Construction Begins on New British School Campus in Astana

A capsule-laying ceremony on June 7 marked the official start of construction on the new Ardingly College campus in Astana, a major milestone in Kazakhstan-UK educational cooperation. Ardingly Astana is a branch of Ardingly College, a prestigious British coeducational day and boarding school founded in 1858 in West Sussex, England. The Astana branch will follow the Cambridge curriculum, offering instruction in English and preparing students for A-Level examinations. The school’s faculty will include educators with international and UK-based teaching experience. The first phase of the new campus is expected to open in 2026, with the capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 students. The campus will include state-of-the-art facilities such as a swimming pool, sports complexes, music and art studios, and science laboratories. Designed as an educational hub for students from Kazakhstan and across Central Asia, Ardingly Astana aims to merge the British academic model with innovative teaching methods, equipping students for admission to leading universities worldwide. The project also seeks to attract international educators and promote cross-border knowledge exchange and educational integration. The development is supported by Kazakh Invest, Kazakhstan’s national investment promotion agency. The capsule-laying ceremony was attended by representatives of the British Embassy in Kazakhstan, Ardingly College, Ardingly Astana, and Kazakh Invest. Azamat Kozhanov, Deputy Chairman of Kazakh Invest, underscored the project’s significance: “The opening of a campus of one of the UK’s top educational institutions in the heart of Eurasia symbolizes trust, partnership, and a strategic vision for the future. It will be more than just a school, it will be an ecosystem for nurturing ideas and developing future leaders. Education remains a priority for investment, and we are ready to provide full support for such projects. We are confident that Ardingly Astana will attract talented students and educators from around the world.” The project marks a significant step in advancing both educational and investment ties between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.