Dubai has become a multinational, multicultural city of more than two million people with schools following various international curriculums. Families are safe in the knowledge that their children will receive a comprehensive education and upbringing in this cosmopolitan city.
- Education in Dubai
- Choosing a school in Dubai
- Special education needs in Dubai
- Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Dubai
- Best schools in Dubai
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Education in Dubai
Dubai is dramatic, thrilling, and innovative, attracting people with enormous amounts of talent and new ideas. The opportunities for teachers, parents, and students to be a part of a growing city are extraordinary and are being taken up in ever-increasing numbers which is leading to a greater choice of genuinely international schools.
Since the vast majority of international schools are owned by for-profit businesses, some are inevitably run as commercial operations which cut costs and raise fees where they can. But not all should be discounted – a number of good educational companies are based in Dubai.
The KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) is a government-run organisation responsible for the growth and quality of education in Dubai. It oversees and guides education in the city, and through school inspections, the DSIB (Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau - an arm of the KHDA), provides detailed reports on each school annually comparing the standard offered to that of the educationally best-performing countries in the world. The KHDA also ensures that all children educated in Dubai learn Arabic, with non-native speakers studying the language up to year 9.
Choosing a school in Dubai
Parents should plan to visit schools if possible - and sooner rather than later when they learn of a posting here.
If you're hoping your children will be able to live somewhat outside the bubble, and meet locals as well as fellow international children, fear not. The majority of well-heeled local families send their children to these private schools because they learn English - and everybody has to attend Arabic classes anyway.
A note of caution - some of the very anglicised school names are aimed at an Arabian or (in several cases) Indian audience, and you could find yourself in a very small minority.
Special education needs in Dubai
Children with special education needs have access to excellent facilities in Dubai, both in school and via external organisations. The KHDA is fully committed to embedding inclusion throughout education providers as part of the government’s pledge to welcome diversity. While some schools are better equipped than others, it is mandatory that all schools in Dubai are able to cater for special education needs, in some capacity.
Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Dubai
Dubai schools do not accept children under 4, so if you are looking for a way to start your 3-year-old on the road to Oxford, there will be a slight delay. Nurseries can be booked up with sometimes as long as two-year waiting lists, so you should put your infant's name down at birth (or before) to be guaranteed a place.
Some nurseries accept babies from 3 months although most prefer to accept around 12 months. Fees and timings vary dramatically from school to school. In general, nurseries are open for four or five hours although some offer early mornings and later evenings. Some provide lunch and summer classes.
However, the only way to find out about a school properly is to visit. The most popular nurseries - in true Dubai style - have long waiting lists. The ones in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are particularly popular because they are the oldest; that doesn't always mean best, but it does mean people know more about them and have more on which to base their opinions.
Nurseries that have come recommended to us by other parents include Homegrown Children’s Eco nursery, which adopts a green, holistic approach to pre-school education and has two locations in Umm Suqeim; Ladybird nursery which has expanded to three different locations now and offer the Montessori method; Children’s Oasis, which starts at three months and offers a multilingual education.
Best schools in Dubai
Brighton College Dubai 
Adapted National Curriculum for England /Early Years Foundation Stage/ International Primary Curriculum/ GCSE/ A levels; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent: privately owned (individual/corporation); 600 students
Part of the Brighton College family of schools, this all-through, co-ed school for 3 to 18-year-olds offers a British curriculum through to GCSEs and A levels.
Click here to read our full review of Brighton College Dubai
Dubai British School Emirates Hill
EYFS/ Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,140 students; Emirates Hills
Part of Taaleem, a school provider in the UAE since 2004, offering a variety of international curricula and partially owned by the Government of Dubai. Located on a campus, proudly now solar, in Emirates Hills, Dubai. Duke of Edinburgh International awards and LAMDA exams as well as vocational BTEC programmes. Graduates often leave for universities in the US and the UK (a few to Russell Group).
Click here to read our full review of Dubai British School Emirates Hill
Dubai British School Jumeirah Park
EYFS/ Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; Jumeirah Park
Part of Taaleem, a school provider in the UAE since 2004, offering a variety of international curricula and partially owned by the Government of Dubai. This second campus of the school is located in Jumeirah Park. Duke of Edinburgh International awards and LAMDA exams as well as vocational BTEC programmes. Graduates often leave for universities in the US and the UK (a few to Russell Group).
Click here to read our full review of Dubai British School, Jumeirah Park
Dubai College
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level; ages 11-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 950 students
Founded in 1978 by a determined English teacher and now supplying students to almost all the leading universities in the UK and several Ivies in the US. Exam results are consistently amongst the highest in global schools following the British curriculum. Approximately 50 per cent are British nationals and the school is an Accredited Member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS).
