JESS Arabian Ranches (Jumeirah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches) is a not for profit co-educational all-through school located in Arabian Ranches, Dubai.

The Story so Far...

Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS), Arabian Ranches, is one of the most established schools in Dubai, and one of the few non-profit making schools in the region. JESS started with 17 students in 1975 and has grown to two locations within Dubai, at Arabian Ranches and Jumeirah.

JESS Arabian Ranches was set up in September 2005 to meet demand from existing parents. Although the school had hoped to develop a neighbouring site to the original Jumeirah school, ultimately, the Arabian Ranches location was the best option presented at the time. The purchase of homes there by large numbers of Western expatriates (notably from Emirates and its associated companies) gave the school a head start. 

JESS Arabian Ranches has always - in common with the Jumeirah branch - been a target for parents, and despite its debenture scheme (details here) which requires a substantial outlay from parents (or for the lucky ones, their employer).

Since its beginnings in Arabian Ranches almost 20 years ago, the school has grown to a size of over 1,745 students (of whom around 60% are British passport holders). This is a substantial increase in student numbers from four years ago when the total was 300 students fewer. Students come from a very wide range of 70 nationalities and also educates approximately 45 Emirati students.

The WhichSchoolAdvisor.com parent survey has received around 80 responses.  Although 90% of respondents would recommend the school, the overall rating of 4/5 (an 80% positivity rating) is lower than we might expect. 7% of respondents would definitely not recommend JESS AR.

The most recent comment from one of those less happy parents notes the following:

"More students than capacity & continuing to grow. Nowhere for students to run at break times during summer; not enough science labs to accommodate number of lessons, taught out[side] of labs even at GCSE. Not enough space to facilitate adequate PE or ECA sport provision - students bussed to Sport City for PE; number of ECA sports offered is significantly lower than other schools with same fees.
Sports department is elitist - very little opportunity to participate in sport if not training at a high level for a club out of school. Students only have 1 games lesson per week and only do rugby. Students spend 95% of lesson time of devices - no text or exercise books offered. SLT do not address concerns and are very defensive. Scrapped work experience because not a priority!!"

Whilst we appreciate that this is a comment from one parent only, we wonder if the lower than anticipated overall parent rating is a reflection of similar views from others.  Find out what other parents think here.

The school employs 145 predominantly British teachers, together with a further 42 teaching assistants and three Guidance counsellors. Maximum class sizes are said to be 22 students per class, and the teacher:student ratio is 1:12.  Staff turnover, at 7%, is one third the UAE average of 20-22% and speaks for a content and stable team at the school.

In September 2015, the long-standing Director of the school, Rob Stokoe, retired, having successfully negotiated the financing, construction, opening and ongoing operations of the school in Arabian Ranches.  His position was taken by Mark Steed, formerly in charge of the Berkhamsted group of schools in the UK.  Mr. Steed had a particular focus on the use of Digital Technology, both for students but also for parents and staff. 

Under the slogan 'Future Ready', the school states its position clearly: "we believe that the capacity for critical and creative thinking is a uniquely human attribute. We are preparing every student with the skills for a future where they will be required to think first, use information second and always remember that information is no substitute for imagination, intuition and pure thought".

With Mr. Steed's move to Kellett School in Hong Kong, his position as Director was assumed by Shane O'Brien, who was recruited by Rob Stokoe, and had served as Head of Secondary under Mr. Steed.  His replacement was Mike Waller, another former sportsman from New Zealand.

In June 2021, JESS announced that Head of Primary at Arabian Ranches, Mr. Darren Coulson, was leaving the school after 22 years (he joined the original JESS Jumeirah in 1999), to take up the Principal position of Sharjah English School - another of the small number of not-for-profit schools in the UAE, and the only one in Sharjah.   Mr. Coulson was succeeded by Mr. Jose Diez, who had been Deputy Head Teacher at JESS Jumeirah for the previous 5 years. 

In a further, and unexpected change to key roles, Mr. Waller left the school at the end of 2022, to be succeeded on a temporary basis by the former Principal of Dubai College and, latterly, Jebel Ali School, Peter Hill.
The position of Head of Secondary (as of August 2023) now rests with another well-known name - that of Stephen Green, who moved from his position as Deputy Headmaster at Dubai English Speaking College to Jebel Ali School in September 2021.  

The inclusive nature of the school means that there is a requirement for extremely effective assessment and tracking tools to ensure that  individual student needs are being addressed.  An on-line tracking system means that parents have access at any time in order to see their children's progress.  The technology also allows staff to input, monitor and address student progress and attainment through computer-aided/Artificial intelligence-based performance/gap analysis, enabling personalised learning to be put in place for each child - a system that is currently in use throughout the Primary school. In addition, the school also operates a Social Media monitoring system which is able to identify what applications students are accessing and to raise awareness about on-line safety.

But JESS also ensures that the focus is not purely on the academic or technology. Principal, Mr. Shane O'Brien in his introduction to the school comments:

"At JESS, culture is everything and two words encapsulate this culture for me – aspiration and nurture. These words form the heartbeat of our school. Every child will find their place at JESS and every child will be the best they can be, plus more".

What about the Curriculum? 

The curriculum followed by the school is initially UK based with students up to the end of Key Stage 4 following the National Curriculum of England when they sit GCSE examinations, and subsequently the increasingly sought-after International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or the IB Career-related programme in Years 12 and 13. The latter uses the UK-based BTEC curriculum and qualification as the basis for the IBCP.  JESS has consistently been among the most successful IB curriculum schools in the UAE. 

The strong focus on technology means that all students participate in the Digital Technology curriculum.  Students are encouraged to be Digital Leaders, with peer mentors in Years 4 to 6 supporting children in lower years. 

And with the ever-growing focus on the use of technology in school, in September 2021, JESS announced that it had been recognised as a fully accredited National Online Safety Certified School. In a statement from the school, it said "All JESS Schools have successfully completed this comprehensive online safety training programme and has received a National Online Safety Certified School Accreditation for its whole school community approach to protecting children in the online world. National Online Safety is a multi-award winning digital training provider with extensive resources in online safety, developed in line with the Department of Education’s statutory requirements."

From September 2017, JESS began to offer BTEC ‘PLUS’ courses in Art & Design, Business, and Sport in their Sixth Form. These courses are for students who want to work in these fields or who want to go on to study related subjects at university.  

As Extended Level 3 Diplomas, they are the equivalent to 3 A-Levels and the ‘PLUS’ means that students can also get an additional qualification such as ‘A’ levels in Art History and Securities and Investment, or a coaching qualification.  The school also facilitates the arrangement of internships for students of the BTEC programme, to assist them in the process of "learning through doing".  BTEC students take part in the same IB classes and are taught by the same teaching staff.  The school is currently considering expanding the range of BTEC options.

Although the school follows the UK curriculum until Sixth Form, it uses the IB learner profile to guide all elements of the curriculum.  A particular area of focus has been on Independent Learning and the Make A Difference programme is designed to support this aim, with all students from Years 3 to 13 learning practical age-appropriate skills and improving their independence, particularly addressing conditions in the UAE which mean that children do not necessarily have the same opportunities (or demands placed upon them).  An important element of the programme addresses practical life skills that students will need when they leave school and home.

Whilst the academic side of the school has perhaps received more focus in recent years, JESS has also always participated in a wide range of competitive sports and also in an exceptionally broad range of Music and Performing Arts.  

As further confirmation of the sporting achievement at the school, in addition to the obvious academic focus, twelve boys from JESS Dubai made history and put UAE Rugby on the world map after finishing runners-up in the world's largest school rugby tournament - Rosslyn Park 7s - narrowly losing to Harrow School for Boys in the Cup Final after strong performances in all their games. 196 teams competed in the competition in the UK; 195 of those were from the UK with JESS the only international school participant. 

What about support for students of determination?

JESS has always maintained that it is an inclusive and non-selective school and currently has approximately 185 Students of Determination, with additional learning needs. 

The school's Oasis Centre has been offering support to students since its opening in Arabian Ranches, for which there is no additional fee.  Students in need of additional support are provided with this by a team which seeks to identify, as early as possible, barriers to learning and to provide appropriate, age-related support.  A personalised pathway is identified for each child with constant monitoring using technology that is a key part of the school's systems. An Education Psychologist and Counselling team are located at the school. 

Unsurprisingly, the Provision and Outcomes for students of determination is rated Outstanding by the KHDA's DSIB inspectors.

What about Academic Achievement? 

JESS AR has always been the most open of schools in the context of sharing its examination results and 2023 was no different.

Consistently in the top two schools in the UAE in terms of results (and again, essentially neck-and-neck with North London Collegiate School, but with a significantly larger cohort of students), JESS students achieved the same point score of 38 in 2022 as they did in 2019, when examinations were last sat in a much more 'normal environment.  With a return to pre-Covid grade ranges for 2023, JESS and NLCS again tied with an overall average of 37.1 points - far above the global average of 30.24.

See a round up of all 2023 IBDP results shared with WhichSchoolAdvisor.com here.

For 2023, as mentioned above, with an overall average score of 37.1,  and a 100% pass rate (a statistic that was particularly impacted for many students by the return to pre-Covid grade boundaries), JESS AR entered a cohort of 98 students for the IBDP.  The highest individual score was again the top mark of 45 points, with 97% of students achieving 30+ points, 77% achieving 35+ and almost one third (32%) receiving 40+points.  

JESS AR also shared its BTEC students' results for 2023.

11 students were entered for a total of 14 BTEC courses. 85% of entries were awarded Distinction*, whilst 12% received Distinction and 3% received Merit.

You can find the UAE round up here (included with A Level results which JESS students do not take).

I/GCSE results were issued at the end of August 2023, and again JESS students performed strongly, with overall student pass rates particularly being impacted by the reduction in grade boundaries to 2019 levels.

With one of the larger cohorts of 181 students who were entered for 1,583 examinations, 20% of entries were awarded a Grade 9 (GCSE only) whilst  43% of entries were awarded Grade 9-8 (A*) 65% achieved Grades 9-7 (A*-A), 84% received Grades 9-6 (A*-B) and 98% of entries received Grades 9-4 (A*-C). 96% of students achieved five or more I/GCSE's including Maths and English, and the overall student pass rate was 97%.

For a round up of UAE-wide I/GCSE results, go here.

2022's average score was a reduction of only one point compared with 2021, suggesting that grade inflation was something that the school clearly aimed to reject in its marking processes.

With a 100% pass rate, 99% of the cohort of 88 JESS Arabian Ranches students achieved 30+ points, whilst 75% were awarded 35+ points (the level which most traditional UK Red Brick universities expect), and almost 4 in 10 students (38%) succeeded in obtaining over 40 points. The highest point score was 45 points by two students. 

In addition to the IBDP results, JESS also published its BTEC results. 11 students participated in the  BTEC Extended Level 3 Diploma in either Art & Design, Business or Sport with 10 of these students achieving the very highest grades of triple distinction* (D*D*D*) and one student achieving D*D*D. 

When it came to the 2022 I/GCSE results, a cohort of 135 students sat a total of 1,250 GCSE exams this year. 25% of entries received the highest grade possible, grade 9, 47.76% received grades 9-8 (A*), 70.07% received grades 9-7 (A*-A) and 99.45% received grades 9-4 (A*-C). The school shared its overall student pass rate of 99.12%. 

With initial results received for the IB Diploma and BTEC students at JESS for 2020-21 - the second year where students were unable to sit their final examinations as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic - students at JESS have once again achieved among the highest results in the UAE. 

With a cohort of 92 students, all of whom passed the IBDP, the average score for the school was again 39 points!  98.9% of students achieved a score of 30+ points, 88.1% achieved 35+ points and over 43.5% achieved 40+ points. Six students achieved the top score possible of 45 points.

In terms of BTEC results, 12 JESS students achieved their Level 3 BTEC qualification ensuring entry to universities of their choice. Of the 220 exam entries, 75% were awarded Distinction*, 91% received an award of Distinction, 5% were awarded Merit and 4% achieved a Pass. Nine of those 12 BTEC students (75%) achieved the maximum award possible which is D*D*D*.

BTEC Sports student, Megan Piechowiak, was awarded the prestigious BTEC Award for Sport Learner of the Year 2021 – the only UAE-based BTEC student to win.

2021 I/GCSE were published on 12th August and results were once again impressive. 130 students were entered for a total of 1,163 examinations. 47.7% of all entries were awarded a Grade 9, 68.9% achieved Grades 9-8 (A*), 85.3% were awarded Grades 9-7 (A*-A)  95.3% achieved Grades 9-6 (A*-B) and 99.9% were awarded Grades 9-4 (A*-C). 99.9% examination entries were awarded a pass mark with all students achieving a minimum of 5 passes included English and Maths.

The 2019-20 exam results continued to show improvement, although the cancellation of the exams by both the IB and the UK Exam Regulator Ofqual, meant that all students were awarded grades based on a mixture of work that had already been submitted and assessments carried out by the school.

Final IBDP results (following regrading after the withdrawal of the initial results due to controversy over the algorithm used by the IBO) showed that the cohort of 92 achieved an overall average IB score of 39.12 and a 100% pass rate! 98.9% of students achieved 30+ points, 89.1% achieved 35+ points and a remarkable 54.3% achieved 40+ points.

With a GCSE cohort of 117 students who were entered for a grand total of 1,135 examinations, students attained outstanding results, with 100% of grades across all subjects being 9-4 (A*-C equivalent). Within these results, 54% of results are graded 9-8 (A*) and 79% are graded 9-7 (A*-A). These results indicate a great deal of individual success with 9 students achieving 9 grades of 9/8 (A*) and 17 students achieving 10 or more grades of 9/8 (A*). Three JESS students attained 11 grades of 9, the highest possible grade.

The 2018-19 IB Diploma results showed continued improvement and success among students at the school, with four students scoring the maximum possible 45 points for their Diploma studies, a fantastic achievement.  

Overall results for 2018-19 were impressive. All 88 students who entered the IB Diploma examinations passed this year, as did the 2017-18 cohort, scoring an average of 37.94 points compared with 35.8 a year ago.  Although the IBO generally discourages comparisons between schools, given the widely differing circumstances in which schools offering the curriculum operate globally, it is fair to see that JESS, as a non-selective school, has achieved by far the highest average score of any UAE school, and is also more than 8 points above the global average of 29.62 and the UAE average of 32.26.

A remarkable 45 points were achieved by Finley Bettsworth, Holly Neille, Maia Roberts, and Reuben Strobel. A further five students achieved 44 points - these were Diana Domingues, Fran Day, Luca Simic, Katie Birimac, and Seren Coulson.  Again, remarkably, all 88 Diploma students achieved over 30 points, with 79.5% achieving 35+ points and 36.4% achieving 40 points and above.

Students achieved 1.86 out of 3 for average core points - those points are given for the obligatory elements of Theory Of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Community, Action and Service components, compared with a world average of 1 point.  

GCSE results in 2018 exceeded previous records with a 7% increase in students achieving A*s with 40% of students being awarded the top A* grade at GCSE. 70% of students achieved A*-A grades and 99% of students achieved A* - C. These are remarkable statistics for a mixed ability school. The common used comparison of 5 passes at A*-C including Maths and English was 98%.

In comparison, for GCSEs for 2017, there was improvement year on year with 65.6% of students achieving A* to A and 98% A* to C. For 2015/2016, 21.8% of exams passed were A*, 57.9% of exams passed at A* or A grade, 97.0% of exams passed at A* to C and 92.9% of pupils achieved 5 passes (A*-C) including Maths and English. Clearly, results are going from strength to strength each year.

Examination results are updated annually on the school's website. You can find details here - Examination Results.  We at WhichSchoolAdvisor.com strongly believe all schools in the region should be as transparent with the results of their students.

What about the facilities?

JESS Arabian Ranches makes good use of its nine-acre site and its facilities are every bit as good as any of the best profit making schools with 70 teaching areas, Science and ICT labs, Art, Drama and  Design Technology facilities, an independent music centre, a 500-seater Auditorium, 1000 sq metre sports hall, two temperature-controlled, shaded swimming pools, equipped playground areas and extensive playing fields.

The focus on sports and JESS' participation in the various school leagues and competitions saw our sister website, www.schoolscompared.com, rate the school as one of the Best Schools for Sports in the UAE. JESS currently has more teams competing in leagues than any other in Dubai.

A 4000sq. m Sixth Form development and extension was completed at the end of 2013. It includes a PE/dance studio, seminar rooms, a senior study hall, an examination hall, a cafeteria and a further auditorium.

What the Inspectors Say 

For the five year period up until 2015-2016, the school received the Knowledge and Human Development Authority inspection rating of Outstanding, after two years of a Good rating by the KHDA inspection teams. This rating remained for 2016-17 as JESS Arabian Ranches was exempted from inspection, as one of the schools that participated in the Abundance Project, mentoring schools whose performance was Acceptable or Weak. 

In the 2017-18 Inspection round, therefore, it was something of a surprise to learn that JESS Arabian Ranches was one of three schools of high repute (the others being  Dubai International Academy and the Indian High School Dubai) that were downgraded to Very Good. (The original JESS in Jumeirah remained ranked Outstanding.)

The results of the 2018-19 inspection round showed that the delivery of quality education at JESS Arabian Ranches was once again back to Business as Usual, with the Outstanding rating restored. JESS Arabian Ranches and JESS Jumeirah were again both awarded the Outstanding rating for the 2022-23 academic year, following the first full inspection since 2018-19 as a result of the pandemic.

There was only one change in rating across all of the over 80 performance measures - this being an improvement in post-16 Science attainment to Outstanding. 

Although there was no improvement to the ratings for Arabic and Islamic Education (arguably the weaker areas of student achievement, rated largely Acceptable in the Secondary and post-16 sections, and Good in Primary), the inspection team noted that "Students’ achievements remain very strong in almost all areas and while overall judgments remain static in both Islamic Education and the Arabic, there are positive indications of improvements in these subjects".

The DSIB team determined that the strengths of JESS Arabian Ranches are:

• The caring and supportive ethos of the school that facilitates the emotional, personal, and social development of students
• The quality of teaching throughout the school that enables almost all students to develop a wide range of traditional and digital learning skills and to achieve their potential
• The broad and balanced curriculum that nurtures curiosity in the Foundation Stage, through to the multiple pathways to meet the needs of individual students in Secondary and Post-16
• The vision of the school leadership that continues to seek improvements to enhance the academic and personal outcomes of the students
  The management of the school facilities, ensuring a safe learning environment both inside and outside of the classroom

Inevitably, the areas of focus for improvement relate primarily to Arabic and Islamic Education. The inspection team recommended that JESS Arabian Ranches should:

• Sustain the drive to improve student outcomes in all subject areas by:
  - effectively differentiating the taught curriculum to support the needs of all groups of students,
  - providing professional training to enable teachers to make more use of assessment data to support differentiated learning in the classroom,
  - supporting the teaching and learning in Arabic through the deployment of an experienced senior teacher who is able to coach and mentor in the target language.

If you would like to read the entire KHDA inspection report - and we strongly advise that you do so in order to understand the reasons behind the ratings and recommendations, you will find it here.

The Buzz

The WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Parent Survey at JESS, Arabian Ranches reveals that parents are, in general, highly satisfied with the quality of education received, with 85%  impressed by the school's academic performance (a reduction from 94% three years ago).  There has been an increase in the percentage of parents who believe external tuition is necessary to 28% (just below the UAE average). Feedback from the school, although rated inline with UAE averages at 74% satisfaction, would also appear to be an area of concern. 

Despite these less positive outcomes, parents would largely recommend the school (90% would do so), with students having a strong sense of belonging, and for the most part really enjoying their time at the school. Perhaps one of the biggest accomplishments of JESS Arabian Ranches is that despite its premium fee structure, 55% of parents (reduced from two-thirds previously) consider it good value for money. 

