22 British Day & Boarding Schools Abroad

The UAE

The Royal Grammar School, Guildford, Dubai 

A brand new school in Dubai's already bustling education sector, the Royal Grammar School Guildford, Dubai opened in September 2021.  Despite the ultra modern new campus, the school has been keen to highlight the strong links with the 500-year heritage of the original school in Guilford, UK.  Dr Jon Cox, the Headmaster of Royal Grammar School, Guildford, is a frequent visitor to Dubai and Mrs Clare Turnbull, has made the move to the UAE after 12 years leading the RGS UK prep school.  Several other key members of staff from Guildford have also made the move to Dubai's sunnier climes.

Unlike the UK sister school, RGS Dubai will be non-selective, a key differentiator in approach.  RGS Dubai Founding Principal, Craig Lamshed, describes the school's ethos as "academically ambitious for all".

Brighton College

The UAE is home to not one, not two but THREE Brighton Colleges, two in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (Brighton College Al Ain and Brighton College Abu Dhabi ) as well as Brighton College Dubai.

All three schools are part of the Bloom Education group and boast of close links to the original UK school.  Both the Al Ain and Abu Dhabi schools have received an "outstanding" rating from ADEK, something the Dubai school will no doubt be striving for in its first inspection, scheduled for the 2021/22 academic year.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi 

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is set on a beautifully appointed, spacious and state of the art campus. Led by a quietly confident and highly ambitious head, the school has established its identity remarkably quickly. Cranleigh exhibits an obvious commitment to quality throughout and displays strong links to the ‘mother’ school in England. Cranleigh’s delivery of the creative arts is outstanding, helping to give the school the ‘feel’ of a top-tier UK independent school.

The school has very strong links to the original Cranleigh School in the UK, and the school is clear in that it aims very much to capture the essence of what Cranleigh UK is. This perhaps is partly the reason for the school’s emphasis on the arts, which is, in turn, what sets Cranleigh Abu Dhabi apart. Music, the Performing Arts and Sports, in particular, are given enormous support by the school.

Repton School

There are three Repton-branded schools in the UAE, with Repton School Al Barsha, Repton School Dubai and Repton School Abu Dhabi (located on two campuses) making up the triumvirate. They were all set up to mirror the more traditional UK public school (including a boarding option art the Dubai campus).

Whilst the Repton schools in the UAE are not a true replica of their UK “mother” (Repton School), there is no question that they have developed a solid reputation based on delivering academic excellence influenced by the UK school, whilst growing their own character and culture in a very different geographic area, with a very different mix of students.

Kent College Dubai

Kent College Dubai opened its doors in 2016 and boasts strong links to its sister campus, Kent College Canterbury.  The promise of the school is that as well as following the UK curriculum, it is also a "British" school in terms of culture and context. This is a Kent College "in its DNA", with the self-imposed litmus test being that transitioning between the two "should be seamless".

The school currently offers A Levels and BTEC courses in the Sixth Form but, by 2022, students will have the choice to undertake IB, A Levels or BTEC, allowing them the choice to "play to their own strengths educationally".

Click here to read our interview with David Lamper, Head of the Kent College family of schools around the world

NLCS Dubai

Prestigious British independent school North London Collegiate School (NLCS) opened in Dubai in September 2017, the brand’s first in the Middle East. North London Collegiate School Dubai looks to attract “ambitious parents”, those who, “expect their children to attend Oxbridge or a similar standard of universities globally” and “students who are “grounded, self-confident, curious learners.” It shares this ethos with its high performing "mother" school, NLCS UK.

The school says that it has a highly ambitious academic ethos and believes that a love of subject and inspirational teaching will motivate students to follow their passions, placing equal value on all academic subjects and encouraging a love of learning for its own sake.

Click below for the full WhichSchoolAdvisor school reviews

The Royal Grammar School, Guildford, Dubai
Brighton College Dubai,Brighton College Abu Dhabi and Brighton College Al Ain
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi 
Repton School Al Barsha, Repton School Dubai
and Repton School Abu Dhabi
Kent College Dubai
North London Collegiate School Dubai