GEMS Royal Dubai School

• GEMS Royal Dubai location
• Years offered
• GEMS Royal Dubai curriculum
• KHDA rating
• How to apply?
• Fee structure
• GEMS Royal Dubai scholarships
• GEMS Royal Dubai transportation
• PTA and contact information

The GEMS Royal Dubai School in Al Mizhar 1 opened its doors in 2005. At the time of inauguration, the neighbourhood was sparsely populated. As Al Mizhar became more popular, with the development of gated residential communities in the neighbouring community of Mirdif, GEMS Royal Dubai School was established to cater to the needs of the population residing there.

As of now, the school has over 1,000 students with 79 teachers and 57 teaching assistance. At the moment, the largest nationality group of students are Emirati, while the largest nationality group of teachers is British. The teacher to student ratio at GEMS Royal Dubai School is 1:14, which gives parents the assurance that pupils get the undivided attention of their teachers during the learning process.

GEMS Royal Dubai School has an exclusive inclusion policy wherein 10% of the student population are students of determination with Special Education Needs (SEND).

The school follows a British curriculum based on the National Curriculum for England. GEMS Royal Dubai School is a co-education institute that only serves the primary division. The section starts from Foundation Stage 1 and ends at Year 6 with students ranging from 3 to 11 years old. Briefly, the school gambled with the secondary division as well but the unit was closed soon.

Under the supervision of Principal John Bagust, the school has achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the KHDA for the past 4 years.

• Location: Al Mizhar
• School Fee: AED 38,331 - AED 48,331
• Curriculum: The National Curriculum of England
• Co-ed or Segregate: Co-education
• KHDA Rating: Very Good
• Years Offered: FS 1 - Year 6

Parents from the neighbourhood can send their kids to attend primary school here. Young children from nearby communities such as:

• Al Khawaneej
• Muhaisnah
• Mirdif

The nearest community to GEMS Royal Dubai School is Mirdif. The neighbourhood is a perfect place to raise a family. The area has the famous Mushrif Park and is home to Mirdif City Centre.

Nevertheless, parents and guardians seeking properties to rent to be near to the school can look for charming villas that the Al Mizhar bosts.

• Villas for rent near GEMS Royal Dubai School

GEMS Royal Dubai School is located in Al Mizhar, catering to the needs of primary school students. Since opening the campus in 2005, the school has strengthened its curriculum and reputation steadily. They are now counted among one of the best primary schools in Dubai following the British Curriculum.

The campus has all the amenities and facilities to ensure the success of students. The school uses the latest technology and devices to familiarise children with the digital age.

The facilities include Foundation Stage and primary libraries, multi-purpose hall, outdoor courts for basketball, netball and tennis, innovation lab, ICT, science laboratory and two swimming pools.

Within the classroom, students have access to PCs, iPads and iTouch and laptops. They can also make the most of interactive boards. The school shares all these applications with parents so that children can continue the learning process at home.

The GEMS Royal Dubai School is in Al Mizhar 1 a growing residential community in Dubai.

GEMS is a trustworthy name in the UAE education industry. GEMS Royal Dubai School adheres to a set of core values that set them apart from other educational organisations.

The core value centres on a holistic approach that not only includes academics but allows students to turn into accountable global citizens. The school values are identified as:

• Growing by Learning
• Pursuing Excellence
• Leading through Innovation
• Global Citizenship

The second most important reason to opt for the GEMS Royal Dubai School is great teachers. The school believes in grooming and training of teachers to enable the better development of students. Both experienced and new teachers go through rounds of training and support systems to bring around their best capabilities. According to GEMS, 5 factors make teachers stand out amongst all others.

• Meeting GEMS high-quality standards
• Provision of all necessary and advanced tools to the staff
• Opportunities for teachers to grow career-wise
• Global Outlook – teachers in over 16 countries are connected through GEMS
• Pioneering People

One way of succeeding in this world is through cross-cultural exposure which your child can receive in abundance at GEMS Royal Dubai School. There are students from over 70 different nationalities.

