Brighton College Dubai offers pupils a lively and challenging learning environment, with a distinctive British independent school ethos that reflects the values and dynamic culture of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
The College’s vision is for all pupils to be passionate learners, developing an intrinsic desire to consistently improve while having high expectations of themselves.
Every child at Brighton College is valued for his or her own sake and is encouraged to develop skills and talents to the full in a community where there are no stereotypes and where every achievement, however small, is noticed.
Kindness is the core value and crosses many boundaries: language, religion, culture and ethnicity. The College’s motto is known by all of its pupils, who pride themselves on upholding it: ‘Be Good. Be Kind. Be Honest. Be the Best You’.
Brighton College Dubai is a friendly, happy and dynamic school with pupils from 3-18. It helps young people to develop a lifelong love of learning in a warm, supportive environment where each child is valued and treated as an individual. All pupils are encouraged to seek challenge, to understand the importance of effort and creativity and, most importantly, to engage their curiosity and develop their interest in the world around them.
What Makes this School Unique?
Brighton College Dubai is a friendly, happy and dynamic school with pupils from 3-18. It helps young people to develop a lifelong love of learning in a warm, supportive environment where each child is valued and treated as an individual. All pupils are encouraged to seek challenge, to understand the importance of effort and creativity and, most importantly, to engage their curiosity and develop their interest in the world around them.
Why Choose this Curriculum?
Brighton College follows the National Curriculum of England, supplemented by the curiosity approach in the early years, the International Primary Curriculum in the Prep School, and GCSEs, BTECs and A-levels in the Senior School. This excellent academic curriculum is complemented by a wealth of sport, music, creative and performing arts, as well as a wide range of co-curricular activities.
Pastoral Care
Key skills are developed through an extensive pastoral support system. Weekly PSHE sessions cover a wide range of soft skills, which are then embedded further through pupil-led assemblies. In addition, there is a key focus on well-being, with the school counsellor having designed a curriculum based around the six pillars of PERMAH (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, Health). This curriculum is covered throughout the college and tailored to the age range of pupils in the various year groups.
After School and Co-curricular Activities
Brighton College never forgets that there is a whole world beyond the classroom and encourages pupils to remember that they are a part of that world – not apart from it.
There are over 20 clubs held during breaks, before and after school. From the History Club to Art workshops, Netball and Touch Rugby, Senior School pupils have a plethora of activities to get involved in as part of the College’s Enhance and Enrich programme.
The College is also committed to combining academic excellence with a wealth of co-curricular opportunities, all underpinned by a deep commitment to the individual needs and enthusiasms of each child.
Ratings and Accreditations
The College has finally had its first full KHDA inspection in 2022, after experiencing a delay due to COVID. The result was the highest rating given to a new school – ‘GOOD’, with several ‘VERY GOOD’ aspects highlighted by the inspectorate. In 2023, while the College maintained overall ‘GOOD’ status, the inspection noted a lot of improvement across many aspects. Some of those – including students’ personal development, health and safety, the school’s staffing and facilities – achieved the highest possible grade of ‘Outstanding’.
Brighton College Dubai was also rated ‘outstanding’ in every category by the BSO Inspection report, published in November 2022. The report highlighted the school’s outstanding curriculum, which ‘consistently offers rich, varied and highly engaging lessons and extra-curricular opportunities’, as well as ‘the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils’, describing them as ‘kind, responsible and caring individuals’.
The College is a member of the British Schools of the Middle East (BSME), and its sister schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are both rated ‘Outstanding’ by ADEK.
The Best Teachers
Everyone’s life can be transformed by an inspirational teacher, and at Brighton College, there are inspirational teachers in abundance. Ask any pupil there what makes their school special and one of the first things they will say is “our amazing teachers.” Their passion, commitment and kindness explain why the family of Brighton College schools is now one of the highest performing in the world.
