British Community and the Cost of Living in North Cyprus

The English Community in Northern Cyrprus is growing very quickly as more British couples buy properties in North Cyprus and come to permanently live on the northern side of the island. The Key attraction of this area is that it is unspoilt by commercial tourism and has a quiet pace of life, safe environment (the area is nearly, totally crime free), the best value for money northern Cyprus property and low cost of living in North Cyprus than in other countries in the Med.

English visitors and residents receive a nice welcome from the local population. The English language is widely spoken and there are some key influences of the colonial era on North Cyprus. The community in Northern Cyprus is predominantly Muslim and is extremely tolerant to other traditions; they especially show respect for the British culture. There are several Christian churches in Northern Cyprus. In the Anglican Church of St Andrew's North Cyprus, Girne - services are held on Sundays and Thursdays. Also church services are held in Famagusta and Girne town centre.

Children will have a wide choice of many English speaking schools. In Kyrenia there is a nursery which is run by British people. Also there are two English primary schools attached to the main Northern Cyprus universities. English speaking secondary school education can be received at Lefkosa which is an international American School in North Cyprus.

A local English paper will help you to know what's going on in Northern Cyprus and get your messages through to the North Cypriot community. Weekly English paper “Cyprus Today”, which is published every Saturday, can be found in most stores in Northern Cyprus. This newpaper contains useful information on various events – music concerts, charities, evening entertainment, as well as information and adverts from different business, restaurants and bars in North Cyprus are promoted here. Northern Cyprus living could be as exciting as you want t to be.  The English Residents Society also provides a detailed phone list of members which is updated on a 6 monthly cycle.

Northern Cyprus Schools

The population of ex British National in North Cyprus is growing.  While the majority are senior couples looking for a great early retirement location, there is a large wave of expatriate families and younger people taking up home on this beautiful island.

As a direct result of this annual influx of ex-pats the demand for premium English speaking Schools and English style education through has intensified and the no. of schools in Northern Cyprus offering the English or other international curriculum for children through school years 1 to 12 has grown to meet this growing demand.

The 1st English language primary to be built in North Cyprus was called Sunny Lane. It is now a full primary and secondary school offering English language education through and cleverly combining both the English and Turkish Curricula.  

Sunny Lane is located in Kyrenia and on a purpose built campus in a very peaceful location advantageous to education and where there are no external distractions that might disturb educational process.  Sunny Lane staff try to keep the class sizes very small to ensure that every Sunny Lane pupil gets the dedicated time they deserve and they teach all the major educational subjects from English, Turkish and Mathematics to Science, IT, Art, Music and PE. Children can go to the Sunny Lane Crèche from the age of two, they can then join the reception class at age 4 before progressing to the primary school from age five all the way up to age eleven.  At Eleven pupils move up to the Sunny Lane Secondary where the excellent teaching maintains in the following subjects: - English, Mathematics, Humanities / History, D&T, Sports., Art and Crafts, Science, Geography, Information Technology, Music, Languages, Citizenship, Personal Development, Turkish / Northern and Southern Cyprus History and Turkish Social Education.

The school maintains a free bus service that picks up children ensures they are returned home to their family at the end of the day.  For more information about the Sunny Lane School they now have a new internet site where you can find total primary / secondary school infomation and contact details: http://www.sunnylaneschool.net/

The American College and The American Elementary have been celebrating their tenth anniversaries in 2005 and in response to the continuing demand for more school facilities teaching an international curriculum the group has announced the formation this year of The Preparatory School in Northern Cyprus.  The group have a school campus in Kyrenia and in Nicosia where now kids of all ages can receive an education- from the age of five through to the age eighteen and more.

The GAU teaching standards have always been very highly thought of in North Cyprus so everyone is excited by the creation of the GAU Preparatory School and are looking forward to seeing the development of the school in the following years to come. The school is offering the English National Curriculum from years One to Eight but combining it with the IAPS and Turkish National Ministry of Education Curriculum. The education will then be constructed to enable them to go on to take GCSEs, ASs, A-Levels and Baccalaureate exams but also to communicate and be literate in Turkish language and to have an understanding of the Cypriot and Turkish education system.