Where our Israel families are
Smartious Israel families concentrate across Tel Aviv (the commercial and technology capital with few international schools for its profile), Jerusalem (national institutions, the Hebrew University and a large English- and French-speaking olim community), Haifa and the north (the Technion, the port and a strongly academic multilingual region), Be'er Sheva and the Negev (Ben-Gurion University and a growing technology and cyber sector in a district with essentially no international schooling), and Ra'anana and the Sharon (the olim heartland, where keeping a route back matters as much as settling in). One permit-based framework explained properly, and the closest timezone in our entire coverage.
The commercial and technology capital · one of the world's densest start-up ecosystems · a large international and returning-diaspora professional community · few international schools for the city's profile
The seat of national institutions · the Hebrew University and a deep academic sector · a large English-speaking and French-speaking olim community · several long-established international schools
The Technion and a major engineering and research sector · the country's principal port and petrochemical complex · a mixed and multilingual population · the Galilee and Krayot beyond the city
Ben-Gurion University and a fast-growing technology and cyber sector · desert agriculture and water research of global significance · a large area with dispersed communities · minimal international schooling
The heartland of Israel's English-speaking and French-speaking olim communities · a technology and corporate corridor · Herzliya, Kfar Saba and Netanya alongside · families with strong ties to the countries they came from
How Smartious compares to top Israel schools
Israel has a small number of long-established international schools — the Walworth Barbour American International School, the Anglican International School Jerusalem, Tabeetha School in Jaffa, the Eastern Mediterranean International School and the Jerusalem American International School — which is remarkably few for a country with this scale of English-speaking and French-speaking immigration and this size of technology sector. They are good, their places are limited, and they are concentrated in the centre and Jerusalem. Outside that, most international qualification demand is met through private tuition or not at all.
| School | Curriculum | Fees (ILS/year) | Status / Rating | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Walworth Barbour American International School Even Yehuda / centre | American and AP | Premium | 4.7 | Long-established and strong — limited places, centre-bound |
Anglican International School Jerusalem Jerusalem | British / IGCSE and IB | Competitive places | 4.5 | The closest local comparison to our Cambridge track |
Eastern Mediterranean International School Hakfar Hayarok | IB Diploma, boarding | Selective | 4.6 | Selective IB boarding — a different proposition entirely |
Tabeetha School Jaffa | British / IGCSE | Limited places | 4.3 | Long history and small — one of very few British-curriculum options |
Haifa, the Galilee and the Negev North and south | Minimal to none | — | 0 | A Technion city and a growing technology capital, neither with international schooling |
Private tuition Nationwide | Exam-focused coaching | Widespread | 4 | The default answer to an international qualification gap — usually one-to-one and unstructured across a year |
Smartious Homeschool (Israel via online delivery) Delivered nationwide | Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level, IB DP, AP | ILS equivalent at prevailing rate | 4.8 | Every class live through A-Level + our entire teaching day available on Israel's clock + the north and Negev reached + honest that we cannot help with a permit |
Fee ranges reflect published 2026 tuition for Year 7-13 across the school's tier structure. Specific fees vary by year group and additional school charges (registration, capital fee, books, transport, uniforms). Smartious USD pricing translates to fixed ILS via the peg.
Homeschool laws & regulatory framework in the Israel
Israel operates a permission tier: home education is lawful but requires an annual permit, and the formal posture is stricter than the practice. Both halves matter, and so does what a provider like us cannot do.
The governing statute and what is compulsory
The Compulsory Education Law of 1949, with its amendments, governs Israeli education, administered by the Ministry of Education. Education is compulsory for children from age three to fifteen inclusive, or until the completion of ten years of schooling, beginning at the latest at age five, with free education continuing beyond that point. Because the law has been amended over the decades, a family should confirm the boundaries applying to their own child with the Ministry rather than take them from any article, ours included.
Streams, and the choice parents do not have
The law recognises State education and State religious education, alongside institutions that are recognised but not official and supervised by the Ministry, and independent institutions that are recognised but not supervised. Parents have the right to choose the stream their children attend — and, this often surprises newcomers, not the specific school: the local school board refers children in accordance with social integration policy. For olim families arriving with expectations formed elsewhere, that is one of the more consequential things to know early, and it is a common reason families begin looking at supplementary international teaching.
