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The English College Dubai

United Arab Emirates, Dubai

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· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees AED 41,000 - 68,265
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1331
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum
Typical class size 24
Introduction

The English College Dubai is a private British curriculum school located in Al Safa 1, off Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, serving ages 3–18 across Early Years (3–5), Primary (5–11), Secondary (11–16) and Sixth Form (16–18). It follows the National Curriculum for England and prepares students for IGCSE/GCSE, A Levels and BTECs, with English as the language of instruction. Arabic is taught from Early Years and Arabic and Islamic Studies are delivered in line with UAE requirements; French and Spanish are introduced in Secondary. The campus includes fully equipped science and technology laboratories and purpose-built learning spaces for music, arts and sport, and the school has recently opened a dedicated STEAM centre supporting its STEAM THRIVE programme. The school is part of the International Schools Partnership and offers extracurricular opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, leadership roles and personalised university and career guidance, with Sixth Form students able to follow A Level, BTEC or blended pathways.

Al Safa 1, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Essentials

The English College Dubai has 1,331 pupils, typical class sizes of 24, instruction in English.

Location
The English College Dubai is located in Al Safa 1, off Sheikh Zayed Road, directly opposite Oasis Mall. The campus sits in a quiet residential area with nearby shops, cafés and essential services. It is easily accessible from across Dubai and is served by the Dubai Metro Red Line with feeder buses such as F20 and F26 for convenient access.

Stages
The school provides the Early Years Foundation Stage (FS1 and FS2), Primary School, Secondary School and Sixth Form. The age range spans roughly 3 to 18, growing with students from Early Years through to A‑Levels/BTECs in the Sixth Form.

Type
The English College Dubai is a co-educational day school. It follows a British curriculum and is part of International Schools Partnership (ISP).

Pupil Nationality Mix
The school represents about 84 nationalities. The largest groups are British, Indian and Egyptian, comprising around 17%, 16% and 10% of students respectively.

Additional learning support
Inclusion is central to the school's approach. A Learning Support Teacher provides targeted support, and safeguarding/wellbeing are overseen by a dedicated safeguarding team. The campus also features a full-time clinic with a doctor and nurses for health needs.

Country affiliation
The English College Dubai is a British international school overseas, delivering a UK‑aligned curriculum.

Religious affiliation
There is no formal religious affiliation stated; the school operates as a secular international school.

School day structure
Early Years arrivals typically around 7:45–8:00am, with lessons from about 8:00am. Primary generally runs 8:00am–3:00pm (Friday shorter hours), and Secondary runs from about 7:45am–3:30pm (Friday shorter hours). Timings vary by year group and term.

Bus service
Bus transport is provided by BusCo, with a focus on safety and punctuality. There are two main pick‑ups: FS at about 1:30pm and Primary/Secondary at about 3:30pm, with a post‑ECA pick‑up planned from 2025/26. Vehicles have seat belts, GPS, CCTV and other safety features, and routes cover multiple areas with contact details available through the school.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are purchased through Trutex (TEC-0018). Online orders can be placed at Trutex.ae or in-store by appointment; the on-site uniform shop is located in the PE Hub and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 to 16:00.

Food Options
The canteen is powered by SwissCanonica, offering healthy meals with termly or monthly meal plans. Payments are cashless via the Spare app.

House System
Pupils are allocated to one of four houses: Eagle, Falcon, Kestrel and Hawk. Houses compete in events ranging from sports to science fairs, with House Points awarded as part of a daily rewards system.

Governance and Ownership
The English College Dubai is governed by a Board of Governors. The board includes the Chair and multiple members; The school is part of International Schools Partnership (ISP), a global group of forward-thinking schools.
Fees

Annual tuition at The English College Dubai ranges from AED 41,000 to AED 68,265 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- A non-refundable application fee of AED 500 is charged per application. This fee is required to start the admissions assessment process and is stated as non-refundable.

Enrolment / deposit on offer

- A tuition deposit of 10% of the annual tuition fee is required to accept an offer and secure a place. This deposit is deducted from the first term's fees and is non-refundable.

