Families leaving a UK independent school often expect a British curriculum school in Dubai to feel much the same. In lots of ways it will. The year groups, the exams and much of the vocabulary are familiar, and a child can usually carry on academically without much disruption. But there are differences worth knowing about before you visit.

What tends to be different

  • Size. Some Dubai schools are a good deal larger than many UK independent schools. That affects how well a child is known, the range of activities on offer and how easy it is to find a place in a friendship group.
  • The community. International schools draw families from all over the world, and families move on more often. Some children love that. Others take a little longer to settle.
  • Character. A UK school’s ethos is often shaped by a long history, boarding traditions or a particular foundation. Dubai schools can be newer and more varied in outlook. Neither is better, but it helps to know what you are comparing.
  • Exam choices. Schools choose different exam boards and different mixes of GCSE and IGCSE. This matters most for a child who is partway through a course.
  • Ratings. Dubai’s private schools are inspected and rated, and the ratings are talked about a lot. They are useful, but they are a summary, and they won’t tell you whether a school suits your child.

Before you leave the UK, ask your child’s current school early for reports, records and anything else a new school might need. Some documents need to be issued in a particular form or attested, and that can take longer than you’d expect.

Questions worth asking on a visit

Organised tours show a school at its best, so it helps to go in with a few questions of your own:

  • How are pupils who join partway through the school helped to settle, and how quickly?
  • How big are classes and year groups in practice?
  • For older children, which exam courses and boards do you use, and can my child carry on with their current subjects?
  • How do you support a child who is ahead, or behind, in a particular subject?
  • What does a normal day and week look like, including getting here?

Leaving a school where your child is known and happy is a real loss, even when the move itself is exciting. You don’t need to find an exact copy of the old school. You need one where your child will be known and will do well, and sometimes that’s a school that looks less like home than the obvious choice.