Fees

Annual tuition at British International School Riyadh ranges from SAR 49,095 to SAR 107,933 for 2026/27.

Tuition fees (per year and per term)
- Foundation 1 (Foundation): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 42,691; VAT 15% SR 6,404; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 49,095; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 16,365.
- Foundation 2 (Foundation): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 57,821; VAT 15% SR 8,673; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 66,494; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 22,165.
- Key Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 60,071; VAT 15% SR 9,011; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 69,082; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 23,027.
- Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 66,200; VAT 15% SR 9,930; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 76,130; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 25,377.
- Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 72,717; VAT 15% SR 10,908; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 83,625; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 27,875.
- Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 88,186; VAT 15% SR 13,228; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 101,414; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 33,805.
- Key Stage 5 (Years 12 & 13): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 93,855; VAT 15% SR 14,078; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 107,933; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 35,978.

Application and one-off/ancillary fees
- Application fee (new students at Al Hamra, Al Waha and Diplomatic Quarter campuses): non‑refundable SR 575 (inclusive of VAT). Not applicable to BAE schools.
- Assessment fee: non‑refundable SR 1,150 (inclusive of VAT); payable by bank transfer.
- Registration fee (new students): single non‑refundable fee SR 11,500 (inclusive of VAT). Re‑registration required (fee payable again) if a student has been away from school for three clear terms.
- Capital Development Fee (one‑time, non‑refundable for new students at non‑BAE campuses and for students moving from BAE schools): SR 11,500 (inclusive of VAT).
- Seat deposit: single refundable deposit SR 5,000 (no VAT). Refund conditions: refunded when the family no longer has a child at the school provided one month's written notice during term time is given to the Registrar and all issued school IDs (including those issued to family helpers/drivers) are returned.
- Resource deposit: single refundable deposit SR 1,500 (no VAT) (applies to the eldest child only). Repaid less deductions for damaged or lost school resources when the family no longer has a child at the school.
- Sibling discount: SR 1,000 per term discount for the third child; SR 1,500 per term for the fourth and any subsequent children.
- External examination fees (GCSE, AS/A‑level etc.): candidates pay their own entry fees plus a fair share of administrative costs (invigilation, courier, moderation). Costs for approved access arrangements are shared equally among candidates.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition fees are invoiced per term in advance (invoices issued towards the end of the preceding term). Parents are required to pay the term tuition by the due date stated on the invoice.
- As part of onboarding, a virtual account is allocated by the finance team and tuition fees should be transferred into that virtual account (bank transfer). Assessment fees are explicitly payable by bank transfer. Failure to pay fees or failure to return for the commencement of the new academic year will result in the student being deemed to have left the school; re‑entry requires completion of initial registration procedures.

Boarding
- No boarding provision applies; the school operates as an international day school. There are no boarding fees.

Other costs and typical additional charges
- Uniform: full school uniform is required. Uniform guidance is published and uniform is available to order online via the official supplier Zaks (costs are charged separately at point of purchase).
- Transport: school bus services are organised and operated by residential compounds; families register for bus transport through their compound management office and associated transport charges apply through those providers.
- After‑school activities and external enrichment: some activities are delivered by external providers and may carry additional fees payable to those providers.

Refunds and non‑refundables (summary)
- Non‑refundable: application fee, assessment fee, registration fee, capital development fee.
- Refundable: seat deposit (SR 5,000) and resource deposit (SR 1,500) are refundable subject to the stated conditions and less any deductions for damaged or missing resources.

VAT and exemptions
- VAT is applied at 15% where indicated in the fee breakdown. Saudi nationals are eligible for VAT exemption where applicable; families who believe they are eligible should contact the school finance department for assistance.

