Al Shurooq Private School, Dubai

Principal Suzan Tawfiq Mohammad Khashan has led Al Shurooq Private School since 18 January 2021, bringing a period of relative stability to a school that has served the Jumeirah community since 1986. She is supported by Vice Principal Ahmad Yahya Sediek, with governance overseen by a Board chaired by Ms. Fadwa Hattab and co-chaired by Mr. Ali Hattab, alongside four additional board members. The school operates as an independent institution, with no external operator group.

The 2023–2024 KHDA inspection rated leadership effectiveness as Good — a meaningful step forward from the school's prolonged run of Acceptable ratings between 2013 and 2020. Inspectors noted that the principal and her team are committed to academic success, wellbeing and inclusive learning, with clear roles and responsibilities across the leadership structure. Communication within the school is described as positive and staff morale as high. However, the inspection identified a clear area for development: governance was rated Acceptable, with inspectors recommending that the governing board be empowered to serve more effectively as critical friends, actively challenging and supporting school leaders rather than playing a primarily administrative role. Strengthening middle leadership capacity was also flagged as a priority.

Al Shurooq employs 114 teachers across its KG-to-Grade-12 programme, serving 1,948 students, producing a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:17. This is notably higher than the Dubai-wide average of 1:13.6 across 204 schools with available data, and sits at the upper end among UAE Ministry of Education curriculum schools in the city. The school has just one teaching assistant — a figure that warrants attention given that 127 students of determination are enrolled, representing a meaningful inclusion commitment. The inspection rated teaching for effective learning as Good across all cycles, noting steady improvement in planning and questioning techniques, though teacher-led activities were observed to limit students' independent responsibility for learning.

Parent and community engagement is a genuine strength. The inspection awarded this dimension a rating of Very Good — the highest sub-rating in the leadership section — describing the school as highly successful at engaging parents in their children's learning. Periodic surveys of students and teaching staff further support a culture of responsiveness. The school's wellbeing provision was rated Good overall, with a practical vision delegated to a knowledgeable school counsellor, though inspectors noted that the wellbeing vision is not yet widely shared or consistently understood across the community. [MISSING: staff qualification data — percentage holding postgraduate or specialist qualifications not available in inspection or school sources] [MISSING: staff retention or turnover data — no commentary provided in inspection report or school materials]