The five primary anchor schools
The Prague international primary market consolidates around five through schools, each running a Year 1 to Year 6 primary inside a wider age four to eighteen offer. International School of Prague in Nebusice is the longest established, with a primary department of around 400 pupils following the IB Primary Years Programme. Park Lane International School runs primary across two campuses in Mala Strana, with around 350 pupils in PYP and English EYFS streams. Riverside School Prague in Karlin runs a primary cohort of around 200 in the IB PYP. Prague British International School at Vlastina runs primary on the English National Curriculum with around 350 pupils. The English College in Prague joins families at Year 4 onwards with a smaller intake.
Beyond the five anchor schools the wider Prague primary market includes around a dozen Czech English bilingual primaries, several Czech state primaries with strong English provision, and a growing network of Montessori primary feeders. These bilingual and Czech state options serve families who do not need a strictly English medium environment and who are comfortable with Czech as the working language. The combined English medium and bilingual primary supply in Prague is sufficient to absorb the bulk of expatriate demand, although Year 1 and Year 5 entry can be tight in the most popular schools.
Illustrative example schools
Four illustrative Prague international primary schools, each occupying a distinct point of the market.
International School of Prague Primary in Nebusice runs the IB PYP across Pre Kindergarten to Grade 5 with a Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary structure. The primary uses American teaching staff alongside international colleagues, follows a project based PYP unit cycle, and integrates specialist art, music, library and physical education timetables. Fees EUR 18,500 to EUR 21,000 a year. ISP Primary feeds directly into ISP Middle School and the IB Diploma at Grade 11.
Park Lane International Primary runs Reception through Year 6 across the Vlasska campus in Mala Strana and a senior shift at Hellichova. The school combines the English EYFS and Key Stages 1 and 2 with the IB PYP framework, giving a hybrid curriculum that suits both British returnees and longer international postings. Fees EUR 13,800 to EUR 17,500 a year. Park Lane Primary feeds Park Lane Senior at age 11.
Riverside School Prague Primary in Karlin runs the full IB PYP through Year 6 with smaller class sizes and a strong outdoor and inquiry based learning component. Fees EUR 10,000 to EUR 13,000 a year, the most affordable IB PYP primary in the city. Riverside Primary feeds Riverside Middle and the Diploma at Year 12.
Prague British International School Primary at Vlastina runs the English National Curriculum with EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 across Reception to Year 6, supported by English speaking teaching staff recruited largely from the UK. Fees EUR 13,000 to EUR 17,000 a year. The school feeds into Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma in the senior years.
Shortlisting Prague primary schools?
Our five minute school finder quiz shortlists three Prague primaries against your child's age, your start date, your residential corridor and your curriculum preference, with feeder relationships into the senior stage flagged.
Fees and the all in cost
Prague international primary fees split into three bands. The entry band, EUR 10,000 to EUR 13,000 a year, covers Riverside School Primary. The mid band, EUR 13,000 to EUR 17,500 a year, covers Park Lane Primary and Prague British International School Primary. The premium band, EUR 18,500 to EUR 21,000 a year, covers International School of Prague Primary. Czech English bilingual primaries sit materially below this range at CZK 90,000 to CZK 220,000 a year, broadly EUR 3,600 to EUR 8,800.
Above tuition expect a one off registration fee of CZK 30,000 to CZK 80,000, an annual capital levy of CZK 15,000 to CZK 40,000, lunch in the school canteen of CZK 50,000 to CZK 90,000 a year, and uniform at the British style schools of CZK 6,000 to CZK 12,000. Health insurance is mandatory for non EU children and adds CZK 20,000 to CZK 35,000 a year. Compare across peer European cities in the fees tool, and see the full Prague fee picture in our Prague school fees guide.
Admissions calendar and entry points
The Czech school year runs from early September to late June. International primary applications open in October and November, with offers from January through March and waitlist movement into the summer. Year 1 and Year 5 are the tightest entry points across the city, particularly at ISP, Park Lane and Prague British International. Mid year transfers are routine at all five schools when capacity allows, reflecting the corporate posting rhythm of the Prague expatriate workforce. Sibling priority is standard. The early years feeder route into a through school is the most reliable way to secure a Year 1 place at the most over subscribed schools. Entry tests are not formal at primary level but a settling visit and an English language conversation are standard.
Where primary families live
International primary families in Prague cluster in four corridors. Prague 6, particularly Nebusice, Hanspaulka, Dejvice and Bubenec, serves ISP Primary and Prague British International School. Mala Strana and Vinohrady serve Park Lane Primary and the central Czech bilingual primaries. Karlin, Holesovice and the Prague 7 to 8 waterfront serve Riverside School Primary. Prague 5 west, particularly Smichov, Stodulky and Jinonice, serves Deutsche Schule Prag Grundschule and the wider Czech state primary market. For the wider residential picture see our Prague expat neighbourhoods guide and the moving to Prague with children checklist. The curriculum index, the Prague city guide and the school finder tool cover the wider city picture.
Frequently asked questions
Which international primary schools are available in Prague?
Five main international primary schools serve Prague in 2026: International School of Prague, Park Lane International, Riverside School Prague, Prague British International School and The English College in Prague which feeds in at Year 4 onwards. Around half offer the IB PYP, the others offer the English National Curriculum or a hybrid. The total English medium primary cohort in Prague is around 1,800 pupils.
What curriculum do Prague international primaries follow?
Three of the five schools follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP): International School of Prague, Park Lane and Riverside. Prague British International School follows the English National Curriculum with EYFS and Key Stages 1 and 2. The English College in Prague leans English National Curriculum at primary. Several Czech bilingual primaries, including Duhovka, offer a Montessori grounded curriculum aligned with Czech state recognition.
How much do international primary schools in Prague cost?
International primary fees in Prague run from EUR 10,000 to EUR 21,000 a year. Riverside Primary sits at the entry end around EUR 10,000 to EUR 13,000. Park Lane Primary sits around EUR 13,800 to EUR 17,500. International School of Prague Primary sits at the premium end around EUR 18,500 to EUR 21,000. Prague British International School sits in the EUR 13,000 to EUR 17,000 band. Bilingual primaries are materially cheaper.
When do international primary schools in Prague start admissions?
Applications for September entry open in October and November the year before, with offers from January through March. Year 1 and Year 5 are the most over subscribed entry points. Most schools accept mid year transfers when capacity allows, particularly for new arrivals on corporate or diplomatic postings. Sibling priority is standard at all five schools. The early years feeder route is the most reliable way to secure a Year 1 place at ISP and Park Lane.
Do international primaries in Prague teach Czech?
Yes. All five international primary schools include Czech language and culture as a timetabled subject from Year 1 or Year 2 upwards. Czech is taught at separate levels for native and non native speakers. Some schools, notably Riverside and Park Lane, offer Czech as a partial host country language stream for families on longer postings. Czech is not the language of instruction at any of these schools, however.
