Founded in 1981, British School Dhahran follows the National Curriculum for England and delivers externally assessed (I)GCSE examinations as well as offering a full A-level programme. The school is accredited by the British Schools Overseas (BSO) and the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools (MSA). It is also a member of the British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) and the Council of International Schools (CIS). In 2021, Dhahran British Grammar School was renamed as the British School Dhahran (BSD). And in 2022, we moved to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art new campus in Aziziyah, Al-Khobar.
The school accommodates pupils from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 13 and currently has a population of approximately 750 pupils representing over 60 different nationalities. Pupils are taught by suitably qualified and experienced staff who themselves are largely British in origin. The school is an accredited examination centre for Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE) formerly Cambridge International Examination (CIE) and Edexcel Pearson. All school results are made public to the parents and to the broader community; they are consistently at a very high level and would match high-performing schools in the UK. Along with these external examinations, standardised testing is undertaken annually and formal and informal assessment take place in the classrooms on regular basis. Written reports are sent to parents in terms 1 and 3 and two parent/teacher conferences take place annually.
The school offers an excellent after school activities programme, is an Independent Award Centre (IAC) for the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (D of E) and regularly participates in Model United Nations (MUN) and British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) games at primary and secondary levels to provide an excellent all round educational experience for students. In addition, BSD sports team compete in the Saudi Arabian Inter-Kingdom Activities (SAIKAC) events and the Dhahran Private Schools League (DPSL) locally.
With an emphasis on high achievement, our academic results compare favourably with the very best national curriculum schools in the UK and across the world. We are proud of our students’ ability to work hard, to establish sensitive relationships with those around them and to seek new skills and knowledge.