primary homework saxons

Anglo-Saxons: Facts, Information and Resources

Welcome to the Anglo-Saxon section of Primary Facts. Use the links below to find the information you’re looking for.

• Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
• Kings and Kingdoms
• What did the Anglo-Saxons eat?
• What did the Anglo-Saxons wear?
• Famous Anglo-Saxons
• Anglo-Saxon Weapons
• Anglo-Saxon Battles
• Alfred the Great
• Farms and Farming
• Anglo-Saxon Jewellery
• Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
• Offa’s Dyke
• Edward the Confessor
• Harold Godwinson (Harold II)
• Battle of Hastings
• Lady Godiva
• The Venerable Bede
• Anglo-Saxon Religion (before Christianity)
• Anglo-Saxon Religion: Christianity
• Anglo-Saxon Swords
• Anglo-Saxon Spears
• Did the Anglo-Saxons have slaves?
• Did the Anglo-Saxons have tattoos?
• Did the Anglo-Saxons build stone castles?

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Awesome Anglo-Saxon facts!

Check out these cool facts about the fierce anglo-saxons….

Prepare for battle kids, because we’re about to take a trip back in time in our Anglo-Saxon facts, to a time 1,600 years ago when fierce warriors ruled Great Britain!

Ever wondered what it might be like stepping foot in Anglo-Saxon England ? Find everything you’ll ever need to know about these fierce people in our mighty fact file, below…

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Anglo-Saxons primary resource ? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Anglo-Saxon facts: Who were they?

The Anglo-Saxons were a group of farmer-warriors who lived in Britain over a thousand years ago.

Made up of three tribes who came over from Europe, they were called the Angle , Saxon , and Jute tribes. The two largest were the Angle and Saxon, which is how we’ve come to know them as the Anglo-Saxons today.

They were fierce people, who fought many battles during their rule of Britain – often fighting each other! Each tribe was ruled by its own strong warrior who settled their people in different parts of the country.

When did the Anglo-Saxons invade Britain?

The Anglo-Saxons first tried invading in the 4th century , but the Roman army were quick to send them home again! Years later – around 450AD – the  Ancient Romans  left Britain, the Anglo-Saxons seized their chance and this time they were successful!

They left their homes in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark and sailed over to Britain on wooden boats. Many of them were farmers before they came to Britain and it’s thought they were on the look-out for new land as floodwaters back home had made it almost impossible to farm.

Anglo-Saxon houses

The Anglo-Saxons didn’t like the stone houses and streets left by the Romans, so they built their own villages. They looked for land which had lots of natural resources like food, water and wood to build and heat their homes, and Britain’s forests had everything they needed. They surrounded each village with a high fence to protect cattle from wild animals like foxes and wolves, and to keep out their enemies, too!

We know what Anglo-Saxon houses were like from excavations of Anglo-Saxon villages. They were small wooden huts with a straw roof, and inside was just one room in which the whole family lived, ate, slept and socialised together – much like an ancient version of open-plan living! 

The biggest house in the village belonged to the chief, which was large enough to house him and all his warriors – and sometimes even the oxen, too! It was a long hall with a stone fire in the middle, and hunting trophies and battle armour hung from its walls. There were tiny windows and a hole in the roof to allow smoke to escape.

Anglo-Saxon place names

Many towns and villages still carry their Anglo-Saxon names today, including “England” which comes from the Saxon word “Angle-Land”.

Early Anglo-Saxon villages were named after the leader of the tribe so everyone knew who was in charge. If you’d visited Reading in Anglo-Saxon times, you’d have been in Redda’s village – Redda being the local chieftain.

The Anglo-Saxons settled in many different parts of the country – the Jutes ended up in Kent, the Angles in East Anglia, and the Saxons in parts of Essex, Wessex, Sussex and Middlesex (according to whether they lived East, West, South or in the middle!)

Not all Roman towns were abandoned, though. Some chiefs realised that a walled city made for a great fortress, so they built their wooden houses inside the walls of Roman towns like London.

Anglo-Saxon food

Perhaps one of our favourite Anglo-Saxon facts is how much they liked to party! They  loved a good meal and would often host huge feasts in the chief’s hall. Meat was cooked on the fire and they ate bread, drank beer and sang songs long into the night!

They grew wheat, barley and oats for making bread and porridge, grew fruit and vegetables like carrots, parsnips and apples, and kept pigs, sheep and cattle for meat, wool and milk.

They were a very resourceful people – everything had its use and nothing went to waste. Animal fat could be used as oil for lamps, knife handles could be made out of deer antlers and even glue could be made from cows.

Anglo-Saxon clothes

Anglo-Saxons made their own clothes out of natural materials. The men wore long-sleeved tunics made of wool or linen, often decorated with a pattern. Their trousers were woollen and held up by a leather belt from which they could hang their tools such as knives and pouches. Shoes were usually made out of leather and fastened with laces or toggles.

The women would wear an under-dress of linen or wool and an outer-dress like a pinafore called a “peplos” which was held onto the underlayer by two brooches on the shoulders. Anglo-Saxon women loved a bit of bling and often wore beaded necklaces, bracelets and rings, too!

Anglo-Saxon gods

Grand stone buildings, such as Westminster Abbey, replaced the wooden Anglo-Saxon structures after the Normans invaded in 1066. 

Many of today’s  Christian  traditions came from the Anglo-Saxons, but they weren’t always Christians. When they first came over from Europe they were  Pagans , worshipping lots of different gods who they believed looked different parts of their life, such as family, crop growing, weather and even war.

The Anglo-Saxons would pray to the Pagan gods to give them good health, a plentiful harvest or success in battle.

It wasn’t until the Pope in Rome sent over a  missionary – a monk called Augustine – to England in 597AD, that the Anglo-Saxons became Christians. Augustine convinced the Anglo-Saxon King Ethelbert of Kent  to convert to Christianity and slowly the rest of the country followed suit. Pagan temples were turned into churches and more churches (built of wood) started popping up all over Britain.

Who invaded after the Anglo-Saxons?

From 793AD, the Vikings invaded Anglo-Saxon Britain several times, plundering and raiding towns and villages along the British coastline. The Anglo-Saxons tried to hold them back but groups of Vikings eventually settled in different parts of the country, especially York (or Jorvik, as they named it) – making it the second biggest city after London. The next invasion came in 1066AD, in one of the most famous battles of our history – the Battle of Hastings . When the Anglo-Saxon King Edward died without an heir, a new king was chosen to rule England – King Harold II . William the Conqueror of Normandy and Harald Hardrada , the King of Norway , weren’t keen on the new English king and thought that they both had the right to rule Britain.

A descendant of Viking raiders, William brought his army of Normans  to Britain to take on the new king, and on 14 October 1066 , the two armies fought at the Battle of Hastings. The Normans were victorious and Harold was killed. This signalled the end of Anglo-Saxon rule in Britain. England now had a Norman king, King William I , or William the Conqueror .

Check out our vicious Viking facts , here!