The small percentage of parents who are dissatisfied across a range of aspects (10% in relation to the value for money that fees represent, 6% with regard to feedback and 7% who would not recommend the school) may be a small but representative proportion of the views of many.

For this reason, and in order to ensure a representative view by a wider proportion of the school community, if you are a parent, teacher or senior student at JESS Arabian Ranches, please share your opinions and experiences by completing our survey here.

In a new initiative introduced by the KHDA in the 2022-23 academic year, the DSIB inspectors evaluated 'The quality of wellbeing provision and outcomes' which was found to be at a very high level (the highest of four ratings).

The evaluation process found that:

• School leaders and governors strongly champion wellbeing and work closely with students and staff to implement the school’s wellbeing vision. The school’s well-being approach has filtered across the school, and includes areas of curriculum, awareness, enrichment, and community. Well-being improvement plans are exceptionally detailed and provide clear direction for the school’s well-being agenda. These plans are linked to a detailed well-being policy. External, internal, and customised monitoring and assessment continually inform refinement to the school’s approach. High-quality management, facilities, and resources facilitate student well-being.
• Significant investment has been made to enable school staff and students to recognise and support wellbeing concerns. Sixth form buddies, and a growing number of staff, are qualified mental health first aiders. They use this training to support the wider school community. However, these individuals are not easily identifiable when moving around the campus. The training and awareness programme does not yet include information for parents on supporting their children. 
• The school has reviewed the moral, social cultural studies curriculum and other awareness programmes to map out and integrate the wellbeing vision. This approach has removed repetition and created opportunities to explicitly teach social and emotional skills. Dynamic aspects of the curriculum respond to the wellbeing needs of their students as they arise. Frequent student surveys show high student satisfaction and a strong sense of belonging. Parents confirm this. Students have very positive attitude towards school and enjoy positive relationships with staff and other students.

Our View

JESS Jumeirah and JESS Arabian Ranches are incredibly popular schools, and the Primary years are difficult to get children into. The school has waiting lists for all years, but these lists tend to be shorter in the Secondary year groups as new schools have opened around the Arabian Ranches area, which has alleviated some pressure on places.  Parents can check the availability and wait list situation on the school website.

The Debenture System

As a not-for-profit school, a personal debenture (an interest free loan you make available to the school) is required for all children joining the school over and above school fees. There are two types of debentures available: Corporate and Personal.

Corporate Debentures were sold to companies who chose to support JESS on a long term basis by investing in the initial building of the schools. In return for this commitment their employees, (if eligible), gain priority on the waiting lists.

A personal debenture requires parents to pay AED 20,000, but only after a place is offered. This is fully refundable when the child leaves the school.

Based on published information on the JESS website, seventy percent of fees go to staffing. This is a substantial wage bill and really demands teaching in the school is outstanding... Fortunate then that that is predominantly the case.

What about Fees? 

Fees at JESS Arabian Ranches start at AED 44,340 for Foundation Stage 1, and increase to AED 54,792 from FS2 to Year 6 - these are mid to premium range. Secondary school fees however jump to top end premium, starting at AED 84,996 for Years 7 to 11, before moving to AED 96,669 for Years 12-13. 

There is also a registration fee of AED 100 and an Entrance fee of AED 500 on offer of a place. Neither are refundable, but both are significantly lower than those charged by many other schools in the city.  The Entrance fee is offset against the first year's tuition fees. The debenture payment of AED 20,000 remains with the school until the child leaves.

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

Jumeirah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches is a Best of school, a ranking determined by parent surveys on the site. It can be found in the following Best of rankings:

• #61 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #32 in Best Premium Schools in Dubai
• #23 in Best Premium British Schools in Dubai
• #16 in Best IB Schools in Dubai
• #30 in Best British Schools in Dubai
• #16 in Best BTEC Schools in Dubai
• #47 in Best Schools in Dubai
• #15 in Best IB DP Schools in Dubai

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