SchoolEstablished in September 1990, the New Academy School (NAS) is a primary and secondary American-curriculum school catering to students of many nationalities, and managed by Atticus Education L.L.C. The institute serves children aged 4 to 18 years and currently educates around 1,300 students from 46 different nationalities.
The campus offers a full range of excellent indoor and outdoor facilities designed to meet both academic and non-academic needs. The teaching team comprises over 97 full-time teachers and 26 teaching assistants. Whilst the majority of the teachers hold Egyptian passports, the staff also includes professionals from 20 other nationalities, reflecting the school’s multicultural ethos. With a student-teacher ratio of 1:13, individual attention and personal care are built into the learning environment.
NAS follows a programme that blends US-based standards with Arabic and Islamic values, offering a truly international educational experience. The campus is thoughtfully planned to provide an enjoyable and stimulating learning journey.
According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) the school holds a rating of Good.
New Academy School is in the Al Raffa community of Bur Dubai. Due to its outstanding location, it is close to vital residential communities in Dubai. Some nearby neighbourhoods are:
Al Hudaiba is the nearest residential community to New Academy School Dubai. It mainly encompasses apartment buildings, a few villas and various commercial opportunities.
Despite being established in 1990, the school has provided its students with relatively modern facilities. The school renovated most of the indoor facilities within the building. The campus spans approximately 110,000 sq. ft., with most of its area dedicated to outdoor playgrounds, sports facilities, and parking areas. Some notable facilities at the campus are as follows:
| Science Labs | Library |
| Music room | Art room |
| NAS auditorium | Canteen |
| Sports area | Clinic |
| Swimming pool | Basketball courts |
New Academy School (NAS) is on 14C Street in Al Raffa, Bur Dubai. The school is ideally situated near the New Gold Souq building and is easily accessible in most Dubai areas. Those looking to visit the school can access it through Al Mina Road and Kuwait Street.
Despite following the American curriculum, the school offers a bilingual environment to its children. Since most students are from a non-English background and very few speak English at the time of admission, the school implemented a bilingual education programme to offer the best educational experience. The bilingual environment has made it a popular choice among parents afraid of admitting their children to purely English medium schools.
Diversity is another attractive feature of this educational institute. The school welcomes students from different ethnic backgrounds and fosters a culture suitable for all. The numbers also suggest the successful implementation of highly inclusive policies, as students from over 46 nationalities co-exist. It is one of the main core values of the school, ensuring a quality education for all students.
The syllabus is an amalgamation of different core standards followed in the US. More importantly, the school also fuses its programme with the UAE National Curriculum for some subjects. The fusion helps the school to implement the best syllabus for each subject. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and other American boards have accredited New Academy School.
Another feature of New Academy School, Dubai, is its value-based fees structure. It is an affordable option for many parents compared to other American schools.
The New Academy School offers education from kindergarten to Grade 12. The school has a structured academic programme:
| Stage | Grade |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | KG1 and KG2 |
| Elementary school | Grade 1 to Grade 5 |
| Middle School | Grade 6 to Grade 8 |
| High School | Grade 9 to Grade 12 |
The educational programme offered at New Academy School revolves around the American curriculum. For subjects such as Mathematics and English, the school follows the US Common Core State Standard (CCSS). The school follows the Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) and California State Standard for science and other relevant subjects. Based on the requirements laid by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the school offers Arabic and Islamic education to children based on UAE National Curriculum.
A characteristic feature of this school is that it adopts a formal education programme from the kindergarten stage. Here, the school offers practical and valuable experiences to help young students learn new things. The programme also establishes a close relationship with home and parents, leading them to adjust quickly in the elementary stage. The school follows California Common Core State Standards for English, Arts and Mathematics and Next Generation Science Standards for Science in the KG stage. Also, the MOE curriculum is used for Arabic and Islamic Education.
The school considers growth characteristics and development needs for students aged 4 to 5 years and make teaching plans accordingly. It offers outdoor activities where students learn the art of teamwork and develop physically. On the other hand, indoor activities focus on developing fine motor skills.
In the elementary stage, the educational programme focuses more on students’ holistic learning and social development. Teachers with expertise in the English language teach English, Mathematics and Science. At the same time, Arabic-speaking teachers teach Islamic Studies and Arabic. They also use cross-curricular integration to strengthen the lectures.
The pastoral care team at New Academy School also guides and supports students and their parents for better education.