Payment methods accepted (summary)
- Tuition and other charges are paid by bank transfer into the allocated virtual account established by the school finance team. Assessment fees are payable by bank transfer. Specific campus onboarding provides the virtual account details. No other payment methods are specified in the fee and admissions information provided.
Academics

British International School Riyadh teaches British Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
British International School Riyadh (BISR) operates across two Riyadh campuses, Al Hamra (nearly 2,000 students) and Diplomatic Quarter (DQ) (about 850), serving ages 3–18. At Al Hamra, the youngest learners follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, Years 1–9 use an adapted English National Curriculum, Years 10–11 offer GCSEs, and Years 12–13 offer A-Levels. At the Diplomatic Quarter campus, the curriculum combines the English National Curriculum in early years, then IGCSE in Years 10–11 and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Years 12–13, with vocational pathways available post-16. In the Primary phase, the school uses a concept-based English National Curriculum framework with core subjects (English, Maths, Science, Computing), a Theme block (History/Geography/Global Citizenship), Physical Education, Art/Design Technology, Music, and Modern Foreign Languages (French and Arabic). The IB Diploma Programme has been offered at DQ since 2022, reflecting the school's international accreditation.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
SEL is embedded through a whole-school Wellbeing Pillar and a weekly PSHE program in the Primary School. PSHE uses the PSHE Association Scheme of Work and develops resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamwork and critical thinking. The Zones of Regulation framework is used to help children identify and regulate their emotions. The pastoral team, including a Primary School Counsellor, provides additional wellbeing support. Counselling is offered as brief interventions aligned with safeguarding, and the school emphasizes wellbeing as part of learning.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school can support students with mild to moderate additional needs. Supported conditions include dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD and autism. Support is delivered by Learning Support and EAL colleagues, with learning plans and regular parent communication. Places in the Student Services programme are limited by capacity. The school is not described as a specialist SEN institution in its published materials.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school provides limited EAL support for students at an early stage of English. Enrollment requires age-appropriate fluency in English. EAL support is delivered in collaboration with Learning Support colleagues and involves partnership with parents. There is no dedicated full EAL program described; support is limited. EAL matters are addressed in partnership with parents through EAL and Support for Learning.

Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is a core focus under the Wellbeing Pillar and PSHE. Zones of Regulation is used to help students identify and regulate emotions. The school maintains a strong pastoral team and a Primary School Counsellor to provide additional support. Wellbeing is integrated with learning, enrichment and wider life across BIS Riyadh. The Vision and Values emphasise happiness, healthy lifestyle and inclusive community as part of wellbeing.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is supported by a dedicated Safeguarding Team and governance oversight. The Board includes a designated Safeguarding Governor and a Safeguarding Committee. Counselling works closely with the safeguarding team to provide brief, goal-centered interventions. Parent forums and workshops are used to communicate safeguarding matters to families. The Board of Governors is responsible for safeguarding and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Parent Experience

History
The British International School Riyadh opened in September 1979 as the Riyadh Continental School to provide a British education for expatriate families, with support from the British Embassy and local banks. In March 1981 it was incorporated into the Saudi Arabian International Schools and renamed the British International School Riyadh. The school moved to the Rawdah site in 1982 due to rising student numbers, and in September 1995 it relocated to a purpose-built campus adjacent to the Al Hamra Compound in northern Riyadah. GCSE provision began in 2002 (Year 10) with Year 11 following in 2003, and the Sixth Form opened in September 2004, inaugurated by Prince Charles (now King Charles). From 2020 the BIS network expanded with new campuses and joining affiliations, including Al Saqr and Al Sharq openings, culminating in a large relocation to the Al Waha campus in 2025 as part of alignment with Vision 2030.

