Arcadia Global School
Curriculum
British
Location
Dubai, Al Furjan
Fees
AED 51K - 82K
Arcadia Global School
The Executive Summary
Arcadia Global School Dubai is one of the most compelling new school openings in the UAE in recent years - a genuinely ambitious project that has grown from 800 students at its September 2023 launch to over 2,256 enrolled students by January 2026. Operated by Arcadia Education (part of the Al Shirawi Group) and located in Al Furjan, the school delivers the National Curriculum for England, beginning with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and currently extending through to Year 9, with Year 10 set to open in September 2026. What distinguishes Arcadia Global School from the crowded field of Al Furjan schools is its deliberate positioning as a premium-quality British education provider at a more accessible price point than its sister school in Jumeirah Village Triangle. The school fees Dubai families pay here - ranging from approximately AED 50,765 (FS1) to AED 84,548 (Year 12/13 future) at discounted rates - represent genuine value against comparable British curriculum peers. The school has not yet received a formal KHDA rating, as DSIB inspection data is still pending for this relatively new institution, which is an important caveat for families who rely on regulatory benchmarks. However, the school's rapid growth, its Apple Distinguished School status, its ACE accreditation, and its integration of the proprietary Junior MBA programme signal a school that is building its identity with real conviction.
Apple Distinguished SchoolJunior MBA ProgrammeACE Accredited2,256 Students EnrolledBritish Curriculum Al Furjan
“The school has grown incredibly fast but the community feel has not been lost. My children feel known and valued, and the facilities are genuinely impressive for the fees we pay.”
— Year 4 Parent, Al Furjan(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
Arcadia Global School follows the National Curriculum for England, starting with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for FS1 and FS2 and progressing through Key Stage 1, 2, and now Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9). The school is on a clear trajectory to offer Key Stage 4 (IGCSEs and BTEC Level 2) from September 2026, with A Level and BTEC Level 3 qualifications planned for Sixth Form thereafter. This phased expansion is a structural reality parents must factor in: families enrolling a Year 7 student today will not have a complete secondary pathway available at the school until the mid-2020s. That said, the curriculum architecture already in place is thoughtfully constructed. Primary students in Years 1 to 6 receive a weekly STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Maths) lesson alongside Digital Innovation sessions, delivered in two bespoke labs. The religious element is handled through Moral Education and Social Studies, an approach that is inclusive across the school's highly diverse student body of 78 nationalities. The school's Junior MBA programme - a trademarked Arcadia initiative - runs from Years 1 to 6, focusing on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and commerce. In Key Stage 3, this transitions into the Senior MBA, with a specific emphasis on Fintech. This is not a cosmetic add-on: it is embedded in the weekly timetable and reflects the school's stated mission to develop future leaders and entrepreneurs. Secondary students in Years 7 to 9 study a broad range of subjects including Mathematics, English Language and Literature, Integrated Science (with separate Biology, Physics and Chemistry from Year 9), Computer Science, Digital Skills, Design and Technology, Modern Foreign Languages (Arabic and French), Physical Education (including weekly swimming), Geography, History, Islamic Studies, UAE Social Studies, Art, Drama and Music. A newly fitted Food Technology lab with 31 hobs serves all Key Stage 3 students for Food and Nutrition lessons. The school's four core learning skills framework - Communicating, Collaborating, Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking - underpins pedagogy from Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 3. Homework in Foundation Stage and Primary is deliberately optional, delivered via Seesaw as a weekly Learning Menu. In Secondary, homework is more structured: up to two hours per week in core subjects, with AI-assisted marking providing real-time feedback to students. The inclusion framework is notably robust for a school of this age. A specialist inclusion team of 23 staff supports approximately 150 students with additional learning needs, 78 English Language Learners, and 90 identified Gifted and Talented students. University and career counselling begins from Year 7, which is an unusually early and commendable commitment for a school that does not yet offer Sixth Form. Since the school has not yet sat external examinations, no GCSE or A Level results data is available. Parents should weigh the school's strong programme design against the absence of published outcomes data.
