As the latest trend in the UAE involves the schools opening all through while we are in a pandemic, parents are looking for primary schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with smaller environments. Not all parents want their kids to study in larger environments with all ages, instead, they look for more intimate options. Studying in intimate options ensures greater individual attention such as small schools and home tuition.
We have done the research and found 23 Outstanding schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These schools are either newer schools that currently offer only primary or purely Primary Schools that involve classes from Early Years to Year 6 or Grade 5. These schools will offer you the opportunity to be a part of your kid’s growth in school and the community as well that grows along with the school.
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We have categorized them based on how good they are. We have also included their location, minimum fees, and highest fees while adding a little bit of our opinion. However, all of these schools are rated good or above as we don’t want to recommend anything substandard to you. The newly opened schools haven’t been rated by regulators yet, but we know from our years of experience that those schools are here to stay.
The vast majority of primary schools in Dubai work under the UK schools’ curriculum.
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| School | Location | Minimum Fee | Highest Fee | What do we think? |
| GEMS Jumeirah Primary School | Al Safa | AED 40,036 | AED 50,466 | GEMS Jumeirah has achieved excellent achievements in Science, Maths, and English in all phases. Their quality and way of teaching, the curriculum, the quality of kids’ social and personal development, and the care for their students are imaginative and rich. Moreover, their visionary leadership with a relentless pursuit for results and excellence is exemplary. They have the best Head of Inclusion and management of Special Educational Needs. Plus, this school is a slipstream to the Jumeirah College. |
| GEMS Royal Dubai School | Mirdif | AED 37,554 | AED 47,351 | GEMS Royal is another top-notch school with special preparatory schooling focused on EYFS, and Key Stages 1 and 2 education. Students are given the choice of 4 Tier 1 GEMS slipstreams, such as the IGCSE, IB, and International A Level options. Each option comes with a guaranteed position for the students of GEMS Royal. Lastly, this school has a proven track record of having the best performance throughout the complete spectrum of educational provision. |
| Kings School Dubai | Umm Suqeim | AED 42,734 | AED 65,037 | The Kings School knows what its core strengths are and it plays to those strengths by concentrating primary provision and FS only with its students’ attainment. Its progress in the fields of Science, English, and Mathematics has always been outstanding. Besides, the community of parents is highly supportive, dedicated, and involved in their kid’s education and growth in the school. Kings school’s best-in-class features are management, induction, and ongoing teacher training. |
| Jumeirah English Speaking School | Al Safa | AED 39,030 | AED 48,231 | Every school in UAE envies the reputation (well-deserved) that this school has garnered for itself. Jumeirah English Speaking School offers the best SEN, and has the best extra-curricular, academic, and cultural attainment at every possible level. This school has a very holistic, child-centered learning, warm, ethos, inspirational, and happy environment that kids love. Your kid will also get the best Arabian Ranches slipstream with hybrid UK IGCSE/IB provision that is balanced with extensive BTEC choices at Sixth Form. |
| Al Muna Academy | Madinat Zayed | AED 41,580 | AED 41,580 | This school has got everything, including charisma, leadership, care for students paired with the highest levels of academic achievements, and outstanding SEN and G&T provision. Your kid will enjoy an exceptionally happy and positive school environment with the best-in-class facilities. Additionally, there is a high ratio of staff members to every student. And, lastly, a guaranteed spot at one of the three Aldar Academies to get secondary education. |
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| School | Location | Minimum Fee | Highest Fee | What do we think? |
| GEMS Wellington Primary School | Al Wasl | AED 42,508 | AED 53,582 | GEMS Wellington genuinely has inclusive schooling and is dedicated to providing every child with the best facilities to ensure outstanding child progress. The school is known for its mix of international students and a variety of facilities. It’s one of the Outstanding British Schools Overseas according to a report presented by an inspirational Principal whose own kids go to this school. They give priority to kids at GEMS Secondary schools. |
