Brighton College Dubai

Brighton College Dubai is located in Barsha South, Dubai. The campus sits in Al Barsha South, between Hessa Street and Umm Suqeim Street, in a primarily residential area with good road access. The location is convenient for families commuting by car or taxi and sits within the Al Barsha 2 South area.

The College serves pupils from ages 3 to 18 and is organised into Early Years (FS1–FS2), Prep School (Year 1–Year 6), and Senior School (Year 7–Year 13). A Sixth Form is available for Years 12 and 13.

The school is co-educational. It follows a British curriculum and offers IGCSE, GCSE and A-levels; it operates as a day school. Boarding facilities are not advertised for the Dubai campus.

The school represents around 40 nationalities. The most common nationality is British. Local students account for about 9% of the pupil body, with international students comprising about 91%.

Brighton College Dubai is fully inclusive. The Inclusion and EAL teams provide English language support and targeted interventions, starting with an English proficiency assessment (Bell Foundation framework) and progressing to classroom adaptations and targeted language support; Gifted and Talented pupils may receive Individual Education Plans as needed.

There is no formal country-specific affiliation; the school operates as a British-curriculum international school and is part of the Brighton College network with UK links. The establishment is listed as a British overseas school.

Religious affiliation is not indicated. Islamic Education is taught where applicable as part of the UAE curriculum requirements for UAE-based students.

The school day generally starts around 7:15–7:30 for older pupils and ends around 3:00–3:40, with Early Years finishing earlier (around 2:20) and with Friday sessions typically ending earlier. After-school activities run beyond core teaching hours.

The school partners with Arab Falcon Dubai to provide a door-to-door bus service. Buses are RTA-approved and staffed by a qualified driver and a female bus attendant, with GPS, CCTV, a panic button and RFID tracking. Enrolment and route details are handled through the admissions and transport team (Anum Abbasi; +971 50 4382740; csr.bcd@arabfalcondubai.ae).

Brighton College Dubai follows the Brighton College Curriculum, aligned to the English National Curriculum, delivering International GCSEs in the Senior School and A-levels in the Sixth Form. In Prep, the curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum for England and incorporates the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), with KHDA requirements for Arabic, Islamic Studies and Moral Social and Cultural Education. Specialist teaching begins from Year 3, with core subjects taught through enquiry-based learning, and by Years 5–6 additional specialist subjects such as Art, DT and Spanish. From Year 10, pupils undertake GCSE courses across a broad range of subjects, including compulsory subjects (Mathematics, English Language, English Literature or Second Language English, and Science as Double Award) with Triple Science available as an option. In Senior School, the IGCSE/GCSE programme offers a mix of compulsory and optional subjects, alongside Arabic and Islamic Studies where appropriate and a non-examined Physical Education course. In Sixth Form, students study a combination of A-levels and BTECs, typically starting with four subjects in Lower Sixth and moving to three, with guidance aligned to university aims.

Brighton College Dubai uses a fully inclusive approach to social and emotional development for all pupils. An Inclusion Team led by the Head of Inclusion includes Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior SENCOs, Lead Learning Support Coordinators, and Learning Support Assistants, with external specialist support engaged when needed. The school uses a graduated system of support: Wave 1 universal teaching, Wave 2 targeted interventions, and Wave 3 individualised support to address social, emotional and mental health needs. The approach recognises social, emotional and mental health needs as common barriers to learning and provides tailored programmes through the Inclusion Team. The EAL provision supports social and academic language development across speaking, listening, reading and writing to help pupils engage with the curriculum and College life.

Brighton College Dubai supports a broad range of Special Educational Needs, including cognition and learning, communication and interaction, social, emotional and mental health needs, and physical, sensory and medical needs. The Inclusion Team comprises Head of Inclusion, SENCOs across year groups, Lead Learning Support Coordinators, and Learning Support Assistants who provide in-house supports; in some cases, external specialist support is engaged. Pupils may be placed on Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to set personalised targets where appropriate. The school identifies needs through assessments and referrals and deploys a graduated system of support (Wave 1–3) to match the level of need. Sensory, medical and other physical needs, as well as cognitive and learning differences, are among the needs the team is prepared to address, with access to external specialists when required.

Brighton College Dubai includes English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision as part of its inclusive approach. At admission, pupils undergo an English language proficiency assessment using the Bell Foundation Assessment Framework to determine language needs. After assessment, pupils receive tailored support through high-quality in-class strategies, targeted language intervention, and short-term intensive language support, with regular progress reviews. The EAL Team comprises dedicated staff including EAL Teachers and EAL Teaching Assistants who support Pupils across the Prep and Senior Schools. The programme aims to enable pupils to access the curriculum and participate fully in College life while developing social and academic language skills.

Mental wellbeing is addressed as part of the College's holistic approach to welfare and learning. The school recognises social, emotional and mental health needs as central to pupil development and integrates wellbeing into pastoral practice. A safeguarding framework coordinates pupil welfare, with a Deputy Head Pastoral acting as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and additional Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads across the Prep and Pre-Prep divisions. The Inclusion Team and pastoral staff work collaboratively to support pupil wellbeing across year groups, with tailored support for those needing extra help. The safeguarding policy provides guidance for staff and families and emphasizes proactive safeguarding and welfare practices.

Brighton College Dubai maintains a safeguarding policy to protect pupil welfare and safety, providing staff with guidance on safeguarding and outlining how the College will safeguard pupils. The College reserves the right to contact relevant authorities without notifying parents if it is deemed in the pupil's best interests. Designated safeguarding leads include the Deputy Head Pastoral (DSL), Head of Prep School (DSL), and Head of Pre-Prep School (DSL), who oversee safeguarding responsibilities. The policy invites parents and guardians to learn more or discuss safeguarding by contacting the College, via the provided channels. The school emphasises openness with parents while prioritising pupil safety when necessary.