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Cranleigh Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees AED 69,670 - 103,260
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 2212
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum
Introduction

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is a co-educational British-curriculum school on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, serving pupils from age 3 (Foundation Stage) through to 18 (Year 13). The school follows the English National Curriculum and offers (I)GCSEs in the Senior School and A Levels and BTEC options (with an Extended Project Qualification available) in Sixth Form. English is the language of instruction; Arabic is taught as a statutory UAE subject and the school also offers modern languages such as French and Spanish (with Latin listed in some subject information). The campus provision published by the school and its partners includes a dedicated Sixth Form centre, performing-arts facilities (auditorium, recital hall and a black-box theatre), specialist art, design and technology studios, music practice rooms, indoor sports halls, shaded swimming pools and outdoor grass and astroturf pitches plus courts for tennis/netball. Distinctive elements set out in the school's materials include a separate Pre‑Prep campus opened in 2024 and the use of Harkness-style, discussion-led teaching in the Sixth Form.

Saadiyat Island, SDN8, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Essentials

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi has 2,212 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, in the cultural district near Manarat Al Saadiyat. The campus sits on a purpose-built site with good access to Saadiyat Island's roads and facilities. The location places the school close to Abu Dhabi's museums and cultural precincts.

Stages
The school follows the British National Curriculum from FS1 to Year 13, covering early years through to the sixth form. Students ordinarily take IGCSE in the middle years and proceed to A Levels or equivalent in the senior years.

Type
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is a co-educational day school and does not currently offer boarding facilities. An extended day is available, allowing students to participate in activities beyond the core lessons.

Pupil Nationality Mix
The school represents a large international community, with more than 65 nationalities; the most represented nationality is British, and local students make up around 20% of the student body.

Additional learning support
The school provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support and has a Learning Support framework. EAL is delivered at multiple levels (whole-school provision, in-class support, and small-group or 1:1 intervention), and SEN provisions are available where needed.

Country affiliation
The school is affiliated with Cranleigh School in the United Kingdom and operates as part of the Cranleigh international network.

Religious affiliation
There is no formal religious affiliation stated for the school, reflecting its diverse international community.

School day structure
The core school day runs from around 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. The extended day option extends activities until about 6:00–6:30 pm, depending on after-school commitments.

Bus service
A bus service is provided by a contracted operator, with the school coordinating transport for students. There have been occasions of bus shortages affecting after-school activities, prompting communications to parents about service availability.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school is a coeducational day school for children aged 3 to 18, with an extended day and future provision for boarding.

House System
Every pupil, whether day or boarding, has a place in one of eight single-sex houses: North, South, East, West, Cubitt, Loveday, Rhodes and Martlet.

Governance and Ownership
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is part of Cranleigh International; the local operating company was built by Cranleigh International and passed on to Aldar Education in 2018. In January 2024 a separate Cranleigh Abu Dhabi Pre-Prep site opened at Saadiyat Lagoons.
Fees

Annual tuition at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi ranges from AED 69,670 to AED 103,260 for 2026/27.

Application fee

- No fixed application or non-refundable registration fee amount is published in the publicly available fee summaries for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi.

Tuition fees (published annual amounts by year group)

- Foundation Stage 1 – Year 1: AED 71,500 per year (approximately AED 23,833 per term when divided into three equal termly instalments).
- Year 2 – Year 4: AED 82,510 per year (approximately AED 27,503 per term).
- Year 5 – Year 9: AED 88,010 per year (approximately AED 29,337 per term).
- Year 10 – Year 13: AED 105,980 per year (approximately AED 35,327 per term).

Fees per term (presentation and rounding)

- The annual figures above are commonly presented as full-year amounts. For budgeting, dividing the published annual fee by three gives the approximate per-term charge shown next to each year group above. A number of independent fee summaries also show equivalent per-term figures for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and similar schools.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition is presented as an annual amount for each year group. Families most commonly pay in termly instalments (three terms per academic year) or as a single annual payment; per-term billing is the frequent invoicing model used in regional fee schedules for this school. Specific instalment dates, any early-payment discounts, or late-payment penalties are set by the school and provided on the school's invoice or the school's finance correspondence.

