Jakarta · History
From embassy classroom to 45-acre Bintaro campus: BSJ at 53
Founded under British Embassy auspices in 1973, British School Jakarta has carried three names, survived a campus relocation, and grown into one of Southeast Asia's largest British international schools.
British School Jakarta was established in 1973 under the auspices of the British Embassy. The initial purpose was narrow: to educate British and Commonwealth families living in Jakarta. A parent committee ran the school in those first years, with the Embassy providing the backing.
Origins
In 1975, the committee of parents responsible for the school approached a group of British businessmen for the purpose of setting up an enlarged facility in specially built premises in Permata Hijau. In 1976, The British School was established as a Yayasan, or Foundation, in keeping with the laws of Indonesia. That non-profit legal structure has remained in place ever since. BSJ takes pride in the fact that it is a non-profit, non-franchise educational establishment.
In the early 1980s, the school was renamed The British International School. Royal connections followed. Princess Diana visited the British International School in Jakarta during a royal visit to the country with Prince Charles on 6 November 1989.
Relocation to Bintaro
By 1990, enrolment pressure was acute enough to trigger a relocation project, and the Permata Hijau site closed in the 1993-94 school year. The school moved to a purpose-built campus in Bintaro, southwest of Jakarta, and Prince Edward officially opened it in March 1994. The new site gave the school room to extend its age range and grow its roll substantially.
Prince Edward returned to the campus nearly three decades later. BSJ hosted Prince Edward on 24 November 2023 as part of his tour across the Asia-Pacific region to highlight the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. The occasion held special significance as it welcomed him back to the campus he had opened in Bintaro in 1994.
Name Change and Indonesian Regulations
The school changed its name from British International School to British School Jakarta in 2014 to correspond to the Indonesian government's regulations prohibiting the use of the word "international" in school names. BSJ adopted its current name to comply with those regulations while maintaining its commitment to providing a globally recognised education. The rebrand affected the signage, not the mission.
Curriculum and Accreditation
Kindergarten follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage, and Years 1 to 6 are based on the English National Curriculum and an inquiry-based exploratory framework covering foundation subjects. In Years 7 to 11, BSJ offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, while Years 12 and 13 have access to the IB Diploma Programme.
BSJ is a member of several international and British educational bodies, including FOBISIA, of which the school is a founding member, the Council of International Schools, COBIS, WASC, the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, ECIS, and the International Baccalaureate. In July 2023, BSJ was reaccredited by a joint CIS, IB, and WASC team for an additional five years, extending accreditation until 2028. In 2019, BSJ also received national accreditation from Indonesia's Ministry of Education.
BSJ continues to be an Apple Distinguished School, acknowledging its learning technology achievements and commitment to innovation. In 2023, BSJ became one of the first international schools to appoint a dedicated Head of Wellbeing to its leadership team.
Present Day
BSJ provides education for 1,400 students aged 2 to 18. Students are drawn from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds, with over 50 nationalities represented in the student body. The school sits on a 45-acre estate in Bintaro, 7 km southwest of central Jakarta.
In 2025, every BSJ graduate secured a place at their first or second choice university. Phil Edwards serves as Interim Principal; he is an international educator and school leader with an MA in Educational Leadership from UCL.