Community
BISR is a not-for-profit, seven-campus, co-educational school in Saudi Arabia, serving around 3,000 students aged 3–18 from more than 90 nationalities and employing over 530 staff. The school supports a broad co-curricular programme that includes house events, student leadership, service learning and residential trips. The community is spread across seven campuses, united by a common mission and shared educational philosophy. Active parent involvement through campus PTAs also plays a key role in the school's community life.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Each BISR campus has an active Parent Teacher Association that works to organise events and activities to reinforce the school community and provide extra opportunities for students. The PTA helps give parents a voice to offer fresh insight and contribute to continuous improvement, and it invites involvement from families at the campus level. Parents can contact their campus PTA to get involved, and the PTA pages outline visit and admissions-related information for families considering joining the school community.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
British International School Riyadh operates across three Riyadh campuses: Al Hamra, Diplomatic Quarter, and the newly opened Al Waha campus. Al Waha provides expansive classrooms, dedicated music and drama spaces including a 750-seat auditorium, and state‑of‑the‑art laboratories. It also offers extensive aquatic and outdoor sport facilities, including an 8‑lane, 25‑metre swimming pool with a learner pool, and an all‑weather sport dome with a full‑size 11‑a‑side pitch plus four 7‑a‑side pitches. The Al Hamra campus features large flexible learning spaces, art rooms, a range of laboratories, a swimming pool, and a comprehensive PE programme with a fitness suite, dance studio, sports hall, gymnasium and astro turf pitch. The Diplomatic Quarter campus provides a library, laboratories, a swimming pool, medical rooms and computer labs to support learning across key stages.

Sports Facilities
Across the Riyadh campuses, BISR offers extensive sports facilities. Al Waha features an all‑weather sports dome with full‑size pitches, four 7‑a‑side pitches, two sports halls, outdoor courts for tennis, volleyball and basketball, a dance studio, climbing walls and a gym, plus an 8‑lane, 25‑metre swimming pool and a learner pool. Al Hamra provides a fitness suite, a dance studio, a sports hall, a gym, and a multi‑purpose astro turf pitch, along with a swimming pool. The Diplomatic Quarter campus includes dedicated sports facilities as part of its modern complex.

Academic Facilities
Academic facilities across BISR include libraries and laboratories across campuses, with state‑of‑the‑art science, food technology, and art and design laboratories. The Al Waha campus offers expansive classrooms and dedicated laboratories to support science and technology work, while Al Hamra provides art rooms and laboratories and flexible learning spaces. The Diplomatic Quarter campus includes a library and computer labs to support digital and research skills.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Musical and performing arts spaces are a core feature, with dedicated music rooms and a 750-seat auditorium at Al Waha and drama studios; arts spaces are supported by well‑equipped art rooms. A broad co‑curricular programme includes a strong PE and performing arts offering, with a gym, fitness suite and dance studio, and climbing facilities across campuses.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Diplomatic Quarter campus offers English National Curriculum, IGCSE, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for students aged 3–18. The Early Years Foundation Stage is provided, with progression through primary and senior levels. GCSE, A-Level, and BTEC qualifications are available on other BIS campuses.

Arts & Creative
Al Hamra campus provides dedicated art spaces described as creative sanctuaries. The campus supports arts and creative pursuits through these facilities and related programmes.

Cultural & Language
English is the language of instruction across BIS campuses. The English National Curriculum is used on multiple BIS campuses.

Social & Hobbies
Journeys is the enrichment programme featuring outdoor learning and trips. The Outdoor Learning Team curates journeys within Saudi Arabia and internationally.

Community & Service
Pastoral Care & Safeguarding provides wellbeing and safeguarding support. A dedicated Student Services team includes counsellors, EAL specialists, and learning-support staff.

Leadership & Professional
The Diplomatic Quarter campus is led by Principal Anna Power. A leadership team supports primary and senior sections across the campus.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Pastoral care and safeguarding underpin student wellbeing. Enrichment activities are designed to support physical and mental health.
Languages

Language Provision
The school teaches in English, following the English National Curriculum. World Languages offered include Arabic, French and Spanish, with language study introduced in primary and continued at secondary levels. In the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Group 2 language options include Arabic B SL/HL, French B SL/HL, and Spanish ab initio SL or Spanish B SL/HL. A carousel of world languages is available in Years 5 and 6 to allow students to choose a language for secondary school.
School Events
The school has not added events
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