Cities / Abu Dhabi / British School Al Khubairat
British School Al Khubairat
Not-for-profit British school founded 1968 in Al Mushrif, FS1-Y13, ADEK and BSO Outstanding.
In brief
Abu Dhabi's oldest and best-known British school, founded 1968, non-profit, set in Al Mushrif and woven into the British community in the capital.
Around 2,000 students, FS1 to Year 13. British curriculum into IGCSEs, A Levels, and the IB Diploma. ADEK Outstanding. BSO, COBIS, and IBO accredited. Roughly two thirds of students hold British passports, with Emiratis the next largest group across some 50 nationalities.
Parent surveys come back overwhelmingly positive, with leadership stability, alumni continuity, and consistent academic results doing the heavy lifting. A handful of long-tenure students say junior school felt warmer than senior school, which is the most common piece of nuanced feedback.
Fees AED 51,400 to 74,500, materially below Cranleigh and Brighton. Demand exceeds supply, and waiting lists for primary entry routinely run 12 to 18 months ahead of arrival. Apply early.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 & FS2 (Nursery & Reception) | 3 | AED 51,410 |
| Year 1 - Year 6 | 5 | AED 55,520 |
| Year 7 - Year 9 | 11 | AED 71,810 |
| Year 10 - Year 13 | 14 | AED 74,560 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | AED 250 |
Reviews
The reference point for British education in Abu Dhabi. Founded 1968 on land granted by Sheikh Zayed, non-profit, parent-association governed, and the school most families compare the rest of the British market against. Outstanding under ADEK at the most recent inspection. Strong A-level results, with Russell Group and Ivy League destinations turning up year after year. The catch is access: waiting lists are long, FS1 fills early, and families talk about British passport holders moving up the queue.
Positives
- Academic outcomes. A-level results sit at the top of the British cohort in Abu Dhabi, with the strongest A* and A*-C share in years at the 2024 sitting. University destinations span Russell Group, Ivy League, and NYU Abu Dhabi.
- ADEK rating. Outstanding across all standards at the most recent ADEK inspection. The rating is consistent with the school's long-running reputation as the top British school in the city.
- Value among British schools. Non-profit, with fees that come in well below Cranleigh, Brighton and Repton for a comparable or stronger academic offer. Families call it the best value British option in Abu Dhabi.
- Community and continuity. Sixty years on the same site in Al Mushrif, a settled British-expat community, and the same head since 2014. The school feels embedded in Abu Dhabi in a way the newer brand campuses don't.
- Governance. Run by a board of elected and ambassador-appointed governors, with the Friends of BSAK association close to school life. Surpluses go back into the school rather than to a group.
Considerations
- Admissions pressure. FS1 for 2025/26 filled early and the waiting list extends years out. Mid-year places are rare and families regularly end up at a second-choice school while they wait.
- Passport priority. Parents talk about a strong British passport preference in selection. Non-British applicants in the queue describe it as a real factor, not a tiebreaker.
- Arabic teaching. Arabic provision is the weak subject parents flag, in line with a wider pattern across Abu Dhabi schools. Worth probing if the language matters for the family.
Leadership
Mark Leppard
Mark Leppard MBE has been Headmaster of The British School Al Khubairat since 2015, having previously led Doha College in Qatar for seven years. He was awarded an MBE for services to education in 2015 and holds an M.Ed in Educational Leadership; he also chairs BSME and is a British Schools Overseas lead inspector.
Accreditations
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 01
- COBIS 02
- IBO 03
Academic results
- A-Level A*-A (2025) 50%
- A-Level A*-B (2025) 72%
- IGCSE Grades 9-7 (2025) 60%