Cities / Abu Dhabi / Diyafah International School MBZ
Diyafah International School MBZ
Mid-range British school in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, opened 2013, part of the same group as the long-running Diyafah Dubai.
In brief
Mid-range British school in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, opened 2013, part of the same group as the long-running Diyafah Dubai.
Around 1,900 students, FS1 to Year 13, English National Curriculum into Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge IGCSEs and A Levels. ADEK rating Good for two consecutive cycles. Fees AED 23,000 to 46,360, deliberately positioned below the premium British schools.
Parent voice consistently highlights the welcoming, family tone of the school, the literacy and maths intervention programmes, and a willingness to support children who need scaffolding rather than push them out. Teacher turnover is reported around 3.6%, which is unusually low for the Abu Dhabi market and shows up in the consistency families describe.
Useful option for families who want a credible British curriculum at a price point that does not require relocation packages. Better suited to mid-market budgets than to families chasing top-tier academic outcomes.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 (Foundation Stage 1) | 3 | AED 23,000 |
| FS2 (Foundation Stage 2) | 4 | AED 24,500 |
| Year 1-3 | 5 | AED 31,790 |
| Year 4-6 | 8 | AED 34,380 |
| Year 7-9 | 11 | AED 38,290 |
| Year 10-11 | 14 | AED 42,100 |
| Year 12-13 | 16 | AED 46,360 |
Reviews
A mid-priced British all-through in Mohamed Bin Zayed City that sits in the warm, community-minded end of Abu Dhabi's private sector. Safeguarding and pastoral care are the headline strengths. Academic output is solid in parts and uneven in others, with A Level and upper-secondary results flagged as the area to push on. The school holds an ADEK Good rating, repeated across recent cycles.
Positives
- Pastoral care and safeguarding. Wellbeing, child protection and day-to-day duty of care are the most consistent praise points. Children describe a strong sense of belonging, and health and safety carries the top inspection band.
- Inclusive intake. Visible support for students of determination and for gifted learners, with behaviour calmly managed across a 50-plus nationality cohort.
- Teacher relationships and communication. Parents talk about responsive, approachable staff and quick replies through WhatsApp and the school's learning platform. Long-tenured teachers are a feature.
- Value for the British market. Fees run roughly AED 23,000 to 45,000 across the year groups, which puts a full UK-curriculum route to A Level within reach of MBZ families who would otherwise be priced out of Abu Dhabi island schools.
Considerations
- Teaching consistency. Inspection picks up variability in how teachers stretch the top and support the bottom of each class. Around four in ten parents top up with outside tutoring, which is higher than the local norm.
- Upper-secondary and A Level outcomes. Sixth Form is still maturing. A Level performance, particularly in maths and the sciences, is flagged as the area most in need of development, and the school does not publish headline results.
- Facilities. Two buildings on a generous plot, functional rather than showy. A dedicated secondary block and sports facility are talked about as future additions rather than current ones.
- Value-for-money perception. Roughly half of surveyed parents fully endorse the fees as good value; the other half hedge. The split tracks the gap between strong pastoral provision and uneven academic outputs.
Leadership
Ms. Wendy Simpson
I joined Diyafah International School in May 2015, and over the years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Vice Principal and then Senior Vice Principal. My commitment to fostering a nurturing and academically rigorous environment is at the heart of my leadership.
Accreditations
- COBIS Patron's Accreditation and Compliance 01
Academic results
- Pearson Edexcel High Achiever Awards 2025 Outstanding academic performance recognized.
- WORLD NO. 1 in Pearson Edexcel AS Level Mathematics Achieved by Muhammad Ayyan.