GEMS Founders School Dubai

GEMS Founders School operates across two Dubai campuses: Al Barsha South on Umm Suqeim Street and Dubai South beside Expo Road near Expo City Dubai. The Al Barsha South campus is the long‑standing site that offers the full through‑school programme from Foundation Stage to Year 13. The Dubai South campus opened in August 2024 to serve FS1 to Year 9 and is located in the Dubai South district, close to Expo City Dubai.

Al Barsha South campus: FS1 to Year 13. Dubai South campus: FS1 to Year 9 (with plans to extend to Year 13 in coming years).

Co‑educational day school. The group does not operate boarding facilities for GEMS Founders School Dubai.

GEMS Founders School is an inclusive school with a dedicated Inclusion team. It supports students of determination (SEN), English Language Learners, and Gifted & Talented learners. The school offers additional support services such as Speech-Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy through the GEMS LINK Programme.

UK‑affiliated through the National Curriculum for England; British School Overseas (BSO) accreditation and COBIS recognition.

No formal religious affiliation. Islamic Studies are offered as a subject at the Dubai South campus, and there are dedicated classrooms for language and Islamic studies.

Foundation Stage: doors open at 07:10, school starts at 07:40 and finishes at 12:50 (Mon–Thu) or 11:20 (Fri). Primary (KS1–KS2): doors open at 07:20, lessons run from 07:40 to around 14:20, with breaks scheduled. Secondary starts with gates open at 07:00 and lessons from 07:40 to 14:20. Fridays typically end earlier for some year groups.

Bus transport is available through the school's transport partner. To apply, complete the required student registration and parent consent forms for the bus, submit them to the on‑site Service Delivery Executive, and pay bus fees online. A transport rate list is available for route details.

The school follows the National Curriculum for England from FS1 through Year 13. It is an international UK curriculum school located in Al Barsha South, Dubai. The school offers iGCSE and A Level qualifications for the senior years. It is highly accredited by the UK Department of Education as a British School Overseas (BSO) and internationally recognised by the British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). It is a High Performance Learning (HPL) school and achieved iFoundation status in 2021, with ongoing progression toward HPL World Class Accreditation. The school serves students from over 100 nationalities.

Not disclosed

The school reports strong results in iGCSEs and A Levels, reflecting the effectiveness of the curriculum and preparation for higher education.

Graduates progress to higher education at universities around the world, supported by the iGCSE and A Level qualifications.

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Admissions are online; start with ENROL ONLINE to submit the online Student Enquiry & Registration and receive an online reference number and next steps. The school teaches in English and follows the British Curriculum for ages 3 to 18 (FS1 to Year 13), and it is inclusive, supporting a range of learning needs including SEND and English Language Learners with adjustments as required. A 525 AED application fee (including VAT) applies; it is refundable if no place is offered, non-refundable if a place is offered but not taken, and not deductible from tuition. The process proceeds through Registration (10% deposit due on enrollment), Assessment (FS1/FS2 observation; Year 1–Year 13 assessments), and Enrolment (offers issued; tuition payable in three terms); if a seat is not available, the application is placed on a waitlist until a seat becomes available; if you withdraw from the waiting list, the 500 AED plus VAT application fee can be refunded.

iFlourish Scholarships are available to students in Years 10–13 in recognition of outstanding achievement. The 2025–26 program is open, with an application form and deadline (12:00pm on Monday 2 February) shared on the Scholarships page and applications emailed to the provided address. Award categories include High Performance Learning Academic Excellence, The Foley Award for Outstanding Contribution to the School Community and Wellbeing, The Florenza Spinola Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Creative Arts, and Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and/or Sustainability.

Seats are allocated subject to availability; if no seat is available after assessment, the child is placed on a waitlist until a seat becomes available. If withdrawing from the waiting list, the application fee (500 AED plus VAT) can be refunded.