Jumeirah English Speaking School - Arabian Ranches
Jumeirah English Speaking School - Arabian Ranches
Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) Arabian Ranches is the larger of JESS's two campuses and the only one with a secondary school. Opened in 2005 in the Arabian Ranches community, it brings together a primary school (FS1 to Year 6), the secondary school (Years 7 to 11) and the Sixth Form on one site; JESS Jumeirah, the first JESS school, built in 1976 in Al Safa, is primary only. JESS was founded in 1975 and is a not-for-profit school governed by a board of unpaid trustees, most of them JESS parents past or present, and apart from some staff children every pupil's place is supported by a corporate or a personal debenture. Pupils follow a curriculum based on the National Curriculum for England, with Arabic, Islamic education and Moral, Social and Cultural Studies as UAE requirements, take up to nine GCSEs and IGCSEs (up to 11 with further mathematics and separate sciences) and choose in the Sixth Form between the IB Diploma Programme, which the IB authorised the school to teach in 2009, and a Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design, Business or Sport. KHDA rated the school Outstanding at its November 2023 inspection, as at every inspection it lists from 2011-12 onwards except 2017-18 (Very good), with wellbeing very good and inclusion outstanding; Penta International's British Schools Overseas inspection of January 2025 found that it meets the standards and judged each standard it grades outstanding. KHDA counted 1,790 students and 151 teachers in November 2023. In 2026 the school's IB Diploma average was 38.2 points and 76% of its GCSE grades were 9-7. JESS is non-selective and oversubscribed, admitting mainly at FS1 and Year 7 from waiting lists.
Fees read from the school's published 2026-27 fee schedule; KHDA rating from its 2023-24 inspection report. Last checked 4 October 2026. How Talem verifies →
Fees for 2026/2027, per year group. Excludes registration, uniform, and transport.
The fees shown are JESS's confirmed 2026/27 fees, from the single fee table the school publishes for both campuses: FS1 AED 54,129, FS2 to Year 6 AED 65,097, Years 7 to 11 AED 91,923 and Years 12 and 13 AED 104,544 a year, billed in three equal termly payments of AED 18,043, 21,699, 30,641 and 34,848. The KHDA-approved fees alongside are the maximum (AED 54,130, 65,100, 92,857 and 105,607); KHDA's 2026-27 fact sheets record a discount of AED 934 in Years 7 to 11 and note that the school requested no increase for 2026-27. Apart from some staff children, every pupil's place must be supported by a debenture: a corporate debenture held by a parent's employer, or a personal debenture of AED 20,000.
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KHDA 2023–2024 inspection
Play-based learning under the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, covering its seven areas of learning, with specialist teaching in PE, music, IT and library. Classrooms open onto a large shared central area for indoor play, and outdoor playgrounds include mud kitchens, climbing equipment and art and music areas. Arabic is not taught in the Foundation Stage (KHDA, 2023-24). In 2023/24, 89% of FS2 children reached a Good Level of Development (BSO, January 2025).
The school's own curriculum, based on the National Curriculum for England and adapted to its UAE setting, with elements of Early Years practice continued into Years 1 and 2. Specialist teachers lead music, PE, computing, Arabic (taught from Year 1 and mandatory from Year 2) and Islamic education for Muslim pupils. In 2023/24, 93% of Year 1 pupils met the phonics screening standard (BSO, January 2025).
A thematic, cross-curricular programme based on the National Curriculum for England, with the same specialist subjects and class music lessons for every pupil from Year 3. Pupils take GL progress tests, Accelerated Reader runs through Key Stage 2, extra-curricular clubs open from Year 3, and the school's Make a Difference (MaD) Award runs to Year 6. In TIMSS 2023 the school's Year 5 scored 602 in mathematics and 608 in science (BSO, January 2025).
The National Curriculum for England taught by subject specialists, with Arabic, Islamic education for Muslim pupils and Moral, Social and Cultural Studies as UAE requirements, and drama for an hour a week. A transition team eases pupils into Year 7, an Essential Curriculum Pathway supports pupils who need a modified core curriculum, and pupils choose their GCSE options in Year 9. In TIMSS 2023 the school's Year 9 scored 602 in mathematics and 600 in science (BSO, January 2025).
A two-year GCSE and IGCSE programme. Pupils study up to nine GCSEs: five from English language, English literature, mathematics and combined science, Arabic in Year 10, and three options; some add further mathematics and separate sciences, for up to 11. BTEC International Level 2 courses are offered in business and in travel and tourism, and in applied science on the science department's advice. In 2026, 76% of the school's GCSE grades were 9-7 and 100% were 9-4 (the school's results page).
Two pathways: the IB Diploma Programme (three Higher Level and three Standard Level subjects with Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS), with IB Diploma Courses for some JESS students, or the BTEC Plus programme, a Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design, Business or Sport, equivalent to three A levels. In 2026 the school's IB Diploma average was 38.2 points, with three students on the maximum 45, and its BTEC students averaged D*D*D. Sixth Formers have their own Sixth Form Centre and two university and careers counsellors.
The campus's Islamic-inspired design keeps all classrooms cool, with walkways across the school looking onto the sports fields (the school's campus page). A suite of 16 new classrooms was added in summer 2024 (BSO, January 2025).
Science laboratories (KHDA's 2023-24 report lists science rooms); the school's Strategy 2025 scheduled a full refurbishment of all secondary science labs.
A new primary library with IT and Arabic A classrooms, added in summer 2024 (BSO, January 2025; JESS Strategy 2025). The school's Primary Handbook puts each JESS primary library at over 16,000 books, and Accelerated Reader runs in Key Stage 2.
Added in summer 2024 and open only to Sixth Form students, from 6:30 to 18:00: a large study hall, soft furnishings and laptop tables, many with power outlets, a fully fitted kitchen, an internal courtyard, a 5-metre screen, four private meeting rooms and the Sixth Form Office (the school's Sixth Form Handbook; BSO, January 2025).
A 25-metre, nine-lane competition-standard pool (the school's sport page; JESS Strategy 2025), used for lessons, swim squads, galas and water polo.
A sports hall; the school's sport page describes five indoor, air-conditioned courts used for basketball and netball.
Extensive sports fields with real grass pitches (the school's campus page), which the January 2025 BSO report calls "of the highest quality", and a new astroturf (JESS Strategy 2025).
An auditorium used for school productions and house events (the school's news pages); exams are also held there until a planned examination hall opens (JESS Strategy 2025).
Director
Director of JESS, leading both the Jumeirah and Arabian Ranches campuses (the school's website, October 2026); KHDA's directory lists her as the principal of JESS Arabian Ranches.
Primary Headteacher (Arabian Ranches)
Secondary Headteacher (Arabian Ranches)
Senior Deputy Head (Secondary)
Deputy Head, Academics (Secondary)
Deputy Head, Years 7-9
Deputy Head, Years 10-11
Deputy Head, Years 12-13 (Sixth Form)
Deputy Head, EYFS & KS1 (Primary)
Deputy Head, KS2 (Primary)
Assistant Head (Primary)
Assistant Head, Curriculum (Secondary)
Assistant Head, Assessment & Data (Secondary)
Associate Head, Co-Curricular
Head of Governance and Administration
Head of Finance and Operations
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100 Wadi Al Safa 6 Street, Arabian Ranches, Dubai, UAE
