Dubai Heights Academy
British School in Al Barsha South, Dubai
Last updated
Curriculum
British
KHDA
Very Good
Location
Dubai, Al Barsha South
Fees
AED 49K - 97K
The Executive Summary
Dubai Heights Academy is one of the most distinctive propositions among Al Barsha South schools - a KHDA-rated Very Good British curriculum school that has carved out a genuinely differentiated identity in a crowded Dubai education market. Founded in 2017 and following the National Curriculum for England, DHA combines deliberately small class sizes (average 22 students, teacher-to-student ratio of 1:9) with headline partnerships - an exclusive AI curriculum developed with MIT and a golf programme run through the Tommy Fleetwood Academy - that you will not find replicated elsewhere in the emirate. The school's ethos, 'Every Child, Every Mind, and Everybody Matters,' is not marketing copy: DSIB inspectors rated personal development Outstanding across all phases and wellbeing provision Outstanding, placing DHA among a small group of Dubai private schools where pastoral excellence is genuinely inspected and verified. School fees Dubai parents will note that discounted fees range from AED 48,688 to AED 96,880, making this one of the most affordable KHDA Very Good-rated schools available, though the gap between discounted and KHDA-approved rates (AED 48,688 to AED 96,880) is a conversation worth having with the admissions team before signing.
The school is best suited to families who prioritise community feel, genuine inclusion, and innovative curriculum enrichment over league-table prestige and large-school facilities breadth. With 96 nationalities represented and 29 students of determination supported by a dedicated inclusion team including occupational and speech and language therapists on site, DHA is a rare school that genuinely means it when it says inclusion. The honest weakness is one of scale and trajectory: at the time of the last DSIB inspection the school had 336 students, and while rapid growth to approximately 660 by early 2025 is encouraging, the secondary and sixth form phases (Year 12 opened September 2025, Year 13 follows 2026-27) are still maturing. GCSE and A-Level results data are not yet publicly available at meaningful volume. Parents seeking a school with a decade of proven examination outcomes and a fully established sixth form should look elsewhere for now - but families willing to grow with an ambitious, well-led school will find DHA's value proposition genuinely compelling.
KHDA Very Good 2024MIT AI CurriculumOutstanding WellbeingBSO AccreditedFees from AED 48,688
See how Dubai Heights Academy compares across all 105 British schools in our Best British Schools in Dubai 2026 guide.
“They see children as individuals here. It is so welcoming - light and bright in appearance and everything else.”
— Primary Phase Parent(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
Dubai Heights Academy follows the National Curriculum for England from FS1 through to Year 13, delivering a structured British curriculum framework that DSIB inspectors confirmed is fully aligned with the school's vision, UAE national priorities, and NCfE standards. In the Foundation Stage, the school adopts the EYFS Development Matters framework, delivered thematically so children apply knowledge to real-life contexts through exploratory, hands-on play. Teaching in FS was rated Very Good by DSIB inspectors, with the report noting it as excellent in practice - the strongest phase in the school.
In Primary, core subjects - Literacy, Mathematics and Science - are supplemented by Geography, History, Design Technology, Art, PSHE, Computing, French, Arabic, and UAE Social Studies and Moral Education from Years 1 to 6. Computing is taught as a discrete subject from Year 1. The school's partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) enables an AI curriculum strand that is unique outside the United States, with robotics integrated into learning across phases. A Bring Your Own Device programme operates from Year 3 using Chromebooks, with tablet access available from FS1.
The Secondary curriculum (Years 7 to 9) covers English, Mathematics, Science, Arabic, Art and Design, Computing, Design and Technology, French, Geography, History, Moral Social and Cultural Studies, Music and Performing Arts, PE, Swimming, PSHE, Global Perspectives and Islamic Studies. Years 10 and 11 follow Key Stage 4, with GCSEs and IGCSEs offered through Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International examination boards. Optional subjects include Art and Design, Business Studies, Computer Science, Drama, Economics, French, Geography, History, Music, Psychology, and Triple Science, among others. The ASDAN curriculum is offered for students of determination who cannot access the full Key Stage 4 programme - a meaningful and rare provision in Dubai.
The Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13) launched in September 2025, offering two pathways: a Traditional A-Level pathway across 27 subject options including Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, and Psychology; and a Vocational BTEC pathway covering Art and Design, Business, Information Technology, Marketing and Sport. University guidance, work experience and industry partnerships are embedded in the Sixth Form offer through the Altumuh Sixth Form programme. UCAS support is confirmed by the school's listed affiliations.
Academically, DSIB data from the 2023-24 inspection shows Very Good progress in English, Mathematics and Science across all phases - a consistent and impressive finding. Science attainment is rated Very Good across Foundation Stage, Primary and Secondary, making it the strongest academic subject in the school. English attainment is Very Good in FS and Good in Primary and Secondary; Mathematics attainment is Good across all phases. The honest gap is in Arabic and Islamic Education, where attainment is Acceptable across Primary and Secondary - an area the school acknowledges and is actively addressing. Extended writing skills are flagged by inspectors as underdeveloped across phases, and independent problem-solving opportunities in Mathematics remain inconsistent. For a school positioning itself as academically ambitious, these are real development areas to watch.
The school's library is described by DSIB inspectors as exceptionally well stocked and used, and is credited as a key driver of the school's reading culture. A structured phonics programme ensures strong early reading foundations. Assessment practices align with external benchmarks, and data-driven curriculum adaptation is a noted strength.
Very Good
DSIB Progress Rating - English, Maths, Science
Consistent across all three phases: FS, Primary, Secondary (2023-24)
Very Good
Science Attainment - All Phases
Strongest academic subject; FS, Primary and Secondary all rated Very Good
27
A-Level Subject Options (Sixth Form)
Plus BTEC Level 3 vocational pathway from September 2025
GCSE + ASDAN
External Examinations Offered
Via Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International boards
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
Dubai Heights Academy offers a varied ECA programme running Monday to Friday across all year groups. Activities are split between free, staff-led clubs and paid programmes delivered by external providers - a transparent and practical model that gives families genuine choice without mandatory additional spend.
Free, school-led activities include Arabic Fun, Arabic Calligraphy, Lego Mania, Mindfulness and Yoga, Cool Coders, Debating Club, Drama Club, Youth Theatre, Funky Fingers, Bookaholics, Comic Book Club, Fantastic French, Drawing for Fun, Crafts from Drafts, Sensory Play, Digital Artists and Construction, as well as invitational sports squads. Paid activities - delivered in partnership with ISM Sports - include Ballet, Football, Tennis, Basketball, Karate, Gymnastics, Multi Sports Club and Robotics.
The school's partnership with the Tommy Fleetwood Academy adds a genuinely unique dimension: a structured golf programme that gives students access to professional coaching and a sport rarely integrated into a school's core enrichment offer in Dubai. This is the kind of differentiator that resonates with families looking for breadth beyond the standard football-and-swimming menu.
Performing arts are well embedded: Drama Club and Youth Theatre are active, and all children from FS1 receive weekly music lessons. A peripatetic music programme provides individual instrument tuition. LAMDA is listed among the school's affiliations, indicating drama examinations are available to interested students.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme is listed among the school's partnerships, providing a recognised enrichment pathway for older students. Educational visits include local destinations such as Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, with international residential trips to Azerbaijan for skiing (Years 5 and 6) and Sri Lanka for secondary students. A 1 or 2 hour Multi-Activities After School Club for students from FS1 to Year 11 is offered in partnership with ISM Sports, providing a practical solution for families managing multiple sibling pickups.
The House system - White Wolves, Green Gazelles, Red Falcons and Black Scorpions, colours inspired by the UAE national flag - adds a competitive and community dimension to school life, with inter-house sports events and house points embedded throughout the school day. DSIB inspectors noted that students engage in community service and charitable activities including local fundraising, and senior students take on mentoring roles through reading programmes. Social responsibility and innovation skills are rated Good across all phases.