The Anglo-Saxon period of history shaped many parts of England as we know it today – the words we use for the days of the week for example. Have a go at saying them out loud, below!

Monandæg 

Tiwesdæg 

Wodnesdæg 

Ðunresdæg 

Frigedæg 

Sæternesdæg 

What did you think of our Anglo-Saxon facts, gang? Let us know by leaving a comment, below.

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The Anglo-Saxons

Who were the Anglo-Saxons?

The Anglo-Saxons came to England after the Romans left in the year 410. Nobody was really ruling all of England at the time – there were a lot of little kingdoms ruled by Anglo-Saxons that eventually came together as one country.

The earliest English kings were Anglo-Saxons , starting with Egbert in the year 802. Anglo-Saxons ruled for about three centuries, and during this time they formed the basis for the English monarchy and laws.

• The two most famous Anglo-Saxon kings are Alfred the Great and Canute the Great.

Top 10 facts

• The Anglo-Saxons are made up of three tribes who came to England from across the North Sea around the middle of the 5th century: the Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
• For a long time, England wasn’t really one country – Anglo-Saxon kings ruled lots of little kingdoms across the land.
• Egbert was the first Anglo-Saxon king to rule England. The last Anglo-Saxon king was Harold II in 1066.
• The Anglo-Saxon period covers about 600 years , and Anglo-Saxon kings ruled England for about 300 years.
• We know how the Anglo Saxons lived because archaeologists have found old settlements and excavated artefacts like belt buckles, swords, bowls and even children’s toys.
• We can also read about what happened during Anglo-Saxon times in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.
• Anglo-Saxons once worshipped lots of different gods that they believed controlled all areas of life, but around the 7th century many converted to Christianity after the arrival of the missionary St. Augustine from Rome.
• Some of our modern English words, such as the days of the week, come from the Anglo-Saxon language (sometimes called Old English).
• Anglo-Saxons lived in small villages near rivers, forests and other important resources that gave them everything they needed to care for farm animals, grow crops and make things to sell.

Anglo-Saxon Timeline

• 455 The kingdom of Kent was formed
• 477 The kingdom of Sussex was formed
• 495 The kingdom of Wessex was formed
• 527 The kingdom of Essex was formed
• 547 The kingdom of Northumberland was formed
• 575 The kingdom of East Anglia was formed
• 586 The kingdom of Mercia was formed
• 597 St. Augustine came to England and introduced people to Christianity
• 757-796 Offa was King of the kingdom of Mercia and declared himself King of all England

• 1066 The Battle of Hastings took place, resulting in the Normans defeating the Anglo-Saxons

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Did you know?

• We know how the Anglo-Saxons lived because we’ve found items that they once used buried in the ground – archaeologists excavate spots where Anglo-Saxons houses used to stand – and we’ve been able to figure out a lot about what their lives were like.
• A famous Anglo-Saxon archaeological site is Sutton Hoo, where a whole ship was used as a grave! An Anglo-Saxon king was buried inside the ship along with some of his possessions, such as his helmet and sword.
• We know what the Anglo-Saxons did because of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles , a collection of events that people back then wrote every year – kind-of like a yearly summary of important events.
• An instrument that people in Anglo-Saxon times would play is the lyre, which is like a small harp.
• The names of days of the week are similar to the words that the Anglo-Saxons used – for instance, ‘Monandoeg’ is where we get Monday from, and ‘Wodnesdoeg’ is where we get Wednesday from. Some of the names of the days of the week were named after Anglo-Saxon gods. ‘Wodnesdoeg’ is named for the god Woden – it mean’s ‘Woden’s day’.
• Anglo-Saxon uses many of the letters found in Modern English (though j, q, and v are not included and the letters k and z are very rarely used) as well as three extra letters: þ   ð   æ 
• Anglo-Saxons mostly lived in one-room houses made from wood, with thatched roofs. Important people in the village would live in a larger building with their advisors and soldiers – this was called the hall.

Anglo-Saxon gallery 

• A map of Anglo-Saxon Britain
• Anglo-Saxon coins
• A replica of an Anglo-Saxon hall (At West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village)
• The helmet found in the ship burial site at Sutton Hoo
• The plaited belt buckle with a dragon design found at Sutton Hoo (Photo Credit: Jononmac46 via Wikipedia)
• How Anglo-Saxon warriors would have dressed
• Anglo-Saxon runes
• Shoes worn in Anglo-Saxon times
• A statute of Alfred the Great in Winchester
• Canute the Great

When the Romans left Britain, the country was divided up into a lot of smaller kingdoms and sub-kingdoms that often fought with each other and against any invaders who tried to take over. By the 800s, there were four main kingdoms in England: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex. One of the most well-known kings from Merica was Offa. He declared himself the first ‘king of the English’ because he won battles involving kings in the surrounding kingdoms, but their dominance didn’t really last after Offa died. Offa is most remembered for Offa’s Dyke along the border between England and Wales – it was a 150-mile barrier that gave the Mericans some protection if they were about to be invaded. Religion changed quite a bit in Anglo-Saxon times. Many people were pagans and worshipped different gods who oversaw different things people did – for instance, Wade was the god of the sea, and Tiw was the god of war. In 597, a monk named St. Augustine came to England to tell people about Christianity. The Pope in Rome sent him there, and he built a church in Canterbury. Many people became Christians during this time. Everyone in Anglo-Saxons villages had to work very hard to grow their food, make their clothes, and care for their animals. Even children had to help out by doing chores such as collecting firewood and feeding the livestock. There are nine versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles still around today – this is because copies of the original were given to monks in different monasteries around England to keep up-to-date with information about the area where they lived. Nobody has ever seen the original Anglo-Saxon Chronicles that the copies were made from. Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon heroic poem (3182 lines long!) which tells us a lot about life in Anglo-Saxon times (though it is not set in England but in Scandinavia). Beowulf is probably the oldest surviving long poem in Old English. We don't know the name of the Anglo-Saxon poet who wrote it, but it was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The Anglo-Saxons minted their own coins – they made different designs that were pressed onto the face of a coin, so archaeologists who find those coins today know when they were used. The coins changed depending on the region where they were made, who was king, or even what important event had just happened. Vikings from the east were still invading England during the time of the Anglo-Saxons. Sometimes, instead of fighting the Vikings, people would pay them money to leave them in peace. This payment was called Danegeld. Alfred the Great was based in the kingdom of Wessex, and his palace was in Winchester. He won battles against invasion by the Danes, and he improved England’s defences and armies. Alfred established a strong legal code, and began the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles as a way of recording annual events. He also thought education was very important and had books translated from Latin into Anglo-Saxon so more people could read them and learn. Canute the Great was the first Viking king of England. A famous story about Canute is that he proved to his courtiers that he wasn’t all-powerful just because he was King. They would flatter him by telling him that he was “so great, he could command the tides of the sea to go back”. Canute knew this wasn’t true, but he also knew that he’d have to prove it to stop his courtiers saying such things. Canute had his courtiers carry his throne onto the beach, by the surf, and Canute commanded that the tide stop coming in. It didn’t work, and the courtiers finally admitted that Canute was not all-powerful. Canute said, “Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings. For there is none worthy of the name but God, whom heaven, earth and sea obey.”

