Cities / Amman / King's Academy
King's Academy
Jordan's only co-educational boarding school, founded by HM King Abdullah II on a 144-acre campus in Manja, Madaba, 30 minutes south of Amman. Grades 7-12, AP curriculum, 38+ nationalities. Day and boarding places available; 40% of students receive need-based financial…
In brief
Founded by King Abdullah II in 2007 in homage to his own school days at Deerfield, this is the only full New England-style boarding school in the region. Grades 7 to 12 only.
144-acre campus at Madaba-Manja, about 30 minutes south of Amman. Around 500 students from more than 40 nationalities, with a meaningful boarding population and roughly 40 percent on need-based financial aid. The curriculum is American-style liberal arts, with AP exams in 24 subjects and Middle Eastern history, Arabic and culture woven through.
It is the school US embassy and regional NGO families actually mention by name when they want a real boarding option for older teenagers. Outcomes into US, UK and Canadian universities are strong. Day fees run JOD 27,000 to 38,000 and full boarding tops 53,000 USD, putting it in a price band of its own in Jordan. Penny Townsend, an experienced US head, took over in 2022.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School (Day) | 12 | Annual | JOD 18,860 |
| Upper School (Day) | 15 | Annual | JOD 29,800 |
| Upper School (Boarding) | 15 | Annual | JOD 37,750 |
Reviews
- One ex-teacher said it is arguably the top school in Jordan, pays the most in the kingdom, and has a more diverse student body than most local schools, with students performing well.
- One parent said the family experience living on or near the Madaba campus was "fabulous," with kind locals and a strong sense of place.
- forum threads from Jordanian users frequently group King's Academy with Jubilee Institute and Amman Baccalaureate as one of the few schools in the country focused on thinking and leadership rather than rote learning. Several posters note it sits well above the typical Jordanian private school in cost and outlook.
- Most teachers live on campus; the location near Madaba means trips into Amman are a weekend affair, and average teacher turnover sits around two to four years.
- Glassdoor reviewers rate the school 3.7 with strong scores for compensation, career growth, and culture, though work/life balance and senior management score lower. Indeed reviewers split: inspiring mission and beautiful campus on one side, complaints about leadership conduct in meetings on the other.
- Directory ratings are consistently positive but pool sizes are small, which limits how much weight to give them.
Head of school
Penny Townsend
Penny Townsend is the fourth head of school at King’s Academy, having taken the helm in April 2023. She is the first woman to hold this position, succeeding Peter Nilsson, who served since 2019. Townsend brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles in education and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for all students.
Accreditations
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 01
- Council of International Schools 02
Academic results
- AP Scores 2024-2025 30% scored 5, 30% scored 4, 24% scored 3 (757 total exams)
- Result 20% of students attended world's top 100 universities (2021-2023)