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Curious about our international school in Dubai? Check out our FAQs to find the answers you're seeking. If you can't find what you're looking for, we're here to assist - simply fill in the form on our enquire now page.
Classes as The English College Dubai are made of 20 students in FS1, up to 24 in FS2 to Y13 NB in Year 10-13 some subjects options may vary in class sizes from min 5 to Max 25 depending on popularity of subject. The absolute maximum class size in Secondary is 25.
As an international school in Dubai, we teach to kids from 84 different nationalities (Top 3 - 17% British, 16% Indian, 10% Egyptian).
The staff at our international school is largely British, with some representation from France, Spain, South Africa and GCC countries. If you want more information, take a look at our dedicated team page.
We have a rigorous recruitment process that involves advertising through one of the world's leading educational platforms, the TES. We hire based on values and whether staff will ‘fit’ our school and share our values and ethos. The leadership team and all recruiting members of staff (including HR and middle leaders) are all trained in safer recruitment processes and safeguarding and so are highly qualified in filtering all applications from a safety and quality perspective. Rigorous 10 year background checks are conducted on all short-listed candidates, including police checks, safeguarding checks and the acquisition of references that support the candidates information and ability.
Retention rates fluctuate year on year, as happens in international schools. We sit around 80% retention which is a nice balance to have.
During the 2023/24 scholastic year, 50% of applicants were enrolled successfully to our British school.
The English College Parent Council (ECPC) is an extremely active body within the school community, with almost every year group represented. ECPC works with the school across Sustainability, Charity, Communication and Events. They also operate a parent buddy system for all new families joining the school.
In the Primary School there is only homework for year 6 pupils, as part of their transition into secondary school. This is minimal. However, students are expected to read at home each day. Students from Y1 upwards have individual learning pathways on the digital platforms Mathletics and Education City that they can access at home if they so wish. Students are encouraged to participate in ExtraCurricular activities to broaden their holistic development and participate in ‘play’ at home as a wealth of research based evidence advocates the importance of play based learning in a primary child’s development.
In the Secondary School, homework varies depending on the key stage with more homework and more independent work required the older students get. There is not a set timetable for homework but there is an expectation for how long students should spend time completing homework each week. Homework is never for the next day and is never ‘finish off’ work - its purpose is to deepen, consolidate or extend in class learning. Students at KS5 should expect to spend an hour learning independently and consolidating class learning for every timetabled hour. Students at KS4 will be set homework that will allow them to achieve a work life balance but also excel in their subjects - this is roughly 1 hour per subject per week. Students in key stage 3 will be set on average 7 pieces of homework per week. These will take approximately 30 mins to 1 hour to complete.
We would expect this to meet the same standards of class work, with students demonstrating aspiration and effort. Effort is the most important as the level of quality will obviously vary depending on the academic ability of the child.
In the primary school we have a positive approach to behaviour management, using restorative practice. This is structured within our Positive Behaviour Policy, where we look to highlight and reward as much positive behaviour as possible. We also use Class Dojo to award points for following school rules and relentless routines. Our three school rules are - be ready, be safe, be respectful.
In our secondary school, we have a Positive Behaviour policy which tries to educate students as to what behaviour is acceptable at EC, inline with our core values, especially Integrity and Respect. We use ClassCharts to award positive behaviour points to students across the school to reward those students who make the right choices, day in and day out. When a student behaves below our high expectations, we look to educate and use restorative action to move forward in as many cases as possible. Safety is the key focus in everything we do and therefore it is never compromised. This includes physical safety with regard to health and safety, as well as child protection. It’s worth noting that we have a zero tolerance approach to bullying or discrimination of any kind.
Formative assessment is key to success - all assessment should have the aim of feeding forward to improve students’ knowledge, skills or understanding. Teachers monitor this assessment data continuously to ensure students are making progress in learning.
