From Past to Present

Our History

Al Waha International School is an international, licensed, accredited private school, providing a broad-based education, through the medium of the English language to students in classes from KG1 to Grade 12.

The school aims to develop as a community with teachers, children and parents going forward hand in hand, while fostering in students high moral values and total integrity of character as taught by Islam. All efforts are made to develop in children the concepts, knowledge, attitudes and skills required in key learning areas in the setting of a warm, caring and safe learning environment. The stimulation of intellectual curiosity, freedom of expression, fairness and respect for others are seen as major target areas of achievement.

Previously known as the Jeddah Montessori School, it was founded in July 1992 to cater to the educational needs of a diverse, large and growing expatriate community of Jeddah. The school began modestly, housed in a villa with 20 children, in classes ranging from Nursery to Year 2.

With Allah’s blessings, and under the charismatic and dynamic leadership of Mrs. Tahira Ghias, the former Principal and Directress, the teething problems of a new institution were steadily overcome, and the school grew from strength to strength.

The Tenth Year Celebration held in June 2002 marked the completion of a glorious decade and was a spectacular event in the history of Al Waha. Over its two decades of existence, the school’s growth has been phenomenal, both in terms of numbers as well as the development and complexity of its academic program. Currently, with many more facilities than before, it operates almost at capacity level with more than 1600+ students, hailing from 25 different nationalities.

Beginning as an elementary school housed in a small villa, it is now spread over four spacious campuses that are independent self-contained facilities, equipped with their own computer laboratories, libraries, science laboratories, auditoriums, playgrounds, audio-visual rooms, cafeterias and other educational resources.