SEK International School Riyadh

What SEK International School Riyadh does

SEK International School Riyadh is a private international school operated under Spain's SEK Education Group, a 130-year-old family-owned educational conglomerate founded in Madrid in 1892. The school opened in September 2021 and is the first to launch under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City International Schools Attraction Programme, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. It serves students from Pre-K through Grade 11 (ages 3–16) with a planned expansion to Grade 12, delivering the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum — PYP and MYP are authorized, DP is in candidate status — in English, Arabic, and Spanish. The school is registered with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education and is pursuing NEASC accreditation to enable a US High School Diploma pathway.

The school's core product is the proprietary Future Learning Model (FLM), a nine-dimension pedagogical framework built on the Intelligent Classroom concept, supported by a proprietary digital stack: MySEK Educativo (personalized virtual workspace integrating 20+ applications), SEK Portfolio (student evidence-of-learning documentation), SEK Tech Labs (programming, information management, robotics), SEK Playbook (teacher professional development), and the Be Well Centre (wellness, integrated with Yale RULER). Partnerships with Harvard Project Zero (Learning Outside-In) and Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence anchor the curriculum in premium academic frameworks.

The business model is tuition-led, with fee structures not publicly disclosed and billed on an annual basis with a 5% sibling discount and a 5% prompt-payment discount. Secondary revenue streams include uniform sales (via Zaks/Tala Mall) and cafeteria services. The sales-led GTM leverages the SEK Group brand, the OpenApply online admissions system, school tours, webinars, and community events such as International Day. The target customer segments are expatriate families in Riyadh seeking bilingual international education and Saudi families seeking IB curricula while satisfying Arabic and Islamic Studies requirements. Pricing signal is consistent with a premium international school serving roughly 300 students, with the headcount of 47 employees indicating a lean, growth-phase operation.

Name

SEK International School Riyadh

Legal name

Institución Educativa SEK

Website

https://sek.sa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SEK International School Riyadh is a private international school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operating under Spain's SEK Education Group. It delivers IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP candidate) in English, Arabic, and Spanish to students aged 3–16, currently serving Pre-K through Grade 11 since opening in September 2021.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Health Services (School Nursing, Health Office) (EDAJAIAE), School-Based SEL Curriculum & Instructional Programs (EDAKAMAA)

Keywords

• International baccalaureate education
• Private international schooling
• Multilingual K-12 education
• IB continuum programmes
• STEAM and sports education

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: SEK International School Riyadh generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to enrolled families. The school offers a 5% discount for the third child and a 5% discount if yearly fees are paid in advance.
2. Uniform Sales: School uniforms can be purchased at Zaks in the Tala Mall and through the Zak Store website.
3. Cafeteria Services: Lunch service is available through cafeteria with advance ordering options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SEK International School Riyadh is a private international school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, delivering the International Baccalaureate continuum (PYP, MYP, and DP candidate status) to students aged 3-18. The school offers multilingual education in English, Arabic, and Spanish, supported by a proprietary Future Learning Model (FLM) pedagogical framework and digital platforms (MySEK Educativo, SEK Portfolio, SEK Playbook). Specialized programmes include SEK Tech Labs for programming and robotics, the SEK International Sports Academy for high-performance athletes, ELE Spanish language courses, and the Be Well Centre for social-emotional wellness.

Product overview

SEK International School Riyadh is part of the SEK Education Group, offering an International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum programme (PYP, MYP, DP) for students aged 3-18. The school's core educational framework is the Future Learning Model (FLM), a proprietary pedagogical model driving personalized and collaborative learning. This is supported by multiple digital platforms including MySEK Educativo (student virtual workspace), SEK Portfolio (evidence-based learning documentation), and SEK Playbook (teacher professional development). The school also offers specialized programmes including the SEK International Sports Academy, ELE Spanish language instruction, SEK Tech Labs (programming and robotics), and the Be Well Centre for wellness. The IESEK Profile competency framework underpins the holistic development approach across all offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEK International Sports Academy: A high-performance school and university athlete programme that offers the chance to combine studies with sport in a personalised way, offering tennis, golf, football, equestrian sports, handball, swimming, winter sports, padel tennis and track and field.
• ELE (Español como Lengua Extranjera)

