AZBUKA Russian-English International School & Nursery

AZBUKA is the UK's first approved Russian-English bilingual school, a small not-for-profit nursery and primary in Shepherd's Bush founded in 2000. Around 40 children on a 50/50 Russian and English curriculum.

Children aged 2 to 11 follow the National Curriculum in English alongside the Russian National Curriculum, with the day split between the two languages. Class sizes are very small, teachers stay long, and continuity through nursery into primary is one of the things parents value most. The school is run by the AZBUKA Foundation rather than a commercial operator.

Parents describe warm, attentive teaching and rapid progress in both languages, and Ofsted has reported overwhelmingly positive parent feedback. The grumbles are operational: slow replies to email, and a nursery viewing fee that reads as unusual to families who have looked at other London nurseries. Best fit for Russian-speaking families in West London who want their children to keep both languages at curriculum level rather than as a weekend supplement.

• Azbuka holds an overall Good rating from Ofsted (November 2017), with the bilingual curriculum cited as a key strength: pupils make rapid progress in both English and Russian.
• Parent feedback on SchoolParrot and the school's own testimonials cluster as positive, describing warm, attentive teachers, lots of individual attention and a small community of about 50 to 60 pupils across nursery and primary.
• One critical SchoolParrot review describes a poor admissions experience: a £40 viewing fee that was not refunded after no place was offered, and a brief admission interview consisting of standing next to a classroom door.
• Operating model is unusual for London: full Russian-English bilingual primary, age 3 to 11, fees in the £11,000 to £15,000 range for 2024-25.
• Inspection now sits with ISI rather than Ofsted; that ISI report is the more current public-record document for any family weighing the school.