20+
Free Staff-Led ECA Clubs
Monday to Friday, no additional cost to families
Tommy Fleetwood Golf AcademyDuke of Edinburgh AwardLAMDA Drama ExamsMIT Robotics ClubISM Sports PartnershipInternational Ski Trip
Pastoral Care & Well-being
Pastoral care is not a peripheral feature at Dubai Heights Academy - it is structurally central to the school's identity and has been independently verified as such. DSIB inspectors rated Care and Support Outstanding across all three phases (Foundation Stage, Primary and Secondary) in the 2023-24 inspection, and the school's overall wellbeing provision was rated Outstanding - the highest possible KHDA rating in this domain.
The school was the first in the UAE to implement the 'My Happy Mind' wellbeing curriculum for all students from FS to Year 6. My Happy Mind is an evidence-based programme supported by the NHS in the UK, designed to build resilience, emotional intelligence and wellbeing skills in students, staff and parents. This is not a bolt-on initiative - it is embedded in the school's weekly timetable and culture.
Safeguarding and child protection measures are described by DSIB as thorough, with rigorous risk assessments and cyber-security protocols in place. Student supervision in school and on transport is rated as very efficiently managed, and premises are maintained to very high standards of hygiene and security. The school's health team is specifically commended for providing sensitive care, health checks and promotion of healthy eating.
The House system (White Wolves, Green Gazelles, Red Falcons and Black Scorpions) provides a structured community framework within which students develop identity and belonging beyond their year group. Senior students take on formal mentoring roles, particularly through reading programmes designed to support younger pupils - a peer-led model that DSIB inspectors highlighted as a strength of personal development.
A single guidance counsellor is listed in DSIB data - a ratio that, for a school of 336 students (growing to 660), is worth parents noting. Mental health support is supplemented by the on-site inclusion team, which includes an MbodE Specialist focusing on gross motor skills and concentration, an Occupational Therapist and a Speech and Language Therapist available twice weekly. The school conducts frequent surveys of teachers, students and parents, and the leadership team is noted by inspectors for its genuine responsiveness to stakeholder feedback. An open-door policy is actively maintained by teachers across all year groups.
“He is so much happier now. We had wanted a smaller school, somewhere happy and relaxed. That is what we got.”
— Primary Phase Parent (child transferred from another school)(representative)Campus & Facilities
Dubai Heights Academy occupies a purpose-built campus in Al Barsha South, one of Dubai's most accessible and family-oriented residential communities, with strong road links to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and proximity to established residential developments. The campus design is notable - described by visitors as having a 'hyper-attention to detail' that sets it apart from the functional architecture of many newer Dubai schools.
The Foundation Stage building features near-oval shaped classrooms with large windows opening onto multiple outdoor play areas, with classrooms encircling grassy spaces - a design philosophy that keeps young children connected to outdoor learning throughout the day. Critically, the youngest children have access to an indoor swimming pool, ensuring year-round swimming provision regardless of Dubai's extreme summer temperatures. This is a thoughtful and relatively rare provision for early years students.
A brand-new purpose-built secondary building opened in summer 2025 ahead of the 2025-26 academic year, housing specialist secondary facilities including science laboratories, design and technology workshops, and subject-specific learning spaces. The school's current capacity is 940, with a final planned capacity of 1,800 - meaning that current students benefit from an unusually spacious environment relative to the infrastructure that exists.
Throughout the school, students have access to small group areas and breakout spaces for work outside the main classroom. A sweeping staircase leads to a well-equipped auditorium suitable for performances and whole-school events. The ground floor houses a dedicated suite of rooms for therapy and inclusive education support - a Snoezelen room, Fun Junction Sensory room, and therapy support classrooms that together form the Enrichment Zone.
Technology infrastructure is strong: a Bring Your Own Device programme operates from Year 3 (Chromebooks), with school devices available for younger students. The MIT partnership has brought robotics equipment into the curriculum. The school's library is specifically commended by DSIB inspectors as exceptionally well stocked. A bright ICT lab supports computing as a discrete subject from Year 1.
On the practical side, parents have noted that car parking arrangements have historically been a challenge - the proposed car park area was pending RTA resolution at the time of previous reviews. The canteen has also been flagged for limited hot food provision. These are operational rather than educational concerns, but worth factoring into the daily logistics assessment for prospective families.
