Doha British School - Ain Khaled

The Ain Khaled Campus is at Rawdat Al Sagah Street, Ain Khaled, Doha, Qatar. It sits in the Ain Khaled district, a residential area northeast of central Doha, with straightforward road access. The campus address is Rawdat Al Sagah Street, Doha, Qatar, and DBS operates across three Doha campuses (Ain Khaled, Wakra and Rawdat Al Hamama).

DBS Ain Khaled combines Early Years Foundation Stage (Preschool to Reception), Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) in Primary, followed by Secondary (Year 7–11) and a Sixth Form (Year 12–13). In Secondary, pupils study a broad range of subjects with IGCSE in Years 10–11 and then choose from pathways in the Sixth Form (IB Diploma, AS/A Levels and BTEC).

The school type (2-3 sentences max)

DBS serves a highly international community. Third-party sources report around 84–90 nationalities represented, with the student body described as international across its campuses. The most represented nationalities are not published, and the local-to-international ratio is not publicly disclosed.

The Inclusion Team leads provision for Additional Learning Needs/SEN across all phases. The SENCO Lead, SENCO/EAL Teacher and Learning Support Assistants coordinate accommodations, interventions and collaboration with families, ensuring access to internal and external assessments as appropriate.

DBS Ain Khaled is a British international school in Doha. It follows the English National Curriculum for the core stages and offers IGCSE, AS/A Levels, IB Diploma and BTEC through its Sixth Form. The school is accredited by CIS, BSME, QNSA and BSO, and is described as a British overseas/international school in Qatar.

There is no formal religious affiliation stated for the school. (Islamic Studies may be taught as part of the Qatar curriculum where relevant, but the school does not publish a religious affiliation.)

A typical school day starts at 7:00 am for Primary and Secondary. Early Years runs 7:00 am–1:00 pm; Primary 7:00 am–2:00 pm; Secondary 7:00 am–2:00 pm. Breaks run from 8:55 am–9:15 am and lunch from 10:55 am–11:35 am. The day finishes at 2:00 pm, with ECAs often extending to 3:00 pm. Gates open 6:45 am for drop-off.

There is no published information about a DBS-managed bus service for the Ain Khaled campus on the school's pages. Families should contact Admissions for transport options and arrangements.

The Ain Khaled campus serves Preschool through Sixth Form and follows the English Early Years Foundation Stage and the English National Curriculum through Key Stages 1–3, with IGCSE offerings at Key Stage 4 and Post-16 pathways in Key Stage 5. In the Sixth Form, four pathways are available: AS/A Level, IB Diploma, BTEC, and a City University Qatar progression route to a bachelor's degree. Arabic language and Islamic Studies remain a curricular priority within the school. The school holds international accreditations from CIS, BSME, QNSA and BSO. The IGCSE results cover subjects including Arabic (1st language), Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, and more, with notable 2024 award recognitions.

Doha British School Ain Khaled integrates Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) within its wellbeing framework. The Wellbeing section states that the Wellbeing Counselling Team supports students' personal, social, and emotional development and that services align with the SEL curriculum, including small-group interventions of 5-6 sessions with information shared with parents. The school-based counselling offers one-on-one support and works with teachers to remove barriers to learning, while the pastoral approach promotes a positive, supportive, and secure environment. The Inclusion Team coordinates support across Early Years through Secondary, ensuring a consistent, whole-school approach to inclusion and student wellbeing. The Inclusion Team includes a SENCO Lead (Sarah Bayley) and a SENCO/EAL Teacher (Saima Kouser), supported by Learning Support Assistants (Ramandeep Kaur Sarin and Shukriya Vamanjoor).

SEN support is provided through an Inclusion Team led by SENCO Lead Sarah Bayley and SENCO/EAL Teacher Saima Kouser, with Learning Support Assistants Ramandeep Kaur Sarin and Shukriya Vamanjoor. The team operates a Graduated Approach to SEN, using a tiered system of support and regular reviews of provision in partnership with parents. Parents and students are encouraged to discuss SEN needs with the SENDCo Lead. The inclusion approach extends across Early Years to Secondary, ensuring consistent SEN support throughout the learning journey. These arrangements are embedded within the school's inclusive model across all year groups.

