Victory Heights Primary School - City of Arabia, Dubai
British School in City of Arabia, Dubai
Last updated
Curriculum
British
Location
Dubai, City of Arabia
Fees
AED 40K - 57K
The Executive Summary
Victory Heights Primary School - City of Arabia is a British curriculum primary school that opened in 2025, serving children aged 3 to 11 across Foundation Stage 1 to Year 6. Operated by Interstar Education and led by Founding Principal Ben Rothwell, the school is positioned as the community-rooted sibling of Victory Heights Primary School Sports City - a Dubai institution that has earned consecutive KHDA Outstanding ratings. That pedigree is the school's most compelling selling point: the leadership team, the ELLI learning framework, the inclusion philosophy, and the academic benchmarks have all been transplanted directly from Sports City to City of Arabia. For families in the Dubailand corridor - Arabian Ranches, Villanova, Silicon Oasis, Mudon - this is a genuinely exciting proposition: a school with a proven Outstanding track record, fees in the AED 40,000 to AED 57,000 range, and a deliberate emphasis on knowing every child by name. The school fees place it firmly in the accessible mid-range for City of Arabia schools, making it a strong value-for-money option relative to its ambitions.
Outstanding Sister School PedigreeBritish Curriculum FS1 - Year 6AED 40K - 57K FeesCommunity-Centred EthosInterstar Education Group
See how Victory Heights Primary School - City of Arabia compares across all 105 British schools in our Best British Schools in Dubai 2026 guide.
“We chose VHPS City of Arabia because we had seen what Sports City had built over 13 years. The same team, the same values - it felt like a safe bet for our daughter starting FS2.”
— Foundation Stage Parent(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia follows the English National Curriculum from Foundation Stage 1 through Year 6, supplemented by UAE Ministry of Education-mandated subjects including Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Moral Education. The curriculum is delivered across three distinct phases: Foundation Stage (FS1 and FS2), Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2), and Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6). A defining feature of the school's academic identity is the ELLI framework - Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory - a research-based model developed at Bristol University that identifies seven learning dispositions represented by animals: the Bee (resilience), Cat (creativity), Chameleon (adaptability), Owl (strategic awareness), Spider (making links), Tortoise (meaning making), and Unicorn (curiosity). This is not window dressing: ELLI is embedded throughout lesson design and assessment at the sister school and is being replicated here as a structural approach to developing metacognitive learners rather than passive recipients of instruction.
Because the school opened in September 2025, there are no GCSE, SATs, or external examination results to report for this campus. However, the school publishes benchmarks from its sister school, Victory Heights Primary School Sports City, as a directional indicator. Those results are striking: 100% of Year 6 pupils at Sports City achieved the expected standard in Reading, 97% in Writing, and 98% in Maths. At Year 2, 89% met the expected standard in Reading, 86% in Writing, and 87% in Maths. The school is explicit that it is committed to replicating and building on these outcomes at City of Arabia. Specialist subjects are taught by dedicated, subject-specific teachers and include PE, Swimming, Music, Art, Arabic, Spanish from Key Stage 2, STEAM, and Computing. The inclusion of Spanish as a modern foreign language from Year 3 is a differentiator at this price point. Inclusion and SEN provision is led by Michelle Choytooa, who brings 11 years of experience leading Outstanding-rated inclusion programmes. The school estimates that approximately 8 to 10 percent of students are identified with SEND, and support includes in-house speech therapy and a dedicated inclusion team operating under the school's FAIR framework - Flexible, Aspirational, Inclusive, Respectful. Maximum class size is capped at 25 students, with an overall teacher-to-student ratio of 1:14, which is notably strong for a mid-range fee school in Dubai.
100%
Year 6 Reading at Expected Standard
Sister school Sports City benchmark - directional indicator for City of Arabia
97%
Year 6 Writing at Expected Standard
Sister school Sports City benchmark
98%
Year 6 Maths at Expected Standard
Sister school Sports City benchmark
1:14
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Strong for mid-range Dubai primary schools
8-10%
Students Identified with SEND
Supported via FAIR framework and in-house speech therapy
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
For a school in its first year of operation, Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia has moved quickly to establish a meaningful extracurricular programme. The school website references dedicated pages for Clubs and Sport, Enrichment, and Student Leadership, signalling a structural commitment to life beyond the classroom rather than an afterthought. The Spanish Spelling Bee is already visible as a competitive enrichment activity, with Year 3 to Year 6 students representing the school in regional finals - a notable achievement for a school in its inaugural year.
