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.
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
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India 1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayvn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Flinos%2C%20Ahmed%20Ismail%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efinancial%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2044%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseries%20B%20in%20the%20second%20half%20of%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHilbert%20Capital%2C%20Red%20Acre%20Ventures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.
Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.
Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
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
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
