Ten private schools in the UAE have been ranked among the top 100 in the world by luxury lifestyle magazine Spear’s.
Schools including Brighton College Abu Dhabi and Dubai College were named among the top 15 in the Middle East, which contributes to the annual global list.
Eton College, Cheltenham Ladies' College and Gordonstoun School were among the top schools in the UK, while the Ivy League feeding school Groton School in Connecticut and Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles were among the leading institutions in the US.
North London Collegiate School in Dubai was the most expensive day school in the Middle East, with annual fees of up to Dh106,600 ($29,022), data from Spear’s and Carfax Education showed.
Boarding at King’s Academy in Jordan can cost $53,250 a year.
Many of the UK schools on the list segregate boys and girls, while those in the US, Middle East, Asia and Europe are mainly co-educational.
The global rankings includes schools attended by royals, politicians and diplomats.
The ranking is based on formal criteria such as academic results and preparation for university entry, the reputation of the school locally and internationally, and how adequately they prepare pupils for life after education.
Here are the 10 private schools in the UAE listed among the world's best.
The British School Al Khubairat: Dh43,160 to Dh70,630
The British School Al Khubairat has long been considered one of the best in the country and its story began more than 50 years ago.
It focuses on the well-being of pupils and staff and has won global accolades for its mental health programmes.
Former pupils have been accepted at some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Stanford, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge.
Fees at the school in Al Mushrif range from Dh43,160 in Foundation Stage One to Dh70,630 in Year 13.
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi: Dh65,000 to Dh96,333
The school places great focus on the pupil well-being, sustainability and community.
Cranleigh has a more than 150-year history in England and its Abu Dhabi site celebrates the many cultures in the country.
Fees at the British curriculum school on Saadiyat Island range from Dh65,000 in Foundation Stage One to Dh96,333 in Year 13.
Brighton College Abu Dhabi: Dh48,900 to Dh77,720
Brighton College UK was founded in 1845. Pupils at the school in Abu Dhabi have gone on to study at the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and the University of St Andrews.
Fees at the British-curriculum school range from Dh48,900 in nursery to Dh77,720 in Year 13.
Dubai College: Dh86,607 to Dh98,070
The British-curriculum school in Al Sufouh is one of the oldest in the city and is considered to be among the best in the emirate.
Founding headmaster Tim Charlton set up the institution in 1978, so British secondary school pupils would not have to return home to continue their education.
Dubai College's fees for Years 7 to 11 are Dh28,869 for every term. Fees for Years 12 and 13 are Dh32,690 a term in the 2022-2023 academic year. There are three terms in a school year.
Jumeirah College: Dh72,988 to Dh91,235
Jumeirah College is a British-curriculum school in Al Safa 1 and has 1,125 pupils from more than 59 countries.
In 2021, pupils received offers to attend universities including Imperial College London, the London School of Economics, the University of Oxford and the University of Melbourne.
Fees at the school range from Dh72,988 for Year 7 to Dh91,235 in Year 13.
Jumeirah English Speaking School: Dh41,829 to Dh93,852
The school follows the British curriculum and is one of the oldest in the emirate. The school has two branches — one in Al Safa 1 and a second in Arabian Ranches.
Jumeirah English Speaking School was started in an apartment in Deira in 1975, when 17 pupils attended. Now the school has more than 1,400 pupils in Arabian Ranches and about 2,000 pupils in Al Safa 1.
Fees at the school start at Dh41,829 for Foundation Stage One and increase to Dh93,852 for Year 13.
Swiss International Scientific School Dubai: Dh53,000 to Dh99,000
The school in Dubai is a bilingual international baccalaureate school that opened in 2015. It is the largest Swiss school outside Switzerland.
About 1800 pupils from more than 100 countries are enrolled. It offers bilingual programmes in the French and German languages, as well as an English programme with foreign languages.
For pupils who do not wish to pursue a fully bilingual programme, there is a Steam programme for children from ages 4 to 11.
Day school fees for pupils for the international baccalaureate programme range from Dh53,000 in pre-kindergarten to Dh99,000.
Day school fees for the international baccalaureate bilingual programme are Dh62,484 in pre-kindergarten to Dh99,000 in Year 12.
Nord Anglia International School Dubai: Dh63,447 to Dh95,946
The British-curriculum school focuses on personalised education and says it ensures pupils develop 21st-century skills.
Pupils have access to projects with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Juilliard School and the UN children's fund.
Fees at the school range from Dh63,447 in Foundation Stage One to Dh95,946 in Year 13.
North London Collegiate School Dubai: Dh66,400 to Dh106,600
North London Collegiate School Dubai is an IB curriculum school.
Fees at the school range from Dh66,400 in pre-kindergarten to Dh106,600 in Year 12.
The school says it focuses on ensuring pupils are challenged in their studies and beyond the syllabus.
Repton School Dubai: Dh52,863 to Dh95,000
The school in Nad El Sheba is one of three branches in the UAE. This branch, founded in 2007, received an outstanding rating on reports from the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau between 2014 and 2020.
Fees for foundation stage start at Dh52,863. Fees from Years 1 to 6 range from Dh59,754 to Dh70,221 and rise to Dh88,000 for Years 7 to 11.
Fees for Years 12 and 13 are Dh95,000.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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
World%20Cup%202023%20ticket%20sales
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