Click here to read our full review of Dubai College
Dubai English Speaking School (DESS)
Adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 4-11; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 995 students
The original half of the Dubai English Speaking pair of schools, founded in 1963 and located in Oud Metha, Dubai. An elementary school following the English educational system. The majority of students continue their education at its sister school. Very popular.
Click here to read our full review of Dubai English Speaking School
Jebel Ali School (formerly Jebel Ali Primary School)
Adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-15; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,170 students
Founded in 1977 as a primary school for expat workers and now evolving into an all-through international school, aiming to provide a full British education, including IGCSEs and A levels but retaining Arabic as a core subject. On a new, startlingly colourful campus on Emirates Road in Dubai. Approximately, 50 per cent of students hold British passports.
Click here to read our full review of Jebel Ali School
Jumeirah College
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 11-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,295 students
Founded in 1999, a secondary school following the British curriculum with instruction in English. Owned by the GEMS Education group, a serious player on the Dubai education scene with 55 schools across the Middle East. 95 per cent of entrants come from the neighbouring Jumeirah Primary School. GEMS has stopped publishing performance in external exams but previously results were impressive.
Click here to read our full review of Jumeirah College
Kings' School Dubai
EYFS/ adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-11; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 940 students
Founded in 2004, one of a group of three Dubai Kings' schools, one in Dubai and the others in Al Barsha (1,660 students) and Nad Al Sheba (340 students). Kings' School Dubai and Nad Al Sheba campuses are primary schools and the Al Barsha school is all-through. All three teach the English curriculum and the Al Barsha campus offers GCSEs and A levels, as well as a bespoke Kings’ diploma to help in applying to UK and US universities.
Click here to read our full review of Kings' School Dubai
Nord Anglia International School Dubai
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ I/GCSE/ IB diploma; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,750 students
Teaches a very wide range of nationalities (around 75), with the largest cohort holding British passports. Inspected by the Educational Development Trust (EDT) on behalf of the British Schools Overseas (BSO). Benefitting, as do almost all Nord Anglia schools from the relationship with the Julliard School in New York and with a STEM programme developed in conjunction with MIT.
Click here to read our full review of Nord Anglia International School Dubai
North London Collegiate School Dubai
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; 1,270 students; Independent: privately owned (individual/corporation)
Founded in 2017, NLCS Dubai is an all-through, co-educational, selective school for pupils aged 3 to 18, following the International Baccalaureate programme, with strong links to the UK North London Collegiate School mothership.
Click here to read our full review of North London Collegiate School Dubai
Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai (RGSG Dubai)
EYFS/ National Curriculum for England/ IGCSE/ A level; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent: privately owned
Founded in 2021, RGSGD is a co-educational offshoot of the famous British all-boys school in the UK, offering the National Curriculum for England for ages 3-18 (though currently only goes up to 12 years old)
Click here to read our full review of RGSG Dubai
Swiss International Scientific School Dubai
IB PYP/ IB MYP/ IB DP/ IB CP/ BTEC/ Swiss Matura; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; 2,050 girls and boys; independent: privately owned (Nord Anglia)
Swiss International Scientific School Dubai is a co-educational, IB day and boarding school for students aged 3 to 18, with English-only, English-French and English-German bilingual programmes.
Click here to read our full review of Swiss International Scientific School Dubai
The English College
EYFS/ adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 740 students; Umm Suqueim
Originally established in 1992 in Umm Suqeim with the neighbouring Manor Primary, (under the same ownership and integrated into the college in 2019). The first (2016) and apparently successful step was made here (into the global education market) by LVS Ascot who manage three non-selective co-ed independent schools in the UK but the agreement was terminated in 2018 and the school handed back to the board.
Click here to read our full review of The English College
The following schools have been brought to our attention but until we have more reports from parents, we are unable to consider reviewing them.
American School of Dubai
Adapted curriculum/ American high school diploma/ AP; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,890 students
Founded in 1966 for the education of children of families working in the oil industry, currently approximately 65-75 per cent of students carry North American passports and very few non-westerners. Located on a large, modern (2010) campus at Al Barsha in Dubai. The vast majority (nearly 90 per cent) of graduates move on to North American universities.
Dubai English Speaking College (DESC)
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 11-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,660 students; Academic City
Founded in 2005 and moved to its present site in Academic City in 2007, officially opened by Princess Haya of Jordan. A secondary school, sister to the Dubai English Speaking School (DESS). Roughly 150 students graduate annually and mainly head to universities in the UK (including most Russell Group) and the US.