In the Primary school, there are also 'mini assessments ' each half term in the core subjects. These assessments and the ongoing formative data, culminate in an end of term report for each child. Immediately following the reports we have parent teacher meetings to both recognise success and set targets to accelerate progress. We also use external tests such as CAT4 and Progress Tests to complement a data picture of progress for each student and help further support a personalised learning pathway for each student.
In the Secondary school, students are summatively assessed in each subject, each half term in English Maths and Science and termly in all other subjects. These assessments, alongside holistic teacher judgements based on daily formative assessment, drive grades that are reported home to parents termly. Report grades are monitored by teachers and leaders with appropriate in year interventions put in place to ensure that no one falls through the net.
From year 4 and throughout the Secondary school, all students are expected to have their own device that is used to enhance learning. The Google suite is used across the school, centred around the Google Classroom application so that all lesson materials are stored in one place for each class. Students collaborate with each other and with their teacher using the Google applications to deepen and enhance learning. There are also several online quizzing platforms that are used daily by teachers to assess students’ knowledge and intervene where necessary. There are also other platforms that are used by specific faculties, such as Sparx maths which is used to set and monitor independent learning in maths and Kamkalima which is used to stretch and extend native Arabic learners. Specialist computer lessons in primary and secondary support the development of IT skills for all students. In FS and Key Stage 1, students have access to iPads and interactive whiteboards and a designated STEAM area is utilised for the use of robots and drones.
All primary years have music and art as a lesson each week, which is taught by a specialist. In Year 6 the students all get to enjoy Drama in the secondary drama studio.
In KS3 students have an hour of Art, Drama and Music taught by our specialist and passionate team. Students are then able to elect to continue studying Art and Drama and Music at GCSE and A Level. We currently have many extra curricular opportunities in Drama, Art and Music. We offer a varied peripatetic programme, primary and secondary choirs and school band, however, we currently do not have a full orchestra. Drama offer LAMDA examinations in Drama for Years 7 through to Year 13 and an annual school production that celebrates the talent we have at EC whilst also promoting inclusivity. In Art you can enjoy photography club, Art competitions such as BSME as well as getting involved with set and props as part of the school production tech team.
At The English College, we offer an extensive array of extracurricular activities tailored to meet the diverse interests of our students. These activities encompass a wide spectrum including sports, arts, drama, computing, and more. At The English College, we are committed to continuously enhancing our extracurricular activities ECA programme to best meet the needs and interests of our students. We believe in the importance of incorporating feedback from both students and parents to ensure that our offerings remain dynamic and relevant.
Our school ECA programme ensures that all students have access to sporting opportunities. From Year 3 to Year 13, our students actively participate in DASSA schools competitions across various sports disciplines. Moreover, we actively engage in regional tournaments and competitions, such as those organised by BSAK, BSME, and Rugby 7s, held throughout the UAE.In addition to our participation in regional events, we have also hosted numerous development tournaments on-site, welcoming participation from other local schools. Looking ahead, our aspiration is to extend our reach by representing our institution abroad, competing in national-level competitions.
Students study either Arabic A or B, depending on the passport that they hold. Arabic B is taught up to year 10 and Arabic A up to year 13 and the Arabic faculty spans across both the Primary and Secondary schools. Arabic lessons follow the same principles of effective teaching and learning as all other subjects with all lessons focusing on the 4 key language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). All teachers are regularly observed, as with all other subjects, and areas for improvement shared and followed up. The faculty use several online platforms to support and extend learning beyond the classroom. These include Kamkalimam, Language nut, I read Arabic and I start Arabic and have been specifically selected to improve the learning experience of both Arabic A and B learners and learners of all ages. It’s worth noting that Arabic has been graded as Good for progress in both the primary and secondary schools for Arabic A and B in our recent DSIB report. This is something to be very proud of and is not common across Dubai schools. Islamic studies is taught by 4 dedicated specialists who again follow the same principles for effective teaching and learning as all other teachers across the school.Students are taught either Islamic A or B, Islamic A is taught in Arabic, while Islamic B is taught in English.
Yes, this is outsourced to Busco. Bus routes cover most of the popular residential areas but we would strongly urge parents to contact them directly to check the likelihood of a service covering your area next year.
