Cities / Dubai / Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City
Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City
Located in Dubai Sports City, the school will initially serve students from Nursery to Year 8 before expanding to full secondary provision. The institution brings the National Curriculum for England alongside the QE Flourish Programme focusing on character development through Care, Challenge, Create, and Compete strands.
In brief
Located in Dubai Sports City, the school will initially serve students from Nursery to Year 8 before expanding to full secondary provision. The institution brings the National Curriculum for England alongside the QE Flourish Programme focusing on character development through Care, Challenge, Create, and Compete strands. Caroline Pendleton-Nash leads Queen Elizabeth's Global Schools overseeing the Dubai expansion, while the campus will have its own head and staff under the GEDU partnership structure.
The parent institution in Barnet consistently ranks at the top of UK league tables, sends more students to Oxbridge than any other state school, and achieved Outstanding Ofsted ratings plus 2025 Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year recognition. However, translating this success to Dubai's international education market remains unproven. Unlike the free state-funded Barnet school, the Dubai campus will charge annual tuition fees, though specific amounts have not been disclosed. The school received initial KHDA approval in October 2025, confirming the August 2026 launch date.
Strengths
- First UK state grammar school to expand internationally, bringing proven academic methodology
- Over 450 years of educational heritage from the original Queen Elizabeth I charter
- Parent school consistently ranked at top of UK league tables with Outstanding Ofsted ratings
- Access to Dubai Sports City's sporting facilities with sport as a defining educational pillar
- Co-educational model unlike the historically boys-only Barnet campus
- Emphasis on character development through structured QE Flourish Programme
Considerations
- School has not yet opened, so actual delivery and community experience remain unproven
- No information available about specific fee structure or costs
- Limited details about campus facilities beyond Sports City location
- Phased opening means full secondary provision will take time to establish
- No track record yet in Dubai's competitive international education market
- Unclear how merit-based admissions philosophy will translate to fee-paying international context
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery | 3 | AED 93,500 |
| FS1 | 3 | AED 103,344 |
| FS2 | 4 | AED 112,847 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 112,847 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 112,847 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 112,847 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 116,410 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 116,410 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 116,410 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 136,604 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 136,604 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 142,542 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 142,542 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 154,420 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 154,420 |
| Year 13 | 17 | AED 154,420 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | AED 525 | |
| Tuition Fee Deposit | AED 7,000 |
Leadership
Dan Clark
Dan Clark is the Founding Principal of Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City. Educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and the University of St Andrews, he has held senior leadership positions since 2008 at leading UK independent schools Repton and Marlborough College, most recently as Deputy Head (Academic).
Accreditations
- KHDA 01