16 Most Asked Abu Dhabi School Questions

The WhichSchoolAdvisor.com team is frequently asked about education in Abu Dhabi. To get you to your answers more quickly, we have identified those most commonly asked, and detailed the answers right here, in one easy guide! If you would like any added, just let us know...

By David Westley

Updated:

Monday 7 September, 2020

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16 Most Asked Abu Dhabi School Questions

By David Westley

Updated:

Monday 7 September, 2020

The following are the questions the WhichSchoolAdvisor.com team is frequently asked about schools in Abu Dhabi.

Jump:

Are schools good in Abu Dhabi?
When does the academic year start in Abu Dhabi?
What is the best school in Abu Dhabi?
Which curriculum is the best in Abu Dhabi?
What is the most expensive school in Abu Dhabi?
What are the cheapest schools in Abu Dhabi?
How many schools are in Abu Dhabi?
What is ADEK?
When can my children start school in Abu Dhabi?
Are there any free schools in Abu Dhabi?
If there are no free schools in Abu Dhabi, what happens if I lose my job and cannot pay fees? Can a school expel or suspend a student for non-payment during the school year?
How easy is it to switch schools in Abu Dhabi if I am not happy?
How much are schools in Abu Dhabi?
How much do fees increase each year?
Does Abu Dhabi have public schools?
I am not happy. Where / how can I complain about a school in Abu Dhabi?

Question: Are schools good in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: Abu Dhabi has some very good schools, although there is a disparity in quality and not every institution can boast to be of the highest standard. ADEK inspects schools in the emirate between every 18 and 24 months (although 2020 has proved an inspection write-off given Covid-19), and rates schools as Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak. There are currently 9 schools in Abu Dhabi Emirate that are considered Outstanding by the regulator (compared to neighbour Dubai's 17), and a further 21 schools are rated Very Good.

Conversely, there are still four schools in the emirate rated Weak, and 86 considered just "Acceptable".

The full list of school ratings can be found below.