Dubai. Not one concentration of students in an area, but areas include: Al Safa, Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, Al Barsha, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Hills, Emirates Hills, Meydan, Al Qudra, Motor City, The Palm, Marina, Jumeirah Park, etc.
All students have a class teacher (Primary) or form tutor (Secondary) who they see for a significant amount of time each day. It is their role to notice changes in students and make sure that they feel safe and supported each day and have someone to go to if they have concerns.
All staff receive ongoing training in safeguarding, which covers all aspects of safeguarding children in education and is face to face. In addition, all teachers undertake 5 online training modules each year on a 4 year cycle (so 20 modules over the four years). There is a safeguarding team who meet fortnightly and have the overall responsibility of ensuring that all students are safe, happy and well.
Furthermore, there is a full time school counsellor onsite who not only gives one on one support, but also plans and delivers a student wellbeing curriculum for sixth form students and leads Safehouse, the student-led listening service. The counsellor also works closely with external professionals to ensure holistic support for our students. Finally, she also leads the staff wellbeing group.
There is a specialist inclusion team that spans both primary and secondary with our Head of Inclusion and several learning support assistants for both secondary and Primary. The inclusion team have a wide remit - from leading staff training, replanning and delivering curricula to nurture groups of students, 1:1 support and in class support. We also have an Inclusion Support Team consisting of external experts and our own staff, this team helps evaluate our provision and suggests areas where we can enhance our provision.
There are weekly newsletters from both the Head of Primary and Head of Secondary. Primary teachers provide all parents with half termly objectives so parents can support their children at home. There are 5 opportunities across the year for primary parents to come in and spend time with the class teacher and discuss their child’s learning and development.In secondary there are several information evenings across the school year, from options evenings to meet the tutor events to keep parents informed about school events and initiatives. Each year group in Secondary has 2 parents’ evenings through the year to keep parents informed on their child’s academic progress.
KS3 curriculum overviewsThere are weekly Parent Workshops where we spend time educating our parents on important and wide ranging topics such as wellbeing, how we teach coding, the GCSE options process and the importance of sleep to name a few. This ensures that they feel connected to the school, able to ask good questions and involved in what is happening. There is also a Parent group, the ECPC, who get involved with school events.
The teachers and the school are all invested in a professional development journey for all. We believe in Kaizan (continuous improvement) as teaching is not a trade that can ever be mastered. All staff have 2 professional learning goals that guide their professional learning. One of these is related to the school’s strategic focus (for this year, this is assessment) and one is related to their own individual needs and circumstances. Staff benefit from fortnightly CPD sessions, delivered in line with our school strategic focus for that year. This allows staff the time to benefit from others’ experience and expertise and the time to collaborate and apply their learning to their own individual needs and context. There are also numerous professional development opportunities for staff besides our internal programme such as Masters Degrees and National Professional Qualifications. We also subscribe to many online CPD platforms for staff such as National Online Safety, The National College and Educare so that staff can engage in their own bespoke professional learning.
The English College!
In secondary we have 3 separate phases - KS3, KS4 and KS5
KS3 we follow a curriculum that is based on the National Curriculum but built backwards to ensure we prepare our students for the next phase. Departments base their grades on a flight path to the end of the next Key Stage which is their GCSE examinations. The top grade that a student can achieve is a grade 9 which is the equivalent of an A**. We would expect each student to make one grade of progress each year so the equivalent of a grade 9 at the end of year 11 would be a grade 5 at the end of year 7. The grades are based on attainment.
We also look at each student's cognitive ability using a CAT4 standardised test. We will have a projected grade that each student should be achieving. When we report home, we will report whether the student is meeting the curriculum expectations and also whether the student is meeting their academic potential.
Each subject will report on their own subject. Grades will be shared with parents at the end of each term.
