Dubai Scholars Private School is a private UK curriculum FS1 to Year 13 school located in Al Ghusais, Dubai, educating children from 3 to 18 years of age. It has consistently been rated Good by the KHDA over the past ten years.

Dubai Scholars Private School has been rated Good in the 2023-24 DSIB inspection round.  This review will be updated and the report uploaded once available. 

The story so far...

Established in 1976, making it one of the oldest international schools in the country, Dubai Scholars Private School (DSPS) was the first of three schools founded by Scholars International Group under the leadership of Aparna Verma, each of which has been developed to meet a specific demand for excellent education at a moderate price. 

Scholars International Academy, Sharjah, also UK curriculum, and the most recent member of the group, Clarion School, offering a progressive US curriculum, have all been developed through the single-minded commitment of Mrs. Verma. Innovation seems to be a hallmark of SIG and its the schools.

Starting from a villa in Deira, DSPS expanded as the demand for more classes grew. It moved to two villas and eventually to seven. By the early nineties, Dubai Scholars moved into the purpose-built facility at its current location. State of the art facilities were incorporated to create an environment that is conducive to dynamic learning.

The vision for Dubai Scholars Private School is "to provide a student centered learning environment where our children are authors of their own learning and become authors of their own futures".

The school's vision is further elaborated in it Mission statement which is:

"to prepare our students for the challenges of life, with the critical skills and communicative abilities to tackle those challenges that have yet to manifest, in this rapidly evolving society. Our goal is to lead students to be confident individuals who are comfortable in taking risks but have the values to act with thoughtfulness and humility.
As we guide our students on their education journey, our mission is to teach tolerance regardless of culture and beliefs, impart the importance of life long learning, inspire happiness combined with academic achievement to each child as he steps into his or her future".

The school has just over 2,350 students and at the time of the most recent DSIB inspection in October 2022, employed 120 full-time teachers, mainly from India (the predominant nationality of students) together with 25 teaching assistants, giving a mid range teacher to student ratio of 1:17. The popularity of the school has been marked by an increase in students numbers over recent years of approximately 500 since 2020 - a strong achievement, given the reduction in numbers at many schools. Staff turnover, at 25% in 2017-18, 29% in 2019-20, and 17% in 2022, is on the high side (the Dubai average is 20-22%), and more so in an Indian-staffed school.

The school is led by long-time Principal, Mr. Frank Scarcelli, who took a brief retirement in 2020 after four years in the leadership role, only to return to DSPS after the pandemic.

In April 2021, Dubai Scholars announced the construction of a new building which was completed in time for the start of the 2021-22 academic year in August. The new building has been designed for the Senior Secondary school's use predominantly, and allowed expansion of student numbers across the school as classrooms previously occupied by the Senior year groups are now used by Lower Secondary (Years 7 to 9), and this has freed up space in the Primary school also.  Further details of the additional facility can be found here.

What about the curriculum?

Dubai Scholars Private School follows the National Curriculum for England  with both IGCSE and A Level programmes available for senior students. As a sign of its commitment to deliver a genuine British education, DSPS is a member of British Schools of the Middle East, an accrediting association for British Schools in the region which organises inspections and aims to ensure that schools follow specific codes of professional conduct and growth.

Children joining the school in the Foundation Stage follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS) which DSPS describes - "children are eager and determined to understand how their world works. They explore, discover, search for, and stumble upon ideas and principles that surround them. And the best tool they use for this is Play. At the Foundation Stage in Dubai Scholars Private School, we call this, Purposeful Powerful Play."

Children at this stage are socially and cognitively ready to develop critical thinking processes such as problem-solving, abilities to sustain attention, abilities to plan and lead activities, and even develop primary abilities to monitor their own behaviour. And this is where play comes in. Purposeful play, kindles children’s learning abilities by encouraging creativity, building critical thinking, sparking curiosity, and in doing so it facilitates learning by doing.

The children's education is focused on seven areas of learning and development within the EYFS which are equally important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three prime areas are Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development. The four specific areas of learning, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied, are Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design..

As students move onto the Primary stage of their education, they follow a programme of study which is aligned to the National Curriculum for England and provides opportunities to students to become critical and independent thinkers confident in their ability to move to the next level of education. It is broad, balanced and meets the needs of all learners. Assessment is both formative and summative allowing teachers to educate the entirety of a student’s wide range of talents, curiosity and proclivities. The school provides opportunities for students to develop problem solving, research, inquiry, collaboration and creativity.

