Oak Tree Primary School logo

Oak Tree Primary School

Curriculum
British
KHDA
Acceptable
Location
Dubai, Al Qouz 4
Fees
AED 16K - 27K

Oak Tree Primary School

The Executive Summary

Oak Tree Primary School Dubai is a co-educational British primary school situated within the Al Khail Mall complex in Al Qouz 4, serving children from FS1 through to Year 6. Opened in 2016 under the Athena Education group, the school follows the UK Curriculum - specifically the National Curriculum for England - which provides a structured academic framework aimed at fostering well-rounded student development. Its most recent DSIB inspection, conducted in January 2024, awarded an Acceptable rating, a position the school has held consistently since its first inspection in 2019. For families researching Al Qouz 4 schools, this is one of the most affordable British curriculum options available, with school fees Dubai parents will find refreshingly accessible - ranging from AED 16,225 in FS1 to AED 27,041 in Year 6. The school's genuine strengths lie in its warm, inclusive ethos, its improving Foundation Stage provision, and its deliberate choice to remain a smaller, community-centred campus where children are not, as parents put it, "swallowed up" by the institution.
Affordable British CurriculumInclusive EthosSmall Community SchoolKHDA Acceptable 2024

“Since joining the Oaktree family, my expectations have far been exceeded and I am so glad with the developments that I am continually seeing.”

— Year 1 Parent

Academic Framework & Learning Style

Oak Tree Primary School delivers the National Curriculum for England from Year 1 through Year 6, complemented by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework in FS1 and FS2. The curriculum is supplemented by Arabic, Islamic Education, and Moral, Social and Cultural Studies (MSCS) in compliance with UAE Ministry of Education requirements. MSCS is taught for 45 minutes per week in Years 1 to 6, with an additional 30-minute lesson in the Foundation Stage, integrating project-based learning and interactive strategies such as role plays alongside the National Curriculum for England framework. In the Foundation Stage, the approach is play-based and broad, with strong emphasis on early literacy - particularly phonics - numeracy, communication and personal development. The DSIB inspection team noted clear improvements in FS since the previous inspection cycle, specifically in phonics, science and mathematics. Progress in English and mathematics in FS is now rated Good by DSIB inspectors, a meaningful step forward. Children in FS demonstrate sound knowledge of number and shape, and emergent reading skills are developing through picture-led comprehension activities. In Primary, performance is more variable. Attainment in English and mathematics across the primary phase is rated Acceptable, with progress also Acceptable. Science attainment and progress are Acceptable across both phases. A significant concern flagged by DSIB inspectors is Arabic as a first language, where Primary attainment is rated Weak - the only subject to receive this grade. Students' written Arabic lacks structure and accuracy, and independent creative writing skills are inadequate. Reading skills across Years 4, 5 and 6 are below chronological age by approximately two years, and while the school has introduced a new online reading programme and comprehension interventions, the impact was not yet evident at the time of inspection. The school has no external curriculum examinations at this stage - it serves only up to Year 6 - and holds no formal accreditation. Assessment systems are in place internally, but DSIB inspectors found that external data is not analysed rigorously and that assessment information is not consistently used to inform teaching, differentiation or challenge. This is a material weakness, particularly for families expecting strong academic tracking. Students of determination (53 students) and those identified as gifted and talented are identified, but not all are yet effectively supported or challenged according to inspection findings. EAL provision exists, and the school welcomes students from a wide range of language backgrounds - the largest student nationality group is Arabic-speaking. University destinations are not applicable given the school covers only primary years.
Good
FS English Progress (DSIB 2024)
Improved from previous inspection cycle
Good
FS Mathematics Progress (DSIB 2024)
Stronger than Primary phase outcomes
Weak
Arabic as First Language - Primary Attainment
Only subject rated below Acceptable
53
Students of Determination
Out of 620 total students enrolled

Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)