Tuition fees (per term) by year group

- Early Years (Foundation Stage 1 — ages 3–4)
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 16,400.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 12,300.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 12,300.
- (Annual figure shown alongside these term amounts on the school fee schedule).

- Early Years (Foundation Stage 2 — age 4–5)
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 18,400.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 13,800.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 13,800.

- Primary: Year 1–2
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 21,200.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 15,900.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 15,900.
- Annual total figures are published in the school fee schedule.

- Primary: Year 3–4
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 22,400.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 16,800.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 16,800.

- Primary: Year 5
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 22,794.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 17,094.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 17,094.

- Primary: Year 6
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 22,794 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 17,094 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 17,094 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.

- Secondary: Years 7–9
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 22,794 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 17,094 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 17,094 plus STEAM Thrive charge where applicable.

- Secondary: Years 10–11
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 24,722–24,727 (published figure for Year 10–11 in term 1).
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 18,545.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 18,545.

- Sixth Form: Years 12–13
- Term 1 (Aug–Dec): AED 27,307.
- Term 2 (Jan–Mar): AED 20,479.
- Term 3 (Apr–Jun): AED 20,479.

- STEAM Thrive charge (where shown on the fee schedule)
- For the year groups where it applies, STEAM Thrive is charged at AED 1,000 per term (AED 3,000 per year). This appears alongside the term amounts for Year 6 and for secondary and sixth form year groups where the STEAM Thrive option is listed.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition invoices are issued on a per-term basis and tuition fee payments are due before the first day of each term. Students are not permitted to attend until the full term fees have been paid.

- A re-enrolment (re-registration) deposit of up to 5% of total tuition fees is required annually for returning students; this re-enrolment deposit is stated as non-refundable where applicable.

- The initial 10% tuition deposit required to secure a new placement is deducted from the first term's fees and is non-refundable.

Boarding fees

- The English College operates as a day school and does not list boarding provision or annual boarding fees in its published fee schedule. No boarding fee schedule is published for this school.

Other costs and typical additional charges

- Canteen / lunch service: Canteen service is available with cashless payment through the Spare app; termly and monthly meal plans are offered and are charged separately to tuition.

- School bus / transport: A contracted school bus service is available; bus fees are charged separately and vary by route. Contact details for the transport contractor are provided by the school.

- Extra-curricular activities: After-school and extra-curricular activities are available and many activities carry separate charges. These activity fees are listed separately from tuition on the school's activity and canteen communications.

- Uniforms: Uniforms are sold through the authorised supplier (Trutex) with an online purchase option and an on-site shop by appointment; uniform items are purchased separately and are not included in tuition.

Refund information (summary of published refund-related items)

- The application fee (AED 500) is explicitly stated as non-refundable.
- The new-student tuition deposit (10% of annual tuition) is explicitly stated as non-refundable and is deducted from the first term's fees.
- The re-enrolment deposit (up to 5% for returning students) is stated as non-refundable where applicable.
- A full, detailed withdrawal and refund schedule (for example precise term prorating or notice periods and the exact refund amounts if a family withdraws mid-term) is not published in full in the school's public fee pages; the school's admissions and contract documents govern final refund and withdrawal terms.

Fee payment options and bank details

- ZENDA app: Online payments via the ZENDA app (school code “tecd”) with options to Pay Now by credit card, debit card or bank transfer, or choose Pay Later via the app.

- Cash deposit at ADCB: Cash deposits can be made at ADCB branches to the school's account; a copy of the deposit receipt should be emailed for tracking. The school publishes ADCB bank details for fee payments.

- Bank transfer: Bank transfers are accepted to the school's ADCB account. The school publishes the following account details for payments: Bank: ADCB; Account Name: THE ENGLISH COLLEGE DUBAI LLC; Account Number: 126-81825920-001; SWIFT: ADCBAEAAXXX; IBAN: AE900030012681825920001. Payers are asked to email a copy of the transfer receipt to the school for tracking.

