Cities / Dubai / The School of Research Science Dubai (SRS)
The School of Research Science Dubai (SRS)
Bilingual British and American dual-curriculum school on purpose-built Al Warqa campuses, founded 1998 with a roughly 70% Emirati intake and a strong Arabic and Islamic Studies spine, though recent staff turnover has been high.
In brief
Founded in 1998 and relocated to purpose-built Al Warqa campuses in 2014-2020, SRS operates as one of Dubai's larger international schools under Principal Naseem Sahar Butt's leadership since January 2022. The school serves over 3,900 students with dual curriculum options - British National Curriculum from Foundation Stage to Year 13 and US High School from Grades 9-12. With approximately 70% UAE nationals and strong representation from Arabic and African countries, the institution maintains its founding Arabic/Islamic heritage while preparing students for international pathways. The school achieved British Schools Overseas Outstanding rating in 2021, though KHDA ratings have fluctuated between Good and Very Good over recent years.
Teacher discussions on expat forums reveal concerning patterns about working conditions that contrast with the school's official accreditation. Multiple sources describe SRS as having serious staff satisfaction issues, with one review characterizing it as the 'worst international school in Dubai' from a teaching perspective. Recent data shows a 36% teacher turnover rate, which is significant even by Dubai standards. While parent discussions are more limited, some families appreciate the bilingual programming and cultural emphasis, though the school generates moderate visibility compared to Dubai's tier-one institutions. The fee structure ranges from AED 116,000 to AED 206,000 annually, positioning it in the upper-mid market alongside newer premium schools.
Strengths
- Large, established institution with 25+ years of operation in Dubai
- Dual curriculum offering both British and American pathways
- Strong Arabic and Islamic cultural programming with bilingual foundation stage
- British Schools Overseas Outstanding accreditation achieved in 2021
- Purpose-built facilities across two Al Warqa campuses near Mushrif Park
- Serves diverse student body with strong UAE national representation
Considerations
- Serious concerns about working conditions and staff satisfaction reported by teachers
- High teacher turnover rate of 36% suggests potential staffing instability
- KHDA ratings have fluctuated between Good and Very Good in recent years
- Limited positive parent discussion compared to established Dubai institutions
- Premium fee structure reaching AED 206,000 annually for senior years
- Teacher discussions suggest management and administrative challenges
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 | 3 | AED 37,163 |
| FS2 | 4 | AED 39,597 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 41,040 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 41,040 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 45,699 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 45,699 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 45,699 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 50,450 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 55,199 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 60,168 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 60,168 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 60,168 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 63,765 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 70,039 |
| Year 13 | 17 | AED 79,790 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application/Assessment Fee | AED 500 |
Reviews
An Al Warqa institution since 1998, originally built around Emirati families and now roughly two-thirds local, one-third expat across the British all-through and the newer US high school. KHDA has held the British section at Good since 2018-19; the US sister section sits at Acceptable. Pastoral care, the dual-campus facilities, and the Arabic and Islamic strand are the loudest positives. The drag is uneven classroom teaching in Primary and Secondary, an English attainment gap, and a school that stopped publishing headline IGCSE and A Level results.
Positives
- Arabic and Islamic Education. Genuinely strong. KHDA marks attainment in Islamic Education Outstanding in Primary and Post-16 and Arabic as a first language Outstanding in Primary. For Emirati and Arab families wanting a British framework that takes the cultural side seriously, the offer is hard to match at the price.
- Pastoral care and wellbeing. Care, guidance and support of students is rated Outstanding across all four phases in the latest KHDA cycle, and wellbeing provision sits at Very Good. Counsellors are accessible and responses to concerns come quickly.
- Facilities and resources. Two purpose-built campuses, with the dedicated primary site opened in 2020. Pool, auditorium, labs and sports provision all in place, and rated Outstanding by inspectors.
- Value for money. Tuition runs roughly AED 37,000 in FS1 to AED 80,000 in Year 13, well below the premium British schools across the creek. Buys a Good-rated British all-through with strong Arabic, Islamic and pastoral provision.
Considerations
- Teaching consistency. Teaching for effective learning is Very Good in Foundation Stage and Post-16 but only Good in Primary and Secondary, and KHDA has flagged consistency as something the school still needs to fix. Parents talk about the experience varying by teacher and by year group.
- English attainment in Primary. Inspectors mark English attainment in Primary as Acceptable, the weakest academic score in the British section, and the school's own reading literacy push has yet to show measurable lift.
- Published exam results. IGCSE and A Level headline figures used to be on the school site and have since gone quiet. Direct academic benchmarking against other British schools in the city now means asking for the numbers.
- US high school section. The American curriculum branch, opened in 2020 for Grades 9 to 12, has held an Acceptable KHDA rating across the last two cycles. English, Maths and Science attainment sit at Acceptable; Arabic and Islamic Education are the relative strengths. A different proposition from the British all-through next door.
- Staff turnover. Teacher turnover has been flagged as high, with a figure around 36 percent noted publicly. The teaching force is large, predominantly UK or Ireland trained, and the ratios are healthy, but churn comes through in classroom continuity.
- Inspection trajectory. KHDA Good has held since 2018-19 with no upward movement. The 2024 British Schools Overseas inspection found the school meets the standards, a step down from the Outstanding awarded in 2021 under the previous principal.
Leadership
Dr Nasim Butt
Dr. Nasim Butt serves as Principal and Director of the Research Science Institute at SRS Dubai, having joined the school in January 2022. Previously, she was Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) at Ofsted from 2018 to 2021, bringing extensive expertise in educational inspection and leadership.
Accreditations
- British Schools in the Middle East accreditation 01
Academic results
- A-Level Top Results - BUSINESS 100%
- A-Level Top Results - BIOLOGY 100%
- A-Level Top Results - RELIGIOUS STUDIES 100%
- Year 13 A Level results - BIOLOGY C+ 100%
- Year 13 A Level results - BIOLOGY B+ 60%
- Year 13 A Level results - CHEMISTRY C+ 80%
- Year 13 A Level results - CHEMISTRY B+ 60%
- Year 13 A Level results - MATHEMATICS C+ 88%
- Year 13 A Level results - MATHEMATICS B+ 75%
- Year 13 A Level results - PHYSICS C+ 67%
- Year 13 A Level results - PHYSICS B+ 44%
- Year 11 GCSE Results - BIOLOGY 4+ 87%