Compare International Schools in Dublin, Ireland

Castle Park School is an independent, co-educational primary school in Dalkey, County Dublin, for pupils aged 2 to 12. The curriculum follows the Irish Primary Curriculum delivered through High Performance Learning, with clear expectations, purposeful lessons and strong relationships that support academic, social and personal development. Small class sizes allow teachers to tailor learning to each child, building progress, confidence and independence. The curriculum is broad and balanced, linking subjects and combining a strong academic core with specialist teaching in music, languages, science, art, ICT and physical education. Learning progresses from Pre-Primary to 6th Class, with knowledge revisited and deepened year on year. There are leadership and performance opportunities throughout the school, including the annual school musical and four performances per year. Castle Park sits on eleven acres with a 25-metre pool, a Forest School, an outdoor amphitheatre classroom and a science laboratory, underpinning daily practical learning and wellbeing today.

The International School of Dublin (ISD) serves students aged 3.5 to 12. Founded in 2007 as Ireland's first accredited International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) school, ISD employs an inquiry-based curriculum built around six transdisciplinary themes. The daily schedule includes seven periods, integrating Spanish, physical education, and performing arts classes alongside core subjects. The school caps class sizes at 18 for Kindergarten and 20 for Grades 1-6, maintaining an average of 12 students per class to ensure individualized attention. Students utilize a blended learning approach, incorporating virtual lessons to develop technology skills. Extracurricular options run daily until 6:00 pm, offering over 30 activities including capoeira, Japanese, and sewing. ISD fosters student agency through initiatives like the Student Council. The community celebrates learning outcomes through "End of Unit Sharing," an interactive afternoon where students present their recent inquiries to their parents, acting as the teachers.

John Scottus School in Ireland operates across Primary Old Conna, Primary Dublin 4 (Northumberland Road), Secondary Old Conna, and John Scottus National School. The school serves ages 5 to 17 as an independent, co-educational day school with a multi-campus structure. The curriculum rests on four pillars: Stillness, Attention, Enquiry, and Unity. Stillness uses mindfulness and meditation to support present-centered learning; Attention emphasizes engaging teaching and self-discipline; Enquiry employs the Socratic method with weekly philosophy to explore truth, courage, justice, love, and self-awareness; Unity fosters care for others and community. The school is multi-denominational and inspired by Plato, Christianity and Advaita Vedanta; the motto is Laetus Impraesens – Delight in the Present. Facilities include a playground and access to local green spaces for PE; Primary swimming with after-school transport; Astro pitch for basketball and a grass pitch for soccer. Clubs include choir, music activities, guitar, French Club, Irish Club, and art.

Lycée Français International Samuel Beckett's Foxrock Campus caters to children aged 3 to 11, focusing on early childhood and primary education. The campus follows the official French National Curriculum with a robust bilingual integration, ensuring daily English instruction for all students. Set in a quiet residential neighborhood of South Dublin, the Foxrock site features a close-knit, family-friendly environment with classrooms tailored for early motor skills and language acquisition. A distinctive aspect of the school is its status as an AEFE-accredited institution, allowing students to seamlessly transfer within a network of 552 French schools globally. Students begin their bilingual journey in the Petite Section, gradually building reading, writing, and mathematical skills in both French and English. The campus feeds directly into the Clonskeagh Eurocampus, where students prepare for dual certification through the French Brevet and the Irish Junior Cycle.

Two South Dublin campuses host Lycée Français International Samuel Beckett – Eurocampus Clonskeagh, serving students ages 3 to 18 in Ireland. The school teaches the official French curriculum across Foxrock and Clonskeagh, with Arts, Physical Education and part of History taught in English. In CM2, 1.5 hours per week of CLIL (DNL) prepare students for the transition to the Clonskeagh Eurocampus. From Seconde to Terminale, learners prepare for the French Baccalaureate in the classical track or in the European section, or join the American International Section preparing for the French International Baccalaureate. An integrated bilingual pathway runs with instruction in French and English, supporting the DNB and the Junior Certificate. Extra-curricular activities include school trips across Europe, themed weeks, interdisciplinary projects, Languages Day and a Science Fair, plus career fairs and work placements to support higher education in France, Ireland and internationally. Students progressively discover the Clonskeagh campus. The school offers sports facilities for volleyball, badminton and football.