Names to know (Anglo-Saxon kings of England, listed in order)

Egbert (King from 802-839) – Egbert was the first king to rule all of England. Ethelwulf (King from 839-856) Ethelbald (King from 856-860) Ethelbert (King from 860-866) Ethelred (King from 866-871) Alfred the Great (King from 871-899) – Alfred the Great is remembered for his victories against Danish invasion, his belief in the importance of education, and his social and judicial reform. Edward I, the Elder (King from 899-924) Athelstan (King from 924-939) Edmund I (King from 939-946) Edred (King from 946-955) Edwy (King from 955-959) Edgar (King from 959-975) Edward II, the Martyr (King from 975-979) Ethelred II, the Unready (979-1013, 1014-1016) Sweyn (King from 1013-1014) Edmund II, Ironside (King in 1016) Canute the Great (King from 1016-1035) – Canute was a Viking warrior, and the first Viking king of England. He won a battle against Edmund II that divided their kingdoms, but when Edmund died Canute ruled both kingdoms. Harold Harefoot (King from 1035-1040) Hardicanute (King from 1035-1042) Edward III, The Confessor (King from 1042-1066) – Edward the Confessor had Westminster Abbey built. Harold II (King in 1066) – Harold II was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. He died during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Edgar Atheling (King in 1066) – Edgar Atheling was declared King after King Harold II died during the Battle of Hastings, but never took the throne. The next king was William the Conqueror, a Norman .

Related Videos

Just for fun...

• Make Anglo-Saxon Collector Cards and play some games with them
• Take an Anglo-Saxons quiz to see what you know about Anglo-Saxon kings, kingdoms and culture in Britain
• Play a Grid Club Anglo-Saxons game
• Write in Anglo-Saxon runes
• Print out some Anglo-Saxon Highlight Cards
• Turn the pages of the Lindisfarne Gospels , a famous Christian manuscript
• Cook like the Anglo-Saxons with this recipe for Anglo-Saxon Oat Cakes
• Learn to sing songs about Anglo-Saxon history , including Alfred the Great, Athelstan, the story of Beowulf and the end of Anglo-Saxon rule in 1066 at The Battle of Hastings

Books about Anglo-Saxons for children

Find out more about Anglo-Saxons:

• Who were the Anglo-Saxons? Find out in a KS2 guide from BBC Bitesize and watch video clips and animations about the Anglo-Saxon world
• An introduction to the Anglo-Saxon world  from the British Library
• Britons, Saxons, Scots and Picts : loads of information to explore
• Read kids' historical fiction set in Anglo-Saxon times
• Learn about  Anglo-Saxon religion
• Find out about all aspects of Anglo-Saxon life , from manuscripts to weapons, in a kids' encyclopedia
• About the Anglo-Saxon language, Old English
• Early Anglo-Saxon Britain  maps and information
• Anglo-Saxon coinage  and the  Danegeld and minting coins
• Find out about the Odda Stone
• The two most famous Anglo-Saxon kings were  Canute (or Cnut the Great)  and  Alfred the Great
• Find out about food and in Anglo-Saxon times and their grand feasts
• Learn about Beowulf and his battles against the monster Grendel (and Grendel's mother)
• Examine some of the beautiful objects found at Sutton Hoo  and see what the excavation site looked like
• An introduction to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

See for yourself

• See the ship burial site at Sutton Hoo
• Visit the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon settlement of Jarrow Hall to find out what life would have been like in Anglo-Saxon times
• Walk along some of the Offa’s Dyke path
• Visit Winchester to see Anglo-Saxon artefacts
• Step into a virtual Prittlewell Burial Chamber and explore the Ango-Saxon objects found in 2003
• See Prittlewell princely burial objects in person, including a gold belt buckle, a flagon and drinking horn and coloured glass vessels and bowls, at Southend Central Museum in Essex
• Look at pictures of sites which tell the story of early Saxon England on the Historic England Blog
• Look at the Anglo-Saxon Mappa Mundi online: created between 1025 and 1050, it contains the earliest known depiction of the British Isles
• Step into a reconstructed Saxon workshop at the Ancient Technology Outdoor Education Centre
• Butser Ancient Farm features archaeological reconstructions of buildings from the Anglo-Saxon period

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Napoleon's Moscow Campaign: 1812

Napoleon's determination to implement the Continental System had led him to embark on the Peninsular Campaign in a further extension of the French Wars . Although the attempt to conquer Spain was failing, Napoleon set about a greater task: the conquest of Russia. One reason for this was that Britain had become involved in a war with America and Napoleon was convinced that Britain was on the verge of collapse, provided that the blockade of trade with Britain was carried out. However, the Czar was making a big hole in the plan. The interview at Erfurt had merely checked the process of disillusionment which had been going on in Alexander's mind ever since Tilsit . There had always been a strong anti-Bonaparte party at his Court, headed by the Czar's mother; and its influence was strengthened during the next few years. For instance

• Napoleon would not give definite assurances that he would not turn the Grand Duchy of Warsaw into a Kingdom of Poland
• when Napoleon annexed northern Germany in 1811 he had dethroned the Duke of Oldenburg, the Czar's uncle, with insultingly offhand talk of compensations elsewhere
• the Czar was angry to discover the depth of Napoleon's opposition to Russia acquiring Constantinople in the war which Alexander had just begun with Turkey.

The main trouble was over the Continental System. The stoppage of trade with England meant the ruin of Russian commerce, and therefore of the Czar's revenues; also of the corn-growing on which the Russian nobles depended for their own incomes. Alexander grew slacker and slacker in the enforcement of the Decrees, and Napoleon's protests grew more and more heated. In 1810 the Czar forbade the importation of a number of luxury articles, such as wines and lace, most of which came from France, in order to redress his trade-balance. A year later he openly admitted British shipping to his ports.

Napoleon thought that he could not let this go on. Ruinous as the defection of Russia was in itself, even worse was the effect it would have on other countries groaning under the System. He believed that he must make an example of the Czar that would intimidate other rulers who were "willing to wound yet half afraid to strike": He intended to give a demonstration of his overwhelming strength and determination but he was no longer the man he had been.

Napoleon was growing old at an age when others were just coming into their prime. He was becoming fatter, less energetic and more cautious. He made more military mistakes and his run of success had robbed him of all sense of the attainable. He had begun to shut his eyes to unpleasant facts, and to ignore the voice of common sense.

When in the middle of 1811 the clash became inevitable, Czar and Emperor competed with each other in the search for alliances. Austria was now bound to Napoleon by family ties following his marriage to Princess Marie Louise; moreover, however much the Emperor Francis of Austria- Hungary chafed against his dependence, he was haunted by memories of Campo Formio, Lunéville, Pressburg and Schönbrunn. He therefore agreed to mobilise an army on his Galician frontier with an understanding that he was to recover his Illyrian provinces at the end of the campaign. However, his new Chancellor, Metternich, had seen enough while he was the Austrian ambassador at Paris to realise that the Napoleonic Empire would not last much longer, and he privately made a "gentleman's agreement" with Alexander that his army should do nothing in particular.