| Dubai English Speaking School | Oud Metha | AED 36,210 | AED 44,813 | If you are looking for a school with exemplary core subject attainment in English, Science, and Maths, along with a one-of-a-kind early years or primary curriculum, Dubai English Speaking School is what you need. Their world-class teaching methods are inspirational and ensure instrumental whole child development depending on global understanding and altruism. In addition, their extracurricular program is truly extraordinary. Their fabulous school atmosphere is filled with inspiration at every corner and your kids will get Secondary slipstream to the top Dubai English Speaking College. |
| The Pearl Academy | Al Dhafrah | AED 40,400 | AED 40,400 | They offer a unique teaching methodology that blends the English National Curriculum and teaching approach inspired from the International Baccalaureate together to form the perfect recipe for highly targeted primary provision. They have the best student personal development and attainment in Science, English, and Mathematics. Lastly, the best natural feeder streams to Yasmina or Al Bateen schools for secondary provision. |
| Victory Heights Primary School | Dubai Sports City | AED 35,834 | AED 48,865 | Victory Heights Primary School is a KHDA school in the making. It has shown very quick rapid progress in bedding in Key Stage 1-2 and FS provision to the highest of standard. Top-notch child focus and care with never-seen-before school architecture to inspire students and get their creative juices flowing for learning about Arabic cultural context. The leadership, school transparency, and the provision of information for parents who have kids enrolled at the school and those considering the school for their kids are out of this world. Plus, the Award-winning Principal Sasha Crabb impresses parents and kids alike by being the winner of the Top Schools Award 2019 for Best Principal in the United Arab Emirates. |
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| School | Location | Minimum Fee | Highest Fee | What do we think? |
| Kings School Nad Al Sheba | Nad al Sheba | AED 50,200 | AED 63,700 | Kings school is famous for the marvellous breadth and quality of facilities that it offers to its students. It’s deeply committed to providing the best preparatory-only schooling for academically gifted children and also has specialised dyslexia support. Their curriculum, however, is quite different from the standard EYFS or primary UK education approach dominant in all the other schools in the UAE. Kings Schools has a holistic, concept-based learning approach that is modeled after the RSA Opening Minds structure. The school has also further developed and strengthened it all the way through its sister school in Al Barsha. The sister school is the current slipstream for Kings’ NAS pupils from Year 7. |
| Safa British School | Al Quoz | AED 27,507 | AED 40,788* | Students of Safa British School genuinely enjoy going to school and have very positive attitudes towards learning new things every day, thanks to students’ personal development being a particular strength of the school. It’s an inclusive school that offers impressive whole child focus as a result, its students’ progress above the expected baseline flight paths. With an empowering and inclusive vision that says, ‘Every Child an Achiever’, the school quickly identifies students with Special Educational Needs. The teaching methods of this school enable its students to attain above-average levels in Mathematics, Science, and English by the end of Year 6. Plus, students get priority access to Safa Community School for Secondary education. |
| Foremarke School | Al Barsha South | AED 65,000 | AED 85,000 | Marked by its transparent guidance to prospective parents on the best choice based on the prospective student and school’s approach, this school has a special preparatory provision that provides targeted highly-specialist educational provision until Year 6. It has small-sized classes that offer high differentiation to target the needs of all children individually. The campus is visually stunning. It is in the same group as outstanding rated Repton Dubai and offers a potential slipstream for Secondary school. |
| Regent International School | The Greens | AED 43,787 | AED 51,083 | Regent can now also become an “Outstanding” KHDA school because of its sister Sunmarke School opening along it. It has the potential, capacity, and commitment to get that rating. It offers an amazing Special Educational Needs [SEN] provision cross-spectrum that includes Gifted and Talented children [G&T] as well as Outstanding English as an Additional Language provision [EAL]. The teachers are highly committed and ensure Positive Education for the formative development of students’ soft skills. It offers priority access for Secondary school at Sunmarke. |
| School | Location | Minimum Fee | Highest Fee | What do we think? |
| The Alpha School | Qusais | AED 22,750 | AED 31,700 | The Alpha school has the charm of small school intimacy and the inspiration of founding leadership. The school specializes in technology integration at the EYFS level that includes the STEAM curriculum with the integration of robotics and coding. The school wants to embed a core technology curriculum during the Early Years learning. This differentiated the school’s commitment to delivering a Tier 1 UK education. In addition, the school promises 1:1 iPad integration throughout the classrooms. |
