Affordable IB Schools in Dubai 2026: Fees & Ratings
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IB (13 Y) / British
49K - 97K AED
Al Barsha
Curriculum pathway: English National Curriculum up to Year 11 (GCSE and IGCSE), then International Baccalaureate programmes in Years 12 and 13
Last updated · Sources: KHDA inspection reports, published 2026-2027 fee schedule · methodology
Dubai Heights Academy is a British school founded in 2017, located in Al Barsha 2. The school offers UK education to both boys and girls aged 3 to 15, covering grades from FS1 to Year 10, with a current enrollment of 336 students.
The school follows the UK curriculum, preparing students for GCSE and ASDAN examinations. Dubai Heights Academy holds BSO accreditation, confirming its commitment to maintaining high academic standards. The school received a "Very good" rating in the latest KHDA inspection for 2023-2024.
Annual tuition fees range from AED 48,688 to AED 96,880. The Al Barsha 2 campus is conveniently accessible for families residing in Al Barsha First, Al Barsha Second, and Al Barsha South.
Facts reported by the school on its own channels, summarised by BestSchool.ae with a link to each source.
Dubai Heights Academy offers the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, with Bronze and Silver levels, to students in Years 10-13. According to the school, the programme develops confidence, leadership and independence through new experiences and can also strengthen university applications.
Source: InstagramAnnual tuition at Dubai Heights Academy ranges from AED 48,688 (FS 1) to AED 96,880 (Year 12) for 2026-2027, across 15 year groups, or about AED 4,057 to AED 8,073 a month. All 14 grade fees are unchanged from 2025-2026.
KHDA rated Dubai Heights Academy "Very good" in its 2023-2024 inspection, up from "Good" at the previous inspection. The school has been inspected 3 times since 2021-2022.
Dubai Heights Academy achieved a very good overall rating, with outstanding personal development, care, and wellbeing. Teaching is very strong in Foundation Stage and Primary, with good practice in Secondary. Leadership and self-evaluation are effective, though the report recommends strengthening students' independence, community engagement, and attainment in Arabic and Islamic Education.
Source: KHDA inspection report 2023-2024 (PDF, pages 1-25), inspected 19 to 23 February 2024. Restated by BestSchool.ae.
Of the 65 performance indicators rated in both reports, 46 improved, 0 declined and 19 kept the same rating.
and 38 more
Of the 2 recommendations made in 2022-2023, 2 can be checked against the 2023-2024 ratings: 2 show an improvement.
Islamic Education — Progress (Primary): Acceptable → Good · Islamic Education — Progress (Secondary): Acceptable → Good · Arabic as a First Language — Attainment (Secondary): Weak → Acceptable · Arabic as a First Language — Progress (Primary): Acceptable → Good
Teaching for effective learning (Foundation Stage): Good → Very good · Teaching for effective learning (Primary): Good → Very good · Assessment (Primary): Good → Very good · Assessment (Secondary): Good → Very good
| Indicator | Phase | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students' achievement | |||
| Islamic Education — Attainment | Primary | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| Islamic Education — Attainment | Secondary | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| Islamic Education — Progress | Primary | Acceptable | Good |
| Islamic Education — Progress | Secondary | Acceptable | Good |
| Arabic as a First Language — Attainment | Primary | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| Arabic as a First Language — Attainment | Secondary | Weak | Acceptable |
| Arabic as a First Language — Progress | Primary | Acceptable | Good |
| Arabic as a First Language — Progress | Secondary | Acceptable | Good |
| Arabic as an Additional Language — Attainment | Primary | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| Arabic as an Additional Language — Attainment | Secondary | Weak | Acceptable |
| Arabic as an Additional Language — Progress | Primary | Acceptable | Good |
| Arabic as an Additional Language — Progress | Secondary | Weak | Acceptable |
| English — Attainment | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| English — Attainment | Primary | Good | Good |
| English — Attainment | Secondary | Acceptable | Good |
| English — Progress | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| English — Progress | Primary | Good | Very good |
| English — Progress | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Mathematics — Attainment | Foundation Stage | Good | Good |
| Mathematics — Attainment | Primary | Good | Good |
| Mathematics — Attainment | Secondary | Acceptable | Good |
| Mathematics — Progress | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Mathematics — Progress | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Mathematics — Progress | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Science — Attainment | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Science — Attainment | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Science — Attainment | Secondary | Acceptable | Very good |
| Science — Progress | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Science — Progress | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Science — Progress | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Learning skills | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Learning skills | Primary | Good | Good |
| Learning skills | Secondary | Good | Good |
| Personal and social development | |||
| Personal development | Foundation Stage | Very good | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Primary | Very good | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Secondary | Very good | Outstanding |
| Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures | Foundation Stage | Acceptable | Good |
| Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Social responsibility and innovation skills | Foundation Stage | Good | Good |
| Social responsibility and innovation skills | Primary | Good | Good |
| Social responsibility and innovation skills | Secondary | Good | Good |
| Teaching and assessment | |||
| Teaching for effective learning | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Teaching for effective learning | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Teaching for effective learning | Secondary | Good | Good |
| Assessment | Foundation Stage | Good | Good |
| Assessment | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Assessment | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Curriculum | |||
| Curriculum design and implementation | Foundation Stage | Good | Very good |
| Curriculum design and implementation | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Curriculum design and implementation | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Curriculum adaptation | Foundation Stage | Good | Good |
| Curriculum adaptation | Primary | Good | Very good |
| Curriculum adaptation | Secondary | Good | Very good |
| Protection, care, guidance and support | |||
| Health and safety, including arrangements for child protection/safeguarding | Foundation Stage | Very good | Outstanding |
| Health and safety, including arrangements for child protection/safeguarding | Primary | Very good | Outstanding |
| Health and safety, including arrangements for child protection/safeguarding | Secondary | Very good | Outstanding |
| Care and support | Foundation Stage | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Care and support | Primary | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Care and support | Secondary | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | |||
| The effectiveness of leadership | Whole school | Good | Very good |
| School self-evaluation and improvement planning | Whole school | Good | Very good |
| Parents and the community | Whole school | Very good | Very good |
| Governance | Whole school | Good | Very good |
| Management, staffing, facilities and resources | Whole school | Very good | Outstanding |
Dubai Heights Academy is good overall. Students make strong progress in English, mathematics and science across all phases, though secondary attainment in these subjects and in Arabic is weaker. Care, safety and parent partnerships are strong, while the school is advised to improve teaching consistency and strengthen Arabic and Islamic Education outcomes.
Source: KHDA inspection report 2022-2023 (PDF, pages 2-20), inspected 13 to 17 March 2023. Restated by BestSchool.ae.
2023-2024 inspection
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As reported for 2023-2024
