Private & International Schools in Bermuda
What to expect
Like Private Schools, International Schools in Bermuda are also privately operated. The main difference is, the International Schools follow international education system, i.e., they adopt curricula from another country such as the US or UK, for instance, International Baccalaureate (IB), or the IGCSE/GCSE of the UK National Curriculum.
Most private schools in Bermuda are actually International Schools. There is a large resident population of expatriates and their families in Bermuda. Out of the total population of Bermuda (which is around 65,000), over 20% are expatriates. And these internationals schools, although have higher fees, offer a great option for schooling of expatriate students.
International Schools usually have better amenities, smaller teacher to student ratio allowing better personal attention, wider range of extra curricular activities, and are more focussed to enable the students towards global culture, communication and holistic learning.
Although English is the first language and the medium of communication in all schools in Bermuda, in international schools students usually have the option to learn more languages.
Many international schools in Bermuda have been long established. Some of them are more than even 100 years old. In fact, Warwick Academy, a popular international school in Bermuda is one of the oldest in the western world. As already mentioned, many such schools follow the UK based education system, while others follow the North American System. Some are hybrid, i.e. mix of both the types.
Warwick Academy, Saltus Grammer and Bermuda High Schools all follow the UK education structure, but are also influenced by other international education trends.
Private or international schools do not receive any government funding. They run on student fees and donations. So, the student fees in these schools are usually much higher than the public schools.
Unlike the public schools that follow standard course structure as per the guidelines from the Education Ministry, the private or international schools may choose to tailor and fine tune their course curriculum to suit the needs of the children. But all follow the model of Primary, Middle and Senior schools.
Check out
Bermuda School Programs to know how the grades or the education structure of the Bermuda schools compare with that of the US or the UK.
Fees in Bermuda Private/International Schools are substantial and can be any where from $16,000 onwards to over $24,000 annually. For example, in the academic year 2020/2021, the school fees of Warwick Academy was $20,448, the annual tuition fee for Bermuda Institute was $15,610 and annual school fees for Saltus Grammar was $24,060.
While there are scholarships and other teaching aids available (usually only to Bermudian students and not to international students), the fee structure in the private or international schools is expensive. Despite high fees, many families in Bermuda (including both Bermudians and expatriates) prefer the International Schools over the Public schools.
This is mainly due to the following reasons - first as already mentioned, the amenities and exposure to global learning and culture are better, second, the education standard or quality of education at the international schools are generally superior, and the students of the international schools are much better geared to qualify for boarding schools or universities in the US, UK or Canada.
Many families in Bermuda transfer their children to overseas schools or universities for further education. Students leave for abroad from various grades. Due to the increasing preference of parents, the demand for admission in Bermuda's international schools is quite high. The schools are governed by legislation to limit the number of admission every year. So, if you are planning to admit your child in a private or international school in Bermuda, you will be better off to apply well in advance.
The private and international schools also require strong commitments from the parents so that their wards are closely associated with the extra curricular activities offered by the schools. There are many school activities that the children need to participate for their over-all development. This includes musical programs, sports, dance, team work and others.
There are car pools available for reaching children to the schools. Many parents in Bermuda drive their children to the schools, often on their way to the office.
Accreditation
Most international schools in Bermuda are members of various accrediting bodies such as:
NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) which is an association of schools in the US.
CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools)... an association of Canadian schools.
CIS (Council of International Schools) is a global membership community that collaborates to guide and shape international education in schools and higher education institutions.
The Top International Schools in Bermuda
Below are the well known international and private schools in Bermuda. Go through the individual links to get details about the school, campus amenities, admission process, fees, contacts etc.
This is one of the top academic institutions in Bermuda. This co-educational international school is located in Hamilton. It's a day school and they take students of ages between 4-18. Admission is based on several factors. These may vary depending on the level in which you wish to enter the school.
They may take into consideration diversity and gender balance; children of alumni; and siblings of current students in addition to other criteria such as vacancy, the school’s assessment of the candidate’s character, developmental readiness, performance in entrance tests etc.
Saltus Grammar is a member of CAIS and CIS. They follow a hybrid curricula which is adapted from National Curriculum of England and North American curriculum.
This is a well known co-educational private/international school located at Warwick parish and having over 750 students. Established in the 17th Century, this is the oldest school in Bermuda.
The school follows IGCSE/GCSE of the UK National Curriculum for the years 10 and 11, and offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma course for the year 12 and 13.
This co-educational school is located in Hamilton and was established in 1890. The school runs on the principles of Catholic education which forms the base of the school’s philosophy. It follows the North American schooling system. Classes range from Kindergarten up to Grade 12.
BHS is an independent, International Baccalaureate and Round Square School located in Pembroke Parish close to Hamilton. BHS is all-girls from the Early Years Program until Year-11, and is co-educational in Year-12 and Year-13 for the IB Diploma Program.
This is a co-education school run under the guidance of North American division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It follows the north American education system of Kindergarten then going up to Grade 12. Membership in the church is not a requirement for admission to this institute. Students who come from a non-Seventh day Adventist background are also accepted, if there is vacancy.
The school was initially founded as a Montessori school for ages 3-12 years in 1991. IB Middle Years Program was setup in 2001. It's a co-ed school with over 450 students and 50 faculty. The school is associated with National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), Eco-Schools, International Baccalaureate World, and American Montessori Society.
Chatmore British International School
Initially it started as a pre-school in 2004 in Southampton, gradually they expanded and finally moved to Smith's parish where the international school was established in 2017.
It has several levels... Early Years (age 3 - 5 years) follows International Early Years Curriculum, Primary (age 5 to 11 years) follows International Primary Curriculum, Middle Years (age 11-14 years) follows International Middle Years Curriculum, and finally the Secondary School (for 14+ years) where IGCSE and British Curriculum are followed. The school also offers Spanish language lessons, Art, FitKids, EcoStudies etc to complement their academic program.
It's a small school set up in a land area of 4 acres (known as Rockmore Estate). The area once used to be a working farm. The campus features a tennis court and a working garden. The students have built a productive chicken coop from recycled materials.
Address and Contacts
9 St Marks Road, Smiths, Bermuda, FL06
Phone: +1 (441) 236-3339
Other Private Schools
This is a school for children with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia, Auditory Processing Disorder, ADHD, and other language-based disorders. Students starting from an age of 7 can learn as per their ability and meet the academic goals. Teacher to student ratio is 1:5.
This is a private nursery and preschool that offers the Montessori method of learning for children between the age of 18 months and 4 years. The various programs they offer are conducive not only for the child's development but also convenient for working parents who have the comfort of leaving their children in responsible hands.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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