In Prussia, patriotic fervour was strong, but the King's nerve had been even more shaken than that of the Emperor Francis. He was forced to send an army to cover the Baltic flank of the coming invasion, and to feed the invading host as it passed through his dominions. The Poles, too, remained faithful to Napoleon; he had done much for them, and would, they hoped, do more when he had conquered Russia.

Napoleon hoped that Sweden and Turkey would join in attacking Russia, but in these countries he was outdone by his rival. The King of Sweden, being a childless old man, had adopted Marshal Bernadotte as his heir, with Napoleon's grudging consent 1810; and the new "Prince Royal", who at once became the moving spirit of the kingdom, put the interests of his adopted country before those of his old master. That meant repudiating the Continental System. Napoleon offered to restore Finland to Sweden if Bernadotte would help him against the Czar; but Alexander countered this with the more attractive suggestion that he should annex Norway instead - Norway being a province of Denmark, which had adhered to the French alliance ever since the days of Tilsit and Copenhagen. By the Treaty of Abo in April 1812 a Russo-Swedish alliance was made. As for the Sultan, Alexander had little difficulty in convincing him that he had more to fear from France than from Russia, and by the Treaty of Bucharest in May 1812 Turkey received back the Danubian Principalities, but ceded Bessarabia to Russia. Two months later Alexander also signed a formal treaty of alliance with Britain, with whom nominally he had been at war ever since 1807.

Meanwhile Napoleon was pushing on with preparations for war on a colossal scale. By the summer of 1812 he had about 750,000 men under arms, of whom 450,000 were destined for the actual invasion. Only half of them were French, the rest were made up of Poles, Italians, Saxons, Bavarians, Swiss, Austrians, Prussians and Illyrians. He passed the elite of these forces in review at Dresden, before a throng of vassal rulers, including an Emperor and five kings, with Marie Louise treating her father with lofty condescension. Then on 28 May this army of armies set out towards the east. Immense stores were collected: two million pairs of boots were held in reserve at Danzig, for instance. The baggage was hauled by 18,000 heavy draft horses, the siege-guns and pontoons by 10,000 oxen. A million greatcoats had been bought from the West Riding of Yorkshire, helping the English woollen trade in a time of desperate need. However, Napoleon had sought to cut the cost of these coats by ordering tin buttons instead of brass ones. He did not know that tin undergoes an allotropic transformation at low temperatures and turns to dust. His men discovered this fact the hard way. [1]

On 23 June the army passed unopposed over the Niemen into Russia. By the time it reached Vilna, some fifty miles from the frontier, some of the difficulties of campaigning in Russia had become apparent. The lack of roads held up transport, and the scantiness of the population prevented living on the country. The Emperor had expected to fight pitched battles with his enemy but this was not to be. The main Russian army under Barclay de Tolley seemed to be always a day's march in front, while farther south a smaller army under Bagration had eluded King Jerome and was also retiring eastward. The Russian plan was an imitation of Wellington's at Torres Vedras. A great fortified camp had been prepared at Drissa, about a hundred and fifty miles from the frontier; there the main body was to stand on the defensive while the invaders starved and Bagration harried their communications. As they drew near, the Czar became convinced that without Wellington's covering sea-power the place would be a death trap so the Russians continued their retirement and Bagration joined the main body at Smolensk. Meanwhile Napoleon was pressing on, hoping that each day's march would bring him to grips with his enemy. " The whole Russian force is at Vitepsk ," he wrote to the Empress on 25 July; " we are on the eve of great events. " but by the next day the Russians had disappeared once more.

Nevertheless Barclay was meeting with much opposition in continuing the retirement. His officers distrusted him as a foreigner (he was of Scottish descent) and insisted on a stand in defence of Smolensk. After inflicting great losses on the French, they only escaped just as Napoleon's pincers were about to close upon them. Napoleon remained some weeks at Smolensk, debating whether to continue the chase, or to go into winter quarters there. He eventually decided that a threat to Moscow would compel the Czar either to fight or to negotiate. By this time Barclay had been dismissed in favour of Kutusoff, who gave Napoleon his pitched battle at Borodino in September. Though the losses amounted to 40,000 men on each side, neither could claim a clean-cut victory. Perhaps if Napoleon had thrown in his reserves, the Old Guard, at the critical moment he might have destroyed the enemy; but he had not the nerve to risk losing that solid core of his army so far from France so the Russians were able to continue their retreat in good order to Moscow and beyond. A few days later Napoleon rode in with his staff through echoing empty streets and squares. The population had evacuated the city, carrying off all transportable foodstuffs; and on the following night fires broke out - whether by accident or design nobody knows - until half the city was in flames.

Napoleon had won his "high victories" over professional armies; but in Russia, as in Spain, he was finding himself opposed by a force far more formidable because far less tangible - the hostility of a whole nation defending its fatherland and by way of reminder of the analogy between the two countries, he now received the dire news of Salamanca.

To Napoleon's dismay, Alexander continued to keep silence. By this time the Russians realised that their half-involuntary strategy of retirement had lured their enemy to destruction. Napoleon had thought of Moscow as the heart of Russia; but he found, all too late, that such a great sprawling country has no vital spot, a blow at which will paralyse the whole body. There were now three possible courses open to him:

• to attack the Czar at St. Petersburg
• to winter at Moscow
• to go back.

The marshals were reluctant to march northwards at that time of year while to stay at Moscow meant starvation for the troops and a free hand for lurking "treason" among the vassal states. The last humiliating alternative had to be faced, and in the middle of October the Grand Army set out to trudge the thousand miles back to civilisation.

It started by a more southerly route than it had come by, in the hope of finding fresh supplies of food but when it had got eighty miles on, it found the Russians so strongly posted at Malo-Jaroslavetz that after an obstinate fight it had to turn back and rejoin the wasted line of its advance at Borodino. For a time things did not go badly; the autumn weather was particularly fine, and the worst trouble was the lack of fodder, which necessitated killing and eating the horses and abandoning the baggage. On 6 November came the first fall of snow, and from then on the story of the march became an epic of human and animal misery. No food, no shelter, no fuel except what could be scraped together on a bare countryside by weary and famished men at the close of a day's march; icy gales that froze them, killing scores every night; snowdrifts that blotted out the landscape so that hundreds got lost or were cut down by prowling Cossacks.

Worse, the horses were kitted out for a summer campaign and therefore were not provided with winter shoes. Winter horse-shoes have hooks which point downwards to dig into the ground -- without the hooks, the horses had no grip so they slipped about, fell, broke their legs, pulled muscles and otherwise damaged themselves. They, like the soldiers, had no winter equipment.

All semblance of military discipline faded away. The climax came with the crossing of the Beresina, where the military bridges, made by devoted engineers at the cost of their lives in the half-frozen water, broke down, and 12,000 corpses were found when the winter floods abated.