| Manor Primary School | Al Safa | AED 47,150 | AED 51,750 | To people, it’s just the English College Primary School that has re-opened under another name, and they love it because as a parent you’ll find school intimacy to be rare in UAE. It’s a small, intimate school with its full capacity never exceeding 440 children. FS streams have 40 students each year, and in Years 1 – 6, the streams are capped at 60 students. The other important perk is a slipstream to the English College. The English College is undoubtedly one of the longest established Secondary Schools in Dubai. Investment is being made in both schools under the new management (UK-based LVS Ascot). |
| Dubai Heights Academy | Al Barsha South | AED 37,570 | AED 49,640 | Dubai Heights initially opened only till Year 4 in 2017 to 2019, then it eventually expanded to Year 13. It boasts an excellent founding Principal that has a reputation for putting students first with powerful dedication to SEND and inclusion from day 1. Adorned with Primary and Secondary school buildings, a special focus on technology, and top facilities to nurture the specific needs of students at different phases, this school is at the top of the game. |
| Ranches Primary School | Arabian Ranches | AED 45,000 | AED 55,000 | Supported by Emaar and another major school group, Ranches Primary School provides students with excellent facilities in an intimate, small school. It is led by a visionary and experienced Principal from a leading UK private school group called Berkhamstead. Consisting of a genuinely inclusive school community, Ranches Primary School makes sure that whatever Special Educational Need (SEN) is identified in any student, it’s met with all the resources needed to fulfil that need. The school is currently looking to form close links with other schools such as Jebel Ali School and JESS Arabian Ranches. |
| Aspen Heights British School | Al Bahya | AED 35,000 | AED 45,000 | Operated by the International Schools Partnership, an experienced and respected group, and led under the exemplary leadership of an exceptional ex-Aldar Academies Principal, Aspen Height follows the UK curriculum. It focuses on STEM education and Earth sciences and conservation. It plans to include a Turtle Sanctuary or rescue centre and a hydroponics farm in the future. |
| Dovecote Green Primary School | Dubai Investments Park | AED 42,000 | AED 48,000 | Dovecote Green Primary School has state-of-the-art facilities along with the best British teacher provision for its students. The small classes ensure a low teacher-student ratio. It offers a whole-child focus designed on the basis of traditional development of advanced numeracy and literacy that follows the UK National Curriculum and EYFS. The school also shows a commitment to the school and the local community. It is also a part of the EKI’s Repton-Foremarke-Dovecote group of schools at considerably lower costs as compared to the alternative FS-Year 6 Repton Dubai slipstreams. Students get priority access to Repton for Secondary education. |
| Rising School | Nad Al Sheba | AED 33,575 | AED 48,025 | The school opened up to Grade 5 only, however, it plans to expand up to K-12. It’s a US curriculum school led by a professionally experienced US Principal. The teachers are also from the UK, US, and Jordan with a diverse array of experience in different fields. Most of the teachers have 6 to 10+ years of experience along with teaching degrees in the US curriculum. |
| Newlands School | Al Warqa’a | AED 19,200 | AED 26,400 | Newlands School was opened in the Al Warqa’a area by an established and professionally experienced operator. It has one of the most convenient locations for people residing in both Sharjah and the northern residential areas of Dubai. It promises to provide a high-quality, international education to students as an affordable option for their parents. It has small-sized classes with a UK curriculum and an impressive array of facilities with a focus on SEND provision. Other than that, the school focuses on incorporating the background and culture of Dubai to develop a setting where students can celebrate Islamic values,the Arabic language, and Emirati innovations. |
| Oaktree Primary School | Al Quoz | AED 30,000 | AED 42,000 | Oaktree Primary School was opened under high-quality leadership alongside considerable GEMS experience. It is included among the top 5 emirates’ primary schools with its Founding Principal now holding a Senior position at Group level. The school is dedicated to an inclusive entrance that includes full-spectrum Special Educational Needs [SEN] provision. Besides, it has a sophisticated curriculum balance between communication and technology. Oaktree Primary School offers a wide range of native language programs incorporated within the daily curriculum. It offers secondary school priority because of its special agreements with other independent schools such as Safa Community. |
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These are the best primary schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that you can send your kids to if you want to ensure a bright future for them. However, if you don’t like these outstanding schools in Dubai, you can give home tuition a try instead of the schools in Dubai.
