Cities / Dubai / Kent College Dubai
Kent College Dubai
Operating under Aldar Education with Tim Hollis as Principal, Kent College Dubai draws from its 140 year UK heritage while delivering British curriculum from I/GCSE through A Levels, AS Levels, BTECs, and Extended Project Qualifications.
In brief
Operating under Aldar Education with Tim Hollis as Principal, Kent College Dubai draws from its 140-year UK heritage while delivering British curriculum from I/GCSE through A-Levels, AS-Levels, BTECs, and Extended Project Qualifications. The school achieved notable 2025 results with 100% I/GCSE pass rates, 43% achieving A-A grades, and A-Level performance of 37% A-A grades. The school stands out in Dubai's market by offering both traditional academic pathways and vocational BTECs, with 40% of BTEC students achieving Distinction* grades in 2025.
BSO inspection rates the school as providing 'excellent British education' with particular praise for UK-qualified teaching staff and professional development programmes. KHDA awarded Very Good rating with Outstanding Features, especially highlighting the school's approach to wellbeing and inclusion. Recent high performers include students like Shaivi Keva Baichoo achieving multiple grade 9s in subjects including French, Biology, and Mathematics, alongside strong BTEC achievers in business and sport programmes. However, parent feedback reveals contrasting experiences, with some describing management issues that may impact the overall school experience despite academic achievements.
Strengths
- Strong 2025 academic results with 100% I/GCSE pass rates and solid A-Level performance
- Unique combination of traditional A-Levels and vocational BTEC programmes rare in Dubai
- 140-year heritage connection to established UK school
- UK-qualified teaching staff with emphasis on professional development
- KHDA Very Good rating with Outstanding Features for wellbeing and inclusion
- BSO inspection describes 'excellent British education'
- Successful university placement outcomes for graduates
Considerations
- Parent reviews specifically criticize management quality as 'the worst' they have experienced
- Limited public information about specific fees, facilities, or campus details
- Mixed parent feedback creates uncertainty about day-to-day school experience
- School appears to have lower visibility compared to Dubai's most established British institutions
- Relatively new in Dubai market compared to schools like Dubai College or JESS
Academics
Kent College Dubai is rated "Very Good" by the KHDA (2023-2024) (KHDA) and "Outstanding" by British Schools Overseas (Kent College Dubai). In 2025, the school reported a 100% I/GCSE pass rate with 43% of entries achieving A -A (9-7) and 90% achieving A -C (9-4) (Zawya, Education UAE). A-Level results for 2025 included 14% A and 37% A-A (SchoolsCompared), while the IB Diploma cohort achieved an average score of 32.1 in 2024 (WhichSchoolAdvisor).
School life
The school offers a comprehensive sports program including football, rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, swimming, tennis, padel, athletics, basketball, badminton, boxing, gymnastics, trampolining, and volleyball (KCD Sports). Performing arts activities cover drama, dance, and music with regular school productions, performance assemblies, choirs, and ensembles (Performing Arts). Other activities include the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, KENTerprise (entrepreneurship), and farm and riding programs (Kent College Canterbury).
The 53,000 square-meter campus (Facilities) features a 6-lane 25m shaded swimming pool, a junior wading pool, a double-sized indoor sports hall with bleacher seating, and 3 multi-purpose indoor sports areas (KCD Sports). Specialist facilities include 14 science laboratories, electronics, ICT, EIT, and food & nutrition labs, plus a 460-seat Sir Tim Clarke Theatre, a music recording studio, Mac suites, and various art, drama, and dance studios (Facilities, Performing Arts). Outdoor facilities include an athletics track, 4G cricket, hockey and rugby pitches, and ITF-approved tennis and padel courts (KCD Sports).
Student body
The school has an enrolment of approximately 1,500 students as of 2024-25, with a total capacity of around 2,120 to 2,200 (WhichSchoolAdvisor, SchoolsCompared). The international student body comprises over 105 nationalities, with the largest groups being British (16%), South African (10%), and Australian (6%) (Kent College Dubai, SchoolsCompared). Class sizes are described as "relatively small" to allow for personalized attention (BSO Report).
