Cities / Abu Dhabi / GEMS Cambridge International School Abu Dhabi
GEMS Cambridge International School Abu Dhabi
A mid-fee GEMS British school in East Baniyas, all the way through to Year 13, rated Very Good by ADEK in 2023-24.
In brief
A mid-fee GEMS British school in East Baniyas, all the way through to Year 13, rated Very Good by ADEK in 2023-24.
Sits in Bawabat Al Sharq, Baniyas City, well off the island, which keeps the price point lower than the central British schools and pulls in around 3,500 students across 80-plus nationalities. Opened 2013, graduated its first Year 13 cohort in 2019-20.
The signal on teachers is mixed. Most families describe warm, attentive classroom culture and strong pastoral care. The recurring caveat is year-on-year inconsistency, where one cohort lands a strong teacher and the next does not. Visit the actual year group your child would join rather than relying on a generic tour.
Facilities are solid for the fee tier, with a 25m pool, science labs, art and music spaces. Sensible option for families based in Baniyas, Khalifa City or Mohammed Bin Zayed who want a UK pathway without paying island prices.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-KG (FS 1) | 3 | Annual | AED 23,060 |
| KG 1 (FS 2) | 4 | Annual | AED 23,730 |
| KG 2 (Year 1) | 5 | Annual | AED 28,430 |
| Grade 1 (Year 2) | 6 | Annual | AED 28,430 |
| Grade 2 (Year 3) | 7 | Annual | AED 30,950 |
| Grade 3 (Year 4) | 8 | Annual | AED 30,950 |
| Grade 4 (Year 5) | 9 | Annual | AED 33,240 |
| Grade 5 (Year 6) | 10 | Annual | AED 33,240 |
| Grade 6 (Year 7) | 11 | Annual | AED 35,640 |
| Grade 7 (Year 8) | 12 | Annual | AED 35,640 |
| Grade 8 (Year 9) | 13 | Annual | AED 37,940 |
| Grade 9 (Year 10) | 14 | Annual | AED 37,940 |
| Grade 10 (Year 11) | 15 | Annual | AED 39,200 |
| Grade 11 (Year 12) | 16 | Annual | AED 40,340 |
| Grade 12 (Year 13) | 17 | Annual | AED 40,340 |
Reviews
- Long-standing Abu Dhabi British-curriculum school usually treated as a credible mid-fee alternative to Reach British and Brighton College.
- Parents and students describe it warmly. One parent wrote: "All 3 kids go to gems CIA. They love it... It's a great school. Good focus on both academics and sports." An ex-student said: "i have been in gems cia for 10 years and the people in school are really chill. There are some teachers that are kind of slow but teachers with more experience in this school are really good in teaching." An alumnus called it "best school I've ever had the privilege of being at."
- Several parents picked rivals like Reach British or Amity over it on infrastructure grounds, while acknowledging GEMS Cambridge holds the higher ADEK rating (Very Good in 2023-24).
- A recurring criticism, repeated on directory reviews, is variability in teacher quality from year to year. One parent noted some years they got committed teachers, other years they got staff "who where there just to work but not perform."
- Some posts mention gender-segregated classes, a feature familiar to Abu Dhabi British schools and not flagged as a problem in current threads.
- Net sentiment is consistently positive, with the main caveats around teacher consistency and ageing parts of the campus.
Head of school
Stephen McKernan
I have over 20 years of Headship experience across Northern Ireland, England, and Ireland. Appointed in 2004 as Northern Ireland’s youngest principal, I founded Phoenix Integrated Primary School, a cross-community initiative recognised for its contribution to peace and inclusion. I later served as Headmaster of St Edward’s Prep, Cheltenham, where the school advanced from “good” to “excellent” for three successive inspections. My most recent Headship was with Castle Park Dublin, a Prep School where I led the school to its first ever Excellent level inspection, expanded its age range provision, and increased student numbers. For several years I have served as an inspector with the UK Independent Schools Inspectorate and as National Chair of Inspections for the Independent Schools Association. I bring to CIA a deep commitment to the school family, an aspiration for excellence, creativity, innovation and the development of every learner’s potential.
Location
6th St, Baniyas East, Near - Mall - Bani Yas - Bawabat Al Sharq - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates