Dubai Modern Education School

Dubai Modern Education School DMES is a private, co-educational K to 12 school located near Algeria Street in Al Mizhar, serving families across Dubai and the neighbouring Emirates. Established in 1996, the school is dedicated to developing confident, innovative and responsible learners who are prepared to contribute to the global community. The school community reflects strong cultural diversity, with students representing more than 50 nationalities and growing, creating a vibrant and inclusive learning environment built on close partnerships with parents and a non-discriminatory admissions policy.

A distinctive feature of DMES is its dual curriculum model, offering both the US Curriculum and the Ministry of Education MOE Curriculum on one campus. The school now educates over 2,200 students, supported by a team of 123 teachers in the US section and 67 teachers in the MOE section. Students benefit from a broad and balanced academic programme that includes around 20 core and elective courses designed to support academic achievement and personal development. DMES currently holds an Acceptable rating from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority KHDA and was granted NEASC Candidacy Status in 2019 as part of its ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

The annual fee structure varies by curriculum and year group. For the US Curriculum, fees range from AED 13,487 in KG1 to AED 24,911 in Grade 12. In the MOE Curriculum, tuition fees start at AED 15,412 in Grade 1 and increase to AED 18,740 in Grade 12. Through its student-centred approach and commitment to high educational standards, Dubai Modern Education School continues to provide quality education for families seeking both US and MOE curriculum pathways in Dubai.

• Location: Al Mizhar
• School fee: AED 13,487 - AED 24,911
• Curriculum: US Curriculum and Ministry of Education MOE Curriculum
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• KHDA rating: Acceptable
• Years offered: KG 1 to Grade 12

Dubai Modern Education School is in the southernmost region of Dubai, Al Mizhar. It is a residential area fit for families as it has spacious and luxurious villas. All the amenities, including shopping malls, restaurants and schools, are easily accessible by residents.

There are several residential communities near the school, which include:

• Muhaisnah 1
• Mirdif
• Al Rashidiya 1
• Al Warqaa 2

Muhaisnah 1 is closest to DMES. This community is ideal for residential purposes as it has a wide range of villas with backyards. Also, the availability of recreational spots and green spaces makes it an attractive place to live.

• Villas for rent near Dubai Modern Education School
• Villas for sale near Dubai Modern Education School

The campus of DMES sprawls around a large piece of land. Since 1996, DMES has been upgrading its facilities and learning spaces to support the curriculum, health, safety and wellbeing of all students. All classrooms have sufficient technology resources, including Smart Boards, projectors, and video conferencing technology.

Dubai Modern School is located slightly off Algeria Street behind Al Mizhar American Academy. It lies in the Al Mizhar area and is surrounded by many schools. Those looking to visit the school from the nearby communities can access it via Airport Road (D89) and Tunis Street (D93). The popular nearby places include Etihad Mall and Arabian Centre.

A striking feature of this school is the availability of two educational programmes. Students can either opt to enrol in the MOE or US curriculum sections. The MOE curriculum is suitable for those interested in pursuing their education based on traditional Emirati values. It offers a wide range of subjects as per the guidelines and recommendations of the Ministry of Education (MOE). On the other hand, those looking for a foreign curriculum can opt for the US curriculum section, recognised and granted the NEASC Candidacy status in 2019.

DMES students and staff appreciate the UAE culture and heritage by participating in school celebrations and ECAs. Cross-curricular connections and UAE links are reflected in lesson plans. Students engage in these activities to develop a strong sense and awareness of Islamic values.

DMES ensures a safe and secure school environment that promotes the happiness and wellbeing of students and their success in school and beyond. The school environment is maintained according to high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. It embraces the dynamism and open-mindedness that comes with its diverse school community. All members have a shared responsibility to nurture a global environment. Students from all backgrounds and nationalities are welcome.