Oak Tree Primary School offers an after-school extracurricular programme that DSIB inspectors describe as adequate for a school of its size and stage of development. Students and parents are broadly positive about the programme, reporting that it enables children to pursue their interests and talents in a low-pressure environment. The school has hosted events including a Science Fair - a well-received annual showcase where students present projects and compete for prizes - as well as cultural celebrations including International Day, Flag Day and National Day activities that reflect the school's multicultural community. The school has facilities that support a range of activities: a music room, art room, multi-purpose hall, swimming pool and a small football pitch (astro surface). A dedicated space identified as an innovation area has been introduced to support STEM-related activities. Older students engage in STEM projects that inspectors noted as a positive outlet for innovative thinking, though opportunities to initiate and develop enterprise and entrepreneurial skills remain limited and underdeveloped. In terms of performing arts, the school runs music and creative activities, and has held school productions. Physical education is part of the curriculum, and the pool enables swimming as a regular activity. However, a notable limitation for a school of 620 students is that competitive sports participation is constrained by the relatively small size of the older year groups, making it difficult to field full competitive teams in inter-school events. Parents have noted this as an area they would like to see addressed. The school does organise educational trips - including visits to local theatres and the beach - and community events such as a whole-school picnic, which have been well received. Student voice in suggesting ideas for clubs and societies is developing but not yet fully embedded, according to DSIB inspectors. There is no bus service for after-school ECA participants, which limits access for some families.
Adequate
ECA Programme Rating (DSIB 2024)
Positively viewed by students and parents
Annual Science FairSwimming Pool On-SiteSTEM Innovation AreaInternational Day CelebrationsMusic and Art Rooms

Pastoral Care & Well-being

Pastoral care is one of the clearest strengths at Oak Tree Primary School, and it is the area where the school's small-community character is most tangible. Safeguarding arrangements were rated Very Good by DSIB inspectors in 2024 - the highest grade awarded to any area of the school's provision - across both the Foundation Stage and Primary. Child protection procedures are known to all staff, and students and parents report confidence in knowing how and to whom they should communicate concerns. This is a meaningful assurance for families. The school has a comprehensive wellbeing policy that sets out its commitment to promoting wellbeing for students, staff and families. A wellbeing calendar covers cross-curricular themes throughout the year. However, DSIB inspectors noted that wellbeing monitoring relies heavily on informal systems and observation, rather than robust data collection, meaning it is difficult to measure impact systematically. The school does not currently employ a dedicated guidance counsellor - pastoral and wellbeing responsibilities sit with teaching and senior staff - which is a gap for a school of 620 students, some of whom have complex needs. Relationships between staff and students are described as warm and courteous. Most students in FS demonstrate strong personal development, rated Good by inspectors, and students across the school show sensitivity and care for peers, including those requiring additional support. Students have some leadership opportunities - line leaders and Stars of the Week in FS, and student counsellor roles in Primary - though socially responsible roles are largely confined within the school rather than extending to the wider community. Low-level disruptive behaviour in some Primary lessons and ongoing punctuality issues (too many students arriving late) are flagged by inspectors as areas that require more consistent management. Online safety awareness is good, and students demonstrate a general understanding of how to look after their wellbeing.

“I think Ms. Eqra has done so much for Alexa. Alexa now shows real confidence and I am so proud of the progress she has made since joining.”

— Year 1 Parent(representative)

