Cities / Doha / Al Jazeera Academy
Al Jazeera Academy
A long-established British-curriculum school in south Doha, part of the Ta'allum Group, with a strong Qatari and Arab family base. Around 1,800 students from KG to Year 12.
In brief
A long-established British-curriculum school in south Doha, part of the Ta'allum Group, with a strong Qatari and Arab family base. Around 1,800 students from KG to Year 12.
Founded in 2002 and operated by the Ta'allum Group (under Ghanem Bin Saad Al Saad and Sons), alongside Al Maha Academy for Boys and Girls. Co-ed in early years through Year 3, then separate boys' and girls' wings from Year 4 onwards. WASC-accredited.
An adapted English National Curriculum with around a quarter of timetable in Arabic-medium Islamic Studies, Arabic and Qatar History, leading to IGCSE and A-Level. Parents describe a school that has improved in recent years and now sits among Doha's stronger British-curriculum options at a moderate price. Some families flag heavy teacher talk in primary classrooms and historic discipline concerns that newer leadership has worked to address.
Best fit for Muslim and Arab families wanting a British academic pathway grounded in Islamic identity. Less of a fit for fully secular Western families looking for an Anglo peer group.
Reviews
- A former student writes that teacher turnover is fast, with new staff often leaving inside four months, and that students are rarely held to consequences.
- An international teacher with six years in Qatar lists Al Jazeera Academy among Taallum-group schools to avoid alongside Doha Academy and Newton schools.
- A second teacher post says "if it's Al Jazeera or Al Maha Academy, run away. The contract isn't worth it."
- Staff-side aggregate ratings are sharply negative, with low recommend rates; recurring themes are constant management change, owner pressure on leadership, and pay structures lagging Doha rents.
- Teacher accounts on the International Schools Review platform are more measured, citing leadership churn but also positive student relationships and performance-linked pay rises.
Head of school
Clive Richard Shepherd
I am honoured to join the Ta’allum family and be part of an esteemed community that is committed to providing an outstanding education for each and every child. I believe that every child has unique talents, interests, and passions, and it is our responsibility to create an environment that nurtures and develops these qualities. We will strive to create a safe, secure, inclusive, engaging, and challenging learning experience that fosters curiosity, creativity, and leadership whilst delivering our vision of ‘An Excellent, internationally recognized education predicated on an Islamic identity’.
Accreditations
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Schools) 01