An SENCO/EAL Teacher, Saima Kouser, is part of the Inclusion Team, indicating that EAL support is provided within the inclusive framework. The SENCO/EAL Teacher role centralises EAL provision within the school's SEN and inclusion structure, with explicit contact available for families seeking EAL support. The presence of an EAL teacher within the SEN team signals integrated language support alongside academic and pastoral provisions.

Wellbeing services at DBS Ain Khaled include school-based counselling that supports students' personal, social, and emotional well-being, aligned with the SEL curriculum. The Wellbeing Counselling Team provides one-on-one support and may run small-group interventions, collaborating with teachers to identify barriers to learning and to build resilience. The Wellbeing Counselling Team's work is described as central to promoting students' personal, social, and emotional well-being and to curriculum-aligned SEL. A School Counselor and dedicated wellbeing staff are listed as part of the team managing student wellbeing. Mental health-focused professional development, including a Mental Health Awareness Week led by Mind Your Health Ltd and the school counselling team, demonstrates ongoing commitment to student mental health.

Safeguarding is recognised as a core responsibility, with DBS stating a commitment to protecting students from harm and promoting welfare and to maintaining a safe, secure environment. The Pastoral Care section also provides safeguarding contacts for Primary and Secondary staff, underscoring a structured safeguarding approach. The esafetypolicy documents safeguarding matters and outlines proactive safeguarding policies and contacts. The school aims to ensure students feel secure, are listened to, and can access appropriate safeguarding support through its pastoral and safeguarding structures.

Admissions Process: The admissions cycle for the next academic year usually opens in November of the preceding year, while admissions for the current year can be accepted in term 1 and term 2. Doha British School Ain Khaled is a popular international school and places are sometimes limited. Priority is given to siblings of current students, and all applicants are assessed to determine suitability for the curriculum and English language proficiency. The steps below outline how the admissions process works.

Step 1: Read the Admissions Policy thoroughly. The policy governs the admissions process and indicates that priority is given to siblings and that all applicants must be assessed for curriculum access and English language skills. Understanding the policy helps families prepare for the application. The policy provides guidance on submission requirements and timelines.

Step 2: Complete the Admission and Medical Form and return it to the Admissions Office with all required documents, including acknowledgement that the Admissions Policy has been read. Submission of the form and documents is required for processing; failure to do so will result in the application not being processed.

Step 3: Pay the application fee (non-refundable) to the Finance Office. The fee is non-refundable. The payment confirms the application submission for consideration. A receipt from the Finance Office should be kept for records.

Step 4: After review of the application, the child may be invited to attend a formal assessment, either in a group or individually. There is a non-refundable assessment fee payable. The assessment results are the property of the school and places are allocated at the discretion of the Principal. Assessments by year group include: Preschool and Reception are assessed by the Head of EYFS with a focus on communication and social skills; Year 1 and Year 2 are assessed by the KS1 Leader with an age-appropriate test; Year 3 to 6 are assessed using an online test and a writing task; Year 7 to 12 are assessed using the Digital Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT). Application fees may be paid by bank transfer. Online assessments may be coordinated with an overseas school if required. Overseas applicants should expect the same assessment process as domestic applicants.

Step 6: Sixth Form Applications – IB Diploma: Read the full brochure online. Applicants seeking entry into Year 12 for the IB Diploma must meet minimum entry requirements: 6 A- C IGCSE grades including Maths and English (5+ for subjects graded 9-1); Bs or 5s in subjects chosen to study at Higher Level; A or 8/9 required for Higher Level Maths. Copies of predicted grades or IGCSE results must be provided for review by the IB Coordinator before being offered a provisional place; applicants from other systems will be assessed by the IB Coordinator.

Step 7: International AS & A Levels: Read the full brochure online. Applicants seeking entry into Year 12 for the AS Programme must meet minimum entry requirements: 5 A- C IGCSE grades including Maths and English (5+ for 9-1); Bs or 5s in subjects chosen to study at Higher Level preferred. Copies of predicted grades or IGCSE results must be provided for review by the Head of Secondary or Head of Sixth Form; applicants from other systems will be assessed.

Step 8: BTEC: Read the full brochure online. Applicants seeking entry into Year 12 for the BTEC Programme must meet minimum entry requirements: 5 A- C IGCSE grades including Maths and English (5+ for 9-1); Bs or 5s in subjects chosen to study at Higher Level. Copies of predicted grades or IGCSE results must be provided for review by the Head of Secondary or Head of Sixth Form.