Cities / Abu Dhabi / The Australian School of Abu Dhabi
The Australian School of Abu Dhabi
An affordable IB-through-route option in Khalifa City, popular with Emirati families and a smaller cohort of expats looking for the full PYP, MYP, and Diploma pipeline without the price tag of the marquee IB schools.
In brief
An affordable IB-through-route option in Khalifa City, popular with Emirati families and a smaller cohort of expats looking for the full PYP, MYP, and Diploma pipeline without the price tag of the marquee IB schools.
The school opened in 2005 and runs the IB programme from Kindergarten to Grade 12, which is rare in Abu Dhabi at this fee level. Diploma results have been steady enough that families with university-bound teenagers do consider it on cost alone.
The student body is heavily Emirati rather than expatriate, and the campus has a settled, family feel rather than a buzzing international one. Parents who value calm and continuity tend to stay. Those expecting a strong embassy-circuit mix sometimes find it different from what they pictured. Facilities are functional rather than flashy.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| KG1 | 3 | AED 15,600 |
| KG2 | 4 | AED 15,600 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | AED 19,270 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | AED 19,270 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | AED 20,800 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | AED 20,920 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | AED 22,310 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | AED 25,320 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | AED 27,340 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | AED 27,340 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | AED 30,850 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | AED 30,770 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | AED 37,030 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | AED 37,030 |
Reviews
An affordable IB school with an Australian flavour and a heavily Emirati family base in Khalifa City B. Parents talk about a safe, family-feeling campus, a principal who keeps his door open, and teachers who put in the time, set against fees that sit well below most IB schools in the city. Stretch for high achievers is patchy, SEN identification is thin, and inspection notes still flag IB Diploma outcomes as solid rather than standout.
Positives
- Affordable IB pathway. Full PYP, MYP and Diploma at fees that undercut almost every other IB school in the emirate. Parents return to value-for-money as the headline reason they stay.
- Caring staff and family feel. Teachers come up repeatedly as patient and invested, particularly with children who struggled at a previous school. The atmosphere reads as small and protective rather than slick.
- Principal accessibility. Walid Bamirny is named directly in parent comments. The leadership style is hands-on and approachable, and the most recent inspection cycle credits him with lifting management from Acceptable to Good.
- Arabic and Emirati identity. Around three-quarters of pupils are Emirati and Arabic-medium subjects are a relative strength. Local families looking for an IB option without losing language and identity grounding find that here.
Considerations
- Stretch and SEN support. Identification of children needing extra help is thin, and provision for the most able is uneven. Families with a clear SEN diagnosis or a strong-academic child describe having to push for the right plan.
- Diploma results. DP outcomes are steady rather than stellar. Graduates progress to university, but headline averages sit below the Outstanding-rated IB schools elsewhere in the emirate.
- Admin and systems. A recurring grumble is that back-office processes feel dated next to newer Abu Dhabi campuses. Isolated complaints about behaviour management in the middle years also surface.
Leadership
Waleed Bamirny
Waleed Bamirny serves as Principal of The Australian School of Abu Dhabi. He emphasizes an open-door approach to parental concerns and a strong commitment to helping all students achieve their full potential and find success in pursuing life goals. He leads what he describes as a vibrant learning community where students are supported across academic, social and personal dimensions in an IB World School framework.
Location
Street 15, Opposite The Civil Defence Building, Khalifa City B - مدينة شخبوط - مدينة شخبوط 15 - أبو ظبي - United Arab Emirates