Besides this, advisors of the school include world leaders and renowned international experts that bring their perspective into the teachings and curriculum of the school making it more contemporary and future-oriented. Some esteemed organisations that work with GEMS are Clinton Global Initiative, Tony Blair Faith Foundation and World Economic Forum.

Another thing for parents to consider is that once your child ends his or her primary level education at GEMS Royal Dubai School, they get guaranteed spot with no registration fee for Year 7 at Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis, Wellington Academy Al Khail, GEMS First Point School, and Wellington International School.

Parents with children having SEND requirements will be pleased to know that the school has taken several steps to make the learning process quite easier for them. Four teams provide special services to children with any special needs.

• Specific, Targeted Intervention Programme (STIP)- English
• Specific, Targeted Intervention Programme (STIP)- Maths
• Learning Support Assistants in class
• Head of Achievement Centre (ACe)

GEMS Royal Dubai School follows the British Curriculum from Foundation Stage to Year 6. Students here belong to the 3 to 11-year-old age bracket.

The New National Curriculum of England followed by GEMS Royal Dubai focuses more on core subjects and facilitating resources for improved performance. GRDS has also designed a Learning Wave Model (Wonder, Discover and Apply) which is further complemented by High-Performance Learning (HPL) and enables the students to be more articulate during their learning process.

The curriculum is divided into the Foundation Stage and Key Stage. Since the school is a member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), it is easier for students to transfer or transition from one British Curriculum-following school or stage to another.

The Foundation Stage is designed for the youngest students and focuses on grooming of students joyfully and confidently. The idea behind this stage is to promote curiosity, imagination and thirst for knowledge and information in children. The process is further smoothed out by practical activities and school trips that allow maximum exposure for the imagination process.

The courses at Foundation Stage centre around six major areas of learning and includes:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Mathematical development
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development

The curriculum of this stage assists students in the transition to the next stage which is Key Stage 1 and 2. These Key Stages continue from Foundation Stage and introduce children to leadership skills, resilience and confidence. The curriculum is not only restricted to academics, but physical, mental and emotional prowess of the students are challenged throughout. Courses at this stage are divided into core and foundation subjects.

Core Subjects include:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Digital Learning
• Social Studies
• Moral Education (Year 2 to Year 6)

Foundation Subjects include:

• History
• Geography
• Art
• Design and Technology
• Music
• Drama
• Physical Education
• Personal, Social, Health Education and Citizenship
• French (from Year 3)

Students are taught Islamic education (for Muslim pupils only) and Arabic as a second language from Year 1 onwards. In FS1 Arabic language speakers are trained by an Arabic teacher weekly for further enhancement of the skill. In FS2, students will be taught two 30-minute Arabic sessions.

The government of Dubai has established the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) for the inspection of all private schools operating in Dubai to ensure quality education and development of students. This body rates schools on six parameters including ‘Outstanding’, ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’, ‘Acceptable’, ‘Weak’ and ‘Very Weak’.

The inspection report on GEMS Royal Dubai School for the year 2022-2023 shows that the school has generated a ‘Very Good’ rating. Below is a history of the ratings that the school has received over the years:

According to KHDA, the reasons that led to the ‘Very Good’ rating of the school include:

• Outstanding academic performance by students in the subjects of Maths, English and Science
• Excellent personal development and learning skills
• An enhanced and innovative curriculum
• The school resolution in providing a quality environment to students of determination and overall leadership
• Productive use of resources to support learning and foster a good relationship with parents.

The GEMS Royal Dubai School academic calendar shows the record of each and every event and holidays along with opening and ending dates of the terms. A summary is presented below.

• The first term for all the students starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December.
• Following a 3-week break, students return to start their spring term in the first week of January. The spring term ends on 24th March and concludes on a 2-week break.
• The final and summer semester starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July.

