One of UK’s oldest schools to open campus in Dubai next year

In the past decade, 325 pupils at The Royal Grammar School, Guildford went on to study at Oxford or Cambridge universities

The 40,000-square-metre campus will be in Tilal Al Ghaf, Dubai. The RGS Guildford Dubai

A British school founded in 1509 will open in the UAE next year.

The Royal Grammar School, Guildford Dubai will have places for 2,100 pupils when complete and offer the GCSE and A-level qualifications.

Located in Tilal Al Ghaf, between Motor City and Sports City, the 40,000-square-metre campus will include a 25-metre swimming pool.

Dr Jon Cox, headmaster of RGS Guildford in the UK, said teacher recruitment would be an important part of its success.

“Investing in the very best teachers, consistently and across the entire school, is a top priority for RGS Guildford Dubai, to ensure that our pupils achieve top-level results,” he said.

Enrolment for September 2021 will be open to boys and girls from Early Years to Prep.

This will include pupils in FS1 through to Year 4 and in the event of parental demand it will open to Years 5 and 6 too.

In the past decade, 325 pupils at the school in England went on to study at Oxford or Cambridge universities.

The school is also ranked among the top in the country for GCSE and A-level results.

In 2020, 53 per cent of all pupils who sat GCSE exams received the highest grade, 9, and 79 per cent were grade eight to nine. At A-level, 323 A*-A grades were secured by the year group and 16 pupils gained a perfect set of A* grades.

Tuition fees at the new campus have not been revealed, but the UK campus charges £19,035 per annum (Dh90,800, $24,700) for pupils aged 11 to 18.

Former pupils include England rugby player Jack Clifford and Inbetweeners actor Simon Bird.

Craig Lamshed has been appointed as the founding principal of the Dubai campus. He has more than two decades of experience working in the education sector.

“I cannot wait to welcome pupils and parents through RGS Guildford Dubai doors in 2021 to what will be a fantastic school and an amazing educational experience for our community,” he said.

Five new schools opened in Dubai last month. These include Bright Learners Private School in Rashidiya and the Pearl Wisdom School in Deira.