New English School

In Brief

NES is the academic school in Kuwait - the results are among the best in the city, and families who want rigorous British schooling with a real track record should put it near the top of the list. It isn't an easy ride for children who need a gentler pace, but for motivated students it consistently delivers.

Kuwait's oldest private English-medium school has been on the Jabriya campus since 1974, and its reputation was built on academic outcomes rather than branding. In 2025, 45% of A-level results came in at A*/A and 52% of IGCSE grades hit the top two bands - consistently strong numbers for a 2,000-student school in the Gulf. Graduates regularly reach Russell Group universities and some Ivy League institutions. The school's founding family, the Rajabs, are well-known in Kuwait; Queen Rania of Jordan is among the alumni.

Fifty-plus nationalities attend, with Egyptian, Kuwaiti, and Indian families forming the largest groups alongside a smaller share of British and other Western families. Class sizes and the general culture lean academic - parents describe a competitive atmosphere where homework is taken seriously from the early years. The co-curricular offer is genuinely strong: a dedicated theatre, a pottery and jewellery studio, sports on the roof (a signature campus feature), and a busy extracurricular programme. The school runs a tight disciplinary code; even minor breaches can result in suspension.

Families used to nurturing all-through schools where pastoral care wraps every child will find NES different. Learning support is limited - there is no dedicated SEN provision, and the school's own documents acknowledge this. If your child needs extra academic scaffolding or learns differently, NES is not well-set up to help. Admissions open in March for September entry, but places in popular year groups go quickly; the high volume of applications means completing a form is no guarantee of a place.