23
Specialist Inclusion Staff
Supporting ~150 students with additional learning needs
78
Nationalities in Student Body
Highly diverse international community
31
Hob Food Technology Lab
Fully fitted for whole-class Food and Nutrition lessons, Years 7-9
FS1 - Year 9
Current Year Groups Offered
Year 10 opening September 2026; Sixth Form to follow
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
Arcadia Global School has built an extracurricular programme that punches well above its age. The school promotes 51 diverse skill-based activities in its extracurricular offering, designed explicitly to complement and enhance curricular performance rather than exist as a parallel sideshow. One complimentary teacher-led After-School Activity (ASA) is included in the annual fee for students in Year 3 and above, which represents a meaningful financial inclusion that reduces the total cost of participation for families. The Sports Academy is a central pillar of the ECA offering, with cricket receiving particular institutional focus. The school has established a Cricket Academy in partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), offering free cricket lessons for girls and links with UAE National players and coaches. Given that approximately two-thirds of the student body come from cricket-loving countries, this is a culturally resonant and strategically smart investment. Weekly swimming lessons are provided for all students from FS1 onwards, using either the 85cm training pool or the semi-Olympic pool on site. The performing arts programme is a genuine standout. The school's 1,100-seat auditorium with a 14-metre LED screen, a Black Box theatre, dedicated Drama rooms, and three Music suites create infrastructure that most schools three times Arcadia Global's age would envy. The Arcadia Music Academy and Arcadia Performing Arts operate as dedicated entities, signalling serious institutional commitment to the arts. The Junior Dukes programme for primary students and the full Duke of Edinburgh International Award for secondary students provide structured enrichment and character development pathways. The school's Organic Farm - tended by the school community and producing food shared with support staff and used in Food and Nutrition classes - is a distinctive community-building initiative that sets Arcadia Global apart from more conventional school models. The school's House system provides competitive and community structure, with students rewarded weekly for demonstrating school values.
51
Skill-Based ECA Activities
Designed to enhance curricular performance
Cricket Academy with ECB1,100-Seat AuditoriumDuke of Edinburgh AwardArcadia Organic FarmSemi-Olympic Swimming Pool
Pastoral Care & Well-being
Pastoral care at Arcadia Global School is structured around a clear set of institutional values: Altruism, Respect, Compassion, Aspiration, Determination, Integrity and Adventure. These are not decorative - the school's House system actively rewards students on a weekly basis for demonstrating these values in practice, creating a culture where character is treated as a measurable outcome alongside academic performance. In January 2026, the school achieved accreditation from the Association of Character Education (ACE), a meaningful external validation of its whole-school approach to nurturing resilience, integrity, empathy and perseverance. The inclusion team includes two dedicated counsellors, and the school operates a dedicated Arcadia Wellbeing platform accessible via its website, signalling that mental health support is treated as a formal function rather than an afterthought. Safeguarding is prominently featured on the school's homepage, with a direct link to the Safer Recruitment Policy - a transparency that reassures prospective parents. The FS After School Care Club is a practical pastoral provision that addresses the real logistical needs of working families. The school's student leadership structures are embedded through the House system, with students given voice and agency in the school community. The Governors' Community Committee and the Arcadia Development Board indicate a governance model that actively involves parents and community stakeholders in school life. For a school that opened in 2023 and has grown to over 2,250 students in under three years, maintaining genuine pastoral intimacy at scale is the central challenge. The early evidence - ACE accreditation, dual counsellors, a dedicated wellbeing platform - suggests the school is investing in the right structures.
“The teachers genuinely know my child by name and the House system creates a real sense of belonging. For a school this size, that is not something I took for granted.”
— Year 2 Parent, Al Furjan(representative)Campus & Facilities
Arcadia Global School occupies a purpose-built campus in Al Furjan, strategically located adjacent to a Dubai Metro station - a genuine differentiator in a city where school commutes can consume significant family time and cost. The school's stated space allocation of 15.1 sq ft per student is a meaningful metric in a market where campus density varies widely. The campus is structured across two primary buildings: the original FS and Primary building, which houses the Foundation Stage section in a dedicated rear zone with its own play area, and the newer Secondary building, which opened in time for the 2025-26 academic year. Between the two buildings lies a substantial outdoor sports field, used for a full range of sports and the school's popular Sports Day. The facility highlights are genuinely impressive for a school at this fee level. The 1,100-seat auditorium with a 14-metre LED screen is a landmark facility. A Black Box theatre, dedicated Drama rooms, and three Music suites support the performing arts programme. Science facilities include dedicated Biology, Physics and Chemistry laboratories in the Secondary building. A Food Technology lab with 31 hobs is fully operational. Two bespoke STREAM and Digital Innovation labs serve the Primary school. The ICT lab for secondary students supports the computer science and digital skills curriculum. The school operates two swimming pools: an 85cm training pool and a semi-Olympic pool, with weekly lessons included for all students from FS1. An Organic Farm on site is a distinctive addition. The campus also features a new canteen for secondary students. Technology infrastructure reflects the school's Apple Distinguished School status: shared iPad trolleys serve FS1 to Year 2, a Bring Your Own Device policy applies from Years 3 to 6 (iPad required), and from Year 7 students are required to bring a Windows laptop. The school's location in Al Furjan places it within easy reach of Discovery Gardens, Jumeirah Village Circle, and the wider Dubai South corridor - a rapidly growing residential belt that continues to attract young families.
