British schools in Dubai: twelve strong options

The British curriculum is the most widespread in Dubai, with around 65% of the market. That also means the widest choice: from a school that began in a villa in the 1960s to campuses built like an English castle, with boarding. Below are twelve strong British schools in the city. Figures are from the 2022/23 KHDA inspections and the 2023/24 fee tariffs; check them against the school’s own website before you decide.

A reminder of what the British system offers: a strong academic foundation, regular national tests, four subjects in the final years and A-levels at the end. Many schools on this list also offer the IB Diploma for the last two years — that choice is covered in IB Diploma vs A-levels.

1. Dubai English Speaking School and College (DESS and DESC)

DESS is Dubai’s first private school, founded in 1963. It is primary only, up to Year 6, so in 2005 Dubai English Speaking College (Year 7 to Year 13) opened in Academic City for secondary and sixth form. The two campuses are twenty minutes’ drive apart.

• Founded: 1963 (DESS), 2005 (DESC)
• Pupils: 1,009 (DESS), 1,845 (DESC)
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 38,305 for FS1 to AED 79,222 for Year 13
• Discounts: 5% on the second and third child when three children attend, 10% on the fourth and beyond

2. Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai (RGS)

The Dubai branch of a Guildford school with more than five hundred years of history. In England the school is still boys-only; in Dubai classes are mixed. A modern campus with generous grounds and a natural-grass football pitch. It opened in 2021 with a primary school and adds a year group each year — standard practice for new schools in Dubai.

• Founded: 2021
• Pupils: around 850
• KHDA rating (2022/23): not yet rated as of 2022/23 — a school receives its first rating in its fourth year
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 67,500 for FS1 to AED 87,300 for Year 8
• Discounts: 5%, 10% and 15% on the second, third and fourth child

3. King’s School Al Barsha

The second school in the King’s group, opened after ten successful years of the first, King’s Dubai, which is primary only. Al Barsha runs from FS1 to Year 13. Valued for strong academics and sporting results.

• Founded: 2014
• Pupils: 2,563
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 53,622 for FS1 to AED 97,798 for Year 13
• Discounts: none

4. Nord Anglia International School Dubai (NAS)

Part of a premium international group — 81 schools in 32 countries. A common misconception is that it is an IB school. It is not: NAS is British, with a choice of A-levels or the IB Diploma for the final two years. It is precisely its IB Diploma results that have kept it among the world’s top hundred IB schools for several years running.

• Founded: 2014
• Pupils: 2,352
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level, IB Diploma
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 63,447 for FS1 to AED 95,946 for Year 13
• Discounts: 5% and 10% on the second and third child, 3% for paying the year up front

5. Jumeirah English Speaking School, Arabian Ranches (JESS)

A strong British school in Arabian Ranches, also among the world’s top hundred IB schools for its IB Diploma in the final years. The hard part is getting in. JESS is not-for-profit, and when it was built it sold corporate debentures to companies, giving their employees priority on admission. New places go to siblings and to children of employees at partner companies. Occasionally a place comes through the personal debenture scheme — a one-off AED 20,000 payment, if a place is offered.

• Founded: 2005
• Pupils: 1,745
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level, IB Diploma
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 41,829 for FS1 to AED 93,852 for Year 13, plus AED 20,000 under a personal debenture
• Discounts: none

6. Repton Dubai

A traditional British school that looks like an English castle, the Dubai branch of Repton in Derbyshire, founded in 1557. It has held KHDA’s top grade since 2014. What sets it apart from most schools in the city is boarding — Dubai has only two schools that offer it.

• Founded: 2007
• Pupils: 2,034
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level, IB Diploma
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 54,449 for FS1 to AED 97,850 for Year 13; weekly boarding (five days) from AED 137,750 to 158,350, full boarding from AED 143,250 to 163,850 (Year 7 to Year 13)
• Discounts: 5% on the third child and beyond, 5% for paying the year in advance

7. GEMS Wellington International School

A school in GEMS, Dubai’s largest education group, which runs 28 schools in this emirate alone. The quality shows in the rating: it has held KHDA’s top grade since 2009.

• Founded: 2007
• Pupils: 2,904
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level, IB Diploma
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 45,259 for FS1 to AED 98,465 for Year 13
• Discounts: 4.25% for paying the year with a partner bank’s card

8. Jumeirah College

Also part of GEMS, though the group’s name is not in the title. Secondary and sixth form only — Year 7 to Year 13. Alongside academics it puts real emphasis on emotional, physical and social development.

• Founded: 1999
• Pupils: 1,120
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 75,178 for Year 7 to AED 93,972 for Year 13
• Discounts: 4.25% for paying the year with a partner bank’s card

9. Dubai College

One of the strongest schools in the city, Year 7 to Year 13. Getting in is hard: there are usually no vacancies. Admission opens at Year 7 and Year 12, while places in Years 8–10 appear only when someone leaves — worth tracking throughout the year.

• Founded: 1978
• Pupils: 1,084
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 86,607 for Year 7 to AED 98,070 for Year 13, plus a one-off AED 20,500 on entry
• Discounts: none

10. Dubai British School, Emirates Hills (DBS)

A Taaleem school (ten schools, nine of them in Dubai) holding KHDA’s top grade. The site is small but welcoming and used very efficiently.

• Founded: 2005
• Pupils: 1,179
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Outstanding
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 50,496 for FS1 to AED 75,746 for Year 13
• Discounts: 10% on the third child and beyond

11. Safa Community School

Besides high academic standards it is known for a personal approach — both to gifted children and to children with additional needs. Unusually for a British school, it gives a lot of attention to communication and creativity. Parents point out that it was graded Outstanding on most sections of the inspection and lost the overall grade on Arabic and Islamic education.

• Founded: 2014
• Pupils: 2,202
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Very Good
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 51,191 for FS1 to AED 84,106 for Year 13
• Discounts: 10% on the third child and beyond

12. Hartland International School

A school in Sobha Hartland remembered for its design and friendly atmosphere. A British curriculum with borrowings from the IB: projects, teamwork, presentation skills, drama. It rose to Very Good in 2022/23 and has the potential for the top grade.

• Founded: 2015
• Pupils: 1,408
• KHDA rating (2022/23): Very Good
• Diploma: A-level
• Fees (2023/24): from AED 42,230 for FS1 to AED 80,340 for Year 13
• Discounts: 5%, 10% and 20% on the second, third and fourth child

How to narrow the list

• You want flexibility in the final years — Nord Anglia, JESS, Repton, Wellington International: A-levels or the IB Diploma.
• You need boarding — Repton.
• Your child is over ten and academically strong — Dubai College, Jumeirah College, DESC; expect competition for places.
• Budget matters more than the name — DESS/DESC, Hartland, JESS in the early years: their foundation classes cost from AED 38,000 to 42,000.

Where these campuses are and which areas sit closest to them — see School first, home second.

The full “Schools in Dubai” series

• Schools in Dubai: how the system works
• KHDA school ratings in Dubai: how to read them
• Getting into a Dubai school: the five steps
• School documents in the UAE: attestation and the transfer certificate
• Dubai school fees and how to pay less
• The school day in Dubai and the costs on top of fees
• The Dubai school year, holidays and starting age
• British, American or IB: choosing a curriculum in Dubai
• IB Diploma vs A-levels: what each gives a school leaver
• American schools in Dubai
• IB schools in Dubai: seven international-curriculum schools
• Dubai school entrance assessments and the CAT4 test
• The Dubai school tour: what to ask and what to watch for
• A child with no English at a Dubai school
• School first, home second: where to live near a Dubai school