HOUSTON -- A northwest Houston private school offers students an international experience, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.

The British School of Houston's teachers are trained to the exacting standards of the national curriculum in England and Wales.

The students perform well above the national average of the United States and the United Kingdom.

Laura Massoud said walking through the school's doors was enough to convince her to enroll two of her children.

She said she noticed a quiet discipline in the halls and then met some of the teachers.

"It's like Mary Poppins is your teacher," Massoud said. "They're stern, but they're very nice, and you want that for your kids."

The school opened in 2000 with about 50 students. About 560 students, ages 3 to 18, now attend the school.

About 65 percent of the students are British, most whose families are involved in the oil and gas industries and are in Houston for about three years.

"You meet so many different people from so many different countries," student Babiche Routledge said. "You learn a lot from the people you're with."

Head teacher Allison Norris said the school appeals to a wide range of students.

"I think the curriculum that we offer is an exciting curriculum," Norris said. "It is broad. We focus very much on literacy and numeracy, but we link it with other aspects."

Norris said the key is creating curiosity to encourage children to think for themselves. The teachers often use play as a way to learn.

For more information, visit the British School of Houston's Web site.