SEK International School Riyadh

SEK International School Riyadh supports Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through a Be Well Centre that focuses on the community's emotional, mental, physical, and personal well-being. The school implements the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI) and the RULER SEL program to promote the recognition, expression, and self-regulation of emotions. The Be Well initiative is complemented by mindfulness and socio-emotional skills training delivered in partnership with Camilo José Cela University, as part of SEK's wellbeing framework and the Healthy Schools initiative. The school also promotes well-being as part of its 21st-century learning approach, including Empowerment Hubs that give students time to explore interests during the school day. Overall, SEL is embedded in the curriculum as part of SEK's holistic education model to support students' well-being and social-emotional development.

SEK-Riyadh follows an inclusive education approach and will admit students whose academic and personal needs can be met by the program and student support services available at the time of admission. The school may admit students requiring support up to a determined threshold, depending on available resources. The school provides English as a second or foreign language (ELA) support as a paid service for non-native speakers. The admissions policy notes that assessments relating to Additional Educational Support Needs (e.g., Educational Psychologist reports, Speech and Language Therapy) may be considered when planning support. SEK-Riyadh is described as inclusive rather than a specialist SEN institution, relying on its program and supports to meet diverse needs.

English is the language of instruction, with Arabic and Spanish taught as additional languages. The school provides ELA support to non-native English speakers as a paid service, and admissions decisions consider whether adequate English language support resources are available. Arabic and Spanish are embedded in the curriculum as Language Acquisition subjects. In the IB programmes, Arabic and Spanish are offered within the language offerings, reflecting SEK's multilingual context.

Mental wellbeing is a central component of SEK-Riyadh's wellbeing strategy. The Be Well Centre provides emotional, mental, physical, and personal balance support, with the aim of training and supporting the SEK community in mindfulness and socio-emotional skills, and aligning with the Healthy Schools initiative. The wellness framework includes the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI) and the RULER program to promote recognition, expression, and regulation of emotions. Mindfulness and socio-emotional training are delivered in collaboration with Camilo José Cela University. Empowerment Hubs and the broader 21st-century learning approach further integrate well-being into daily learning and student development.

SEK-Riyadh emphasizes safeguarding through its international accreditation and safety commitments. SEK International Schools are accredited by the National Child Safety Association, reflecting a formal safeguarding framework across SEK schools. The Admissions Policy outlines inclusive education and the consideration of non-native English learners, including access to English language support and related assessments for Additional Educational Support Needs. The policy requires documentation of any special assessments (e.g., psychologist reports, speech and language therapy) when applicable. Together, these elements indicate a structured approach to safeguarding and student welfare within SEK-Riyadh's governance and policies.