The subjects involved in the elementary stage are:
| Arabic | Creative Arts |
| English | Global Perspective |
| ICT | Islamic Studies |
| Mathematics | Physical Education |
| Science | Social Studies |
In middle school, it follows the departmentalised structure of education. The curriculum for the middle school uses the skills learned in the previous stage and enhances the concepts through specialised subjects. Students are exposed to extra-curricular activities and rigorous homework that supports students’ needs in middle school. The subjects taught in middle school are:
| English | Arabic |
| Islamic Studies | Mathematics |
| Social Studies | Science |
| ICT | PE |
| Global Perspective | Art |
| Music |
In high school, the school follows a rigorous curriculum incorporating CCSS, NGSS, MOE standards, American Psychological Association (APA) and the International Society for Technology and Educational (ISTE). They meticulously designed the curriculum to enhance students’ readiness for college education. The subjects for each grade in high school are:
| Geography or Algebra 2 | Biology |
| Arabic | Art |
| Islamic Studies | Physical education |
| English | Marketing or Bio-medical Innovation or Robotics |
| Information and Communications Technology | Social Studies |
| Engineering or Psychology or Business | Moral education |
| Arabic | English |
| Physics | HTML or Robotics or Psychology B |
| Marketing or Biomedical innovation or Robotics | Islamic Studies |
| Pre-Calculus | Chemistry |
| World History | Physical Education |
| Psychology, Engineering or Business |
| Calculus or Statistics | Arabic |
| Chemistry or Nutrition | Physics or IC3 or Biomedical innovation |
| Biology or Environmental Science B | Chemistry or Environmental Science A |
| Biology or Psychology | Economics |
| Engineering or Media & Technology or Marketing | English |
| PE | Innovation |
| Islamic Studies | Engineering or Virtual or Business or Environmental Science A |
| Chemistry or Nutrition | Innovation |
| World History | Pre-Calculus |
| Engineering or Business or Environmental Science | Arabic |
| Chemistry or Marketing | IC3 or Psychology or Physics |
| Biology or Nutrition | English |
| Calculus or Statistics | Environmental Science B or Physics |
To oversee the quality of education in Dubai, the government of the UAE established the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). KHDA aims to improve the quality of education offered by the educational institutes in Dubai and ensure the continuous development of the education sector. Therefore, KHDA inspects and rates schools annually based on a six-point scale: outstanding, very good, good, acceptable, weak and very weak.
The current KHDA rating for New Academy School is Good. The 10-year history of the KHDA ratings for New Academy School is as follows:
| Years | KHDA Rating |
|---|---|
| 2010 - 2014 | Weak |
| 2014 - 2020 | Acceptable |
| 2022 - 2024 | Good |
NAS has an academic year of ten months spanning August to July. The school splits the educational activities into three terms, which are as follows:
| Key milestones | Dates |
|---|---|
| First Term | 26th August to 15th December |
| Winter Break | 16th December to 3rd January |
| Second Term | 4th January to 23rd March |
| Spring Break | 24th March to 4th April |
| Third Term | 5th April to 3rd July |
The application process at New Academy School starts by contacting the school’s administration through telephone or email. They will arrange a meeting with the school’s registrar to assist parents in the school tour. At this stage, parents need to fill out the form available at the school’s admission office for the child’s registration.
After submitting the registration form, the school will contact the parents for a placement test. Once the placement test is cleared, parents need to submit a registration fee of AED 4,000. Please note that the registration fee is non-refundable and non-deductible from the tuition fees.
The documents required to complete the admission process are:
Please note that the transfer certificate must have the year of group placement, date of enrolment, the date the child left the school, along with school stamps and signatures.
The age-grade guideline is as follow:
| Grade | Minimum Entry Age | Maximum Entry Age | Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Grade Kindergarten 1 |
Minimum Entry Age 4 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
|
Grade Kindergarten 2 |
Minimum Entry Age 5 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
|
Grade Grade 1 |
Minimum Entry Age 6 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
|
Grade Grade 2 |
Minimum Entry Age 7 |
Maximum Entry Age 9 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 6 |
|
Grade Grade 3 |
Minimum Entry Age 8 |
Maximum Entry Age 10 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 7 |
|
Grade Grade 4 |
Minimum Entry Age 9 |
Maximum Entry Age 11 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 8 |
|
Grade Grade 5 |
Minimum Entry Age 10 |
Maximum Entry Age 12 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 9 |
|
Grade Grade 6 |
Minimum Entry Age 11 |
Maximum Entry Age 13 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 10 |
|
Grade Grade 7 |
Minimum Entry Age 12 |
Maximum Entry Age 14 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 11 |
|
Grade Grade 8 |
Minimum Entry Age 13 |
Maximum Entry Age 15 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 12 |
|
Grade Grade 9 |
Minimum Entry Age 14 |
Maximum Entry Age 17 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 13 |
|
Grade Grade 10 |
Minimum Entry Age 15 |
Maximum Entry Age 18 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 14 |
|
Grade Grade 11 |
Minimum Entry Age 16 |
Maximum Entry Age 19 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 15 |
|
Grade Grade 12 |
Minimum Entry Age 17 |
Maximum Entry Age 20 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 16 |
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)
In case of not meeting the school’s criteria, the school might offer conditional offers to parents. These offers require the parents to submit further educational documents or let their child take crash courses before reappearing for the entrance test.
