Cities / Abu Dhabi / Raha International School - Gardens Campus
Raha International School - Gardens Campus
Abu Dhabi's first full IB Continuum school (PYP, MYP, DP) in Khalifa City, founded 2006, ADEK Very Good, with 2,200 students from 90+ nationalities and new principal Jan Stipek from July 2025.
In brief
An Aldar Taaleem IB World school in Khalifa City and one of the few full-continuum PYP, MYP, and DP options in Abu Dhabi, drawing students from over 80 nationalities.
The Gardens Campus opened in 2006 and was the first school in the capital to offer the full IB pathway end to end. ADEK rates it Very Good in the most recent inspection, with consistent strengths in student development, safeguarding, and parental partnership. A second campus in Khalifa City sits a short drive away and the two function as siblings rather than a tiered system.
The school reads as broad-church international rather than a high-pressure academic engine. Families who want the IB without a hothouse atmosphere tend to land here. Fees are at the premium end, roughly AED 41,000 in early years up to around AED 64,000 in the senior school, which puts it in the same financial bracket as Cranleigh and Repton. Comparable shortlist schools are Aldar's own Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and BSAK on the British side, and ACS Abu Dhabi on the IB side.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| EY1 (KG1/FS2) | 3 | AED 41,960 |
| EY2 (KG2/Y1) | 4 | AED 44,060 |
| Grade 1-6 (Y2-Y7) | 5 | AED 57,710 |
| Grade 7-12 (Y8-Y13) | 11 | AED 66,030 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee (5% of annual tuition - new students) | AED 2,098 |
Reviews
The original Raha campus, in Al Raha Gardens next to Khalifa City A, and the older of the two Taaleem sites. The Khalifa City campus opened later as the sister site. A full IB continuum from early years through to the Diploma, non-selective, with a large and visibly international cohort. The village-style low-rise architecture is part of the appeal, and families talk about a warm, settled community feel and strong pastoral instincts. Recent IB results have held steady in the low-to-mid thirties on a big cohort, which counts for more than a polished headline on a small one. The frustrations sit alongside that: a downgrade from Outstanding to Very Good at inspection, a stretch of leadership churn through 2023 and 2024 with communication gaps, and an ongoing argument about whether premium fees match the older buildings on this site.
Positives
- Community and pastoral feel. Parents return to the same words: relaxing, village-like, knows our children as individuals. The pastoral team is described as proactive rather than reactive, and the low-rise piazza layout makes the campus feel calmer than the typical Abu Dhabi school tower.
- IB continuum on a large cohort. PYP through DP with no break in curriculum, and a Diploma cohort over 120 that still averages around 33 points. The pass rate sits in the mid-nineties and a small group push past 40 each year. Holding that level across a non-selective intake is harder than a higher number on a hand-picked group.
- Inclusion and student happiness. SEN support and inclusion come up consistently as a strength, and the school is described as one where most children say they want to be there. Performing arts and sports participation are wide rather than narrowly competitive.
Considerations
- ADEK downgrade to Very Good. The school lost its Outstanding rating in the 2023 inspection cycle and was reconfirmed as Very Good in late 2025. Safeguarding and parent partnerships held up; Arabic and Islamic Education were flagged as the weaker strands, alongside consistency of teaching across phases.
- Leadership churn before August 2025. A run of principal changes through 2023 and 2024 left parents talking about instability and communication gaps. The current principal arrived in August 2025 from a Dubai IB school with a long IB background, and the rotation has now settled.
- Value against the fees. Annual fees run roughly AED 41,000 in early years to AED 64,000 in the senior grades. Plenty of families push back on whether the cost is justified, with the older Gardens buildings sitting next to newer Saadiyat and Yas competition at similar price points.
- Communication during transitions. Parents flag that messaging from the school went patchy through the leadership changes, with decisions surfacing without warning. Weekly newsletters and parent cafes are in place, but the gap was in how change itself was handled rather than the day-to-day cadence.
- Facilities at the older campus. The Gardens site is the original of the two and shows it. Some families describe it as tired in places, especially set against the newer Khalifa City sister campus, and the heavy iPad-led approach in primary draws a recurring grumble.
Leadership
Mr. Jan Stipek
Jan Stipek is the Principal of Raha International School, Gardens Campus, joining in August 2025. With nearly 30 years of international experience across seven schools and six countries, he brings a global perspective to the community. A passionate IB educator and leader, he has spent nearly two decades shaping IB learning worldwide, from the classroom to the IB Global office. Jan’s people-first approach, combined with a deep understanding of systems and strategy, makes him a dedicated addition to the school.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- ADEK 02
Academic results
- IB Diploma average (2024) 34 pts
- IB Diploma pass rate (2024) 96%