GEMS Royal Dubai School is always on the path of providing learning opportunities to students irrespective of their differences. The curriculum and staff of the school ensure that pupils strengthen their academic, emotional, mental and physical performances throughout.

The admission process at GEMS Royal Dubai School is aligned with The UAE Ministry of Education requirement at the time of registration. This includes the provision of the following documents:

• Copy of the applicant’s UAE ID card
• Copy of the applicant’s passport if the UAE ID is not issued
• Copy of the parent/sponsor UAE ID card
• Copy of the applicant’s birth certificate (in English or Arabic)
• Copy of the current immunisation record (in English)
• 4 recent passport photographs of the applicant (on photographic paper)
• Nursery reports (for admission to Foundation Stage)
• Last two years of school reports (for admission to Year 1 to Year 6)
• Original Transfer Certificate. Please follow the instructions below (due when available)
• Application fee of AED 525 (refundable if place is not offered)

The school requires reports of special educational needs, individual education plans (IEPs) and educational psychologist, paediatric or special needs, if any.

The offer of a place in the school is not dependent on these reports but allows the school to prepare its resources and teachers in a way to provide better services for your child. Siblings of students with SEND are given priority while making an offer.

The school has established a Transfer of Certificate Guideline which is to be presented by your child’s previous school. However, students joining Foundation Stages 1 and 2 and Year 1 are not required to provide a Certificate of Transfer. The guideline is as follows:

• This Transfer Certificate must be on official school letterhead.
• The form needs to be completed on pupil’s last day of attendance.
• This form must be signed by the Principal and show an official school stamp.
• The original certificate must be presented on the first day of school

The Transfer Certificate must have the following details:

• Full Name of Child
• Date of Birth
• Commencement Date at School
• Grade/Class on Leaving
• Leaving Date at School
• Curriculum Used

The school, further clarifies that children coming from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar must have their certificate attested by the Ministry of Education (from the country of TC origin).

Children coming from other than the United States, Australia, Canada and the European Union must have their original certificate attested by:

• The Ministry of Education (from the country of TC origin)
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from the country of TC origin)
• UAE Embassy (from the country of TC origin)
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internal Co-operation in Dubai

At GEMS Royal Dubai School, the entrance test or placement test is where the child is tested to ensure his or her capability of completing the year group they are applying for.

Apart from a placement test, the school strives to interview both parents and children before offering them a place. Nevertheless, the clearance of the entrance exam is not a surety of getting a place in the school. Parents are required to provide the latest school report of their child when applying.

You can start the application process of your child at GEMS Royal Dubai School by enrolling online.

Neverthless, you must ensure that your child meets the following age placement criteria before initiating the admission process.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for the school beginning in September). Source: GEMS Royal Dubai School

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

Here is the GEMS Royal Dubai School tuition fee and optional fee structure from FS1 to Year 6:

There are three categories of discounts available for students.

Sibling Discount

• 3rd sibling is eligible for 15% discount
• 4th sibling is eligible for 25% discount
• 5th sibling is eligible for 50% discount

Emirates Airlines Discount

• 10% discount for all new Emirates group employees joining for the Academic Year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 along with 5% reduction in the Registration Deposit for new Emirates families at the time of enrollment
• 10% loyalty discount for existing Emirates group employees enrolled for the Academic Year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023
• Sibling discount of 5% (2nd child) 10% (3rd child) 15% (4th child)
• Application Fee waive at the time of online application applicable for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023

DEWA Discount

5% discount on annual tuition fees for new admissions for Academic Year 2021/2022, 2022/2023

GEMS Titanium FAB credit card

Parents can save an average of 4.25% of the school fee by using GEMS Titanium FAB credit card when paying the school fee. For further information, please contact schools GRDS FAB Representative K. N. Ganesh (050 1478380) and Mahipal Reddy (055 8464790).

