Aldenham Education Group (AEG) is to open its first all-through school in Saudi Arabia.
The 3 to 18 international school will be in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in the heart of Riyadh.
The new school, Aldenham Riyadh, will be AEG’s second school in the city: Aldenham Prep Riyadh opened in 2022.
A total of 18 international schools in Saudi Arabia teach a British curriculum, including outposts set up by Reigate Grammar, Downe House and King’s College in Taunton.
The announcement follows extensive discussions between AEG and King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company (KAFD DMC), who have signed a full agreement to build a new school.
The signing heralds the start of the first stage of design and construction of the new AEG school.
The school will be able to accept students for the academic year beginning autumn 2026.
The plan is for Aldenham Riyadh to be run as a “genuine branch campus” of Aldenham’s UK schools, ensuring that all students receive continuity of experience, curriculum and academic standards from the “mother school” in the UK.
Existing heads of its UK schools act as the founding principals of the newly established campuses oversees. The UK education team implement and adapt their UK curriculum in each new school and its UK academic team are involved in every interview of all pupils and teachers.
AEG runs three schools in the UK, including Aldenham School, Aldenham Prep School and St Hilda’s in Hertfordshire.
Welcoming Aldenham Riyadh to KAFD, Gautam Sashittal, CEO of KAFD DMC, said that Aldenham Riyadh would “bring premium international education to local and international communities in KAFD.”
Shahram Hashemi, managing partner, Aldenham Education Group, said: “We are proud of the nation’s tremendous growth and are delighted to be able to play a part in this and help create a sustainable future.”