Al Maharat Private SchoolBritish School in Shakhbout City، Abu DhabiLast Updated: April 7, 2026
Curriculum
British / Ministry of Education
ADEK
Good
Location
Abu Dhabi, Shakhbout City
Fees
AED 19K - 31K
Al Maharat Private School
The Executive Summary
Al Maharat Private School Abu Dhabi is one of Shakhbout City's most compelling improvement stories in Abu Dhabi education. Established in 2015 and now operating under the International Community Schools (ICS) network, this co-educational school delivers the British curriculum - the English National Curriculum - with an active Cambridge International Education accreditation and a structured plan to transition fully to the Cambridge curriculum across all grades. Its ADEK rating of Good (awarded in the 2023 inspection cycle) represents a meaningful upgrade from its previous Acceptable rating, driven by a new leadership team, a dramatic reduction in teacher turnover, and a wholesale curriculum shift from the Ministry of Education framework to a genuinely British and Cambridge-aligned provision. School fees in Abu Dhabi at Al Maharat are positioned firmly in the mid-range, running from AED 20,110 to AED 31,260 annually - making it one of the most accessible British-curriculum options among Shakhbout City schools. With only around 101 students currently enrolled, class sizes are small and the environment is genuinely intimate, which is a meaningful differentiator in a city where many British schools operate at several hundred pupils per year group.
The school is best suited to families who want a credentialed British and Cambridge education at an accessible price point, value a close-knit community feel, and are comfortable enrolling in a school that is still scaling. The High-Performance Learning (HPL) accreditation and the BSME membership signal genuine commitment to quality, not just branding. The honest caveats: attainment in Arabic-medium subjects and in English and mathematics across primary cycles remains at the Acceptable level per the ADEK Irtiqa report, and the school does not yet offer sixth form - families planning for A-Level or IGCSE continuity will need to factor in a school move at Year 11 or beyond. For value-conscious families in Shakhbout City seeking a nurturing, improving British-curriculum school with real institutional backing, Al Maharat is a serious and credible option.
ADEK Good 2023Cambridge AccreditedBSME MemberHPL SchoolSmall Class Sizes
“The school feels like a real community - the teachers know every child by name and the principal is always visible. For us, coming from a large school, that personal attention has made a huge difference.”
— Year 4 Parent(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
Al Maharat delivers the English National Curriculum (NCfE) from FS1 through Year 11, with Cambridge International Education accreditation already active in Foundation Stage and Years 7, 8, and 9. The school's stated trajectory is full implementation of the Cambridge curriculum across all year groups, meaning students will ultimately sit Cambridge IGCSE examinations in Year 11 and, as the school expands, International A Levels in Year 13. This dual-track positioning - NCfE framework underpinned by Cambridge assessment - is a deliberate and coherent strategy, not an improvised hybrid.
The pedagogical philosophy is structured around three pillars: coaching, challenging, and innovating. The school is an accredited High-Performance Learning (HPL) institution, a framework that shifts student mindset from fixed ability to growth-oriented learning. HPL schools explicitly teach cognitive and metacognitive skills alongside subject content, and the ADEK inspectors specifically cited the HPL curriculum as one of the school's strengths, noting that it "offers experiences that empower students as learners." In the Early Years, the EYFS framework governs learning across seven areas of development, with play-based and child-led approaches. Reading is taken seriously across all phases: the school uses the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme in early years, transitions to Oxford Owl and Kutebee Big Cat digital reading platforms, and employs the VIPERS (Vocabulary, Inference, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Summarise/Sequence) methodology for guided reading. Each student participates in four reading lessons per week, and the school's library holds 5,232 books (4,166 English, 1,066 Arabic) with 18 computers and twice-weekly scheduled visits for FS2 to Year 6.