940
Current Campus Capacity (students)
Final planned capacity of 1,800; current enrolment ~660 as of early 2025
1:9
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Average class size of 22; maximum 24 in Years 1-11
Indoor Swimming Pool (EYFS)New Secondary Building 2025Enrichment Zone (Snoezelen)AuditoriumMIT Robotics LabOutdoor Grassy Play Areas
Teaching & Learning Quality
Teaching quality at Dubai Heights Academy is a genuine strength, with DSIB inspectors rating Teaching for Effective Learning as Very Good in Foundation Stage and Primary, and Good in Secondary in the 2023-24 inspection. The inspection report specifically identifies teaching in FS and Primary as excellent in practice, with strong teaching also observed in Secondary. This is a meaningful finding: many schools achieve Good or Very Good at whole-school level while masking significant phase-level variation - DHA's profile is consistently strong across its most established phases.
All teachers are required to hold a UK teaching qualification and degree with a minimum of two years' experience. The largest nationality group of teachers is British, consistent with the school's positioning as an authentic British curriculum school. The school employs over 70 full-time teachers (as of early 2025, following rapid growth from 39 at the time of the DSIB inspection) supported by 27 teaching assistants and four specialist SEN staff. Critically, all classes from FS1 to Year 6 have a dedicated Learning Assistant - not a shared TA per year group, which is the standard at many Dubai schools. This is a meaningful differentiator for early years and primary families.
Teacher turnover is reported at 19% - a figure that sits above the ideal threshold and is worth noting. In a school of this size and growth trajectory, staff continuity is important to the community feel that parents value. The school's leadership has acknowledged this dynamic as part of the rapid expansion phase.
Pedagogically, the school emphasises data-driven curriculum adaptation, with assessment information used to plan differentiated activities across ability levels. Inquiry-based and investigative work has improved significantly since the previous inspection, particularly in English-medium subjects. Digital technology use is effective across phases, with students accessing a range of online learning platforms. The MIT partnership brings structured AI and coding methodology into the classroom, adding a contemporary layer to what is otherwise a traditional British curriculum framework.
DSIB inspectors identified two specific teaching development areas: the need for more consistent opportunities for student discussion in Primary and Secondary lessons, and the need to ensure that higher-achieving students are more consistently challenged - particularly in practical science lessons. These are refinement-level concerns rather than systemic weaknesses, but they indicate that differentiation for the most able is not yet fully embedded.
19%
Teacher Turnover Rate
Above ideal threshold; worth monitoring given rapid school growth
1:9
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Among the most favourable ratios in Dubai private schools
100%
FS1-Year 6 Classes with Dedicated Learning Assistant
Each class has its own TA, not a shared model
Leadership & Management
Principal Alison Margaret Lamb has led Dubai Heights Academy since January 2019, appointed following the departure of the school's founding principal. Ms Lamb brings over 17 years of UAE education experience, having previously worked with the Latifa School for Girls, the School of Research Science, and as Director of Education for Al Rabeeh Education in Abu Dhabi. She holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship from the University of Newcastle and is a Penta-trained School Inspector - a background that gives her both the operational credibility and the inspection literacy to drive school improvement effectively. DSIB inspectors rated the effectiveness of leadership Very Good, and the school's self-evaluation and improvement planning Very Good, findings that reflect a leadership team that understands its own performance data and acts on it.
The school is owned by Seven Tides International, a Dubai-based property and hospitality group. The school's senior leadership team includes Mr Rob Hitchings (Vice Principal and Head of Secondary), Mr Scott Goldstein (Assistant Head of Secondary), Mr Kenneth Lyon (Head of Primary), Ms Katie Staton (Assistant Head of Primary and Head of Early Years), Ms Shahenda Ahmed (Head of Ministry of Education Subjects), Mrs Kholod Alahmar (Deputy Head of Ministry of Education Subjects) and Ms Terrie Spencer (Head of Inclusion). This is a well-structured senior team for a school of DHA's current size, with clear phase and subject leadership accountability.
Governance is rated Very Good by DSIB, with the board described as supporting the school's vision and ensuring that the curriculum is backed by appropriate human and physical resources. Management, staffing, facilities and resources received the highest possible DSIB rating of Outstanding - a finding that speaks directly to the quality of the physical environment and operational management.