Students are taught 13 subjects in Year 7 (14 if they are Muslim as they have additional Islamic study lessons English, maths, science, French and Spanish (they experience both in y7 and choose which to study in y8), geography, history, computing, PE, art, music, drama, Arabic (A or B) and Islamic (if they are a Muslim)
The transition is easier, the earlier it starts. The IB curriculum is very broad in nature, just like the British curriculum KS3. The British curriculum KS4 narrows a little and the KS5 curriculum narrows significantly. The IB remains broad throughout. Therefore, students moving from a very broad IB curriculum in KS3 to a British curriculum in KS4 won’t notice a difference. However, a broad IB curriculum in year 11 or even 12 is noticeably broader than studying 3 A levels. However, a broad GCSE curriculum is also much broader than studying 3 A levels. Therefore, students only really notice a difference between KS4 and 5, where there would be a difference anyway even within the British curriculum. All students joining a KS5 A level programme, whether that is from IB or GCSE, need to learn to master fewer subjects in a lot more depth rather than multiple subjects in less depth.
Students join EC from all different curricula from all over the world - it’s our job to ensure that all of our students flourish and are given the right support that they need to excel in our school. We identify areas for development and respond to their needs sensitively and swiftly.
Within our EYFS the features that are most impressive relate to the independence and progress made by children.
We have an extraordinarily high level of attainment by the end of EYFS which exceeds the UK's standards significantly.
The environment plays a part in this - our FS is only small and has great play areas and superb resources. The teachers are all UK trained and highly skilled, which makes the greatest difference for us. Most impressive are the language skills of the pupils. There is a strong focus on talk (if the children can't say it, they won't be able to write it) and then the phonics programme is highly successful. Ours is Read, Write, Inc. By the end of FS2, the children can read and write with confidence, giving them a headstart in Year 1.
For GCSE, core subjects have a total of 4 hours per week and each optional subject has a total of 3 hours per week. For A Level each subject option has 5 dedicated contact hours.
KS4 and KS5 are 2 year courses - GCSE and A Level examinations will be at the end of the two year course for each subject. These examinations and dates are set by the awarding examination boards.
In addition to these there will be ongoing internal assessments throughout the two year course to check and monitor attainment and progress, these approximate dates will be shared in advance.
Families need to submit:
In addition to the documents listed above, applicants transferring from international schools must submit:
From Year 3 onwards, the original and a copy of the transfer certificate from the previous school, including:
To make an initial enquiry for our British school, submit the online enquiry form or contact our Admissions Team directly. We’re here to answer your questions, guide you through the process and help you take the first step toward joining our vibrant school community.
Yes, you can book a school tour with a member of our leadership team to explore our inspiring learning spaces and get a feel for life at The English College in Dubai. It’s the perfect opportunity to see how your child can thrive in our school.
As a non-selective school, we welcome students of all abilities. From Year 3 upwards, students take the CAT4 cognitive assessment. In some year groups, a short interview may also be held to better understand each child’s strengths and learning needs.
To reserve your child’s place at The English College, a deposit of 10% of the annual tuition fee is required. This amount is later deducted from the total school fees once enrolment is complete.
Yes. Mid-year admissions are possible if places are available. For families relocating to Dubai, English College Dubai aims to make the transition as smooth as possible.
The documents required are:
The documents required for the international transfer are:
Also, please note that from Year 3 onwards, original and copy of the transfer certificate from the previous school, including:
Yes. Siblings of current students are given priority consideration provided they meet entry requirements.
Yes. As part of the International Schools Partnership - ISP, we offer a number of merit scholarships for outstanding achievement in academics, sport or the arts. Awards are competitive and granted at the school’s discretion, with an annual review in line with ISP principles.
Yes. KHDA regulations require a Transfer Certificate for all students joining from Year 2 upwards:
Yes. Students from any curriculum, such as IB, American, Indian, French, and others are welcome to apply to our British school in Dubai. Our admissions assessments help ensure correct year placement and subject pathways.
To finalise your child’s enrolment, complete the KHDA registration and sign the mandatory Parent-School Contract, ensuring transparency and alignment with Dubai’s education guidelines.