Swimming is embedded into the curriculum for all students, delivered in the school's indoor climate-controlled pool by qualified instructors - this is timetabled provision, not an optional extra. PE is taught as a specialist subject across all year groups. The school's community ethos is further expressed through the Al Manara programme, a UAE-rooted cultural and community engagement initiative that reflects the school's commitment to local identity within a British curriculum framework. A House System provides the competitive and social architecture for inter-school events and student belonging. Student Leadership opportunities are structured from an early age, reflecting the school's belief that leadership is a learnable disposition rather than an innate quality. The enrichment programme is described as distinct from standard ECAs, suggesting a curated set of experiences designed to broaden pupils' horizons beyond academic study. Paid ECAs are available in addition to core provision, though specific club counts and schedules were not published at the time of this review. Parents should ask directly about the ECA timetable and any associated costs during their admissions visit.
Weekly
Swimming Lessons for All Students
Indoor climate-controlled pool, taught by qualified instructors
Spanish Spelling Bee FinalistsCurriculum Swimming for AllAl Manara UAE ProgrammeHouse SystemStudent Leadership from Early Years
Pastoral Care & Well-being
The pastoral philosophy at Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia is built around a single, clearly articulated principle: every child should be known. The school's tagline - Our Community, In Your Community - is not mere marketing; it reflects a deliberate decision to build a smaller, relationship-centred school rather than a large-volume institution. With a maximum class size of 25 and a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:14, the structural conditions for genuine pastoral care are in place from day one.
Safeguarding has its own dedicated section on the school website, indicating that child protection policies are treated as a priority governance matter rather than a compliance checkbox. The school's Wellbeing and Pastoral Care framework is listed as a distinct programme, and the website references a character named Basil - a school mascot used to introduce wellbeing concepts to younger children in an age-appropriate way. The ELLI learning dispositions framework also serves a pastoral function: by helping children identify their own learning behaviours and emotional responses, it builds the self-awareness and resilience that underpin good mental health. The House System provides vertical community structures that connect children across year groups, reducing the social isolation that can affect pupils in large schools. Parent Champions - a formal programme of current parent volunteers who speak with prospective families - is an unusual and positive signal of community confidence and transparency. The school uses Seesaw as its primary home-school communication platform, enabling real-time visibility of learning for parents. Termly parent consultations and open classroom events complete the communication cycle. The inclusion of a dedicated Head of Inclusion with 11 years of Outstanding-rated experience in the leadership team from the outset - rather than as a later hire - speaks to the seriousness with which the school approaches the wellbeing of children with additional needs.
“What struck us most on the tour was that the staff already knew the children's names and interests after just a few weeks. That level of attentiveness is rare, especially in a brand new school still finding its feet.”
— Key Stage 1 Parent(representative)Campus & Facilities
Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia occupies a purpose-built campus in City of Arabia, Dubailand - a rapidly developing residential district in the south-east of Dubai. The campus is new, having opened in September 2025, which means families benefit from modern infrastructure without the maintenance challenges that can affect older Dubai school buildings. The school's location in Dubailand places it within easy reach of some of the emirate's fastest-growing family communities: Arabian Ranches I, II, and III, Villanova, Serena, Silicon Oasis, Mudon, Tilal Al Ghaf, Al Barari, and Falcon City are all within the school's catchment and transport network.
The flagship facility is the indoor, climate-controlled swimming pool, complemented by a separate splash pool designed specifically for younger Foundation Stage children - a thoughtful provision that acknowledges the developmental difference between a 3-year-old and a 10-year-old in the water. All students receive weekly swimming lessons as a timetabled curriculum subject. The campus includes dedicated learning spaces for specialist subjects including Music, Art, STEAM, and Computing, reflecting the breadth of the specialist teaching offer. The school references vibrant learning environments and open classroom events, suggesting spaces designed for collaborative and visible learning rather than traditional rows-and-blackboard layouts. Technology infrastructure includes the use of Seesaw as a digital learning and communication platform, though specific details on device ratios and classroom technology were not published at the time of this review. The school's transport provision is extensive, with routes serving Al Warqaa, Townsquare, Falcon City of Wonders, DAMAC Hills 1 and 2, Liwan, Arabian Ranches 1, 2 and 3, Skycourt, Serena, Villanova, Sustainable City, Silicon Oasis, International City Phases 1 and 2, Nad Al Hamr, Nad al Shiba, and Nas Villas - one of the broadest transport networks for a primary school in this corridor.
