The British International School Abu Dhabi
About The British International School Abu Dhabi
The British International School Abu Dhabi (BIS Abu Dhabi) is a co-educational Nord Anglia Education school behind Abu Dhabi University in Zayed City, on the E22 road. It opened in September 2009 and teaches the English National Curriculum from the Early Years Foundation Stage to IGCSEs and GCSEs in Year 11, then the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or a BTEC International Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business, IT or Sport in Years 12 and 13, for ages 3 to 18. The school describes a community of around 2,500 students and more than 90 nationalities; ADEK counted 2,109 students and 162 teachers at its October 2025 inspection and rated the school Outstanding, as at its previous inspection in 2021, and the school is also rated Outstanding in ADEK's National Identity Mark. In 2026 its 95 IB Diploma candidates averaged 34.7 points, with 20% scoring 40 or more, its BTEC cohort had a 100% pass rate, and 57% of its I/GCSE grades were 9-7. Through Nord Anglia, students take part in collaborations with MIT, UNICEF, IMG Academy and The Juilliard School. The campus of more than 25,000 square metres includes an Arts Centre with a 524-seat auditorium, a 25 m training pool and an indoor teaching pool, an air-conditioned sports hall, grass pitches and the Eco Edventure nature area.
Fees read from the school's published 2026-27 fee schedule; ADEK rating from its 2025-26 inspection report. Last checked 2 October 2026. How Talem verifies →
Annual tuition fees
Fees for 2026/2027, per year group. Excludes registration, uniform, and transport.
Tuition is the school's 2026/27 fee schedule (6 July 2026). The school says its tuition fees cover teaching and learning, textbooks and associated curricular materials, many co-curricular activities and Nord Anglia's collaborations with MIT, The Juilliard School, UNICEF and IMG Academy. Fees are charged evenly over a ten-month year. ADEK's 2026-2027 approved fees are shown alongside: the school charges AED 2,126 below them for Nursery (FS1), AED 2,210 below for FS2, AED 1 below in Years 1 to 5 and AED 1 to 2 above in Years 6 to 13, figures its own schedule labels as ADEK-approved. ADEK's Year 12 and 13 figure is the same under the school's British (9190) and IB (7190) licences. Uniform, transport, examination fees, support beyond the standard inclusive provision and the optional fee-based programmes are extra. ADEK's fee letter bars any deposit or financial guarantee.
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ADEK Rating
ADEK 2025–2026 inspection
Stages & pathways
Early Years (EYFS)
FS1-FS2The English Early Years Foundation Stage framework for Nursery (FS1) and FS2, adapted to the school's international context: learning through multi-sensory, purposeful play in classes of no more than 20 with a teacher and two assistants, with PE, swimming, Arabic and music taught by specialists.
Primary
Years 1-6The English National Curriculum across Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6): phonics-based reading and writing and practical maths in Key Stage 1, then specialist teaching in English, maths, science, ICT, music, drama, humanities, art, languages and PE, with weekly swimming, Arabic for every pupil and the school's Juilliard and MIT collaborations.
Secondary: Key Stage 3
Years 7-9The English National Curriculum adapted to the school's international community: English, maths, science, computer science, history, geography, design and technology, art, music, drama, social studies, Arabic and PE for every student, Islamic Studies for Muslim students, and one or two of French, Spanish and German. Students choose their Key Stage 4 options in Year 9.
Secondary: Key Stage 4 (IGCSE and BTEC Level 2)
Years 10-11(I)GCSE courses with exams in May or June of Year 11: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Double Award Science (with a separate-sciences route for high performers after Year 10), core PE, Arabic and Islamic Studies, plus three options, where BTEC Level 2 Business counts as two. In 2026, 57% of the cohort's grades were 9-7 and 93% were 9-4.
Senior School (IB Diploma and BTEC Level 3)
Years 12-13The IB Diploma Programme (six subjects, at least three at Higher Level, plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS) or IB Courses, alongside the BTEC International Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business, IT or Sport, which the school describes as equivalent to three A levels. In 2026, 95 IB Diploma candidates averaged 34.7 points (20% scored 40 or more; highest 44) and the BTEC cohort had a 100% pass rate.
How to apply
Facilities
Arts Centre and 524-Seat Auditorium
The Arts Centre's auditorium seats 524 (the school's Facilities and Campus pages; its gallery page says 450), with high-tech dance and drama studios, three music suites and three practice spaces alongside.
Swimming Pools
A 25 m six-lane training pool with electronic touch pads, covered and outdoors, used from Year 3, and an indoor heated teaching pool for Nursery to Year 2.
Science Laboratories
Specialist science and STEAM labs with robotics, VR and 3D-printing equipment.
Creative Technology Zone
Houses the Computer Science suite and the Design & Technology workspace, with a Primary STEAM room.
Primary and Secondary Libraries
One library for the early and primary phases and one for the secondary phase, holding over 18,900 English and 1,300 Arabic books (ADEK, October 2025).
Eco Edventure
An outdoor and enclosed nature learning area for the Early Years and early Primary, where children grow food, explore water systems and care for animals; officially opened in April 2025.
Air-Conditioned Sports Hall
A fully air-conditioned, covered multi-purpose sports hall, used for basketball, volleyball, tennis and other sports, plus a multipurpose hall and dance studio.
Music Suites
Three music and instrumental suites and three practice spaces.
Extra-curricular activities
School leadership
Alan Cocker
Principal
Principal since January 2024. Joined BIS Abu Dhabi in 2018 and was Head of Primary and then Associate Principal; teaching since 1994, including 12 years as a headteacher before moving to Abu Dhabi.
John Dibdin
Head of Primary
Dave MacCormick
Head of Secondary
Stephanie Watson
Deputy Head of Secondary and Wellbeing Lead
Karen Strickland
Director of Admissions and Marketing
Rachel Batty
University and Careers Counsellor
Parent & student reviews
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Questions & answers
Where we are
Behind Abu Dhabi University, on the E22 road, Zayed City, PO Box 60968, Abu Dhabi, UAE