Differentiated teaching instruction, project-based learning, STEAM education and inclusive education are some essential components of teaching and learning at DMES. Students are empowered to become self-directed learners, risk-takers, and future-oriented. The school offers various ECA opportunities to nurture individual talents, passions and skills. It also encourages students to cultivate DMES core values of respect, tolerance, leadership, responsibility, citizenship and commitment.

Another positive aspect of DEMS is its positive learning environment. The close sense of community among teachers, children and parents ensures a home-like environment. The school leadership and governance teams are playing their part to further improve the school’s performance, which has been identified by KHDA and NEASC.

DMES provides education to students aged 4 to 17 years old. The educational system at the school is split into two different structures due to two different curriculums.

US curriculum Section

MOE Section

At DMES, two separate curricula are followed:

US curriculum

The US curriculum at DMES is taught to students aged 4 to 17 years old, including the Kindergarten stage.

The standards that define the balance and scope of the US curriculum include the California Common Core State Standards (English-medium subjects) and California Next Generation Science Standards. The US curriculum adopted by the school ensured enriched academic opportunities. Consequently, students completing their education following the aforementioned US educational standards get admission to top colleges and universities. This curriculum allows students to become actively engaged in learning experiences that foster innovation, creativity, enterprise and global citizenship

For Arabic, Islamic Education and Moral Education, the school adopts the UAE MOE-based standards. The curriculum for Social Studies is based on both the Common Core State Standard (CCSS) and the MOE curriculum.

For English and mathematics, it adopts the Common Core Standard State (CCSS). The English Language Learner (ELL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) programmes are also based on California CCSS. It covers the following subjects:

For science (kindergarten to Grade 12), California Next Generation Science Standards (Cal-NGSS) is followed. Other subjects offered in this section are:

Business and Finance is only available to students in Grade 9 to Grade 12.

MOE Curriculum

The section following the MOE curriculum abides by the guidelines and principles laid by the Ministry of Education. It is a local curriculum with a wide range of subjects. The subjects taught in this section are:

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a governmental sanction body to regulate the educational sector in Dubai. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum established this institution in 2006 to improve the quality of education. It annually inspects and judges the schools’ performance based on a six-point scale. The scale varies from outstanding (best rating) to very weak (worst rating).

The current KHDA rating for Dubai Modern Education School is Acceptable.

The KHDA approved academic calendar at Dubai Modern Education School starts in August and ends in July. The important dates are as follows:

For more information, view the academic calendar for DMES.

DMES is an inclusive school accepting admission applications irrespective of any discrimination. Yet the decision to offer the admission rest on the availability and entrance test results.

To start the admission process, parents need to fill out the online admission application. You can also download the application form from the official website and submit it to the admission department.

The following documents are required at the time of submission:

• Passport with a valid UAE residence visa (one copy) (only for expatriates)
• Birth certificate of the candidate (one copy)
• Family book (one copy) (for the UAE citizens)
• Health card of the candidate (one copy)
• Four recent passport-size photographs of the candidate
• Emirate ID cards of the candidate and parents (one copy, both sides)
• Original Emirates ID of the candidate and parents (for scanning purposes)
• Original transfer certificate (for candidates outside Dubai)
• Transcript of marks for the last two academic years
• Student Information System (SIS) number (for candidates in UAE)

Those applying from other emirates of the UAE must get their transfer certificate attested by the Education zone of that area. Those previously studied in government schools or other Emirates’ schools should also get their transcripts certified by the Education Zone of that Emirate.

Those applying outside the UAE should get their transfer certificate attested by the previous school, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy. The transcript must also be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE embassy.

The age-grade guideline followed by DMES is:

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: KHDA

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Once submitted, the school contacts the parents to bring their child for an assessment. The assessment includes interviews and entrance tests. For Grade 3 onwards, students need to clear the online Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test.

In the final stage of admission, parents sign a contract and pay the required deposit to secure a seat for their child.

For more information, read the admission procedure of Dubai Modern Education School.

