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private schools

Elite private schools of the world in Dubai

Dubai’s school sector continues to show steady growth, with four new private schools set to open in the academic year 2022-2023.

The new schools will offer 7,000 additional places in three curricula: the British curriculum, the US curriculum and the International Baccalaureate programme. In April this year, enrolment in Dubai’s public schools surpassed 300,000 – the highest ever, reinforcing its status as an outstanding educational centre. Public school students in Dubai represent 187 nationalities, reflecting both the emirate’s great cultural diversity and its vibrant education ecosystem. Dubai is also home to 10 branches of prestigious international schools, such as the newly opened Royal Guildford Grammar School and Durham School.

There has been a marked increase in the number of community-focused schools in Dubai in recent years, driven by Dubai’s growth as a centre for business, investment and talent, as well as its increasing role as a bridge between markets and cultures. In the past three years alone, 21 new private schools have opened in Dubai, bringing the total number of schools in this sector to 215 and the selection of schools with an international curriculum to 18.

British curriculum schools are the most popular (35%), followed by Indian curriculum schools (26%), US curriculum schools (16%) and the International Baccalaureate (6%).

Investors and educators from around the world see Dubai as a promising place to introduce high-quality educational models that combine national curricula with global perspectives. The Chinese School in Dubai, for example, aims to promote excellence and innovation among students, helping them develop an international vision. In addition to the Chinese curriculum, the school offers students Arabic as a second language, Islamic studies, moral education and local studies based on the UAE’s national curriculum. Although the school is primarily aimed at serving the Chinese community in the Emirate, the non-profit school also opens its doors to students of other nationalities.

In another recent development that confirms the city’s investment appeal in education, the prestigious British 500-year-old Guildford Royal Grammar School has opened in the city. The school ranks among the top schools in the UK for both A Levels and GCSEs. The Royal Grammar School Guildford, located in the Tilal Al Ghaf complex, has already enrolled 250 students for its first academic year in 2021-22.

One of the UK’s oldest schools, Durham School, a renowned educational institution with a 600-year history of academic excellence, is also the latest of many elite new international schools to choose Dubai for its overseas branch. Founded in 1414 and re-established in 1541 by King Henry VIII, this venerable school has only two other international branches in the world. Located in Dubai Investments Park, the school has capacity for 1,700 students.

Dubai also recently opened the world’s first school with an Australian curriculum. Located in Al Barsha South, the Australian International School has opened its Dubai campus for the academic year 2021-22. The school has a capacity for 2,000 students and offers a future-oriented curriculum to help students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them and their place in it. The multi-college school offers its graduates several learning pathways, including the Queensland Certificate of Education or the IB Diploma.

In the new phase of economic growth, Dubai will continue to grow as an educational destination offering a variety of learning options, alongside its growth as an investment, innovation and commercial hub. Steadily keeping pace with new developments in educational models, methodologies and technology, Dubai intends to continue to raise its profile as a centre for elite schools from around the world.

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