Emerald International School vs Riara International School

	E Emerald International School Nairobi, Kenya	R Riara International School Nairobi, Kenya
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year KES 49,500	Fees / year KES 2,100 - 869,800
Age range	Age range 4 - 16 years	Age range 4 - 16 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type —
Curriculum	Curriculum Christian Curriculum, British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary)
Pupils	Pupils 400	Pupils 300
Typical class size	Typical class size 7	Typical class size 19
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2007	Opened 2015
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Off Ngong Road, 2 KMs from Lenana School, next to AMREF Offices	Location Riara International School is located along Riara Road in the Riara Gardens area of Nairobi, Kenya. The school operates a transport service with routes centered on Riara Road and surrounding neighbourhoods. Transport routes are organized into a Special Zone and Zones 1 through 7, covering areas such as Riara Road, Riara Heights Flats, Junction, Impala Courts, Apple Walk, and Riara Woods Apartments, among others. These routes reflect the Riara Road corridor in Nairobi.
Stages	Stages Foundation School; Middle School; High School	Stages Preparatory School includes EYFS 1 to Year 6, with EYFS 2 (Reception) as part of early years, followed by Year 1 to Year 6. High School covers Year 7 to Year 11.
School type	School type The school is a day school offering ACE curriculum and the British Curriculum (iLower and IGCSE)	School type The school is part of the Riara Group of Schools.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Kenya
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school has a Christian affiliation.	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Transport services are available with multiple routes (Special Zone and Zones 1–7). To subscribe, complete the Transport Request Form available from the school office. Transport routes and per‑term fees are published for each zone, and payments can be made via MPesa Pay Bill 805700 or to the Riara Group of Schools Limited bank accounts.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Academic year covered - The fee figures below are the school's published schedule for the September 2024 – August 2025 academic year. Application and enrolment fees - Application fee: KES 5,500 (one‑off). - Enrolment fee (one‑off): KES 44,000. - Important: Application and enrolment fees are charged once and are non‑refundable. Tuition fees (per trimester and annual total) — Early Years / Foundation and Primary - Early Years Foundation: KES 152,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 456,000. - Early Years 1: KES 224,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 672,000. - Early Years 2: KES 224,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 672,000. - Year 1: KES 252,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 756,000. Optional lunch: KES 28,500 per trimester; Annual lunch total KES 85,500. School textbook deposit (refundable): KES 25,000. - Year 2: KES 280,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 840,000. - Year 3: KES 294,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 882,000. - Year 4: KES 336,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,008,000. - Year 5: KES 336,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,008,000. - Year 6: KES 336,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,008,000. Optional lunch (primary Years): KES 43,000 per trimester; Annual lunch total KES 129,000. School textbook deposit (refundable): KES 25,000. Tuition fees — Preparatory and Middle School - Year 7: KES 406,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,218,000. - Year 8: KES 420,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,260,000. - Year 9: KES 420,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,260,000. - Year 10: KES 448,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,344,000. Optional lunch for Year 10 day scholars: KES 50,000 per trimester; Annual lunch total KES 150,000. School textbook deposit (refundable): KES 50,000. Tuition fees — Senior candidates / Sixth Form (Years 11–13) - Year 11: KES 672,000 per trimester; Annual total shown as KES 1,344,000 (Year 11 candidate costs are collected over two trimesters for items excluding transport). - Year 12: KES 700,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,400,000. - Year 13: KES 700,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 1,400,000. Optional lunch for Year 11 day scholars: KES 100,000 (annual). School textbook deposit (refundable): KES 50,000. Optional and additional charges (KG1 to Year 13) - Medical evacuation cover (academic year): KES 2,200. - Individual music lessons (per instrument): KES 20,000 per trimester; Annual total KES 60,000. - Clubs and activities examples (annual totals shown): swimming breakfast KES 24,000; skating club KES 24,000; organic soap/skincare club KES 45,000. - Lunch (day scholars) is optional; per‑trimester or annual amounts vary by year (examples above). - School textbook deposit (refundable) appears by level (e.g., KES 25,000 for early years/primary; KES 50,000 for secondary levels). School transport (bus) — billing examples by zone - Transport is charged by residential zone with two‑way and one‑way annual rates. Representative two‑way annual rates by zone include: KES 60,000 (many central zones), KES 76,000, KES 65,000, KES 54,500, KES 38,000 and KES 31,000 depending on the specific route. One‑way rates are lower for most zones (see the zone list and amounts). Transport is an additional optional charge and billed according to the chosen zone. Sibling discounts and penalties - Sibling discounts on tuition fees only: 2nd child 5%, 3rd child 10%, 4th child or more 15% (applies to tuition only). - Late payment penalty: KES 5,000 per month will be charged for late payment beyond the published due dates. