GEMS Founders School Al Mizhar

GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar is located in Al Mizhar 1, Dubai, near Mirdif. The campus sits on Khawaneej Road and is accessible from major Dubai routes. The surrounding area is residential with other international schools nearby, contributing to a multicultural environment for relocating families. The school is conveniently reachable from various parts of the city.

The school offers Foundation Stage (FS1–FS2), Primary (Key Stage 1–2), and Secondary (Key Stage 3–4), with a Sixth Form for post-16 (Year 12–13). Foundation Stage and Primary/Secondary divisions follow the English National Curriculum. The structure spans early years through post-16.

The school is co-educational and follows the UK national curriculum. It operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not listed as part of the offering.

Total students on roll are 4,016; the Emirati share is 524, making the largest nationality group Arabic. The local-to-international ratio is approximately 1:6.7. Exact numbers of other nationalities are not published in the KHDA report.

The school provides inclusion and SEN supports via an Inclusion Department, Occupational Therapy, and programmes such as GEMS Link Programme and GFM Flourish; there is targeted support for students of determination as noted in KHDA reports.

The curriculum is UK-based, aligned with the National Curriculum for England. This UK affiliation is reflected in the school's curriculum and language of instruction.

There is no formal religious affiliation stated. Islamic Education is part of the curriculum, with emphasis on Islamic values and Emirati culture.

The school day typically runs from around 7:30–8:00 am to about 4:00 pm on most days, with a shorter day on Fridays (around noon).

Bus transportation is provided by STS Group, which operates a fleet of Smart Buses equipped with CCTV, ADAS cameras, GPS tracking, RFID, motion sensors, and a 24/7 Operations Control Centre; emphasis is on safety, reliability, and timely service.

GEMS Founders School Al Mizhar delivers a value-based British education based on the National Curriculum for England, with UAE MOE components, and offers Foundation Stage through Year 13. Foundation Stage (FS1–FS2) emphasises a play-based, language-rich approach with learning areas including Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design, plus Arabic lessons and Phonics. Primary School uses the English National Curriculum in thematically cross-curricular themes, with High Performance Learning embedded and an inclusive approach that builds skills year on year from Foundation Stage through Key Stage 2. Secondary School follows the NCfE, with MOE content in Arabic, Islamic Studies and Moral/Social Studies; KS3 offers a broad set of core and elective subjects, KS4 provides GCSE/IGCSE routes (with a vocational BTEC pathway available), and KS5 offers A Levels or Level 3 BTECs, with entry prerequisites including at least five IGCSE/GCSE passes and subject-specific grade requirements. The KS4 pathways are documented in the KS4 Prospectus, which outlines IGCSE/GCSE options and Level 2 BTECs in Applied Sciences, Sport, Business and IT, along with a list of compulsory subjects (English, Maths, Science) plus MOE Arabic/Islamic/Moral Education.

SEL: GEMS Founders School, Al Mizhar emphasizes emotional health and wellbeing through a supportive, caring ethos in which every individual is valued. The approach recognises that life challenges can affect students, and that positive mental health is everyone's business. Counsellors are available to all students, staff, and parents to help someone with mental health difficulties or to cope in a crisis. The school provides a Wellbeing Policy to guide practice. This indicates a formal pastoral framework supporting SEL, with access to counselling and a wellbeing policy.

SEN: The school is described as inclusive, welcoming students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), gifted and talented learners, and English Language Learners (ELL). It emphasises adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet the diverse range of learners within a common learning environment. Applicants are asked to share full details of any SEND, IEPs, and related reports to enable appropriate assessment and resourcing. The Flourish programme offers a modified Math and English curriculum in smaller class sizes for students who need bespoke delivery to access the curriculum alongside peers. Occupational Therapy is provided to support delays, disabilities, or health challenges through multidisciplinary interventions, including individual and group sessions and parent/teacher training. The school presents itself as inclusive rather than a specialist SEN institution.

EAL: GFM states it welcomes English Language Learners as part of its inclusive education approach. It notes that adjustments and teaching strategies are used to meet the needs of diverse learners, including EAL students. A dedicated, stand-alone EAL program or staff role is not publicly disclosed on the pages reviewed. The admissions process asks for relevant reports to inform assessment and planning for support. These points indicate EAL support within an inclusive framework, but specific EAL program details are not publicly detailed.

Mental Wellbeing: The school is committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of pupils and staff through a supportive, caring ethos where each individual is valued. It recognises that life challenges can make students vulnerable and that positive mental health is everyone's business. Counselling services are available to all students, staff and parents to help with mental health concerns or crises. A Wellbeing Policy provides formal guidance for wellbeing practices at the school.

Safeguarding: Safeguarding and Child Protection are top priorities at GFM, aligned with UAE law and UK statutory frameworks, supported by internal policies and regular audits. All staff and volunteers have safeguarding clearances, and all members of the Senior Leadership Team have undergone GEMS Safer Recruitment Training. The safeguarding framework includes a detailed Child Protection Policy, safer recruitment practices, routine staff training, and online safety education integrated into curriculum content and workshops. The school has Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) for Primary and Secondary, with Deputy DSLs, who serve as the first points of contact for safeguarding concerns. Safeguarding is a shared responsibility with open communication with parents and, when needed, collaboration with external agencies; safeguarding policies are available for review, and contact details are provided on the Contact Us page.

1. Online application: Complete the Online Student Enquiry & Registration. You will receive an acknowledgement with an online reference number and guidance on the following steps. The online form collects essential information about the student and family. After submitting, you proceed to Step 2 if eligible. 2. Registration: Pay the AED 500 application fee online or at the school cash counter. This fee is refundable if the school does not offer a place, non-refundable if the school offers a place but you choose not to accept, and not deductible from tuition. The school requires the listed documents to be uploaded online; payment does not guarantee a place. 3. Assessment: Your child will be invited for an assessment or interview via email or phone. FS1/FS2 are observed; Year 1-2 have written assessments; Year 3-10 use CAT4 and written assessments. 4. Enrolment: The Registrar will issue offers to successful applicants subject to seat availability. 5. Registration Deposit: A deposit of 10% of total tuition is payable after an offer is accepted. The deposit is non-refundable but deductible from the tuition for the year. Once the process is complete, the student is officially enrolled. Required documents: Passport copies for child and parents; Residency visa pages; Birth certificate (English or Arabic); Recent passport-size photos; Last two school reports for Year 1-2 (and CAT4 for Year 3+); 6 months of medical/therapy reports if applicable; Immunization/Vaccination card; Emirates ID copies; Transfer certificate. Transfer certificates must be on official letterhead with the student's full name, date of birth, enrolment dates, current year, curriculum, principal signature and stamp; attestation requirements apply for certain origins. Re-registration deposits for existing students are 5% of total tuition. Enrol Online is available and a school tour can be booked. For more information, contact the registrar at [email protected].

The Founders Fellowship Scholarships and Awards are offered. For FS1-Year 9, eligibility requires completing the GFM Way Award; categories include: The GFM Way Award; The Founder's Award – The Varkey Scholarship; The Founders Determination Award; The Founders Service Award; The Florenza Spinola Award. For Years 10-13, scholarships include: The Founders Way Award – The Matthew Burfield Scholarship; The Principal's Scholar Award. The school provides a timeline and application process for these scholarships, and a brochure and application form are available. Next steps include Enrol Online and accessing the scholarship materials.