Durham School, Dubai

Durham School Dubai follows the English National Curriculum for England, providing a continuous educational pathway from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through to Year 11, with Sixth Form offering A-Levels planned from 2026. The curriculum is designed to challenge students academically while preparing them for international qualifications including IGCSE and A-Levels. This is not a school that has adopted the National Curriculum as a loose framework - it is implemented with the rigour and intent of a traditional British independent school, with specialist subject teachers deployed from upper Key Stage 2 onwards. In the Foundation Stage, children learn through a blend of play-based and structured teacher-led activities. A notable feature is the school's use of the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds synthetic phonics programme, which DSIB inspectors noted is having a positive impact on reading development. The DSIB inspection found FS assessment systems to be underdeveloped, and the level of challenge in FS2 mathematics was flagged as insufficient to fully prepare children for Year 1 - a genuine area to monitor. In Primary, the DSIB inspection rated teaching for effective learning as Good, the strongest phase rating in the school. Progress in English and mathematics was rated Good, and science progress was also Good in this phase, supported by a 'Working Scientifically' curriculum framework developing enquiry skills. A newly adopted mathematics learning scheme is working effectively in Primary, and GL Progress Test data showed rapid progress for students in Year 6 and above. The school's phonics-based approach is producing measurable reading improvements, with the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) showing very strong progress between tests for the whole school. In Secondary (Years 7-11), students follow a broad curriculum leading to IGCSE examinations. Subjects include English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), History, Geography, Art, Computing, Music, Modern Foreign Languages (French, Spanish, Arabic), and PE. Setting in Secondary allows differentiated support and challenge, and Higher and Foundation tier IGCSE courses are in place for mathematics. Progress in English and mathematics in Secondary was rated Good by DSIB inspectors, though science and other subjects were Acceptable. The DSIB report noted that the curriculum emphasises knowledge acquisition over skills development, with limited opportunities for critical thinking and independent learning - a meaningful gap for families whose children are heading towards competitive university applications. Language provision is a genuine strength. Arabic is taught from Year 1, with both native speakers (following the Ministry of Education syllabus) and additional-language learners catered for separately. French is taught from Year 1, and Spanish was added from August 2024. IGCSE examinations in French, Spanish, and Arabic are offered in the senior school. Key Stage 2 and 3 students receive specialist Arabic lessons four times per week. University destinations and A-Level results are not yet available, as the school's first Sixth Form cohort will graduate from 2027 onwards. Academic support for students of determination is led by SENCO Sweta Sheth. The school has 50 registered students of determination. DSIB inspectors rated inclusion provision as Acceptable, noting caring intent but insufficient infrastructure, inconsistent IEPs, and limited monitoring of impact. Gifted and talented students were increasingly well-identified, but in-class challenge for higher attainers was inconsistent. There are no guidance counsellors on roll, which is a notable gap for a secondary school preparing students for IGCSE and eventually A-Level pathways. The teaching methodology is deliberately traditional - teacher-led, structured, and focused on mastery of fundamentals - which suits some learners very well and others less so.