American International School Dubai is a private, independent institution that serves students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 (ages 3 to 18). It presently has just over 2300 students (up 100 over last year and 500 over two years) made up of over 60 nationalities, the majority of which are Arab nationals. The school has 144 teachers, and 17 teaching assistants giving it a relatively weak teacher to student ratio.

Boys and girls study in mixed classes from Kindergarten to Grade 3, after which classes are separated by gender. High school girls have been relocated into a newly constructed section which also houses the computer-based examination hall.

Approximately three quarters of students speak Arabic as their first language and instruction is provided in both English and in Arabic. Approximately 6% of the student body comes from local families, a small decline on the previous academic year.

American International School Dubai offers a US curriculum based on the State of Indiana Standards. Curriculum expectations for English and mathematics were amalgamated with the Common Core Curriculum Standards.

A number of students across phases write external examinations such as the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and SAT I in mathematics, in Grades 11 and 12.

The school’s KHDA report is mixed: American International School Dubai has maintained an Acceptable ranking for the last six years and has not shown urgency driving through the improvements Dubai’s education regulator has recommended. The KHDA noted development of English language skills in the school has been slow, “not helped by a curriculum that did not fully meet the needs of a student population most of whose first language was Arabic”. It also noted that the benchmarks the school uses are internal, resulting in an over inflated sense of its own progress. This has improved in 2013/14, but not sufficiently to influence teaching.

Other improvements have been noted in the school’s latest report (2013/14) with some improvements in the attainment and progress of all groups of students. The school is also now said to be at an “early stage” of developing effective practices for the identification and support of students with special educational needs, including more able students.

The school itself says it places “strong emphasis in teaching students to live in the Islamic faith within the context of the American Education Program”, something acknowledged by the KHDA, which notes an improved Islamic Education programme with good teaching and learning in elementary, and good respect for and appreciation of Islam by students in the middle and high school phases.” That said, only in the Elementary phase is attainment in Islamic Studies said to be Good – elsewhere is it Acceptable.

The school needs to update its Web site more often. Its “Achievements” page is largely empty, and was last updated in February 2013.

School fees are relatively affordable, and range from 10,886 AED for KG rising to 17,650 AED plus for Grade 12. This is a marginal increase over the last academic year. American International School Dubai fees will have been constrained by its current rating.