Raha International School - Gardens Campus
Key Stats
Annual Fees: US$11K - US$18K
Curriculum: IB
Age Range: 3-18
Students: ~2,200
Location: Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi
Updated April 2026
In Brief
Raha Gardens is Abu Dhabi's original full IB Continuum school and remains the strongest case for accessible premium IB in the city - fees run 30-40% below the Saadiyat schools, and the 2024 Diploma results are the school's best on record.
Raha was Abu Dhabi's first full IB Continuum school, opened in 2006, and it still carries the market position that first-mover advantage builds. PYP through MYP through Diploma - plus a Career-related Programme - in a single Khalifa City campus. At AED 40,880 to AED 64,340 for 2025-26, fees run well below GEMS World Academy and other Saadiyat-tier IB schools while the academic results are comparable. For families on a mid-range corporate package or self-funding, that's a meaningful gap.
The 2024 IB Diploma results are the school's strongest on record: 34 average, 96% pass rate, 78% scoring 30 or above across 98 students. That cohort size matters - a 34 average from 98 students is harder to achieve than from a cohort of 20. The Performing Arts building, opened in recent years at AED 55 million, is a serious facility by any standard in the region.
Leadership instability between 2022 and 2025 - three principals following Iain Colledge's six-year tenure - dragged the parent satisfaction rating to 3.8/5 and contributed to the ADEK downgrade from Outstanding to Very Good in 2023. Jan Stipek arrived in July 2025 and brings 30 years of IB experience; the school community is watching to see whether continuity under him translates back into an Outstanding rating at the next inspection. Ask current families how the first term under Stipek has felt.
What parents value
- –Abu Dhabi's first full IB Continuum school (PYP, MYP, Diploma, Career-related Programme) with the strongest IB track record in the accessible price bracket. Fees 30-40% below the Saadiyat IB alternatives.
- –2024 IB Diploma: 34 average, 96% pass rate, 78% scoring 30+, across 98 students. One student scored a perfect 45. Those are the school's best results on record.
- –The AED 55 million Performing Arts building - Auditorium and Black Box Theatre - is among the best in Abu Dhabi schools at this fee level. At a 1:12 teacher ratio across 2,200 students, the school manages scale without losing the contact time IB teaching requires.
Points of consideration
- –ADEK Very Good (May 2023) rather than Outstanding, and Arabic and Islamic Education rated Acceptable across most phases. Worth asking what has changed in the Arabic programme since 2023.
- –Three principals in three years between 2022 and 2025 left a mark on community confidence. Jan Stipek is new from July 2025 - his credentials are strong, but there's no settled track record at this school yet. Speaking to parents who enrolled in 2024 or 2025 will give you the most relevant read.
- –At 2,200 students, this is a large school. Class sizes of up to 26 are reasonable for IB, but the sheer scale means pastoral care depends heavily on how the house or advisory system is managed. Ask specifically about how the school tracks individual student progress at MYP level.
Annual Fees
| Year Group | Age | USDTotal Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| EY1 (KG1/FS2) | 3 | 11,131 |
| EY2 (KG2/Y1) | 4 | 11,690 |
| Grade 1-6 (Y2-Y7) | 5 | 15,311 |
| Grade 7-12 (Y8-Y13) | 11 | 17,519 |
Fees converted from AED. For the most up to date and accurate figures please double check with the school.
Additional Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration Fee (5% of annual tuition - new students) | 557 |
Photos
Academic Results
| IB Diploma average (2024) | 34 pts |
| IB Diploma pass rate (2024) | 96% |
| IB Diploma 30+ (2024) | 78% |
| IB Diploma 35+ (2024) | 40% |
| IB Diploma 40+ (2024) | 10% |
Raha Gardens runs the full IB Continuum: PYP (Early Years to Grade 5), MYP (Grades 6-10), and Diploma or Career-related Programme (Grades 11-12). The 2024 IB Diploma results - 34 average, 96% pass rate, 78% scoring 30 or above from 98 students - are the school's best on record and rank it among the stronger IB Diploma performers in Abu Dhabi.
University destinations follow the IB pathway: UK, US, Canadian, and European universities. The sister campus at Khalifa City opened in 2020, but Gardens Campus remains the larger and more established of the two Raha sites.
Extra Curriculars
Facilities: AED 55M Performing Arts building (Auditorium + Black Box Theatre) · Sports facilities · IB-equipped science labs · Khalifa City campus (Al Raha Gardens) · Swimming pool
The AED 55 million Performing Arts building is the most talked-about facility addition in recent years: a full Auditorium and Black Box Theatre give drama, music, and production work a home that very few Abu Dhabi schools at this fee level can match.
Khalifa City is accessible from Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Airport corridor, and the western suburbs. The IB CAS programme structures co-curricular life from the Diploma years; younger students follow PYP and MYP exhibition and project frameworks that give after-school activities an academic thread.
Inspections & Accreditations
Inspection
Latest review: May 2023
Inspection body: ADEK
Rating: Very Good
ADEK rated Raha International School Gardens Campus Very Good in May 2023, a step down from the Outstanding rating it held in 2017-18. Outstanding ratings were maintained for Health and Safety across all phases and Partnerships with Parents. Arabic and Islamic Education was rated Acceptable across most phases.
Accreditations
Accreditation details are not publicly listed.
Memberships
Membership details are not publicly listed.
Student Body
Around 2,200 students from 90+ nationalities. Approximately 30% are Emirati, with US and Indian families as the next largest groups - a profile that reflects Khalifa City's mix of diplomatic, government, and corporate households.
Class sizes of 24 in Early Years, up to 26 in Grades 1-10, and around 22 in the Diploma years give the school manageable contact ratios, though at 2,200 students it remains one of Abu Dhabi's larger IB institutions.
Leadership
Jan Stipek
Jan Stipek joined Raha International School Gardens Campus as Principal in July 2025, having previously led Regent International Dubai. He brings approximately 30 years of IB experience, including time at the IB Global Office, GEMS World Academy Singapore, and International School of Florence.