British schools in Bahrain: a guide for families

Bahrain is a small island kingdom with a long history of international education. British schools serve expatriate families working in finance, energy and the military, and many Bahraini families who choose a British education.

Regulation and inspection

Private schools are licensed by the Ministry of Education. They are reviewed independently by the Education & Training Quality Authority (BQA), which publishes review reports with overall judgements. Many British schools also hold a BSO inspection or other accreditation. Read both kinds of report.

Compulsory subjects

As elsewhere in the Gulf, private schools teach Arabic and Islamic studies for Muslim students, along with national studies for Bahraini pupils. Ask how much timetable time these take.

Where families live

Bahrain is compact, but traffic at peak times can be heavy. Popular areas for international families include Saar, Budaiya, Janabiya and the northern coast, Juffair and Amwaj, with schools spread across these areas and around Isa Town and Riffa.

Choosing a school

• Check the BQA review grade and read the full report, not just the headline.
• Ask about teacher qualifications, turnover and class sizes.
• Look at IGCSE and A-Level results with candidate numbers, plus university destinations.
• Confirm the full fee schedule, including registration and capital fees.

Use our school checklist and compare with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Directory: British schools in Bahrain

Our school-by-school directory for Bahrain is being researched. We only list a school once its details have been checked against its own published information.