Guide · Comparison
Chartwell or PRIMA?
Chartwell International School and PRIMA International School Belgrade side by side on curriculum, admissions, what the fee covers and what neither school publishes.
Updated August 2026 · schools' own pages read 24 August 2026
Chartwell International School teaches Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary to ages 2-18 in Dedinje, Savski Venac. PRIMA International School Belgrade teaches English National Curriculum via Cambridge, Cambridge IGCSE to ages 2-18 in Senjak. The table below sets them side by side on everything either school publishes. Where a row says “not published”, that is the finding — it means the school does not put it anywhere public, and it is a good question to take to an interview.
Where they differ
| Chartwell | PRIMA | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge AS and A Level | English National Curriculum via Cambridge, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge AS and A Level |
| Founded | 1998 | Not published |
| Neighbourhood | Dedinje, Savski Venac | Senjak |
| Campuses | Reported campuses | Campus, Administrative |
| Students | 1,000-1,200 (sources disagree) directory figure | Not published |
| Nationalities | 40-60 (sources disagree) directory figure | over 45 |
| Class size | average 16, max 18 directory figure | Not published |
| Inside the fee | Not published | Daily warm school lunch; Morning break fresh fruit; Day trips to museums, fairs, exhibitions and theatres; One full-day excursion within Serbia; Use of all books and equipment; PE kit; Progression tests and exams; Secondary Cambridge examination fees (Years 11-13); Primary after-school clubs (Years 1-6); Child insurance during the school day |
| Billed on top | Meals — the school's own FAQ states meals are not included; a catering service offers a hot meal at a monthly menu; Transport, arranged and charged directly with the provider | School bus (optional, charged on top) |
| Entrance testing | All Secondary students take an oral English placement test. Placement is by age and school history. Primary and Foundation testing not described. | No formal entrance examination described. The process is interview- and records-based: parent interview with the Head of School, plus previous school reports. |
| School bus | A directory reports that transport is arranged and charged directly with an outside provider rather than run by the school. Not confirmed with Chartwell. | Runs a service |
Rows where the two schools give the same answer are listed separately below, so that this table shows only what actually separates them.
Where they are the same
| Both schools | |
|---|---|
| Language of instruction | English |
| Ages | 2-18 |
| Publishes fees | No |
| Admission type | Rolling, year-round |
| Special needs support | Nothing published |
What stands out about each
- Chartwell: Largest international school in Belgrade by student numbers; Operates Green School by Chartwell as a feeder.
- PRIMA: Bundles Cambridge examination fees, books and a daily hot lunch into tuition; Natural-grass football pitch, unusual for a city international school.
Chartwell: RSD figures for Chartwell circulating on directory sites are conversions of euro values, not fees the school published in dinars.
PRIMA: PRIMA's site names Yale, Harvard, Boston University and New York University in the context of how A Levels are recognised generally. It is not a list of where PRIMA leavers have gone, and we have not been able to find one.
What to ask both
Questions worth asking both schools, because neither publishes the answer:
- Chartwell: ALL fee figures — the official page was unreachable
- Chartwell: Whether bands are labelled Year 1-6 / 7-13 or Grade 1-5 / 6-12
- Chartwell: Student numbers and nationality count
- PRIMA: Founding year
- PRIMA: COBIS status and level
- PRIMA: Student numbers
- Both: last year's actual leaver destinations and average results.
- Both: how many teachers in your child's year group were also there last year.
- Both: whether the bus covers the street you will live on.
Questions families ask
What is the difference between Chartwell and PRIMA?
Chartwell International School teaches Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary to ages 2-18; PRIMA International School Belgrade teaches English National Curriculum via Cambridge, Cambridge IGCSE to ages 2-18. They also differ on admissions process, what the fee covers and how much each publishes about itself. The full side-by-side is on this page.
Which is better, Chartwell or PRIMA?
Neither, in the abstract — and any source that answers that question is guessing about your child. The comparison that decides it is narrower: which one teaches the curriculum your child will finish in, has a place in the right year group, is reachable from where you will live, and can support your child's particular needs. This page is built to let you answer those four.