2025
Campus Opening Year
Brand new purpose-built facility in City of Arabia, Dubailand
17+
Transport Routes Served
One of the broadest primary school transport networks in the Dubailand corridor
Indoor Climate-Controlled PoolSplash Pool for Foundation StageSTEAM and Computing SpacesNew Purpose-Built Campus 2025Extensive Transport NetworkMusic and Art Studios
Teaching & Learning Quality
The quality of teaching at Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia is, at this stage, best understood through the lens of its leadership team's credentials rather than inspection data, since the school has not yet received its first KHDA DSIB inspection. What is clear is that the school has made deliberate, high-calibre appointments across every senior role.
Deputy Head Teacher Rob McCall holds a Master of Science in Education from Middlesex University Dubai, with research focused on teacher professional development. His role centres on the school's VHPS University programme - an internal professional development model that draws on global research to upskill teachers continuously. This is a meaningful differentiator: schools that invest structurally in teacher development tend to retain staff and improve teaching quality over time. Assistant Headteacher Charlotte Brookson leads Teaching and Learning with a focus on mathematics and has recently completed the NPQSL (National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership), a UK-standard qualification. Assistant Headteacher Danielle Barratt-Duffy brings over 13 years of teaching experience and has direct experience of multiple DSIB and BSO inspections, giving the school a leadership team that understands what inspection-grade teaching looks like in practice. The pedagogical approach integrates the ELLI learning dispositions framework throughout, encouraging inquiry, metacognition, and self-directed learning rather than passive instruction. Specialist subjects are delivered by dedicated subject teachers rather than class teachers covering all subjects - a quality indicator that is not universal at this fee level. The teacher-to-student ratio of 1:14 and maximum class size of 25 create the conditions for meaningful differentiation and personalised attention. Teacher turnover data is not yet available for this campus, though the transfer of experienced staff from Sports City to City of Arabia suggests a degree of institutional stability from the outset.
1:14
Overall Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Enables meaningful differentiation and individual attention
25
Maximum Class Size
Below the Dubai average for mid-range primary schools
MSc
Deputy Head's Qualification in Education
Middlesex University Dubai - research focus on teacher professional development
Leadership & Management
Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia is owned and operated by Interstar Education (formally Interstar Advisory Services DMCC), headquartered in Jumeirah Lake Towers. The school is chaired by Dinesh C. Kothari, who is described as bringing a visionary approach to educational leadership. The academic oversight of the group sits with Director of Academics Sasha Crabb, who has led Victory Heights Primary School Sports City for the past 13 years and is credited with building it into an Outstanding-rated institution. Crabb's continued involvement at group level provides a direct line of institutional memory and quality assurance between the two campuses.
Ben Rothwell serves as Founding Principal at City of Arabia, having been a member of the founding team at Sports City. His appointment as Founding Principal - rather than a lateral transfer of an existing principal - signals a deliberate intent to build City of Arabia as its own community rather than a carbon copy of Sports City. The senior leadership team is notably deep for a school in its first year: alongside Rothwell, the team includes a Deputy Head, two Assistant Headteachers, a Head of Foundation Stage, a Head of Inclusion, and a Head of Admissions. Head of Foundation Stage Natalie Doidge brings over 15 years of early years experience, having previously led Foundation Stage at two KHDA Outstanding-rated schools. Parent communication is managed through the Seesaw platform for daily learning updates, weekly newsletters, termly parent consultations, and open classroom events. The school's governance page is publicly accessible, indicating a commitment to transparency. A dedicated Parent Champions programme connects prospective families with current parents, which is an unusual and confidence-inspiring governance feature for a school of this age.
Fees & Value for Money
Victory Heights Primary School – City of Arabia offers a transparent and competitive fee structure for a high-quality British curriculum education in Dubai. Annual fees range from AED 40,000 for FS1 to AED 57,000 for Year 6, positioning the school competitively within Dubai's British primary school landscape. Fees are payable across three terms, with Term 1 representing 40% of the annual total and Terms 2 and 3 each representing 30%.