Campus & Facilities

Oak Tree Primary School occupies a purpose-built campus on the former site of the German School in Dubai, located adjacent to Al Khail Mall on Al Asayel Street in Al Qouz 4. The two-storey main building houses Primary classrooms, while the Foundation Stage benefits from a dedicated separate area with outdoor learning spaces - a significant design advantage for early years education. The campus was built specifically for a primary population, and its scale reflects that: compact, manageable, and designed for children aged 3 to 11. Key facilities on campus include a music room, art room, library, large multi-purpose hall, swimming pool (enclosed by high glass walls), an astro football pitch, and a room designated as an innovation area for STEM and technology activities. Foundation Stage classrooms are arranged in clusters around shared indoor learning and play spaces, including a large multi-purpose area used for soft play, music, and construction activities. Primary classrooms are well-lit with large windows, many surrounding two internal courtyards that double as play and group work areas - a charming architectural feature that gives the school a distinctive character. The school has interactive technology in classrooms and ICT resources, though the extent of 1:1 device provision or coding lab infrastructure is not detailed on the school's website. DSIB inspectors described the premises as clean, safe and accessible, with effective health and safety arrangements. No major planned expansions are publicly noted, and the site's limited footprint means capacity will remain relatively small compared to larger Dubai campuses. In terms of location context, Al Qouz 4 is a mixed residential and commercial district with good road connectivity to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. Parking is managed by an attentive security team, with a 15-minute RTA parking window available for drop-off and pick-up. The bus service is described positively by parents, though it does not extend to after-school ECA participants, which is a practical limitation for working families.
2
Internal Courtyards for Outdoor Learning
Surrounding Primary classrooms
Very Good
Health and Safety Rating (DSIB 2024)
Highest rated area across both phases
Purpose-Built Primary CampusDedicated EYFS Outdoor AreaOn-Site Swimming PoolMusic and Art RoomsSTEM Innovation AreaAstro Football Pitch

Teaching & Learning Quality

Teaching quality at Oak Tree Primary School is variable and phase-dependent, a pattern that has persisted across multiple inspection cycles. DSIB inspectors rated teaching for effective learning as Acceptable across both the Foundation Stage and Primary in the 2023-2024 inspection, with stronger practice evident in FS and upper Primary than in Key Stage 1. This inconsistency is the central challenge the school must address to move beyond its current rating. In the Foundation Stage, teaching has improved meaningfully since the previous inspection. Teachers make better use of indoor and outdoor environments, phonics instruction has strengthened, and children's learning skills are rated Good - an encouraging indicator of effective early years pedagogy. In upper Primary, teachers generally support productive group work and positive learning attitudes. However, in lower Primary, students are more easily distracted and passive, and teachers do not consistently use assessment data to plan differentiated activities that meet the needs of all learners. Challenge for higher-ability students is not reliably secured. The school's largest nationality group of teachers is Indian, with 39 teachers and 15 teaching assistants serving 620 students - a teacher-to-student ratio of approximately 1:16. This is typical for lower-fee British curriculum schools in Dubai. No guidance counsellor is employed, placing additional pastoral demands on teaching staff. The school references a commitment to continuous professional development, including weekly CPD sessions for teachers, as part of its improvement strategy. DSIB inspectors acknowledged the appointment of middle leaders since the previous inspection as a positive structural development, particularly in FS where leadership impact has been more evident. Pedagogically, the school describes a skills-informed, thematic approach with an emphasis on developing confident, reflective learners. Digital technology use has increased as part of the school's focus on learning skills, but inspectors noted that students do not always have consistent opportunities to apply digital skills across lessons. The use of external assessment data to inform teaching remains underdeveloped - a recurring concern across inspection cycles that limits the school's ability to personalise learning effectively. Assessment is rated Acceptable across both phases.
1:16
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
39 teachers serving 620 students
15%
Teacher Turnover Rate
Indicative of ongoing staffing flux
Good
Learning Skills - Foundation Stage (DSIB 2024)
Improved from previous inspection

Leadership & Management

Oak Tree Primary School is owned and operated by Athena Education, a Dubai-based education group that also operates Grammar School Dubai, American International School Dubai, International Academic School Dubai, and several schools in Sharjah. The group's portfolio is predominantly rated Acceptable by regulators, which provides useful context for understanding the systemic environment within which Oak Tree Primary School operates. Leadership stability has been a recurring challenge at the school since its founding. The school has experienced multiple principal changes over a relatively short lifespan. The principal listed on the school's own website is Shirley Atkar, appointed in August 2022, who was in post at the time of the most recent January 2024 DSIB inspection. The KHDA school profile notes a different name, but per our data priority rules, the school's own website takes precedence, and Shirley Atkar is the principal named there. The school has made structural improvements since the previous inspection, including the appointment of middle leaders to support curriculum and phase leadership. This has had a measurable positive effect in the Foundation Stage. The senior and middle leadership structure now includes roles covering Heads of Primary, EYFS, Inclusion, Assessment and Ministry of Education subjects - a broader operational architecture than the school had in earlier years. However, DSIB inspectors rated school self-evaluation and improvement planning as Weak - the only area to receive this grade in the 2024 inspection. This is a significant finding. It means that the school's internal mechanisms for identifying what is working, what is not, and what to do about it are not yet sufficiently rigorous or evidence-based. Governance is rated Acceptable, but inspectors noted that the governing board does not yet provide sufficiently robust challenge to school leaders. Parent communication has been a focus area, with the school operating an online enquiry system and social media presence, though parent feedback indicates that academic reporting lacks sufficient clarity and detail.

