“The Aim Makes Great the Life” has been the vision at Kuwait English School (KES) for the last 41 years. With the mission to Inspire, Challenge, and Encourage, the school is proud to have been rated “outstanding” in their most recent British Schools Overseas (BSO) Inspection report. KES was the first school in the Middle East to implement the use of Google Chrome in their classrooms. Ground-breaking acts like this have allowed many of its graduates to continue their education in top universities worldwide.
The school’s strategic location in the heart of Salwa makes it convenient to reach any landmark in Kuwait within 10-15 minutes. Across the street from the campus is a park, medical center, supermarket, pharmacy, fast-food court, and a huge parking lot available for staff and parents.
KES facilities include a building for the Preparatory Department, recently upgraded to ensure that each young child has access to diverse learning-through play indoor and outdoor experiences. The main building houses specialist science labs, drama studios, newly-revamped Information and Communication Technology Suites, libraries, an indoor gym area, and an indoor swimming pool—all available for students Year 3 and up. Students in Years 12 and 13 taking A Levels enjoy both a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, “The Millennium,” and their own common room. In addition to the main school building, there are separate buildings for the Music Centre and the well-equipped Art & Design Technology Centre. Another separate facility is home to a well-resourced and stimulating learning centre for students with learning disabilities, though a number of special needs students take lessons in the main school building, as interaction is much encouraged.
Accredited by British Schools Overseas, KES currently enrolls 2,420 pre-K-Year 13 students representing 59 nationalities. The school’s international teaching staff of 215, including 15 host country educators, delivers the full UK national programme through A Levels as well as the International Middle Years Curriculum and both the regular and international General Certificate of Secondary Education.
After school, the Art & Design Technology (DT) Department offers a variety of extra-curricular clubs: Art & Photography Committee, Fashion, Animation, Mural and Catch-up Art/ DT. Students may take part in many art competitions—and have won several times—both in school and sponsored by the organizations such as The Ministry, Radisson Blu Hotel, British Schools of the Middle East (BSME), and the Kuwait Times Newspaper.
Because KES is privileged to represent 59 nationalities, it has created a Cultural Season and Four Festivals, which highlight presentation and performance to empower its community of global citizens. The Junior and Senior Departments mount musical and ensemble performances, from Antigone to The Lion King, which incorporate student artistic expression from every art department. Students may also join the production team. As a result of input from every school department from kindergarten up, a new idea driven by the Senior Department will come to fruition in September 2022, The Four Festivals: Cultural, Literary, Arabian and Arts.
Athletes at KES benefit from the school’s membership in KFSAC and ISACK, organisations which coordinate interschool competitions within Kuwait across a variety of activities such as football, unihoc, netball, benchball, cricket, and swimming at the junior level and basketball, volleyball, netball, football, table tennis, and swimming at the senior level. As a member of BSME, students have opportunities to regularly compete—and develop friendships— during international tournaments with other schools throughout the Middle East.
Launched within the last few years, the KES robotics team has been training to participate in VEX Robotics World Championship in the U.S., along with 30,000 students from around the globe. Students on the team must problem solve, adapt, strategize, collaborate amongst themselves and with other teams, because the event focuses more on great cooperation rather than just competition.
KES can hire certified teachers, including, newly-certified candidates, and couples with a non-teaching spouse; however, in Kuwait, a female teacher cannot sponsor her husband. Teachers need not hold an academic degree in the subject they will be teaching. As per country regulations, those up to the age of 60 may obtain a work visa.
Benefits include a non-taxed salary along with allowances for settling in and monthly housing for those wishing to teach abroad. Airfare to relocate and annual airfare include a discount for the fares of dependent children. Additionally, the tuition benefit is 50% for all dependent children. KES provides an end-of-service indemnity, a 15-day salary for every year of service, up to five years. Afterwards, employees earn one month salary for every year of service—up to a maximum of 18 months of salary. KES provides opportunities for professional development. Health insurance—which covers the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region—is provided, with the employee paying a percentage. Coverage includes life, dental, and long-term disability. The KES package allows for some savings and the chance for a thrifty family of four to live on one salary. There are local employment opportunities for non-teaching spouses.
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Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.
