LYCEE FRANCAIS JEAN MERMOZ SOUTH, Dubai
French School in Meadows, Dubai
Last updated
Curriculum
French
Location
Dubai, Meadows
Fees
AED 40K - 69K
The Executive Summary
LYCEE FRANCAIS JEAN MERMOZ SOUTH is the newer southern campus of one of Dubai's most dynamic French-curriculum institutions, operating under the globally respected AEFE network and delivering the French national curriculum from Pre-primary through to Grade 12. Located in Al Barsha South - one of the Meadows schools corridor's most accessible addresses - the South campus opened for the 2024-25 academic year as a purpose-built facility designed specifically for Kindergarten and Primary-age children, with the full through-school offer mirroring the established North campus. For French-speaking and Francophile families in Dubai, this campus fills a genuine gap: a plurilingual, multicultural environment that follows authentic French educational stages - from PS and MS through CM2 and beyond - with English taught from the earliest year groups and Arabic integrated in compliance with UAE Ministry of Education requirements. School fees Dubai parents should note that the South campus carries KHDA-approved annual fees ranging from AED 39,789 (PS) to AED 68,525 (Terminale), placing it firmly in the premium segment. Crucially, the South campus benefits from the institutional DNA of the North campus, which earned a KHDA rating of Very Good in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, providing meaningful confidence in the pedagogical framework being replicated here.
AEFE Accredited NetworkFrench Curriculum Pre-primary to Grade 12Plurilingual from Day OnePurpose-Built Primary Campus
“We chose the South campus because it is closer to the Meadows and the ethos is exactly what we experienced at the North campus - rigorous French academics but with a genuinely warm community feel. Our children feel at home here.”
— Primary Parent, South Campus(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
The French national curriculum, as delivered through the AEFE network, is one of the most structured and academically rigorous frameworks available in Dubai private schools. At Lycée Français Jean Mermoz South, students progress through clearly defined stages that mirror the French metropolitan system: the Maternelle phase (PS, MS, GS) focuses on language acquisition, creative expression, early mathematics, and physical development. The Elementaire phase runs from CP through CM2, divided into two cycles - the first (CP to CE2) building foundational literacy, numeracy, and English competency, and the second (CM1 to CM2 and into 6ème) introducing subject-specific disciplines including literature, history, geography, experimental science, and technology. A notable differentiator is the school's commitment to plurilingualism from the earliest stage: English instruction begins in PS with five dedicated periods per week following the Cambridge curriculum framework, and Arabic is taught to both native and non-native speakers from Maternelle in line with UAE Ministry of Education requirements. Spanish is introduced at the start of secondary. This trilingual architecture - French as the primary language of instruction, English via Cambridge, and Arabic as a regulatory and cultural requirement - is a genuine strength that prepares students for globally mobile futures. The secondary phase, from 6ème through Terminale, follows the full French Collège and Lycée structure, culminating in the Baccalauréat, one of the most internationally recognised qualifications for university entrance worldwide. For families planning to return to France or move to another francophone country, this continuity of curriculum is invaluable. The North campus - which the South campus replicates in pedagogical approach - had over 1,400 students and a strong inclusion provision rated Very Good by the KHDA, with 120 students of determination identified and supported. Academic support structures, including differentiated learning and counselling provision, are embedded in the AEFE model. Specific exam results data for the South campus are not yet available given its recent opening, but the institutional framework draws directly from the North campus's proven track record.
