450-Year Legacy Arrives in Dubai: Queen Elizabeth's School Set to Open in August 2026
Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, will launch its first international campus at Dubai Sports City in August 2026. The new school will extend a 450-year tradition of British academic excellence to the UAE, following the National Curriculum for England with the same high standards that have established Barnet as one of the top grammar schools in the UK.
Developed in cooperation with GEDU Global Education, the initiative has received approval from Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). This marks a milestone as it becomes the first UK state grammar school to open an international branch.
“This landmark approval allows us to accelerate our vision to deliver world-leading K-12 education to students from across the UAE,” said Caroline Pendleton-Nash, CEO of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools.
She emphasized that the Dubai location will stay true to the heritage and rigorous academic ethos of the Barnet school, while adopting Dubai’s progressive and ambitious educational outlook.
“In uniting the heritage of one of the UK’s most distinguished schools with the vision of Dubai, we aspire to set a new global benchmark for educational excellence,” she noted.
The institution will initially open classes from nursery up to year 8, with plans to expand in stages to include the sixth form in the following years.
Author’s Summary
The Dubai campus of Queen Elizabeth’s School will merge centuries-old British academic excellence with Dubai’s modern educational vision, opening a new era of cross-cultural learning.