Al Diyafah High School is one of the most famous high schools in Dubai. Housing mainly Indian expatriates, this school also has 23 other nationalities studying within its four walls. But is this culturally diverse school a good place for your kid to start his/her schooling? Read our take on the Diyafah International School to find out:
Diyafah School Dubai Review
We have divided our review into different sections so you can easily find the section or aspect you are looking for:
An Overview and History of the School
Al Diyafah High School opened in 1981 and it is, to this date, one of the oldest
British curriculum schools in Dubai. The school is committed to providing a holistic based education set in an enlightened environment. Moreover, Al Diyafah’s goal is to foster courage of convictions, creative thinking, and a positive attitude, to help students reach their high potential.
Student and Teacher Body
The Diyafah School Dubai teaches 1,600 students and has 109 full-time teachers supported by 13 teaching assistants to teach the 1600 students. It has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:15 which isn’t atypical of Indian-staffed high schools, no matter what curriculum they follow. The school will be turning 40 years old in 2022. Ms. Neetha Shetty has been the school’s principal since September 2020.
The Diyafah International School has an impressively low level of staff turnover which demonstrates that the teachers are satisfied. The staff turnover was 10% during 2015 – 2016 and it was 6% during 2017 – 2018. However, the staff turnover drastically rose to 19% in 2019.
The Curriculum
The Diyafah International School follows the British curriculum. It follows the Early Years Foundation Stage educational curriculum during the Foundation Stage of schooling. Then it moves on to a revised English National Curriculum for the Primary Grades and Middle School years. Lastly, it uses qualifications from Edexcel and the University of Cambridge for AS, A-Level, and IGCSE.
There is a limited range of subjects for years 7 to 9, including French (or Hindi), Arabic, ICT, Maths, Social Studies, English, Science, Islamic Studies (or Value education).
Upper Secondary students from Years 10 and 11 can choose 8 IGCSE courses. Four of IGCSE courses are compulsory, including ICT (or Computer), English, Environmental Management, and Mathematics. They can choose the other four courses from Chemistry, Accounting, Physical Education, Economics, History, French, Geography, Biology, Business Studies, Physics, and Art & Design. Plus, students also have to choose Physical Education, Arabic (General or Special), and Islamic Studies or PSHE, and Physical Education.
Students can choose from 15 subjects for AS and 12 subjects for A2. The AS subjects offered at the school include Psychology, Accounting, Sociology, Biology, Physics, Business Studies, Maths, Chemistry, ICT, Computer Science, History, Economics, Environmental Science, English, and Art & Design.
A-Level subjects include Physics, Accounting, Psychology, Biology, ICT, Business Studies, Maths, Chemistry, English, Economics, Computer Science, and Art & Design.
So, when it comes to the curriculum of Al Diyafah High School, the choices are very limited. Art & Design is the only creative arts subject offered to students. Plus the subjects are very Science and Commerce centered.
Facilities Offered at the Al Diyafah High School
The school is located in Al Nahda. The building of the school has a traditional appearance. Facilities include computer labs, interactive boards in every classroom, science labs, a library in the senior school, canteen, and music & art facilities.
Plus, there are several sports and play areas. All in all, the school makes awesome use of all of its external and internal space.
What Is Its KHDA Rating?
Al Diyafah High School, Dubai has received the rating of Good by the KHDA for the past 8 years. Before that, it received the rating of Acceptable for three years. The school made improvements by acting on the recommendations made by the inspectors in its previous inspection reports, such as improving its learning and teaching and giving the parents a role in supporting the Board of Governors.
Unfortunately, no inspection happened during 2019 – 2020 because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Fees of the School
Fees at the Al Diyafah School start from AED 10,800 per year for FS1, and go up to AED 22,930 per year for Year 13 and A-Level studies. It is one of the most inexpensive British curriculum-based schools in the United Arab Emirates. However, before you finalize your decision of sending your kid to this school, we advise you to keep the trade-offs in the range of subjects in mind.
KHDA’s Inspection Report for Al Diyafah High School
- KHDA has noted some strengths in the school, including students’ achievements based on good or very good learning abilities. Students are good at learning Science, English, and Mathematics from years 7 to 13. Students in Foundation Stage (FS) show good learning in Science, Maths, and English.
- The social and personal development of the students is a key strength as students show self-discipline and respect for adults, and enjoy each other’s company. Students show excellent appreciation and awareness of Islamic values in all phases. The majority of students are appreciative of the UAE culture and heritage.
- Inspectors highly rated student achievement along with their innovative skills and social & personal development. The Secondary School is stronger as compared to the Primary School.
- The quality of teaching was categorized by the inspectors as of good in the Primary and FS Phases, and very good in the Post-16 and Secondary Phases.
- The school’s British curriculum was also rated good, however, there have been a few weakenings in its implementation in the Secondary section. Moreover, the inspectors found that the Post-16 and Secondary Phases curricula prepare students in a good way for further education.
- Inspectors rated the provision for students’ safety and health as outstanding. The leaders, counsellors, and teachers promote the personal, emotional, and social development of students. Lastly, the leadership of the Diyafah School Dubai was rated good overall.
Best Features in a Nutshell
- The progress made by students in Maths, Science, and English because of their strong learning skills is good.
- The social and personal development of students is very good and outstanding.
- The teaching, assessments of learning, and provision of the curriculum are good.
- The provision for the care, support, protection, and guidance of students is of high quality.
Diyafah School Dubai vs Other Schools in Dubai
Here is a detailed comparison chart of Diyafah International School, Dubai British School, and Hartland International School. We have compared all the important features of these schools and their ratings by KHDA for you.
So, use this chart and see which school suits your kid the best:
Parameters
| Al Diyafah High School
| Dubai British School
| Hartland International School
|
Year of Origin
| 1981
| 2005
| 2015
|
Grade Range
| FS1 – YEAR 13
| FS1 – YEAR 13
| FS1 – YEAR 12
|
Annual Fee Range
| AED 10,600 – AED 22,930
| AED 49,026 – AED 73,540
| AED 41,000 – AED 78,000
|
Curriculum
| British
| British
| British
|
Teacher – Student Ratio
| 1:15
| 1:14
| 1:8
|
Level
| All Levels
| All Levels
| Middle
|
Total Students
| 1600
| 1171
| 634
|
Students
| Co-Educational
| Co-Educational
| Co-Educational
|
SEN
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
|
Principal
| Ms. Neetha Shetty
| Mr. Simon Jodrell
| Ms. Fiona Cottom
|
Sibling Discount
| No
| No
| No
|
Inspection Rating
| Good (KHDA)
| Outstanding (KHDA)
| Very Good (KHDA)
|
Conclusion
That is all folks!
This is all the information about Al Diyafah High School that you need to know before you go visit it. Use our comparison chart to see where Diyafah International School stands as compared to other schools in Dubai. If you want to read more reviews like our Diyafah School Dubai review, keep an eye out for our school reviews.
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