Napoleon now announced to his staff that he must hurry on ahead, to reach Paris before his enemies both inside France as well as outside learned the extent of the disaster. He needed to raise a fresh army with which to face the dangers that threatened. The command devolved on Murat, but that was a mere formality: it was every man for himself, now. Ney added fresh laurels to his fame as "the bravest of the brave" by his heroic courage in holding together the rearguard and beating off the exultant pursuers.

Eventually, of the 450,000 who had crossed the Niemen to conquer Russia in June, only 20,000 frostbitten and famished scarecrows tottered back over it in December.

[1] This information was given to me many years ago by the man who was then my Head of Department. He was a metallurgist. He did not give - and I did not request - the source of the anecdote. [back]

The Retreat from Moscow by General Count Philip de Segur See also the Greville Memoirs

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Introduction

Culture and Society

The Saxons did not have kings but were ruled by princes or chiefs. Saxon society was divided into nobles, free people, and serfs (people who were almost slaves). The free men of the society held regular meetings. Those meetings helped to decide issues of war and peace. The Saxons were warriors and farmers. They mostly lived on isolated farms or in small villages. They built tentlike huts in forest clearings or near rivers.

The Saxons followed the religion of the Germanic tribes of Western Europe and Scandinavia. They believed in many gods, demons, and giants. The Saxons had sacred sites where they worshipped. One of those places, Irminsul, was a giant tree or pillar. The Saxons believed that Irminsul connected heaven and earth. It was located in what is now northwestern Germany.

The Old Saxon language is also known as Old Low German. After some of the Saxons invaded the island of Britain, the language split into two separate but related branches. The Saxons in what is now England spoke the language now known as Old English. The Saxons who remained on the European continent spoke Old Low German.

As the Roman Empire lost power, the Saxons expanded in Europe. In the 3rd and 4th centuries ce the Saxons raided along the coast of the North Sea. By the 5th century some of the Saxons had settled on the northern coast of Gaul (modern France). They came to be called Old Saxons—a separate group from the Saxons who invaded Britain around the same time.

The expansion of the Old Saxons led them into fights with a local people known as the Franks . Old Saxons and Franks battled in what are now northern France and Germany for several centuries. The Franks slowly became Christian, but the Old Saxons refused to give up their own religion.

Charlemagne , a powerful king of the Franks, fought a bloody war with the Old Saxons from 772 to 804. The Old Saxons, led by a man named Widukind, fought back fiercely. In the end Charlemagne defeated the Old Saxons and forced the people to become Christian. He even destroyed Irminsul, their sacred site. After 804 the Old Saxons were part of the Christian Frankish kingdom.

Anglo-Saxons

The island of Britain was part of the Roman Empire from the 50s to 410 ce . As the Romans lost control, Saxons attacked the island. By the end of the 6th century three Germanic peoples—the Saxons, the Angles, and the Jutes—lived in Britain. They divided the land they conquered into small kingdoms. The Saxons ruled the kingdoms of Essex, Sussex, and Wessex in what is now southern England. The term Anglo-Saxon came to describe the descendants of all three groups of Germanic invaders.

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Anglo-Saxons KS2 Planning and Resources

Subject: History

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

25 August 2022

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Anglo-Saxons KS2 planning and resources. Each lesson plan has every resource needed to teach it:

Lesson 1 - Anglo-Saxon Homework project and presentation. Lesson 2 - Anglo-Saxon and Viking timeline. Lesson 3 - Using evidence from Sutton Hoo artefacts. Lesson 4 - Pagan and Anglo-Saxon on Augustine coming. Lesson 5 - Anglo-Saxon runes.

There is a PDF of all of the files and an editable version of each file.

You can find more KS2 History lesson plans, worksheets and other teaching resources on the Save Teachers’ Sundays website.

Note: This unit was updated on 25th August 2022. Please download the most recent version of it if you bought it before this date.

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KS2 History Planning and Resources

KS2 History units (61 lessons in total), with lesson plans and all of the resources needed for each lesson. Year 3: Stone Age to the Iron Age (7 lessons) Romans (8 lessons) Year 4: Anglo-Saxons (7 lessons) Ancient Egypt (8 lessons) Year 5: The Vikings (7 lessons) Ancient Greece (7 lessons) Year 6: The Victorians (9 lessons) The Mayans (8 lessons) There is a PDF of all of the files and an editable version of each file (you just need to delete the watermark logo from each of the editable files). You can find more History planning and teaching resources on the Save Teachers' Sundays website.

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Year 4 History units (15 lessons in total), with lesson plans and all of the resources needed for each lesson. Anglo-Saxons (7 lessons) Ancient Egypt (8 lessons) (Please ignore the third product, as it is only there as there needs to be a minimum of 3 products to create a 'bundle' on TES) There is a PDF of all of the files and an editable version of each file (you just need to delete the watermark logo from each of the editable files). You can find more History planning and teaching resources on the Save Teachers' Sundays website.

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Lesson 1: Who were the Anglo-Saxons and the Scots?

• Subjects >
• Lower key stage 2 >
• British history 3: How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain? >

Learning objective

• To understand why the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain.

Success criteria

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National curriculum

Pupils should: 

Cross-curricular links

Before the lesson, lesson plan, 1: lesson plan.

An area for you to put useful resources from the previous lesson

Adaptive teaching

Pupils needing extra support

Can identify three reasons for the Anglo-Saxons invading Britain on their mind maps.

Pupils working at greater depth:  

Can use Activity: Writing home including reasons for the Anglo-Saxons’ arrival in Britain and identifying the most important reason.

Assessing progress and understanding

Vocabulary definitions.

A group of people from Southern Denmark.

A group of people from Germany and the Netherlands.

In this unit

Assessment - History LKS2: How hard was it to settle in Britain?

Lesson 2: How did the Anglo-Saxons settle in Britain?

Lesson 3: What does Sutton Hoo tell us about Anglo-Saxon life?

Lesson 4: How did Christianity arrive in Britain?

Lesson 5: Was King Alfred really great?

Lesson 6: How did Anglo-Saxon rule end?

Originally created by:

Kapow Primary team

Maintained by: Kapow Primary team

Last update: 21st June, 2024

Related content

HistoryY3/4 British history 3: How hard was it to invade and settle in Britain?

Assessment – History LKS2: How hard was it to settle in Britain?

How to pronounce Moscow

Recently, I noticed that British people pronounce Moscow differently than I had thought, and been taught in school. The correct British pronunciation is [‘ mɒsk əʊ ], with the first part pronounced just like moss . However, -cow is not pronounced like the word cow . Instead, the -ow in Moscow is pronounced like the -ow in low or grow . In contrast, in American English, Moscow is either pronounced as [‘ m ɑː sk aʊ ] or as [‘ m ɑːsk oʊ ]. Here, the first part matches the American pronunciation of moss , and the -ow is pronounced either as in cow [ aʊ ] or as in the American version of mow [ oʊ].

