Located very much in new Dubai in the Greens, Regent International School is a private K12 school taking students, both girls and boys, from 3 to 18 years of age. Just over 1345 pupils currently attend the school, from over 70 nationalities. British is the largest single nationality, with a mere 1% Emirati students.

The school is a member of British Schools Middle East (BSME).

The school offers a UK curriculum with students working towards the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations, followed by A’ Levels. At KG and primary the school level, the school has adopted the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage Programme.

The school has currently 103 teachers and 34 teaching assistants teachers. All teachers have a first degree and a recognised teaching qualification. The Director of Education is in her first year at the school.

Note: 2011/2012 was the first year the school has had a 6th form and offered A’ Levels. The school plans to introduce IB “in the future”, “subject to demand”. Subjects offered at A’ Level are fairly limited: Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Biology, Art and Design, English Lit, Business Studies, Geography, History, and Islamic Studies. The school has a section on its Web site on why students should continue studies at the school. The school promotes student awareness of the teachers, and a chance to spend another two years at the school. Neither point is unimportant given the time students will have invested at Regent.

The school does not seem to publish results of external examinations on its Web site – at least not intentionally. We urge all schools to do so – it is a key piece of information for all parents of prospective students.

That said, you could find the 2011/12 results – on a flier promoting the 6th form, which make impressive reading: In total 40% of the school’s students achieved 5 A*s – A at IGCSE, four out of every 5 students achieved 5 A*s to B.

Regent International School is currently rated Good by the KHDA (2013-14). This is now the 4th year in a row that the school has obtained the Dubai education regulator’s second highest grade. The KHDA notes the inclusive nature of the school, the continued improvement in the quality and consistency of students’ progress across the school, particularly in primary English and secondary Science; outstanding student behaviour, self-discipline, consideration for others and attitudes towards learning (noted two years in a row); Improved teaching for effective learning; and an outstanding quality of support provided for all students.

The school needs to improve attainment and progress in Islamic Education, Arabic as a first language and Arabic as a second language in the secondary phase; as well as the quality of teaching in the school generally by providing more comprehensive support for students with SEN, while also challenging higher attaining students across all subject areas.

Feedback from students is broadly very positive. Students believe they make good academic progress, and largely enjoy their time at school. Parents express similar sentiments, and we have been sent particularly strong feedback from parents with children in the KG. There seems a strong belief that things have been improving in recent years particularly academically, however the WSA survey also revealed very low satisfaction levels with the level of communication and interaction with the school.

The school’s Web site does contain some good information for parents, and has clearly had a bit of care and attention, at least where information in concerned, since our first review. It is still, however, very difficult to find anything. Given the importance of the internet to students and parents, and how inexpensive a strong Web site is to put together nowadays, there seems little reason for any school not be able to present itself well.

Facilities in general at the school seem acceptable to good. Broad-band connectivity is available throughout school, there are fully equipped specialist rooms for relevant subjects; multiple sports facilities including an outdoor astro-turf playing field, an outdoor paved playing field, a roof sports deck with 4 multi-courts and a shaded outdoor 25m x 5 lane heated swimming pool and changing rooms. There are also age-appropriate indoor play zone for FS 1&2.

Extra-curricular activities are extensive, and look to have real depth. You can find the information on activities here.

When it comes to price, this is a school charging very much at the top end of fees at the secondary level.