
Pace British School branch sharjah - MuwailihBritish Curriculum, Subjects & QualificationsLast Updated: April 7, 2026
Curriculum & Academics
Pace British School LLC (Muwailih Branch) delivers a complete UK National Curriculum pathway spanning EYFS (FS1–FS2) through to A Levels (Year 13) — one of relatively few schools in Sharjah offering an unbroken British education from age three to eighteen. The academic framework follows Cambridge International standards throughout, with students sitting IGCSE examinations at the end of Year 11, AS Levels in Year 12, and A Levels in Year 13. Dual accreditation under both Cambridge and Edexcel Pearson gives families flexibility in subject pathways at Key Stage 4 and 5. PBS is also one of only 5 BSME (British Schools of the Middle East) certified schools in Sharjah, a distinction that signals a commitment to professional standards beyond the minimum regulatory requirement.
The school's academic program covers a broad subject range: English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Arabic, French, Islamic Studies, Moral Education, Social Studies, PE, Expressive Arts, and IT. International benchmarking is embedded through IGCSE, CAT4, CEM, and GL progress assessments, giving teachers and parents externally validated data on student progress relative to global norms — a meaningful differentiator at this price point. The SEN and Inclusion provision is a genuine strength: 135 students with special educational needs are enrolled and supported through Individual Education Plans, and a formal Exam Access Arrangements programme operates in line with Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) guidelines for IGCSE and A Level candidates. A dedicated Gifted and Talented programme is also listed, though inspectors flagged that differentiated challenge for higher-attaining students requires further development.
The most recent SPEA ITQAN School Performance Review (2022–2023) rated PBS Good overall — a rating sustained across both the 2022–2023 and 2024–2025 inspection cycles. Among British curriculum schools in Sharjah, this places PBS in the solid mid-tier: of 105 British curriculum schools across the city, 29 are rated Good, 24 Very Good, and 18 Outstanding, meaning PBS sits within the largest single rating band for its curriculum type. Inspectors specifically commended students' progress in most subjects, positive attitudes to learning, and the thoroughness of SEN identification and support. Student attendance was recorded at 94%, and teacher turnover at a low 10%, with the main teacher nationality being British — a staffing profile consistent with the school's positioning.
Subject-level inspection findings reveal a nuanced picture. Achievement in English, Mathematics, and other subjects (Art, Music, PE) was rated Good across all three phases, with the majority of students making better-than-expected progress. Science reached Good in Phase 3 (secondary) but remained Acceptable in Phases 1 and 2. Arabic (first and second language), Islamic Education, and Social Studies were rated Acceptable across all phases — a persistent gap that inspectors explicitly flagged for improvement. No published GCSE grade distributions or A Level pass-rate data are currently available, which limits direct comparison with peer schools. [MISSING: IGCSE A*–C pass rate; A Level A*–A percentage; university destination data]
Inspectors identified several areas requiring attention: raising attainment in Arabic medium subjects and science in Phases 1 and 2; improving the quality of teaching to provide well-focused challenge for all ability groups including gifted and talented students; developing assessment feedback so students understand how to improve; and strengthening students' innovation, enterprise, and entrepreneurial skills — particularly in Phase 2. These findings are consistent with patterns seen across mid-range British curriculum schools in Sharjah and are not unusual for a school that only opened in 2019, but they represent clear priorities for families whose children are in primary or who place high value on Arabic language outcomes. Compared to peer British schools that have published external exam results, PBS's absence of publicly available IGCSE and A Level data is a gap parents should seek to address directly with the school before enrolling at Key Stage 4 or 5.