The ADEK Irtiqa report (June 2024) provides the most granular picture of academic outcomes. In English-medium subjects, attainment in English and mathematics is rated Good in KG but Acceptable in primary and secondary. Student progress tells a more encouraging story: progress in English, mathematics, and science is rated Good in KG and secondary, with primary progress in English also Good. Science attainment sits at Acceptable across all phases but progress is Good in KG and secondary. In Arabic-medium subjects - Arabic as a first language, Arabic as a second language, Islamic Education, and UAE Social Studies - attainment remains at the Acceptable level across phases, which is an honest limitation for families prioritising Arabic language development. The school participates in GL Assessment Progress Tests in English, Mathematics and Science, CAT4 cognitive assessments, NGRT reading assessments, and PASS wellbeing surveys. It entered Year 5 students in TIMSS 2023 and participated in PISA 2022, where it achieved its mathematical and scientific literacy targets. University destinations are not yet applicable given the school currently runs to Year 11, but the Cambridge IGCSE pathway is the established route for secondary students. SEN and EAL provision is managed by a dedicated Inclusion team; seven students of determination are currently supported with individual education plans (IEPs), and five students are designated Gifted and Talented with extension activities. Additional SEN support fees run approximately AED 3,000-3,500.
Good
ADEK Irtiqa Rating (2023)
Upgraded from Acceptable in previous cycle
5,232
Library Books
4,166 English + 1,066 Arabic; library open twice weekly per class
IGCSE
Target Qualification (Year 11)
Cambridge International pathway; A Levels planned for Year 13
7
Students of Determination
All with individual IEPs; shadow teachers available
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
Al Maharat's extracurricular programme reflects the school's community-centred ethos and its ambition to develop the whole child beyond the classroom. Given the school's current enrolment of approximately 101 students, the ECA offering is appropriately scaled - intimate and participatory rather than sprawling and impersonal. The school runs a range of after-school clubs spanning creative arts, sports, and cultural enrichment, with students encouraged to explore their interests across multiple domains.
Sports feature prominently in school life, with a dedicated annual Sports Week observed across all phases - Early Years, Primary, and Secondary - each holding their own Sports Day events. The school's regulation-size football field and climate-controlled multi-purpose sports hall provide the infrastructure for inter-class and inter-school competitions. Physical education is embedded in the curriculum as a core subject.
In the performing arts, the school holds an annual School Music Concert - evidenced by recent social media documentation of student performances - and music education is supported by a dedicated music studio. Art is delivered through two well-stocked art studios, and the school has identified students with gifts in both music and art through its formal Gifted and Talented programme. Cultural celebrations are taken seriously: the school marks UAE National events, Haq Al-Layla, Isra and Mi'raj, Ramadan, and International Day of Education, integrating cultural awareness into the school calendar as meaningful learning experiences rather than tokenistic observances.
The school participated in the Abu Dhabi Reading Challenge and the Extreme Reading challenge, and holds World Book Week, Author Day, and Book Fair events to elevate the profile of reading. The ADEK inspectors specifically highlighted the school's opportunities for students to develop innovation skills as a strength, and the HPL framework underpins a culture of intellectual risk-taking and creative problem-solving across all year groups. Community service and social responsibility are identified areas for growth - the ADEK report recommends empowering students with more opportunities to initiate community-support activities, suggesting this dimension of the ECA programme is still developing.
3
Phase Sports Days per Year
Early Years, Primary, and Secondary each hold dedicated Sports Day events
Annual Sports WeekMusic ConcertAbu Dhabi Reading ChallengeHPL Innovation SkillsCultural Celebrations Programme
Pastoral Care & Well-being
Pastoral care is one of Al Maharat's most clearly evidenced strengths, and the ADEK Irtiqa report awarded the school a Very Good rating for health, safety, and child protection - the highest sub-rating the school achieved across all inspection domains. This is not a minor distinction: Very Good in safeguarding signals that the school's policies, procedures, and day-to-day practices for keeping students safe meet a genuinely high standard. The broader care and support domain was rated Good across all phases.
The school operates an inclusive climate underpinned by the ICS core values of Integrity, Care, Excellence, and Respect. These values are described by Principal Christine Woods as shaping everything from morning greetings to lesson planning and the celebration of achievements. The Inclusion team - led by Head of Inclusion Georgina Nel, who brings seven-plus years of SEN, EAL, and inclusion leadership experience - maintains a centralised tracker for all students with additional learning needs, including detailed IEPs for each of the seven identified students of determination. Shadow teachers are available where needed.
Well-being is formally embedded in the curriculum through topic engagements, wellbeing events, and personal target development for individual learners. The school uses PASS (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) surveys as part of its GL Assessment suite, providing data-driven insight into student wellbeing alongside academic progress. The ADEK report noted that students across all year groups exhibit positive attitudes and increasing self-reliance in lessons, and that personal and social development is rated Good across KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2. The school does not yet have a formal house system documented in available sources, and formal student leadership structures are still developing given the school's relatively small size and recent secondary expansion. Parent engagement is described by inspectors as strong: "Parents are actively committed to supporting the school across all phases" was cited as an explicit school strength.