15.1 sq ft
Space Per Student
As stated on the school's official website
1,100
Seat Auditorium Capacity
Features a 14-metre LED screen
Metro-Adjacent Campus1,100-Seat AuditoriumSemi-Olympic Swimming PoolApple Distinguished SchoolOrganic Farm On-SiteDual-Building Campus
Teaching & Learning Quality
By the start of the 2025-26 academic year, Arcadia Global School had grown its teaching strength to 133 teachers, supported by 48 teaching assistants and a 23-strong inclusion team. The overall teacher-to-student ratio is 1:17, which is broadly in line with mid-range British curriculum schools in Dubai, though the school's own homepage cites a 1:12 ratio - a figure that may reflect a specific phase or include teaching assistants in the calculation. Parents should seek clarification on the precise ratio for their child's year group. Teaching assistants are deployed from FS1 through to Year 2, providing meaningful additional support in the early years. Teacher nationality is diverse: approximately 21% of teachers hold native English-speaking nationalities, with 15% from the UK and 6% from Ireland. The remaining cohort is drawn from India (39%), the Philippines (25%), and Egypt (15%). All non-Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers are trained and experienced in the National Curriculum for England. Those recruited from outside the UAE bring an average of three years' experience; those recruited from within the UAE bring an average of five years' experience. This is a credible and transparent profile. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is described as a strong institutional feature and is cited as a key driver of staff retention - a meaningful signal in a market where teacher turnover is a perennial concern. The school's pedagogical approach centres on the four Cs - Communicating, Collaborating, Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking - which are embedded across all phases. Technology integration is systematic: AI-assisted homework marking in Secondary, Seesaw-based learning menus in Primary, and a structured device policy that evolves with student age. The school's ACE accreditation in January 2026 adds an external quality marker for character and values-based education. The absence of published inspection data from KHDA means there is no independent third-party assessment of teaching quality available at the time of writing - a gap that will be addressed once the school undergoes its first DSIB inspection.
133
Teaching Staff
As of the start of the 2025-26 academic year
1:17
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Broadly in line with mid-range British curriculum peers
21%
Native English-Speaking Teachers
15% UK, 6% Irish; all NCE trained and experienced
Leadership & Management
Arcadia Global School is led by Mr Andrew Wilson as Founding Principal, who joined the school a full year before its September 2023 opening - a deliberate choice that gave him direct involvement in shaping the campus, curriculum, and culture from the ground up. Mr Wilson brings highly relevant experience: he served as Vice Principal of GEMS Westminster School Sharjah for nine years, a school that achieved a Good rating in its SPEA inspection - directly comparable to the regulatory environment at Arcadia Global. He also spent two years as Assistant Principal at GEMS Jumeirah College, which holds an Outstanding KHDA rating. He is supported by a structured leadership team: Ms Holly Simpson serves as Vice Principal for Foundation and Primary, Philip Stainton as Vice Principal for Secondary, Ms Stacey Knox as Assistant Principal for Student Success and Wellbeing, and Mrs Beth Hodgkinson as Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning. This is a well-constructed senior team for a school of this scale and ambition. The school is owned by Arcadia Education, part of the Al Shirawi Group, chaired by Mr Mohan Valrani - a well-known Dubai entrepreneur and philanthropist whose stated vision is to provide accessible, high-quality British education to the widest possible community. The campus's proximity to the Dubai Metro is a direct expression of this philosophy. Governance is structured around a Board of Governors, an Arcadia Development Board, and an Arcadia Governors' Community Committee - a layered model that formally involves community voices in school direction. Parent communication channels include the school's dedicated admissions and principal contact portals, the Executive Principal vlogs, and a regular newsletter. The school's transparency around fees, policies, and safeguarding on its public website is notably strong.
Fees & Value for Money
Arcadia Global School (Arcadia British School) offers a UK National Curriculum education in Dubai, with tuition fees for the 2025–2026 academic year ranging from AED 50,765 (FS1, after a 25% discount) to AED 81,732 (Years 10–11, after a 13% discount). The school's KHDA-approved fees are subject to significant discounts across all year groups, making the effective fees considerably lower than the headline approved rates. Notably, Year 12 and Year 13 students benefit from a substantial 32.98% discount, bringing fees down to AED 64,481 per year.
AED 50,765
Annual Fees From
AED 81,732
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
FS1
AED 50,765FS2
AED 57,534Year 1
AED 66,163Year 2
AED 68,109Year 3
AED 71,612Year 4
AED 71,612Year 5
AED 71,612Year 6
AED 71,612Year 7
AED 78,749Year 8
AED 79,577Year 9
AED 79,577Year 10
AED 81,732Year 11
AED 81,732Year 12
AED 64,481Year 13
AED 64,481The annual tuition fee is inclusive of several valuable benefits: one complimentary teacher-led After-School Activity (ASA) for students in Year 3 and above, textbooks (equivalent to AED 1,500 in value), and a house shirt. Additional costs not covered by tuition include field trips, school lunches, transport, Arcadia branded items, an Apple iPad and Pencil (mandatory from Year 3 upwards), school uniform and PE uniform, and external qualification registration and examination fees.
