Cities / Amman / Cambridge High School Amman
Cambridge High School Amman
British-curriculum school in Al-Rabiya, West Amman offering KG to Grade 12 with IGCSE/A-Level and IB Diploma streams.
In brief
Cambridge High School (CHS) sits in Al Rabia, opened in 2000, and has run the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) since 2004. Around 1,000-1,200 students from roughly 25-30 nationalities, mostly returning Jordanian and bilingual families rather than a heavy expat mix.
What people actually say:
- The IB programme is the real draw. All graduating classes have progressed to university. Parents who want a properly delivered IB Diploma - not just a school that markets itself as "international" - generally rate it.
- It runs a tight ship. Several parent and student accounts describe it as strict on uniform, homework and conduct, with detentions used freely in the middle years. According to one former student, the rules were "very strict" and teachers would "humiliate you if you don't do homework." Whether that reads as discipline or pressure depends on your child.
- Teaching quality is uneven by department, which is normal at this size, but stronger in the senior IB years than lower down. One teacher described "excellent management" and "polite, responsive" students; another flagged long hours and abrupt top-down decisions. Read: the staffroom is not uniformly happy, which sometimes shows up as turnover.
- Facilities are functional rather than flashy. Don't expect the campus or sports offering of Amman Baccalaureate School or King's Academy.
- Community skews local-Jordanian/returnee rather than diplomatic-expat. Good for integration, less so if your child wants a large transient international peer group.
Worth asking on a visit: - How many DP teachers have been there 3+ years. - Recent IB Diploma average and bilingual diploma rate. - How the school handles the gap between MYP discipline culture and DP independence.
Bottom line: a serious, academically focused IB school with a disciplinary streak. Strong fit for a child who responds to structure and wants the full IB pathway. Worth comparing head-to-head with Amman Baccalaureate School, Mashrek and Amman Academy before committing.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten 1 | 3 | JOD 2,750 |
| Kindergarten 2 | 4 | JOD 3,695 |
| Kindergarten 3 | 5 | JOD 3,810 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | JOD 4,370 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | JOD 4,790 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | JOD 5,020 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | JOD 5,190 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | JOD 5,330 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | JOD 5,500 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | JOD 5,730 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | JOD 5,930 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | JOD 6,265 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | JOD 6,565 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | JOD 8,700 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | JOD 9,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | JOD 400 |
Reviews
An IB World School in Rabieh, west Amman, with around 1,000 to 1,200 pupils from roughly 30 nationalities and fees that sit below the top tier of the city's international market. Authorised for the Diploma Programme since 2004. Where the name comes up in Amman parent conversations, it tends to sit on the list of IB options for families on a moderate budget, alongside Amman Academy and the International Montessori. Independent recent commentary is light.
Positives
- Fees. Annual tuition runs JOD 4,700 to 12,913 across the grades, with 10 percent off a second sibling and 15 percent for a third. Cheaper than the marquee IB and American campuses in west Amman.
- IB pathway. Authorised for the IB Diploma since 2004, with PYP and MYP feeding in. The school reports that every graduating cohort has moved on to university.
- International intake. Pupils come from around 30 countries. Useful for returning Jordanian families and expatriate hires looking for an English-medium IB environment without the Kings Academy price tag.
Considerations
- Public conversation. Little recent independent parent commentary surfaces in English or Arabic. The school is present in local lists of more affordable IB options but rarely the subject of detailed write-ups, positive or negative.
Leadership
Ms. Raghda Al Sawalqa
Raghda Al Sawalqa is the School Principal at Cambridge High School in Amman. She is an experienced educational leader with a background in both national and international secondary stages. Her professional experience includes serving as a CIS Evaluator for the Council of International Schools. Previously, she held leadership roles at Al-Ra'ed Al-Arabi School and Asamiah International School, where she managed curriculum development, academic performance monitoring, and staff development. She is dedicated to fostering an inclusive school culture and enhancing student learning outcomes.
Accreditations
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 01