AED 40,000
Annual Fees From
AED 57,000
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
FS1
AED 40,000FS2
AED 44,000Year 1
AED 48,000Year 2
AED 51,000Year 3
AED 51,000Year 4
AED 55,000Year 5
AED 55,000Year 6
AED 57,000As part of the Victory Heights family of schools — which includes a KHDA Outstanding-rated campus — the school combines academic rigour and strong pastoral care with facilities including an indoor climate-controlled swimming pool, performing arts spaces, and purpose-built primary learning environments. Maximum class sizes are capped at 25 pupils, ensuring personalised attention for every child. At the sister school, 73% of parents agree the school provides good value for money, compared to a UAE average of 51%.
Additional costs beyond tuition are limited and clearly communicated. These include a non-refundable application fee of AED 525 (inclusive of 5% VAT), transport fees that vary by route, uniforms purchased through a designated supplier, optional paid extra-curricular activities, and curriculum-aligned field trips typically capped at AED 750 per year. Sibling discounts and corporate discounts (for Emirates and FlyDubai employees) are also available, making quality British education more accessible for families.
Additional Costs
Application Fee525(one-time)
Transport / Bus(annual)
Uniform(one-time)
Paid ECAs / After-School Activities(per-term)
Field Trips750(annual)
Residential Trips(annual)
Discounts & Concessions
Sibling Discount
Corporate Discount – Emirates & FlyDubai10%%
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
Victory Heights Primary School City of Arabia is a genuinely compelling proposition for families in the Dubailand corridor who want the feel and values of a boutique British primary school - small classes, known children, community warmth - without paying the premium fees that Outstanding-rated schools in more established parts of Dubai command. The school's strongest asset is not its facilities or its curriculum (both are solid but not exceptional at this price point) - it is the leadership team's track record at Sports City and the institutional confidence that comes with it. Founding Principal Ben Rothwell, Director of Academics Sasha Crabb, and the depth of the senior team represent an unusually strong foundation for a school in its first year.
The honest caveat is this: you are betting on potential. There is no DSIB inspection report for City of Arabia, no published Year 6 results, and no multi-year evidence base for this specific campus. For risk-averse families, that is a real consideration. For families who have done their research, visited the campus, spoken with Parent Champions, and are comfortable with the Outstanding evidence from Sports City as a directional proxy, the risk is manageable - and the reward, if the school fulfils its ambition, could be significant. At AED 40,000 to AED 57,000 per year, with specialist teaching across all subjects, a 1:14 ratio, an indoor pool, and an inclusion team of genuine depth, the value case is strong even before the first inspection verdict arrives.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
Families in Arabian Ranches, Villanova, Silicon Oasis, Mudon, and surrounding Dubailand communities who prioritise a close-knit, relationship-centred British primary education, value strong inclusion provision, and are comfortable being part of a school that is building its own Outstanding reputation from a proven foundation.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families who need the reassurance of an existing KHDA inspection rating before enrolling, those seeking a large school with extensive secondary pathways on-site, or parents whose children require specialist provision beyond what a primary-only school can offer.
“
We looked at several schools in the area. What made us choose VHPS was the team - you could tell these were people who had done this before and knew exactly what they were building. The Outstanding track record from Sports City gave us the confidence to be early adopters.
— Year 1 Parent
Strengths
- Outstanding-rated sister school provides credible quality benchmark and shared leadership
- Unusually deep senior leadership team for a school in its first year
- Strong 1:14 teacher-to-student ratio with maximum class size of 25
- Indoor climate-controlled swimming pool included for all students
- Specialist subject teachers across all year groups including Spanish from Year 3
- FAIR inclusion framework with in-house speech therapy and 11-year experienced Head of Inclusion
- Mid-range fees of AED 40K-57K with textbooks included in tuition
- Extensive transport network covering 17+ communities across Dubailand
Areas for Improvement
- No KHDA DSIB inspection report yet - first inspection expected no earlier than 2027-28
- No published academic results specific to this campus - sister school data is directional only
- No formal scholarship or bursary programme publicly documented
- School is in its first year - community, traditions, and ECA programme still being established