Cities / Abu Dhabi / Ajyal International School MBZ
Ajyal International School MBZ
The original Ajyal campus in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, opened in 2014 and running a British curriculum from FS1 to Year 13.
In brief
The original Ajyal campus in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, opened in 2014 and running a British curriculum from FS1 to Year 13.
Fees sit in the mid-range at roughly AED 24,000 to AED 43,000, well below the premium Saadiyat schools and competitive for a BSME-accredited UK-stream option. The student body is largely Arab expat and Emirati, with a smaller mix of South Asian and Western families than the international-flagship schools.
Parents praise the modern, well-resourced campus and the quality of pastoral care. The relationship between the school and families is generally rated strongly in ADEK reports. Sister-school links to the Al Falah branch give some flexibility for siblings on different curricula. Most direct comparisons in MBZ are with Al Najah, Bright Riders, and the GEMS-run schools in the same catchment.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 3 | AED 24,104 |
| FS2 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 4 | AED 24,104 |
| Year 1 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 5 | AED 24,104 |
| Year 2 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 6 | AED 35,000 |
| Year 3 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 7 | AED 35,000 |
| Year 4 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 8 | AED 35,000 |
| Year 5 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 9 | AED 35,000 |
| Year 6 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 10 | AED 35,000 |
| Year 7 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 11 | AED 40,472 |
| Year 8 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 12 | AED 40,472 |
| Year 9 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 13 | AED 40,472 |
| Year 10 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 14 | AED 40,472 |
| Year 11 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 15 | AED 43,192 |
| Year 12 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 16 | AED 43,192 |
| Year 13 Tuition (with 20% discount) | 17 | AED 43,192 |
| Transport (annual) | AED 5,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | AED 1,000 |
Reviews
A British all-through campus in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, operated by AlephYa Education, with a roughly 40% Emirati intake and gender-segregated classes from Year 6. The trajectory has been upward: ADEK moved the rating from Acceptable in 2016-17 to Good in 2022 to Very Good in November 2024. Strength sits in the upper years; the early-years phase lags. New leadership arrived in August 2025.
Positives
- Upper-years academic strength. External exam attainment in Years 12 and 13 holds up in Arabic, Islamic education, maths and chemistry, with Year 11 English also strong. IGCSE results carry A* grades across the sciences and maths. The all-through FS1 to Year 13 pathway keeps families on a single campus.
- Pastoral care and community. Care, safeguarding and parent partnership rate consistently well. Parents describe staff as proactive when a child is struggling, and the community feel is something families come back to.
- Facilities and value. A purpose-built campus with good internal resources, pitched at the mid-to-premium end of the Abu Dhabi market. Fees run AED 30,130 to 53,990, with discounting available recently.
Considerations
- Early years lags the rest of the school. The Kindergarten phase trails behind the upper years on ADEK's last visit, rated Acceptable while phases 3 and 4 reached Very Good. Less challenge for advanced learners and limited independent work in the youngest classes.
- Staffing turnover. Turnover, including at middle and senior leadership level, was flagged as a risk to sustaining improvement. Continuity of teaching is something parents tend to track here.
- New head, settling in. A new principal took over in August 2025 with a UK and UAE background. The Very Good rating was awarded under the previous leadership, so how the next inspection cycle reads will matter.
- Arabic and core-subject classroom practice. Inspectors pushed for stronger Arabic reading and writing instruction, more consistent feedback, and less teacher talk in favour of student questioning. The improvement plan names these directly.
Leadership
Mrs. Allison McDonald
Mrs. Allison McDonald is the Principal of Ajyal International School, MBZ, with over two decades of educational leadership experience in the UK and UAE. She is committed to the holistic development of each student, fostering high expectations alongside compassion and collaboration. Her guiding principle is that education should open doors, ignite passions, and empower young people to positively impact the world.
Accreditations
- British Schools in the Middle East accreditation 01
- ADEK 02
Academic results
- IGCSE 2024 average A* / A 52%
- A Level 2024 average A* / A 50%
Location
شارع مَلاقط - Mohamed Bin Zayed City - Z15 - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates