Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha
Good Al Barsha, Dubai · British (NCfE)
- KHDA rating
- Good
Good standards in most areas. The most common rating among Dubai schools. Ratings are from the last full inspection cycle (2023–24).
- Annual fees
- AED 24,000 to 50,000 a year
Varies by year group; confirm current fees with the school. 2026–27 fees are frozen by KHDA directive.
- Curriculum
- British (NCfE)
- Established
- Founded 1984
- School transport
- Bus service available
- Location
- Al Barsha, Dubai
District-level pin for Al Barsha — use the Google Maps link for the exact gate.
Link verified against a live domain, July 2026.
Check travel time from your location
Opens live directions in Google Maps — real traffic from your own address beats any published estimate. School-run traffic peaks roughly 7–8am; test your route at drop-off time.
In context
Its mid-range fee is about 32 per cent below the median for British (NCfE) schools in this guide (AED 54,632). It is one of 62 schools in this guide currently rated Good.
Worth comparing: Dubai National School (AED 22,000 to 46,000 a year) — a lower-fee option in the same area.
These comparisons are computed from the verified data in this register, not editorial opinion.
What the inspectors said
Paraphrased from the last full DSIB inspection (2023–24 cycle) and its published record — read the complete report on the official KHDA directory.
Strengths the inspectors named:
- Good for a seventh consecutive inspection in November 2023 — after seven earlier years at Acceptable, and this cycle the first to record significant improvement in student outcomes.
- Inspectors’ own finding: ‘there have been significant improvements in students’ performance and achievement is at least good in the core subjects in almost all phases’.
- Personal development rated Outstanding across all four phases — KG, Elementary, Middle and High.
- Wellbeing at a good level with strong leadership commitment: comprehensive policies, a considered action plan, and survey data analysed thoroughly to set priorities.
- A trilingual programme — English, Arabic and French from KG — with NEASC accreditation, at a price point well below Dubai’s premium tier.
What they asked the school to improve:
- Seven cycles at Good after seven at Acceptable: real progress, and a ceiling that has not yet moved.
- Inspectors noted buildings are clean and well maintained ‘although some rooms are not well lit’ — the kind of detail worth seeing for yourself.
- The school itself is told to monitor the impact of wellbeing initiatives on achievement more widely.
Inclusion (students of determination): Inspectors record that care and support are of high quality, that good support is provided for students of determination, and that the inclusion team promotes an inclusive ethos reflected in the welcome given to students of determination. Set that against the group’s published SEND admissions position, which every family should read before applying: the Principal and Senior Leadership Team are authorised to admit students ‘when they determine that adequate provision can be made’ for a child’s particular needs, and the school expects an assessment from an external agent such as an educational psychologist or occupational therapist providing data on strengths, challenges and suggested strategies. That is a capacity-based admission with an external-report expectation — different from schools in this register that admit without requiring a diagnosis. To its credit, the group also publishes and links KHDA’s ‘Advocating for Inclusive Education’ parent guide, actively pointing families toward their own rights. See the special educational needs guide for the questions to ask on a visit.
Inspector summaries are being added school by school as each report is read — 169 of 169 so far, dated per cycle, never invented. A school without a summary yet is unread, not unjudged.
Visit kit
Questions worth asking on a tour — tuned to this school’s rating and curriculum:
- Who leads inclusion here — and may we meet them before enrolling?
- How much staff turnover did you have last year, and why?
- What are actual class sizes this term — not the maximum?
- How and how often will I hear about my child’s progress?
Saved only on this device — never uploaded, never shared.
Special educational needs? Read the inclusion guide before you visit.
Other schools in Al Barsha
- GEMS Albarsha National School — Acceptable, AED 10,000 to 20,000 a year
- Repton Al Barsha — Very Good, AED 53,540 to 89,774 a year
- Nord Anglia International School Dubai — Outstanding, AED 69,625 to 105,288 a year
- Kings School Al Barsha — Outstanding, AED 54,000 to 98,000 a year
Work at this school? Correct or update this record — verified corrections are made promptly and logged publicly.