UK's Harrow School to open second UAE branch in Dubai

Flagship school will serve up to 2,000 pupils and is expected to open fully next year

A rendering of Harrow International School Dubai, which is to be fully operational by 2026. Photo: Taaleem

The UK's renowned Harrow School has announced plans to launch a second UAE campus, which will be "fully operational" in Dubai next year.

Harrow International School Dubai will be constructed on a 50,000-square-metre plot of land on Hessa Street and will eventually serve up to 2,000 pupils.

The school will accept applications from September and will initially cater to pupils from Early Years to Year 6 as part of a gradual expansion plan.

It will be operated by UAE education provider Taaleem, which will oversee the opening of Harrow International School Abu Dhabi, set to the capital's first boarding school.

The upcoming school opening was announced on Monday following approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai's private education regulator.

A rendering of the main library at Harrow International School Dubai. Photo: Taaleem

Taaleem acquired the rights to own and operate Harrow International Schools across the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait in a deal confirmed last year.

It was announced in February that the Abu Dhabi branch would open in the middle of next year, with enrolment beginning in October.

No details on tuition fees have been released for either school, but both are being labelled as 'super premium'.

Top of the class

“Harrow has a long-established reputation for excellence, and through our collaboration with Harrow International Schools Limited, we are proud to bring the same values-driven education to Dubai that has shaped generations of leaders," said Khalid Al Tayer, chairman of Taaleem.

Harrow's famous alumni include royalty, world leaders such as Winston Churchill and Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as prominent figures from the arts and sport.

The launch of a second Harrow school in the Emirates comes as the country seeks to keep pace with an evolving education landscape and meet the demands of a population boom.

"The opening of a Harrow Dubai, the second Harrow in the UAE, under the Taaleem umbrella, marks a significant milestone in the expansion of both Harrow’s and Taaleem’s commitment to educational excellence," said Edward Hobart, British Ambassador to the UAE.

"This new chapter highlights the growing educational ties between the UK and the UAE and reinforces our shared vision for nurturing the next generation of leaders."

Gems, one of the UAE's leading education groups, is to open what is primed to be the emirate's most expensive school in time for the new academic year in August.

Fees at Gems School of Research and Innovation will range from Dh116,000 ($31,500) for pupils in foundation stage one to Dh206,000 ($56,000) in year 12.

Built with an investment of $100 million (Dh367 million), the campus in Dubai Sports City will feature an elevated football field that doubles as a helipad, a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an NBA-spec basketball court.

The number of pupils enrolled in Dubai's private schools increased by 6 per cent this year, according to data from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

There are 387,441 pupils enrolled at 227 private schools in the academic year 2024-25. Official statistics showed more than 365,000 pupils were enrolled in Dubai's classrooms in 2023, up from 326,000 in November 2022. Ten schools opened in the emirate for the current academic year. In line with Dubai's Education Strategy 2033, the KHDA aims to establish more than 100 private schools by 2033.

Education chiefs say the high demand for pupil places and new schools emphasises the global draw Dubai has on the world.

The emirate's population stands at 3.92 million, with growth projected at 3.6 per cent annually until 2030.