Top schools in Dubai: a parent's first shortlist

Dubai has over 200 schools. That's not useful when you're trying to pick one. Here's a realistic starting shortlist for expat and local families.

The British tier

• Dubai College. Selective, academic. Long waitlist. Cambridge pipeline.
• Jumeirah College. Selective, strong community, high A-Level results.
• GEMS Wellington International. Large, well-resourced, consistent. IB + British pathway options.
• Repton Dubai. Prestigious name, boarding option, very strong pastoral care.
• DESS / DESC. Old Dubai families. Community-feel.

The American tier

• American School of Dubai. Flagship American option; strong AP programme; highly selective admission.
• Dubai American Academy. GEMS-run, consistent, IB option.

The IB tier

• Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills. Very strong IB results; selective.
• Nord Anglia. Well-resourced, global network; IB continuum.

Questions to ask at the tour

1. What's the real class size in Year 6? Year 10? (Not the brochure number.)
2. Who heads the Arabic department, and what's their background?
3. What's the KHDA rating trend over the last 3 years?
4. What does exam support look like for Year 11 and 13?
5. What's the parent-community vibe — social or transactional?

Pick an age band and start filling Xplorer's tank