A private school in west Suffolk has founded a new sister school nearly 2,000 miles away in Russia, which will open next week.
Brookes Cambridge, which is based in Risby, near Bury St Edmunds, and is part of the Brookes Education Group, has announced details of the £26million new school – which is located in the Botanical Gardens area of Moscow.
The groundbreaking partnership comes at a time of rising political tension between the UK and Russia on the back of the Salisbury novichok attack.
But the new independent school, Brookes Moscow, has already forged partnerships with Moscow State University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA.
Students at the school will study the International Baccalaureate.
David Rose, UK director for Brookes Education Group, says that Russian families are keen to explore the high-tech learning opportunities at the school.
He said: “This is a very exciting time for our group and for our community.
“Local families in Moscow are keen to explore interactive-based learning that is focused on critical thinking, and expatriates recognise the importance of joining a school system that is transferable and current and which leads to successful university entry.”
The school is a 17,000 square metre building that will accommodate nearly 1,000 students aged from two to 18 – and those students will come from both the expatriate and local communities.
The school facilities include swimming pools, an auditorium, sports halls, makerspace workshops, ballet studios, science labs, libraries, media rooms and large classrooms that overlook the extensive playgrounds and river.
The school building is also at the heart of a purpose built residential area and is close to the Moscow Metro.
The school will be officially opened on September 19 by Prince Michael of Kent and will be assisted by the mayor of Moscow and other dignitaries.
Prince Michael, the Queen’s first cousin, speaks fluent Russian and has a strong interest in the country where he is a well-known figure.
The Brookes Education Group, owns and operates schools in Canada, India, the USA, Russia and South Korea.
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