International Schools Partnership

What International Schools Partnership does

International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a London-headquartered, privately held operator of private K-12 international schools, founded in 2013 by Ryan Robson and Paul Brett. The company runs 120 schools across 26 countries serving 118,700+ students with 17,565+ employees, offering 24 different academic curricula including IB, British, American and national programs. ISP operates through regional divisions covering North America, Europe, Middle East & Asia, and Latin America, each with dedicated divisional CEOs, CFOs, chief learning officers and revenue officers.

ISP's core product is tuition-based private K-12 international education delivered through acquired and greenfield schools that retain their local brands and identities while adopting the group's proprietary Learning.First.™ pedagogy and Learning Improvement Process (LIP™). The platform also sells ancillary programs under the Five Learning Pillars framework: Academic Achievement, Multilingualism, Life Competencies, International Opportunities (ILOS — including Model UN, Cultural Exchange, Filmmakers, Scientists, Chess Masters, Artists, Changemakers, Maths Masters, Writers, Young Voices), and Future Pathways (career guidance plus 150+ university partnerships). Technology integration includes AI-powered personalized learning tools supporting student-level gap identification and engagement, delivered alongside Ed & Innovation programs and The Learning Hub professional development platform.

ISP's revenue model is recurring annual tuition paid by individual families, supplemented by fees for ILOS participation and ancillary services. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via school-level admissions processes, with growth executed primarily through acquisition of existing schools (e.g., Dubai's English College 2023, TIPSE India 2025, Smart Vision Dubai 2025, Godói Brazil 2026, Aspen Academy Colorado 2026) and selective greenfield development (e.g., Fairmont International School Vietnam 2026). Ownership is concentrated among private equity: Partners Group holds majority, OMERS Private Equity holds a stake following its 2021 investment at a EUR 1.9 billion enterprise value, and CVC Strategic Opportunities acquired a 20% stake in November 2025 at a EUR 7 billion post-money valuation.

Name

International Schools Partnership

Legal name

International Schools Partnership

Website

https://internationalschoolspartnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a London-based private K-12 education group operating 120 private international schools across 26 countries, serving 118,700+ students via proprietary Learning.First.™ pedagogy and a tuition-based, direct-to-consumer enrollment model backed by Partners Group, OMERS and CVC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Private International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Private international education
• K-12 international schools
• International school tuition
• Global education services
• Private school network

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. School Tuition Fees: ISP generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to families for K-12 international education across its network of 120 schools in 26 countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Schools Partnership operates a global network of 120 private K-12 international schools across 26 countries, serving 118,700+ students through 24 academic curricula including IB, British, American and national programmes. The company delivers education via its proprietary Learning.First.™ methodology and Learning Improvement Process (LIP™), enriched by International Learning Opportunities (ILOS), the Future Pathways university-preparation programme, and AI-enabled personalised learning tools.

Product overview

International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a global K-12 education platform operating 120 private international schools across 26+ countries, serving 118,700+ students. The company's core offering centers on its proprietary Learning.First.™ methodology and Learning Improvement Process (LIP™), supported by a Five Learning Pillars framework covering Academic Achievement, Multilingualism, Life Competencies, International Opportunities (ILOS), and Future Pathways. ISP differentiates through technology-enabled personalized learning using AI-powered tools, extensive international programmes (Model UN, Cultural Exchange, Filmmakers, etc.), career guidance via the Future Pathways Programme, and professional development for educators. The portfolio includes branded schools such as Fairmont Schools in the USA, and is anchored by partnerships with universities and organisations including Cambridge's Hughes Hall, the University of Chicago, and IE University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Learning.First™: ISP's evidence-led learning framework for continuous improvement
• Learning Improvement Process (LIP™)
• ISP Model United Nations
• ISP Changemakers
• ISP Artists
• ISP Writers
• ISP Scientists
• ISP Chess Masters
• ISP Maths Masters
• ISP Filmmakers
• A to Z Speaker Series
• Future Pathways
• ISP LabSchools
• The Learning Hub