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery (45 days-3 years) | 3 | AED 37,430 |
| Nursery (3-4 years) | 3 | AED 39,130 |
| FS1 | 3 | AED 55,243 |
| FS2 | 4 | AED 55,243 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 59,335 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 70,589 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 70,589 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 75,704 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 75,704 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 81,842 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 81,842 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 87,980 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 87,980 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 94,118 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 94,118 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 100,256 |
| Year 13 | 17 | AED 100,256 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 500 | |
| Nursery Application & Medical Fees | AED 1,050 |
Reviews
A premium British school on the Nad Al Sheba campus, owned by Aldar Education since 2023 and rated Very Good by KHDA. The headline news is structural: the partnership with Kent College Canterbury ends after 2025-26, the current site becomes Rugby School Dubai under Aldar, and Kent College Dubai relocates to a new campus under Laureate Education for 2026-27. Families have been asked to choose between staying on site with Rugby, moving with Kent College, or going elsewhere, and the operational detail behind those choices has been slow to land. Under the surface, the day-to-day feel is warm and family-oriented, with responsive teachers, small class sizes, and strong sports and ECA provision.
Positives
- Community and pastoral feel. Parents describe a family-oriented, inclusive school where leadership listens and individual children get attention. Small classes (capped around 20, 16 in Foundation) reinforce that.
- Teaching and staff engagement. Teachers come up as responsive, committed, and easy to reach. Weekly newsletters, Class Dojo updates, and an app-based booking system keep parent communication tight.
- Facilities and co-curricular. Tier-one sports facilities, including pool, astro pitches, and a 5G football and rugby pitch added under Aldar. Strong competitive teams plus niche options (fencing, boxing). Music, drama, and sports scholarships up to 50%.
- Academic results. 2024 A Level: 25% A*-A, 90% A*-C, 99% pass. IGCSE: 42% A*-A, 88% A*-C. KHDA Very Good in 2024; BSO inspection Outstanding.
Considerations
- Partnership end and 2026 relocation. The Kent College Canterbury partnership ends after 2025-26. Kent College Dubai moves to a new site under Laureate Education for 2026-27 while Rugby School Dubai takes over Nad Al Sheba. Written answers on guaranteed places, staff continuity, fee structures, and exam-year subject pathways have lagged the announcement, which lands heavily on Year 9 to 13 families.
- Sixth Form and IB pathway. Sixth Form is still small (around 45 in Year 13) and the planned expansion sits awkwardly with a campus move. The IB Diploma is authorised but uptake has been thin, with insufficient demand to run it in the 2024-25 Year 12 cohort. A Levels and BTEC carry most of the post-16 load.
- Teacher turnover. Teacher turnover sits around 39%, high for an established premium school, and the impending campus split adds another reason for staff to weigh their options.
- Fees and value. Annual fees roughly AED 59,500 to 108,000, ultra-premium band. Around 72% of parents call it value for money, above the Dubai average, though one in four feel their child needs supplementary tuition.
- Site irritants. Parking is tight, especially around secondary. The pool layout puts the deep end close to where the youngest children train. Uniforms, blazers in particular, come up as expensive and not hard-wearing.
Leadership
Timothy Hollis
Timothy Hollis began his career in 1998 as a PE and Mathematics teacher in the UK before moving to the UAE in 2005, where he spent 19 years developing leadership skills at outstanding schools.
Accreditations
- BSO Outstanding 01
- BSME, FOBISIA, DASSA participates in events, Duke of Edinburgh 02
Academic results
- A* / A at A Level 2021 51%
- A*-C at A Level 2021 97%
- A*-E at A Level 2021 100%
- 9-7 at GCSE 2021 48%
- 9-5 at GCSE 2021 85%
- 9-4 at GCSE 2021 94%