“The pastoral care here is genuinely different from bigger schools. When my son was struggling to settle, the inclusion team reached out to us proactively - we didn't have to chase anyone. That kind of attentiveness is rare.”
— Year 2 Parent(representative)Campus & Facilities
Al Maharat's campus is located at 11 Al Sayf Street in Shakhbout City, one of Abu Dhabi's newer planned residential districts situated in the southern part of the emirate. The area is characterised by modern villa communities and is well-connected to the main Abu Dhabi road network, making it accessible for families living across the Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, and Shakhbout City corridor. The school building is purpose-built for educational use, and while the campus is not large-scale - reflecting the school's current enrolment of around 101 students - the facilities are described as well-resourced and appropriately equipped for the curriculum on offer.
Key academic facilities include three ICT labs with over 120 computers available for student use, full internet connectivity throughout the campus, and a dedicated STEAM Lab that supports science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics learning through hands-on experimentation. Science laboratories are equipped for practical work, encouraging problem-solving and applied understanding. The library is a notable asset: bright, inviting, and orderly, it holds 5,232 books across English and Arabic, is managed by a dedicated librarian, and features 18 computers for independent research. Each class from FS2 to Year 6 visits twice weekly.
Creative facilities include two art studios and a dedicated music studio, supporting the school's performing arts programme. Sports infrastructure comprises a climate-controlled multi-purpose sports hall, a regulation-size football field used for inter-class and inter-school competition, and a grassed outdoor area for FS2 to Year 2 students. A school canteen provides healthy snacks and meals during break times, a medical facility staffed by a nurse meets all regulatory requirements, and a bookstore supplies curriculum materials and stationery. The ADEK report noted that the school "offers a wide range of high-quality resources to promote learning" as an explicit strength. Technology integration is active across classrooms, though the school's website and inspection data do not specify a 1:1 device programme at this stage.
120+
Computers on Campus
Across 3 ICT labs plus library; full internet connectivity
5,232
Library Books
Managed by dedicated librarian; FS2-Y6 visit twice weekly
3 ICT Labs, 120+ ComputersSTEAM Lab5,232-Book LibraryClimate-Controlled Sports HallRegulation Football Field2 Art Studios
Teaching & Learning Quality
Teaching quality at Al Maharat has been one of the most significant areas of improvement since the school's curriculum transition in 2022. The ADEK Irtiqa report rates teaching for effective learning as Good in KG and secondary, with primary rated Acceptable - an honest distinction that the school's leadership is actively working to close. Assessment is rated Good across all phases, which is a meaningful strength: it means that internal assessment processes are reliable, linked to attainment and progress data, and used to inform planning.
The school employs 20 teachers and 2 teaching assistants, supported by a broader staff of 37 across teaching and administration roles. Teacher nationalities span the UK, Australia, India, the Philippines, South Africa, Egypt, and beyond - a genuinely international team. The ADEK report specifically cited the significant reduction in teacher turnover following the establishment of a new leadership team in August 2022 as a key driver of the school's improvement. This is a critical data point for parents: teacher stability directly correlates with consistency of learning experience, and the fact that ADEK inspectors called it out as a causal factor in improvement is significant. Prior to 2022, high turnover was a structural weakness; the evidence suggests this has been substantively addressed.
The school's pedagogical approach is grounded in the High-Performance Learning (HPL) framework, which emphasises the development of advanced cognitive performance characteristics alongside subject knowledge. Teachers are expected to coach, challenge, and innovate - shifting from knowledge transmission to skills development. The ADEK report noted that teachers apply their subject knowledge effectively and that some are aware of individual student learning profiles, while recommending more consistent use of open-ended questioning and better differentiation for higher-attaining students. The school's teacher-to-student ratio of approximately 1:5 (20 teachers to 101 students) is exceptionally favourable by any standard and is a genuine structural advantage for personalised learning. Professional development is embedded through the HPL accreditation journey and the school's BSME membership, both of which carry ongoing CPD requirements.
