UAE school news, 12 to 18 October 2026

Between Monday 12 October and Sunday 18 October 2026, 13 private schools across the UAE announced 14 verifiable developments on their own websites and social channels.

This week in brief: 2 exam results, 1 new programme and 11 awards and competition results. By emirate: Dubai 9, Abu Dhabi 4, Sharjah 1.

Exam and assessment results

The Indian High School (Dubai): The Indian High School says its students performed well above the OECD average in Reading, Math and Science in PISA 2025. The school credits its learning culture, dedicated teachers and motivated learners for the result. (Instagram post, 16 October)
Horizon Private School - Branch, Khalifa City (Abu Dhabi): Horizon Private School reports that its PISA 2025 results outperformed both the Abu Dhabi and UAE benchmarks across all four domains, with strong growth among its American Curriculum and Emirati student groups. (Instagram post, 12 October)

Curriculum, programmes and accreditation

GEMS Wellington Academy (Dubai): GEMS Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis has launched a new BTEC Hip Hop Culture, Street & Commercial Dance Pathway, celebrated with a judges showcase at the close of its Term 1 International Dance Residency. (Instagram post, 12 October)

Awards and competitions

Al Diyafah High School (Dubai): The school recognised a group of students who successfully achieved the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, citing their personal growth, community service, skill development, physical recreation and adventurous exploration as evidence of resilience and commitment beyond the classroom. (Instagram post, 16 October)
Mayoor Private School (Abu Dhabi): Mayoor Private School received two recognitions from ABT for its performance in last year's Arabic and Islamic Education benchmarking assessments: the Shield of Excellence in Arabic and the Shield of Values in Islamic Education. The school thanked its Primary and Secondary Arabic and Islamic Studies teams. (Instagram post, 16 October)
GEMS Legacy School (Dubai): The school's U14 girls table tennis team finished 1st runner-up at the CBSE UAE Cluster 2026, earning the programme's first-ever silver medal and qualifying for the CBSE Nationals, where the team advanced to the second round of the team event. (Instagram post, 15 October)
Sharjah American Int. Pvt. School (Sharjah): The school's students won the Best One-Minute Pitch Award in the Sustainability Competition at the Sharakah Net Impact Sustainability Challenge at the American University of Sharjah. (Instagram post, 14 October)
Mayoor Private School (Abu Dhabi): The school's U-17 boys' cricket team secured 3rd place at the CBSE UAE Cluster Cricket Tournament after a hard-fought semi-final, with the school praising the team's determination, teamwork and sportsmanship. (Instagram post, 14 October)
Sabari Indian School (Dubai): On 10 October 2026, Sabari Indian School Dubai received the Shield of Excellence and the Values Shield from IBT International Tests for strong results in earlier international Arabic and Islamic Studies examinations. It is the second time the school has been honoured, among more than 1,400 schools across Arab countries. (Instagram post, 13 October)
Abu Dhabi Indian School (Abu Dhabi): The school held a send-off ceremony for athletes heading to the CBSE National championships 2026-2027. Four more teams qualified: boys' and girls' athletics, under-17 girls' football, girls' swimming and under-14 boys' football. (Instagram post, 13 October)
Star International School - Al Twar (Dubai): The school received the Shield of Excellence in Arabic and the Shield of Values in Islamic Education from ABT, recognising its performance in the previous year's Arabic and Islamic Education benchmarking assessments across primary and secondary phases. (Instagram post, 13 October)
Bright Learners Private School (Dubai): The school's Arabic department has received the Shield of Excellence Award for outstanding performance in the ABT Assessment, a recognition the school attributes to its teachers' dedication and students' commitment to learning. (Instagram post, 12 October)
Oak Tree Primary School (Dubai): The school's senior leadership team accepted awards from ABT recognising remarkable progress in Arabic and Islamic Education during the 2025/2026 academic year, celebrating the contribution of students and teachers. (Instagram post, 12 October)
Al Nibras International Private School (Dubai): Nibras International School has received two ABT (Arabic Benchmark Tests) Awards in recognition of its excellence and continued progress in Arabic and Islamic Education. The school credited the dedication of its Arabic and Islamic Education teaching teams for the achievement. (Instagram post, 12 October)

Previous edition: UAE school news, 5 to 11 October 2026.