Parents in Dubai have the choice of dozens of highly rated private schools.
Twenty-three schools in the emirate have been rated as “outstanding” with 48 considered “very good” by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), according to its latest report.
The authority regulates and periodically inspects the emirate's schools, and their scale also includes ratings of “good”, “acceptable” and “weak”.
The inspections mainly focus on two criteria – wellbeing and inclusion. Schools must also meet the requirements of the National Agenda Parameter which examines their performance in international assessments and progress towards meeting those targets. The parameter also looks at the results of external assessments for key subjects.
Pause in inspections
The authority released a report rating 209 schools in 2024 and announced that they would be pausing full inspections for the 2025-26 academic year for most schools. Only schools in their third year of operation would be subject to a comprehensive inspection, the authority clarified in May.
It said the pause was part of an “evolving approach to supporting quality education in the emirate”. The inspections were also paused during the 2024-2025 academic year.
However, schools will have to continue measuring students’ academic progress through external benchmark assessments and submit self-evaluation forms as required. KHDA will monitor school progress with targeted visits focused on specific criteria, Fatma Ibrahim Belrehif, chief executive of the Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA, said in May.
Demand is higher than ever. Dubai's private school operators told The National last year that they were planning to expand campuses and launch more schools to keep up with demand from the growing population. More than two million more people are expected to be living in the emirate within six years.
Here are the 23 schools rated as “outstanding”:
Deira International School, Dubai Festival City
Curriculum: British/International Baccalaureate (IB)
Fees: From Dh44,616 in Foundation Stage 1 to Dh89,889 in Year 13
The school operates under the Al Futtaim Education Foundation and was founded in 2005.
Dubai English Speaking College, Academic City
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh84,326 for Years 7 to 11 and Dh90,633 in sixth form
Part of the Dubai English Speaking Schools group, the institution offers the UK curriculum to Year 7 and above.
Dubai English Speaking School, Umm Hurair
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh43,084 in FS1 to Dh53,320 in Year 6
The primary school (for children aged three to 11) in Oud Metha has maintained its top rating since 2018.
GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, Al Safa
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh44,200 in FS1 and Dh55,714 for Foundation Stage 2 to Year 6
The primary school, founded in 1996, has been rated “outstanding” since 2010.
GEMS Wellington International School
Curriculum: British/International Baccalaureate (IB)
Fees: From Dh47,527 in FS1 to Dh103,399 in Year 13
This school offers the UK curriculum from Foundation Stage to Year 11 and the IB Diploma Programme courses and careers programme in Years 12 and 13.
Horizons English School, Al Wasl
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh43,849 in FS1 to Dh58,825 in Year 6
The primary school is part of the Cognita group.
Jumeirah College, Al Safa
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh78,496 in Year 7 to Dh98,681 in Year 13
This GEMS Education school offers Year 7 to 13 and has been consistently rated “outstanding” since 2010.
Nord Anglia International School Dubai, Al Barsha
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh69,625 in FS1 to Dh105,288 in Year 13
The school follows the British curriculum and offers the IB Diploma programme too.
Safa Community School, Al Barsha
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh54,437 in FS1 to Dh89,440 in Year 13
The school, founded in 2014, improved from “very good” to “outstanding” in the latest inspections.
Victory Heights Primary School, Dubai Sports City
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh40,138 in FS1 to Dh54,733 in Year 6
The primary-only school was founded in 2012 and offers after-school care options.
Dubai British School, Emirates Hills
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh53,027 in FS1 to Dh79,541 in Year 13
This Taaleem group school features two campuses that are walking distance away from each other – one for nursery to Year 2 and the other for Years 3 to 13.
Dubai British School, Jumeirah Park
Curriculum: British
Fees: Dh64,160 in Year 1 to Dh83,015 in Year 13
Another Taaleem institution, the school achieved its “outstanding” rating after the 2024 inspection.
GEMS Dubai American Academy, Al Barsha
Curriculum: American/IB
Fees: Dh66,185 in KG1-2 and Dh93,300 for grades 1 to 12
Founded in 1997, the American school has been consistently rated “outstanding” since 2011-12.
GEMS Modern Academy, Nad Al Sheba
Curriculum: Indian/IB
Fees: Dh38,246 in KG1 to Dh56,706 in Grade 12 (Indian) and Dh73,876 in Grade 12 (IB)
This school is the only Indian curriculum school on this list and offers a dual curriculum pathway that allows a choice between Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and IB programmes.
Jumeirah English Speaking School, Jumeirah
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh54,129 in FS1 to Dh65,097 in Year 6
JESS was founded in 1976 and is a primary-only school (FS1 to Year 6),
Jumeirah English Speaking School, Arabian Ranches
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh54,129 in FS1 to Dh104,544 in Year 13
The Arabian Ranches branch of JESS offers both primary and secondary schooling.
Kings School Al Barsha
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh57,999 in FS1 to Dh105,873 in Year 13
Part of the Kings Schools group, the Al Barsha institution was founded in 2014.
Kings School Dubai, Umm Suqeim
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh47,179 in FS1 to Dh71,801 in Year 6
This primary school is next to Burj Al Arab.
Dubai College, Al Sufouh
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh97,415 in Year 7 to Dh110,305 in Year 13
The secondary-only campus was established in 1978.
Dubai International Academy, Emirates Hills
Curriculum: IB
Fees: From Dh44,979 in KG1 to Dh79,696 in Grade 12
Established in 2005, the school offers the complete IB continuum curriculum from KG1 to Year 13.
Lycee Francais International, Oud Metha
Curriculum: French
Fees: From Dh29,488 in preschool to Dh62,363 in the final year
This French international school got its first “outstanding” rating after the 2023-2024 inspection cycle.
Lycee Francais International Georges Pompidou School Oud Metha
Curriculum: French
Fees: From Dh31,276 in preschool to Dh50,700 in the final year
This French school is a partner institution of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and also offers the full French curriculum from preschool to Grade 12.
Repton School, Nad Al Sheba
Curriculum: British
Fees: From Dh57,178 in FS1 to Dh102,753 in Year 13
This British-curriculum school has a boarding option for students in Years 7 to 13.
The fees mentioned are for the 2025-2026 academic calendar and taken from the official websites of the schools and cross-checked on the KHDA school fact sheets where the latest information was not available.
These amounts do not include other fees including and not limited to registration fees, transportation, extra-curricular activities, or other administrative fees.
