Children's International School is a private, English medium school on the Lekki peninsula, founded in 2003 to serve professional Nigerian and expatriate families who want a British style education without leaving Lagos. Its primary stage forms the heart of the junior school, which runs from the early years through to Year 6 before pupils move up into the senior school for IGCSE. Among the Lagos international schools, CIS is one of the better known British curriculum options on the island side of the city, and it draws families who plan to keep their children in the English system from reception all the way to A Level.
This profile sets out the primary curriculum, the fee band, the admissions calendar and the community around the school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus. Families weighing the youngest years can also read our companion profile of the Children's International School nursery.
Children's International School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | English National Curriculum (British curriculum plus model), leading to IGCSE and A Level |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Early years to sixth form (ages 2 years 6 months to 18); primary covers the junior years to Year 6 |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Accreditation | School states it holds British School Overseas accreditation from the United Kingdom Department for Education; confirm current status with the school |
| Fee band | Upper mid tier, charged in naira (see Lagos fees guide) |
| Campus area | Plot 8 Amore Street, Lekki Phase 1 |
Curriculum and academics
The primary stage at Children's International School follows the English National Curriculum, which the school describes as a British curriculum plus model. In practice that means pupils work through the English programmes of study in literacy, numeracy, science and the foundation subjects, with the content adapted to reflect the Nigerian setting in which the school sits. The progression is designed to flow without a break into the senior school, where pupils sit IGCSE in Year 11 and then move into the sixth form for A Levels. Reading our overview of the British curriculum alongside this profile will help you judge how the primary years feed the later exam stages.
Because the school runs the full English route under one roof, the primary years are taught with the end point in mind. Specialist teaching in subjects such as French, music and physical education usually appears earlier than parents expect, and the school structures its junior phase so that the move into the senior school is a continuation rather than a fresh start. Families who want to keep a single British pathway from the early years to A Level tend to value that continuity, and CIS is one of several British curriculum schools tracked in the Lagos schools hub.
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Children's International School fees
Children's International School sits in the upper mid part of the Lagos market. Fees are charged in naira rather than US dollars, which sets the school apart from the dollar billing premium campuses and places it in the upper mid international band mapped in our Lagos school fees guide. Tuition rises year on year from the primary stage towards the IGCSE and sixth form, so the junior years are the most affordable point of entry. We do not republish a precise figure here because schedules change each session, so confirm the current rate with the school before you budget.
Plan for the costs that sit above headline tuition. Expect a registration or application charge, a deposit on acceptance, a uniform requirement, and a school bus fee if you live away from Lekki Phase 1. Because the school bills in naira, families paid in foreign currency should also watch the exchange rate, since the real cost of a place can shift between terms when the naira moves against the dollar or pound.
Admissions and intake
Children's International School runs an academic year from September to July and admits across the primary years subject to availability. The start of the junior school is the natural entry point, but rolling international and domestic arrivals mean that places can open in any year group, so register as soon as a move is confirmed. The school takes day pupils and also offers boarding in the senior years, which widens the pool of families who can reach it.
Admission to the primary stage is based on prior school reports, age appropriate assessment and a conversation with the family. Applications are made through the school and require recent reports, a birth certificate or passport, and a leaving record for transfers. Moves from other British curriculum schools tend to be straightforward because the year groups and programmes of study line up.
Location and who goes there
The school occupies a campus on Plot 8 Amore Street in Lekki Phase 1, a planned residential and commercial district on the Lekki peninsula. Many CIS families live in Lekki Phase 1 itself or in the estates that run east along the peninsula, which keeps the commute short for a large share of the parent body. The mix is weighted towards professional Nigerian families alongside expatriates working in banking, oil and gas, technology and the wider services economy that has grown up on the island side of the city.
For the wider picture of how the British, American, IB and other schools sit across the city, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Lagos schools hub.
Children's International School reviews
No verified parent reviews of Children's International School have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We hold back from publishing a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to represent the school fairly, and we never fabricate ratings. If your family attends or has attended CIS, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Children's International School fees?
CIS sits in the upper mid Lagos band. Fees are charged in naira and rise from the junior years towards the IGCSE and sixth form. Schedules change each year, so confirm the current rate with the school and budget separately for registration, a deposit, a uniform, and a bus place if you live outside Lekki.
Is Children's International School a good school?
CIS is one of the longer established British curriculum schools in Lagos, founded in 2003, and it states that it was accredited as a British School Overseas by the United Kingdom Department for Education. Suitability depends on whether the English National Curriculum, an IGCSE and A Level route, and a Lekki Phase 1 location fit your family. Confirm the current accreditation directly with the school.
What curriculum does Children's International School follow?
CIS teaches the English National Curriculum from the early years through to IGCSE in Year 11 and A Levels in the sixth form. The school describes its approach as a British curriculum plus model, delivering the English programmes of study while reflecting its Nigerian context.
When do Children's International School applications open?
CIS runs a September to July academic year and admits across the primary years subject to availability, with the start of the junior school a natural entry point. Places can open at any time for relocating families, so register as soon as your move is confirmed.
Where is Children's International School located?
CIS is on Plot 8 Amore Street in Lekki Phase 1, a residential and commercial district on the Lekki peninsula that is home to many of the professional and expatriate families who use the school.