Home education: a permit, renewed every year
Israel permits home education by permit from the Ministry of Education, and the framework has three features families should plan around. The permit is granted for one school year only and must be renewed annually. A child for whom home education is approved must meet the standards set by the educational system. And the formal position is stringent: the Director General's directive states that the position of the Israeli education system is that the place of students of compulsory education age is within the institutional educational framework, and that educational authorities ought to do everything possible to allocate a suitable learning environment for each student.
And the practice, which is more accommodating
Despite that formal posture, the Ministry in fact approves the great majority of requests — in the 2006/2007 year it approved 155 applications and denied 8, which we cite as a reported historical figure rather than current data. Ministry policy since 2009 has allowed home education on condition the family fulfils state requirements, a position the Supreme Court noted in a decision applies to most families who request permission. The Ministry has published internal guidelines in Hebrew for processing applications. The number of children actually educated at home is reported to be higher than the official figure. Families have also reported being summoned to Ministry tribunals over concerns ranging from socialisation to other matters, with the possibility of permission being revoked — we mention that not to alarm anyone but because a permit is reviewed annually rather than granted once, and a family should plan on that basis.
What we can and cannot do
This needs saying plainly. Smartious cannot obtain a Ministry permit, cannot influence one, and cannot substitute for one — that relationship is entirely between a family and the Ministry of Education, and any provider suggesting otherwise should be treated with caution. We are not a Ministry-recognised institution, we issue no Israeli qualification, and we do not teach toward the Bagrut. What we do is teach subjects: live small-group Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, IB and AP classes toward externally examined international qualifications, either alongside an Israeli school enrolment or as the academic programme for a family that already holds a permit.
The clock, which is the best in our coverage
One practical advantage worth stating clearly because it is unique. Israel runs Israel Standard Time at UTC+2, moving to Israel Daylight Time at UTC+3 for the summer. Our teaching base runs UTC+3 year-round. That puts Israel one hour behind us in winter and exactly level in summer — closer than any of the other eighty-eight countries we serve. Every hour of our teaching day is available to an Israeli family: an after-school class at four in the afternoon, a mid-morning session for a student on a permitted home-education programme, or an evening slot all work equally. In most of our markets the timetable is a constraint to be worked around. Here it simply is not one.
Why Israel families choose Smartious
Reasons grounded in the realities of Israel education — local school capacity constraints, corporate transfer and diplomatic timing, commute and logistics, currency stability, and the curriculum portability that mobile expat and dual-nationality families need.
The closest clock of any country we serve
One hour behind in winter, exactly level in summer. Our entire teaching day is available — after-school, mid-morning or evening.
A route back for olim families
UCAS reads Cambridge A-Levels natively, and American, French, Canadian and South African universities read A-Levels and the IB directly.
The permit framework explained, including what we cannot do
Annual permits, system standards, a stringent formal posture and an accommodating practice — and no ability on our part to obtain or influence one.
The north and the Negev reached
Haifa, the Galilee and the southern district have minimal or no international schooling. Live delivery reaches all of them identically.
French and home languages examined
Cambridge French for the substantial francophone community, alongside English Language and Literature — formal qualifications rather than household languages.
Computing depth for a technology economy
Cambridge A-Level Computer Science, Mathematics and Further Mathematics for Tel Aviv's start-up sector and Be'er Sheva's cyber hub.
What you can verify about Smartious
We publish only facts we can substantiate — operational history, curriculum coverage, teacher base, and infrastructure. No invented testimonials or pass-rate claims.
Founder-led education company
Founded 2019 by Alfred Ouko (BEd Mathematics & Physics). Smartious operates a full teaching team of 11 with two international-standard operational centres established 2022 and 2023. Not a marketplace, not a freelance network.
Two operational centres
Live teaching is delivered to Israel families from two international-standard operational centres, established 2022 and 2023. Teachers work from professional academic facilities with accountability and infrastructure beyond marketplace or freelance models.
