Dubai British School Emirates Hills

DBSEH is located in The Springs and Meadows area of Dubai's Emirates Hills. The main campus sits at Springs 3, Emirates Hills, and the Islands Campus is on Meadows Drive in Jumeirah Islands. The Islands Campus serves Rising 3 to Year 2, while the Main Campus serves Year 3 to Year 13, providing two distinct learning environments on adjacent sites. The Springs area is a residential community near Springs Town Centre, with the campus situated behind Spinneys.

DBSEH serves children from Rising 3 (approximately age 3) through Year 13 (age 18). The Islands Campus houses Rising 3 to Year 2, and the Main Campus houses Year 3 to Year 13, reflecting a two-campus model that separates the youngest learners from older students.

The school operates as a co-educational British international school, part of the Taaleem group. It offers a two-campus model for different age groups and follows the English National Curriculum with GCSE, BTEC and A-Level pathways.

The school lists 60+ nationalities among its students, with the largest group historically being British. Independent guides have noted that the British cohort is a substantial share of the student body (and that the school is largely international in makeup). Official materials also show a broad linguistic footprint with 170+ spoken languages represented.

Inclusion at DBSEH provides high-quality support for a diverse learner group, including students of determination, English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners, and those requiring additional social or emotional support. Support is implemented within an inclusive framework across the school.

The school follows the British curriculum, positioning itself as a British international school. This is reflected in its curriculum, inspections and accreditation, including KHDA recognition and British accreditation pathways.

Religious affiliation is non-denominational; DBSEH operates as a secular, inclusive school without a faith-based programme.

School days vary by year group: Rising 3s to FS2 run roughly 7:40am to 1:30–1:45pm (Fridays 11:45am). Year 1–Year 6 typically start around 7:20–7:40am and finish around 2:15–2:45pm (Fridays 12:00pm). Years 7–13 start about 7:55am and finish around 3:30pm (Fridays 12:00pm).

DBSEH offers a transportation service; details and routes are arranged by the school and coordinated through Admissions. The Inclusion and Support Services pages reference transportation services in the school's provisions, and the school provides contact details for inquiries.

Dubai British School Emirates Hills delivers the English National Curriculum from Rising 3s through Sixth Form, across two campuses: the Islands Campus for Rising 3s to Year 2 and the main campus for Year 3 to 13. Rising 3s follow UK EYFS Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters in a play-based Early Years programme, with seven areas of learning and English as the language of instruction alongside Arabic exposure, plus a Singing for Learning programme. Foundation Stage extends the EYFS approach and explicitly integrates UAE priorities with the National Curriculum of England. The Secondary Stage (Years 7–11) follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales, with core English, Maths and Science, plus Geography/History, modern languages, and a broad range of Expressive Arts, ICT and Social Sciences; GCSE option blocks for 2024/25 include Business Studies, Geography, History, Arabic, Spanish, Psychology, French, Drama, Art, Music, Media Studies and BTEC, with Triple Science by invitation. Sixth Form offers A-Level and BTEC courses, complemented by Oxford IPQ and university/careers guidance to support higher education placements. The school has KHDA Outstanding status since 2017.

Dubai British School Emirates Hills places social and emotional wellbeing at the center of its educational approach. The school describes itself as fostering a fully inclusive learning community with wellbeing at its heart, guided by positive education. KHDA's 2023-2024 inspection rated the school's Wellbeing as Outstanding, indicating strong provision for student welfare. The Dubai British Schools Group states that DBS Emirates Hills promotes wellbeing through a positive-education ethos and an inclusive culture. Public materials emphasise that student and staff wellbeing are core to the school's ethos.

Dubai British School Emirates Hills supports inclusive education, as reflected by the Inclusion rating in KHDA DSIB 2023-2024. The school operates as a mainstream British curriculum school rather than a specialist SEN institution, and KHDA documentation does not designate it as a dedicated SEN facility. Dubai British School Emirates Hills' materials emphasise an inclusive ethos, but public disclosures do not specify which Special Educational Needs are supported or the exact scope of dedicated SEN staff. EAL provision is acknowledged as part of the inclusion approach, with English-language support available through designated Student Support staff in some public sources. Details on specific SEN categories (e.g., dyslexia, autism spectrum conditions) are not publicly disclosed.

Dubai British School Emirates Hills provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support to students who require additional English language assistance. EAL support is delivered by Student Support staff as needed, as part of the school's inclusion approach. External sources note that EAL provision is integrated with the mainstream curriculum to enable students to access lessons. KHDA DSIB inclusion ratings confirm a focus on inclusive education, which includes language support for learners not fluent in English. Public disclosures do not specify a dedicated EAL department beyond these general support arrangements.

Mental wellbeing is a stated priority at Dubai British School Emirates Hills, aligned with its positive-education ethos and inclusive culture. The school's approach is described as wellbeing-focused and embedded within the school's overall ethos. KHDA's 2023-2024 Wellbeing rating for the school is Outstanding, reflecting strong provision for student welfare across the school. DBS Emirates Hills communicates that wellbeing for students and staff is central to its ethos, including wellbeing-related initiatives and assemblies. These sources collectively support a robust emphasis on student mental wellbeing.

Dubai British School Emirates Hills is described as safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students in public recruitment materials, with staff safeguarding checks highlighted. Recruitment information indicates that an ICPC or equivalent enhanced police check is a prerequisite for all appointments. KHDA DSIB wellbeing and inclusion indicators imply attention to safeguarding as part of the student support framework, though detailed safeguarding policies are not publicly itemized in the available summaries. The school places safeguarding at the core of its staff vetting and welfare commitments as part of its broader safeguarding culture.

Applications are accepted for year groups that are open or have a waiting pool, and offers depend on vacancies. Upload documents: two recent school reports, the child's passport and Emirates ID, copies of both parents' passports and Emirates IDs, birth certificate, a photo, and pay a 525 AED application fee. For overseas families, residency visas are not required at application but must be submitted by the KHDA deadline; a Transfer Certificate is required for transfer. All children are assessed prior to entry; if offered, there is a 10 working days to accept and pay a non-refundable deposit; waitlisted applicants may be contacted if a place becomes available.

Waiting Pool is an unranked group of students assessed and ready to be offered a place when a seat becomes available; places are offered to siblings and staff first per admissions policy. Waiting List definitions: Closed means waiting lists are kept open until the cap is reached; Open means we are accepting applications into the waiting list; Open, Waitlist Only means all year group places have been offered and spaces may still become available, with applicants invited for assessment if spaces arise.