1:5
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
20 teachers to 101 students - exceptionally favourable
Good
Assessment Rating (All Phases)
ADEK Irtiqa 2023 - assessment processes secure and data-linked
Good
Teaching Rating (KG & Secondary)
Primary rated Acceptable - identified area for improvement
Leadership & Management
Al Maharat's current leadership chapter began in earnest in August 2022 when a new Senior Leadership Team was established - a turning point that ADEK inspectors directly credited with driving the school's improvement from Acceptable to Good. The school is now led by Principal Ms. Christine Woods, who took up the role in April 2025. Ms. Woods brings significant UAE school leadership experience: she began her UAE career with Aldar Education in 2018, has worked with GEMS Education, and most recently served as Principal of The City School International in Sharjah from 2021. Her appointment represents continuity of the improvement trajectory rather than a reset.
The Senior Leadership Team includes Georgina Nel as Head of Inclusion, who has over seven years of experience establishing SEN, EAL, and inclusion departments in school leadership roles, and Doaa Shaban as Head of MOE subjects, who brings expertise in school operational leadership, coaching, and staff and student mindfulness. The ADEK inspection rated the effectiveness of leadership as Good and governance as Good, while identifying school self-evaluation and improvement planning as Acceptable - an honest signal that the internal quality assurance and strategic planning infrastructure is still maturing.
The school is owned and operated under the International Community Schools (ICS) network, which provides institutional backing, shared resources, and professional development infrastructure. The ICS core values - Integrity, Care, Excellence, and Respect - are embedded across the school's culture and communications. Parent communication is active through regular updates, open day events (with on-the-spot admissions available), and a school website that is maintained with current information. The ADEK report notes that the governing board's challenge and support functions need strengthening to enable the school to move forward - a recommendation that reflects the school's growth stage rather than a fundamental governance failure. The school's capacity is designed for 3,000 students at full build-out, and the current leadership team is managing an expansion from Year 9 to Year 11 with plans to reach Year 13.
ADEK Inspection Results (Irtiqa - Decoded)
Al Maharat's most recent ADEK Irtiqa inspection took place in June 2024 (reported under the 2023 inspection year), resulting in an overall Good rating - a significant upgrade from the previous Acceptable rating. This is not a marginal improvement: the school addressed all recommendations from its prior inspection and demonstrated measurable progress across multiple performance standards. The inspectors' summary was notably positive, describing the school as having made "substantial progress" and demonstrating "a commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in education."
Breaking down the inspection findings: Students' personal and social development is rated Good across all phases - a genuine strength. Health, safety, and safeguarding achieved a Very Good rating across all phases, the school's highest domain score. Teaching and assessment moved from Acceptable to Good, with assessment rated Good across all phases. Curriculum design and implementation is Good across KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2. Leadership and management is Good overall, with governance also rated Good.
The areas where the school has further to travel are clear. Attainment in English-medium subjects (English, mathematics, science) sits at Acceptable in primary and secondary, though progress - which measures how much students improve relative to their starting points - is Good in KG and secondary. Arabic-medium subjects (Arabic first language, Arabic second language, Islamic Education, UAE Social Studies) remain at Acceptable for attainment across most phases. The inspectors' key recommendations focus on deepening critical thinking and independent learning, improving differentiation for higher-attaining students, strengthening community engagement, and developing middle leadership capacity. These are the markers parents should track in the next inspection cycle to assess whether the school's upward trajectory is being sustained.
Very Good Safeguarding
Health, safety, and child protection rated Very Good across all phases - the school's highest domain score and a genuine differentiator in Abu Dhabi's private school landscape.
Strong Student Development
Personal and social development, understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture, and social responsibility/innovation skills all rated Good across KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2.
Reliable Assessment Processes
Assessment rated Good across all phases - internal processes are secure, data-linked, and used to inform attainment and progress tracking for individual students and groups.
Primary Attainment in Core Subjects
Attainment in English, mathematics, and science remains Acceptable in Cycle 1 (primary), with inspectors recommending better differentiation for higher attainers, more open-ended questioning, and stronger connections across learning areas.
Middle Leadership & Self-Evaluation
School self-evaluation and improvement planning is rated Acceptable; inspectors recommend strengthening middle leadership development and elevating governing board challenge and support to enable continued school expansion.
