Cambridge High School Amman

A Multicultural Community at the Heart of West Amman

Cambridge High School is home to approximately 1,000 students drawn from more than 30 nationalities, making it one of the most diverse international schools in Jordan. This diversity is a central feature of the CHS experience and aligns naturally with the International Baccalaureate's explicit mission to develop internationally minded, globally aware young people.

Who Attends CHS?

The school serves a broad mix of expatriate families — diplomats, corporate professionals, and NGO workers based in Amman — alongside Jordanian families seeking an internationally recognised English-medium education. The breadth of nationalities means students are exposed daily to different perspectives, languages, and cultural backgrounds, enriching classroom discussions and social life alike.

Location and Accessibility

CHS is located in the Al Rabia neighbourhood of West Amman, one of the city's most established residential and diplomatic districts. The school operates a bus service covering West Amman routes (800 JOD/year) and the Airport Road corridor (850 JOD/year), making it accessible from the key expat residential zones. Queen Alia International Airport is approximately 30 km away — around 40 minutes by car — facilitating arrivals and departures for internationally mobile families.

Languages as a Community Bond

English is the primary language of instruction and the common tongue that brings the multinational student body together. Arabic is compulsory for all students, reflecting both the host country culture and the school's commitment to linguistic breadth. This bilingual foundation means students graduate with strong competencies in at least two major world languages.

Sibling Discounts Reflect Family-Oriented Culture

The school offers a 10% tuition discount for a second enrolled child and 15% for a third or subsequent child — a policy that suggests many families have multiple children at the school and speaks to a close-knit, family-centred community culture.

Academic Excellence Through the IB Continuum

Cambridge High School in Amman offers one of Jordan's most comprehensive international academic programmes. Authorised as an IB World School since 12 March 2004, the school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum — from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) through the Middle Years Programme (MYP) to the IB Diploma Programme (DP) — alongside Cambridge International qualifications including IGCSE and A-Level.

IB and Cambridge Dual Pathway

The dual-pathway structure means students benefit from the inquiry-based, internationally-minded philosophy of the IB while also having access to Cambridge's structured subject-specialist qualifications. This combination is particularly valued by internationally mobile families, as the credentials are recognised by universities worldwide.

Rigorous and Broad Curriculum

The school's curriculum is described as broad, balanced, and challenging, intentionally designed to support both academic and personal development. Instruction is delivered primarily in English, with Arabic compulsory throughout all year groups, reflecting the bilingual character of the school and its location in Jordan.

University Outcomes

A notable headline outcome is that 100% of Cambridge High School graduates proceed to university — a figure cited by EduCativ and consistent with the school's strong academic positioning. While specific destination data is not publicly available, the school's IB and Cambridge credentials open pathways to institutions across the UK, USA, Europe, and the Arab world.

Visual Arts and CAS

For Grades 11 and 12 (the IB Diploma years), the school levies an additional Visual Arts fee of 150 JOD per year, reflecting the resource-intensive nature of the IB's Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component and the school's commitment to arts education within the Diploma framework.

Assessment Approach

Assessment at CHS follows the IB and Cambridge frameworks: continuous internal assessment, coursework, and formal external examinations. The school's own communications describe a rigorous assessment culture that prepares students thoroughly for higher education entry requirements globally.

Campus Life and Facilities

Cambridge High School's single campus in West Amman is a comprehensive facility designed to support learning, athletics, and the arts across all age groups from Foundation Stage through Grade 12.

Sports Infrastructure

The campus sports offering is notably broad for an urban school. Facilities include:

• An indoor gymnasium for physical education and indoor sports
• A swimming pool used for both curriculum PE and competitive swimming
• An outdoor football (soccer) field for 11-a-side play
• Basketball courts (outdoor)
• Volleyball courts (outdoor)
• Tennis courts (outdoor)

This variety supports a wide extracurricular sports programme including football, basketball, badminton, physical fitness training, volleyball, swimming, and tennis.