The school charges different tuition fees for the US curriculum and MOE curriculum sections. The Dubai Modern Education School fees structure are as follows:

US Curriculum Fee

The registration fee for the US curriculum section is AED 500 for all grades.

MOE Curriculum Fee

The registration fee for the MOE curriculum section is AED 500 for all grades.

Dubai Modern Education School encourages children to eat healthy and nutritiously rich food. Therefore, the school provide lunch meals to students from KG1 to Grade 4. Additional charges are applicable for this service. From Grade 5 onwards, students can buy their favourite meal from the canteen at affordable prices. They can also bring home-packed lunch boxes to school.

DMES offers a fast, reliable and convenient transport service to its students. They have collaborated with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to ensure a safe and secure travelling experience.

The school offers holiday camps to its students. One prominent holiday camp was the boy scout team camp where students learn essential skills of scouting. They were trained by professionals and learnt exciting skills, such as archery and cooking.

There is a wide range of sports facilities available for students at DMES. Most of the physical activities take place in a spacious covered outdoor hall. Here, students use sports equipment to remain active. There is also an indoor sports hall for male and female students with tracks to allow them to prepare for running competitions.

Extra-curricular activities are the main source of developing modern-day skills. In today’s world, these activities have become an important part of students’ life. It is the same for students of DMES, as they have plenty of activities to choose from. From sports to academics, students can participate in activities of their choice. Some extra-curricular activities offered at DMES are:

The field trip is an important part of the extra-curricular activities at Dubai Modern Education School. Students visit famous recreation, historical and other significant places in Dubai and Sharjah. Some noteworthy trips arranged by the DMES are:

Currently, the school does not provide any after school care. The day starts at 7: 30 am and ends at 1:30 pm for all grades of both curriculums.

DMES has a school clinic managed by a school doctor and nurses that cater to the health-related needs of students, staff, and visitors. Proper medical intervention is provided to students. Health programs and services provided by the school clinic include immunizations, routine health assessments (e.g. vision, hearing, and dental screenings), and health education. The School Clinic operates in compliance with KHDA, DHA, Dubai Municipality regulations.

There are several modes of communication at Dubai Modern Education School that helps parents and teachers to share their ideas and feedback.

Parent Council is one of the modes of communication that play an active role in starting new initiatives. The parents of current students represent this body and help to improve the students’ experience.

DMES arranges parent-teacher meetings throughout the academic year where parents and teachers discuss the progress made by children. Virtual parent drop-in sessions (every Monday) are arranged for parents and teachers after school. These meetings serve as an opportunity for them to help students to reach their full potential.

The Dubai Modern Education School Portal is another source of communication at DMES Dubai. Here, parents can access vital information such as attendance records, academic progress, feedback, examination schedule and events notification.

School’s website is another source of communication. Under the latest news section, parents have access to electronic notice boards and information on featured and upcoming events. Additionally, parents and teachers can contact each other through school designated WhatsApp groups.

• Address: Algeria Street, Al Mizhar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Telephone: +97 14 2885115
• For general enquiries: dmes@eim.ae and info@dmes.ae
• Reception: reception@dmes.ae
• Admission email: registration@dmes.ae
• Dubai Modern Education School Website
• Dubai Modern Education School Facebook

Note that the cover image belongs to Dubai Modern Education School

Where is Dubai Modern Education School located?

Dubai Modern Education School is located in Al Mizhar, Dubai.

What is the fee range at Dubai Modern Education School?

The annual school fees range from AED 13,487 to AED 24,911.

Which curriculum does Dubai Modern Education School follow?

The school offers both the US Curriculum and the Ministry of Education MOE Curriculum.

Is Dubai Modern Education School co-educational or segregated?

Dubai Modern Education School is a co-educational institution.

What is the KHDA rating and year range offered at the school?

The school is rated Acceptable by the KHDA and offers classes from KG 1 to Grade 12.