Notes on discounts and sibling reductions

- Sibling discount: Families with three or more children enrolled receive a discount policy where the third child receives 10% off tuition and the fourth child receives 15% off tuition; discounts apply to the two youngest enrolled children as published in the school's fee information.

Brief summary of material not fully published

- The published material specifies term-by-term tuition amounts, the non-refundable application fee, the 10% new-student deposit (non-refundable), re-enrolment deposit guidance, payment methods and additional services (canteen, bus, activities, uniforms). The school's public pages do not publish a full, line-by-line mid-year withdrawal/refund schedule or fixed bus-price table; those contractual details and any precise refund/proration rules are covered in the formal admissions/parent contract documentation.
Academics

The English College Dubai teaches British Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
The English College Dubai provides a British curriculum for ages 3 to 18, spanning Foundation Stage (EYFS), Primary (5–11), Secondary (11–16) and Sixth Form (16–18). In Early Years, the curriculum covers seven areas of learning—Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design—with FS2 offering English-Arabic bilingual learning and strong multilingual development supported by Flash Academy. Primary School uses an enhanced English-language British National Curriculum, integrating core subjects with cross-curricular themes; Arabic and Islamic Studies are taught in line with MOE requirements, STEAM learning, Computing (Years 4–6), Humanities and Art, and Read Write Inc, with opportunities to engage in ILOS competitions. Secondary School offers Years 7–9 (Key Stage 3) and Years 10–11 (Key Stage 4) with a personalised IGCSE/GCSE pathway, core subjects (English, Maths, Science, Arabic, Islamic/Independent Studies, Social Studies) and a range of optional subjects (e.g., Art, Computer Science, Drama, Economics, Design Technology, French, Geography, History, Music, Triple Science). Sixth Form provides a personalised Key Stage 5 pathway with up to four subjects, offering A Levels, BTECs or a blend, plus the EC Diploma to develop leadership, bilingualism and critical thinking, with ongoing university guidance (Unifrog/UCAS) and enrichment through activities such as MUN, Duke of Edinburgh and STEAM. Languages continue to be a feature across the upper years, with English as the language of instruction and continued study of Arabic, French and Spanish in various capacities; multilingual progress is tracked via Flash Academy in several stages. Qualifications are delivered through UK boards: GCSE/A Levels via AQA and IGCSEs/A Levels via Pearson Edexcel, with the school listed as an AQA centre and an Edexcel-registered institution.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The English College Dubai uses a whole‑school approach to wellbeing and social and emotional learning (SEL) through its Inclusion & pastoral care framework. The Inclusion Team provides early intervention, personalised learning plans, in‑class support and collaborates with families to support each student's social and emotional development. The THRIVE Wellbeing Programme is part of Health, Relationships and Wellbeing education, offering age‑appropriate, scientifically grounded health and relationship discussions with opt‑out options for families. Safeguarding policies reinforce SEL by ensuring a safe environment with a Designated Safeguarding Lead, staff training and clear policies on student support, online safety and health and safety. KHDA describes strong personal and social development across year groups as a reflection of these provisions.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The Inclusion & pastoral care framework states tailored strategies to meet the needs of students of determination, English language learners and more able and talented pupils. Identification at admissions begins early, with robust referral processes and ongoing monitoring and progress reviews, and parent collaboration supports timely intervention. The Inclusion Team provides early intervention in Foundation Stage and Primary, with specialist support in Secondary, and works closely with families to ensure smooth transitions. The More Able and Talented (MAT) programme identifies and supports high‑potential students across Foundation Stage to Year 13, led by a MAT Coordinator and Head of Inclusion. The school notes collaboration with external specialists to provide targeted interventions for needs, including therapies and educational psychology.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The Multilingualism page confirms English as the instructional language, with Arabic, French and Spanish offered and EAL programmes supported by native-language guidance and weekly lessons. The Flash Academy language progress‑tracking programme monitors progress in English and other languages with termly assessments. English language learners are reported to make significant progress, with nearly all improving by at least one proficiency level in 2024‑25. EAL provision runs across Early Years to Sixth Form as part of the multilingual framework.