Brighton College’s world-class campus, designed by the school itself and its local partners, offers state-of-the-art facilities, including:
- Large, airy classrooms, incorporating the latest educational technology
- Stunning music and art facilities
- A range of outstanding sporting facilities, including a 25m swimming pool, football pitches and hard courts, tennis courts, running track and a full-size rugby pitch
- Modern and attractive learning spaces designed to enhance pupil well-being
- A Creative Learning Centre to enable teachers to deliver inspirational lessons using the latest educational technology
- Spacious purpose-built playgrounds and outdoor learning environments that include innovative resources and equipment
Simon Crane
Head Master
Simon Crane, Head Master at Brighton College Dubai, has a wealth of educational best practice, having worked amongst the Brighton College family of school for a decade, as well as being a qualified team inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
Mr Crane’s unwavering commitment to educational excellence has garnered recognition both locally and internationally. His transformative leadership has empowered pupils to achieve exceptional academic results, preparing them for a lifetime of success. With a steadfast focus on creating a holistic educational experience, Mr Crane’s strong leadership has guided Brighton College Dubai through the challenges of the COVID era and many important milestones, including being rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas in the British Schools Oversees Inspection, November 2022.
Simon recognises the positive impact that an authentic Brighton College education can have on pupils and is dedicated to ensuring that every child in his care has this opportunity.
Sarah Brannon
Head of Preparatory School
Sarah Brannon is the founding Head of Preparatory School at Brighton College Dubai, bringing over 25 years of international school leadership experience to her role, which spans highly successful stints in British curriculum schools in Germany, Thailand and the UAE.
Sarah introduced the IPC curriculum to Brighton, which is a curriculum that supports the academic, personal and international development of pupils, and was the BSME lead for IPC. The importance of critical and creative thinking is also something Sarah is passionate about and she is the UAE director for the ‘Tournament of Minds’, running activities in the College that promote this.
Katy Cooke
Head of Pre-Prep
Katy Cooke is a founding member of the College Leadership Team, joining in the pre-operational phase after five years as Head of Reception at Dulwich Prep London, one of the UK’s most prestigious prep schools. She studied at Birmingham City University, gaining a First-Class Honours degree in Primary Education with QTS and is looking forward to continuing her studies in the near future.
Katy has leadership experience in international schools and places a huge amount of importance on kindness, feeling that instilling an understanding and appreciation of kindness in the College’s youngest pupils is fundamental when preparing them to be successful global citizens.
Joe Hall
Head of Sixth Form
Joe holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Secondary History from the University of Exeter, a Master of Arts in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of London, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Having taught in schools in Mexico, the UK, Korea and the UAE, Joe’s 15 years of teaching experience spans many cultures and religions. His expertise lies in leadership through his roles as Director of the English Department at a Mexico based language school, Enrichment Coordinator and Humanities Teacher at Honiton Community College in Devon in the UK, and as Deputy Head of Senior School and Founding Head of Sixth Form at Brighton College Al Ain.
Jane Clewlow
Deputy Head Academic
Jane holds a BA Hons in English Literature from Lancaster University and the National Professional Qualification for Headship. Since 2010, she has held the position of Deputy Headteacher – teaching and learning at The East Manchester Academy and transformed her school into one of the top 40 most improved schools in the UK.
Jane has worked in education for the best part of 20 years, in schools in London, Salford and Manchester, and has undertaken a variety of roles, including Head of English, Head of Year, Assistant Headteacher, and Deputy Headteacher. She has worked across two new start-up schools and set up sixth forms in both of them.
Joe Donaghey
Deputy Head Pastoral
Joe brings a wealth of professional experience in Dubai to Brighton College, having moved to the emirate in 2010, including working as a senior leader in a local school that achieved ‘Outstanding’ in annual KHDA inspections since its inception.
Joe believes in creating a culture of learning and achievement centred on the individual. With a background in computer engineering and over 15 years of teaching experience, he has a keen interest in fully utilising technology to enable creativity and facilitate innovation and critical thinking.
