Nord Anglia International School Dublin will boast state of the art facilities in the heart of Leopardstown and only 6 miles from the City Photo: NordAnglia

Ireland's most expensive school is set to open in Dublin this September, with fees of up to €24,000 per year.

The Nord Anglia school in Sandyford, Co Dublin will offer the International Baccalaureate to both Irish and global students.

Fees start at €15,900 and range up to €24,000 per year, per student.

Paul Crute, principal at Nord Anglia told Sean O'Rourke on RTÉ Radio One that the school is "ground-breaking".

"The fees are eye-catching ... but you can't compare the school to any school you've got in Ireland currently. There's only 200 schools on the planet that will offer the curriculum that this school is offering.

"It'll be the first all-through international (school) but it will offer the three stages of the International Baccalaureate. It will have bespoke collaborations with some of the world's best universities who've helped design the curriculum such as Juilliard and MIT. It's going to be a ground-breaking exercise."

Mr Crute, who attended Gordonstoun school, where Prince Charles was also educated, told Sean O'Rourke that Nord Anglia is "the world's biggest provider of world-class international schools".

"They tend to move into places and cities where they see a perceived need. Dublin is an exciting place to be. It's one of the only cities in the world that doesn't have a full top-to-toe international school for kids aged between three and 18.

"We're hoping the school will help sell Ireland to international companies wanting to relocate."

Mr Crute added that the school suits parents who plan to re-locate in other parts of the world, but don't want to interrupt their children's education.

"Parents are looking for a school that they can stay for three or four years and then pick up the same curriculum in another country. You can pick up where you left off. There are 4,000 international schools across the world."

He added that that Irish will be an optional subject at the school.

"We will offer that opportunity but it will not be compulsory."

The pupil-teacher ratio at the school is one teacher to 20 students.

"We will have a personalised teaching programme. Classes will be much smaller depending on the subject. Children with special needs will also be catered for at the school. Every child is important at Nord Anglia."

Mr Crute said that the Department of Education won't be doing evaluations of the school as they will not be taking any public funding.

"We're totally independent. We will be accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. They don't just let anyone deliver it. There are huge quality assurances."

Development of the campus will begin in January and will be ready for the school opening in September 2018.

"There has been over an overwhelming interest in the school. We'll have to wait and see how many students register.

"The sources of interest from parents does come from the globally mobile but there are returning Irish diaspora who want to continue in an international school."

Online Editors