Hillcrest International Schools
Hillcrest International Schools is a private British-curriculum K-13 school in Karen, Nairobi, operating Early Years, Preparatory, and Secondary divisions plus boarding (Toad Hall), serving expatriate and affluent local families through Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level pathways as a member of the Braeburn Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hillcrest International Schools does
Hillcrest International Schools is a private, British-curriculum K-13 international school located on Hillcrest Road in the Karen-Lang'ata area of Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in 1965 as Hillcrest Secondary School and now operating three adjacent schools on a single campus — Early Years (ages 2-5, incorporating the 2000-acquired Forest Edge), Preparatory (Years 1-8), and Secondary (Years 9-13) — the institution serves expatriate and affluent local families seeking a British educational pathway culminating in Cambridge IGCSEs, A-Levels, and BTECs. The school holds BSO/ISI accreditation, IAPS membership, COBIS Compliance Membership, and KAIS membership, and is part of the Braeburn Group of International Schools under shared governance. The pupil offering is supported by a 1-to-1 device programme (operational since September 2014), the Firefly Virtual Learning Environment for parent and student engagement, on-site boarding (Toad Hall) for ages 10-18, a zoned school transport network, and a broad extracurricular and competitive-sports programme.
The institution generates revenue almost entirely through recurring termly fees: tuition priced from KSh 135,100 per term at Playgroup up to KSh 1,626,450 per term at Years 12-13 (2026/2027 academic year), plus boarding, transport, and lunch add-ons, with deposits ranging from KSh 25,000 to KSh 100,000. Distribution is direct via the Karen campus, with website-driven enquiry, on-site tours, and a Registrar/Admissions Department managing year-round intake. Operating under the leadership of Executive Principal Simon Ruscoe-Price and a board chaired by Bob Kikuyu, the school sits within a 101-250 employee headcount range, and is one of the longest-established international schools in East Africa.
Hillcrest International Schools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hillcrest International Schools
- Legal name
- Hillcrest International Schools
- Website
- http://www.hillcrest.ac.ke/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hillcrest International Schools is a private British-curriculum K-13 school in Karen, Nairobi, operating Early Years, Preparatory, and Secondary divisions plus boarding (Toad Hall), serving expatriate and affluent local families through Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level pathways as a member of the Braeburn Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hillcrest International Schools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB), International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK), Overseas Boarding School Enrollment & Placement (EDAIAHAA)
Keywords
Where Hillcrest International Schools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hillcrest International Schools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition Fees: Termly tuition fees charged by year group, ranging from KSh 135,100 for Playgroup to KSh 1,626,450 for Years 12-13 for the 2026/2027 academic year.
- Boarding Fees: Full and weekly boarding options available for students aged 10-18 years. Full boarding ranges from KSh 378,000 (Years 7-10) to KSh 567,000 (Years 11-13). Weekly boarding ranges from KSh 239,900 to KSh 359,850.
- Transport Services: School transport available to all students from Playgroup to Year 13. Termly fees vary by zone (A, B, C, D) and range from KSh 35,500 to KSh 159,450 depending on route and frequency.
- Lunch Programme: Termly lunch fees charged at KSh 46,800 for Years 9-10 and KSh 70,200 for Years 11-13.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Termly | Early Years (Playgroup to FS2) |
| Subscription | Termly | Preparatory School (Years 1-8) |
| Subscription | Termly | Secondary School (Years 9-11, IGCSE) |
| Subscription | Termly | Sixth Form (Years 12-13, A-Levels) |
| Subscription | Termly | Full Boarding |
| Subscription | Termly | Weekly Boarding |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Hillcrest International Schools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hillcrest International Schools delivers a full K-13 British-curriculum education on a single Karen, Nairobi campus through three divisions — Early Years (ages 2-5), Preparatory School (Years 1-8), and Secondary School/Sixth Form (Years 9-13) — culminating in Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level, and BTEC qualifications. The school also operates a boarding facility (Toad Hall), provides termly tuition across year groups, transport services, lunch programmes, and scholarship awards.
Product overview
Hillcrest International Schools is a comprehensive educational institution offering a unified K-13 programme through distinct academic divisions: Early Years (playgroup to FS2, ages 2-5), Preparatory School (Years 1-8), Secondary School (Years 9-11 with IGCSEs), and Sixth Form (Years 12-13 with A-Levels and BTECs). The school operates a boarding facility (Toad Hall), offers scholarship programmes, and maintains an extensive extracurricular activities programme. All divisions follow the British National Curriculum with Cambridge International Examinations Board syllabi, contextualized for the Kenyan environment. Technology integration includes a 1-to-1 device programme and a Virtual Learning Environment (Firefly).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hillcrest Early Years Early childhood education programme for children aged 2-5 covering Playgroup, Nursery, FS1 and FS2, following the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum with thematic, play-based, cross-curricular learning.
- Hillcrest Preparatory School Primary education programme for Years 1-8 following the British National Curriculum and Common Entrance syllabus, with ability setting, languages (French and Kiswahili), arts, sports, and project-based learning.
- Hillcrest Secondary School Secondary education programme for Years 9-11 offering 22 IGCSE subjects following the British National Curriculum and Cambridge International Examinations Board syllabi, with the 1-to-1 device programme in place since September 2014.