Dubai International Academy
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 2,290 students
Established in 2005 and the first school in the UAE to offer the three stages of the International Baccalaureate programme. Owned by the Innoventures Education group, a specialist manager of international schools and nurseries in Dubai. Indian students are the largest cohort amongst the over 80 nationalities represented. The average IB diploma score is in the mid-thirties (against the global figure of 30) and students have gained places at some of the top global universities including Yale, Stanford, Cambridge and the LSE.
Dunecrest American School
American curriculum/ American high school diploma/ AP/ IB diploma; ages 4-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 270 students
Dwight School Dubai
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma; ages 3-18; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned
Emirates International School Jumeirah
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma/ IB careers programme; ages 3-18; co-ed; independent; privately owned; 2,120 students
Emirates International School Meadows
PYP/ MYP/ IGCSE/ IB diploma; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,730 students
Fairgreen International School
Adapted curriculum/ PYP candidate/ MYP; ages 4-16; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 200 students
GEMS Cambridge International School (formerly Cambridge High School)
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ IGCSE/ A level; ages 5-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 2,710 students
GEMS Dubai American Academy
Adapted American curriculum/ American high school diploma/ IB diploma; ages 5-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 2,750 students
GEMS Founders School
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ IGCSE/ A level; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 4,325 students
GEMS Jumeirah Primary School
Adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-11; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,470 students
Owned by GEMS Education group (one of the big educational players in Dubai) along with its senior school GEMS Jumeirah College. Most pupils move up to the senior school, made easier by the collaboration over the curriculum taught in the junior school.
GEMS Wellington International School
Adapted curriculum/ I/GCSE/ IB diploma/ IB careers programme; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 2,690 students
One of the international schools opened by Wellington School, UK in partnership with other providers. Offering a British based education with IB options in years 12 and 13. Excellent exam results. Aiming to re-produce the Wellington UK approach and feel and has Prince Michael of Kent as its patron.
GEMS World Academy Dubai
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma/ IB careers programme/ BTEC; ages 5-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,550 students
Horizon English School
Adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-11; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 940 students
Jebel Ali School
Adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-15; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,170 students
Founded in 1977 as a primary school for expat workers and now evolving into an all-through international school, aiming to provide a full British education, including IGCSEs and A levels but retaining Arabic as a core subject. On a new, startlingly colourful campus on Emirates Road in Dubai. Approximately half the students hold British passports.
Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ GCSE/ IB diploma/ BTEC; ages 5-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 700 students
Original school in Jumeirah founded in 1975 to meet the needs of British families in Dubai. The Arabian Ranches campus opened in 2005 together with a sixth form added in 2009. Students follow the British curriculum followed by either the IB diploma or the vocational BTEC programme (first cohort graduated in 2019). Mightily impressive average scores for the IB diploma.
Kent College Dubai
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ (I)GCSE/ A level/ BTEC/ candidate IB diploma; ages 0-19; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 950 students
Students come from over 80 different nationalities Owned by a company which also owns the Lycée Francais de Dubai. One of the few 'British' schools in Dubai that has close ties with its sister school in the UK.
Lycée Francais International Georges Pompidou Academic City
French curriculum/ Brevet/ French Bac; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; state; 2,240 students
Pristine Private School
EYFS/ adapted National Curriculum for England/ IGCSE/ A level; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,500 students; Al Nahda 2 area
Raffles International School
Adapted Montessori/ EYFS/ Cambridge 1, 2/ IGCSE/ A level/ BTEC; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,255 students
Raffles World Academy
PYP/ MYP/ IB diploma/ IB careers programme; ages 3-18; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,715 students
Regent International School
Adapted EYFS/ adapted National Curriculum for England; ages 3-11; co-ed; day; independent; privately owned; 1,000 students
Repton Al Barsha
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ Common Entrance; ages 3-13; co-ed; independent; privately owned; 520 students
Originally known as Foremarke School but now renamed as part of the partnership formed between Repton School (UK) and the Dubai company, Evolvence Knowledge Investments. Expanding organically. Two-thirds of the students are UK passport holders, with the remainder from over 40 other nationalities.
Repton School (Dubai)
Adapted National Curriculum for England/ IGCSE/ IB diploma/ IB careers programme/ BTEC; ages 3-18; co-ed; day and boarding; independent; privately owned; 1,770 students
Established in 2007 in Nad Al Sheba. Divided into junior and senior schools with approximately 1,000 students in the former and 700 in the latter. Nearly 45 per cent of the students are UK passport holders with 10 per cent from India and the remainder from over 70 other nationalities. The boarding side, introduced to reflect the composition of its sister school in the UK, has been slow to grow.