Chief Operating Officer

The British International School Riyadh (BISR) is an extremely well-regarded not-for-profit, seven-campus, co-educational school in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The school caters for almost 3,000 students aged 3-18 from over 90 different nationalities and employs over 530 staff. The school has provided high quality education to the expatriate community since 1979 and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and as a British School Overseas (BSO). 

BISR is a multi-campus school providing education to children across Saudi Arabia. The school’s original campus, the Al Hamra Primary and Senior School campus is located next to Al Hamra Oasis Village Compound. The Primary and Senior School DQ campus is located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. The Al Sharq FS/KS1 campus is located on the Al Sharq Village compound. In addition to the campuses in Riyadh, Al Saqr, Tabuk and Taif Primary schools, a short flight away, are part of the BISR family. In August 2025, Al Waha, their brand new, purpose-built school will open as the new home to the majority of their current Al Hamra students, and Al Hamra will be renovated in line with their new BISR schools to operate as a primary school.    

BISR’s core Vision and Mission is the same across all schools. All primary schools follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum for their youngest learners and an adapted form of the English National Curriculum for Years 1 through to Year 6. The Primary School curriculum is adapted and enriched to reflect the school’s local and international context. Assessment and reporting procedures are aligned across the campuses.

In the secondary schools, students study for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations across a broad range of subjects, with the eldest 16-18-year-old students studying a smaller range of Advanced Level subjects (A Levels). BISR offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for 16-18 year old students on its new DQ campus and from August 2024 they have offered a vocational pathway post 16.  Upon graduating, the students move on to schools, universities and colleges in countries around the world.

All schools promote holistic learning supported by a broad co-curricular programme, which encompasses extra-curricular activities, house events, student leadership, service learning and residential trip. Strong pastoral care supports well-being for all BISR students.

At BISR, they believe that learning should be personalised, challenging and enjoyable. They aim to provide high-quality learning experiences within the classroom, through residential programmes and via their extra-curricular programme. This, combined with strong pastoral support, ensures their students can both thrive and flourish within a caring environment. All elements of learning at BISR are underpinned by the core values of respect, honesty, compassion and kindness.

Alongside supporting their students to achieve strong academic outcomes, the school strives to equip students with the skills they need for the future, helping them to develop as life-long learners ready for both further academic study and the world of work. They use the rich cultural context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the diversity of nationalities within the school community, work with service learning partners and their eco-school goals to help their students consider complex global issues and develop as positive global citizens.

BISR is led by the Executive Leadership Team (Exec), which consists of the Director of Schools, the Campus Principals, the Chief Operating Officer and the Executive Head of BAES schools. The Leadership team (LT) consists of the Exec Team and the Heads of the Primary and Senior Schools at all campuses. The Extended Leadership Team (ELT) is composed of the Exec and LT, along with Deputy Heads and Assistant Heads from all campuses. BISR’s new Director of Schools, Jeremy Newton, will be commencing in role in August 2025, succeeding the current Director of Schools, Helen Olds, who has led BISR since 2019.

The Board of Governors and Director of Schools are seeking to appoint a highly experienced, strategic and quality-focused Chief Operating Officer for British International School Riyadh to commence in August 2025. This key role will ensure the efficient and effective day-to-day and long-term operational management of the school, in full compliance with local and international standards. The role involves leading strategic planning, resource management, infrastructure, compliance, and operational execution to support a high-quality educational environment.