Downe House Muscat

What Downe House Muscat does

Downe House Muscat is a private British international girls' school located in the Al Bandar area of Muscat, Oman, serving students from Kindergarten (KG1) through Grade 12. Founded in 2022, it is the first and only all-girls British international school in Oman and the first international partner school of Downe House UK (established 1907). The school offers a full British curriculum: Cambridge Primary in lower grades, IGCSE through Cambridge, Pearson, and Oxford AQA boards at Grades 9-10, and A-Level or Omani GED pathways at Grades 11-12, with Arabic Language and Islamic Studies integrated throughout. The purpose-built campus features a STEM centre, 450-seat theatre, music academy, and elite sports academy, with ancillary services including EAL, Learning Support, career guidance, scholarships, transportation, and pastoral care.

The business model is tuition-based, charging OMR 3,470-7,500 per student annually depending on grade, billed in three terms with a 5% discount for annual payment and 5% sibling discount. One-time non-refundable application (OMR 150) and assessment (OMR 200) fees supplement tuition. In August 2025, the school became part of Cognita Middle East, a regional hub of the global Cognita group operating 100+ schools across 20 countries and 14 schools in the Middle East, with seamless transfer pathways for expatriate families. The go-to-market is direct enrollment via a five-step admissions process (enquiry, tour, application, assessment, deposit) supported by open days, campus tours, website enquiry forms, and Instagram. Leadership is led by Principal Helen Booth-Smith (appointed 2025-26), previously the school's Deputy Head.

Name

Downe House Muscat

Legal name

Downe House Muscat

Website

https://downehousemuscat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Downe House Muscat is a private British international girls' school in Muscat, Oman, serving KG1 through Grade 12 with a Cambridge/IGCSE/A-Level curriculum, now part of the Cognita global schools network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK)

Keywords

• Girls school education
• British international curriculum
• Private K-12 education
• International school Oman
• Secondary school education

Headquarters

HQ city

Muscat

HQ country

Oman

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees charged per term or full year. Three-term structure with fees ranging from OMR 3,470 (KG1) to OMR 7,500 (Grades 11-12) annually. Payment can be per term or full year with 5% discount for full-year payment.
2. Application and Assessment Fees: One-time non-refundable application fee of OMR 150 and assessment fee of OMR 200 (refundable if place not offered).
3. Transportation Services: School bus service covering areas including Al Mouj, Mawaleh, Al Hail, Mabella, Bawshar, Al Ansab, Qurum, Khoud, Al Athaiba, Ghubra, and Al Khuwair.
4. After School Care: After school care services available for KG1 and KG2 students with additional charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Downe House Muscat is a private British international girls' school in Muscat, Oman, delivering the full British curriculum from KG1 through Grade 12. It is the first British international girls' school in Oman and operates within the Cognita Group's Middle East school network following its integration in August 2025.

Product overview

Downe House Muscat is a British international girls' school offering a comprehensive educational programme from Kindergarten through Sixth Form. The core offering is the British Curriculum combining Cambridge programmes with Downe House UK heritage, including KG1/KG2 Kindergarten, Cambridge Primary, IGCSE (Grades 9-10), A-Level or Omani GED pathways (Grades 11-12). Supporting services include EAL Programme, Learning Support Department, Career Guidance Programme, and Scholarships Programme. Enrichment is provided through extensive extra-curricular activities (Art, Music, Drama, Sports, Enrichment), Student Leadership Programme, and Downe House DNA Values Programme. Additional support services include Pastoral Care and School Transportation. The school is part of the Cognita global schools group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• British Curriculum Girls' Education (KG1 to Grade 12) Full British curriculum schooling for girls from Kindergarten Year 1 (KG1) through Grade 12, delivered on the Muscat campus. Aimed at expatriate and local Omani families seeking a single-sex, internationally recognized British education for their daughters, preparing them for IGCSE, A-Levels, and onward university placement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% overall IGCSE pass rate; 62% achieved A-C* in 2024-25
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cognita Middle EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCognita ME acquired and partnered with Downe House Muscat in August 2025 as part of a major regional expansion into Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. Cognita operates 100+ schools globally across 20 countries and now manages 14 schools in the Middle East with nearly 22,000 students and 4,000 staff in the region.
• Downe House UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowne House Muscat is the first international partner school of Downe House UK (established 1907). The partnership includes shared educational philosophy, DNA framework, annual leadership visits, professional development, student exchange programmes (first exchange May 2026 for Grade 7 students), and joint conservation projects connecting students across both schools.
• Dar Al Atta'aminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership supporting families in need across Oman. Downe House Muscat community participates in charity food collections in partnership with Dar Al Atta'a, with strong engagement from students and parents.
• Cheltenham MuscatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth schools partnered with Cognita ME in August 2025. Cheltenham Muscat is Oman's first premium co-educational British international school (opened 2021). Schools share transportation services, with transport email managed through Cheltenham Muscat.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cheltenham Muscat: Cheltenham Muscat is a Cognita-operated British international co-educational school in Muscat that opened in 2021; together with Downe House Muscat it now forms part of Cognita ME's Omani footprint, sharing transportation and admissions infrastructure.
• The American International School of Muscat (TAISM): TAISM is one of the largest and longest-established premium international schools in Muscat offering US and IB pathways; it competes for the same expatriate family segment with similar fee structures and university-prep outcomes.
• American British Academy (ABA) Muscat: ABA Muscat is an IB World School in Muscat that serves both local and expat families with an internationally recognized curriculum at premium price points; it competes for the same affluent family segment with a different but equally international curriculum offering.
• British School Muscat: British School Muscat is a long-standing premium British-curriculum school in Muscat serving both boys and girls; it competes for the same expatriate and Omani premium-segment families seeking UK-style education.
• Downe House UK: Downe House UK (founded 1907) is the original British independent girls' school that operates a formal partnership with Downe House Muscat; they share the DNA framework, leadership visits, and student exchanges, making the UK school the closest natural benchmark for curriculum, ethos, and outcomes.

Regional players

• Dubai College: Dubai College is one of the UAE's most academically selective British-curriculum secondary schools; it offers a useful benchmark for IGCSE and A-Level performance and premium pricing in the GCC market.
• Cranleigh Abu Dhabi: Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is a premium British-curriculum school serving the UAE capital as part of a wider British independent school brand; it competes for the same expatriate British-education families in the broader GCC and benchmarks premium girls' and co-ed curricula at comparable price points.
• Brighton College Abu Dhabi: Brighton College Abu Dhabi is the UAE branch of the UK independent school with a premium fee structure and strong university placement record; it competes with Downe House Muscat's Cognita stable for the same Gulf-region British-curriculum premium market.
• Repton School Abu Dhabi (Frymern): Repton School Abu Dhabi is a premium British independent school following an English national curriculum with A-Level outcomes; it serves the same expatriate premium-segment families in the UAE and provides a regional benchmark for pricing and academic positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Nord Anglia International School Dubai: Nord Anglia operates a large global network of premium international schools including a major Dubai flagship; it competes broadly across the GCC for premium international education families, with comparable fees, facilities, and university-prep outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/downehousemuscat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Downe House Muscat