FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | THE ARBOR SCHOOL DUBAI

To grow a compassionate, resilient community of learners who are ready to thrive in a changing world – guided by the belief that there is “enough for all, forever”.

Our Mission
At Arbor, we connect learning to the real world. We help students understand their place within it, and their ability to shape it.

Our approach goes beyond traditional academics. Through enquiry, exploration and real-world learning, students develop a strong sense of purpose, alongside the knowledge and skills they need for the future.

Sustainability and ecoliteracy are part of everyday life here. They shape how we learn, how we think and how we act – helping students grow into thoughtful, responsible individuals who care about people, community, and the planet.

Arbor School is part of Praxis Education, a group operating across the GCC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Mutatawera Gulf General Trading.

The school is overseen by a Board of Governors, who work closely with the leadership team to ensure high standards across all areas – including education, wellbeing, staffing, and compliance with KHDA regulations.

For governance enquiries, you can contact:
Ken Jones, Chair of Governors
kjones@thearborschool.ae

We aim to make joining Arbor as welcoming and straightforward as possible.

The first step is to get in touch with our Admissions Team. From there, we’ll guide you through the process and arrange for you and your child to meet members of our leadership team.

📞 +971 4581 4100
📧 admissions@thearborschool.ae

Yes, and we strongly recommend it.

Visiting Arbor is the best way to experience our campus, meet our team and get a feel for the environment your child will learn in.

Tours run regularly throughout the week.
You can book a visit here.

Arbor offers a different kind of education; one that connects learning to the real world.

Our students learn through experience, enquiry and meaningful projects, often using our unique campus – including biodomes and outdoor learning spaces – as part of their everyday learning.

We focus on developing confident, thoughtful learners who understand the world around them and their role within it – academically, socially, and environmentally.

Ecoliteracy sits at the heart of learning at Arbor.

It’s about helping students understand how the world works – from natural systems to human impact – and how they can make thoughtful, informed decisions.

Rather than being a single subject, ecoliteracy runs through everything we do. It encourages students to think critically, ask questions and explore real-world challenges, building both knowledge and a strong sense of responsibility.

We follow the National Curriculum for England, enhanced by project-based, experiential and outdoor learning.

This allows students to develop strong academic foundations while also building confidence, creativity and real-world understanding.

Learning at Arbor is designed to feel relevant and engaging.

Students take part in projects, outdoor learning and hands-on experiences that connect what they learn in the classroom to the world around them.

Our specialist teams work closely with teachers to ensure sustainability, wellbeing and real-world thinking are embedded across the curriculum.

Inclusion is part of who we are.

We recognise that every child is different, and we design our learning environments and approach to reflect that.

Support is personalised, whether a student needs additional support, greater challenge, or simply a learning approach that suits them best.

Our spaces, teaching, and specialist support are designed to help every student feel confident, supported and able to thrive alongside their peers.

We are a diverse, international community, with students from over 89 nationalities and a balanced mix of boys and girls.

The school currently has around 1,500 students.

The school day runs from 7:30am to 3:20pm, with slight variations depending on year group.

• Admissions: admissions@thearborschool.ae
• Academic queries: Your child’s class teacher or form tutor
• General enquiries: reception@thearborschool.ae
• Finance: finance@thearborschool.ae
• Transport: transportation@thearborschool.ae
• School meals: thefarmhouse@thearborschool.ae

Our campus is designed to support both academic learning and wellbeing, across our Foundation Stage, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form areas.

Facilities include:

• Climate-controlled biodomes and learning gardens
• Libraries, science labs, and specialist learning spaces
• Auditorium and performance areas
• Sports facilities, swimming pools and outdoor play spaces
• Dedicated areas for creative, technical, and vocational learning

Yes, through The Farmhouse, our on-site ‘farm-to-fork’ canteen dining concept.

Meals are freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients, with options for different dietary preferences, including vegetarian and vegan.

Menus are designed to be nutritious, balanced and accessible for all students.

You can view current menus here.

Student safety is our top priority at Arbor.

Our campus is secure and well-managed, with a dedicated 24/7 security team and controlled access systems in place. We follow robust safeguarding procedures in line with KHDA requirements, and our staff are trained in first aid, student wellbeing and child protection.

This ensures that every child is supported by capable, attentive adults in a safe, calm and caring environment.

Yes. We partner with STS, a leading school transport provider in Dubai, offering safe and reliable transport in line with KHDA and RTA regulations.

For details, email transportation@thearborschool.ae

Yes. Our health centre includes a full-time doctor and qualified nurses to support student wellbeing throughout the school day.

You can view our full fee structure here.

Details of our complaints policy and procedure are available here.