GEMS World Academy
Very Good Al Barsha South, Dubai · IB
- KHDA rating
- Very Good
High quality across the board with minor areas to improve — often better value than Outstanding. Ratings are from the last full inspection cycle (2023–24).
- Annual fees
- AED 71,113 to 123,442 a year
Varies by year group; confirm current fees with the school. 2026–27 fees are frozen by KHDA directive.
- Curriculum
- IB
- Established
- Founded 2008
- School transport
- Bus service available
- Location
- Al Barsha South, Dubai
District-level pin for Al Barsha South — 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 54 per cent above the median for IB schools in this guide (AED 63,000). It is one of 46 schools in this guide currently rated Very Good.
Worth comparing: Dubai Heights Academy (AED 48,688 to 96,880 a year) — a lower-fee option in the same area; Swiss International Scientific School (AED 68,868 to 114,268 a year) — a lower-fee school with the same Very Good rating and curriculum.
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 (2022–23 cycle) and its published record — read the complete report on the official KHDA directory.
Strengths the inspectors named:
- Very Good, with an inclusive curriculum that meets the needs of all students and leads to academic and social success.
- Outstanding Kindergarten provision — children’s excellent learning skills driving outstanding progress in English, mathematics and science.
- A highly inclusive ethos, with effective systems for a diverse range of students including students of determination and exceptional learners.
- Leaders actively involved in promoting, encouraging and supporting innovation.
No separate improvement requirements are recorded in the published material we have verified for this school. That is a gap in our sourcing, not evidence that inspectors raised none — the full report on the KHDA directory is the place to check.
Inclusion (students of determination): Very Good — close to 200 students of determination, with the inclusion team combining push-in and pull-out support and bespoke intervention plans. The commercially important detail: standard learning support at Levels 1 to 3 is included in the tuition fee, which is genuine value in a market where many schools bill SEN provision separately. High Potential Learners are identified and supported by the same team. Inspectors’ caveats are specific: differentiation for all groups of learners is not consistently applied across lessons, monitoring of curriculum adaptation plans is still an emerging feature, and consistent care for English-language learners and newcomers remains a development priority. 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?
- How long is the real waiting list for my child’s year group, and how does sibling priority work?
Saved only on this device — never uploaded, never shared.
Special educational needs? Read the inclusion guide before you visit.
Other schools in Al Barsha South
- Bloom World Academy — Good, AED 38,000 to 70,000 a year
- Dubai Heights Academy — Very Good, AED 48,688 to 96,880 a year
- Dunecrest American School — Good, AED 30,000 to 58,000 a year
Work at this school? Correct or update this record — verified corrections are made promptly and logged publicly.