The purchase comes after the Wellington College International announced earlier this year it would launch its first US school, the bilingual Hiba Academy. Speaking to The PIE, the school confirmed that this is the location of the school, which is set to open in 2026.

“After a year of searching, we are thrilled to have found a beautiful building in an ideal location to launch Hiba’s first US venture and are proud to be well on our way to bringing our world class programmes in a purpose-built, state-of-the art facility to students in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Jane Camblin, managing director, Hiba Academy Bay Area.

Westwood US, an affiliate of the British private school, paid $23.5 million for the three-story building located at 99 Rhode Island Street, according to the San Francisco Business Times. At full capacity, Wellington College will have 400 students.

Hiba Academy is a bilingual school, affiliated with the school in China, and will teach students from kindergarten through grade 8 in both English and Chinese. Wellington College’s growing portfolio includes schools in the UK, China, Thailand and India.

The group opened its first school in China, Wellington College International Tianjin, in August 2011. It grew in 2014 with the addition of Wellington College International Shanghai, followed by its bilingual schools, Hiba Academy Shanghai, which opened in 2018.

In 2018, it opened two additional schools in Hangzhou: Hiba Academy Hangzhou and Wellington College International Hangzhou. Hiba Academy Nantong, WCC’s flagship boarding school, opened in 2022.

English schools have been expanding globally for a while, but recently they have increasingly been turning to North America.

Harrow School International, another well-established British school, is also opening its first US location next year. An agreement was made with parent company Amity Education Group in 2021, to open Harrow International Schools in both India as well as this one in New York.

Located in Long Island, New York, the school will offer premium day and boarding education for girls and boys in grades 6-12, offering the international baccalaureate curriculum, according to its website.

The plan is to open the school in 2025 with roughly 80 students and grow to about 500 students over the course of several years, according to the school.

“In partnership with our parent company Amity University, Harrow International School New York is honoured and excited to bring Harrow values and traditions to a new international school in the United States,” said Matthew Sipple, project lead and vice principal, Harrow International School New York.

Harrow New York is part of the family of schools, with locations in the UK, India, Hong Kong, China, Thailand and Japan. It is one of several Harrow-branded schools to be owned and operated by the Amity Education Group, which has been operating international schools around the world in Europe, Asia and Middle East under both the Harrow and Amity brands.

Speaking of the trend, Ashwin Goel, managing director at L.E.K Consulting, said UK schools are increasingly turning to the United States. He said there is “evidence of an affinity for a British-style education” and “prestigious British school brand”, despite its already developed fee-paying system.

Talking to The PIE News, he said cities like Miami, Florida, and San Francisco Bay Area, as well as New York, would be interesting locations for British providers. These are places where parents value high quality education and parents pay more for legacy brands.

He stated that New York in particular stands out as having strong demand for British school brands.

The US can be a tricky market – finding pieces of land can be hard and you need extensive regulatory and municipal approvals

Ashwin Goel, L.E.K Consulting

He added: “The US can be a tricky market – finding pieces of land can be hard and you need extensive regulatory and municipal approvals. It is incredible to see international operators are managing to do it –their success will drive how the rest of the market follows.”

Wellington College told The PIE that it conducted an in-depth worldwide demographic study, in which it found San Francisco as one of the top potential markets. It found that both parents and students are seeking high-quality education, underpinned by bilingual programmes and track-record of a well-known brand.

Last year, North London Collegiate was also exploring setting up a school in Miami, Florida. However it is uncertain if this is happening. Last week, the premium English brand announced it will open its first school in Japan next summer.  

There are currently 52 international schools in the US, according to the International Schools Database. But only a handful of these operate with a British Curriculum – the most bespoke being Harrow School, which will charge $71,500 for full boarding.