School Name	Current ADEK rating	Previous Rating	School Fees Minimum (AED)	School Fees Maximum (AED)
Al Muna Primary School*	Outstanding	Outstanding	41580	41580
Al Yasmina Academy*	Outstanding	Very Good	42,900	61,150
Bloom Academy (Brighton College) Al Ain	Outstanding	Outstanding	49900	79000
Brighton College, Abu Dhabi*	Outstanding	Very Good	48,900	77,720
Cranleigh School Abu Dhabi *	Outstanding	Very Good	65000	96333
Merryland International School	Outstanding	Very Good	23500	41400
Pearl Academy *	Outstanding	Very Good	41,700	43,150
Raha International Private School	Outstanding	Outstanding	36100	56900
The British School of Khubairat *	Outstanding	Very Good	43,160	70,630
Abu Dhabi International Private School	Very Good	Good	13,660	29,280
Abu Dhabi International Private School, Branch	Very Good	Good	30,800	46,400
Al Bateen Academy*	Very Good	Outstanding	56100	65900
American Community School of Abu Dhabi	Very Good	Very Good	47,220	85,490
Emirates National Private School, Al Ain	Very Good	Good	21,345	55,637
Emirates National Private School MBZ	Very Good	Good	23330	59920
GEMS World Academy	Very Good	Very Good	39950	58400
German International School	Very Good	Very Good	31,800	47,900
Horizon Private School Branch	Very Good	Good	23,490	44,080
Japanese School Of Abu Dhabi	Very Good	Very Good	15200	33000
Lycee Louis Massignon School	Very Good	Very Good	27,000	46,820
Repton Foundation School	Very Good	Very Good	55000	61000
Sheikh Zayed Academy for Girls	Very Good	Very Good	29000	66900
Sheikh Zayed Academy for Boys	Very Good	Good	47900	58200
The American International School Abu Dhabi	Very Good	Very Good	30500	55500
The British International School of Abu Dhabi	Very Good	Very Good	50300	66400
Al Ain American Private School	Very Good	Good	16800	29400
Al Ain Academy	Very Good	Very Good	39600	57330
Al Basma British School	Very Good	Good	22,040	40560
GEMS American Academy	Very Good	Very Good	50300	70100
Private International English School (Bhavans)	Very Good	Good	10,200	19,300
Repton School Abu Dhabi	Very Good	n/a	65,000	74,000
Abu Dhabi Grammar School Canada	Good	Acceptable	21000	45100
Abu Dhabi Indian School Branch 1	Good	Acceptable	9,360	20,000
Adnoc School, Sas Al Nakl	Good	Good	27,210	51,590
Ajyal International School	Good	Acceptable	27,270	48,870
Ajyal International School - Al Falah	Good	Good	20,580	41,160
Al Adhwa Private School	Good	Acceptable	7200	26708
Al Andalus Private Academy	Good	Good	5600	13700
Al Adhwa Private School	Good	Acceptable	7,720	21,400
Al Bashair Private School	Good	Good	12900	27200
Al Bateen Scientific School	Good	Good	15,430	25,310
Al Bahiya Private School	Good	Acceptable	16100	17300
Al Dhabiania Private School	Good	Good	9,050	16,460
Al Dhafra Private School AD	Good	Good	25,520	43,930
Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain	Good	Good	12,240	22,940
Al Ittihad National Private School AD	Good	Good	19200	39300
Al Ittihad National Private School Al Ain	Good	Acceptable	16,600	30,800
Al Khalil International School	Good	Acceptable	5,600	14,200
Al Mamoura Academy	Good	Good	44,800	72,430
Al Manara Private School	Good	Acceptable	13000	17300
Al Mashail (National Torches) Private School	Good	Acceptable	8,500	20,000
Al Nahda National School for boys	Good	Good	17500	26000
Al Najah Private School	Good	Acceptable	13500	35000
Al Nash'e Assaleh Private School	Good	Good	7000	23000
Al Sanawbar Private School	Good	Good	12500	26600
Al Yasat Private School	Good	Good	32,410	49,700
Amity International School	Good	Good	42000	52000
Asian International Private School Br. 1	Good	Weak	3,370	11,860
Aspen Heights British School	Good	n/a	35,000	60,000
Belvedere British School	Good	Acceptable	23,600	31,590
Bright Riders School	Good	Good	9,470	19,650
Canadian International School	Good	Good	35075	46494
Creative British School	Good	Acceptable	7000	18000
Diyafah International School	Good	Good	25,900	42,600
Dunes International (formerly Ryan Private) School	Good	Good	12,000	23500
Future International Academy	Good	Good	12,350	30,350
Garden City British School Al Ain	Good	n/a	23,100	27,500
GEMS Cambridge International School	Good	Good	20500	34900
GEMS United Indian School	Good	Good	9570	11,420
GEMS Winchester School, Abu Dhabi	Good	Good	15,200	29,010
Global Indian International School	Good	Acceptable	10,600	12,550
Horizon Private School	Good	Acceptable	6,070	19,340
International Community School Branch 1	Good	Good	12,200	26,600
International Indian School Baniyas	Good	Good	11,600	21,100
International Jubilee Private School	Good	Acceptable	12200	26600
Liwa International Private School	Good	Good	16200	29300
Liwa International School for Girls	Good	Good	32,500	41,850
Mayoor Private School	Good	Good	17,500	25,000
Mohammed Bin Khalid Al Nahyan Generations School	Good	Acceptable	12,100	17,200
Our Own English High School Al Ain	Good	Good	5,800	11,480
Rawafed Private School	Good	Good	18000	41800
Rosary Private School	Good	Good	7,610	16,670
SABIS Yas Island	Good	n/a	39,500	62,200
Saint Joseph's School	Good	Good	5800	10000
Summit International School	Good	Acceptable	19,240	26,030
Sunrise English Private School	Good	Good	6800	10700
The Cambridge High School	Good	Good	14500	30700
The Gulf International Private Academy Al Ain	Good	Good	11,800	25,500
The International School of Choueifat Khalifa A	Good	Good	20000	35300
United School of Al Yahar	Good	Acceptable	14,920	29,220
United School of Bani Yas	Good	Acceptable	21,000	35,000
West Yas Academy	Good	Good	52,470	63,280
Emirates Private School AD	Good	Good	9100	21600
Abu Dhabi Indian Private School	Good*	Acceptable	7150	14414
Al Ain English Speaking School	Good*	Acceptable	21,200	43,280
Beit Al Maqdes International Private School	Good*	Acceptable	5100	9100
Emirates National School Manaseer	Good*	Acceptable	23330	32260
Indian Private School Al Ain	Good*	Good	4200	9200
International Community School	Good*	Acceptable	21750	50831
Ruwais International School	Good*	Acceptable	17,900	25,000
The International School of Choueifat Abu Dhabi	Good*	Good	19600	34600
Emirates Falcon International Private School	Good*	Acceptable	20000	27500
ABC Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	17,900	26,190
Abdulla Bin Zubair Private School	Acceptable	Weak	28,000	42,250
Abu Dhabi Island International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	15500	21480
ADNOC Private School - Ruwais	Acceptable	Good	23,300	44,100
Adnoc School, Ghayathi	Acceptable	Acceptable	20,410	38,670
Adnoc School, Madinat Zayed	Acceptable	Weak	23,500	44,500
Ain AlKhaleej Private School	Acceptable	Weak	5,520	13,710
Al Ain Juniors Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	7600	16100
Al Awa'il Private School	Acceptable	Weak	5500	11000
Al Dar Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	7370	14805
Al Eman Private School	Acceptable	Weak	6,000	12,000
Al Hamdanya Grand Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	6891	11,275
Al Israa Private School	Acceptable	Weak	3,170	9,110
Al Ikhlass Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	5920	17705
Al Maharat Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	14000	25000
Al Manahil Private School	Acceptable	Weak	5,760	12,470
Al Manhal International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	9900	18600
Al Marfa'a International School	Acceptable	n/a	4,090	6,850
Al Muneera Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	11500	14100
Al Murooj Scientific School	Acceptable	Acceptable	18855	33255
Al Nahda National School for girls	Acceptable	Acceptable	14,120	27,930
Al Rabeeh Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	27,680	34,160
Al Saad Indian Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	8,700	14,320
Al Seddeq Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	3,170	9,620
Al Shohub Private School	Acceptable	Good	25,500	49,980
Al Sorouh American School	Acceptable	Weak	20300	24640
Al Tharwat National Private School	Acceptable	Very Weak	10,100	12,200
Aliaa Internatonal School	Acceptable	Weak	10,000	23,000
Ashbal Al Quds Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	8100	16100
Asian International Private School	Acceptable	Weak	4,000	5,650
Bani Yas International Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	13,890	29,120
Baraem Al Ain Private School Baniyas	Acceptable	n/a	3,890	12,790
Bright Riders School Branch 1	Acceptable	Weak	4,700	6,000
(Choueifat) International Private School Rowais	Acceptable	Good	17900	25000
Crescent International Private School	Acceptable	Weak	11,970	16,470
Dar Al Uloom Private School	Acceptable	Weak	4,090	8,080
Elite Private School (formerly Al Nukhba)	Acceptable	Acceptable	24,040	31,720
Emirates Education Academy	Acceptable	Acceptable	5,000	7,400
Emirates Private School Al Ain	Acceptable	Acceptable	8000	13000
Emirates Private School Bani Yas	Acceptable	Weak	3,580	6,450
First Lebanon Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	2700	10800
Future (Al Mustaqbal) International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	11,730	25,070
Global English Private School	Acceptable	Weak	16,380	26,570
Good Will Children Private School	Acceptable	Good	23,900	30,800
Ibn Khaldoun Islamic School	Acceptable	Weak	3200	9400
International Academic School	Acceptable	Acceptable	29000	39000
International Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	4,300	11,770
Islamia English High School	Acceptable	Acceptable	6900	14100
Lebanon First School and KG	Acceptable	Acceptable	3,790	14,730
Lycee Theodore Monod	Acceptable	Acceptable	19100	22700
Madar International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	17700	28700
Manor Hall International Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	25000	35000
Maplewood International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	38,000	46,000
Modern Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	14,000	25,000
New Indian Model School	Acceptable	Acceptable	4300	7000
Oasis International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	3,180	5,000
Pakistan Community Welfare School	Acceptable	Weak	2,700	2700
Polaris Private Academy	Acceptable	Acceptable	9,150	14,500
Reach British School	Acceptable	Acceptable	23,330	47,880
Rowad Al Dhafra (Al Tumooh) Private School	Acceptable	n/a	4,600	13,225
Ryan International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	13,710	23,330
Scientific Distinction Private School	Acceptable	Weak	7500	10700
Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bangladesh Islamia Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	3,700	5,100
Sharjah (formerly Scholars) American International AD	Acceptable	Acceptable	29,500	43,200
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Arab Pakistan School	Acceptable	Acceptable	3,680	6,240
Shining Star Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	12686	20731
Tawaam Model Private School	Acceptable	Weak	6000	14200
The Australian School of Abu Dhabi	Acceptable	Acceptable	14,975	35,534
The International School of Choueifat Al Ain	Acceptable	Acceptable	19400	34300
The Model Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	4500	6200
The Philippine Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	6400	6600
The Philippines Global School	Acceptable	Acceptable	5,220	8,290
Universal Private School	Acceptable	Weak	4,910	15,450
Virginia International School	Acceptable	Acceptable	24000	35000
Vision Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	7,160	14,320
Wales International School (formerly Al Ansar)	Acceptable	Weak	23500	30500
Yas Academy Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	4000	8600
Zakher Private School	Acceptable	Acceptable	4900	11200
Al Manara Private School branch 1	Acceptable	n/a	12,700	16,900
Baraem Al Ain Private School Al Muwaiji	Acceptable	Weak	3,790	10,030
Emirates Future International Academy	Acceptable	Weak	7800	14600
Emirates National Private School, AlNayhan	Acceptable	Weak	34150	55920
Al Ettehad Private School	Acceptable*	Very Weak	2,100	3,000
Al Rabeeh (Royal American) Academy MBZ	Acceptable*	Weak	10,230	17,800
Dar Al Huda International Private School	Acceptable*	Weak	5,120	10,540
Pakistani Islamic Private School	Acceptable*	Very Weak	2,970	5,630
Palestine Private Academy	Acceptable*	Very Weak	2,460	7,060
Al Maali International Private School	Weak	Very Weak	8,400	15,000
Philippine - Emirates Private School	Weak	Acceptable	6,000	13,200
The Iranian School AD	Weak	Weak	3600	4560
The Iranian School Al Ain	Weak	Weak	3,000	3,800
Manar Al Ilm Private School	n/a	Weak	6,900	28,000

Government ratings are just one strand of what can be considered good, of course. Abu Dhabi schools are not, as a whole, very forthcoming regarding third-party data such as results in external examinations, but the best schools are increasingly stepping up. Results data is not the be all and end all but does provides strong clues as to the quality of education at any school - although please do note that a selective school will of course perform better than one that is not.

For UK schools, impressive results are regularly recorded at Brighton College Al Ain and Brighton College Abu Dhabi, at the British School Al Kubairat (possibly the city's most successful A Level school academically), at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and at Cambridge International Abu Dhabi. Al Yasmina Academy has just started to release limited data to WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Click here for UAE wide A Level exam results tables.

For the IB Diploma, the British International School of Abu Dhabi this year published its results, along with Al Bateen Academy, GEMS American Academy, and Raha International. That's four of the nine schools offering the IB Diploma in the emirate... Click to check out the full UAE IB DP results in 2020.

The final check to do is to see how parents themselves rate their schools in Abu Dhabi. Forums are great for this, but if you want the wisdom of the crowds expressed as a single number, check out the WSA Best Schools List for Abu Dhabi, ranked by Parents' ratings...

Question: When does the academic year start in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: Schools begin in September (or last week in August) and end in June or July for all curricula except Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curricula schools. For Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curricula schools, the academic year is from April to March.

Question: What is the best school in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: That very much depends upon your child. The "Which is the best school?" question is the one we are most commonly asked, and actually why we're called WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. However the answer is either there isn't one, or more accurately, there are many, because there will be a best school for a specific set of characteristics and requirements.

For example:

Does you child like sport?
Is your child academic?
Is your child an extrovert or an introvert?
Does he/she make friends easily?
Is he/she more likely to find friends in a smaller, or larger school?
Will your child need additional attention in the classroom?
Is your child gifted in the classroom, or at a sport?
Which curriculum are you interested in?
Where do you plan to go after Abu Dhabi?
What's your budget?

The answers to these questions, and others like them, will help you identify the characteristics of the school that is best - for your child.

Please note, that does not mean that some schools are not performing better than others. In Abu Dhabi the Abu Dhabi Department for Education and Knowledge (ADEK) provides a rating for all schools that will help you understand which schools the regulator thinks are currently Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak or Very Weak. Reports need to be read in the context of what the regulator is looking for. It may not be what you are looking for.

Parents also have a view of the best schools in Abu Dhabi which can diverge from what regulators, and indeed educators think of as "best". You can read the forums to get a view of this, or, in a much simpler format, take a look at our parent rated Best Schools in Abu Dhabi list. We at WhichSchoolAdvisor.com have tried to capture the wisdom of the crowds in our quantitative ranking - the Best Schools by parents. The data comes from our parent surveys. If you're a parent, teacher or student in a UAE school, take the survey!

In terms of desk based research, the other resources to look at include our sister site, SchoolsCompared.com, and if you are looking at UK schools, the British Schools Overseas (BSO) reports. The latter are very much optional so only a handful of schools have been inspected this way, but the inspections follow those of OFSTED in England and a school that does undertake this process is clearly committed to providing education at least on a par with, or better than, English public schools.

Nothing however beats visiting schools, so our final recommendation - once you have made your shortlist using the likes of WSA - is to visit the schools themselves. Here is what to look for on a school tour...

Question: Which curriculum is the best in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: There are 13 different types of National curricula in Abu Dhabi, and 14 in total if you consider SABIS one (we don't, it's actually more of an approach - the curricula it uses are largely UK based). Most families choose a curriculum that either a) aligns with their national curriculum or b) is a truly international curriculum that 'travels'.

Option (a) is especially important for international families that plan to 'return home'; while option (b) is important for those parents that do not see themselves returning home, but perhaps moving between countries. Option (b) is also important for parents targeting a tertiary education for their child(ren) outside their country of origin.

The most international curricula are the UK (I/GCSE and A' Level) and the IB. We define international simply as the curricula most frequently used by international private schools around the world, and the qualifications accepted most readily/easily by universities globally.

Despite the fact there are a large number of 'US curriculum' schools in Abu Dhabi, there is no real USA-wide curriculum, since education is organised on a State-by-State basis. All US curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi are required to be accredited by a US-based School or College Association, but some of these are more highly regarded by universities than others. There is no requirement for students in US curriculum schools to take pre-university public examinations comparable with A Level and IB.

Question: What is the most expensive school in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: Cranleigh Abu Dhabi tops the list with average annual fees across all age groups of 80,500 AED. It is a full 10,000 AED more expensive than GEMS American Academy (70,500 AED), closely followed by the American Community School of Abu Dhabi (67,000 AED), Brighton College in Al Ain (65,000 AED), the same price point as Repton (also 65,000 AED).

In general fees in Abu Dhabi are lower than in neighbouring Dubai, and that is because traditionally the emirate's regulator has been stricter when it comes to the fees schools are allowed to charge when opening, but also because Dubai just has a greater variety of all types of schools at all price points. A table of the most expensive fees in Abu Dhabi may be found below.

You should note that these are the official fees, approved by the education regulator. In reality, there are often discounts - some of which are published, and some of which you have to ask for. The size of a discount (and whether there is one at all) depends on how much pressure the school has on school places. Abu Dhabi in general has seen less of an influx of new schools, and so has not seen the kind of discounting that has happened in Dubai.

Table of the most expensive schools in Abu Dhabi

School	Average Fee (Annual)	Location	Curriculum
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi	80,500	Saadiyat Island	UK
GEMS American Academy	70,500	Khalidiya	US/IB
American Community School Abu Dhabi	60,700	Khalidiya	US
Brighton College Al Ain	65,500	Gafat Al Nayyar	UK
Repton	65,000	Al Reem Island	UK/IB
Al Bateen Academy	62,500	Al Manaseer	UK/IB
Brighton College Abu Dhabi	62,000	Bloom Gardens	UK
Repton Foundation	61,500	Al Reem Island	UK
Sheikh Zayed Academy for Boys	61,000	Al Khalidia	US
British School Al Khubairat	59,500	Al Khubairat	UK
British International School Abu Dhabi	59,000	Shakhbout City	UK
Al Mamoura Academy	58,000	Al Nahyan	UK
Al Ain Academy	57,500	Al Sarooj	UK
West Yas Academy	57,000	Yas West	US
GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi	56,000	Al Danah	IB
Raha International School	55,500	Khalifa City A	IB

Click here for the full directory of Abu Dhabi schools, listed by price.

Question: What are the cheapest schools in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: The most affordable, cheapest or lowest cost schools can be found in the table below. Note these are mainly Indian curriculum (CBSE) schools.

Table of the least expensive schools in Abu Dhabi

School Fee	Fee	Curriculum	ADEK Rating	Location
Asian International School Madinat Zayed	4000	CBSE	Acceptable	Madinat Zayed
Grace Valley Indian School	4,500	CBSE	Acceptable	Manasir
The Model (New Indian) Private School Abu Dhabi	5,000	CBSE	Acceptable	Mussafah
New Indian Model School Al Ain	6000	CBSE	Acceptable	Falaj Hazzaa
Indian School Al Ain	6500	CBSE	Good	Falaj Hazzaa
The Philippine Private School Abu Dhabi	6500	Philippines	Acceptable
Asian International School Ruwais	7,000	CBSE	Good	Ruwais
St. Joseph's School Abu Dhabi	7,000	CBSE	Good	Al Mushrif
Sunrise English Private School	8000	CBSE	Good	Mussafah
GEMS Our Own English High School	8500	UK	Good	Al Manaseer
Islamia English School	9,000	UK	Acceptable	Al Dhafrah
Darul Huda Islamic Schoo	9,000	CBSE	Weak	Falaj Hazzaa
Abu Dhabi Indian School	9,000	CBSE	Good	Shabia Muroor

Click here for our Abu Dhabi schools directory, ordered by fee, lowest at the top.

The lowest cost UK school (GCSE based) in Al Ain is GEMS Our Own English High School. In Abu Dhabi it is Islamia English School, currently rated Acceptable. The lowest priced UK school, with a Good rating, in Abu Dhabi is Creative British School with fees of 14,000 AED per annum.

The lowest priced IB continuum school (IB PYP, MYP and DP) in Abu Dhabi is the Australian School of Abu Dhabi with average annual fees of 26,000 AED. These are very low fees for an IB school which in general has smaller class sizes than those found in other curricula schools.

Last, but not least, the most inexpensive US based school (offering the High School Diploma) would be the Summit International School in Madinat Zayed, with fees of AED 19,000 per annum.

How many schools are in Abu Dhabi?

ADEK lists 234 private schools across the emirate (to Dubai's 207). This includes schools in Al Ain, and Al Dhafra. In the Abu Dhabi 'region' itself there are 149 private schools. This includes 9 IB schools, 41 American curriculum schools, 40 British curriculum schools and 15 Indian schools.

What is ADEK?

ADEK stands for the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK‎), previously Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC‎). It is the educational authority for the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The equivalent in Dubai is the KHDA and in Sharjah, SPEA. These agencies have a dotted line to the UAE's Ministry of Education which retains some authority for private education in each of the emirate's, especially when it comes to federal matters and the curriculum for the teaching of Arabic and Islamic Studies. The MoE retains direct control over public institutions, and nurseries. The remaining emirates are more reliant on the Ministry of Education for the regulation of both public and private schools.

Question: When can my children start school in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: Children need to be 3 years by 31st December to start school in the September. However, many UK curriculum schools with strong links to the UK still follow the UK cut-off date which is 31st August for children starting school in FS1.

As a rule, it is better for children to be among the oldest in the class rather than the youngest, as the level of maturity (and therefore the ability to settle in school) varies enormously at this age.

You should be guided by the Admissions team at the school in choosing what is the best for your child when that time comes.

For Indian, Pakistani and Japanese schools, children need to be four years of age by 31st July to commence school in KG1 at the start of the academic year in April.