Core subjects include English, Mathematics, Science, Arabic, Islamic Studies/PSHE, Humanities (History and Geography), UAE Social Studies and Moral Education. Additional subjects include Art, Music and Dance, Physical Education and ICT. A second language option is introduced from Year 4 where students choose from either French or Hindi.

In lower Secondary school Years 7 and 8, the programme builds on the learning from Upper Primary and prepare students for the IGCSE courses. Students study the following subjects - English (Language & Literature), Second Language (Hindi/French), Mathematics, History, Geography, UAE Social Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Arabic, Islamic Studies (Muslim Students), PSHE (For Non-Muslims), Physical Education, and ICT. 

At this stage, (sadly in our view) access to more creative subjects such as Art and Design, Performing Arts and Music are no longer included in the core curriculum and accessible only through after-school activities.

According to the school, the aim of the Year 9 to 11 (IGCSE) curriculum is to provide a comprehensive course of study that encourages students to develop critical thinking skills beyond rote learning, together with research and writing skills in order to expand their own academic and developmental progress.

In common with a number of UK curriculum schools attended by predominantly Asian families, students commence what is usually a two year IGCSE programme in Year 9, extending the learning period leading to the exams by an additional year.
Also in common with other UK curriculum schools catering largely for the expat Indian population, Dubai Scholars aims to ensure that students are qualified for the professions and for commerce.   
Clearly the school does not cater for students with a stronger predilection for the humanities. In fact, the school website notes that "Sports, languages, performing arts, multi-cultural interactions, and community service are but a few of the numerous programmes that balance our academic core to promote well-rounded student-leaders."

Students in Year 8 make their subject choices for Year 9 in preparation for the IGCSE examinations in Year 11 programme (Edexcel Board). DSPS students follow eight courses at IGCSE of which four are compulsory, together with four optional subjects (the choice of which is dependent on parent approval). 

Compulsory Subjects include English Language, Second Language Hindi/French, Mathematics, Arabic (following the Ministry of Education guidelines and curriculum), Islamic Studies (for Muslim students following the Ministry of Education guidelines and curriculum); non-Muslim students have a choice of Environmental Management or History. Optional Subjects are two be chosen between pairs of subjects - either Biology or Economics, Physics or Business Studies, ICT or Psychology, and Chemistry or Accounting.

Finally, on moving into Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13), students are offered "a focused range" of A Levels: Media Studies or Economics, Chemistry or Accounts, Biology or Business, Physics or Psychology, Mathematics and Information Technology - very much in line with the Commerce or Science streams which are the norm in Indian curriculum schools. 

The school's Sixth Form section on its website includes a very detailed analysis of the differences between exam boards, equivalencies and study options. It can be found here.

DSPS offers a somewhat limited range of After School Clubs which include Dance, Chess, Fitness, Video Gaming Club, Music/Guitar, Art & Design, Cookery and STEAM, together with Sports Clubs that included Basketball, Hockey, Cricket and Football.  

In addition to academics and after-school activities, as a part of community service, Sixth Form students teach English to labourers at a labour camp and also conduct entertainment programmes at the labour camps, including a cultural night and a cricket match. In school, Sixth Form students support and teach the younger year groups through the Math PALS and Buddy Tutoring Programme. Sixth Form students also lead story reading in the Foundation Stage and the lower Primary. 

What about support for students of Determination and those with Gifts and Talents?

At the time of the last DSIB inspection, 75 students were registered with additional learning needs.  The provision and outcomes for students of Determination is rated Good by the KHDA's inspectors.

They note that "The governor for inclusive education, the inclusion champion and the inclusion support team collaborate to carry out the school’s vision, which is to promote an inclusive ethos and to welcome students of determination. This results in the creation of a diverse school population.
Procedures on entry, in FS and in classes are constantly applied, ensuring that accurate identification occurs within appropriate time frames. These actions lead to effective interventions. Curriculum planning is appropriately modified, ensuring that students of determination are engaged in learning. Adaptations have yet to be implemented consistently across the school."