Inspection History
2023
Good
Previous cycle
Acceptable
Fees & Value for Money
Al Maharat Private School offers the English National Curriculum from FS1 through to Year 11, with tuition fees for the 2025–2026 academic year ranging from AED 20,110 for Preschool and FS2 up to AED 31,260 for Year 10. As a member of the International Community Schools (ICS) network, the school delivers a British education in Abu Dhabi, positioning its fees competitively within the mid-range private British curriculum sector in the UAE.
AED 20,110
Annual Fees From
AED 31,260
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
Preschool (Ages 3-4)
AED 20,110FS2
AED 20,110Year 1
AED 22,190Year 2
AED 22,190Year 3
AED 24,380Year 4
AED 24,380Year 5
AED 26,880Year 6
AED 26,880Year 7
AED 28,130Year 8
AED 28,130Year 9
AED 29,180Year 10
AED 31,260Annual tuition fees increase progressively across year groups, reflecting the increasing complexity and resources required at each stage of education. Foundation Stage fees start at AED 20,110, Primary fees range from AED 22,190 to AED 26,880, and Secondary fees range from AED 28,130 to AED 31,260. A school bus service is available for most year groups at an additional AED 5,000 per year, and a uniform cost of AED 434 applies to most year groups from FS2 onwards.
The fee structure does not include book costs based on the available data, suggesting these may be included within tuition or advised separately upon enrolment. Families considering Al Maharat Private School should factor in the additional costs of transport and uniform when budgeting for the full annual cost of attendance.
Additional Costs
Bus (School Transport)5,000(annual)
Uniform434(annual)
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
Al Maharat Private School is a school in confident, evidence-backed ascent. The ADEK Irtiqa improvement from Acceptable to Good, the curriculum transition to British and Cambridge frameworks, the BSME accreditation, the HPL designation, and the stabilisation of leadership and teaching staff all point in the same direction: this is a school that has done the hard structural work and is now building on a credible foundation. The intimate scale - approximately 101 students across FS1 to Year 10 - is not a weakness to be apologised for; it is a genuine differentiator that delivers a teacher-to-student ratio of around 1:5 and a community feel that larger schools cannot replicate. For families in Shakhbout City and the surrounding Abu Dhabi southern districts, Al Maharat offers a British-curriculum education at a price point that is genuinely accessible without sacrificing regulatory standing or institutional credibility.
The honest limitations are equally clear. Primary attainment in English, mathematics, and science remains at the Acceptable level per the most recent ADEK inspection, and Arabic-medium subjects are Acceptable across the board. The school does not yet offer sixth form, meaning families planning for IGCSE and A-Level continuity will face a school transition. Self-evaluation and improvement planning infrastructure is still maturing. These are not disqualifying factors, but they are relevant to families with high academic expectations or those who need a through-school solution to Year 13.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
Families living in or near Shakhbout City who want a genuine British and Cambridge-pathway education within a nurturing, small-community environment at an accessible fee level - particularly those with younger children in Foundation Stage or lower primary who will benefit from the school's improving trajectory.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families seeking a school with a proven track record of high IGCSE or A-Level results, those requiring a through-school solution to Year 13 without a school transition, or parents whose primary priority is strong Arabic-language development, where attainment currently sits at Acceptable.
“
We chose Al Maharat because we wanted our children to be known as individuals, not just faces in a large cohort. Two years in, that's exactly what we got - and the improvement in the school year on year has been visible and real.
— Year 6 Parent
Strengths
- Exceptional teacher-to-student ratio of approximately 1:5 across the school
- ADEK Good rating upgraded from Acceptable - clear upward trajectory
- Very Good safeguarding rating - highest score in the inspection
- Cambridge International Education and BSME accreditation provide genuine credibility
- High-Performance Learning (HPL) accreditation supports growth mindset pedagogy
- Fees among the most accessible for British-curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi
- Small, community-centred environment with strong parental engagement
- Robust reading programme: RWI phonics, VIPERS methodology, 5,232-book library
Areas for Improvement
- Primary attainment in English, mathematics, and science remains Acceptable per ADEK 2023
- Arabic-medium subjects (Arabic, Islamic Education, UAE Social Studies) rated Acceptable across phases
- No sixth form currently - families will need to transition schools for IGCSE and A-Level years
- School self-evaluation and improvement planning rated Acceptable - governance still maturing
- Small enrolment limits breadth of ECA and competitive sports programme