Cambridge-trained PGCE specialists
Teachers are PGCE-qualified subject specialists with Cambridge International training. Subject specialism means a Chemistry teacher teaches only Chemistry — not generalist primary-style teaching.
120+ countries served
Active students in Israel and 13 other markets across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and Asia. Verifiable through cross-country cohort interaction in live classes.
Ontario Diploma (OSSD) partnership
Smartious students can earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma through our partnership with Canadian Cross International School (Ontario-inspected private school). The OSSD is recognised by Canadian universities (OUAC), US universities (Common Application), UK universities (UCAS) and globally — particularly valuable for Canadian U15 applications.
5 international curricula
Cambridge IGCSE & A-Level (primary offering), Pearson Edexcel International GCSE & A-Level, IB Diploma Programme, American Curriculum with AP, Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) via Canadian Cross International School partnership. Multiple credential pathways per family.
Live class transparency
Every class is live with recorded sessions for review. Parents can audit class quality directly. This is materially different from pre-recorded video courses with light tutor support.
4.9 from 123+ verified Google reviews
“I am truly impressed by the level of professionalism at Smartious Homeschool and Tuition. The tutors are not only knowledgeable but also very patient and supportive. They create a comfortable learning environment where children feel free to ask questions. My child now enjoys studying and looks forward to every session.”
“What stands out most about Smartious Homeschool and Tuition is their dedication to each learner. They don't rush through topics but ensure the child fully understands before moving forward. The progress my child has made in a short time is impressive. I would definitely recommend them to any parent.”
“Smartious Homeschooling delivers genuinely effective one-on-one instruction. The teachers are patient, consistent, and skilled at identifying and addressing each learner's specific academic gaps. Since enrolling, our child has become more confident, enjoys lessons, and is now performing above grade level. For families in Nairobi seeking a dependable, academically rigorous homeschooling programme with personalised support, Smartious is a standout choice.”
Reviews above are from our verified Google Business Profile. For Israel-specific parent references during your decision-making, request these during your free assessment — we can introduce you to current Israel families happy to share their experience directly.
Accreditation, Recognition & University Pathways
Smartious students earn qualifications administered by independent international examination boards. Recognition flows from the board itself — not from the school that delivered the curriculum. Below is the accreditation, examination and verification framework that connects Israeli Smartious students to universities worldwide.
Cambridge International
Cambridge Assessment International Education · University of Cambridge
Smartious's primary offer for Israel families. Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A-Level delivered as live small-group classes at whatever hour suits — Israel sits one hour behind our teaching base in winter and exactly level in summer, so our full day is available — run alongside an Israeli school enrolment, or as a full programme for families holding a current Ministry home-education permit. Cambridge French and other home languages available beside the English-medium core. Examinations at authorised provision confirmed per session; Smartious issues no Israeli qualification and does not teach toward the Bagrut.
Pearson Edexcel International
Pearson · UK Edexcel curriculum adapted for international delivery
International GCSE and International A-Level qualifications, administered by Pearson. Three examination series annually (January, May/June, October/November) providing additional flexibility versus the Cambridge twice-yearly schedule.
International Baccalaureate Organisation
IB Diploma Programme · IBO Geneva
IB Diploma administered by the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva. Recognised by leading universities globally with particularly strong weighting at US Ivy League, US selective liberal arts colleges, Canadian U15 and top European universities.
College Board
American Curriculum with Advanced Placement (AP)
AP courses and examinations administered by the College Board, the US non-profit responsible for the SAT and AP programmes. AP scores are widely recognised by US universities for university credit, plus by Canadian, UK, Australian and many universities worldwide.
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
Canadian Cross International School · Ontario Ministry of Education
OSSD earned through Smartious's partnership with Canadian Cross International School, an Ontario-inspected private school. Smartious students enrol concurrently with CCIS to complete the OSSD curriculum and credit requirements alongside Cambridge or other pathways. OSSD is one of the most recognised secondary credentials worldwide — particularly strong for Canadian U15 admissions via OUAC, US universities via Common Application, and UK universities via UCAS.