DSPS says that it welcomes all students with a range of learning preferences, including students of determination, students who are Gifted and talented and students who are English Additional Language Learners. 

The inspection report noted that the process of identifying students with gifts and talents was under review. The support for these students continues, enabling them to achieve their personal best in areas such as music and dance.

A highly qualified Inclusion Support team supports students of determination and more able learners. The inclusion team works in collaboration with the teachers and parents to address the different barriers experienced by students. 

What about academic achievement?

Unfortunately, Dubai Scholars does not routinely publish its exam results. However, in 2021, the school did reveal its A Level results to WhichSchoolAdvisor.com.  In the second year of the Covid 19 pandemic, when students were unable to sit the examinations, results were based on Centre Assessed Grades, awarded by teachers and the school leadership based on internal assessments and mock examinations.

Dubai Scholars Private School entered 110 students for A Level examinations (the number of exam entries was not revealed), and 16% of entries achieved the highest A* grade. 63% of all entries were awarded A*-A grades, 94% of entries achieved A*-C grades and 98% of all entries achieved a pass at A*-E grades.

WhichSchoolAdvisor.com hopes that Dubai Scholars will provide further details in the future. 

The school did not reveal its A Level results, but provides a comprehensive list of universities attended by DS Alumni. These include Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Imperial College, Indian University of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Kings College London, London School of Economics, McGill University, New York University, Oxford University, University College London, University of Cambridge, University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto and University of Wollongong.

What about facilities?

Situated on a 200,000 sq. ft. site in the Al Qusais area, Dubai Scholars was specifically designed to ensure that students had access to appropriate facilities, whether in class, on the sports fields or in arts studios. Sections of the campus are zoned for Early Years, Primary and Secondary students in order to provide the optimal setting for learning at each year and key stage. Facilities include a Swimming Pool, Multi-sports field, Basketball Courts, zoned playgrounds for Foundation Stage and Primary, a Junior Science Lab, Senior Science Labs including Physics, Chemistry and Biology, a Junior Library, a Senior Library, two ICT Labs and an Auditorium.

Find out more about the campus and facilities by reading: What is the Dubai Scholars experience?

In April 2021, Dubai Scholars announced that the school's plan to expand its facilities for the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

A new building is to dedicated for use by the senior school. It houses two Science labs and the Media lab, which is a subject that was added to the A Level programme. The three new labs are exclusively used by the senior school, leaving the labs in the main building for lower senior school and primary to use. 

Classrooms are spread across all three floors of the new building to be used exclusively by the Senior school.  Most classrooms in the original building that were previously used by Years 10 to 13 have been made available for Years 7 to 9, with some classrooms also freed up for the use of Primary years.

What the inspectors say

Dubai Scholars is a school that was clearly "on the up" from the information contained in the 2019-20 inspection report. This view was reinforced with the award of a Good rating again in the 2022-23 DSIB inspection. The school has now held the Good rating from the KHDA for past ten inspections. 

However, as is so often the case, Dubai Scholars' overall KHDA rating really does not tell the full story.  In many respects, this is a school that could have already been awarded the next higher rating of Very Good - the rating awarded to the vast majority of key performance measures. 

Unfortunately, in the 2022-23 report, the first since the pandemic put a halt on inspections between early 2020 and late 2022, there has been a slight drop in ratings, notably in the FS section.  There is, however, no question that the Primary, Secondary and post-16 sections in terms of Student Achievement for English, Maths and Science are strengths of the school.  As is often the case, Islamic Education is largely rated Good, but Arabic as a second language remains are weak point.

Students' personal and social development, and their innovation skills are rated Outstanding across the school, whilst the curriculum is rated Very Good across the school with the exception of FS.  The protection, care, guidance and support of students is also rated Very Good across the school.

The school's strengths include:

• The outstanding personal development of all students and their awareness and understanding of Islamic values
• Leaders’ vision to improve learning in this inclusive learning community
• The initiative and commitment of the governing body in developing the facilities to enhance the learning environment
• Parents’ overwhelming support for the school and its reputation in the community..

Areas the school has been recommended to focus on for further improvement by the KHDA are to:

• Raise students' attainment and progress in Arabic as an additional language by:
  o improving teaching and assessments of learning
  o developing the skills of middle leaders to enhance their understanding of best practices in teaching and assessment.
• Improve the quality of teaching by:
  o regularly evaluating its quality and its impact on outcomes
  o using assessment information consistently to improve attainment through personalised learning programmes
  o extending students' critical thinking and independent learning skills.

