The Canadian School of Warsaw is one of the smaller English medium options among the international schools in Warsaw, and it occupies a clear niche: a bilingual early years and primary education that pairs the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme with the Polish national curriculum. Rather than trying to be an all through campus, it concentrates on the years from nursery to the end of middle school, building English and inquiry skills in children before they move on to a senior school. For families who want their child rooted in the Polish system while gaining a genuinely international primary grounding, that focus is the point.
Canadian School of Warsaw at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | IB Primary Years Programme delivered with the Polish national curriculum; English medium with Polish and French |
|---|---|
| Stages | Preschool, elementary and middle school, ages 3 to 14 |
| IB authorisation | Authorised IB World School for the Primary Years Programme since 2014 |
| Type | Private, coeducational day school |
| Fee band | Primary band of the Warsaw market; no senior or diploma fee |
| Campuses | Three sites in Mokotow: preschool on Krasickiego, elementary on Belska and Olimpijska |
Curriculum and academics
The school teaches the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in English while keeping children on the Polish national curriculum, so the two run side by side rather than the family having to choose between them. The Primary Years Programme is built around transdisciplinary units of inquiry, where reading, mathematics, science and the arts are explored through a single question or theme. The Polish strand means a child can move back into a Polish school, or progress into the Polish exam track later, without a gap. Languages are central, with English as the medium of instruction and structured teaching of Polish and French, aiming for proficiency in at least two languages beyond a child's mother tongue.
The important point for planning is that the Canadian School of Warsaw runs only the primary stage of the IB continuum. It does not offer the Middle Years Programme through to sixteen or the IB Diploma, so families who want the full diploma route should treat this as an excellent feeder and line up a senior school in parallel. Our Warsaw IB schools hub sets out which campuses carry the programme through to the diploma, and our shortlist of the best IB schools in Warsaw compares the through schools that take a child all the way to eighteen.
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Canadian School of Warsaw fees
Because the Canadian School of Warsaw runs only to the end of middle school, its fees sit in the primary band of the city market rather than the premium senior tier that dominates headlines. Our guide to international school fees in Warsaw places primary tuition broadly between 18,000 and 65,000 zloty a year across the city, with the most established names at the top of that range and bilingual schools that share the Polish curriculum often lower. The school does not publish a senior or diploma fee for the simple reason that it does not run those years, so the figure you budget should be a primary one.
Treat any number you see online as illustrative until you have the current schedule, because Warsaw schools revise fees each year and the published rate usually rises grade by grade from preschool upward. Beyond tuition, plan for the usual extras: registration, lunches, optional after school activities and transport between home and the relevant campus. The fee calculator is a useful way to model the full cost of a place and compare it against the through schools your child might move to for the senior years.
Admissions
Admission is shaped by place availability across the three campuses rather than by competitive entrance testing, which is typical of a primary focused school. Families apply directly to the school, which reviews a child's previous reports and arranges any English or Polish language support needed to settle in. The main intake aligns with the September start of the Polish school year, though places can open during the year as families move in and out of the city, so it is worth asking about mid year entry if you are relocating outside the usual cycle.
Because the school is small, popular year groups can fill, and the preschool in particular tends to be the busiest entry point. Apply as early as your move allows and visit the specific campus your child would attend, since the preschool, and the two elementary sites differ in feel and facilities. For the wider set of options across the city, the Warsaw city hub lists schools by curriculum and stage so you can plan the senior move while a primary application is in train.
Location and who goes there
All three campuses sit in Mokotow, a large residential district immediately south of the city centre that is popular with families for its parks, its tram and metro links and its mix of apartment blocks and quieter villa streets. The preschool is on Krasickiego, while the elementary provision runs from sites on Belska and Olimpijska, all within the same part of the district. The compact catchment makes the school practical for families living in Mokotow and the neighbouring central districts rather than those out towards the southern suburbs.
The community blends internationally minded Polish families, who value the bilingual Polish and English model, with expatriate families who want their child grounded in the local system while learning in English. That mix is the school's character: less of the diplomatic and corporate transfer profile found at the larger through schools, and more of a neighbourhood international primary. Many families choose it precisely because a child can keep one foot in the Polish curriculum while gaining the IB inquiry approach in English.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
How much are Canadian School of Warsaw fees?
As a preschool, elementary and middle school the Canadian School of Warsaw sits in the primary band of the Warsaw market rather than the senior tier. The city fee guide places primary tuition broadly between 18,000 and 65,000 zloty a year depending on the school. The Canadian School of Warsaw does not publish a senior or diploma fee because it does not run those years. Confirm the current schedule and any registration charge directly with admissions.
What curriculum does the Canadian School of Warsaw follow?
It teaches the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in English alongside the Polish national curriculum, so children gain an inquiry led international education while keeping the Polish syllabus. The school became an authorised IB World School in 2014 and supports English, Polish and French.
What ages does the Canadian School of Warsaw take?
The school is a preschool, elementary and middle school community for children aged roughly 3 to 14. It does not run a sixth form or the IB Diploma, so families wanting senior years plan a move to a through school for the final stages.
Where is the Canadian School of Warsaw?
The school operates across three campuses in the Mokotow district on the southern side of central Warsaw, with the preschool on Krasickiego and elementary campuses on Belska and Olimpijska. Mokotow is a residential and green district well connected to the city centre.
Is the Canadian School of Warsaw an IB school?
Yes. It is an authorised IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme. Because it stops at middle school it offers only the primary stage of the IB continuum, so compare it with the full diploma schools on our Warsaw IB hub if you need senior provision.
