We see a future where schools are vibrant, nurturing communities in which students are empowered to write their own unique story, care for others and our planet, and emerge as influential characters ready to make a meaningful impact on the world.
British Schools in the Middle East
The BSME supports high quality British international schools in the region by facilitating alliances between member schools and relevant business partners specialising in educational services, products, and tools. Its learning calendar offers career progression guidance at all levels and provides high-level sporting, academic and performing arts events for our students. The association’s Headship Induction Partner Programme provides new Principals and Heads with the support they need while they find their feet in the region, and its lobbying team communicates with regulatory bodies to coordinate the accreditation of member schools.
COBIS is a global membership association that represents more than 400 schools in 80 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. Its members educate over 200,000 students and employ more than 17,000 teachers. It lobbies government, education authorities and educational associations, provides compliance and quality assurance guidance, and organises opportunities for career advancement through its professional learning and CPD courses.
The Embassy maintains and develops relations and political and practical cooperation between the UK and the United Arab Emirates. In September 2021 the UK and the UAE launched an ambitious new Partnership for the Future framework to further strengthen the two nations’ deep and historic relationship by ensuring that both countries work closely together on shared global challenges, promote prosperity and security in the region, and expand the exchange of knowledge, skills, and ideas.
Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
The KHDA is the UAE government entity responsible for promoting growth and improving quality in the private education sector in Dubai. Providing support to students, parents, teachers, and school principals, as well as to early childhood centres, universities, and training institutes, it works tirelessly to maintain an innovative educational sector. Its regular inspections grade each school according to numerous demanding criteria.
The Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO)
The AoBSO is a not-for-profit membership association working in partnership with the UK Government Department for Education (DfE).
It openly lobbies on behalf of its member schools with policy makers around the world and promotes the BSO and the aims of the UK Government’s International Education Strategy in overseas markets.
The intention is to inform parents of pupils in British Schools Overseas how standards measure up against the standards that apply to independent schools in England.
An essential element of the BSO inspection is considering the extent to which the British character of the school is evident in its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for pupils and pupils’ achievements. By achieving UK inspection-based approval, participating schools can demonstrate that they provide a British education that has similar characteristics to an education in an independent school in England.
You will require soft copies of the following documents for each child (pdf format), to upload within the application form.
Birth Certificate
Passport Copy
Recent Passport Style Photograph
Most recent End of Year Academic Report
Most recent Term/Mid-Year Academic Report
A CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months (if available)
Emirates Identity Card (if available)
UAE Visa (if available)
Reports from outside agencies (Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychologist, etc., if applicable)
Points to note
If your child is currently in Foundation Stage 2 and you are looking for a place in Year 1 commencing August/September 2024 please complete this application form.
Please select your preferred campus, either Academic City or Oud Metha on the Application Form.
When there are two parents/guardians, the email address MUST be a different email address for each parent/guardian.
You can add multiple applicants if you are applying for siblings in Years 1-6. Click on “add new applicant” button after completing the information for each applicant. Only press submit when you have finished adding all applicant details. If you are applying for siblings in Foundation Stage, please complete the Foundation Stage application form.
On successful submission of the online Application Form, an email will be sent to the primary contact acknowledging receipt of the application. Our Admissions team will then be in touch with you to provide details of the Next Steps in our application process relevant to your application.
If you are applying for a place in Year 4 - Year 6 and you have completed a CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months, please submit this in support of your application. Those applicants that submit a CAT 4 will not be required to attend a Taster Session.
Local Applicants - If you have not completed a CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months, you will be required to attend a Taster Session.
Overseas - If you have not completed a CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months, we would request contact details for a member of staff in your current school whom we can liaise with directly to request a reference and work samples.
If there are no places available once the application process has been completed and your application has been approved, you will be placed on our Waitlist, which we review on a daily basis.
Successful applicants will receive an offer letter and terms of acceptance by email. To secure the place, we must be in receipt of all required documentation, accompanied by a non-refundable acceptance fee payment within 7 days of the offer date.
Your acceptance fee (AED 3500 for Oud Metha and AED 4000 for Academic City) will be deducted from your first term fees.
On submission of an online application, you are declaring that ALL information provided is correct. Failure to disclose important information may result in your application being withdrawn.
Admission is at the discretion of the school.
If you have any issues completing the online form, please contact admissions@dessc.sch.ae or telephone +971 (0) 4 360 4866 for assistance.