KHDA Inspection Results (Decoded)

Oak Tree Primary School has held an Acceptable DSIB rating since its very first inspection in March 2019, and the most recent inspection in January 2024 confirmed no change in overall grade. This means the school has been rated at the minimum acceptable standard for five consecutive years - a trajectory that should concern any parent expecting upward momentum. Acceptable is not a failing grade, but it is the floor, not the ceiling, and the school's inspection history shows a pattern of incremental improvement in some areas without yet achieving the step-change needed to reach Good. The January 2024 inspection identified three headline strengths: the safe, supportive and caring atmosphere that welcomes students of all abilities; the improving provision in the Foundation Stage which has had a positive impact on children's learning skills; and improvements in middle leadership. These are genuine and meaningful, and parents consistently corroborate the caring ethos in their feedback. The inspection also produced two primary key recommendations. First, governors must provide more robust support to school leaders to manage safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and punctuality more effectively, and to sharpen focus on raising achievement. Second, leadership quality and effectiveness must improve at all levels - specifically, teachers (especially in Key Stage 1) need to make better use of assessment information to differentiate learning; data analysis must produce accurate measures of attainment and progress; and self-evaluation must be informed by reliable evidence from a wider range of sources. In terms of specific subject performance: Health and Safety is Very Good across both phases - the strongest result in the report. Personal development is Good across both phases. Learning skills are Good in FS and Acceptable in Primary. Curriculum design is Good in FS and Acceptable in Primary. All other indicators - teaching, assessment, attainment, progress (except FS English and maths progress, which are Good), curriculum adaptation, leadership quality, parent engagement and governance - sit at Acceptable. Arabic as a first language in Primary is the sole Weak indicator. Wellbeing and Inclusion are both rated Acceptable at the Dubai Focus Area level.
Very Good Safeguarding
Health, safety and child protection arrangements are rated Very Good across both Foundation Stage and Primary - the highest grade in the entire inspection report. Students and parents feel safe and know how to raise concerns.
Improved Foundation Stage Provision
The Foundation Stage has seen meaningful improvement since the previous inspection, with Good ratings for learning skills, English progress and mathematics progress. Phonics and science provision have been strengthened.
Positive Personal Development
Students' personal and social development is rated Good across both phases. Most students are courteous, demonstrate awareness of Islamic values and Emirati culture, and show care for peers including those with additional needs.
Weak Self-Evaluation and Improvement Planning

School self-evaluation and improvement planning is the only area rated Weak in the 2024 inspection. The school lacks rigorous, evidence-based internal review processes, limiting its ability to identify gaps and drive sustained improvement across all phases.

Inconsistent Teaching and Assessment Use in Primary

Teaching quality in lower Primary is weaker than in FS and upper Primary. Assessment data - particularly external benchmarking information - is not used rigorously to inform lesson planning, differentiation or challenge for higher-ability students.

Inspection History

2023-2024
Acceptable
2022-2023
Acceptable
2018-2019
Acceptable

Fees & Value for Money

Oak Tree Primary School offers a UK curriculum education for students from FS1 through Year 6, with KHDA-approved tuition fees for 2025-26 ranging from AED 16,225 to AED 27,041 per year. The school's fee structure is transparent and itemised, covering mandatory tuition alongside a range of optional supplementary costs including books, uniform, stationery, student ID, and a Skill Development/STEM programme. VAT is applied at a flat rate across all year groups.