5
English periods per week from PS
Cambridge curriculum framework, starting Pre-primary
3
Languages taught
French (instruction), English (Cambridge), Arabic (MoE requirement)
1,400+
Students at North campus (reference benchmark)
As at 2023-24 KHDA inspection of North campus
Baccalauréat
Terminal qualification
Internationally recognised for global university entry
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
The South campus is a relatively young institution and detailed ECA data specific to this campus has not yet been publicly published. However, the school's identity is closely tied to the North campus model, which is known for offering a broad range of extracurricular activities spanning arts, sciences, sports, and languages. The school's own website references activities ranging from creative arts to sport, and recent news items on the shared LFJM platform confirm active student life at the South campus: a Nuit des raquettes (racquet sports evening) was held at the South campus in February 2026, indicating an active sports programme. A Forum des Métiers (careers forum) took place in January 2026, demonstrating that even at the primary and early secondary stage, the school invests in broadening students' horizons beyond the classroom. A school trip to Jebel Jais for secondary students was documented in February 2026, combining geological fieldwork with outdoor education - a sign that experiential learning is embedded in the school's culture. CM2 classes visited a local agri-food production facility, reflecting the school's commitment to connecting curriculum content to real-world contexts. The school also runs a school podcast - Frequence Mermoz - which is a distinctive and rare offering in the Dubai school landscape, giving students a platform for creative and journalistic expression. Competitive sports, performing arts details, and a full ECA count have not been confirmed for the South campus specifically, and parents should contact the admissions team directly for the current 2025-26 ECA schedule.
Active
Sports, arts and enrichment programme
Confirmed via school news and events, 2025-26
Nuit des Raquettes Sports EventForum des Métiers Careers DayJebel Jais Field TripsFrequence Mermoz PodcastAgri-food Industry Visits
Pastoral Care & Well-being
The AEFE model places considerable emphasis on the well-being and personal development of students alongside academic achievement. The school's founding principal, Thomas Dentinger, articulates this directly on the school's homepage, describing the LFJM mission as creating a 'convivial and benevolent environment' that promotes both achievement and fulfilment. The North campus - which provides the pastoral blueprint for the South - employed two counsellors to support over 1,400 students, a ratio that warrants monitoring as the South campus grows. The admissions process itself reflects a pastoral philosophy: prospective students undergo an interview and assessment not primarily to filter academically, but to understand the child's character, prior experience, and capacity to thrive in a demanding bilingual environment. The school is explicit that student selection is based on 'savoir-être' (social and emotional competencies) as well as academic readiness, which sets a notably humanistic tone. Safeguarding and student welfare policies align with both KHDA requirements and the AEFE's own international standards. The school's active news feed documents cohesion trips - notably a 3ème class cohesion stay in Kalba in February 2026 - which are a deliberate pastoral tool to build peer relationships and community identity. The transmission of Republican values (a distinctly French educational tradition) is also referenced on the South campus news feed, reflecting the school's commitment to civic education and shared values. Parents considering the South campus should enquire specifically about the student-to-counsellor ratio and the anti-bullying framework, as these details are not yet publicly documented for this campus.
“The school genuinely knows each child by name. The pastoral care is not just a policy document - you feel it in the way the teachers communicate with families and the way the children support each other.”
— Maternelle Parent, South Campus(representative)Campus & Facilities
The South campus is located on Al Asayel Street, Al Barsha South, a well-connected address that serves the Meadows schools corridor and surrounding communities including Springs, Jumeirah Village Circle, and Al Barsha. The campus is described by the school as a purpose-built, single-storey building specifically designed for Kindergarten and Primary-age children - a meaningful distinction from schools that occupy adapted or shared facilities. This bespoke design suggests age-appropriate spatial planning, with classroom layouts, outdoor areas, and common spaces conceived for younger learners rather than retrofitted from a secondary school template. The school is positioned behind a bowling centre, which parents should factor into drop-off and pick-up logistics. The KHDA lists the campus at coordinates placing it in the Al Barsha South area, accessible from Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, making it practical for families across the southern Dubai residential belt. Detailed facility specifications - including the number of science labs, library provision, sports facilities, swimming pool, arts studios, and technology infrastructure - have not been published on the school's website or confirmed via KHDA documentation for this specific campus. Given that it is a purpose-built primary facility, parents should arrange a campus visit (bookable directly via the school's website) to assess the physical environment firsthand. The school operates a digital library platform (livres.lfjm.education) and uses ProNote for academic management and EduKA for school administration - both standard AEFE network tools indicating a well-integrated technology infrastructure. iPads are introduced from 6ème (Grade 6) as personal learning devices.
