Safa British School (SBS) in Al Safa is amongst the top primary schools in Dubai. Opened its door in 2004, Safa British School Dubai offers the England and Wales based National Curriculum. It is a private and co-educational school providing education till the secondary stage.
Students’ well-being is at the heart of Safa British School’s management. Thus, its primary focus is to provide a nurturing and friendly atmosphere.
In 2020, the school moved from Al Quoz to Al Safa on a new campus. The purpose-built new campus has top-notch facilities to support teaching and learning.
Currently, SBS offers classes from Foundation Stage until Year 9. At the moment, SBS has over 700 students, out of which 91 are students of determination. The school has 61 teachers and 30 teaching assistants; the teacher to student ratio is 1:12.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) rated SBS performance as Very Good. Continue reading Safa British School Review by Bayut to learn more about this school.
Safa British School’s location is a blessing for families in Al Safa and neighbouring communities. Residents of the following communities can easily send their children to SBS:
Al Quoz 1 is nearest to Safa British School**.** Parents and guardians seeking residence near the school should look the following:
At present, there is only one branch of Safa British School. However, the school relocated to a spacious campus to Jumeirah in September 2020.
The new two-storey campus has high-end facilities for students’ learning and convenience. The school has added new specialised rooms, including computer and science laboratories. Also, the campus now has two ICT suites, physical learning areas and a new learning support base.
SBS also has multi-purpose studios for dance and drama and a 334-seater indoor auditorium. Students also have access to netball, basketball, and gymnastics indoor playing areas.
The school has various outdoor facilities to support the holistic development of students. There are two temperature-controlled swimming pools, one of which is for beginners. One can find a multi-purpose hall for netball, tennis, basketball and football. The Astroturf field can be used for football and other sports.
Additionally, two outdoor well-equipped play areas are built for students of Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.
Previously known as Al Safa Private School, the SBS private school relocated to Al Safa 1 in 2020. The school shares the locality with other institutes like:
Safa British School has been offering quality education since its inception. It aims to provide high-quality education and personal development skills to students. The school has a top-notch campus suitable for the British curriculum to support its ambitions. Moreover, some school practices have made it a popular choice among parents.
The school’s core values have set it apart from other educational institutes. These are:
The school follows a house-based system to create a sense of belonging and engage students in healthy competition. Four houses are named after local parks: Jumeirah, Mamzar, Creek and Mushrif. Students in these houses participate in friendly school competitions, including Write up, Lip Sync Battles and much more.
Safa British School is a staunch supporter of an inclusive policy framework. Every child gets an equal opportunity when it comes to admissions. SBS private school grants admission on merit and supports 91 students of determination.
The Government of Dubai has developed protocols for schools to follow until the pandemic is over. These protocols are an accumulative effort to keep everyone safe and healthy, including students, teachers, parents, and relevant third parties.
The KHDA has uploaded FAQs for schools on the official website for your convenience. Here’s an overview of the preventive SOPs in place.
Phases | Years Covered |
---|---|
Foundation Stage | FS 1 and FS 2 |
Key Stage 1 | Year 1 and Year 2 |
Key Stage 2 | Year 3 to Year 6 |
Key Stage 3 | Year 7 to Year 9 |
Key Stage 4 | Year 10 |
Initially, SBS started as a primary school; however, the school started the secondary section in 2020 and is now offering classes till Year 10.
The school follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales for its educational programme.
SBS follows an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. The school focuses on providing a stimulating experience for students at this stage. The curriculum covers seven areas of learning and development, including:
This English medium school also imparts mandatory classes for Arabic. This English medium school also imparts mandatory classes for Arabic. Non-native speakers learn the basic Arabic B curriculum. Whereas native Arabic speakers learn more intensive Arabic A curriculum of the Ministry of Education.
At this stage, the school works on children’s moral, social, and cultural development. It prepares students for the responsibilities, opportunities and experiences of life.
Subjects offered in KS1 and KS2 are:
The KS3 curriculum consists of challenging tasks to help students discover their true potential. From Year 7 to Year 9, SBS supports students to work on their social, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, cultural and physical potential.
Subjects offered at this stage are:
To further facilitate parents looking for British curriculum-based schools, here are the top British schools in Dubai.
As per the new COVID-19 protocols issued by KHDA, schools are discontinuing the distance learning programme from October 3, 2021. Those wishing to continue their education via distance learning have to show a relevant health certificate issued by Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Schools may revert back to distance learning if COVID-19 cases are detected in a class or a group in a class.
To maintain quality in the private education sector in Dubai, the UAE government established the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). This governmental body supports all stakeholders to create a remarkable education sector focused on the well-being of the children. It evaluates all private schools based on six parameters; the rating ranges from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Very Weak.’
Safa British School’s KHDA rating for the current year is ‘Very Good‘. This is a step up from the ‘Good’ rating that the school received last year. The below table depicts the school’s performance in a decade.
Years | KHDA Rating |
---|---|
2010 – 2012 | Acceptable |
2012 – 2019 | Good |
2019 – 2020 | Very Good |
The report highlights areas where the school has shown improvement.
