Government Schools in the Cayman Islands
Government schools in the Cayman Islands are run by the Department of Education Services and follow the Cayman Islands National Curriculum. Our directory lists all 14: 11 primary schools and three high schools across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, each with its latest Office of Education Standards (OES) rating.
- Listed
- 14
- With an OES rating
- 14
- Rated Good or Excellent
- 6
- Districts covered
- 6
Sorted by latest inspection rating. Data checked Oct 2026 from the Educational Institutions Register and OES reports.
- 1Public
- 2Creek and Spot Bay Primary School
Creek / Spot Bay, Sister Islands · Ages 5–11
Cayman Islands National Curriculum
Public - 3Public
- 4Public
- 5Public
- 6Public
- 7Public
- 8Public
- 9Public
- 10Public
- 11Public
- 12Public
- 13Theoline L. McCoy Primary School
Bodden Town, Bodden Town · Ages 5–11
Cayman Islands National Curriculum
Public - 14Public
| # | Name | Ages | Curriculum | Inspection | Fees (published) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clifton Hunter High SchoolIsland-wide | 11–16 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 2 | Creek and Spot Bay Primary SchoolSister Islands | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 3 | Edna M. Moyle Primary SchoolNorth Side | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 4 | John Gray High SchoolGeorge Town | 11–16 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 5 | Layman E. Scott Sr. High SchoolSister Islands | 11–16 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 6 | Sir John A. Cumber Primary SchoolWest Bay | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 7 | East End Primary SchoolEast End | Up to age 11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 8 | Joanna Clarke Primary SchoolBodden Town | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 9 | Little Cayman Education ServiceSister Islands | 4–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 10 | Marie Martin Primary SchoolGeorge Town | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 11 | Prospect Primary SchoolGeorge Town | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum, IB PYP | — | |
| 12 | Red Bay Primary SchoolGeorge Town | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 13 | Theoline L. McCoy Primary SchoolBodden Town | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — | |
| 14 | West End Primary SchoolSister Islands | 5–11 | Cayman Islands National Curriculum | — |
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Primary and high schools by island
Grand Cayman has eight government primary schools and two high schools: John Gray High School in George Town and Clifton Hunter High School at Frank Sound. Cayman Brac has two primary schools, Creek and Spot Bay Primary and West End Primary, plus Layman E. Scott Sr. High School. Little Cayman Education Service is a very small primary provision on Little Cayman.
Primary schools take children from Reception to Year 6, and high schools cover Years 7 to 11. Sizes vary widely. On the latest OES figures, John Gray has 1,300 students and Clifton Hunter 848, while Edna M. Moyle Primary in North Side has 87.
Which school serves your area
The Department of Education Services processes applications for the catchment school linked to where the child lives. Catchments are defined by street, and the department publishes the lists and maps on its Boundaries and Residence page. A place at a school outside your catchment is possible but not guaranteed.
Some schools have particular features. Prospect Primary is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school, and the department's site mentions two autism (ASD) classes at Sir John A. Cumber Primary in West Bay.
What the OES ratings show
Six government schools are rated Good and eight Satisfactory. None is currently rated Excellent or Weak. All three high schools are rated Good: John Gray (October 2025), Layman E. Scott Sr. (October 2025) and Clifton Hunter (November 2025). Good-rated primaries include Sir John A. Cumber (May 2025), Creek and Spot Bay (November 2025) and Edna M. Moyle (October 2024).
Several recent OES items are audit summaries rather than full inspections, so the full report linked from each listing is worth reading. Little Cayman's latest report dates from March 2021.
Frequently asked questions
Are government schools free in the Cayman Islands?
Tuition depends on the child's registration category. The Department of Education Services charges termly fees to compulsory-school-age children in Categories 3 to 6: CI$250 a term for Years 1 to 6, CI$300 for Years 7 to 9 and CI$400 for Years 10 to 12. Categories 1 and 2, which cover Caymanian children and children of refugees and asylum seekers, are not listed as fee-paying.
Can non-Caymanian children attend government schools?
Yes, but places depend on space. The Department of Education Services says its policies do not stop non-Caymanian students from entering school. Caymanian children are placed first, and other categories are considered once they have been placed. Some year groups are full for non-Caymanian applicants, and on Grand Cayman, Reception is open only to Caymanian children and children of refugees and asylum seekers.
How many government schools are there in the Cayman Islands?
Our directory lists 14 government schools: 11 primary schools and three high schools. Ten are on Grand Cayman, three are on Cayman Brac, and one, Little Cayman Education Service, is on Little Cayman. The high schools are John Gray and Clifton Hunter on Grand Cayman, and Layman E. Scott Sr. on Cayman Brac. All 14 follow the Cayman Islands National Curriculum.
How do I register my child for a government school in Cayman?
Apply to the Department of Education Services. For 2026/27, standard registration ran from 1 March to 30 June 2026, and late applications are accepted from 1 July to 30 November 2026. You will need documents including the child's long-form birth or adoption certificate, immunisation records, a previous school report, and proof of immigration status that names the child as a dependant.
What age do children start government school in Cayman?
Compulsory schooling starts for children who turn five before 1 September. Year 1 is for children who turn five before 1 September of that academic year, and Reception is for children who turn four before that date. Secondary school starts with children who turn 11 before 1 September. On Grand Cayman, government Reception places are for Caymanian children and children of refugees and asylum seekers only.
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