Downe House Riyadh

Downe House Riyadh is the first premium, British girls’ school to open in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The school is exclusively for girls from Year 5 to Year 13 (ages 9–18) and co-educational (mixed boys’ and girls’ classes) in Pre-Prep and Lower Prep (ages 3-9).

Everything at Downe House Riyadh is designed to encourage, stimulate, and inspire pupils. The school aims to promote genuine personal enquiry and intellectual curiosity. It nurtures individual talents and interests beyond the academic sphere and fosters a culture of inclusivity and respect for others.

What does it mean to be a Downe House girl? The answer is in the key characteristics known as the Downe House DNA – Compassion, Collaboration, Resilience, Creativity, Aspiration, Communication, being Outward Looking and Digital Ready.

In the classroom, on the playing field and everywhere in between, these core values are the hope, aim and challenge for every girl. We give the girls every opportunity to develop these eight important skills and characteristics through all aspects of life at Downe House.

Downe House’s DNA and approach to education is sympathetic to every stage of a Downe House pupil’s journey. Starting with a warm and happy environment, pupils are encouraged to build their confidence and character whilst working with and caring for others. As they move through the school, the pupils combine their passion for learning with their developing skills to explore their ambitions, which prepares them thoroughly for life beyond school.

A Downe House education is focused on excellent academic outcomes, enabling our pupils to realise their own unique potential and for our Downe House girls to gain entry into the very best universities in the world.

Designed by two leading Saudi female architects, our campus provides a truly inspirational teaching and learning environment, housing some of the finest facilities in the Middle East.

Downe House Riyadh is located towards the north of Riyadh in the prominent neighbourhood of Aqeeq, making it readily accessible from most parts of the city. It is conveniently located minutes from Riyadh Park Mall and in close proximity to King Abdullah Financial District.

In a country where girls-only education is highly valued, Downe House brings over 100 years of experience, helping to deliver a first-class education.

Our ethos is to nurture and challenge our pupils in a warm, happy environment and respect them as individuals with wide-ranging talents and ambitions. Our Downe House DNA informs and influences everything we do at the school.

Downe House Riyadh develops girls into confident, young women with abilities to contribute successfully in society and on a global stage. Our broad, all-inclusive curriculum has a proven track-record of ensuring that girls graduate to the world’s top universities.

At Downe House Riyadh, we provide an environment that both supports your daughter’s development and celebrates her individuality – there is no such thing as a ‘typical Downe House girl’.

However, what is typical, is that all pupils are challenged to fulfil their potential through a strong academic focus and a broad and balanced curriculum, underpinned by our Downe House DNA. We provide almost limitless opportunities for them to follow wherever their talents and ambitions take them.

For over 100 years, Downe House has nurtured girls from young children, through their teenage years and into adulthood. Our spectacular, new school in Riyadh harnesses that heritage by offering a tailored education that combines the best of British with the tradition of, and respect for, the culture and language of Saudi Arabia.

Our all-female faculty preserves traditional values and provides a safe and caring environment for pupils between the ages of 3 and 18. We admit boys and girls in Pre-Prep and Lower Prep (ages 3-9) and girls only from Upper Prep and beyond (ages 9-18).

The Downe House DNA embraces and develops children through the core values of – Collaboration, Resilience, Creativity, Aspiration, Compassion, Communication and being Outward Looking.

We give our pupils every opportunity to develop these important skills and characteristics through all aspects of life at Downe House Riyadh. In the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage and everywhere in between, these core values are the hope, aim and challenge for every pupil. With the very best facilities of any girls’ school in Saudi Arabia, our children flourish, grow in confidence and thrive in a happy, caring community.

We are proud to establish the first premium, British girls’ school in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our sister school, Downe House, is one of the most celebrated, all-girls’ schools in the UK and consistently ranks amongst the top 5. Our curriculum in Riyadh follows the same rigorous approach offering fully specialist teaching from Year 5 and above, personalised pastoral care and more lesson time than other schools. This focus on academic excellence allows our pupils to access the very best universities in the world.

Downe House is a Microsoft Centre of Excellence and this emphasis on technology underpins our success as a modern, innovative school. Our inspiring teachers complement cutting-edge, online learning to ensure children can reinforce their education at home as well as in school.