· updated monthly
The five schools Nairobi parents researched most this year, chosen from the 50 international schools in the city. Ranked by how many families opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026, then the full picture on curricula, class sizes and fees.
The 2026 ranking
Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026.
Located on a 20-acre campus in Runda, SABIS International School – Runda delivers an education for ages 4 to 18. The school blends the SABIS curriculum with British and American frameworks, offering Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, and Advanced Placement pathways. Students develop fluency in English, French, and Kiswahili, with a strong focus on English and mathematics and the sciences in secondary. The program integrates robotics, 3D printing, and web development, reinforced by the SABIS Learning Cycle and ongoing assessment via the SABIS Digital Platform. The 20-acre site includes a semi-Olympic pool, a large sports hall, outdoor tennis courts, and modern science labs, plus art and music spaces, and an ITL hall with 64 computers, and a multilingual library. Distinctive features include the SABIS Student Life Organization, giving students leadership and life-skills through service initiatives and a comprehensive learning experience. A boarding facility for up to 70 supports international families.
Riara International School delivers a UK-aligned programme in Kenya for learners aged 4 to 16, spanning EYFS, the British Curriculum, Cambridge Primary and Cambridge Secondary. The international programme uses the British National Curriculum framework, developing knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes to support self-fulfilment and active citizenship. Kindergarten operates within Riara Annex 3 Campus, with classrooms, a library, an ICT centre, a music room and a play centre. On campus, facilities include Play Park, a swimming pool, a dining area, and spaces for academic work, music and play. Co-curricular activities feature dance, gymnastics and swimming; Pre-Primary 2 learners study the descant recorder, with optional piano and ballet. Arts and creative options include Art Club, Chess Club, and instrumental lessons (Piano, Guitar, Clarinet), plus Dance & Fitness and Skating. Termly educational trips in Nairobi County, and lifestyle, social and community clubs broaden learning beyond the classroom, including Chess Club and Art Club.
Rophine Field International School is part of the Rophine Field Group of Schools, established in 2009 near Nairobi, Kenya. The school delivers the British National Curriculum with Cambridge IGCSE and a Cambridge Early Years Campus for ages 3 to 5, complemented by a Senior School for 11 to 14 and a Sixth Form Campus with diverse pathways. The group operates four Nairobi campuses and a development in Diani, offering Cambridge IGCSE alongside a competency-based curriculum and the Kenyan CBC pathway. The campus network features modern laboratories, a dedicated Aviation Centre, an Art & Design Centre, a Kindergarten Computer Lab, an auditorium, and a Music Centre, plus a high-quality sports complex and swimming pool. Additional facilities include basketball and tennis courts, soccer fields, a skating park, and a range of specialist spaces to support performance, recreation, and health. The enrichment program includes Global Perspective Studies and a broad array of clubs and activities across academics, arts, and service.
Oshwal Academy Nairobi is a co-educational international day school for ages 2 to 18, delivering a British curriculum through Cambridge and Pearson examining bodies. The four semi-autonomous campuses: Nursery, Primary, Junior High and Senior High provide a continuous learning path from EYFS in Playgroup to Cambridge IGCSE and Edexcel IGCSE, then Cambridge International AS and A Levels, plus BTEC qualifications. The school traces its roots to the Oshwal Education & Relief Board, established during World War II to unite Oshwals across Kenya. The campus combines modern classrooms with interactive whiteboards, science labs, a library, ICT suites, a multipurpose hall and sports facilities, including a swimming pool and an arena for ball games. A co-curricular program runs after class, featuring music, drama, coding, sports and debates. The school participates in competitions and fosters leadership and service within a secure, welcoming environment. Facilities include a library, ICT suites and a multipurpose hall.
St. Mary's School, Nairobi is an international day Catholic private school founded in Parklands in 1939 by the Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin. The Junior School follows the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and the Cambridge Primary Curriculum, while the Senior School offers Cambridge IGCSE, KCSE and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school serves students aged 6 to 18, with admissions for KCPE, Cambridge Primary Curriculum, KCSE, IGCSE and IB. The campus supports a safe learning environment and features three technology centers (Junior, Senior and IB), science laboratories (Biology, Physics and Chemistry), ART rooms, libraries and a Music Center with a recording studio. Notable co‑curriculars include EAMUN and MSMUN Model United Nations, World Scholars, and extensive sport, theatre and music programs. Programs such as CAS and the President's Award foster service, leadership and global awareness alongside academics. The school maintains Catholic values and supports international families.
What’s on offer
The mix of programmes and teaching languages across all 50 schools. Many offer more than one curriculum, so totals run higher than the school count.
Number of schools teaching each curriculum.
Number of schools teaching in each language.
Size & classes
School size and class size shape day-to-day experience as much as curriculum does.
Schools grouped by total enrolment.
Average school size is 626 students · based on the 42 schools that report enrolment.
Schools grouped by typical class size.
Average class size is 17.5 students · based on the 43 schools that report it.
What it costs
Fees shown are one year for a 12-year-old (or the closest age available), excluding one-time enrolment costs.
Across the 36 schools that publish a price for a 12-year-old. All figures in KES.
How many schools sit in each annual-fee range.
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