BSD is part of the International Schools Group (ISG), a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1962. By 1978, ISG had expanded to include other schools in Saudi Arabia and was the largest overseas school district in the world.
In 1981, with a high demand for a British school, ISG opened a British school under the name of Dhahran British Grammar School (DBGS). In August 2021, DBGS was renamed as British School Dhahran (BSD). The school 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), the British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) and the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools (MSA).
The school accommodates pupils from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 13 and currently has a population of approximately 700 pupils representing over 50 different nationalities.