Cities / Dubai / Dubai Heights Academy (DHA)
Dubai Heights Academy (DHA)
Located in Al Barsha, Dubai Heights Academy follows the British National Curriculum from Foundation Stage through secondary years. The school received a Very Good rating with Outstanding Features from KHDA in February 2024, reflecting solid academic standards and teaching quality.
In brief
Located in Al Barsha, Dubai Heights Academy follows the British National Curriculum from Foundation Stage through secondary years. The school received a Very Good rating with Outstanding Features from KHDA in February 2024, reflecting solid academic standards and teaching quality. Recent parent survey results indicate high satisfaction levels, with families particularly praising the school's modern facilities and attention to detail in campus design.
However, some parents have raised concerns about the school's assessment practices for very young children. One family reported being asked to have their less-than-3-year-old complete age-inappropriate tasks including writing alphabets, numbers, drawing self-portraits, and recording videos of reading during FS1 assessment. This rigid assessment approach for such young learners has deterred some families who prefer more developmentally appropriate early years practices. The school's competitive fee structure works in its favor compared to premium Dubai institutions, though specific pricing details vary by year group.
Strengths
- KHDA rating of Very Good with Outstanding Features (2024)
- Modern facilities with attention to design detail
- Competitive fee structure compared to premium Dubai schools
- High parent satisfaction in recent surveys
- British National Curriculum pathway from FS1 through secondary
- Strong academic progression through established curriculum
Considerations
- Age-inappropriate assessment practices for very young children (FS1)
- Relatively new school with limited long-term track record
- Standard template assessments across FS1/FS2/Grade 1 regardless of child's age
- Limited public information about specific academic outcomes
- Teacher recruitment challenges noted in education forums
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 | 3 | AED 30,000 |
| FS2 | 4 | AED 37,500 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 43,000 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 48,000 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 48,000 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 51,000 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 51,000 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 53,500 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 53,500 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 58,500 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 63,500 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 63,500 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 65,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 525 |
Reviews
A British curriculum primary-heavy school in Al Barsha South in a consolidation phase: KHDA Very Good with outstanding marks for wellbeing and personal development, a stable head, and a parent body that talks about a happy, family-feeling campus. The school has roughly tripled its roll in a short stretch as the secondary phase fills out, which puts pressure on the small-school culture parents originally bought into. Inclusion provision is genuinely strong and the indoor pool, therapy spaces and after-school programme get steady praise. The unfinished car park at the front and the canteen's lack of hot food come up. The discount founder families received is ending, and that has caused real grumbling. Secondary outcomes are still ahead of the school: the first Year 12 cohort is only just in.
Positives
- Wellbeing and pastoral. Parents talk about a happy, calm school where staff know children as individuals. KHDA marks wellbeing and personal development as outstanding. The 7:55 start is mentioned approvingly by primary families.
- Inclusion and SEN. A real strength. On-site speech and language and occupational therapists, a dedicated enrichment zone with sensory and soft-play spaces, and ASDAN and BTEC pathways for pupils who can't access the full mainstream curriculum.
- Teaching and staff stability. Teacher turnover sits low for a Dubai school. Each class has a dedicated teaching assistant. Open-door access to teachers is a recurring positive.
- Facilities. Purpose-built campus with an indoor pool, auditorium and small-group breakout space. Building is sized for roughly 1,800, well ahead of current roll.
- Leadership. Alison Lamb has been principal since 2019 and the trajectory under her, from Good to Very Good with outstanding features, is the most cited reason families stay.
Considerations
- Rapid growth. The roll has expanded sharply as the school fills its secondary phase. Families who joined for the small, intimate feel say that feel is changing as numbers climb.
- Fees and founder discount. The founder-family discount is winding down and the step up has caused unhappiness among early joiners. Headline fees still sit at the lower end of the premium British segment in Dubai, but the jump from the discounted rate to the standard rate is steep for some households.
- Site logistics. The promised front car park is still incomplete, which makes drop-off and pick-up harder than it should be. The canteen does not offer hot food, which parents of older pupils raise.
- Secondary track record. The school is still building out its upper years. The first Year 12 cohort is small and external exam results at GCSE and A Level are not yet established, so families joining for secondary are buying the trajectory rather than the record.
- Sports and performing arts. Sits mid-pack against established British schools in Dubai for competitive sport and performing arts. New secondary facilities and a planned football academy are aimed at closing the gap.
Leadership
Alison Lamb
Alison Lamb is an established school leader with more than 22 years of successful headship both in the UK and internationally. Her experience of teaching and leadership spans 30 years across early years, primary, and secondary departments in mainstream and special education schools.
Accreditations
- KHDA 01
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 02
Academic results
- First GCSE results in 2025 35% of entries graded 9-7 (A*-A), 54% graded 9-6 (A*-B). Outstanding results in English as a Second Language with 100% of students achieving a grade 9.