Nord Anglia International School Dublin is a co-educational day school located in the South County Business Park, Leopardstown. Serving students aged 3 to 18, it is the only school in Ireland offering the full International Baccalaureate continuum, including the Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes. The campus, situated in a technology hub six miles from Dublin's city centre, features specialised spaces for its unique interdisciplinary STEAM curriculum, developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Through this partnership, students engage in hands-on challenges designed by MIT professors. Furthermore, the performing arts program is enriched by a partnership with The Juilliard School, providing students with specialised instruction in music, dance, and drama. Language acquisition is supported with courses in Spanish, French, Mandarin, German, and Irish. The school also offers numerous co-curricular activities, such as Model UN and robotics, fostering specific skill development.

Sandford Park School is a private, co-educational day school in Dublin's Ranelagh area for pupils aged 12 to 18. English is the language of instruction and the curriculum follows the Irish system, with Junior Cycle, Transition Year (compulsory) and Senior Cycle leading to the Leaving Certificate. The school opened in 1922 and became co-educational in 2013; current enrollment is around 435 students. The campus combines bright academic buildings with dedicated creative and sporting spaces, science laboratories, and bespoke spaces for Art, Music and, from Summer 2025, Drama, Film and Theatre Studies. The arts are a central focus, with a broad programme across music, drama and art, supplemented by Film Club and student productions. A wide range of co-curriculars supports academic development, including STEM Club, Chess Club and Debating, along with leadership and service activities through the Charity Committee and student councils. The school fosters a non-denominational, inclusive culture and offers a supportive environment for personal growth, teamwork and discovery.

SEK International School Dublin offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 11 to 18. Located on a 250,000-square-meter campus in Greystones, the grounds feature a mix of historical buildings like Belvedere Hall alongside modern spaces, including a visual arts studio, a robotics multimedia lab, and an intelligent classroom. The curriculum is delivered entirely in English, with additional instruction available in Spanish, French, German, and Irish. A unique feature of the school is its collaboration with the Fundación Real Madrid, which gives students access to a dedicated soccer and sports education track. In addition, the campus supports the F1 in Schools engineering challenge and houses the SEK Stellar Programme to support high-achieving students. The campus also offers boarding facilities, including options for living with local host families or in the on-site student residence.

St Columba's College is a Catholic, seven-day boarding and day school on a 140-acre campus in Whitechurch, Dublin 16. The curriculum follows the Irish National Curriculum; pupils sit Junior Cycle in Form III and Leaving Certificate in Forms V–VI, with Transition Year in Form IV that blends short modules (Public Speaking, Digital Literacy, Linguistics) with academic study and work experience, including RCSI Mini-Med and Law Library. The Leaving Certificate programme offers seven subjects with core English, Maths, and Irish or a language, plus options such as History, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Art, Music, and Design and Communication Graphics, with Higher and Ordinary levels available. The school supports CAO and UCAS applications and offers study opportunities in the US and Europe, with curricula aligned to DoE and NCCA standards. Facilities include Cadogan Music Centre, Library, Art Centre, Science Block, Dining Hall, and an on-site nine-hole golf course, two AstroTurf pitches, a Sports Hall, and thriving drama, music and debating programs.