AED 16,225
Annual Fees From
AED 27,041
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
FS1
AED 16,225
FS2
AED 17,305
Year 1
AED 18,929
Year 2
AED 20,551
Year 3
AED 22,173
Year 4
AED 23,795
Year 5
AED 25,418
Year 6
AED 27,041

The total all-inclusive fees — incorporating tuition, books, uniform, stationery/student ID, STEM programme, and VAT — range from AED 18,518 in FS1 to AED 31,106 in Year 6. From Year 1 onwards, an additional National Agenda Parameter/Arabic Benchmark Test fee applies, ranging from AED 200 to AED 300 depending on the year group. These supplementary costs are marked as optional in the school's published fee schedule.

Positioned as an Acceptable-rated school by KHDA (2023-24), Oak Tree Primary School offers relatively accessible fee levels compared to many other British curriculum schools in Dubai. The school's fee increments are structured progressively, increasing with each year group to reflect the advancing educational requirements of older students.

Additional Costs

Books
AED 350 (FS1–FS2), AED 1,150–AED 1,350 (Year 1–Year 6)
Uniform
AED 650 (FS1–FS2), AED 750–AED 1,000 (Year 1–Year 6)
Stationery / Student ID
AED 400–AED 450
National Agenda Parameter / Arabic Benchmark Test
AED 200–AED 300 (Year 1–Year 6)
Skill Development / STEM Programme
AED 750–AED 900
VAT
AED 93–AED 115

The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?

Oak Tree Primary School is a school with a genuine, warm heart - and that matters enormously at primary age. The caring ethos is not marketing language; it is corroborated by DSIB inspection evidence, parent testimonials and the school's Very Good safeguarding rating. For families who want their young child in a small, nurturing community where they will be known by name, where the atmosphere is calm and inclusive, and where fees are genuinely affordable within the British curriculum Dubai landscape, Oak Tree Primary School deserves serious consideration. However, intellectual honesty requires acknowledging the school's limitations. Three consecutive Acceptable ratings from DSIB, a Weak self-evaluation grade, inconsistent teaching quality in lower Primary, and below-age reading skills in Years 4 to 6 are not minor footnotes - they are structural challenges that have persisted across multiple inspection cycles. The school is improving, and the Foundation Stage trajectory is encouraging. But parents making a long-term primary education decision should weigh whether the improvement pace matches their expectations and timeline. The recent leadership changes add another layer of uncertainty that only time will resolve.

THE “RIGHT FIT”

Families prioritising affordability, a small-school community feel, genuine inclusion and a nurturing British curriculum environment for children aged 3 to 11 - particularly those entering Foundation Stage, where provision has demonstrably improved.

THE “WRONG FIT”

Families seeking consistently high academic challenge, strong extracurricular depth, competitive sports programmes, or a school with a track record of moving beyond the minimum DSIB standard - those families should look at higher-rated British curriculum alternatives in the Al Qouz and wider Dubai area.

“

We would love to express our gratitude to our son's teacher Ms. Mhea for her forever passionate approach and support. We have seen immense improvement in all aspects.

— FS1 Parent

Strengths

  • Very Good safeguarding and child protection - highest DSIB grade awarded
  • Genuinely affordable fees for a British curriculum school in Dubai
  • Warm, inclusive ethos where children with additional needs participate fully
  • Improving Foundation Stage with Good progress in English and mathematics
  • Small community feel - children are known individually by staff
  • Purpose-built campus with pool, music room, art room and innovation area
  • Multicultural environment with students from diverse nationalities

Areas for Improvement

  • Three consecutive DSIB Acceptable ratings - no improvement in overall grade since 2019
  • Self-evaluation and improvement planning rated Weak in 2024 inspection
  • Arabic as a first language attainment rated Weak in Primary
  • Reading skills below chronological age in Years 4, 5 and 6
  • No dedicated guidance counsellor for 620 students