Boarding fees

- Cranleigh Abu Dhabi operates as a day school; no boarding fees apply for the Abu Dhabi campus. (Boarding is associated with the Cranleigh School in the UK, not the Saadiyat Island campus.)

Other costs and typical additional charges

- Uniforms: The cost of school uniform is charged separately and must be purchased through the school's authorised supplier; uniform items are not included in the annual tuition.
- Transport (school bus): School bus services are organised and charged separately; a school bus service exists for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and transport fees are additional to tuition. Charges, route availability and compliance with local transport regulations are managed by the school and its bus provider.
- Meals/catering: Canteen or meal plans are not included in the published tuition figures and are charged separately when used.
- Co-curricular activities, trips, camps, external examination fees and specialist lessons (for example private music tuition or some external assessments) are additional to tuition and billed separately.

Refund information

- There is no publicly available, detailed refund policy included in the fee summaries accessed for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi. Refundability of deposits, registration payments or part-term refunds (for example on withdrawal mid-term) is determined under the school's terms and conditions and the written fee agreement provided on offer and invoice documents. Parents should note that, for many schools in the UAE, certain one‑off charges (application or registration fees and some deposits) are commonly non-refundable or refundable only subject to specified conditions.

Fee payment options (typical methods)

- Common payment methods used across UAE private schools include bank transfer (local or international), credit/debit card and in-person payments via the school finance office. Cranleigh Abu Dhabi's published fee summaries do not list a detailed, public menu of accepted payment methods; the school issues official invoices with the accepted payment instructions and account details.

Summary notes for parents

- The figures above are the published annual tuition levels for the current publicly available fee summaries for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and are presented here with an approximate per-term conversion (annual ÷ 3) for budgeting.
- Additional mandatory or optional charges commonly apply (uniform, transport, meals, trips, examinations and some specialist lessons).

If you require these amounts shown in another currency or rounded differently for budgeting, I have given the annual amounts and approximate per-term equivalents above for convenience.
Academics

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi teaches British Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi follows the English National Curriculum, with the Early Years Foundation Stage (FS1–FS2) in Pre-Prep and the National Curriculum as the foundation for all later years, extended to meet local needs. The school is structured into Pre-Prep (FS1–Year 2), Prep (Year 3–8), Senior (Year 9–13) and Sixth Form (Year 12–13), with progression aligned to UK age bands and ADEK guidance. In the Senior School, students typically study IGCSEs in a broad range of subjects; this is followed in Sixth Form by A Levels (with BTECs as an alternative) and an optional Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The Sixth Form uses Harkness-style teaching and a Sixth Form Core Curriculum to develop independent thinking, wellbeing, and career-focused subject choices. The curriculum emphasises enquiry-led learning, clear assessment criteria, and a global-citizenship dimension as central pillars of the school's approach. Admissions are aligned with UK-year group standards, with entry points from Pre-Prep through Sixth Form and formal evaluation processes for Sixth Form applicants.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi supports Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through a full-time School Counsellor who provides confidential, personalised pastoral support to pupils. The School Counsellor is part of the Learning Support Department, which coordinates wellbeing provision and the school's response to pupils with additional needs. The Learning Support Team handles day-to-day SEN provision, maintains records, and creates Learning Passports/IEPs to guide targeted support and parental involvement. External specialists, including Psychology services, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, may be engaged to support pupils with SEN as needed. English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners have access to the full curriculum and activities, with Level One–Three EAL support to ensure participation across the school. Parents are actively involved as partners in planning and reviewing pupil wellbeing and provision.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi defines Special Educational Needs (SEN) as including learning difficulties and persistent social, emotional or mental health needs, and identifies pupils of determination to receive appropriate provision. The School Principal has overall responsibility for SEN, delegated to the Director of Learning Support, who reports to the Vice Principal (Academic). The Learning Support Team conducts in-house screening, maintains a central record, and creates Learning Passports (IEPs) in collaboration with parents and pupils. Provision is delivered across three levels: Level 1 (Quality provision for all), Level 2 (in-class or small-group support), and Level 3 (specialist withdrawal or 1:1 support), with exam access arrangements under JCQ guidelines where relevant. Specialist support may be provided by the Learning Support Team or by outside specialists such as Psychology services, Speech & Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The school emphasises SEN provision as a school-wide responsibility rather than a separate specialist institution, with differentiated teaching and collaboration among staff to meet diverse needs.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi recognises English as an Additional Language (EAL) and ensures EAL learners have access to the full curriculum and co-curricular activities on the same basis as native English speakers. The EAL policy states aims to overcome barriers to learning, value linguistic and cultural diversity, and support EAL pupils to become confident and fluent users of English. EAL support is structured in three levels: Level One – quality provision for all; Level Two – in-class support; Level Three – small-group or 1:1 intervention. The EAL Co-ordinator leads the school's EAL provision in consultation with the Director of Learning Support and liaises with English teachers to monitor progress. Most EAL pupils do not have SEN; if a specific learning difficulty is identified, EAL pupils have equal access to the school's SEN provision.

