Riga - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Fantastic international schools, if anything the problem is that there are too many of them to choose from. International School of Latvia (ISL) is the largest and most established. They've moved on from some parochial challenges they had a few years ago, and have a dynamic director and a solid IB curriculum. The International School of Riga is also a popular IB choice. Kings College uses the British curiculum, and there are several other options as well. Note that most schools are outside central Riga (ISL and Kings are in the suburb of Pinki), so most kids will take the bus. Overall, Riga is not a big place so most kids at the schools are local; it doesn't affect the quality in any way, but for folks coming from large, predominantly international schools it will be a bit different. Lots of after school activities available. - Mar 2022
In my opinion, there has been a dramatic decline at the most popular school, ISL. Major problems around administration and quality of secondary education. Major problems with LGBT discrimination. The school board is dominated by local Russian speakers, who are very conservative. There was a big problem with nepotism, though that was resolved by transfers over the summer. Way too many children of oligarchs at the school, this can be a problem with cliques and lack of socializing opportunities for expat kids. I would probably think twice before bringing a high school aged kid, middle school is OK, elementary seems fine. - Jul 2017
Most Embassy families send their kids to International School of Latvia (ISL). Some, as well as many other expats, send theirs to International School of Riga (ISR). There is also a French Lycee, a German school, and a new British school is currently under construction. We do not have any children, though I have experience at ISL as a teacher. ISL's students range from age 3 through grade 12 (about 350 in the total student body). Of the aforementioned schools, it is the only IB World School. Most of the teaching faculty is American or Canadian, and many of the support staff members are Latvian. Instruction is given in English, and students have the opportunity to learn a foreign language (Latvian, Russian, German, or French, depending on the grade level). - Sep 2016
I hear they're good. - Jul 2010
International School of Latvia (located in Jurmala) and International School of Riga (located on the island of Kipsala in Riga). ISL offers K-12 while ISR offers K-6. Both are very good schools. - Aug 2008