Arcadia offers flexible payment options, allowing fees to be paid in three termly instalments or spread across ten equal monthly instalments (September to June) via automatic bank debit or post-dated cheques. A sibling discount structure is in place, and the school also offers scholarships. New admissions require a non-refundable application fee of AED 525, plus an admission deposit (AED 5,000 for Primary, AED 6,000 for Secondary, or AED 7,500 for new year admissions), which is adjusted against the first term's fees.
Additional Costs
•Application fee (non-refundable, non-transferable): AED 525
New Year Admission Deposit
AED 7,500 (adjusted against first term fees)
Primary Admission Deposit
AED 5,000 (adjusted against first term fees)
Secondary Admission Deposit
AED 6,000 (adjusted against first term fees)
Re-registration Deposit (existing students)
AED 3,000
•Apple iPad and Apple Pencil (mandatory from Year 3 upwards)
•School uniform and PE uniform
•Field trips and excursions
•School lunches
•School bus transport
•Arcadia branded items
•External qualification registration and examination fees
Discounts & Concessions
1st sibling
5% discount
2nd and subsequent siblings
10% discount
FS1 (2025-26)
25% discount on KHDA approved fees
FS2 (2025-26)
15% discount on KHDA approved fees
Year 1 (2025-26)
15% discount on KHDA approved fees
Year 2 (2025-26)
12.5% discount on KHDA approved fees
Years 3–6 (2025-26)
8% discount on KHDA approved fees
Year 7 (2025-26)
5% discount on KHDA approved fees
Years 8–9 (2025-26)
10% discount on KHDA approved fees
Years 10–11 (2025-26)
13% discount on KHDA approved fees
Years 12–13 (2025-26)
32.98% discount on KHDA approved fees
Payment Terms
•Three termly instalments
•Ten equal monthly instalments (September to June) via automatic bank debit or 10 post-dated cheques
Scholarships & Bursaries
Scholarships available — see school website for details
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
Arcadia Global School is a school for families who want genuine British curriculum quality - strong facilities, a rich ECA programme, a values-driven culture - without paying the premium commanded by the top tier of Dubai's international school market. It is particularly well-suited to families living in or near the Al Furjan, Discovery Gardens, Jumeirah Village Circle corridor who value the metro-adjacent location and the practical flexibility it provides. The school's Junior MBA programme, its cricket focus, its performing arts infrastructure, and its ACE-accredited character education framework give it a distinctive identity that goes beyond a generic British curriculum offer. For families with multiple children, the sibling discount structure and the inclusive ASA offering make the total cost of attendance meaningfully more competitive. The school is not, however, the right choice for families who require an established KHDA inspection rating as a non-negotiable baseline. The absence of DSIB data is a real gap. Nor is it suitable for families with children currently in Year 10 or above who need an immediate and complete secondary pathway - the school will not offer IGCSE examinations until 2026 and Sixth Form thereafter. Families who prioritise small class sizes and an intimate school environment may also find the scale - planned capacity of 4,250 students - challenging, even if the pastoral structures are designed to mitigate this. On balance, Arcadia Global School is one of the most compelling new school propositions in Dubai's mid-range segment, and its first DSIB inspection result will be the defining moment in establishing whether its ambition has been matched by measurable outcomes.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
Families in the Al Furjan and Discovery Gardens corridor seeking premium British curriculum facilities and a rich character-education programme at mid-range fees, particularly those with multiple children who benefit from sibling discounts.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families who require an established KHDA inspection rating, those with children in Year 10 or above needing an immediate full secondary pathway, or parents who prioritise a smaller, more intimate school environment.
“
We chose Arcadia Global because of the facilities, the location near the Metro, and the sense that the school has a real vision. It is still growing, but that energy is exciting rather than unsettling.
— Year 7 Parent, Al Furjan
Strengths
- Metro-adjacent campus in Al Furjan - genuinely rare and practical
- 1,100-seat auditorium and semi-Olympic pool at mid-range fees
- Proprietary Junior MBA programme embedded from Year 1
- Apple Distinguished School with structured device policy
- ACE character education accreditation achieved January 2026
- Sibling discounts remain constant throughout family tenure
- 51 ECAs with one ASA included in annual fee from Year 3
- Rapid growth to 2,256 students signals strong parent confidence
Areas for Improvement
- No KHDA/DSIB inspection rating available - significant data gap for benchmarking families
- Secondary pathway incomplete: IGCSE not available until 2026, Sixth Form later still
- Planned capacity of 4,250 students raises questions about intimacy at scale
- Discount structure being progressively reduced in 2026-27, meaning fee increases for some year groups
- Teacher nationality profile skews heavily non-UK (only 15% British) which may matter to some families