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THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL of moscow (ism)

An outstanding british education.

achieving at the highest level

Your child will flourish at the International School of Moscow (ISM), where a careful balance of British academic rigour, one-of-a-kind learning experiences, and personalised support inspire success. We are proud to be one of the top international schools in Russia, offering the English National Curriculum from Pre-Nursery all the way through to 18. This includes (I)GCSEs and A-Levels, which set the standard for international education, and are respected by universities and employers across the world.

Following these curriculum pathways – which are brought to life by world-class, UK qualified teachers – sees our students achieve impressive results, including a 100% pass rate at (I)GCSE and A-Level. This takes them to first-choice, top 100 universities in the UK, Europe, the US, and Asia.

enabling your child to flourish

At ISM, we work tirelessly to ensure every student fulfils their potential. At each stage of their learning journey, your child will receive the right balance of challenge and support, tailored to their needs and goals. This includes the opportunity to join our Most Able and Talented (MAT) Programme, which accelerates our most gifted students’ progress.

From the Early Years Foundation Stage through to IGCSEs and A-levels, all our students follow the world-renowned English National Curriculum. We’re the only school in Moscow to offer this rigorous British education from 2 to 18, which we carefully adapt to our international context. Used by more than 30,000 schools worldwide, the curriculum is also globally respected by the best universities.

Our personalised approach to learning – which also includes expert pastoral and wellbeing support – sees our students get excellent results. Every year, they achieve IGCSE and A-level grades far higher than the UK national average. This hard-earned success takes our graduates to the very best universities in the UK, Europe, North America, and Asia, including Oxford, Cambridge, UCLA, and Imperial College London.

Every day at ISM is packed with exciting opportunities to learn. Our supportive and enabling community is the perfect place to try new things, too.

From Year 4, your child will go on residential trips that build their confidence and independence, encourage teamwork, and take them out of their comfort zone. We also offer a rich programme of educational and cultural visits around Moscow. Each activity is carefully planned to broaden perspectives and add a real-world dimension to your child’s learning.

Our cutting-edge STEAM programme, which is delivered in collaboration with the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), opens our students’ eyes to the marvels of science, technology, engineering, art, and maths. Channelling their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills, your child will work with friends to solve practical problems set by MIT professors.

We also run more than 50 extra-curricular clubs. These include a plethora of sporting activities, including kayaking and mountain biking in the beautiful natural spaces of our Rosinka Campus to journalism, drama, and cyber discovery. And on our fantastic instrumental programme, your child will pursue their passion for music, learning from the very best teachers and achieving outstanding exam success.

We’ll make sure your child is safe and supported in everything they do. Our expert pastoral care team, which includes a psychologist, counsellor, and safeguarding team, actively keep an eye on every student’s health and wellbeing. In a recent survey, 95% of our parents said their child felt safe at school.

Your child will love learning at ISM, where the very best British and international teachers will energise, enthuse, and engage them every day. Our parents strongly agree: 90% say their child has an excellent relationship with and is motivated by our exceptional educators.

Being part of the Nord Anglia family enables us to attract and retain the most talented people, who have an in-depth knowledge of the English National Curriculum. All our teachers hold UK qualified status or equivalent, and many have a Master’s degree or PhD, too. Importantly, all our Primary and core subject teachers are native English-speakers, something that’s unique among schools in Moscow.

With a teacher-student ratio of one to eight, your child will receive the personalised care and attention they need to flourish. Our teachers will get to know their learning needs and preferences, as well as their passions, strengths, and ambitions for the future. This includes nurturing their personal growth, as well as making sure they achieve academically.

Our teaching standards are second to none, which is thanks to the breadth of training and continuing professional development opportunities we offer. On the award-winning Nord Anglia University platform, for example, our teachers study for hundreds of courses and share pedagogical practise that keeps them at the forefront of global educational trends. We also support their career aspirations by offering a Master’s in International Education and senior leadership programmes.

At ISM, we challenge our children to consider how they can make the world a better place.

Globally, our students drive change through our collaboration with UNICEF. Your child will learn about urgent international issues – like the UN Global Goals and Rights of the Child – and work on inspiring solutions through UNICEF’s Global Challenge programme. At our Model United Nations club, students collaborate with friends, learn to research, reason, and communicate effectively, and open their minds to different perspectives.

In school, our Primary and Secondary Student Councils – supported by our House captains, Head Boy and Girl, and Eco Committee – represent their peers and choose causes and issues to promote. This includes fundraising for local charities, improving our House merit system, and reducing the amount of plastic we use.

We encourage our older students to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, too. By immersing themselves in experiences that build confidence, resilience, and independence, our students learn new skills and give back to the community.

Our commitment to personal, social and health education (PSHE) fosters the knowledge and attributes our students need to thrive as individuals, family members, and part of society. This ensures they develop a strong moral compass and belief system.

Everyone’s welcome at ISM. Our multicultural community of students, families, teachers, and alumni make our school a supportive, nurturing place to be, where both you and your child will flourish.

We work hard to build strong relationships with you, our parents. Our New Parent Programme – supported by our parent reps and admissions ambassadors – will help you settle into school, as well as life in our magnificent city. You’ll also be invited to regular coffee mornings, student art exhibitions, concerts, and sports competitions. And through our Parent Academy workshops – which cover topics like teaching techniques, assessment methods, and wellbeing themes – you’ll benefit from insights from staff and Nord Anglia specialists.

Every ISM student is a member of one of our four Houses: Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Normans. Forging a strong sense of identity across the age groups, our Houses take part in sporting and academic competitions, and provide a robust support system.

We’re incredibly proud of our British culture and heritage, too. From our uniform to our curriculum, we seek to instil strong values and develop intelligent, respectful, academically minded students ready to create their own future.

ISM is a tightknit learning community with two state-of-the-art campuses to the west of Moscow city: Rosinka, in a vibrant residential community and Krylatskoe, in the heart of a protected national park. Both are safe gated environments, with 24/7 security.

At both campuses, specialist sports, creative, and STEAM spaces transform how and what our students learn. Our campuses are home to the latest equipment and technology, too, ensuring your child benefits from a 21st century learning experience.

Rosinka Campus

Rosinka is truly unique: it is the only place in Moscow where students can cycle, climb, kayak, and walk within a forested area, all without leaving our gated community. Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Building has been thoughtfully designed to nurture our youngest learners’ growth through exploration and play. Alongside bright classrooms, colourful play areas, and a Tinker Room, we are home to one of the only Forest Schools in Russia.

Packed with spaces that spark our children’s curiosity and creativity, our Primary Building plays host to exhilarating learning experiences. It has an open-plan library, an indoor gym, dedicated spaces to learn music, and classrooms packed with interactive technology, including iPads and MacBooks.

Krylatskoe Campus

Easy to reach from Moscow’s city centre, Krylatskoe is situated on the site of the former Olympic Park, which is now a protected area.

Our EYFS and younger Primary (Years 1-4) children learn and discover on our Lower Campus. Here, dynamic, interactive classrooms – as well as specialist music and language spaces – flow into bright outdoor areas, including a garden and allotment, which provide calming areas to connect with nature.

