Cognita Middle East (Cognita ME), the regional hub of the global schools group, has announced a major expansion by entering into strategic partnerships with five schools and expanding its footprint into three new Middle Eastern markets – Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. This milestone strengthens Cognita’s presence in the region and reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence and holistic education.
The partner schools include Downe House Riyadh, King’s College Riyadh, Downe House Muscat, Cheltenham Muscat, and King’s College Doha. Cognita ME will now operate 14 schools across the Middle East, building on its existing portfolio of nine schools in the UAE and Kuwait, which include Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai, the Repton Family of Schools, Horizon International School, Horizon English School, Ranches Primary School, Al Ain English Speaking School and Dasman Bilingual School. As a result of this partnership, Cognita ME’s student numbers in the region will grow to almost 22,000, while its staff will increase to 4,000.
As one of the world’s leading school groups, Cognita has a global network of over 100 schools across 20 countries, supporting more than 100,000 students and 22,000 staff. Educators benefit from state-of-the-art professional development programmes, including bespoke team and leadership courses in partnership with the world-renowned IOE – Faculty of Education and Society at University College London. Meanwhile, students join a diverse community of learners where social, emotional, physical, and cognitive learning are blended. This approach leads to strong academic outcomes, as well as building agency, an adaptive mindset, and positive attitudes, and enabling them to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Commenting on the expansion, David Baldwin, Chief Executive Officer of Cognita Middle East, said: “This expansion marks an exciting new chapter for Cognita, strengthening our presence in the Middle East and building on the foundations we’ve established in the UAE and Kuwait. As we grow into Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar, our focus remains on delivering an exceptional education that meets the needs of each community. Every Cognita school has its own unique identity, ethos, and curriculum, shaped by its students and families. We are committed to preserving the individuality of each school while sharing a collective ambition – to create inspiring learning environments that build confidence and help every student realise their full potential.”
In Saudi Arabia, Cognita ME has partnered with Downe House Riyadh and King’s College Riyadh, both of which were opened under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City’s flagship International Schools Attraction Programme. Established in 2022, Downe House Riyadh is the first top-ranked premium British girls’ school to open in Saudi Arabia and has a strong focus on academic excellence and student well-being. Bringing over a century of teaching experience from its UK sister school, the school delivers a first-class education for boys and girls aged two to nine and an all-girls education from age 10 to 18. Meanwhile, King’s College Riyadh, the first British private school to be established in Saudi Arabia, brings 140 years of expertise from King’s College, UK, and provides a world-class British education for children aged three to 11.
In Oman, Cognita ME has partnered with two schools, Downe House Muscat and Cheltenham Muscat. Opened in 2022, Downe House Muscat, the first British international girls’ school in Oman, brings over a century of academic excellence to Oman from its sister school in the UK. In 2024, its outstanding teaching was reflected in exceptional GCSE results where 41% of students achieved grades 9–7 (A*–A), while 78% secured grades 9–4 (A*–C).
Cheltenham Muscat, Oman’s first premium co-educational British international school, opened in 2021 for ages three to 18. Founded on the traditions of Cheltenham College, which boasts 180 years of educational excellence in the UK, it delivers an outstanding British international curriculum from Early Years to IGCSE. In 2024, Cheltenham Muscat students excelled in the Pearson Learner Awards, achieving the highest mark in Oman for GCSE Spanish and Science.
This partnership also marks Cognita ME’s entry into Qatar with King’s College Doha, a distinguished British curriculum school for ages three to 18, affiliated with Kings College, UK. In 2024, its outstanding teaching was reflected in exceptional GCSE results, where 51% of students achieved grades 9–7 (A*–A), while 97% secured grades 9–4 (A*–C), with a quarter of the cohort recognised as outstanding achievers. In addition, 100% of King’s Doha A-Level students secured places at UK universities.
Through this expansion into new markets, Cognita aims to build on its proven success in the Middle East. With a portfolio of schools renowned for delivering high-quality education, nurturing students’ personal development, and empowering them to thrive both academically and personally, Cognita ME will leverage its global and regional expertise, resources, and insights from over 100 schools worldwide to accelerate growth and support the success and prosperity of its new school communities.
