Nairobi - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There are several good schools here to choose from. The main, biggest international school is ISK and most send their kids there. However, people seem to have mixed experiences and opinions on academics there. Others send their kids to Braeburn (the British school) and seem very happy with it. Many people, including our family, send their kids to Rosslyn Academy which is a Christian school right next door the Rosslyn Grove and Rosslyn Ridge. We have loved Rosslyn, and while no school is perfect, we feel like most people who have kids there are quite happy with it. - Mar 2024
Lots of school options. A lot of people send their kids to the International School Kenya, but there are a lot of other choices as well. We weren’t super thrilled with ISK due to its lack of emphasis on academics, but the campus was beautiful and the kids generally seemed happy there. - Aug 2023
Excellent schools. Most go to ISK. - Mar 2022
I don't have kids, but I do know that there are a ton of great international schools. - Aug 2021
ISK is an excellent school. - Nov 2020
Our kids go to ISK and have been very happy. Big campus and good teachers. Some also go to Rosslyn Academy, which is smaller and religious-based, and have been also happy with it. - Dec 2018
We don't have kids, but I know most Americans send their children to the International School of Kenya (ISK). There is also Rosslyn Academy, which is right near the Embassy. I believe it's Christian leaning, so worth keeping in mind. - Dec 2018
I have heard good things about Braeburn, ISK, and Woodland Star School. Our children go to Potter House , and we have been very happy with it. - Jun 2018
There are several international schools and I have known families at ISK, Braeburn, and the German school. I've heard very positive things from all. We have no first-hand experience, as our son is still too young. - Jul 2016
Good schools and many of them. I would recommend Braeburn. Good old British system, discipline and a lot of studying. - Sep 2015
ISK and Rosslyn Academy. Rosslyn has a very nice campus, a nice close community feel, strong academics and is close to the main housing compound (you walk through a gate between them) and has AP for high school. I don't have experience with ISK, but the campus is lovely and I have heard great things. - Aug 2015
International School of Kenya is good - Jul 2015
Schools are fine. ISK and Rossylen are the two schools of choice. - May 2015
International School, German School, French School. All have good reputations. - Dec 2014
ISK, Braeburn, Rosslyn Academy, and a few others. All pretty decent. - Jun 2014
There are lots. We use ISK which everyone seems very happy with. Roslyn also has great reviews and Braeburn which follows the British curriculum and Peponi are also very popular. I haven't met anyone who is not happy with the choice of schools. - Jun 2014
We did not have any experiences but have heard that Rosslyn Academy is good for young children, and ISK is well-regarded for younger grades. High school students have struggled. - Mar 2014
ISK and Rosslyn Academy are the two main schools. I don't have experience with them but I understand that parents are happy with boths schools for the lower grades but there are issues with the HS. - Jul 2013
Embassy children attend ISK, a Rosslyn Academy, Lycee Francais, and Braeburn Garden Estate (British School). - Jun 2013
We haven't used one, but there are a few, and they are one of the big draws for bidding here. People seem to love ISK. - Dec 2012
There are a lot of great options: International, French, German, British. We send our child to Rosslyn Academy, an international Christian school, and really love it. It's within walking distance to our house, has small class sizes (about 12-20 kids in elementary) and a nurturing environment. Families are involved with their kids, and there is a good mix of Kenyan and missionary kids (US and Korean) from 35 different countries. Kids from this school tend to suffer less from the "diplo-brat" syndrome. - Aug 2012
I don't have kids at ISK or Rosslyn Academy, but people are satisfied with those schools. - Dec 2011
There are many, many, school options in Nairobi. The majority of kids either attend International School of Kenya (ISK) or Rosslyn Academy (RA). RA was started as a missionary school, but has children from a wide-range of backgrounds (read: teachers and some curriculum are Christian, but students include those of no faith background, Hindus, Muslims, etc. – very inclusive). RA is right next to the Rosslyn Ridge housing compound, and is very convenient to the embassy. Other school options include a French school, German school, Braeburn (great for special needs), and several Montessori and preschool options. Currently there are several families at post that homeschool. This changes frequently, however. The larger expat community has quite a few homeschoolers, though most of them meet/live in different part of town from most of the embassy community. This seems to be a very homeschool-friendly post, and Rosslyn Academy welcomes homeschoolers for classes. - Dec 2011
Rosslyn Academy was warm, welcoming, and quite excellent. My three children enjoyed their experience there and were very sad to leave. My experience with ISK was less flattering as they did not seem particularly accommodating (a 15 minute examination of my children with a decision to hold them back a year - all because their appropriate classes were too full). - Sep 2011
ISK is, as far as I can tell, universally loved. People go to Afghanistan, etc., just so the govt will let their spouse and kids stay here and continue to attend the school. - Dec 2010
There are several - the most I have seen to date. The International School of Kenya follows the US model, Rosslyn Academy is a US-modeled Christian school, the British School, Peponi and Brookhouse are also both European, and there is a German school, Norweigian school, etc. - Dec 2009
Our kids have been in middle school and high school at International School of Kenya. We are happy overall. The school's small enough that your kids won't get lost. The IB for high schoolers seem challenging enough for those who need challenge. A fair number of embassy kids go to Rosslyn Academy. It is right next door to Rosslyn Ridge, and is good for those with a narrow-minded Christian approach. The school isn't known for its tolerance for others, even Catholics or middle-of-the-road Christians. My high-school kids say that it has a lot of pot smokers, but I've never verified this! I am happy my kids are at ISK, which seems to have a broader range of nationalities, not to mention religions. I think some embassy families end up with kids at Rosslyn Academy without realizing how religious it is. That being said, there are some parents who love it. - Jul 2009
There are several and they are very good. - Jun 2008
We don’t have any experience with them, but the International School of Kenya has a very good reputation. - Feb 2008