A five-minute walk away, our Upper Campus is home to our older Primary (Years 5-6) and Secondary students. Specialist subjects come to life in well-equipped science labs, art studios, and tech-enriched classrooms, while spacious indoor sports facilities, two all-weather pitches, and an outdoor climbing wall give every child the chance to get active.

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• Get in touch with us today – fill in our online enquiry form.
• Come and see our campuses in person – or book a virtual meeting.
• Send us your application.
• We will invite you and your child to an informal family interview.
• If everyone is happy, we will offer your child a place.

Time management skills for students: Making the most of every opportunity

The day in a life of a student at the International School of Moscow (ISM) is filled with activities, which means that time is often precious. With so much going on each day – from lessons and coursework to extra-curricular clubs and social activities – we know how important it is to help our young people effectively manage their time.

The Moscow Mathematics Olympiad: A Display of Mathematical Excellence

The International School of Moscow (ISM) recently hosted a thrilling Mathematics Olympiad, showcasing the exceptional talents of young mathematicians from various schools. With two tiers of competition, lower and upper, the event brought together a total of seven schools, each vying for top honors. 

Early Years At The International School of Moscow

A child’s youngest years are a jubilant journey of discovery, exploration and growth. The impact of the caring attention we provide during these youngest years will echo through the rest of their lives.

Did you know… a child’s brain is already 90-95% of its adult size before entering Primary school. They will develop a great deal yet, but the foundational structure has been set.

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Our carefully constructed British academic programme – combined with the highest levels of personalised support – will lay the foundations for your child’s success, whatever they choose to do or be in life.

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Top 15 Best International Schools in Moscow, Russia

• By Juliet Ryder
• Posted 18 January, 2022

Moscow International Schools

There are over 20 international schools in Moscow   and the surrounding area, with 11  British schools , 3  IB schools in Moscow  and 2  American schools .  Most are English speaking and some are bi and multi-lingual. Read on to find out what the areas of Moscow are like and how they relate to some of the best Moscow international schools.

Life in Moscow

Moscow is the capital of Russia and the largest city in Europe by area.  It is also one of the most populous cities in the world with an estimated current population of more than 15 million within the city limits and 25 million within its metropolitan area. According to the 2019 Forbes List, Moscow is home to more billionaires than anywhere else in the world apart from New York and Hong Kong.  Moscow has a rich cultural history and is well known for its unique and beautiful architecture, art, classical music and ballet.  The city is easy to get around on foot or by public transport, although the metro gets very crowded during rush hour.  The roads are very busy with frequent traffic jams.  In recent years Moscow has become a real culinary capital with plenty of excellent restaurants coffee shops.  It is a common misconception that Russians are unfriendly.  In Russian culture it is unusual to smile at strangers.  Most Russians are warm, sincere and honest and will give you a genuine smile once they get to know you.    

Central Moscow

The prestigious district of Arbat is centrally located in the western part of the city and home to a number of embassies.  It is a popular area rich in beautiful architecture and luxurious apartments. 

The central, convenient and lively Tverskaya Street in the north westerly part of the city leads directly to Red Square and the Kremlin.  There are, however, some quieter side streets, like Kamergersky Lane, with beautiful housing and an abundance of restaurants and cafés.

Patriarshiye Prudy

To the southern side of Tverskaya Street is the popular family area of Patriarshiye Prudy (Patriarch’s Ponds).  This is a calm and quiet neighbourhood around a beautiful city park.

Basmanny District

To the east of the city centre is the Basmanny District, a clean, green neighbourhood considered to be a calm oasis in the heart of the city.  This area is home to Chistye prudy (Clean Ponds), a popular park with paddle boats to rent in the Summer or ice skates in the Winter.

Tretyakov Gallery

Situated in the southern part of the city, the Tretyakov Gallery area is lively with plenty of upmarket bars and coffee shops.  There are some quieter neighbourhoods off the main streets of Pyatnitskaya and Ordynka.

Outside the Garden Ring

Fruzenskaya area.

To the south west of the city, just outside the Garden Ring, is the Fruzenskaya embankment.  This area is very leafy and green overlooking the Moscow River and Gorky Park.  This area is popular with families but apartments are often quite small and expensive. 

Leningradsky Prospekt

Leningradsky Prospekt is a busy avenue to the north west of the city that connects with the top of Tverskaya Street at its southern end.  This quirky, bohemian area, famous for its Artist’s Village (Sokol area), is leafy and green with some remaining dachas (Russian country cottages).

Outer areas of Moscow

Botanical garden district.

Around 10 km to the north of the centre is the green district of Moscow’s Botanical Gardens, one of the largest in Europe, is a great place which boasts a valuable collection of rare plants while providing visitors with the opportunity to plunge into the world of nature without having to leave the city. It is also home to one of the most visited and favorite places of rest and entertainment for guests and residents of the capital - VDNHa -  the Park, Exhibition and Cultural Complex .

Pokrovsky Hills

Around 15 km to the north west of the city centre is Pokrovsky Hills, an exclusive gated, residential community with family housing situated in a hilly, wooded area adjacent to the   several international schools .  

Another 5 km further to the north west of the city centre is Rosinka.  This luxurious, gated international community of individual family homes is spread over 134 acres with facilities including a private lake with its own beach, a woodland nature reserve, playgrounds and a leisure centre with sports facilities, conference facilities and a restaurant. 

Serebryany Bor 

Just under 20 km to the west of the city is the ecological forest park island of Serebryany Bor.  In addition to the protected ancient woodland this area has clean beaches, a watersports complex, marinas and stables. This area also has spacious, family housing .

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Before the ranking, check out our Featured Best Schools in Moscow:

Cambridge International School, Skolkovo Campus

Ages 3 to 18

Curriculum English, Russian

Primary Language English

Where Moscow international schools are distributed (view our List of International Schools in Moscow to see a live map):

Best International Schools in Moscow - Rankings

Note: our rankings are based on parent, pupil and teacher reviews. If you think your Moscow school should be in the top 15, get reviewing - we want to hear from real people with real experiences at schools so parents, teachers and pupils get the real story when they research their next school. You can find your school in the full List of International Schools in Moscow , or search by name here .

If you prefer, you can filter by age, curriculum and language on the Moscow school list.

The International School of Moscow, Rosinka 

Primary language, max class size.

The International School of Moscow (ISM) Rosinka offers a contemporary English international education to students aged from 2 to 11. Established in 2007, the School has a student body of over 1000 and boasts more than 60 nationalities. ISM Rosinka welcomes students aged 2-11. It is located inside Rosinka’s gated territory and is a unique, all through safe, family friendly community school that offers an exceptional outdoor programme. The school is a member of Nord Anglia Education, a growing network of 69 schools established across the globe, and collaborates with world-leading organisations, including the Juilliard School, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and UNICEF. Please feel free to watch our promotional video to learn more about Rosinka: https://youtu.be/K7l2cUXb6Ys ISM Rosinka: +7 (499) 922 44 05 [email protected]

Hinkson Christian Academy 

Hinkson Christian Academy (HCA) is an English language elementary and secondary school located in Moscow, Russia. For over 20 years, Hinkson has served the needs of expat and local families who desire their children to receive a quality English-language education that is informed by a Christian worldview, and values Christian character principles. Hinkson Christian Academy is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International, whose accreditation is recognized worldwide.