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are billed by trimester; all trimester fees must be paid in advance by the deadlines communicated at the start of each trimester. - Candidate (Year 11–13) costs (excluding transport) are collected over two trimesters as specified for senior candidates. - Withdrawal requirement: a trimester's written notice or payment of one trimester's fee is required before withdrawal; notice must be submitted in writing during the first week of the final term attended. Boarding - No boarding fees are listed in the school's published fee schedule; the schedule presents day‑school tuition and optional transport. Therefore boarding is not charged as part of this fee schedule. Refunds and refundable deposits - Application and enrolment fees are once‑off and non‑refundable. - School textbook deposits are identified as refundable (examples: KES 25,000 and KES 50,000 depending on level). - The fee schedule requires a trimester's notice or payment on withdrawal; no general tuition refund policy beyond these terms is listed in the published schedule. Fee payment options - The published fee schedule provides billing amounts, payment timing and penalties but does not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank account details, card payments, or online payment gateway are not shown on the fee schedule itself). Parents should use the school's admissions or accounts office for the accepted payment channels. Notes on optional extras and common parent costs - Items not included in tuition and typically charged separately or optionally include: school transport (by zone), optional lunch, individual music lessons, club fees, and refundable textbook deposits. Parents should budget for uniforms, learning resources and extracurricular extras in addition to the fees above (uniform costs are not given as a separate compulsory charge in the published schedule).	Fee details Application and Entry Charges - Application fee (one-off): KES 2,100. - Registration fee (one-off): KES 5,000. - Reservation fee (payable on confirmation of admission; non-refundable but credited toward school fees): KES 30,000 per student. - Caution deposit (one-off, refundable subject to school conditions): KES 15,000. Refundable on completion of final year or on withdrawal after full settlement and one-term written notice; insufficient notice can lead to forfeiture. Term tuition fees by year group (per term and annual total) - Preparatory school - EYFS 1: KES 110,000 per term — Annual total KES 330,000. - EYFS 2 (Reception): KES 115,500 per term — Annual total KES 346,500. - Year 1: KES 173,300 per term — Annual total KES 519,900. - Year 2 – Year 3: KES 199,500 per term — Annual total KES 598,500. - Year 4 – Year 5: KES 219,500 per term — Annual total KES 658,500. - Year 6: KES 239,400 per term — Annual total KES 718,200. - High school - Year 7: KES 263,600 per term — Annual total KES 790,800. - Year 8 – Year 9: KES 274,100 per term — Annual total KES 822,300. - Year 10: KES 285,600 per term — Annual total KES 856,800. - Year 11: KES 428,400 per term; Year 11 fees are payable in two instalments (1st instalment at the start of Term 1 and 2nd instalment at the start of Term 2) — Annual total shown as KES 856,800. - What term tuition covers: tuition, lunch and exercise books. External examination fees and optional activities are excluded. Other recurring and one-off school charges - Student accident insurance (annual): KES 2,000. - Sports T-shirt, round-neck T-shirt, polo shirt and tracksuit (uniform sports set): KES 9,000. - ‘Out of the Blocks' (Prep School program): KES 2,000. - Workbooks (one-off, by year grouping): Year 1 & 2 KES 9,300; Year 3 & 4 KES 11,500; Year 5 & 6 KES 10,300; Years 7–9 KES 5,000. - Examination fees: External examination fees apply for Years 6, 9 and 11; these are payable at the beginning of Term 2. Transport (school bus) charges (per term by zone) - Transport is charged per term and routes are zoned. Examples of per-term two-way charges by zone: Special Zone KES 14,900; Zone 1 KES 31,700; Zone 2 KES 36,600; Zone 3 KES 39,900; Zone 4 KES 41,400; Zone 5 KES 48,300; Zone 6 KES 50,700; Zone 7 KES 56,400. One-way and specific-route amounts vary by zone. To subscribe to transport, a Transport Request Form must be completed. Billing schedule and payment terms - Billing cadence: Fees are termly. Term fees should be paid in full on or before the first day of each term. Year 11 has a two-instalment arrangement as noted above. - Late