Qatar International School

Qatar International School is located on United Nations Street in the Al Dafna district of Doha, Qatar. The campus address is United Nations Street, Doha, Qatar, PO Box 5697. The school moved to Al Dafna in 2001.

QIS offers Early Years Foundation Stage, Primary (Years 1–6), Secondary (Years 7–13) and a Sixth Form. The school provides education from Early Years up to Year 13, including a dedicated Sixth Form.

QIS is a private, English-speaking day school located in Doha.

The student body is international, with representation from over 70 nationalities. The site does not publish a single most common nationality or a precise local-to-international ratio.

The school provides Learning Support to help students access the curriculum, with in-class support and targeted interventions. There are dedicated roles such as an Early Years Learning Support Practitioner and an Arabic Learning Support Teacher as part of the provision.

QIS follows the British educational system, broadly adhering to the national curriculum of England (a British-patterned international school).

There is no explicit religious affiliation stated for QIS. Islamic Studies is included as a subject in the curriculum for Muslim students as part of Qatar's national framework.

School timings show that the day begins with lessons at 6:50 a.m. and ends at 12:45 p.m. for Early Years, 1:00 p.m. for Years 1–6, and 1:15 p.m. for Years 7–13. The Administration Office operates 6:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sunday to Thursday.

A daily school bus service is not publicly published in QIS materials. The fees note transport for school excursions, and for specifics on regular transport arrangements, contact the Admissions team.

Qatar International School follows the British educational system, broadly adhering to the English national curriculum, with Qatar MOEHE subjects (Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Qatar History) integrated into the programme; instruction is in English. Early Years Foundation Stage (Foundation Stage 1 to 5) uses the British EYFS framework, emphasizing prime areas and development across literacy, numeracy, and understanding of the world. QIS Primary (Foundation Stage to Year 6) delivers a thematic England-based curriculum with specialist lessons in Arabic A, Islamic Studies, PE, Music, and French, with phonics taught in Years 1–2. In Secondary (Years 7–9, Key Stage 3), students study English, Mathematics, Science, Arabic, Islamic Studies (Muslim students) or Qatar History, IT, Art & Design Technology, Geography, and History, with Non-Muslim students offered French; Year 9 selects IGCSE options. Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11) leads to IGCSE in each subject, with BTEC qualifications available; subjects include Arts, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English First Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics, and more, with ESL and Arabic as a Foreign Language available as optional IGCSE. Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13) offers AS/IAS courses across a wide range of subjects, with exams run by CAIE, Edexcel, and AQA; Year 12 may re-sit IGCSEs and can continue AS to A Level in Year 13.

QIS provides a holistic approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) through a staff-wide focus on wellbeing, a formal pastoral care system, and an embedded PSHE program. The school states that professionally staffed services support students' social, emotional and physical wellbeing, with all staff playing an active role in this support network. Pastoral care is organized via a year-group tutor system, led by a head of progress for each year, emphasising the responsibility of the whole community for student welfare. The Primary PSHE curriculum permeates the whole curriculum and includes weekly lessons on health and wellbeing, relationships, and living in the wider world, alongside dedicated mental health content for Years 1–6. School counselling is available with fully qualified staff who provide counselling, assess learning and behaviour, and liaise with external agencies to support students' wellbeing.

QIS provides learning support to help students access the curriculum within a mainstream education framework. Where needed, external agencies can be engaged to aid with assessments, and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and a Pupil Passport are created to set targets and track progress. A BPS Registered Test User is on staff to enable access arrangements for KS4/KS5 examinations when required. School counselling is available to support academic, personal/social and behavioural needs, with services that include assessment and liaison with external agencies. The school emphasises that all students access mainstream education and is not described as a specialist SEN institution; SEND support operates within the general school structure.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is described within the English Department as English as a Second Language (ESL). The department states that English is an integral subject and includes ESL, with the curriculum also offering a Speaking and Listening qualification. ESL/ESL provision is described as part of the English Department rather than as a separate, standalone EAL program.

Mental wellbeing is addressed through the PSHE program, which includes annual focus on health and wellbeing, relationships, and living in the wider world, and specifically includes mental health lessons for Years 1–6. The school emphasises personal, social and emotional development as a core part of its ethos and PSHE curriculum. Fully qualified school counselors provide counselling, assess learning and behaviour, and liaise with external agencies to support students' wellbeing. Pastoral care reinforces a whole-school commitment to wellbeing, with tutors and heads of progress supporting students daily.

QIS has a formal safeguarding framework, including Safeguarding Policy, E-Safety Policy, Anti-Bullying Policy, Behaviour Policy and Clinic Policy. Staff receive safeguarding training and there are designated safeguarding leaders to whom concerns should be reported. The school promotes a climate where students and adults feel confident about sharing concerns, and anyone with concerns can speak to designated safeguarding leaders. Contact details and safeguarding resources are listed on the safeguarding page, including procedures for reporting concerns.

The school follows the English National Curriculum and operates from Early Years through Year 13. Admissions priorities are given to siblings already in the school, applicants with an excellent English background, and students with outstanding previous school reports. All applicants must have a valid Qatar Residency Permit before starting school in Qatar, and the most recent school report must be attached (reports not in English require translation). The pre-application form is free of charge, and applicants should ensure the attached report is in pdf/png/jpg format; if no report is attached, the submission will be rejected. The school is currently full, so names are placed on a waiting list until a place becomes available.

There is a waiting list for admissions when vacancies are not available. Your child's name will be on the waiting list until a place becomes available.