Kiev - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Two international schools. - May 2021
There are three international schools: Pechers School International (PSI), Kyiv International School (KIS), and Kiev Christian Academy. I believe there is also a small German school. Most of the embassy kids seem to be either at PSI or KIS. - Jun 2018
Two good options plus a few preschools; everyone seems to find something that works for them. - May 2017
I don't have kids, but Embassy families generally used two schools: Pechersk or the Kyiv International School. - Nov 2016
Our daughter goes to Kyiv International School, and we love it (she is in elementary school). Pluses include smaller class sizes than PSI (15 is the limit at KIS), and kids have swimming lessons weekly (they have an indoor pool), and a number of choices for second-language learning (starting in grade 1, they can take French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, or Russian). Also, she has had fabulous teachers, who are really responsive to any concerns and work with students to help them learn to overcome problems. Our only gripe is that we think the homework assigned is too much for grade 1. Pechersk School International is also supposed to be really good; lots of people are very happy with it. PSI class sizes are larger, but some people think it is better academically. My daughter's classes have had 11 and 13 students, respectively, for the school years she has attended (with a teacher and an assistant teacher); at PSI, she would have been in a class of 20. In addition, for elementary school, I have found that KIS is quite academic. The teachers are excellent, and my daughter is not bored, even though she's ahead in some subjects. For example, my daughter reads above grade level, and she is allowed to read books at her level. The teacher did an excellent evaluation to establish her level and then they make sure she has books available at her level. She also has been given more difficult homework in math when she was able to understand concepts that her classmates couldn't. Another consideration is commute: from downtown, commute times for the bus to PSI are longer. Our daughter spends about 25 minutes on the bus each way (sometimes 30 in the afternoon). That said, it depends where you live downtown, because some of her friends have a 45 minute commute to KIS. Overall, we have heard good things about both schools. Some people have had trouble with bullying at KIS; we personally know someone whose older children experienced bullying there and moved the kids to PSI, where they are happier. There is a new director for KIS, and he seems quite responsive, so this is being addressed. It does not appear to be a problem in elementary grades, and we haven't had any issues. Some people send their kids to the British school. I haven't heard much about it, but one family finds that they don't communicate very well with parents. - Nov 2015
There is KIS, the Christian school, the Bristish School and PSI. There is also a French school. Our son started 8th grade at KIS which has a super nice campus, near our house. He hated it. It's hard to tell if it was the transfer talking (he was super happy at our previous post) or a real problem, but he was called names daily and even the teachers were tough on him. (In the first week he was sent to detention twice. It hadn't happened any time in his entire life, and hasn't happened since, he's not that kind of kid. He said the teacher assistant who watches the kids in dentention was one of the nicest people he met at the school though, so there's that.) We transferred him to the smaller, further away and less posh PSI (although the former president's girlfriend's daughter is in his class). He's happy at PSI despite of the long bus ride. LOTS of people send their kids to KIS and absolutely love it. PSI has been a better fit for our kid. - Jun 2015
My kids were little. My daughter attended P'tit Cref (in the center of town) and I would highly recommend this school full of caring teachers and small classes. I also know families who were very happy with the French School in the center of town. I chose to not send my daughter to KIS because of mixed reviews and PSI because of the commute time that is often over an hour each way. - Apr 2014
There are two international schools and one Christian school. They provide basic necessities. The Christian school is good with discipline, but the International schools sometimes have their children go wild. Academics are better at the International School, but there is some anti-US and pro-European attitudes among the school staff. - Apr 2013
I've heard no complaints other than long commutes for some. - Feb 2013
No personal experience, but parents and school-aged children seemed happy. - Jul 2012
No experience as my child is small but have heard good things about both of them. - Aug 2009
KIS and Pechersk School are the two most commonly used and the best. KIS is cheaper. - Apr 2008
No experience but from what I hear, parents are generally happy with either Kyiv International School or Pechersk. - Apr 2008
I don't have children, but there are two schools primarily used by the embassy community. Kyiv International School (KIS) and Perchersk School International. There is also Kyiv Christian School but I don't believe any embassy children use it at the moment. I haven't heard any serious complaints about the schools. - Feb 2008