payment penalty: An interest charge of 3% per month applies to amounts unpaid 30 days after the start of term. - Cashless policy: Cash payments are not accepted at the school office; payments must be made via approved banking channels or the school's mobile-pay option. Payment confirmation requires submission of the bank pay-in slip and a receipt will be emailed on confirmation. Refunds and related conditions - Caution deposit refund: The caution deposit is refundable on completion of the final year or on withdrawal subject to full settlement of outstanding fees and recovery of any lost/damaged school property, and provided one term's written notice of withdrawal is submitted. Insufficient notice may lead to forfeiture of the caution deposit. - General refund policy: Fees once paid are stated as non-refundable; exceptions are limited to the refundable caution deposit as described and any explicitly stated refundable items. Accepted payment channels and banking details (summary of options) - Bank transfer to the Riara Group of Schools' accounts with major Kenyan banks (examples include Kenya Commercial Bank, ABSA Bank Kenya, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya, NCBA Bank Kenya). Specific account numbers are available from the school's finance office. - Mobile payment: MPESA Paybill — Paybill No. 805700; use the student's admission number as the account number when paying. - Payment confirmation: Submit the bank pay-in slip via the school's designated email for fees to receive an emailed receipt. Optional and miscellaneous costs - Optional activities (charged separately): instrument lessons, sports and activity clubs, horse riding, go-karting, skating and similar extracurriculars incur additional fees when selected. Termly educational trips within Nairobi County may be charged separately.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details ACE is an individualized, Bible-based, mastery-based curriculum that develops students at their own pace and emphasizes character development. It runs Foundation (ages 4–8; pre-school to Grade 3), Middle School (Grade 4–7) and High School (Grade 8–12). Emerald offers ACE from Kindergarten to Grade 12 with the option to switch to the British Curriculum (IGCSE) at Year 7.	Curriculum details British National Curriculum (BNC) is the framework used by Riara International School's international programme; the curriculum emphasises the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary for self-fulfilment and development as active, responsible citizens.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Approximately 400+ students and 30+ teachers, yielding an approximate ratio of 13:1.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results ACE graduates attend more than 1,400 colleges and universities globally. The IGCSE program is delivered within a Pearson Edexcel framework with 100% pass rate Year 7 to 11.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression ACE graduates go on to 1,400+ colleges and universities worldwide. IGCSE students prepare for undergraduate study at universities globally under the Pearson Edexcel framework.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions The school offers Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) and the British Curriculum (iLower/IGCSE). Applicants fill out the online Apply Now form, which asks for the curriculum selection and personal details, including student surname, other names, parents' full name, telephone, email, nationality, date of birth, gender, level of study, and any additional information. Filling out this form does not guarantee enrollment. An interview is conducted, and if the student is successful, the registration process begins.	Admissions 1. Submit an application and pay a one-off application fee of 2,100 KSH. Payments may be made via MPESA Pay Bill 805700 using the student's admission number as the account reference, or by bank transfer to the accounts listed in the fee structure. 2. Upon admission confirmation, pay a reservation fee of 30,000 KSH per student, credited toward school fees. A 5,000 KSH registration and a 15,000 KSH caution are also due. The caution is refundable on completion; withdrawal requires a one-term written notice and refunds may be adjusted for lost property or outstanding fees. 3. Term fees are due on or before the first day of the term. The term fee covers tuition, lunch, and exercise books and excludes external examination fees and trips. External examination fees for Years 6, 9, and 11 are payable at the start of Term 2; Year 11 fees are payable in two installments at the starts of Terms 1 and 2. Workbooks costs vary by year and are payable via Riara Group of Schools Limited. 4. Payments should be via approved banking channels or MPESA; cash is not accepted. A late payment penalty of 3% per month applies to amounts unpaid 30 days after the start of the term; fees paid are non-refundable. Transport is available; a Transport Request Form is required, and rates are zone-based with different One-Way and Two-Way charges. Riara reserves the right to review and adjust fees as necessary.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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