St. Andrew's College Dublin, located in Booterstown, is an inter-denominational, co-educational day school for students aged 4 to 18. The school delivers the Irish National Curriculum, guiding students through the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate. Uniquely, it is the only school in Ireland offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) as an alternative in the senior cycle. The Junior School curriculum incorporates the play-based Aistear framework for early years. Students participate in specific signature programs such as the Model United Nations (MUN) and the Gaisce President's Award, emphasizing public speaking and community service. Extracurricular options include the One-Act Drama Festival, Scifest, and the Young Economist club. Facilities support these activities alongside structured physical education, choir groups, and a dedicated library equipped with an Accelerated Reader program to promote digital media literacy. St. Andrew’s serves an international student body representing over forty nationalities.

St. Kilian's Deutsche Schule Dublin is a bilingual day school located in Clonskeagh, offering an educational pathway from Kindergarten through to the Leaving Certificate. Founded in 1952, the school operates on a shared "Eurocampus" with the Lycée Français International Samuel Beckett. Students prepare for the Irish Junior and Leaving Certificates while simultaneously engaging with the German Curriculum (Sek-I stream), which allows them to take specific subjects entirely in German. A distinctive feature of St. Kilian's is the "One Teacher – One Language" immersion program in the Kindergarten, where native speakers facilitate early bilingualism without pressure. The campus features the multi-purpose Shamrock Hall, a dedicated gymnasium, and separate play areas for younger students. The school is particularly known for its active Model European Council and EU/MUN program, as well as culturally immersive traditions like the annual German Christmas Market and Sankt Martins Tag.

Sutton Park School, located on Dublin’s Northside, accommodates students from ages 4 to 19. The campus centres around an original Georgian house alongside modern additions, including a newly completed multi-purpose hall, a Design Centre with CAD/CAM software, and dedicated science laboratories. The school follows the Irish national curriculum, guiding students through the Primary Curriculum Framework, Junior Cycle, and the Leaving Certificate. During the Transition Year (age 15), international students receive extensive English as a Foreign Language (EFL) support, integrated directly into their timetable alongside standard subjects. Students participate in a structured STEM program that features weekly coding, graphics, and CAD clubs. Another defining tradition is the Lighthouse Scholarship Examination, which identifies students entering the 5th Year for their academic capabilities. With approximately 30% international enrolment in the secondary division, the school provides an environment focused on concrete learning outcomes and practical skill development.

The Institute of Education on Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, offers a bespoke curriculum centred on Ireland's Leaving Certificate through three pathways: a 3-year (4th Year), a 2-year (5th Year), and a 1-year (6th Year) programme. Students choose up to 28 subjects with flexible selection, sit exams in June and receive results in August, and the top six subject scores count towards their results. This structure provides direct routes into Ireland's leading universities, supported by academic mentoring, university applications, and career guidance. Founded in 1969 by Raymond Kearns, it joined the Dukes Education family in 2023. The campus features over 50 digitally equipped classrooms, modern science labs, a dedicated art studio, a music room, a Home Economics kitchen, a fitness centre, large study halls, and on-site canteen. The school emphasises wellbeing and pastoral care, wellbeing workshops, health and fitness, and a broad range of lunchtime clubs and activities for students.

The King's Hospital is an 80‑acre co‑educational boarding and day school in Palmerstown, Dublin 20, Ireland. Its curriculum follows a three‑stage structure: Junior Cycle (Form 1–3) leading to the Junior Certificate; Transition Year (Form 4); and Senior Cycle (Form 5–6) leading to the Leaving Certificate. In Junior Cycle nine core subjects are taught, including Irish, English, Maths, Geography, a modern language (French, German or Spanish), CSPE, History, Science and Religious Education, with options such as Technology, Art, Music, Business, Technical Graphics and Home Economics continuing into Form 2. Senior Cycle offers core subjects (Irish unless exempt, English and Maths, plus a modern language) and allows four to five electives from a broad list. A Careers Team supports pathway planning from Form 1 with a focus on 3rd‑level options in Forms 5–6. Distinctive facilities include the 300‑seat Wilson Wright Theatre, a Dance Barn, a Professional Recording Studio and Harden Library with Sora access. Extensive sports facilities and a dedicated rowing room complement a broad co‑curricular programme.