Academic and Science Facilities

The school maintains dedicated physics, biology, and chemistry laboratories, supporting the practical science requirements of both the Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level and IB Diploma syllabuses. A library operating on the Follett Destiny catalogue management system provides students with access to curated academic resources and quiet study space. Computer laboratories equipped with modern IT infrastructure support the technology curriculum.

Arts and Performance

The campus includes an art room with painting and craft equipment, a music room with instruments and recording facilities, and an auditorium/multi-purpose hall for performances, assemblies, and events. A filmmaking studio and photography facilities are also referenced, reflecting the school's commitment to creative arts within and beyond the IB CAS framework.

Early Years Environment

The Foundation Stage section benefits from interactive classrooms designed for young learners and outdoor playgrounds with age-appropriate play equipment, ensuring the youngest students have stimulating and safe learning environments.

Day School Only

CHS operates exclusively as a day school — there are no boarding facilities. Students commute daily, with a school bus service available for families in West Amman and along the Airport Road corridor.

Educational Philosophy

Cambridge High School's educational philosophy is rooted in the framework of the International Baccalaureate Organisation. Authorised since 2004, the school has fully embraced the IB's core belief that education should develop the whole person — intellectually, emotionally, ethically, and socially.

The IB Mission in Practice

The IBO mission, to which CHS subscribes, aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. At CHS, this translates into a curriculum that goes well beyond rote learning or examination preparation. Students are encouraged to ask questions, make connections across disciplines, and reflect on their own values and those of others.

Collaboration and Respect

A recurring theme in CHS communications is the emphasis on students working collaboratively and respectfully with peers from different backgrounds. With 30 nationalities represented in the student body, the school's classrooms are natural laboratories for intercultural dialogue. The IB Learner Profile — which asks students to be inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective — provides a common language for personal development that transcends cultural boundaries.

Holistic Development

The school's own mission statement speaks to broad, balanced, and challenging educational experiences that support both academic and personal growth. This holistic orientation is most visible in the IB Diploma's CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) requirement, which mandates meaningful engagement outside the classroom. CHS supports CAS through a rich extracurricular programme spanning sports, the arts, and community service activities.

Bilingualism as a Value

The school's insistence on Arabic alongside English as compulsory languages is itself a philosophical statement: that students should be grounded in their host culture and environment, not insulated from it. This bilingual approach differentiates CHS from more insular expat-oriented schools and reflects a genuine commitment to local engagement.

Admissions at Cambridge High School

Cambridge High School admits students from Foundation Stage 1 (age 3) through Grade 12 (age 18), offering entry at multiple points throughout the academic year subject to place availability. The school's admissions process is typical of well-established international IB schools in the Middle East.

Entry Fees

New students pay a one-time enrollment fee upon acceptance:

• 400 JOD for new students entering Grades 2–12
• 200 JOD for new students entering Kindergarten, KG1, KG2, or Grade 1

These fees are separate from annual tuition and cover administrative enrolment costs.

Tuition Fee Structure

Annual tuition ranges from 2,560 JOD at Foundation Stage 1 to 8,150 JOD at Grades 11–12, reflecting the increased resource intensity and qualification demands at the senior level. Additional costs include:

• School bus: 800–850 JOD/year depending on route
• Visual Arts fee (Grades 11–12 only): 150 JOD/year
• Textbooks, uniform, and field trips are not included in tuition

Sibling Policy

Families with multiple children benefit from meaningful discounts: a 10% reduction on tuition for a second enrolled child and 15% for a third or subsequent child. This policy makes CHS more accessible for larger families and contributes to the school's stable, multi-generational community feel.

Academic Selectivity

While specific acceptance rate data is not published, the school operates an IB and Cambridge curriculum that demands strong academic engagement. Entry to the Diploma Programme at Grades 11–12 is expected to involve a review of prior academic performance and suitability for the rigorous IB DP workload. The school does not publicly advertise a waitlist, though space constraints at popular entry points are typical for well-regarded international schools in Amman.

Language of Admissions

Given that all core instruction is in English, prospective families should expect age-appropriate English proficiency to be a consideration at assessment, particularly for older students entering secondary school.