If you would like to read the full inspection report - and we strongly advise you to do so in order to gain a better understanding of the reasons behind the ratings and recommendations - you will find it here.

The Buzz

We at WhichSchoolAdvisor.com were very touched to read a comment recently posted by a current student of the school  who, in response to our Student Survey question "What are the key things you want prospective students thinking about joining to know about your school?" replied "It's not the most flashy and eccentric school out there, but what you will get coming here is a quality education".   We think that this is not inconsiderable praise!

Unsurprisingly, the school is very popular, especially in the Asian community for parents who want a British education for their children. There have even in the past newspaper reports of queues forming overnight to get children into the school. This will no doubt be helped by its tight knit group of parents who clearly value the school and what it offers.  

The WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Parent Survey has received a relatively low number of responses, but those parents who have participated have rated the school 4.1/5 or a positivity rating of 82%. One parent commented: "Good environment, teachers . Good communication system with the school. Safety of students is the school's priority. I think there should be more discipline and respect for the teachers by the students."

If you are a parent, teacher or student at Dubai Scholars Private School, please share your experience and opinions with other potential members of your community by completing our Survey here.

In a new initiative introduced by the KHDA in the 2022-23 academic year, the DSIB inspectors were asked to evaluate 'The quality of wellbeing provision and outcomes' which was found to be at a high level, the second of four possible ratings.

The inspectors commented:

• The school’s vision focuses upon the social, intellectual, emotional and moral development of the whole child. This is echoed through the school’s classrooms and corridors. The governing board and senior leaders have made wellbeing a priority. A designated governor has been appointed. The school collects data and undertakes analysis on an on-going basis. Ensuring accessible and impactful use of data is an important next step. The management of day-to-day school routines informs the development of the whole-school approach to wellbeing.
• Teachers are aware of the needs of their students. The relationship between teachers and students is a strong feature. Wellbeing posters offering relevant advice are strategically placed around the school. Qualified, trained and trusted adults provide significant personal and academic guidance about career choices and further education. Support for individual staff members is provided as needed. Parents value staff for their care and support and take advantage of opportunities to provide feedback on wellbeing.
• The school has a diverse range of programmes to support and develop the wellbeing of students. Planning for students’ individual needs is carefully recorded. Mindful Mondays and Wellbeing Wednesdays show a commitment to raising awareness of wellbeing. A wellbeing session is included in class assemblies. Activities in several departments facilitate cross-curricular planning and students’ participation. The wellbeing champion organises valuable online and face-to-face sessions. Students demonstrate positive and responsible attitudes towards one another. Students enjoy the absence of bullying and feel safe at school. 

Our View

There is no question that Dubai Scholars is a school that is popular with parents, students and - increasingly - the KHDA's inspectors, and with good reason.  There is so much that makes the school an obvious choice for families seeking a high standard of education at an affordable price.

Our sister site, SchoolsCompared.com does add a strong caveat in relation to the school curriculum at the Secondary level, that this will not be a school for all children, in particular those with a tendency to rely on the right (creative) side of the brain. However, one can argue that Dubai Scholars is merely giving its stakeholders - ambitious Indian parents and children - what they want:  A strong focus on science and business over the arts and humanities in general. This is a situation by no means unique to Dubai Scholars, but a fairly common experience among schools offering a UK curriculum directed largely at Asian families.

What about the fees?

Fees are very accessible for a UK curriculum-based school, ranging from between AED 15,077 per year for FS1 students to AED 30,000 for A-level students. It should be noted that whilst fees for students from FS1 to Year 9 may be paid in three termly installments, fees for Years 10-13 are payable in two installments. 

There is an AED 500 non-refundable application and assessment fee.  On offer of a place, a further fee of AED 750 must be paid with regard to Onboarding and Diagnostic assessment.

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

Dubai Scholars Private School is a Best of school, a ranking determined by parent surveys on the site. It can be found in the following Best of rankings:

• #48 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #12 in Best A Level Schools in Dubai
• #23 in Best British Schools in Dubai
• #35 in Best Schools in Dubai

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