Mental Wellbeing
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is committed to positive mental wellbeing and provides a full-time School Counsellor who is a qualified psychologist. The counselling service offers a confidential, safe, nurturing and personalised approach and is part of the Learning Support Department. A Learning Passport (IEP) framework records additional actions and targets for pupils with complex needs or mental health concerns. The Learning Support Team coordinates mental health provision and can arrange input from external specialists to support targeted interventions. The partnership with parents is emphasised in planning and reviewing wellbeing provision.

Safeguarding
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi maintains safeguarding arrangements with named safeguarding staff and a formal route to raise concerns via the Raise a Concern portal. The contact list includes Sue Fairbrother (Head of Safeguarding) and Dr Andrea Saxel (Senior DSL) and Emma Lewis (DSL for Prep). If a child is in immediate danger, dial 999. Concerns can be raised through the Firefly-based Raise a Concern system, which allows anonymous submissions if desired. Safeguarding policies, including the Complaints Policy, set out formal stages and responsibilities for managing concerns and protecting pupils.
Parent Experience

History
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi opened its doors on Saadiyat Island in September 2014, establishing Cranleigh's first international campus in the United Arab Emirates. Built in partnership with the Royal Group and the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the campus was planned as a two‑campus site with separate Junior and Senior sections on a seven‑hectare footprint. Cranleigh International established the local operating company for the school, which Aldar Education took over in 2018 to sustain growth and the continuing Cranleigh partnership. In January 2024 a dedicated Cranleigh Abu Dhabi Pre‑Prep site opened at Saadiyat Lagoons to serve over 600 three‑to‑six‑year‑olds. Cranleigh Abu Dhabi operates within the Cranleigh International network while maintaining its own governance under Aldar Education.

Community
The school embraces its international location and the rich diversity of cultures that define the UAE. Cross‑campus collaborations with Cranleigh UK are part of the community life, including joint events such as the Winter Music Festival with Cranleigh Abu Dhabi in 2025, where 22 Cranleigh Abu Dhabi musicians joined Cranleigh UK's Big Band, Brass Ensemble and String Orchestra. Back‑to‑school events and parent engagement are part of community life, including Parent Coffee Mornings and Meet Your Teacher evenings. Cross‑campus activities include trips and exchanges, such as netball trips to Abu Dhabi.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi maintains an active parent engagement framework that includes regular events and opportunities for parental involvement. Regular events include Parent Coffee Mornings and Meet Your Teacher evenings to help parents engage with staff and understand their child's progress. Parent volunteers participate in school life through groups such as Cranleigh Friends, who supported major events including a cross‑campus Winter Music Festival. The school uses a parent portal to share student information and school communications with families. Since 2018, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi has operated under Aldar Education, ensuring continuity of governance while preserving the Cranleigh ethos. The opening of the January 2024 Pre‑Prep site expanded family engagement by accommodating younger learners within the Cranleigh Abu Dhabi community.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi operates on Saadiyat Island with separate Junior and Senior campuses on a seven-hectare site. The school includes a 650-seat auditorium, a 2,900-square-metre sports centre, and 19,300 square metres of outdoor fields. It houses specialist facilities for music, science, art, design and technology, drama, and sport, plus state‑of‑the‑art IT facilities and libraries. In 2024 a separate Cranleigh Abu Dhabi Pre-Prep site was opened at Saadiyat Lagoons with its own swimming pool and large play spaces.

Sports Facilities
The indoor sports complex contains a large sports hall, two basketball courts, and a dance studio. The school has two swimming pools (a 25-metre competition pool and a 10-metre starter pool). Two grass pitches, an Astroturf pitch, and four tennis courts support a broad sports programme. An indoor arena provides two full‑sized courts that can be used for basketball, football or badminton and can also function as a gym.

