St Andrew's International School

"St Andrew's International School is a private international school located in Nassau, on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas."

With a history stretching back to its founding in 1948, the school has grown into one of the most academically respected institutions in the country, offering a rigorous International Baccalaureate education to students from Preschool through Grade 12. For families relocating to Nassau — whether from abroad or within the region — St Andrew's represents a well-established community where high academic standards and an international outlook come together in one of the Caribbean's most vibrant island settings. The school holds a meaningful distinction in the Bahamian educational landscape: it was the first school in the Bahamas to be authorized to offer both the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP). This pioneering commitment to the International Baccalaureate framework reflects a long-standing belief in inquiry-based, globally minded education. The PYP shapes learning in the early and primary years by encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of international-mindedness from the very start, while the Diploma Programme prepares older students for university entrance with a challenging and widely recognized pre-university curriculum. All instruction is delivered in English, making the school a natural fit for English-speaking expat families as well as internationally mobile professionals seeking continuity in their children's education. Enrollment stands at approximately 400 students, a size that allows for a genuine sense of community without sacrificing academic breadth. Notably, around 75% of the student body is Bahamian, which gives St Andrew's a distinctive character among international schools — rather than being a predominantly expatriate enclave, it is a school where international families join and contribute to a community that is genuinely rooted in Bahamian life. This blend enriches the social and cultural experience for all students and helps newcomers connect meaningfully with the country they are calling home. St Andrew's holds dual international accreditation from both the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), two of the most respected accrediting bodies in global education. These credentials signal a commitment not only to academic quality but to continuous institutional development, and they provide reassurance to families who may one day transition their children to schools in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere. Nassau itself offers a compelling backdrop for family life — a small, accessible capital city with a warm climate, a strong sense of community, and proximity to both North America and the wider Caribbean. For relocating professionals and expat families weighing their options, St Andrew's International School offers something relatively rare: a school with deep local roots, a genuinely international student body, a proven IB curriculum, and more than seven decades of history behind it. It is a school that has shaped generations of Bahamian and international students alike, and continues to do so with evident care and academic purpose.