Examination centre arrangements in Israel
International examinations require attendance at authorised examination centres on specific dates. In Israel, established examination centres serve Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel and other major international qualifications.
Smartious manages examination registration logistics including centre selection, registration paperwork and deadline compliance. Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel examinations for Israel-based students sit as external candidates at authorised provision, with capacity confirmed per family per session — the Tel Aviv area and Jerusalem are checked first, with travel planned ahead from Haifa, the Galilee and the Negev. Israel is geographically compact, so examination travel is generally a handful of day trips a year rather than a logistical exercise. Note what does not change: our arrangement runs alongside the Israeli record, which comes from an Israeli school or from whatever arrangement a family holds under a Ministry permit. Smartious is not a Ministry of Education recognised institution, issues no Israeli qualification, and does not teach toward the Bagrut — what we teach carries Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, IB or AP validity instead.
University recognition worldwide
Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, IB Diploma and American AP qualifications are recognised across the major university systems globally.
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Technion, Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Reichman University.
Cambridge · Oxford · Imperial College London · UCL · LSE · King's College London · Edinburgh · Manchester · Bristol · Birmingham · Warwick · Durham · the Russell Group · the broader UK system via UCAS
Harvard · Yale · Princeton · Columbia · Penn · Brown · Dartmouth · Cornell · Amherst · Williams · Pomona · UC Berkeley · UCLA · Michigan · Virginia · top liberal arts and public research universities via the Common Application
Toronto · McGill · UBC · McMaster · Waterloo · Western · Queen's · the U15 research universities · OUAC for Ontario applications
Melbourne · Sydney · ANU · Monash · Queensland · UWA · Adelaide · UNSW · the Group of Eight via UAC
NYU Abu Dhabi · Sorbonne Abu Dhabi · Khalifa · AUS · AUD · UAE branch campuses · KFUPM · KAUST · KSU · KAU · Saudi national universities · Education City Doha (Georgetown · Northwestern · CMU · Cornell · Texas A&M · HEC Paris · UCL)
Berlin Humboldt · Munich LMU · Heidelberg · RWTH Aachen · TU Munich · French Grandes Écoles · Amsterdam · Leiden · Utrecht · Bologna · Sapienza · ETH Zurich · EPFL
How universities verify qualifications
Universities verify Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, IB Diploma and American AP qualifications directly with the issuing examination boards through standard verification services — Cambridge International Verification of Awards, Pearson's Verification of Results, the IB Organisation's verification service, and the College Board AP Score Reporting service. The qualification's credibility comes from the examination board itself, which is why these qualifications are equally valid whether earned at a physical school or through Smartious.
Curriculum approaches we offer Israeli families
British Curriculum
Cambridge IGCSE & A-Level · Pearson Edexcel
Cambridge IGCSE: Years 10-11, eight to ten subjects. Cambridge A-Level: Years 12-13, three or four subjects in depth. Pearson Edexcel as British alternative with three examination series annually.
Israel families targeting the Cambridge pathway. Best fit for: (1) olim families who arrived mid-schooling and want a route back to UK, US, French or Canadian universities, (2) families holding a current home-education permit who need live subject teaching, (3) Negev, Galilee and northern families where international schooling is minimal or absent, (4) technology-sector households wanting Computer Science and Further Mathematics at A-Level, (5) students needing a subject their school cannot staff for a small group.
Live online classes across our full teaching day, small groups 4-6 students, every session recorded, alongside an Israeli school or a permitted home-education arrangement.
IB Diploma Programme
International Baccalaureate Organisation
Grades 11-12. Six subjects (three Higher Level, three Standard Level), plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay (4,000-word independent research paper), and Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS).
Israel families wanting the IB Diploma with live subject teaching, Theory of Knowledge, and Extended Essay supervision alongside their school.
Live online IB DP classes across all six subject groups plus Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay supervision.
American Curriculum
College Board · AP · SAT & ACT
US high school curriculum through Grade 12. Advanced Placement courses Grades 9-12 with college-level subject specialisation. SAT or ACT preparation integrated alongside curriculum delivery.
Israel families targeting US universities via Common Application — a major destination given the size of the American olim community.