Britannia School 

Britannia School Moscow is a traditional British Nursery and Primary school that teaches students from the age of 1,5 years old to 7 years old. We follow the British Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS) and the English national curriculum. All lessons at Britannia School are taught in English by experienced native-speaking British teachers. Our school offers additional after school clubs, weekend English classes and summer camp to both internal and external students. Every year Britannia School Moscow graduates successfully enter international schools in Moscow and overseas.

Embassy of India School 

Embassy of India School (KV) Moscow is a vibrant educational institution in Moscow catering to the educational needs of the wards of the Embassy of India personnel and community of Indian origin. The main objective of the School is to impart quality education of an international standard, together with developing the holistic personality of the child, to face the challenging needs of the ever changing society. Established in the year 1987, today the school has a strength of a little over 350 students with classes I to XII and has Science and Commerce streams. The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (C.B.S.E), New Delhi and follows the curriculum framed by NCERT, New Delhi, India.

English International School Moscow 

English International School Moscow offers a warm and welcoming setting, in which students can develop a love of learning and parents are an integral part of our school community. We encourage regular communication with parents as we believe that working in partnership is the key to a successful outcome. 

The International School of Moscow, Krylatskoe Campus 

English, iGCSE, A-Level

The International School of Moscow (ISM) is a leading international school in the region, with a strong academic track record. ISM welcomes students aged 2-18 and offers unique Secondary and Sixth Form opportunities due to the large international student body and a wide variety of (I) GCSE and A level subjects. The school is a member of Nord Anglia Education, a growing network of 77 schools established across the globe, and collaborates with world-leading organisations, including the Juilliard School, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and UNICEF. Our school VISION is to: - Provide an education that is friendly, engaging, vibrant and inspiring, nurturing students’ potential and maximising their achievement. - Provide an individually-tailored approach for every child through a warm and caring pastoral care programme. - Develop the skills and mindset needed for students to thrive in an ever-changing world, whilst delivering traditional British values in an international context and engaging learning environments. Our MISSION is that every pupil: - Loves coming to school, has a passion for learning and achieves more than they ever thought possible. - Is educated for the future and is able to achieve truly outstanding academic results on a pathway to the world’s top universities. - Upholds the values of honesty, tolerance, integrity and respect for others. ISM currently has two campuses in Moscow: 1) The Krylatskoe Campus 2) The Rosinka Campus To learn more about ISM , please visit our website or contact us: +7 (499) 922 44 00 [email protected]

International School of Tomorrow 

International School of Tomorrow Moscow was started in 1992 to cater to the academic needs of the diplomatic community. Today the School offers its services to both Russian and International students providing the best university-bound education. From the very beginning the School has adhered to the principle of ensuring quality in all aspects - academics, spiritual growth, and character building. During the last 13 years of its existence, the International School of Tomorrow has proved its merit and has become an Embassy school for the international community of 30 countries. Today International School of Tomorrow graduates study all around the world. The diploma issued by the School became a recognizable trademark in more than 500 Universities including the USA and Britain.

British International School Moscow 

At the British International School Moscow (BIS), we welcome and educate students from around the world. We help facilitate new families settling into Moscow and are aware that parents who relocate need to be reassured that their children are educated and develop in a safe and secure environment. As such, we have a proud history of providing ‘excellence in education’ to the pupils and parents we serve.

Heritage International School 

Russian,English

Heritage International School offers a supportive international environment and world-class education and care for children from 2 years old in Moscow. The education is based on the British curriculum with lessons conducted in English by highly qualified international teachers. The school is located near the center of Moscow, by the Yauza River embankment and Sokolniki Park. The new modern building is equipped with the finest learning materials and specialised European furniture. The school founders are known for their successful experience in developing and managing a network of Cambridge international schools in Russia and abroad.

Deutsche Schule Moskau 

Deutsche Schule Moskau (DSM) , is the school of the German Embassy in Moscow and one of 140 German schools abroad. DSM is aware of its guest role in Russia. The teaching of the common history of the two countries is a subject of learning at school. We promote contact and exchange with the city of Moscow and the entire country.  The support of the children in their development to social and self-responsible action is a central task of our school. Social skills are an important educational goal. This area of competence includes in particular the assumption of responsibility and conflict resolution capability. In addition to the technical and methodological skills, social skills are always promoted in all projects of Deutsche Schule Moskau.

Moscow Economic School 

Moscow Economic School (MES) , is a private, non-governmental, IB World School. Founded as a result of democratic changes in our country, MES was the first and has grown into one of the largest private, non-governmental schools in Russia. Today, we have 600 students, boys and girls from the ages of 3 to 18 years old with over 300 employees. MES is striving to be a bilingual school. Russian is the primary language of instruction in the Primary and Middle Years Programs, but English is beginning to be used as an instructive language in their core subjects beginning in the 1st grade. By the time our students begin the Diploma Program, all of their lessons are taught in English.

Scuola Italiana Italo Calvino 

Scuola Italiana Italo Calvino was Founded in 1973 for Italians living in Moscow and today the school is also open for children of other nationalities who want to join one of the richest European cultures. One of the priority tasks of the school is to disseminate the Italian language and cultural traditions of Italy in Russia. All classes are held in Italian. The certification is recognized by all schools of the European Union.

Brookes Moscow International IB School 

Brookes Moscow International School is a member of the Brookes Education Group (BEG), a global family of IB schools with seven campuses around the world, including major ones in Cambridge (founded in 1982), Vancouver and Seoul. The 800-pupil capacity Brookes Moscow site welcomes local and international students from age 2 to 18 to its campus and offers the chance to study for the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Students also have access to BEG’s family of schools and the opportunity to study abroad. Highest academic standards and enquiry-based learning.

The English School of Science and Technology 

International English School of Science & Technology (ESS)  is a co-educational independent school that offers students from diverse backgrounds the best of English national education. The school is firmly based on the academic standards found in a typical, high-quality British independent school.  ESS is a rigorous international university preparatory school specializing in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). English School of Science & Technology is small enough to provide a caring, respectful atmosphere whilst promoting the highest academic achievement. The warm and welcoming school community makes it an ideal place to receive a quality education with a diploma valid for the best Universities around the world.

Other International Schools in Moscow

There are 8 other international schools in Moscow that didn't make it into our Top 15, either because they didn't have enough reviews or its review rating was too low. If your school is one of those and you think it should make the Top 15, make sure you add your review and tell your story via the school links below.

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My family and I are originally from the UK but have also lived in Australia and Spain. We have always wanted to make sure that our 3 boys have the best possible experience living abroad and that our travels have a positive impact on their education.

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