The English School, Kuwait

What the school is

History, ownership and inspection evidence

The school changed its name from Shuwaikh School in 1970. It closed during the 1990–91 invasion year, reopened in 1991 with fewer than 30 pupils and moved to its present Salmiya site in 1996. Its published history describes a continuing not-for-profit purpose.

TES describes itself as not-for-profit and owned by the Al-Bahar family. Its history names Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar, awarded an OBE in 2003, and Emad Al-Bahar among its owners and patrons. Family ownership is a matter of governance, not a measure of stability or school quality.

A school-authored employer profile records a May 2022 ISI inspection, BSO accreditation and memberships in IAPS, BSME and COBIS. The school’s history also records GL International Centre of Excellence recognition in 2022 and a new Science and Technology building opened in September 2024. The 2022 inspection predates the Upper School, which opened in 2025.

The Upper School question

The Upper School expansion

The Upper School began with Year 9 in 2025, with Years 10 and 11 planned to follow. The cited fee page lists charges through Year 10; a listed fee band is not proof that the class is running.

For a child entering the first secondary cohorts, teaching staff, laboratories, examination boards and the intended first exam dates are the key points. A long primary-school history gives no track record for a newly introduced examination pathway.

Admissions and cost

Published tuition and payment terms

The published fee page lists annual tuition of KWD 1,741 for Kindergarten, KWD 2,735 for Reception–Year 2, KWD 3,135 for Years 3–6 and KWD 3,435 for Years 7–10. It lists instalment deadlines of 1 September, 1 December and 1 April. The KWD 100 annual registration payment is credited against the following year’s invoice, so it should not be added again to annual tuition.

The fee page cited here has no academic-year label, and uniforms, transport, devices and activities are charged on top. An older investment guide describes fee-increase rules, but not the increases approved for any particular year.

Common documents include previous school reports, a birth certificate, passports, residence and Civil ID information, and vaccination records; the assessment process varies with the child’s age.

The family experience

Community, facilities and the daily reality

The campus is on Mousaed Al-Azmi Street in Salmiya’s Block 12. Published facilities include a performing arts centre, a six-lane 25-metre pool, ICT and science laboratories, and the newer Science and Technology building. The school introduced pupil-owned iPads in 2016; ask for current device requirements and how facilities are used by your child’s year group.

Questions to ask the school