Despite something of an ugly takeover tussle at the end of 2011 in which police had to be called to the school, Rajagiri International has managed something very few Indian curriculum schools have – to have maintained a Good rating from Dubai’s education regulator for five years in a row – since inspections began. The consistency in the quality of education may have something to do with the enduring popularity of the school among students, parents, and its teachers.

Rajagiri International is a CBSE curriculum based primary school, teaching boys and girls from Kindergarten to Grade 6/7 (from 3 to 12 years of age). Its small size (it has just 1289 – up from 1163 students) is perhaps one reason for its ability to sustain performance. The number of students is up 100 this year, and 200 over two years with the addition of a Grade 6 last year and Grade 7 this year for the first time.

The school will continue to grow as it adds more years. It has plans to grow to Grade 10.

The school has 82 (up from 71) full time teachers, giving it a teacher to student ratio of 1:15 – an above average ratio for an Indian curriculum school. Actual class sizes average 27 students, which is erring on the larger side. Classrooms are however spacious, with no overcrowding, and provide a good learning environment.

Almost one-third of teachers are new to the school, suggesting a recently high turnover of staff.

Recent changes to the school’s owner, and the turnover in staff, does not seem to have affected students however. The school’s 2013/14 KHDA report notes the “impressive, confident speaking skills of students”; “keen and enthusiastic attitudes to learning”; and their “exemplary behaviour, involvement and pride”. Other strengths of the school include an outstanding quality of health and safety at the school, excellent internal relationships, the school’s caring and friendly atmosphere; and an outstanding partnership with parents and the community.

Rajagiri International School is rated Good across all phases of the school for both attainment and progress for the core subjects of English, maths and science. It is rated either Acceptable or Good for Islamic Studies and Arabic. The school is said to have an Outstanding Kindergarten curriculum which combines the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Early Years Foundation Stage curricula. International benchmarking is used including the use of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the International Benchmark Test (IBT), which supports good attainment in English, mathematics and science.

The school’s report notes the need to continue to improve attainment in all key subjects across the school; consistently use assessment information; and to improve the quality of school self-review and improvement planning. However, in in general parents, students and teachers at the school appear to be largely satisfied with the way the school is run, and the quality of education offered.

Facilities at the school are adequate. They include a baby pool and full swimming pool, a full playing field (which does feel a little enclosed), play areas, library, computer labs, an auditorium, science lab and a student development centre.

The school charges a 450 AED registration fee at the time of admission, along with a separate 250 AED admission fee. There is an activity fee that ranges from 300 AED to 450 AED depending upon the year group of the child. Tuition fees range from 10,000 AED per annum for KG1, rising to 17,500 AED for Grade 5 through to 8. That puts it at the higher end of Indian curriculum based schools, but still very reasonable compared to UAE schools as a whole.

Tuition fees are paid in 10 equal installments, monthly during the academic year.