How to choose a school in Islamabad: boards, sectors and fees explained

Islamabad has more schools per family than any other city in Pakistan, and that is exactly what makes choosing one hard. Here is how to narrow it down in a week rather than a year.

1. Decide the board first

Almost every Islamabad school follows one of two systems.

• Federal Board (FBISE) runs Matric and FSc. It is the route most government colleges and the medical and engineering entry tests are built around, and fees are lower. Islamabad Model Colleges, OPF, Fazaia, Army Public Schools and most neighbourhood private schools sit FBISE.
• Cambridge (O and A Level) is the international route taken by Roots, Beaconhouse, The City School, Froebel's, Headstart, LGS and Westminster. It suits families planning for universities abroad or for LUMS, NUST and IBA, all of which accept it with an equivalence certificate.

A small number of schools, including the International School of Islamabad and LGS, also offer the IB Diploma.

Switching boards mid-way is expensive and disruptive, so settle this before you look at a single campus.

2. Draw a 20-minute circle

The Islamabad Expressway and Srinagar Highway at 7:30 am are the real constraint. A school in H-8 is a comfortable run from G-9 or I-8 and a hard one from Bahria Town or DHA Phase 2. Use the Scoodemy schools directory to filter by sector and see every campus of a network, then rule out anything outside a 20-minute drive at school time.

3. Compare fees like-for-like

Monthly fees are only part of the bill. Ask for:

• admission fee and security deposit (often one to three months' fee)
• annual charges, books, uniform and transport
• the O Level exam fees, which are paid to Cambridge separately and run into tens of thousands of rupees per session

Write the total for the first year for each school on one sheet. The gap between schools is often much smaller, or much larger, than the monthly fee suggests.

4. Visit during a school day

Ask to see a Grade 4 or Grade 8 lesson in progress, not the empty science lab. Look at class size, whether children are talking or only listening, and how the teacher handles the child who is lost. Ask what happens when a student falls behind: the good schools have an answer.

5. Read what parents say

Every school in the Scoodemy directory has a reviews section where parents and former students rate it. Reviews are checked before they appear, so a school's page reflects real experience, not marketing.

What if your child needs extra help?

Whichever school you choose, most Islamabad children take some tuition by Grade 9. A verified home tutor in Islamabad on a monthly plan, or live online classes at the Virtual Academy, can cover the gaps a class of thirty cannot.