Dubai English Speaking School will be opening a new primary school next year. Photo: Dubai English Speaking School
Dubai English Speaking School will be opening a new primary school next year. Photo: Dubai English Speaking School
Dubai English Speaking School will be opening a new primary school next year. Photo: Dubai English Speaking School
Dubai English Speaking School will be opening a new primary school next year. Photo: Dubai English Speaking School

Long waiting lists at Dubai’s top private schools prompt operators to open new campuses


Anam Rizvi
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai's private school operators are planning to expand their campuses or launch new schools to keep up with demand from the growing population, with more than two million more people expected to live in the emirate within six years.

Dubai English Speaking School, established in 1963, is one of the oldest schools in the city and has hundreds of pupils on its waiting list. To meet this demand, leaders at the institution have decided to launch another school.

“With Dubai’s population growth showing no signs of slowing … we’ve seen a significant increase in applications over the last few years,” said DESS principal Christopher Vizzard. “Our waiting lists reflect this trend, and while the number of families on the lists varies depending on year group and circumstances, families are encouraged to apply early to secure a place.

“Both the secondary and primary school have been oversubscribed for a number of years now, with the waiting list ranging from 30 to 40 people, up to triple figures, depending on the time of the year."

Their new primary school will be separate from the college. It will be located in Academic City and will open in September 2025. “One of the reasons why we've chosen to build the primary school in the location that we have is because of [Dubai's] development plans,” said Mr Vizzard.

He added that the plan was to “open places for every year group from foundation stage one all the way through to year six” and is confident of having “all places filled for September”.

The city's population is growing, with the Dubai Statistics Centre showing it has increased by almost 100,000 in a year, hitting about 3.8 million in June. Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan suggests the city's population will soon be as high as 5.8 million, with its daytime population, of those commuting from other emirates to the city, expected to hit 7.8 million.

Previously, The National had reported that in keeping with the 2040 forecast, the school population could approach 550,000. Currently, there are more than 360,000 pupils enrolled at Dubai's private schools.

Fiona Cottam, principal at Hartland International School, said they have waiting lists from nursery to year three, with no further scope for expansion. “We're just on the 2,000 pupil mark now, and when I think back to four years ago, we had 500 pupils and have quadrupled in size in four years,” she said. “It's just extraordinary in terms of the growth, not just in the city, but around our specific location, with an increased number of town houses and apartments that families are moving into.”

The school has “an additional capacity of about another 400-500 seats that we can manage now on our existing site”, she said, admitting that it was always going to be a challenge in terms of growth.

Parents were increasingly choosing schools based on where they live, rather than travelling across the city, which used to be the case before, she added. “I think it will become more like it is in parts of the UK where people go to their local school and I think that will help traffic. This could develop over the next five to 10 years,” said Ms Cottam.

Earlier this year, The National reported that schools in Dubai South had reported an increase in admissions, as more families moved to the area.

Dubai British School Jumeira, opened in Dubai this year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Dubai British School Jumeira, opened in Dubai this year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

New schools and expansion plans

Anticipating the demand, school operators are planning new schools, expansions and increasing recruitment drive for teachers.

Taalem, which launched Dubai British School Jumeira this year, is set to open Dubai British School Mira in the next academic year. Two new schools will launch in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and their proposed opening is in the academic year 2026. Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem, highlighted that their four new Greenfield schools will “provide 7,800 additional seats in Dubai and Abu Dhabi”.

He added that their British curriculum schools “are already at full capacity with 100 per cent enrolment, and our broader curriculum portfolio operating between 84-90 per cent”. Mr Williamson said they were working to meet demand with the “anticipated influx of 65,000 young people into the UAE, coupled with 50 per cent of our (pupil) intake over the last three years coming from competitor schools”.

Gems Education also recorded a high capacity utilisation, the term used to measure how full a school or group of schools is, at over 90 per cent for their schools.

Dino Varkey, group chief executive at Gems Education, said they opened two new schools this year - in Dubai South and Masdar City. The group also expanded capacity in two existing schools with the opening of a new senior school campus at Gems World Academy Dubai and a new middle school block at Gems Dubai American Academy. More expansion projects are already under way, including at Gems First Point School – The Villa and Gems Royal Dubai School.

“We are committed to investing in building more capacity across our portfolio and have stated publicly that we will deliver approximately 25,000-30,000 new seats over the next three years,” said Mr Varkey.

Despite the growing waiting lists in nearly all year groups, Dubai British School Jumeirah Park does not have any expansion plans. “We're very aware of the limitations of our building. We are already full, which means that our wait-lists are growing,” said school leader Rebecca Coulter.

She added that parents needed to start doing school tours two years in advance as “wait-lists get very, very full very, very quickly”.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
War and the virus
The biog

Name: Greg Heinricks

From: Alberta, western Canada

Record fish: 56kg sailfish

Member of: International Game Fish Association

Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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'Moonshot'

Director: Chris Winterbauer

Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse 

Rating: 3/5

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain

West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership

UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby

MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match on BeIN Sports

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBen%20Wheatley%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJason%20Statham%2C%20Jing%20Wu%2C%20Cliff%20Curtis%2C%20Page%20Kennedy%2C%20Cliff%20Curtis%2C%20Melissanthi%20Mahut%20and%20Shuya%20Sophia%20Cai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks

As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
 

Not taxed:

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly

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The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SCORES

Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)

bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).

Results:

6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres

Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m

Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m

Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson

8.15pm: Meydan Trophy Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m

Winner: Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m

Winner: Poetic Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m

Winner: Lava Spin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m

Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

Company%C2%A0profile
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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The Laughing Apple

Yusuf/Cat Stevens

(Verve Decca Crossover)

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km

Price: from Dh547,600

On sale: now 

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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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Updated: November 27, 2024, 6:45 AM`