American Curriculum with AP courses Grades 9-12, SAT/ACT preparation, Common App essay coaching.
Ontario Secondary School Diploma
OSSD · via Canadian Cross International School partnership
Grades 9-12 Ontario curriculum delivered through Smartious's partnership with Canadian Cross International School (Ontario-inspected private secondary school). Students complete the 30 credits required for OSSD including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) and 40 community involvement hours.
Israeli families targeting Canadian U15 universities (Toronto, McGill, UBC, McMaster, Waterloo, Western, Queen's) via OUAC, US universities via the Common Application, UK universities via UCAS, and Australian universities. The OSSD is particularly strong for direct Canadian university applications because students apply as Ontario secondary graduates rather than international students.
Live online instruction by qualified subject teachers, concurrent enrolment with Canadian Cross International School for official OSSD transcripting, Ontario course codes (ENG4U, MHF4U, SCH4U etc.) recorded against each student. CCIS issues the official Ontario diploma and transcript on successful completion of the OSSD requirements.
Primary, Secondary & Sixth Form
Primary Programmes
Ages 5-11 · Years 1-6 · Grades 1-5 · IB PYP
Cambridge Primary, Common Core or IB Primary Years Programme. Live classes are age-appropriate in length (40-50 minutes), scheduled in your local IST / IDT time zone to suit Primary-age attention spans. Small group sizes support individual attention. Weekly parent dashboards and monthly written reports cover academic and developmental progress.
Secondary Programmes
Years 7-11 · Grades 6-11
Lower Secondary (Years 7-9) builds the foundations for IGCSE entry. IGCSE Years (10-11) cover eight to ten subjects with examination registration at Authorised Israeli Cambridge provision. One-on-one subject choice consultation at IGCSE entry aligns subjects with university targets. Mid-year arrivals accepted with academic catch-up support.
Sixth Form & University Preparation
Years 12-13 · Grades 11-12
Israeli universities admit principally on the Bagrut together with the psychometric examination, and holders of foreign qualifications go through institutional recognition procedures with requirements confirmed per case — a family intending to enter the Israeli system should confirm that route early, and note that the Israeli side of a student's record has to come from an Israeli school or arrangement rather than from us. Outward, Israeli students apply in numbers to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and France, which reflects where a great many families came from: UCAS reads Cambridge A-Levels natively, American and Canadian universities read A-Levels, the IB Diploma and AP records directly, and French institutions assess Cambridge and IB qualifications through their own equivalence routes. A-Levels are accepted in 160+ countries. Smartious provides personalised university guidance across UK (UCAS), US, Canadian, French and Israeli destinations.
Eight reasons Israeli families choose Smartious
Each reason is grounded in something verifiable — not in marketing claims.
Experienced international educators
Subject-specific degree-qualified teaching staff with cumulative experience across Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, IB Diploma and American Curriculum. Many hold advanced teaching credentials including PGCE, Cambridge PDT certification, or national teaching registration in their home jurisdiction.
Personalised learning plans
Every student begins with an initial assessment. The learning plan that follows is tailored to academic level, subject preferences, target universities and family situation — not a one-size-fits-all schedule.
Academic assessments
Initial diagnostic assessment. Weekly informal assessment within classes. Monthly formal assessments. Mock examinations under timed conditions during IGCSE and A-Level years. Results inform teaching adjustments.
Small class sizes
Online tier classes have four to six students. Online Plus has smaller groups. Premium is one-on-one. Class size affects individual attention, question response time, and student speaking time during class.
Progress monitoring
Weekly parent dashboards showing attendance and assessment results. Monthly written subject reports from each teacher. Termly comprehensive reports covering academic progress, study habits and university preparation.
Parent communication
Direct communication with subject teachers and form tutors via the parent portal. Email for admissions and pastoral matters, with response within one business day. Scheduled parent-teacher meetings each term.
Global student community
Live classes bring together students from across 14 countries. Wednesday afternoon enrichment programmes — coding, robotics, debate, Model UN, chess, journalism, leadership — develop collaborative learning across geographies.
