Families moving anywhere in the Gulf almost always shortlist British curriculum schools first. The Middle East now has some of the strongest British schools in the world outside the United Kingdom, and several of them have been rated Outstanding by the relevant local inspectorates and BSO. Here is the regional shortlist worth knowing.
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
- Jumeirah College by GEMS, one of the top performing British schools in the country.
- Dubai College, consistently sends students to Oxbridge and the Russell Group every year.
- Brighton College Dubai, the UAE outpost of the famous English boarding school.
- Repton School Dubai, with a strong all round reputation and proper boarding facilities.
- GEMS Wellington International School, large but consistently top rated.
- Kings' School Dubai and Kings' Al Barsha, smaller, very academic.
- Hartland International School in MBR City, newer but rising fast.
- Nord Anglia International School Dubai, with strong creative and sports programmes.
Abu Dhabi
- Cranleigh Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, the sister school to the English Cranleigh.
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi.
- The British School Al Khubairat, one of the longest established British schools in the region.
- Aldar Academies' Pearl Academy and Al Yasmina Academy.
Sharjah and the northern emirates
- The Sheffield Private School and Wesgreen International for affordable British curriculum options.
- GEMS Westminster School in Ras Al Khaimah.
Qatar
- Doha College, often ranked the top British school in Qatar.
- Sherborne Qatar, sister to Sherborne School in England.
- Newton British School Doha.
- Compass International School Doha (Madinat Khalifa, Rayyan and Gharaffa campuses).
Saudi Arabia
- The British International School Riyadh.
- The British International School Jeddah.
- King Faisal School in Riyadh, which combines a Saudi national curriculum with strong British style academics.
- Brighton College Al Ain and the newer Misk Schools in Riyadh have raised the bar across the kingdom.
Oman
- The British School Muscat.
- The Sultan's School in Seeb, with a hybrid Omani and British programme.
- Azzan Bin Qais International School in Muscat.
Bahrain
- St Christopher's School Bahrain, often considered the top British school in the kingdom.
- The British School of Bahrain.
Kuwait
- The English School Kuwait.
- The British School of Kuwait.
- Gulf English School Kuwait.
What actually matters when you choose
League tables only tell you part of the story. Visit the school in person, sit in on a lesson, talk to current parents, and look at the destination universities of the last two graduating classes. Inspect ratings to look for include KHDA Outstanding (Dubai), ADEK Outstanding (Abu Dhabi), BSO accreditation and recent COBIS membership.
If you are choosing a community to live in based on school catchment or school bus routes, that calculation matters more than the property itself for families with young children. We help families match property to school every week.