At a glance
BISJ began in 1977 as The Continental School, started in a single room at the British Embassy with eighty six pupils to teach the children of British and other Western families working in the city. The Ministry of Education changed the official name to the British International School of Jeddah in 1996, though many parents still call it the Conti. It has since grown into a school of more than thirteen hundred pupils from over sixty nationalities on a purpose built site, teaching the English National Curriculum through to the IB Diploma. You can place it within the wider market of international schools in Jeddah through our city hub.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | English National Curriculum and IPC; Cambridge and Edexcel IGCSE; IB Diploma in sixth form |
| Stages | Early years through sixth form |
| Founded | 1977 (as The Continental School; renamed 1996) |
| Accreditation | COBIS accredited member; British Schools Overseas approved; Council of International Schools; authorised IB World School; BSME member |
| Fee band | Upper (see the Jeddah city hub) |
| Campus area | Al Muhammadiyah, north Jeddah |
Curriculum and academics
BISJ follows the British curriculum as its spine. The youngest children work through the Early Years Foundation Stage, the primary school is built on the English National Curriculum supported by the International Primary Curriculum, and the secondary school prepares pupils for Cambridge and Edexcel IGCSE in Key Stage 4. The clearest point of difference from a standard British school is the sixth form, where most students take the IB Diploma rather than A Levels, a route the school has run for many years and refers to internally as IB1 and IB2. That gives families a recognisably British primary and secondary experience with an internationally framed final two years. As a British school overseas BISJ is inspected under the British Schools Overseas scheme and is an accredited member of the Council of British International Schools, and as an IB World School it is authorised and evaluated by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. We describe the programme in the terms the school uses and do not publish examination figures we cannot verify, so ask the school directly for recent IGCSE and IB Diploma results and university destinations.
British International School of Jeddah fees
British International School of Jeddah fees sit in the upper band for the city, which is what you would expect from a long established British school that runs Cambridge and Edexcel IGCSE alongside the IB Diploma and recruits much of its teaching staff from the United Kingdom. Annual tuition rises by year group, with the sixth form the most expensive stage. We do not print a single headline figure here because the school revises fees each year and issues the current schedule to applicants, and you can place the band in context through the Jeddah city hub. Beyond tuition, budget for a registration fee, a refundable deposit, a capital or building levy and optional transport. To weigh the full annual cost against other British options, use our school finder to shortlist comparable schools matched to your child and budget.
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Admissions
Admission runs across the academic year, which at BISJ follows a British style calendar from August to June with the main intake in September and places offered into other year groups where space exists. Families relocating to Jeddah should apply ahead of the year they need a place, as popular year groups at an established school fill early. Assessment is age appropriate, with settling and readiness observation for the youngest children and curriculum based testing in English and mathematics for older applicants, alongside school reports and references from the previous school. The school sets out the documents it asks for, including residency and transfer papers, during the application, which matters for families moving into the Kingdom on a new visa.
Location and who goes there
BISJ occupies a purpose built campus in the Al Muhammadiyah district on the north side of Jeddah, around fifteen kilometres from the old city centre and close to the corporate and residential addresses where many international families live. As a long standing British school it draws British and other Western expatriate families, internationally minded Saudi families and the wider professional and diplomatic community attached to the consulates and the energy and trade sectors. The right school in Jeddah usually comes down to the curriculum you want, the fee band you can sustain across several years and the commute, so it is worth visiting in person and comparing shortlisted schools side by side. For the wider picture of where families settle and how the schools compare, return to the Jeddah city hub, or see our roundup of the best British schools in Jeddah.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once they are verified. If your child attends or has attended the British International School of Jeddah, you can submit a review to help other relocating families. We never display a star rating without real, checked reviews behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are British International School of Jeddah fees?
British International School of Jeddah fees sit in the upper band for the city, in line with an established British curriculum school that runs Cambridge and Edexcel IGCSE and the IB Diploma. Tuition rises by year group, with the sixth form the most expensive stage. Budget separately for registration, a refundable deposit, a capital or building fee and optional transport. The school issues current rates to applicants.
Is British International School of Jeddah a good school?
BISJ is one of the longest established British schools in Saudi Arabia, founded in 1977 as The Continental School. It is an accredited member of COBIS, approved under the British Schools Overseas scheme, accredited by the Council of International Schools and an authorised IB World School. Whether it suits your child depends on budget, the British or IB pathway you want and proximity to Al Muhammadiyah.
What curriculum does British International School of Jeddah follow?
BISJ follows the English National Curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum in the lower years, Cambridge and Edexcel IGCSE in the secondary school, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the sixth form.
When do British International School of Jeddah applications open?
Admission runs across the academic year, which follows a British style August to June calendar with the main intake in September. Apply ahead of the year you need a place, as popular year groups fill early at an established school.
Where is British International School of Jeddah located?
The school occupies a purpose built campus in the Al Muhammadiyah district, around fifteen kilometres north of the Jeddah city centre.