For further information, read the detailed admission process at New Academy School.
The New Academy School fees are:
The tuition fee charged by the school are:
| Grade | Annual Tuition Fee (AED) |
|---|---|
| KG1 | 13,744 |
| KG2 | 13,510 |
| Grade 1 and 2 | 15,252 |
| Grade 3 | 15,417 |
| Grade 4 | 16,249 |
| Grade 5 | 16,171 |
| Grade 6 | 15,886 |
| Grade 7 | 21,509 |
| Grade 8 | 23,052 |
| Grade 9 | 22,346 |
| Grade 10 | 29,837 |
| Grade 11 | 32,128 |
| Grade 12 | 31,928 |
For further information, view the fees structure of New Academy School.
The school does not offer any scholarship options.
The school has a well-furnished canteen that provides a range of snacks, sandwiches and juices for students who wish to buy their lunch. Students often bring their packed lunch from home.
New Academy School understands the need for transportation services for its students. Unlike most of the schools in Dubai, New Academy School manages its transport operations. The fleet includes highly maintained buses that comply with the strict rules and regulations by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
| Areas | One way (AED) | Two way (AED) |
| Dubai - Zone one | 5,000 | 6,500 |
| Dubai - Zone two | 5,300 | 7,000 |
| Dubai - Zone three | 5,400 | 7,200 |
| Dubai - Zone four | 5,600 | 7,500 |
| Town Square - Zone five | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Al Ghadeer - Zone six | 8,500 | 8,500 |
| Sharjah | 5,600 | 7,500 |
For full details on zone classifications and updated transport fees, please check the school’s official website.
The school does not offer any boarding facility to its students.
To help students learn new skills, the school arranges a summer camp known as NAS Summer camp. The camp involves a wide range of activities including art, music, dance, painting, swimming, sports and visits.
A limited range of sports facilities are available for students at New Academy School, which are:
Besides sports facilities, the school also has play zones for kindergarten students.
The school believes that extra-curricular activities are essential for the progress and development of children. They offer several extra-curricular activities that keep students entertained. One of the popular extra-curricular activities at this school is the environmental awareness programme. This programme includes Water Alliance UAE and school assemblies to keep students aware of different concepts. The school also arranges field trips for learning and recreation, book fairs and health and fitness awareness programmes such as participation in Dubai Fitness Challenge.
The school attempts to expand the learning of the students beyond the boundaries of their classrooms. They arrange several field trips throughout the year to ensure that students learn and have fun together. Recent field trips arranged by the school include visits to Splash ‘n’ Party, LEGOLAND Dubai, Burjuman Mall and Al Raffa Police Station.
Currently, the only after-school care is in the form of extra-curricular activities. The main after-school activities are related to art and crafts.
The school has a well-equipped clinic managed by a full-time nurse. A part-time doctor is available to provide medical check-ups for students.
A cornerstone of a school’s success is its open communication with parents. It also considers strong communication as imperative for its success. It communicates with parents through several modes of communication.
The most prominent mode of communication at New Academy School is the parent portal. This parents’ portal provides all the critical information, such as students’ progress, feedback from teachers, notifications for upcoming events, attendance records and examination schedules.
They have made it easier for the parents to access the necessary information by developing a mobile app. The MograSIS-Parent App is available on both Android and iOS devices.
Parents and teachers can contact each other on school designated WhatsApp groups for urgent updates and queries.
Note that the cover image belongs to New Academy School
It offers an American curriculum blended with Arabic and Islamic values.
The school is rated Good by KHDA.
NAS provides education from KG1 to Grade 12.
Yes, the school manages its own RTA-compliant bus fleet.
Yes, the school provides a variety of extracurricular programmes to support students’ interests and development.