New school to open in Dubai Sports City

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, is set to inaugurate its first overseas campus in Dubai Sports City in August 2026. This venture, formed in partnership with GEDU Global Education, has already received preliminary endorsement from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). The campus will implement the National Curriculum for England. Drawing from a tradition stretching back over 450 years, the school will extend premier K-12 educational opportunities to students in the UAE.

The Dubai location will introduce a co-educational environment, launching with provision from Nursery through Year 8 and planning a phased expansion into the Sixth Form. Its placement within Dubai Sports City grants pupils access to sophisticated sports amenities, alongside a comprehensive academic experience facilitated by the QE Flourish Programme.

Caroline Pendleton-Nash, CEO of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools, said: “This landmark approval allows us to accelerate our vision to deliver world-leading K-12 education to students from across the UAE.” She described this as the first occasion a UK state grammar school has established an international branch, identifying it as a notable progression for education on a global scale.

Leadership at the new branch has pledged to maintain the values and scholastic expectations associated with the UK parent school, while actively incorporating Dubai’s innovative ethos. Neil Enright, Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, commented, “We are delighted to have received this encouragement from the KHDA to offer a rounded and enriching QE education to children in the UAE, spreading opportunity and supporting students to become the leaders of their generation.” He noted anticipation for enhanced international exchange and a wider Elizabethan network in years to come.

The announcement represents a marked development in collaboration between UK and UAE educational sectors. Instituted by royal charter in 1573, Queen Elizabeth’s School has consistently achieved leading positions in UK academic league tables and received recognition as the 2025 Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year for A-levels.