Two years ago, we opened the doors of Buckswood Riyadh with a simple but ambitious belief that education should prepare children not simply to pass through school, but to discover who they are and who they can become. Today, as I look at Buckswood, I see much more than a school. I see a community that has grown, challenged itself, learned, laughed, experimented and, most importantly, grown together. Buckswood Riyadh was established in the Kingdom with a clear purpose: to bring a distinctive British educational philosophy to Riyadh- one that combines academic ambition with character, individuality, creativity and a genuine sense of belonging.
Buckwood is intentionally personal. We want children to feel seen, heard, valued and understood. We want parents to know that their child is not lost in a system. Because before we can teach a child mathematics, science, languages or literature, we need to understand the child sitting in front of us.
For us, education is about much more than simply delivering a curriculum and teaching subjects. Social and emotional learning, character, confidence, resilience, relationships and wellbeing are not extras; they are education. We want our children to be curious enough to ask questions, brave to make mistakes, kind to care about others and confident enough to find their own voice. We do not want children who simply know the answers. We want children who know how to think, how to question, how to collaborate, how to lead, how to adapt and how to learn. We want to prepare children for life, not simply for their next examination or their next year at school.
The world our students live in is very different from the world we grewup in. AI, technology and digital innovation are changing how we work, communicate and create. But we do not see technology as a replacement for humanity. Quite the opposite. AI and technology should not replace what makes us human; they should help us use our humanity better. Technology can calculate, AI can generate and machines can automate, but children still need to care, imagine, question, empathise, create, lead, communicate and make ethical decisions. We are preparing students for tomorrow, but we are doing it from the strength of yesterday—from relationships, values, character, curiosity, responsibility and the timeless belief that education changes lives.
There is a phrase that captures something essential about Buckswood: “We don’t follow trends. We leave trails.” It reflects our willingness to think differently. Buckswood has never been a “go with the flow” school. We question, we try new ideas. Sometimes we get it right immediately; sometimes we learn along the way. But we are never afraid to move forward. Our children should experience that same freedom. They should be encouraged to explore, to take healthy risks, to discover their talents and to understand that there is rarely only one path to success.
Buckswood Riyadh is proudly part of the wider Buckswood Global Education family, carrying forward a British educational heritage while building something that belongs here in the Kingdom. We believe in being a very British school with a truly global outlook, while at the same time respecting, understanding and celebrating the culture, values and opportunities of Saudi Arabia. Our children are growing up in one of the most exciting periods in the Kingdom’s history. They are growing up in a Saudi Arabia that is itself looking outward, innovating, developing and creating new possibilities. We want our students to have the confidence to participate in that future. We want them to lead it, contribute to it and help shape it.
After two years, I am proud of how far we have travelled, but I am even more excited about where we are going. Because Buckswood is an adventure, and like every worthwhile adventure, the best part is not knowing exactly what comes next.
Welcome to a school that puts the child first. Welcome to a school where every child is known. Welcome to a school that prepares for life.
