Cedar School
Acceptable Al Warqa’a, Dubai · British (NCfE)
- KHDA rating
- Acceptable
Meets minimum standards; may be on an improvement plan. Read the full report before enrolling. Ratings are from the last full inspection cycle (2023–24).
- Annual fees
- AED 25,000 to 48,000 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 2021
- School transport
- Bus service available
- Location
- Al Warqa’a 1, Dubai
District-level pin for Al Warqa’a — 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 33 per cent below the median for British (NCfE) schools in this guide (AED 54,632). It is one of 27 schools in this guide currently rated Acceptable.
Worth comparing: Our Own High School (AED 10,000 to 19,000 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:
- A small, community-scale school — just over 350 students at inspection against a capacity of 800 — which keeps class sizes modest and the atmosphere personal.
- The reading-literacy plan is described by inspectors as well conceived, with assessments at the time suggesting most students, including Emirati students, were reading in line with age-related expectations.
- Inspectors recognised the school’s efforts to establish the foundations of strong academic performance.
What they asked the school to improve:
- Attainment and progress in the core subjects are judged Acceptable — the plain reason for the overall rating.
- In National Agenda benchmark tests, progression in English, mathematics and science was acceptable overall, and the progress of the Emirati cohort was rated Weak — a specific published gap to raise directly.
- The school publishes little about its teaching staff or specialists; ask precisely who teaches Secondary subjects and Ministry of Education subjects, and what their qualifications are.
Inclusion (students of determination): 40 students identified as needing SEN support at the last inspection — over 10% of enrolment. Inspectors record that ‘school leaders demonstrate a positive commitment to promoting an inclusive learning environment’, that an appropriately qualified and experienced head of inclusion has been appointed with resources matched to students’ needs, and that students of determination are fully included in all activities. Parents of students of determination are well informed, have direct contact with the inclusion department, and a programme of coffee mornings and workshops helps them understand their children’s learning needs. The published caveat is specific: while systems to identify students of determination are effective, curriculum modification to meet their needs across different subjects was inconsistent. 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:
- What did the last KHDA report ask you to improve, and what has changed since?
- 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 Warqa’a
- GEMS Al Khaleej International School — Good, around AED 42,000 a year
- Newlands School Dubai — Good, AED 28,000 to 54,000 a year
- Our Own High School — Good, AED 10,000 to 19,000 a year
Work at this school? Correct or update this record — verified corrections are made promptly and logged publicly.