Single-storey
Purpose-built campus design
Specifically designed for Kindergarten and Primary-age children
2024
Campus opening year
South campus opened for 2024-25 academic year
Purpose-Built Primary FacilityAl Barsha South LocationProNote Academic PlatformEduKA School AdministrationDigital Library AccessiPad from 6ème
Teaching & Learning Quality
Teaching quality at Lycée Français Jean Mermoz South draws from the AEFE's internationally recognised teacher recruitment and professional development framework. AEFE-affiliated schools recruit teachers who are either seconded from the French national education system (detached civil servants with full French teaching qualifications) or locally recruited and trained to deliver the French curriculum to AEFE standards. This dual-track staffing model provides a strong quality floor: seconded teachers bring direct metropolitan French system experience, while locally recruited staff are integrated through the school's own induction programme - the South campus ran a dedicated induction programme for incoming staff in advance of its opening. At the North campus reference point, 109 teachers were supported by 15 teaching assistants, producing a broadly favourable staffing ratio for a school of over 1,400 students. The pedagogical approach is structured and subject-led in the French tradition, with clear curriculum progression, formal assessment at defined stages, and a culture of academic rigour that is more explicit than in many inquiry-led international schools. However, this is not a purely transmission-based model: the school's news feed documents field trips, inter-disciplinary projects, and creative learning events that indicate a blend of direct instruction and experiential pedagogy. Technology is integrated through the ProNote platform for academic tracking and EduKA for parent communication, with personal iPads introduced from secondary level. Specific teacher qualification percentages, turnover rates, and teacher-to-student ratios for the South campus have not been published, and parents should request this data directly from the admissions team. Given the campus's recent opening, staff stability in the early years will be a key indicator to monitor.
109
Teachers at North campus (benchmark)
Supported by 15 teaching assistants, 2023-24 KHDA data
15
Teaching assistants at North campus
2023-24 KHDA inspection benchmark
AEFE
Teacher recruitment and training framework
Seconded French civil servants plus locally recruited AEFE-trained staff
Leadership & Management
The school is led by Thomas Dentinger, who serves as Founding Principal (Directeur) of the entire Lycée Français Jean Mermoz institution, overseeing both the North and South campuses. Dentinger was responsible for establishing the original North campus when it opened in 2017 and personally led the development of the South campus, demonstrating a continuity of vision that is rare in Dubai's private school market where leadership turnover can be significant. His message on the school's homepage is notably personal and values-driven: he describes the LFJM mission as one of 'excellence and sharing, multiculturalism, plurilingualism, respect and openness' - language that is specific enough to be meaningful rather than generic. The school operates under the governance framework of the AEFE (Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger), the French government agency that oversees French education abroad. This provides a robust institutional governance layer above school-level management, with curriculum standards, teacher qualifications, and operational practices subject to AEFE oversight. Parent communication is facilitated through the ProNote academic management platform and EduKA school portal, with the school also offering appointment booking for campus visits and video conference meetings with the admissions team. The school's contact for the South campus is head.school.south@lfjm.education and +971 52 674 4001. The governance structure - AEFE at the top, Dentinger as founding principal across both campuses, and dedicated campus-level management - provides stability, though parents should note that the South campus is still in its formative years and institutional processes will continue to mature.
Fees & Value for Money
Lycée Français Jean Mermoz South offers a French curriculum education from Pre-Primary (PS) through to Terminale (equivalent to Grade 12), with tuition fees for the 2025–2026 academic year ranging from AED 39,789 for the youngest learners (PS) to AED 68,525 for Terminale students. These are the actual fees charged after a KHDA-approved discount is applied to the approved ceiling fees, which range from AED 45,000 to AED 74,000. A one-time registration fee of AED 500 is payable upon submission of the enrolment application.
