Cities / Cairo / Modern English School Cairo
Modern English School Cairo
Large multi-curriculum school in New Cairo founded in 1990, offering British (IGCSE, A-Level), American Diploma, and IB Diploma pathways to around 2,400 students. Annual tuition for 2025-26 ranges from EGP 80,000 (KG1) to EGP 185,000 (senior secondary), equivalent to roughly…
In brief
One of Cairo's blue-chip British schools, opened in 1990 and now sitting on a 32,500 square metre purpose-built campus in New Cairo with around 2,400 students from FS1 to Year 13.
BSO Outstanding, COBIS, BSME and a CIS member, with secondary running parallel pathways: British GCSE and A Level, US High School Diploma, and the IB Diploma. Strong Durham Value Added scores and an active PTG that runs the welcome side for new expat families. Facilities are at the upper end for the city, with two heated pools, a 400-seat theatre and three libraries. Oversubscribed at most year-group entry points.
Most parent feedback is warm on primary teaching, communication and the breadth of enrichment. Where complaints cluster is the high school: inconsistent teacher quality across departments and management style. Teacher turnover and workload come up too. For families set on a top-tier British primary in New Cairo at a more reasonable fee than the very top of the market, MES still earns its place on most shortlists.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| KG1 | 3 | Annual | EGP 80,000 |
| KG2 | 4 | Annual | EGP 93,000 |
| Grade 1 | 5 | Annual | EGP 119,000 |
| Grade 2 | 6 | Annual | EGP 119,000 |
| Grade 3 | 7 | Annual | EGP 131,000 |
| Grade 4 | 8 | Annual | EGP 131,000 |
| Grade 5 | 9 | Annual | EGP 131,000 |
| Grade 6 | 10 | Annual | EGP 131,000 |
| Grade 7-12 (American Diploma) | 11 | Annual | EGP 161,000 |
| Grade 7-12 (British / IB) | 11 | Annual | EGP 185,000 |
| Transport (annual, approx) | One-time | EGP 10,400 |
Reviews
- Online discussion is dominated by teaching-staff voices, and the tone is almost uniformly negative. International Schools Review threads and the r/Internationalteachers subreddit consistently warn applicants away from MES Cairo.
- One ex-teacher called MES the worst of four schools they had worked at and said it was still their number one shitty school six years on. Another wrote bluntly: "if it's at MES Cairo, don't do it to yourself." A third said local-currency pay erodes the headline package and the school "is not known for anything positive."
- Recurring teacher complaints centre on management style, long hours after the school day, and what staff describe as bullying from leadership.
- Parent voice is thinner. Some parents say their children are happy and that the strong teachers really care, while flagging that foreign staff sometimes don't understand local family expectations.
- The harshest parent feedback sits at high school, with reports of weak academic strength in some teachers, classroom management problems, and most students taking external tuition on top of fees.
- Despite the criticism, MES is still grouped on Egypt-focused threads with CAC, BISC, and AIS as one of Cairo's better-known options for expat and affluent local families.
- The school operates a 14-year journey from EYFS through Year 13 and reports university placements at UK, US, Canadian and Egyptian institutions.
Head of school
Mrs. Melanie Jane Midwood
Mrs Melanie Jane Midwood serves as the School Director at Modern English School Cairo. She is an experienced international educator and school leader who emphasizes a mission of "Leadership Through Education: Care, Challenge and Inspire." She oversees the school's diverse curriculum pathways, including British, American, and International Baccalaureate programs, and is actively involved in professional development and team building for the school's leadership.
Accreditations
- Cognia 01
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 02
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools 03
Academic results
- A-Level pass rate 100% (2018)
- IGCSE results Above UK national average (2018)