Mental Wellbeing
The Inclusion & pastoral care framework describes a whole‑school approach to wellbeing with the Inclusion Team providing early intervention and ongoing progress reviews. The THRIVE Wellbeing Programme includes health and relationship education tailored to age groups and aligned with learning outcomes, with an opt‑out option for families. The school clinic is staffed by a full‑time doctor and nurses and follows Dubai Health Authority guidelines to support health and wellbeing. Safeguarding, online safety and dedicated pastoral care are integral to maintaining mental wellbeing, together with health and safety policies and regular risk assessments. KHDA inspection notes also highlight strong personal and social development across the school.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is a core priority at The English College, with a robust policy and ongoing staff training in safeguarding and child protection. The safeguarding team includes a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and deputies across the primary and secondary sections, plus a Learning Support Teacher. All staff undergo safeguarding and child protection training, and safeguarding procedures include visitor management, secure premises and clear policies accessible to staff, families and students. The school provides dedicated pastoral care, counselling and wellbeing services to students, with clear channels for reporting concerns. Online safety education, safer recruitment and whistleblowing procedures, along with health and safety practices, underpin safeguarding across the campus.
Parent Experience

History
The English College, Dubai opened in 1992 as a British secondary school for Years 7–13. It was founded by Sheikh Butti Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum. In January 2019, Manor Primary School merged with The English College to form an all-through school, serving Early Years through to Year 13. A major campus expansion followed, including a new secondary building opened in 2020 with science laboratories, music and arts facilities, a library, a dining hall and a dedicated PE/Sports hub. In 2023, the school joined International Schools Partnership (ISP), and in 2024 a leadership transition introduced Emily Hopkinson as principal along with a ground-breaking for a STEAM centre.

Community
The English College Dubai describes its community as culturally rich and diverse, with students, staff and families forming a welcoming and inclusive environment. Pastoral care is a core focus, supported by a broad curriculum and extensive extracurricular opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and student leadership programs. The school fosters community engagement through events and parent involvement, with the ECPC organising key celebrations such as the Festive Fair, International Day, UAE National Day events, a community Iftar, Mothers' Breakfast, Picnics in the Park, Movie Nights and expert talks, as well as charitable activities like a Charity Beach Walk and Colour Run. The ECC's collaboration with ISP also connects the school to a global network that enhances opportunities for students and families.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The English College Dubai's Parent Council (ECPC) is an active body of parents that meets with school leadership to support the community, contribute to sustainability goals, and raise funds for local charities. ECPC runs significant events during the year, including the Festive Fair, International Day, UAE National Day celebrations, a community Iftar, Mothers' Breakfast, Picnics in the Park, Movie Nights, expert talks/demonstrations, a Charity Beach Walk, the Colour Run, preloved uniform sales and Book/Toy drives. It operates a parent buddy system to welcome new families and also acts as Year Group WhatsApp admins to facilitate communication, while official communications are delivered via iSams and email. The ECPC is represented across nearly every year group and collaborates with the school on Sustainability, Charity and Communications, supported by activities like weekly newsletters and parent workshops. For volunteers and event support, ECPC provides a dedicated contact and encourages parental involvement.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The English College, Dubai features bright classrooms and a range of specialist facilities designed to support a British curriculum. The campus includes fully equipped science labs and a STEAM centre, plus a Maker Space and dedicated design and technology rooms for hands-on projects. Creative spaces include music rooms with instruments and recording technology, and bright art rooms for drawing, painting and sculpture. There are Sixth Form common rooms and quiet study spaces, along with modern primary and secondary classrooms. A new canteen serves both primary and secondary students, and a full-time school clinic provides medical support; the campus is secure with CCTV and safeguarding staff. The school is developing purpose-built spaces for sport and other areas to broaden learning opportunities.

