Cities / Riyadh / Aldenham Prep Riyadh
Aldenham Prep Riyadh
The Riyadh outpost of Aldenham Foundation, a UK independent school, opened in As Sahafah in 2022 as a prep school and now expanding into senior years.
In brief
The Riyadh outpost of Aldenham Foundation, a UK independent school, opened in As Sahafah in 2022 as a prep school and now expanding into senior years.
Aldenham Prep is a British curriculum school for ages 3 to 11, with fees of roughly SAR 46,500 to SAR 70,000 placing it firmly at the premium end of the Riyadh market. The Foundation has confirmed a separate Aldenham School Riyadh for ages 11 to 18 opening on a new campus in 2027, with Year 8 already running from the existing site and IGCSE and A Level pathways planned.
Most families speak warmly about a kind, communicative environment with teachers visibly invested in individual children, and the school has rebuilt curriculum, leadership and specialist staffing since opening. The most useful counter-signal comes from UK-arriving parents, who have at times found the secondary feel more primary in style and questioned readiness for GCSE. With the new senior provision now landing, some of that critique is becoming dated, but it is still worth weighing for families with older children planning to stay through the secondary years.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery | 3 | SAR 46,500 |
| Reception | 4 | SAR 48,500 |
| Year 1 | 5 | SAR 53,500 |
| Year 2 | 6 | SAR 53,500 |
| Year 3 | 7 | SAR 63,500 |
| Year 4 | 8 | SAR 63,500 |
| Year 5 | 9 | SAR 63,500 |
| Year 6 | 10 | SAR 63,500 |
| Year 7 | 11 | SAR 70,000 |
| Year 8 | 12 | SAR 70,000 |
| Year 9 | 13 | SAR 70,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment/Registration Fee | SAR 1,000 | |
| Security Deposit (Refundable) | SAR 2,500 | |
| Acceptance Fee | SAR 10,000 | |
| Capital Development Fee | SAR 10,000 |
Reviews
- The school opened in 2022 and the review pool is small but already polarised.
- Most parent voices are strongly positive: one parent wrote "our family loves the school, we feel valued and respected as parents", and another said "my daughter joined Aldenham School recently, and she goes to school happily every day".
- A detailed July 2025 1-star review pushes hard the other way. The parent wrote "this place is run as a business not as an academic institution", citing secondary pupils being treated as primary, no fixed curriculum and exam material handed out three weeks before testing despite two months' notice.
- The same review flags mandatory uniform and meal charges (around 500 pounds and 600 pounds annually), with no opt-out for families providing home meals and food described as inedible.
- Promised facilities (new library, VR lab, science resources) had not materialised after two terms, the same parent reported. Teachers were exempted from the criticism and praised for effort within management constraints.
- A broader pool of parents is overwhelmingly positive on staff dedication, head accessibility and Arabic provision, but these ratings lean toward inflated aggregates so weight cautiously.
Positives
- Pastoral care and child happiness. Multiple parents describe children excited to attend and families feeling respected
- Teaching staff. Even the most critical reviewer credited teachers; supportive, qualified UK staff highlighted across the pool
- Arabic provision. Parents flag strong progress in Arabic alongside the British curriculum
Considerations
- Secondary academic rigour. Detailed parent review flags primary-style treatment of older pupils and weak GCSE preparation
- Curriculum delivery. Praised as personalised by some parents; another reports no fixed curriculum and teachers piecing one together from multiple sources
- Mandatory costs. Compulsory uniform and meal charges with no opt-out, and meal quality criticised
- Promised facilities. Library, VR lab and science resources advertised but not delivered after two terms, per one detailed review