Parent communication is supported by multiple digital platforms, and the school operates an active open-door policy that parents consistently cite as a differentiating feature. Frequent surveys of all stakeholder groups - teachers, students and parents - feed into school planning, and the leadership team is noted by inspectors for genuine responsiveness to feedback. The school's external partnerships - MIT, Tommy Fleetwood Academy, BSME, BSO, UCAS, Duke of Edinburgh, LAMDA, Cambridge and Pearson - reflect a leadership team actively building the school's external credibility and enrichment offer.
KHDA Inspection Results (Decoded)
The DSIB inspection of February 2024 awarded Dubai Heights Academy an overall rating of Very Good - the second highest rating in the KHDA framework - representing a significant step up from the Good ratings received in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. This upward trajectory in just two inspection cycles is a meaningful signal: the school is improving at pace, and the 2024 report reflects a genuinely stronger institution than the one inspected two years earlier.
The headline finding that parents should understand is the divergence between progress and attainment. Progress is rated Very Good in English, Mathematics and Science across all phases - meaning students are making better-than-expected gains relative to their starting points. Attainment, however, is rated Good rather than Very Good in most subjects (with Science the exception, rated Very Good across all phases). DSIB inspectors explicitly flag this gap in their recommendations, calling on the school to 'translate the rapidly improving rates of progress into stronger attainment.' In plain English: students are learning effectively, but their absolute performance levels have not yet caught up with the quality of teaching they are receiving. This is a school on the right trajectory, not a school that has arrived.
Wellbeing is rated Outstanding - the highest possible DSIB rating in this domain. Personal development is rated Outstanding across all three phases (FS, Primary and Secondary). Management, staffing, facilities and resources are rated Outstanding. These are the areas where DHA genuinely leads the market.
The National Agenda Parameter - covering international benchmark performance and reading literacy - is rated Good overall, with the school's first PIRLS results (2021) showing a score of 512 against a target of 547. Subsequent benchmark assessments have shown English moving to Very Good and Science to Outstanding, with Mathematics remaining at Good. The Emirati cohort achievement is also rated Good.
Key DSIB recommendations centre on four themes: promoting student independence and self-reliance more consistently in lessons; embedding community engagement so students drive it proactively; expanding contributions to national and international initiatives; and translating progress gains into stronger attainment. These are legitimate development priorities that the school's leadership has publicly acknowledged.
Outstanding Wellbeing and Personal Development
DSIB rated personal development Outstanding across all three phases and wellbeing provision Outstanding overall. The school's 'My Happy Mind' programme, robust safeguarding, and culture of mutual respect are independently verified strengths that distinguish DHA in the Dubai market.
Very Good Progress Across Core Subjects
English, Mathematics and Science progress is rated Very Good across Foundation Stage, Primary and Secondary - a consistent finding that confirms students are making better-than-expected gains. Science attainment is Very Good across all phases, the strongest academic result in the school.
Outstanding Management and Facilities
Management, staffing, facilities and resources received the highest DSIB rating of Outstanding - reflecting the quality of the physical campus, operational efficiency, and the leadership team's stewardship of human and physical resources.
Attainment Must Catch Up With Progress
Inspectors specifically recommend that the school translates its rapidly improving progress rates into stronger attainment in key subjects and phases. English and Mathematics attainment is Good rather than Very Good - a gap that the school must close to justify a future Outstanding overall rating.
Student Independence and Community Engagement
DSIB recommends that best practice in promoting student independence and self-reliance be identified and disseminated more consistently across lessons. The school is also asked to embed community engagement so that students become proactive drivers of initiatives rather than passive participants.
Inspection History
2023-2024
Very Good
2022-2023
Good
2021-2022
Good
Fees & Value for Money
Dubai Heights Academy offers a British curriculum (UK 13-year) education from FS1 through Year 12, with fees for the 2025/2026 academic year set in accordance with KHDA-approved rates. The school provides a notable discount on the KHDA-approved fees, with discounted fees ranging from AED 48,688 for FS1 up to AED 96,880 for Year 12, representing significant savings compared to the full KHDA-approved amounts. For example, Year 12 students benefit from a discount of AED 31,880 off the KHDA-approved fee of AED 96,880.
