King’s International School is one of the leading international schools offering British Curriculum in Uganda. We caught up with the School’s Founder and Director, Ms. Naomi Davidson, and this is what she says about King’s …

We need to support the next generation by becoming adults with strong ethics and a wide variety of skills to develop Uganda to become a 1st world country. We have all the resources and minerals that can transform Uganda into a wealthy and competitive nation.

What makes King’s International School unique? Why should parents choose you for their children education? 

Because we do what we say we do. Companies follow a fashion; you follow a particular lingo for that season or a particular focus. If you have modern facilities and use the right language that is used by every other school then people follow.  If your school has large numbers and is known by everyone then they must be good, everyone flock to the popular school.  However, this doesn’t always mean they are really teaching with quality or doing what their mission says they do or the qualities and values they state. You have to actually value the individual child enough to make sure they reach their potential.  We do.  We do what our mission states we do.

My goal was, and is, to continue to build an institution that offers a curriculum that develops skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, creative thinking and interdependent learning.  I want this to be available to the Ugandan people to contribute to the development of Uganda. 

Who are your targeted learners and when do you admit them? What curriculum do you implement at King’s International School and how does it benefit learners? 

We have Early years, Primary and a Secondary department, up to Year 10.  We enrol most of our students during August/September when our new academic year starts. However, children join us throughout the year as we welcome any child no matter what learning journey they have been on.  We follow the UK British curriculum at King’s that focuses on skills development.  Teaching a child to reason, to think ahead, problem solve, think critically and creatively.  To analyse and evaluate drawing on their own conclusion with their own evidence.  Along with knowledge, we teach children how to apply this knowledge using a variety of skills to become life-long independent learners.    

How has your school impacted on the learners over the years? 

It’s important to always account for the whole child.  Their mental, physical, spiritual and social wellbeing all go before their intellectual growth, a child can only learn to their full capacity when they are strong in their mental health and social wellbeing. Our school environment’s foundation is based on community.  We work with each student to protect their whole wellbeing, especially their mental health.

Where are some of your pioneer learners and where are they today? 

We’ve been running King’s for 15 years.  The pioneers are now going off to University in the UK and the United States.  Studying in many different fields, to mention a few filming, Psychology, Fashion etc.

Beyond academics, what extracurricular activities do you have at King’s International School? 

We offer Basketball, Swimming, Football, Performing Arts, Rugby, Running club, Chess, Art club and spelling bee along with musical instruments.

Different from other international schools in the country, King’s International School employs many African teachers and learners. I believe you have good reasons for this… 

African teachers are more stable, they aren’t moving around from one country to the next so this keeps stability for the students and helps them build trust and strong relationships. We have an international staff who train and support the education throughout the school, so our African staff are experienced as well as committed.

There is a general belief that international schools are expensive. What is your take in relation to King’s International School? 

King’s International School is much affordable. Ofcourse the fees are higher than those of schools of national curriculum.   I think we need to sensitise the community of what makes an international school, different from the national curriculum. What makes an international school is staffing and facilities that are got at great expense. We need expertise that have a deep understanding of the International System, that is very different from the national system. Experienced staffing is very expensive. We need resources to implement all aspects of our curriculum which come at a great cost.  If you want quality, it comes at a cost.

What message to you have for parents and guardians with young children?  

We need to support the next generation by becoming adults with strong ethics and a wide variety of skills to develop Uganda to become a 1st world country. We have all the resources and minerals that can transform Uganda into a wealthy and competitive nation.  We need to support our children and inculcate in them the desire to grow and develop our beautiful Uganda instead of running away to another.

Your last word

King’s International School is a school that really values education.  We are intentional about each child learning and achieving.  We truly believe that education is a powerful tool to change a nation.  At King’s we are training our children to be equipped with knowledge, skills and character who will change the communities they work in.