Are there any free schools in Abu Dhabi?

Short answer, no if you are an expatriate (with limited exceptions for other Arabs), but yes if you are an Emirati. Schools are also free - for you - if your company pays of course. ADNOC schools, for example, are free or heavily subsidised for example, for most ADNOC employees.

That said, even for international families paying their own way there are very low cost schools in the emirate. At the time of writing the threshold for a school place was 4,000 AED for the year, for a place at Asian International School in Madinat Zayed

Question: If there are no free schools in Abu Dhabi, what happens if I lose my job and cannot pay fees? Can a school expel or suspend a student for non-payment during the school year?

Answer: In Abu Dhabi, according to the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, "the student shall not be dismissed from school because of delay in payment of school and tuition fees and instalments, but the school may temporarily suspend the student from attending the school after warning his\her guardians three times. The school may also withhold the student’s result and refrain from delivering transfer certificates until a settlement of instalments is reached. No student may be deprived from attending the final exam of the year because of non-payment of tuition fees." (Organising Regulations of Private Schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, The Chairman of the Executive Council, Resolution No. (26) of 2013).

It is always a good idea to be honest with your school and keep them informed of your situation. Far better to be working with your school towards some form of resolution than be in conflict with the institution that educates your child.

Question: How easy is it to switch schools in Abu Dhabi if I am not happy?

Answer: There is paperwork to do but it's doable, but with some strict limitations on the timing of such moves. Unless they have relocated from another area of Abu Dhabi Emirate, children may only transfer schools within the first month of the academic year, and within the same curriculum. In order to switch curriculum, they will need to wait until the end of the academic year.

Abu Dhabi Education and Knowledge Department (ADEK) aims for continuity of education for all children and therefore tries to ensure children are registered in the correct age group and academic level upon transfer. This is more complex for children switching curricula, particularly if the grading structure in the current school is different to the new one. Students are not permitted to change curriculum after Grade 8/Year 9 in order to ensure that they complete their final four High school years in the same curriculum.

There are also different requirements if you are switching from another emirate, or from overseas. There are additional considerations if you are switching mid year. Those families moving from the Southern Hemisphere should note that if their children are joining in September, they will be required to repeat the same academic year. Click here for the complete rules for switching schools in Abu Dhabi.

Question: How much are schools in Abu Dhabi?

Answer: School fees vary significantly in Abu Dhabi to cater to its very different affluence levels. While everyone always wants fees to be cheaper, the truth is that all price points are pretty much covered with fees currently ranging from 4,000 AED to 80,000 AED. Put another way, the fees of most expensive school are currently 20 times more than its most inexpensive. There are lots of schools in-between.

Note the cheapest school is not necessarily the best value, and the most expensive school is not necessarily the most overpriced. Any parent doing their due diligence needs to ask: Will I be getting what I'm paying for?

Question: How much do fees increase each year?

Answer: It depends on the specific year. Each year schools apply to ADEK to be able to increase their fees. Permission to do so, and how much they can do so, depends on the performance of a school, as outlined in its Irtiqa'a report, and a school's spending on teaching, technical and administrative staff including salaries, professional development, infrastructure improvements, the number of students, the focus on inclusion, the number of national teaching and administrative staff and their retention rate. Fee increases also need to be linked to an improvement plan.

Question: Does Abu Dhabi have public schools?

Answer: Abu Dhabi has government owned and run schools (operated by the Ministry of Education) and it has private independent schools. It also has schools which are government owned, but run by private school groups.

Question: I am not happy. Where/how can I complain about a school in Abu Dhabi?

If you have already raised your specific issue with your school with no satisfactory resolution, you can register a case through the ADEK monitored complaint management system. This system allows you to raise the complaint directly with the school again, while giving full visibility to ADEK. All cases raised through the ADEK monitored complaint management system will be reviewed and monitored by ADEK for compliance to regulations.

If your case is related to child abuse, please contact the Abu Dhabi Social Police: 024490008, 037151103 (Al Ain), or 028081852 (Al Dhafra region)

You may also contact the Ministry of Education, which has a toll free hotline: 800 51115.