Parents will have to pay a non-refundable application fee of AED 525. Also, admission fee is 10% of the tuition fees discounted from Term 1 fees payment. Only refundable if the child is leaving the emirate/country or transferring to another GEMS School.

In the event of failure to pay the school fees, the school has the authority to withhold any report, examination results or references and can have the child temporarily or permanently expelled from the school. Similarly, failure to pay fees can result in the revoking of the child’s placement in the school.

Refund Policy

The admission fees and registration fees remain non-refundable, however, tuition fees will be refunded, as per the Ministry of Education Bylaws for Private Education, under the following circumstances:

• Semester fees will be refunded if the students withdraw the application before the start of school or term.
• If a student withdraws during a school term, then the remaining fee will be refunded
• If a student has attended school for two weeks or less, then fees will be charged for one month only and the remaining amount will be refunded.
• If a student attends school for more than two weeks but less than a month, then fees will be charged for the full two months and the remaining amount will be refunded.
• If a student attends school for a month and then withdraws, the school will charge an entire year’s fees.

In the case of re-enrolment, parents are supposed to pay a re-enrolment fee which is non-refundable but will be adjusted against the first term fees.

It is highly advised that if a student plans to withdraw from the school, then the parents must submit a 30-day notice period so that the school can arrange all relevant documents in the meantime.

For more information on payment policies, please visit the website.

To further facilitate the academics of their students, GEMS Royal Dubai School has a GEMS Reward system. This system introduces five means through which parents can save up to 100% of their child’s school fees, these include GEMS Marketplace, GEMS Ambassador Program, Bank Points Redemption, Lifestyle Savings and GEMS FAB Credit Card.

If you are interested, then learn more about GEMS Reward Program.

Since Royal Dubai School is a project of GEMS education, Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Al Nahyan Award is given to female students from across all GEMS school for outstanding academic performance, visible leadership skills, general conduct and contribution to social and environmental awareness.

The recipient of this award receives a scholarship that covers an entire year’s tuition fees at the school.

Starting from Year 2, students have access to ordering lunch at GEMS Royal Dubai School. Parents can enjoy and have meetings in the community café.

The school does not provide its own transportation service but outsources it to School Transport Services LLC (STS). The company provides its services for over 66 schools and 73,000 students. They have over 1,900 SMART buses that ensure the quality and safety of your child during the commute.

All the buses are equipped with GPS Tracking, Electronic Attendance System, Video Surveillance System, Panic Button, Sleeping Child Check Button and a state-of-the-art control room. To avail of transport, parents need to complete the following steps:

• Step 1: Fill in the Transport Registration Form (along with terms and conditions and student bus behaviour conduct) and submit it at an STS counter.
• Step 2: Upon form submission, an STS Representative will confirm to you availability of transport and location of residence.
• Step 3: After confirmation, parents will receive details about the driver, pick-up and drop-off points and timings.
• Step 4: Payment will have to be made at STS counter at the school or through the online portal.

Once you get registered for the transportation service, you are advised to use the STS App.

Sports facility available at GEMS Royal Dubai School is more than sufficient for primary-goers. The facility includes a multi-purpose hall with a stage to support school productions, outdoor fields, outdoor tennis, basketball and netball courts, a shaded turf area and a playground accessible from all FS classrooms.

The school features two swimming pools. One is shallow for youngsters or beginners, while the second one is temperature-controlled and full-size to conduct a wide variety of water activities.

GEMS Royal Dubai School has a plethora of extra-curricular activities to boast of. Since the school is seeking the overall development of students, these extra-curricular activities are not only limited to academics but bring in arts and sports in the spotlight.

Field trips at GEMS Royal Dubai School are restricted to school outings for young kids to develop an enthusiasm for learning and jogging their imagination. These school trips also allow children to socialise with their peers in an outdoor environment and learn new skills.

The school clinic has two full-time nurses and a doctor with many years of experience working with children. The doctor is responsible to carry out a physical examination of students belonging to Year 1, Year 5 and all new students joining these years group.