Products and services

• Private K-12 International School Education Tuition-based private K-12 international schooling across ISP's 120 schools in 26 countries, serving children aged approximately 3–18 through 24 academic curricula including IB, British, American, and national programmes. Designed for globally mobile and internationally-minded households seeking academically rigorous, multilingual education with strong university-preparation outcomes.
• Learning.First.™ Framework ISP's proprietary evidence-led learning framework supporting personalised student-centred education. Combines metacognition principles, real-time teacher-student reflection cycles, and AI-powered tools to drive continuous learning improvement across ISP schools.
• Learning Improvement Process (LIP™) ISP's proprietary data-powered school evaluation approach that assesses and enhances the quality of learning through nine key criteria, tailored strategies, and continuous improvement cycles applied across every school in the network.
• International Learning Opportunities for Students (ILOS) Bespoke international programmes including ISP Model United Nations, Cultural Exchange, Virtual Exchange, Filmmakers, Scientists, Chess Masters, Artists, Changemakers, Maths Masters, Writers, and Young Voices. Over 40,000 students participate annually across the network.
• Future Pathways Programme Career guidance and university preparation programme featuring Future Pathways Advisers, 150+ global university partnerships, scholarships, and the A to Z Speaker Series. Designed to help ISP students reach their destination of choice (93% reported outcome in 2025 across 52 reporting schools).
• Multilingualism Programme ISP's language learning approach ensuring students master at least one world language alongside their home language, with approximately 104 languages spoken across the network and 83% of leavers achieving B2 proficiency or higher in an additional language.
• Life Competencies Programme Programme developing essential skills including problem-solving, adaptability, self-awareness, collaboration, and digital fluency, supported by research partnership with Camtree at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.
• Professional Learning & Development ISP's teacher development programmes including The Learning Hub platform, professional development modules, and global communities of practice supporting continuous improvement and learning innovation across the 17,565+ employee base.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of ISP students reach their destination of choice (2025 data, 52 schools reporting)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• O.P. Jindal Global UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026ISP India signed a strategic MOU with the Office of Admissions and Outreach at O.P. Jindal Global University to strengthen its Future Pathways programme. The partnership provides ISP students access to curated higher education guidance, research-led learning experiences, and immersive campus engagements at JGU.
• Camtree, Hughes Hall - University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISP partners with Camtree at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge for research into life skills development. Through this partnership, students at ISP schools benefit from cutting-edge research to develop crucial life skills.
• University of ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Chicago partners with ISP for the ISP Writers programme, providing students with international opportunities to develop writing skills and engage with university-level academics.
• Webster UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebster University partners with ISP for the ISP Model United Nations programme, offering students global citizenship development opportunities.
• University of the Arts LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of the Arts London collaborates with ISP on the ISP Artists programme, supporting creative development for students across the global network.
• Hughes Hall, University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Camtree at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge for research on life skills development. ISP's research collaboration embeds life competencies for students through international opportunities programmes.
• University of LiverpoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's university and education partners in the global collaboration network.
• IE UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's university and education partners in the global collaboration network.
• IESEGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's university and education partners in the global collaboration network.
• Les RochesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's university and education partners in the global collaboration network.
• St Mary's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's university and education partners in the global collaboration network.
• DEFIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as one of ISP's education partners in the global collaboration network.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nord Anglia Education: Operates a global network of premium international schools with a proprietary educational framework and strong university partnerships (including MIT, Juilliard, UNICEF), directly comparable to ISP's scale and positioning in the international K-12 segment.
• Cognita: One of the world's largest independent international schools groups with a multi-brand strategy across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, using acquisitions and greenfield expansion — a near-perfect analog to ISP's platform model.
• Inspired Education Group: PE-backed global premium schools group with operations across Europe, MENA, LATAM, and Asia; pursues the same acquisition-led roll-up strategy in international K-12 as ISP, with comparable curricula and university pathway offerings.
• GEMS Education: The Middle East's largest operator of premium international schools with a comparable curriculum breadth (IB, British, American) and growing global footprint, competing directly with ISP for families and acquisitions in MENA.
• ACS International Schools: Long-established international schools group serving globally mobile families with IB and US curricula, offering similar tuition-based K-12 education to expatriate and local families in multiple countries.
• Dulwich College International: Premium international schools network with multiple campuses across Asia and an established reputation for English-medium British-style education, directly comparable to ISP's premium positioning.

Regional players

• Esol Education: Operates premium international schools across the Middle East and North Africa, overlapping with ISP's strongest geographic region and competing for the same expatriate and Gulf national families.
• Taaleem: UAE-listed operator of premium British and IB curriculum schools primarily in the Gulf, representing the same premium K-12 international schools niche as ISP in a heavily overlapping geography.
• Dukhan Education: Qatar-based operator of premium British curriculum international schools, offering directly comparable K-12 international education to expatriate and Qatari families in a market where ISP also has a growing presence.

Emerging players

• Maple Bear Global Schools: Fast-growing franchise-based bilingual international school network primarily across Latin America and parts of Asia; smaller and earlier-stage than ISP but addresses the same globally-minded K-12 family segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ISP_Global
• Facebookfacebook.com/ispschools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-schools-partnership-middle-east
• Instagraminstagram.com/isp.schools.global
• Xx.com/ISPSchools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A8 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Schools Partnership