University admissions guidance
Progressive guidance from Year 10 onwards. UCAS, Common Application, OUAC, UAC and direct university application support. Personal statement coaching, interview preparation and offer-management guidance.
Alfred Ouko
Founder, Smartious Homeschool & eSchool
Alfred Ouko is the founder of Smartious Homeschool & eSchool, established in 2019 while studying at the University of Nairobi. He has grown the organisation from a tuition support service into an international online school serving families across 14 countries, including Alfred Ouko founded Smartious in Nairobi in 2019 to make international qualifications accessible to families at online-delivery fees rather than campus ones. Israel is the closest country to us on the clock of the eighty-nine we serve — one hour in winter and none at all in summer — which makes it the one market where a family can genuinely pick any hour of our teaching day that suits them..
Bachelor of Education (Science) — Mathematics and Physics, University of Nairobi (2022)
- Over six years supporting students through international curriculum pathways — Cambridge International (IGCSE and A-Level), Pearson Edexcel International, IB Diploma Programme, American Curriculum with AP, and homeschooling pathways.
- Direct teaching experience in secondary-level Mathematics and Physics across multiple international curriculum boards.
- Leadership of curriculum development, teacher recruitment and academic standards across Smartious's two international-standard operational centres and online programmes serving Israel families.
- Specialism in supporting students through university admissions to Alfred holds a BEd in Mathematics and Physics — Smartious's Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma STEM subjects are led personally when needed, suiting Haifa's Technion-facing families, Be'er Sheva's technology and cyber households, and Tel Aviv's start-up community. Head of Academics supervises curriculum delivery and university placement strategy per family..
“International curriculum mastery is achievable for students from any background when subject specialists, small class sizes, and individual academic plans are combined with the discipline and structure good schools provide.”
Common questions from Israel families
Is homeschooling legal in Israel?+
Yes, by permit. The Ministry of Education grants home-education permits for one school year at a time, renewable annually, and a child for whom home education is approved must meet the standards set by the educational system. The Director General's directive holds that students of compulsory education age belong within the institutional educational framework — but in practice the Ministry approves the great majority of requests, and policy since 2009 has allowed home education where the family fulfils state requirements, which the Supreme Court noted applies to most applicants.
Can Smartious help us get a permit?+
No, and no provider can. The permit is entirely between your family and the Ministry of Education. We teach the subjects — live, in small groups — whether you hold a permit or your child is enrolled at an Israeli school.
Do you teach the Bagrut?+
No. We are not a Ministry of Education recognised institution and issue no Israeli qualification. We teach Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, IB and AP examinations, which sit alongside the Israeli record rather than replacing it.
How close is the timezone really?+
Closer than any country we serve. Israel runs UTC+2 in winter and UTC+3 in summer; we teach from UTC+3 year-round. So you are one hour behind us in winter and exactly level in summer, and every hour of our teaching day is available to you.
We made aliyah mid-schooling — what happens to our child's record?+
They keep an internationally examined pathway rather than restarting. Cambridge A-Levels are read natively by UCAS and directly by American, French, Canadian and South African universities, so the route back to where you came from stays open alongside the Israeli one.
Can we choose our child's school in Israel?+
Parents may choose the educational stream but not the specific school — the local school board refers children in accordance with social integration policy. It surprises many newcomers and is a common reason families look at supplementary international teaching.
Where do Israeli students sit Cambridge examinations?+
At authorised provision confirmed per family per session — the Tel Aviv area and Jerusalem are checked first, with travel planned ahead from Haifa, the Galilee and the Negev. Israel is compact enough that this is a handful of day trips a year.
Which parts of Israel does Smartious cover?+
Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and the north, Be'er Sheva and the Negev, and Ra'anana and the Sharon have dedicated pages. Live online delivery works identically anywhere in the country.
Israeli students join a 14+ country global cohort
Live classes bring together students from across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and Asia. A Israel student in our Year 11 IGCSE Mathematics class will be alongside peers in Cairo, Dubai, Bangkok, Seoul, Casablanca and Kigali. The Wednesday enrichment programmes (debate, Model UN, robotics, journalism) operate as one global classroom rather than thirteen separate national ones.