Academic Facilities
Science labs and technology labs support practical inquiry; the STEAM centre integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Maths for interdisciplinary work. Primary makerspace and dedicated design and technology rooms enable hands-on construction, while the media suite and graphics suite support digital creation. Robotics facilities provide programming and engineering experiences, and music rooms include instruments, recording technology and Macs for digital composition.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school participates in ILOS competitions across Maths, Literacy, STEAM, Science and Arabic. Students participate in International School Partnership programmes, including ISP Model United Nations and ISP Filmmakers. ISP Chess Masters offers regional in-person qualifiers and a virtual international championship.

Arts & Creative
The school offers after-school activities including music, sports and drama. Choir and coding clubs are highlighted as examples of creative clubs. ISP Artists provides workshops, a custom-made art curriculum and virtual art exhibitions, and ISP Filmmakers offers real-life movie-making with digital editing tools.

Cultural & Language
Fluency in English and Arabic is developed from Early Years, with French and Spanish introduced in Secondary. ISP Cultural Exchange encourages reciprocal cultural experiences through homestays and ISP school exchanges. International opportunities help students develop language skills and cultural competence.

Social & Hobbies
Rugby and other sports, as well as music and drama, form part of the rich extra-curricular life. There is a wide range of clubs and activities beyond the classroom. Star Club provides after-school care from 1:30 to 5:00 pm with supervised activities.

Community & Service
The English College Parent Council (ECPC) runs events such as Festive Fair, International Day and UAE National Day celebrations, and coordinates community gatherings including a community Iftar. Fundraising events include Charity Beach Walk, Colour Run, preloved uniform sales and book/toy drives. The ECPC initiatives foster community involvement and charitable activity.

Leadership & Professional
The school uses a House System with four houses: Eagle, Falcon, Kestrel and Hawk, fostering collaboration and competition. Students can take on leadership roles as House Captains, Prefects and Council representatives. The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is part of the school's leadership and personal development offerings.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Safeguarding and wellbeing are prioritised with strong pastoral care. Community events such as the Color Run promote wellbeing and inclusion. Star Club provides a safe, supervised after-school space with engaging activities to support family needs.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the instruction language at The English College Dubai. The school offers French, Spanish and Arabic through GCSE and A-level courses, and supports a multilingual community with 87 nationalities and 61 languages represented. Specialist language teaching covers Arabic, French and Spanish, with additional language support available for languages such as Russian and German. The Flash Academy program tracks language progress in English and other languages.
Admissions

Admissions
The English College Dubai uses an online application process. To apply, submit an Admissions Enquiry and complete the Online Application Form for each child; the Admissions Team contacts you within 24 hours. After submitting, provide the documents requested: from Year 1 onwards, the most recent school report and the last end-of-year report are required, and any learning support reports (such as IEPs or external assessments) should be submitted if applicable. Pay the application fee, then sign and return the Offer Letter with a non‑refundable tuition fee deposit of 10% of the annual fees, which is deducted from the first term's tuition. If a year group has no places, the child is placed on a waiting list. An entrance assessment is scheduled after the documents and fee are received: Foundation Stage 1 to Year 2 undertake a 60–90 minute informal observation/assessment, and Year 3 to Year 6 complete a computer-based cognitive ability assessment (CAT4); in some cases additional reports or an interview may be required. Successful applicants receive an offer by email, and acceptance is via returning the signed terms of acceptance. The academic year typically commences in late August. Applications for 2025/26 Academic Year are now open.

Scholarships
ISP Scholarships are available, offering up to 25% off tuition for two years and including personalised mentorship and opportunities to participate in ISP's global programmes. There are two scholarship categories for Years 10 and 12: ISP Academic Excellence and ISP International Learner. Applicants are shortlisted, may have a final round with the Principal, and receive an offer if selected. Mandatory requirements include GCSE grades of 7 or above, a minimum 96% attendance and punctuality, engagement beyond the classroom, alignment with the school's values, and demonstrated measurable impact within the school.

Waitlist
If a year group is full, applications are accepted and placed on a waiting list until a space becomes available. Applications may be submitted for full year groups, but offers are not guaranteed while the waiting list is in place.
School Events
The school has not added events
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