Cities / Dubai / Dubai British School Jumeira
Dubai British School Jumeira
Founded as Taaleem's third Dubai British School campus, DBSJ opened in Al Wasl with founding principal Lee Hole, who brings nearly 20 years of experience including previous roles at GEMS International School Al Khail and International School of Phnom Penh.
In brief
Founded as Taaleem's third Dubai British School campus, DBSJ opened in Al Wasl with founding principal Lee Hole, who brings nearly 20 years of experience including previous roles at GEMS International School Al Khail and International School of Phnom Penh. The school follows the National Curriculum for England with a distinctive two-year teacher continuity model where class teachers progress with their students. Secondary opened in September 2025 under founding head Andy Goodliffe, formerly of Tanglin Trust School Singapore.
The school emphasizes inclusion support under dedicated leadership and operates with over 110 staff members as of 2025-26. Located in the Al Wasl area, DBSJ positions itself as providing British education within Taaleem's portfolio alongside the IB-focused Jumeira Baccalaureate School. However, being less than two years old means there are no exam results, university outcomes, or established parent community feedback to evaluate quality or performance against Dubai's established British schools.
Strengths
- Experienced leadership team with strong international school backgrounds
- Part of established Taaleem education group with proven track record
- Two-year teacher continuity model provides stability for younger students
- Dedicated inclusion support team under specialist leadership
- British curriculum pathway from Foundation Stage through planned A-Levels
- Located in desirable Al Wasl area
Considerations
- Very new school with no track record of exam results or university placements
- No established parent community or feedback available yet
- Secondary section only launched in 2025 with limited year groups
- Fee structure and detailed facilities information not publicly available
- Competition from established British schools with proven outcomes in Dubai
- School expansion dependent on KHDA approvals which could affect planning
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Rising 3s | 2 | AED 43,500 |
| FS1-FS2 | 3 | AED 51,477 |
| Years 1-2 | 5 | AED 51,477 |
| Years 3-6 | 7 | AED 58,836 |
| Years 7-8 | 11 | AED 69,872 |
| Years 9-11 | 13 | AED 69,872 |
| Years 12-13 | 16 | AED 77,217 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 525 | |
| Registration Fee | AED 4,000 |
Reviews
A Taaleem school that opened in August 2024, the third campus in the Dubai British Schools cluster after Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Park. The site is the visible draw: a four-storey purpose-build on Al Wasl overlooking the Dubai Canal opposite Safa Park, with an indoor pool, eight science labs, a divisible double-height sports hall and grass playing fields. Founding principal Lee Hole arrived from the secondary headship at the International School of Phnom Penh, with Mary Donnelly as Head of Primary and Andy Goodliffe heading the new secondary phase that launched with Years 7 and 8 in 2025-26. The school filled fast; every primary year group is on a waitlist for 2025-26, and pricing has been held at sibling-campus levels rather than carrying the usual new-school premium. Because the school is still building out year groups toward Year 13, there is no KHDA inspection rating yet and no independent exam data to weigh.
Positives
- Site and facilities. Purpose-built four-storey campus on Dubai Canal in Al Wasl with an indoor heated pool, eight science labs, a divisible sports hall, tennis courts, grass playing fields and dedicated music, art and DT spaces. Treated locally as one of the most heavily resourced new builds in the emirate.
- Leadership and staffing. Founding principal Lee Hole heads a team that grew from around 50 teachers at opening to roughly 110 staff including assistants for 2025-26. Around 80 percent were recruited from within the UAE, which tends to mean a faster-settling first year than wholly imported staff rooms.
- Inclusion provision. The inclusion team is led by John Paton, who arrived from Arcadia. Around 10 percent of pupils have a registered additional learning need; the school says it has capacity to support up to 25 percent.
Considerations
- Fees and value. Annual tuition runs roughly AED 51,500 in early years to AED 69,900 in upper primary, with approved fees reaching AED 77,200 for Years 12-13 once those run. Pricing was held at sister-campus levels rather than carrying the usual 20 percent premium that newer Dubai schools tend to add, and founding-family discounts were offered through primary.
- Demand and availability. All primary year groups are on a waitlist for 2025-26, and the secondary launch took an initial cohort of about 85 pupils. Families chasing later entry points are mostly looking at 2026-27 and beyond.
- No inspection or exam track record yet. KHDA has paused full inspections through 2026-27, so the directory still flags DBS Jumeira as a New School with no rating. The first GCSE cohort is years away and there is no independent exam data on which to judge teaching.
- Identity still forming. Reputation rests heavily on the Taaleem DBS network and on Lee Hole's track record rather than on what the school itself has done. The culture, parent body and teaching depth are visibly still bedding in through the secondary build-out.
Leadership
Lee Hole
Mr. Patrick Affley is a long-term UAE resident who served 11 years as Founding Principal of Dove Green Private School in Dubai.
Accreditations
- KHDA 01
- British Schools in the Middle East accreditation 02
Academic results
- Result No exam results published yet (school opened in 2024
- Result secondary stage expansion ongoing).