GEMS RDS aligns the rules and regulations of the school clinic with the policies of the School Health Section of the Department of Health and Medical Services, Dubai.

The school highly recommends parents that they get their children vaccinated for Hepatitis B and BCG before they start school. The school provides vaccination to students but for this parents need to get their children registered beforehand.

Besides this, they advise parents to contact the nurses directly through a visit or call if their children have any specific allergies or medical requirements. This enables the school to be better equipped and take extra care of your child.

Nurturing contact and engagement with parents is not merely a formality by GEMS RDS but a well-researched, deliberate plan. The school strongly believes in the outcome of research conducted on how a parent’s involvement in the child’s academic journey impacts their overall performance.

Parents can register themselves on parent portal to view their child’s performance history along with major upcoming school events.

The outcome of this research is quite positive, hence Royal Dubai School religiously preaches the 3-a-day parental engagement approach. This approach outlines the significance of close communication with parents and how keeping the student’s guardian in the ‘loop’ is beneficial for the emotional, mental and academic performance of the pupil.

The school has developed this ‘3-a-day’ app that parents can install on their mobiles through App Store and Google Play and attain access to daily ideas that helps them get involved in their child’s education. The three key sections of the app are ‘Something to talk about’, ‘Activities to share’ and ‘Guidance to encourage children’.

Parents can also register their queries or provide feedback and suggestions on any of the school facility through an online portal.

GEMS Royal Dubai School has ‘GEMS Ambassador Program’ where parents of current students act as ambassadors of the school and refer GEMS education to their friends and family.

If the parents are successful in getting a new student on board, they are rewarded 4% of the referred child’s annual tuition fees as GEMS points. However, certain terms and conditions need to be fulfilled before these points are allotted.

Parent engagement is highly encouraged and valued in this school. The school promotes the policy of student’s learning at home through parents. Hence, for this the school has started GEMS Parental Engagement Program where:

• Parents are made aware of their significant role in the teaching and learning process.
• Updating parents on the student study program in advance.
• Sharing tools and devices so that the learning process can continue at home.
• Establishing a parents’ association to assist the school in informing parents of best practices.
• Maintaining minimum face-to-face contact with teachers throughout the year.

For further convenience of parents, the school has a ‘Book a Tour’ system where parents can physically visit the campus and see for themselves the facilities of the school and how teaching takes place at GRDS. Tours are conducted from Sunday to Wednesday at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:30 pm.

Parents and guardians can also request class teachers and staff member to add them in grade-specific WhatsApp groups to receive updates regarding the school.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-288-6499
• Email: pre_rds@gemsedu.com
• GRDS Website
• GRDS Facebook
• GRDS Twitter
• GRDS Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to GEMS Royal Dubai School.

What are the timings of the school?

7:25 am to 2:50 pm.

Does the school conduct after-school activities?

Yes, the GEMS Dubai Royal School offers after-school activities

How many years are there in the school?

FS to Year 6.

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Yes, GEMS Royal Dubai School has a co-education model.

How many students are currently studying in the school?

GEMS Royal Dubai School has 917 students.

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The school year is divided into three terms. It starts in August and ends in July.

Does the school offer scholarship programmes to needy and deserving students?

Yes, the school offers scholarships to students under H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award.

Please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by the school.

AED 38,331 - AED 48,331

How does the school communicate with parents?

Like other GEMS schools, GEMS Royal Dubai has a parent portal where parents can log in and access information about their kids. The school also publishes newsletters to keep parents well-informed about events happening in the school.

Does the school have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

Yes, students from Year 2 onwards can avail the catering available in the school canteen.

Does the school have any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

 GEMS Royal Dubai is a highly inclusive school and provides high-quality care to students of determination.  

Does the school arrange field trips?

Yes, the school takes students on field trips.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

There are 62 full-time teachers and 36 teaching assistants in the school.