- Sixth Form Advanced education programme for Years 12-13 offering 21 A-Level subjects, BTEC courses, dedicated study facilities, common room, and career exploration including an annual university fair with 40+ university representatives.
- Toad Hall Boarding On-campus boarding facility offering full, weekly, and flexi boarding for students aged 10-18, with dedicated house parents, nursing staff, dining, laundry, separate boys' and girls' wings, and weekend activity programmes.
- Scholarships Programme Merit-based scholarship awards for entry at Year 9 (13 year olds) and Year 12 / Sixth Form (16 year olds) recognising potential for excellence and supporting candidates in achieving their best.
Companies that use Hillcrest International Schools
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hillcrest International Schools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Hillcrest International Schools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Braeburn Group of International SchoolscoreHillcrest International Schools is a member of the Braeburn Group of International Schools. The group provides oversight through a Board of Directors and Group Management Committee. Hillcrest follows the admission policy and other policies of the Braeburn Group. The Group Management Committee and Senior Leadership Team work together to ensure educational integrity and overall success.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hillcrest International Schools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aga Khan Academy Nairobi: Premium international school in Nairobi serving affluent local and expatriate families with an enhanced curriculum and IB pathway. Competes directly with Hillcrest for premium-paying families in the broader Nairobi market.
- International School of Kenya (ISK): Long-established Nairobi-based international school offering K–12 education with international curricula (IB and American). Directly comparable to Hillcrest in target market (expat and affluent Kenyan families), premium pricing tier, and portfolio of co-curricular and boarding-style services.
- Kenton College Preparatory and Senior School: Premium Nairobi-based K–13 international school with British curriculum. Comparable in fee tier, age range, target market, and co-curricular breadth, serving the same affluent Karen/expats community.
- Brookhouse School: Nairobi-based international school offering K–13 education with British curriculum (IGCSE/A-Level) and boarding facilities. Closely comparable to Hillcrest in curriculum, age range, fee tier, and boarding offering.
- St. Andrew's School, Nairobi: Long-established Nairobi international school for affluent local and expat families offering British/IGCSE-based curriculum. Competes for the same premium K–12 market segment in Nairobi as Hillcrest.
Regional players
- French School of Nairobi (Lycée Français de Nairobi): French-curriculum international school in Nairobi serving French and francophone expatriate families. Comparable premium international school positioning but with a different curriculum framework, competing for the same broader expat family pool.
- Peponi School: Premium British-curriculum international school in Kenya (Ruiru) with boarding, serving affluent Kenyan and expatriate families. Strong comparability in curriculum, premium positioning, and boarding, though outside the immediate Karen cluster.
- German School Nairobi (Deutsche Schule Nairobi): Curriculum-comparable international school in Nairobi serving a specific expat community (German-speaking). Competes for similar premium-paying, internationally-mobile families but does not overlap in curriculum brand.
Broad incumbents
- Braeburn Schools (Group / Braeburn Garden Estate / Braeburn Muthaiga): Parent group of Hillcrest and operator of multiple British-curriculum international schools across Kenya. Comparable as a multi-school British curriculum operator with shared governance, accreditation, and pricing framework, though Hillcrest is more established in the Karen/Lang'ata cluster.
Emerging players
- Cambridgeshire School (Nairobi): Nairobi-based British-curriculum international school serving K–12 students. Comparable in curriculum framework and expat focus, though smaller in scale and brand heritage than Hillcrest.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hillcrest International Schools social profiles
Digital presenceHillcrest International Schools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hillcrest International Schools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Hillcrest International Schools subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Hillcrest International Schools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hillcrest International Schools M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hillcrest International Schools
What does Hillcrest International Schools do?
Hillcrest International Schools delivers a full K-13 British-curriculum education on a single Karen, Nairobi campus through three divisions — Early Years (ages 2-5), Preparatory School (Years 1-8), and Secondary School/Sixth Form (Years 9-13) — culminating in Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level, and BTEC qualifications. The school also operates a boarding facility (Toad Hall), provides termly tuition across year groups, transport services, lunch programmes, and scholarship awards.
Is Hillcrest International Schools a public or private company?
Hillcrest International Schools is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Hillcrest International Schools founded?
Hillcrest International Schools was founded in 1975. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hillcrest International Schools based?
Hillcrest International Schools is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Hillcrest International Schools make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are boarding Fees, transport Services and lunch Programme.
Who are Hillcrest International Schools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aga Khan Academy Nairobi, International School of Kenya (ISK), Kenton College Preparatory and Senior School, Brookhouse School and St. Andrew's School, Nairobi. Regional players are French School of Nairobi (Lycée Français de Nairobi), Peponi School and German School Nairobi (Deutsche Schule Nairobi). Braeburn Schools (Group / Braeburn Garden Estate / Braeburn Muthaiga) is listed as a broad incumbent. Cambridgeshire School (Nairobi) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hillcrest International Schools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hillcrest International Schools.
What industry is Hillcrest International Schools in?
Hillcrest International Schools's product category is International K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAG, International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.), with a secondary code of EDAJAFAB, Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.