Cities / Abu Dhabi / Al Rabeeh Academy
Al Rabeeh Academy
The newer, purpose-built MBZ City sister of long-established Al Rabeeh School, opened in 2017 and running a British curriculum to Year 13.
In brief
The newer, purpose-built MBZ City sister of long-established Al Rabeeh School, opened in 2017 and running a British curriculum to Year 13.
The Al Rabeeh name has run schools in Abu Dhabi since 1979/1980, and the Academy inherited the bulk of older students from the original Muroor campus when it opened. ADEK rated the Academy Very Good in 2024-25, and BSO inspectors awarded an Outstanding rating. Fees sit roughly AED 39,000 to AED 46,000.
The strongest themes in parent feedback are pastoral care, communication and the small-school feel that has carried over from the legacy campus. Families who want a settled British-stream school in the MBZ catchment without paying premium Saadiyat or Reem fees tend to land here, alongside Cranleigh and the Aldar Academies as the next step up.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 Tuition | 4 | AED 38,900 |
| FS2 Tuition | 5 | AED 40,000 |
| Year 1 Tuition | 5 | AED 40,000 |
| Year 2 Tuition | 6 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 3 Tuition | 7 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 4 Tuition | 8 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 5 Tuition | 9 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 6 Tuition | 10 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 7 Tuition | 11 | AED 46,000 |
| Year 8 Tuition | 12 | AED 46,000 |
| Year 9 Tuition | 13 | AED 46,000 |
| Year 10 Tuition | 14 | AED 46,000 |
| Year 11 Tuition | 15 | AED 46,000 |
| Year 12 Tuition | 16 | AED 46,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 Registration Fee | 4 | AED 1,900 |
| Year 1 Registration Fee | 5 | AED 2,000 |
| FS2 Registration Fee | 5 | AED 2,000 |
| Year 2-6 Registration Fee | AED 2,100 | |
| Year 7-12 Registration Fee | AED 2,300 |
Reviews
Parent voices skew warm. The themes that come up most are safe, attentive day-to-day care, responsive communication, and a school culture that takes Arabic and Islamic Studies seriously alongside the British track. The cohort is predominantly Emirati, gender segregation begins in Year 5 on the same campus, and the secondary years are still maturing, with the first A Level cohort having sat exams in 2023. Inspectors and parent surveys flag a few real considerations underneath the positive headline.
Positives
- Pastoral care and family feel. Parents describe a settled, supportive day for younger children, with staff who know the families and check in on how children are doing. Long-stay families tend to renew.
- Communication with parents. Updates on progress and behaviour land regularly. Class teachers are reachable; the front office responds. This is consistent across recent reviews.
- Arabic and Islamic Studies. Strong departments by Abu Dhabi standards. The cohort is mostly native Arabic speakers, and the school leans into that rather than treating Arabic as a compliance subject.
- Recent inspection trajectory. Very Good in the 2024-25 ADEK round, up from Good on the 2018-19 first inspection. A separate BSO inspection landed Outstanding across categories. The trend line under the current executive principal is upward.
- Fees position. Annual fees sit roughly AED 38,000 to 46,000 across the school, mid-range for an Abu Dhabi British curriculum school. Sibling discounts step up from the third child.
Considerations
- Stretch for high-achievers. Inspector feedback notes limited challenge for the strongest students and innovation skills rated only acceptable. Parents of academically ambitious children sometimes feel the ceiling sooner than they expected.
- English attainment in lower years. English attainment has lagged Arabic progress, with reading materials not always matched to ability and modelling of writing flagged as thin. Less of an issue in homes where English is the dominant language.
- Secondary track record. The school is young. First IGCSE cohort sat in 2021, first A Level in 2023. The senior years are still bedding in, and public results data is sparse compared with longer-established British schools in the city.
- Demographic mix. Predominantly UAE national, mostly native Arabic speakers. Families looking for the broad expat mix of the marquee British schools further into the island will find a different profile here. Gender segregation begins in Year 5.
- Parent engagement structures. Parent-survey channels and formal partnership with families were rated only acceptable at the last full inspection, with a parent council in train to address it. Day-to-day communication is good; the structures around it are still developing.
Leadership
Riaan Huyser
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 02
- ADEK 03
Academic results
- BSO Inspection Rating Outstanding
- ADEK Overall Performance Rating (March 2025) Very Good
- ADEK Overall Performance Rating (May 2022) Good