AED 48,688
Annual Fees From
AED 96,880
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
FS1
AED 48,688FS2
AED 55,536Year 1
AED 55,536Year 2
AED 56,393Year 3
AED 56,393Year 4
AED 58,533Year 5
AED 60,994Year 6
AED 64,312Year 7
AED 70,411Year 8
AED 73,728Year 9
AED 79,185Year 10
AED 90,741Year 11
AED 90,741Year 12
AED 96,880The school has partnered with Zenda, a leading payments and financing app in the Middle East, to provide flexible fee payment options. Parents can pay termly from home, switch to paying in parts without prior approval, and also manage payments for additional school services such as trips, activities, and the school bus through the same platform. This makes fee management more accessible and convenient for families.
Dubai Heights Academy also offers an Unlimited Friend Referral Scheme, whereby existing families receive an AED 2,000 rebate on school fees for each new family they successfully refer to the school, with no cap on the number of referrals. Rated Very Good by DSIB in 2023–2024, the school delivers strong academic outcomes particularly in science and mathematics, offering competitive value within the Al Barsha area of Dubai.
Discounts & Concessions
Friend Referral Scheme
DHA School Discount
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
Dubai Heights Academy is a school that earns its KHDA Very Good rating through genuine strength in the areas that matter most to families raising children in Dubai: pastoral care, inclusion, community, and the quality of daily teaching. The school's independently verified Outstanding wellbeing provision, 1:9 teacher-to-student ratio, dedicated teaching assistants in every class, and a truly inclusive ethos - backed by a specialist inclusion team with on-site therapists - make it one of the most authentically family-centred schools in Al Barsha South and the wider Dubai education market.
The MIT AI curriculum partnership and Tommy Fleetwood golf academy give DHA a credible point of differentiation that goes beyond marketing. The discounted fee structure - from AED 48,688 for FS1 - makes the school accessible at a price point that few KHDA Very Good schools can match.
The honest caveats are real. The secondary and sixth form phases are in their infancy: Year 12 launched September 2025, Year 13 follows in 2026-27. There are no publicly available A-Level or GCSE results at meaningful scale yet. Teacher turnover at 19% is above ideal. And the school's attainment ratings in English and Mathematics, while improving, remain at Good rather than Very Good - a gap that progress data alone cannot paper over for families focused on examination outcomes.
This is a school in an exciting growth phase, led by a capable and experienced principal, with a clear vision and the facilities to match it. The question is not whether DHA is a good school - it demonstrably is. The question is whether it is the right school for your child at this moment in its development.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
Families who value community, genuine inclusion, outstanding pastoral care, and innovative curriculum enrichment - particularly those with children in Foundation Stage through Year 9 - will find DHA a compelling and excellent-value choice in Al Barsha South.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families whose primary decision criterion is a long track record of published GCSE and A-Level results, or who need a fully established sixth form with proven university placement data, should wait for DHA's secondary phase to mature or consider more established alternatives.
“
You can rely on us for kindness here. It is a very inclusive and kind community. We play with everyone - no one is ever left out.
— Year 6 Student Panel Member
Strengths
- KHDA Very Good rating with Outstanding wellbeing and personal development across all phases
- Unique MIT AI curriculum - the only school outside the US with this partnership
- "Discounted fees from AED 48,688, among the lowest for a Very Good-rated British school in Dubai"
- Outstanding inclusion provision with on-site OT, SLT and specialist SEN staff
- Dedicated teaching assistant in every class from FS1 to Year 6
- Exceptional 1:9 teacher-to-student ratio and average class size of 22
- Brand-new purpose-built secondary building opened September 2025
- Tommy Fleetwood Academy golf partnership - unique enrichment offer in Dubai
Areas for Improvement
- Secondary and sixth form phases still maturing - no published GCSE or A-Level results at meaningful scale yet
- Teacher turnover at 19% is above the ideal benchmark for a community-focused school
- English and Mathematics attainment rated Good rather than Very Good - DSIB recommends improvement
- Single guidance counsellor for a growing school population
- Car parking and hot food canteen provision have historically been operational pain points for families