Academic Facilities
The school provides specialist facilities for music, science, art, design and technology, drama and sport, together with state‑of‑the‑art IT facilities. There are libraries, science and IT laboratories, and art and design workshops to support both curriculum and independent study. The campus includes spaces dedicated to performing arts and collaboration to foster a holistic learning environment.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi offers a broad co‑curricular programme spanning performing arts, music, drama, dance, art and design, and sports. The programme provides opportunities for student performances, exhibitions and competitions, alongside structured after‑school activities. The school emphasises cultural and recreational activities as part of overall student development and engagement.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Cranleigh Abu Dhabi curriculum follows a British model aligned with Cranleigh UK. The Pre-Prep curriculum (FS1 to Year 2) is based on the EYFS and the National Curriculum of England and Wales, modified for an international setting. The Prep School (Years 3–8) uses a mix of core subjects taught by specialists, with Geography and History treated as Humanities in Years 5–6 and increasing specialist teaching as pupils move up. The Senior School (Years 9–13) builds toward (I)GCSEs in Years 9–11 and A‑levels in Years 12–13, while ADEK curriculum requirements are observed, aiming to progress through the UK-style routes. The overall approach is a balanced, enquiry-led education designed to prepare pupils for higher education and global opportunities.

Arts & Creative
The co-curricular program centers on developing the creative and performing arts and encourages participation at all levels. The aim is to provide opportunities for the individual and collective development of the arts, with emphasis on creativity, collaboration and high standards. The program seeks to foster excellence in arts alongside other pursuits, supporting pupils' artistic growth across a range of disciplines.

Cultural & Language
Arabic is taught to all pupils, with language options expanding as pupils progress. In Years 7–8, core language offerings include English, French and other language options, and in Years 9–11 students may choose between Spanish and Latin as additional languages. The school's British Curriculum framework guides language study within the overall program, with ADEK requirements observed.

Social & Hobbies
The co-curricular program offers a broad range of activities designed to stimulate interest, balance daily life and support personal development. Activities include specialist arts, sport and adventure-training opportunities, with inclusive participation across ability levels. The programme aims to develop self-esteem, teamwork and resilience through structured, diverse experiences.

Community & Service
The Cranleigh Abu Dhabi community places significant importance on mutual support, trust and belonging. Pupils are encouraged to listen to and respect others, and to participate in shared opportunities while recognizing diverse cultural backgrounds and needs. The school fosters independence of thought and action and engages parents as part of the educational community.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership and personal development are embedded in the school's ethos, with independence of thought and action encouraged across the curriculum. The co-curricular program provides opportunities for leadership and positive contributions within sport, arts and community activities. The school emphasises personal growth, responsibility and active participation in a holistic education.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The co-curricular offering includes a varied and well-organised sporting programme, adventure training and inclusive participation to support wellbeing. A strong emphasis on pastoral care and community fosters a sense of belonging and emotional resilience. The school's approach combines physical activity, arts and structured activities to support overall wellbeing.
Languages

Language Provision
The school uses English as the language of instruction. Arabic is taught as a curriculum subject. French is taught as a language option. English as an Additional Language (EAL) support is provided to help pupils access the full curriculum; in Years 3–6 EAL may substitute for French, and in Years 7 and above EAL may substitute for French, Spanish or Latin.
Admissions

Admissions
The Cranleigh Abu Dhabi campus opened in 2014 on Saadiyat Island. Cranleigh International built the local operating company, which Aldar Education took over in 2018 in continued partnership with Cranleigh. The school has won the TES Best New International School of the Year and is listed in Spears Top 100 global schools. In January 2024 a separate Cranleigh Abu Dhabi Pre-Prep site was opened at Saadiyat Lagoons for over 600 Pre-Prep children. The school has about 2600 students across two sites. The Pre-Prep site opened January 29, 2024, and is a stand-alone campus with its own swimming pool and large indoor and external play spaces.
ldar Education continued the Cranleigh partnership after the 2018 transition.

Scholarships
Cranleigh's offer includes a Scholars' Programme and an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) as part of its academic enrichment.
School Events
The school has not added events
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