Products and services

• International Baccalaureate (IB) Education Programme Full IB continuum education (PYP, MYP, DP) for students aged 3-18, offering internationally recognized credentials for global university admissions. Authorized for PYP and MYP; candidate for DP.
• SEK International Sports Academy High-performance sports programme offering tennis, golf, football, equestrian sports, handball, swimming, winter sports, padel tennis, and track and field, combining academic studies with elite athletic development. Students can receive scholarships and grants to study at leading international universities.
• Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) Programme Spanish language instruction programme implemented following Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels and Cervantes Institute curriculum guidelines, from A1 to B1/B2 proficiency levels, for students and community learners.
• Early Childhood Education (Age 3-6) Early childhood education programme for students aged 3-6 years, delivered through the IB Primary Years Programme framework with SEK Future Learning Model pedagogical approach.
• Primary School Education (Age 6-11) Primary school education programme for students aged 6-11 years, delivered through the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework with multilingual instruction in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
• Middle School Education (MYP) Middle school education programme for students aged 11-16 years, delivered through the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) framework with emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and the IESEK Profile competency framework.

Quantifiable outcome

• IB PYP and MYP accreditation achieved; DP candidate status
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Learning Outside-In project where students learn in non-school environments such as museums, ports, or urban gardens. Project Zero is a research centre at Harvard Graduate School of Education. This collaboration invites students to learn beyond traditional classroom settings, fostering curiosity, agency, enjoyment, and a sense of belonging.
• Yale Center for Emotional IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness project includes the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence's RULER social and emotional intelligence program, which promotes the recognition, expression, and self-regulation of emotions across the SEK educational community.
• Felipe Segovia FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation promotes educational excellence and scholarship programmes including Academic Excellence Scholarships, María de Villota Scholarship, Sports Practice Scholarships, and Sports Potential Scholarships for students across SEK schools.
• Camilo José Cela UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEK schools benefit from collaboration with Camilo José Cela University for professional development of teachers and enrichment of students. University was founded in 2000 as part of SEK Education Group, with hallmarks of innovation, interdisciplinarity and international approach.
• Royal Commission for Riyadh CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEK-Riyadh is the first school to open as part of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City International Schools Attraction Programme, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 educational goals for international schooling in Riyadh.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)coreOthersSEK-Riyadh is authorized for IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), and is a candidate school for the Diploma Programme (DP). SEK has over 40 years of experience with IB programmes since 1977.
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)coreOthersSEK-Riyadh has started the process of accreditation with NEASC, one of the most prestigious international school accreditation agencies. NEASC accreditation will allow the school to award a fully recognized US High School Diploma.
• SEK International Sports AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-performance sports programme offered across SEK schools including tennis, golf, football, equestrian sports, handball, swimming, winter sports, padel tennis and track and field. Students can receive scholarships and grants to study at leading international universities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SEK International School Qatar: Sister school in the SEK Education Group operating in Doha, Qatar. Offers the same IB continuum, Future Learning Model, and Spanish-language heritage, making it the closest operational and pedagogical comparable to SEK-Riyadh.
• British International School Riyadh (BISR): One of the most established international schools in Riyadh, offering British curriculum from Early Years through Secondary. Competes directly for expatriate families seeking premium international education in Riyadh.
• American International School of Riyadh (AIS-R): Long-standing American international school in Riyadh offering US curriculum including AP courses and an American High School Diploma. A direct competitor for families seeking US-accredited education in the same catchment area.
• International Schools Group (ISG) Riyadh: Multi-campus operator in Riyadh running American, British, and IB programmes. Directly competes for the same premium expatriate and Saudi family segments across multiple curriculum tracks.
• King's Academy Riyadh: Premium IB World School in Riyadh founded by King Abdullah, serving both Saudi and expatriate students with a full IB continuum. Comparable in mission, premium positioning, and IB-only curriculum focus.
• Misk Schools Riyadh: Saudi non-profit premium school established by the Misk Foundation under Vision 2030, offering IB programmes from Grade 1 to 12. Direct competitor in the Vision 2030-aligned premium IB segment in Riyadh.
• SEK International School El Castillo: Flagship SEK International School in Madrid, Spain. Operates the same IB continuum, Future Learning Model, and proprietary digital platform suite as SEK-Riyadh, providing a useful operational benchmark.
• Dwight School Riyadh: Newer premium IB international school in Riyadh offering IB PYP, MYP, and DP. Competes directly for Vision 2030-aligned expatriate and affluent Saudi families in the premium tier.
• Turtle Bay International School (SEK/Red Sea Global): Newest SEK Education Group school in Saudi Arabia (opened 2025), located in the Red Sea region in partnership with Red Sea Global. Sister school using identical SEK Future Learning Model and digital platforms.

Regional players

• Riyadh International School: Established international school in Riyadh offering American curriculum with AP courses. While not IB-focused, it competes for the same premium expatriate family segment with a longer operating history and visible university placement track record.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SEK International School Riyadh