UAE school guides for parents

Dubai school fees in 2026-27: what parents actually pay

Real annual fee ranges for British curriculum schools in Dubai, from about AED 25,000 to over AED 110,000, plus the 2026-27 fee freeze, how KHDA regulates increases, and what the extras cost.

What a UAE school year actually costs

Tuition is the number every school advertises and the one number that will not tell you what the year costs. Here is what sits on top of it, and how to get your own school’s complete figure in writing before you commit.

What your school can charge, keep, and do about unpaid fees

KHDA caps what a Dubai private school may charge you up front, sets the deadlines that decide whether a deposit comes back, and limits what a school may do when fees go unpaid. Most of it is written down in one policy that almost no parent has read.

KHDA school ratings explained for parents

What the KHDA inspection ratings actually measure, how many Dubai schools hold each rating, why most ratings currently date from 2023-24, and how to use them when choosing a school.

Choosing a British school in Dubai: a practical checklist

A step-by-step way to shortlist British curriculum schools in Dubai: how to weigh KHDA ratings against fees, what to check in the inspection report, and the questions worth asking on a tour.

Abu Dhabi school fees and ADEK ratings, explained

How ADEK’s Irtiqa’a inspections rate Abu Dhabi private schools, the latest results, real fee ranges at British curriculum schools from about AED 25,000 to AED 106,000, and how fee rises are controlled.

ADEK school ratings explained for parents

What ADEK’s six Irtiqa’a ratings actually mean, how many Abu Dhabi schools hold each one, how old the rating you are reading might be, and what an inspection grade does not tell you about your own child’s year group.

The Outstanding-rated schools in Abu Dhabi

Every Abu Dhabi private school currently listed as Outstanding by ADEK, what that rating is actually measuring, why the list is smaller than the marketing suggests, and how to check whether a school still holds it before you apply.

The British curriculum in the UAE, explained

How the English National Curriculum works in UAE schools: what each key stage covers, when children sit assessments, what BSO accreditation means, and how KHDA inspections fit in.

British curriculum or UAE National Curriculum: what actually differs

Two different school systems run side by side in the UAE: the British curriculum taught in most private schools, and the UAE National (MOE) Curriculum taught in government schools and some private ones. Here is what actually differs — language of instruction, year structure, assessments and regulator — and what stays the same either way.

The IB curriculum in the UAE, explained

How the International Baccalaureate works in UAE schools: what the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme actually cover, how DP scoring works, how common IB is in Dubai, and how it compares with the British curriculum.

CAT4 explained, for parents in the UAE

What the CAT4 is, what its four batteries actually test, which year groups sit it in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, how long it takes, and what schools use the results for. Written for parents who have just been told their child is taking it.

CAT4 scores explained: what 100 and 115 actually mean

Your child’s CAT4 report has a Standard Age Score, a stanine and a national percentile rank on it. Here is what each number means, why the average is always 100, how much a score can move between sittings, and why our own free checks do not give you a number like this.

The 11+ non-verbal reasoning question types, explained

Series, codes, hidden shapes, matrices, analogies, rotations and paper folding. What each 11+ non-verbal reasoning question is really asking, what the timing looks like in a real GL paper, and how to help without drilling your child into the ground.

IQ tests for children: what they measure, and what to use instead

What a real IQ test for a child involves, who is allowed to give one, why the free ones online cannot produce a genuine score, and what is actually worth measuring if you want to help your child.

SATs and the other UK primary assessments, explained

What the Year 6 SATs, the Year 4 times tables check and the Year 1 phonics check actually test, the 2027 dates, how scaled scores work, and what all of it means for a child at a British school in the UAE.

The Year 4 multiplication tables check, explained

What the Year 4 multiplication tables check actually is, how the on-screen check works, when it runs, and whether a British curriculum school in the UAE has to give it. Written for a parent who has just heard the letters "MTC" for the first time.

Year groups and ages in the UAE: the full conversion table

Which year group your child belongs in under UAE rules: the official age table from FS1 to Year 13, British years versus American grades versus IB, and the new 31 December cut-off explained.

GCSEs in the UAE: a parent’s guide

How GCSEs and IGCSEs work at British schools in the UAE: the exam boards schools use, what the 9-1 grades mean, what happened to the 2026 exam series, and how to help in Years 10 and 11.

UAE school term dates for 2026-27

Official 2026-27 term dates for schools in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and across the UAE: the 31 August start, October half term, winter and spring breaks, and the new three-year calendar.

Moving to the UAE: getting your child into school

How school admissions work for families arriving in Dubai and the UAE: when you can join mid-year, the transfer certificate and attestation rules, what to prepare before you fly, and how placement is decided.