Where you live in Dubai shapes your school options more than almost anything else. Some neighbourhoods have a cluster of top-rated schools within a short drive, while others have only one or two. This guide shows the areas with the most schools rated Very good or Outstanding by KHDA, and lists those schools by name.
Areas at a glance
Ranked by the number of schools rated Very good or Outstanding.
| Area | Schools | Outstanding | Very good | Main curricula |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Barsha | 16 | 2 | 6 | British, IB, American |
| Umm Suqeim | 7 | 1 | 4 | British, IB, American |
| Nad Al Sheba | 8 | 2 | 2 | British, American, IB |
| Oud Metha | 7 | 3 | 1 | British, French, Indian |
| Meydan City | 5 | 0 | 4 | French, British, IB |
| Al Quoz | 10 | 0 | 3 | Indian, British, French |
| Al Barsha South | 7 | 2 | 1 | British, American, IB |
| Jumeirah | 5 | 2 | 1 | British, IB, UAE MOE |
| Al Khail | 4 | 0 | 3 | British, IB, Indian |
| Al Safa | 4 | 2 | 1 | British, American |
| Jebel Ali | 4 | 0 | 3 | British, Indian |
| Dubai Sports City | 5 | 1 | 1 | British, IB |
| Mirdif | 4 | 0 | 2 | British, IB, Chinese |
| Academic City | 3 | 1 | 1 | British, German |
Areas follow the locations on KHDA's school directory, grouped into neighbourhoods (for example, Al Barsha First and Al Barsha Second are both shown as Al Barsha). Al Barsha South is listed separately.
Al Barsha
16 schools, including 8 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (7), IB (5), American (4), Australian (1), UAE MOE (1).
- Kings School Al Barsha Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 13
- Nord Anglia International School Outstanding British, IB · FS1 to Year 13
- Brighton College Dubai Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
- Dubai Heights Academy Very good British, IB · FS1 to Year 12
- Dubai International Academy Al Barsha Very good IB · Nursery to Grade 12
- GEMS Founders School Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
- GEMS World Academy Very good IB · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- Regent International Private School Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
See all 16 schools in Al Barsha (including 8 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Umm Suqeim
7 schools, including 5 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (5), IB (3), American (1).
- Kings School Dubai Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 6
- Emirates International School Very good British, IB · FS1 to Year 13
- Raffles International School (Umm Suqeim South) Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
- Raffles World Academy Very good IB · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- The English College Dubai Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
See all 7 schools in Umm Suqeim (including 2 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Nad Al Sheba
8 schools, including 4 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (5), American (2), IB (2), Indian (1).
- GEMS Modern Academy Outstanding Indian, IB · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- Repton School Outstanding British, IB · FS1 to Year 13
- Kent College Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
- Kings School Nad Al Sheba Very good British · Nursery to Year 13
See all 8 schools in Nad Al Sheba (including 4 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Oud Metha
7 schools, including 4 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), French (2), Indian (1), UAE MOE (1).
- Dubai English Speaking School Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 6
- Lycée Français International Outstanding French · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- Lycée Français International Georges Pompidou Oud Metha Outstanding French · Pre-primary to KG2
- The Indian High School (Oud Metha) Very good Indian · Grade 5 to Grade 12
See all 7 schools in Oud Metha (including 3 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Meydan City
5 schools, including 4 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: French (2), British (2), IB (2).
- Bilingual French International School Very good French · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- Hartland International School Very good British, IB · FS1 to Grade 13
- Lycée Libanais Francophone Privé Meydan Very good French · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- North London Collegiate School Middle East Very good IB · Pre-primary to Grade 12
See all 5 schools in Meydan City (including 1 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Al Quoz
10 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: Indian (5), British (3), French (1), American (1), IB (1).
- Credence High School Very good Indian · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- GEMS Our Own Indian School Very good Indian · KG1 to Grade 12
- Lycée Français Jean Mermoz Very good French · Pre-primary to Grade 12
See all 10 schools in Al Quoz (including 7 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Al Barsha South
7 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), American (2), IB (2), Indian (1), French (1).
- GEMS Dubai American Academy Outstanding American, IB · KG1 to Grade 12
- Safa Community School Outstanding British, IB · FS1 to Year 13
- Repton Al Barsha Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
See all 7 schools in Al Barsha South (including 4 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Jumeirah
5 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), IB (1), UAE MOE (1).
- Dubai British School Jumeirah Park Outstanding British · Nursery to Year 13
- GEMS Jumeira Primary School Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 6
- Jumeira Baccalaureate School Very good IB · Pre-primary to Grade 12
See all 5 schools in Jumeirah (including 2 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Al Khail
4 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), IB (2), Indian (1).
- GEMS New Millennium School Very good British, Indian · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- GEMS Wellington School Dubai Hills Very good British · Nursery to Year 13
- Sunmarke School Very good British, IB · FS1 to Year 13
See all 4 schools in Al Khail (including 1 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Al Safa
4 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), American (1).
- Jumeirah College Outstanding British · Year 7 to Year 13
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Al Safa First) Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 6
- Safa British School Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
See all 4 schools in Al Safa (including 1 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Jebel Ali
4 schools, including 3 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (3), Indian (1).
- Delhi Private School Very good Indian · Pre-primary to Grade 12
- Jebel Ali School Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
- The Winchester School Very good British · FS1 to Year 13
See all 4 schools in Jebel Ali (including 1 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Dubai Sports City
5 schools, including 2 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (4), IB (1).
- Victory Heights Primary School Outstanding British · FS1 to Year 6
- Royal Grammar School Guildford Very good British · FS1 to Year 10
See all 5 schools in Dubai Sports City (including 3 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Mirdif
4 schools, including 2 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (2), IB (1), Chinese (1).
- GEMS Royal Dubai School Very good British · Nursery to Year 8
- Uptown International School Very good IB · Nursery to Grade 12
See all 4 schools in Mirdif (including 2 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Academic City
3 schools, including 2 rated Very good or Outstanding. Curricula on offer: British (2), German (1).
- Dubai English Speaking College Outstanding British · Year 7 to Year 13
- German International School Dubai Very good German · Pre-primary to Grade 12
See all 3 schools in Academic City (including 1 more rated Good, Acceptable or not yet inspected).
Tips for choosing by area
- Test the school run. Drive the route at around 7am on a school day before you commit. Traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and Emirates Road can double journey times.
- Ask about buses. Check whether the school runs buses to your community, the pick-up time and the cost.
- Think long term. If you may move home in a year or two, a school close to a main road may still work after the move.
- Look beyond the overall rating. Check wellbeing and inclusion too, and read the full KHDA report. Our guide on how to choose a school in Dubai walks through the full process.
Search schools near you
Filter all 229 Dubai private schools by area, curriculum, age group and KHDA rating.
Sources
- School locations, curricula, grades and ratings: KHDA school directory, checked 23 October 2026.
Ratings are from each school's latest KHDA inspection, mostly 2023-24. Always confirm details with KHDA and the school.