Day Waterman College is a purpose built boarding school set on a large rural campus at Asu Village near Abeokuta, in Ogun State. It was founded in 2008 by the Nigerian banker and philanthropist Tayo Aderinokun, with the stated aim of developing future leaders for Nigeria and the wider continent. Although it stands outside the city, the college is a recognised name among the Lagos international schools because the road from Lagos takes under an hour and a large share of its families live in the city. It appeals to parents who want a contained, all boarding environment within easy reach of home.
This profile sets out the curriculum, the fee picture, the admissions route and the community around the college. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus. For the wider context of how the city's schools compare, see our guide to international schools in Lagos.
Day Waterman College at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | British and international curriculum, leading to IGCSE at the end of Year 11 |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Secondary, ages 11 to 16 (coeducational boarding) |
| Founded | 2008, by Tayo Aderinokun |
| Campus | Purpose built rural site at Asu Village, around 35 hectares |
| Fee band | Mid Nigerian international, charged in naira (see Lagos fees guide) |
| Campus area | Asu Village, near Abeokuta, Ogun State |
Curriculum and academics
Day Waterman College follows a British and international curriculum and prepares students for the IGCSE at the end of Year 11. The published intake spans ages 11 to 16, which makes it a lower and middle secondary school built around the run up to the IGCSE rather than a through school with its own sixth form. The college describes its approach as individualised, with an emphasis on drawing out each pupil's particular strengths, and it presents leadership development as a defining part of the experience. Our British curriculum overview explains where the IGCSE sits and what usually follows it for families planning the next step.
Because the school ends at the IGCSE stage, planning the move to a sixth form matters. Some families continue at a school with A Levels or the IB Diploma in Lagos, while others look to boarding schools in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Day Waterman's IGCSE base travels well to both routes, which is part of its draw. We report the school's leadership focus and individualised approach as its own positioning rather than independent findings, and we encourage families to ask for recent IGCSE summaries and current accreditation directly. The Lagos schools hub sets the college in the context of the city's other options.
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Day Waterman College fees
Day Waterman College charges its fees in naira and sits in the mid part of the Nigerian international band mapped in our Lagos school fees guide, rather than the dollar billing premium tier occupied by the city's most expensive day schools. As a full boarding school, the headline fee covers accommodation and meals alongside tuition, so it should not be read as a like for like comparison with a day fee. We do not republish a precise figure here because schedules change each session, so confirm the current boarding rate with the school before you budget.
Plan for the costs that sit above the boarding fee. Expect an acceptance deposit, uniform and boarding kit, weekend and travel arrangements, and the examination entry fees attached to the IGCSE in the later years. Because the fee is naira denominated, families paid in foreign currency should track the exchange rate, since the real cost of a place can move between terms when the currency shifts.
Admissions and intake
Day Waterman College admits mainly into Year 7, with entry decided by an entrance assessment and an interview. A smaller number of places open higher up the school subject to availability, usually for relocating families or pupils transferring from another setting. The academic year begins in September, and because the college is purpose built for a defined number of boarders, places in the main entry year can be competitive, so early application is sensible.
Applications are made through the school and require recent reports, a birth certificate and the entrance assessment result. As an all boarding school, Day Waterman also looks for readiness to live away from home, so the admissions process weighs pastoral fit as well as academic record. Pupils arriving from British curriculum primary schools tend to settle into the year groups where the IGCSE pathway aligns with their previous stage.
Location and who goes there
The college occupies a purpose built campus at Asu Village near Abeokuta, set across roughly 35 hectares of open land in Ogun State. The rural setting is deliberate: it gives the school space for sport and boarding houses away from the congestion of the city, while keeping the journey from Lagos under an hour by road. Most families live in Lagos and across the south west, and the all boarding model means the pupil body is drawn from a wider geographic spread than a city day school, including children of professionals who travel for work.
For the wider picture of how boarding and day schools sit across the city, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Lagos schools hub.
Day Waterman College reviews
No verified parent reviews of Day Waterman College 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 Day Waterman, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Day Waterman College fees?
Day Waterman College charges naira denominated boarding fees and sits in the mid Nigerian international band rather than the dollar billing premium tier. As a full boarding school its fee covers accommodation and meals as well as tuition. Schedules change each session, so confirm the current rate with the school and budget separately for the deposit, boarding kit and examination entry fees.
Is Day Waterman College a good school?
Day Waterman College is a purpose built coeducational boarding school founded in 2008 with a stated focus on leadership and individual attention. Suitability depends on whether a boarding setting near Abeokuta and a British curriculum to IGCSE fit your family. Confirm current results and accreditation directly with the school.
What curriculum does Day Waterman College follow?
The college follows a British and international curriculum and prepares students for the IGCSE at the end of Year 11. Its published intake covers ages 11 to 16, so families looking beyond Year 11 should confirm sixth form arrangements with the school.
When do Day Waterman College applications open?
Day Waterman College admits mainly into Year 7 through an entrance assessment, with limited places higher up subject to availability. Apply ahead of the September start because the school is purpose built for a defined number of boarders.
Where is Day Waterman College located?
The college is set on a campus at Asu Village near Abeokuta in Ogun State, under an hour by road from Lagos, which is why it appears among the boarding options that Lagos families consider.
