Quick summary of key school information
School details
Number of students |
650 |
Number of nationalities represented in the school |
12 |
Most common nationality |
Saudi Arabian Nationals, British, Australian, Pakistan |
Ratio of local students to international students |
80:20 |
Native English speaking teachers |
Yes |
Language support for students not fluent in English |
Yes. We provide a comprehensive English and Arabic as additional languages programme and our ambition is for pupils to become bilingual |
Additional language classes offered by the school |
Arabic, French |
Max. number of students per class |
20 - 24 |
Average number of students per class |
20 |
Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
Use of technology in the classroom |
Interactive whiteboards are present in all classrooms. Pupils benefit from dedicated computer laboratories and specialist computing teachers. Tablets and laptops are also used in the classroom to support and enhance learning. |
Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
Yes. Online video direct with teachers and live from our UK parent school. We also provide pupils and parents access to a Virtual Learning Environment and Parent Portal via an online login. |
Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
Our school offers Islamic Studies from Pre-School to Year 13. |
How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion? |
Non-Muslim students will have alternative curriculum provisions. We are a fully inclusive school and welcome pupils and families from all religions and countries. |
External examinations or assessments available |
IGCSEs and A Levels |
Results in these examinations |
As a new school in Riyadh, we have not yet had a graduating cohort. However, our parent school, Downe House UK, is in the top 5 UK independent schools for academic results. |
Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes |
Approximate hours of homework given |
Children spend more time at school than most others so that they can complete a full extra curricular programme and much of their homework. We also encourage independent learning at home which increases as children get older and closer to major public examinations. |
Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation |
As a new school in Riyadh, we have not yet had a graduating cohort. However, at our parent school, Downe House UK, 94% of pupils attend their first-choice university. |
Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
Yes |
Learning support offered |
Our school has a Learning Support Department which supports pupils with mild to moderate learning needs. |
The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
Our school offers a rigorous academic curriculum with enrichment opportunities to stretch and challenge pupils. Individual talents are identified and fostered through our dedicated teaching team. |
Student access to education psychologist |
Yes, we believe student mental health is an important part of successful development. |
Entry evaluation for students |
Yes |
Brief description of entry evaluation required |
Younger pupils will complete an assessment around numeracy, literacy and social skills. Older pupils will complete an interview, computerised assessment and writing task. |
Waiting list |
Yes, in certain year groups. |
Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
Applications are accepted all year round, for year groups with places still available. |
Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes, if places are still available. |
School start time |
7:30am |
School finish time |
1.30pm (Pre-School and Reception) 2.15pm (year 1 and 2) 3.00pm (Year 3-Year 13) |
Supervised care before/after school |
Yes, we offer breakfast club and after school care, and a range of paid for academy activities. |
School bus service available |
No |
School provided lunches |
Yes, hot and cold school lunches can be purchased. Our food is of high quality and served for a healthy balanced diet. |
Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
Yes, Halal and vegetarian options are available. |
Uniform required |
Yes |
Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
We offer a broad range of co-curricular activities in sport, music and creative arts. |
Sports activities included |
Our school offers a wide range of sports, including swimming. Downe House Riyadh is one of the few schools to offer its own indoor swimming pool. |
Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Yes, all ages will take part in team sports and have a wide choice of provision. |
Facilities at the school |
560-seat lecture theatre, drama hall, music studios, dedicated libraries, specialist science, and IT labs. For younger children Downe House Riyadh offers indoor play equipment. |
Sports facilities at the school |
An indoor Swimming pool, mixed use sports hall, dance studios, gym facilities, squash courts, boxing room, karate room and basketball/football courts. |
Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Downe House Riyadh offers a co-educational (boys and girls) setting from Nursery to Year 4. Years 5 - 13 offers a 'girls only' environment, mirroring our parent school, Downe House UK.
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Teaching approach of the school |
Academic excellence lies at the heart of what we do at Downe House Riyadh. Our culture fosters ambition, ignites a love of learning, and is underpinned by a nurturing and supportive community. We are committed to ensuring that pupils leave Downe House with a lifelong intellectual curiosity, the self-belief to embrace the challenges of higher education and the world of work, and the knowledge that they are part of a passionate and dynamic school community. At Downe House we give every pupil the time and space to discover and pursue unique talents by offering an impressively broad curriculum and outstanding specialist teaching. Our state-of-the-art facilities and passion for 21st century learning enable a new kind of creativity and collaboration in the classroom and beyond. The consistently outstanding academic results of Downe House UK offer a glimpse into the quality of our academic curriculum. |