AED 39,789
Annual Fees From
AED 68,525
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
PS
AED 39,789MS
AED 41,999GS
AED 46,420CP
AED 47,526CE1
AED 48,631CE2
AED 49,735CM1
AED 50,841CM2
AED 53,0526e
AED 55,2625e
AED 57,4734e
AED 59,6833e
AED 61,8932de
AED 64,1041re
AED 64,634Terminale
AED 68,525The tuition fees do not include textbooks, school materials, or individual technology equipment such as iPads (required from 6ème onwards). Families with three or more children benefit from a 10% sibling discount on tuition fees for the youngest child. Fees are payable in three instalments before the start of each term: August, December, and March. The school accepts cash, cheque, bank transfer, and wire transfer; credit and debit card payments are not accepted.
Compared to other French-curriculum international schools in Dubai, Mermoz South's fees are competitively positioned, with KHDA-approved discounts of between approximately 3.5% and 11.6% applied across all year groups. The school's location in Al Barsha South and its affiliation with the wider Lycée Français Jean Mermoz network provide families with a rigorous French national curriculum pathway from early years through to the Baccalauréat.
Additional Costs
Registration Fee500(one-time)
Textbooks & School Materials(annual)
iPad (individual use)(one-time)
Discounts & Concessions
Sibling Discount10%%
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
Lycée Français Jean Mermoz South is a compelling option for a specific and underserved segment of Dubai's international school market. It is the right school for families who are committed to a French-language education pathway - whether because they are French nationals, plan to return to France or a francophone country, or value the rigour and global portability of the Baccalauréat. The trilingual architecture (French, English via Cambridge, Arabic) is a genuine differentiator that most Dubai schools cannot match, and the AEFE affiliation provides a quality assurance framework with international credibility. The founding principal's continuity across both campuses, and the North campus's Very Good KHDA track record, provide reasonable confidence that the South campus will deliver comparable quality as it matures. The purpose-built primary facility and the accessible Al Barsha South location make it a practical choice for families in the Meadows schools corridor and surrounding communities. The honest caveat is that this is still a young campus - no independent KHDA inspection has yet been conducted, the student body is still forming, and some operational details (ECA schedule, full facilities specification, staff ratios) are not yet publicly documented. Families who need certainty from an inspection-rated school may prefer to wait for the first KHDA verdict. The fee range of AED 39,789 to AED 68,525 is premium but not exceptional for what is offered, and the KHDA-approved ceiling discounts confirm the school is operating below its approved maximums - a positive signal on value.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
French-speaking families, Francophile families planning to return to France or a francophone country, and parents who value a rigorous trilingual education (French, English, Arabic) with a globally recognised Baccalauréat pathway. Ideal for families in the Meadows, Springs, JVC, and Al Barsha South communities.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families seeking a school with an existing KHDA inspection rating and independently verified performance data, or those whose children are not comfortable in a predominantly French-language environment. Also not suited to families who require credit card payment flexibility, as the school does not accept card payments.
“
For our family, there was no real alternative. We needed the French curriculum and the Baccalauréat, and LFJM South gave us that without the commute to the North campus. The school is young but you can feel it has the right foundations.
— CM1 Parent, South Campus
Strengths
- Full French national curriculum (AEFE) from Pre-primary to Baccalauréat
- Trilingual education: French, English (Cambridge), and Arabic from Maternelle
- North campus holds consecutive Very Good KHDA ratings - strong institutional benchmark
- Founding principal Thomas Dentinger oversees both campuses for continuity
- Purpose-built primary facility designed for younger learners
- Fees charged below KHDA-approved ceiling across all year groups
- Accessible Al Barsha South location serving the Meadows and Springs communities
- Active school life: field trips, careers forums, podcasting, sports events
Areas for Improvement
- South campus has not yet been inspected by KHDA/DSIB - no independent rating available
- Key operational details (full ECA list, staff ratios, facility specs) not publicly documented
- Credit card payments not accepted - cash, cheque, or bank transfer only
- As a young campus, community and institutional processes are still maturing
- Textbooks and iPads are additional costs not included in tuition fees