However, there are a few areas where the school needs to step up their game to get a higher rating from the KHDA.
Parents looking for more options in the catalogue can view our blog on ‘Best schools in Dubai‘.
Like other British schools in the UAE, Safa British School follows a 10-month academic calendar. The calendar has three terms with the following important dates:
You can view the SBS academic calendar for information on Islamic and national holidays.
Parents have two options to start the admission process. The first option is to download and fill out the application form and submit it to the school with supporting documents. The more convenient option is to apply online. If parents cannot physically visit the campus, they can email the filled application form and supporting documents to registrar@safabritishschool.com.
Parents need to provide the following supporting documents:
To complete the application process, parents need to pay a non-refundable administration fee of AED 500. Once the application process is complete and all mandatory documents are submitted, the school will reach parents for further information.
Students applying for Year 1 to Year 9 will be asked to take assessments individually or collectively to judge their capabilities. The test includes knowledge of basic math, writing and reading skills.
The assessment or observation period is 30 to 50 minutes long. After the assessment, the school will decide whether to offer the child a place at the school or not. In either case, the school will reach parents within one week of assessment.
However, in the case of over-subscription, the school will place the child on the waiting list and offer seats on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parents are advised to visit the application process given on the school website to clear any ambiguity that they might have.
Nevertheless, parents must ensure that their child meets the following age placement criteria before initiating the admission process.
Years | Minimum Entry Age | Maximum Entry Age | Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* |
---|---|---|---|
Years FS 1 |
Minimum Entry Age 3 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
Years FS 2 |
Minimum Entry Age 4 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
Years Year 1 |
Minimum Entry Age 5 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
Years Year 2 |
Minimum Entry Age 6 |
Maximum Entry Age – |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* – |
Years Year 3 |
Minimum Entry Age 7 |
Maximum Entry Age 9 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 6 |
Years Year 4 |
Minimum Entry Age 8 |
Maximum Entry Age 10 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 7 |
Years Year 5 |
Minimum Entry Age 9 |
Maximum Entry Age 11 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 8 |
Years Year 6 |
Minimum Entry Age 10 |
Maximum Entry Age 12 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 9 |
Years Year 7 |
Minimum Entry Age 11 |
Maximum Entry Age 13 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 10 |
Years Year 8 |
Minimum Entry Age 12 |
Maximum Entry Age 14 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 11 |
Years Year 9 |
Minimum Entry Age 13 |
Maximum Entry Age 15 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 12 |
Years Year 10 |
Minimum Entry Age 14 |
Maximum Entry Age 17 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 13 |
Years Year 11 |
Minimum Entry Age 15 |
Maximum Entry Age 18 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 14 |
Years Year 12 |
Minimum Entry Age 16 |
Maximum Entry Age 19 |
Minimum Entry Age for Overseas Transfers* 15 |
Years Year 13 |
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)
SBS fee structure for the current academic year is as shown below.
Years | Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) | KHDA Approved Fee |
---|---|---|
Years FS 1 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 32,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 42,000 |
Years FS 2 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 44,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 46,000 |
Years Year 1 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 44,500 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 46,000 |
Years Year 2 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 44,500 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 50,000 |
Years Year 3 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 44,500 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 50,000 |
Years Year 4 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 46,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 54,000 |
Years Year 5 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 47,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 54,000 |
Years Year 6 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 47,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 56,000 |
Years Year 7 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 52,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 58,000 |
Years Year 8 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 52,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 60,000 |
Years Year 9 |
Discounted Fee (Lifetime Discount) AED 54,000 |
KHDA Approved Fee AED 62,000 |
Please note the following:
The school encourages all students to bring healthy and packed lunches from home.
SBS has provision for transport with a well-known service provider. The charges depend on the location. The website also mentions that the transportation service is available for students from the foundation stage to Year 6.
Safa British School Dubai takes children to Holiday camps to provide them with the platform to experience their classroom learning in a real-life setting.
Students of Safa British School Dubai have access to world-class facilities for pursuing their interests and passion for sports.
The school has two temperature-controlled swimming pools for swimming lessons. Students can also play netball, basketball, tennis, foosball and gymnastics in the indoor and outdoor multi-purpose halls. An Astroturf field and outdoor areas are also available for outdoor sports and activities.
Over 40 extra-curricular are accessible to students at Safa British School. Extra-curricular activities are divided into broad themes: community-based**, sports, performing arts, academic, and STEM activities**.
Each year SBS school arranges residential activity school trips. These trips are 24-hour long and allow children to experience team building and bonding, confidence build-up and individual skills development.
A medical centre is available on site to cater to emergencies and injuries that children might incur while on the school premises.
There are a few communication modes for parents to contact the school or teachers. The first is a parent portal where parents can sign up to receive details regarding school events, holidays, attendance records and much more.
Furthermore, to support local and international charities, SBS school has formed Friends of Safa School — a group of volunteer parents who organises different fundraising events.
For a more conventional method, parents can visit the contact page on the website to message their queries to the school or book a school tour.
Please note that the featured cover image belongs to Safa British School.
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