Brighton College Abu Dhabi

Brighton College Abu Dhabi is located at 175 Das Street, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The College campus sits in Bloom Gardens in Khalifa Park, behind Al Bateen Airport. The eight-acre, purpose-built site features state-of-the-art facilities, including numerous classrooms and specialist spaces for learning and the arts, plus extensive sporting facilities. Pupils travel to school via an Emirates Transport bus network with door-to-door routes across Abu Dhabi.

The school is organised into Pre-Prep (Nursery FS1 to Year 2), Prep (Year 3 to 6), Senior School (Year 7 to 11) and Sixth Form (Year 12 to 13). This structure provides continuity of educational philosophy across phases while allowing progression and challenge within each stage.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi is a co-educational school serving both boys and girls aged 3–18. It operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not offered at the Abu Dhabi campus (boarding is available at Brighton College's UK campuses).

Brighton College Abu Dhabi represents a highly international community, with pupils from over 70 nationalities. The most common nationality is British, and the local-to-international pupil ratio is roughly 27% local to 73% international.

The school offers Inclusion and EAL (English as an Additional Language) support, with an assessment during admissions to determine language needs and a team of dedicated EAL specialists providing in-class and targeted sessions. The approach includes fully individualized programmes, inclusive culture, and tailored interventions to ensure access to the curriculum for pupils with diverse learning needs.

The College is part of the Brighton College family and bases its British independent school ethos on Brighton College UK, indicating a United Kingdom affiliation. This UK connection is stated in materials that describe the school's British-inspired education and its links to Brighton College UK.

There is no formal religious affiliation stated for Brighton College Abu Dhabi. Islamic Studies and Arabic MOE offerings exist within the UAE curriculum for Years 7–13, aligning with local standards where applicable.

In Early Years, the day runs from 7:20 AM to 1:30 PM. General timings for older year groups are not published on a single official daily schedule, but third-party sources indicate early starts around 7:50 AM and a typical finish around 3:00 PM for older pupils. The academic year runs August to July with term dates published by the school.

Emirates Transport provides the school bus service for Brighton College Abu Dhabi, with door-to-door collection and drop-off directly at home. Buses are operated by qualified drivers and supported by bus attendants, and are equipped with GPS, a video surveillance system, a panic button and RFID monitoring. Enrollment and termly payment are handled through the admissions team.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi delivers the Brighton College Curriculum, which is based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales and leads to International GCSEs and A-levels, with ADEK accreditation and alignment to the local context. The Pre-Prep follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage before entering the England National Curriculum, and the Prep years (Years 3–6) build on that foundation to prepare pupils for secondary teaching. In the Senior School (Years 7–11), the programme centers on the GCSE/IGCSE pathway, with compulsory subjects (Mathematics, English Language, English Literature or Second Language English, and Science – Double Award) and a wide range of optional subjects; MOE Arabic and Islamic Studies are offered where appropriate, and a non-examined Physical Education course is available. From Year 10, pupils undertake GCSE/IGCSE across core and elective subjects, including Art & Design, History, Business Studies, ICT, Drama, Geography, French, and Spanish. The Sixth Form (Year 12–13) offers A-levels, with most pupils taking three A-levels over the two years, supported by careers guidance and a broad enrichment programme. Across all phases the curriculum is complemented by a comprehensive co-curricular programme designed to develop independent learning and prepare pupils for leading universities.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi treats inclusion as a core value shaping all school life and supports students' social and emotional development through its Inclusion and EAL team, with a strong emphasis on confidence-building. The school's approach focuses on developing each pupil's emotional and social growth within an inclusive environment. It highlights an inclusive community and culture where every pupil is valued, respected, and supported to belong. Provision includes an Individualised Support program, enrichment opportunities, and flexible teaching strategies designed to build independence and personal growth. Collaboration between pupils, teachers, and families is emphasised as part of fostering belonging and well-being across the school.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi states it embraces a wide range of learning needs and physical differences, aiming to nurture every student's abilities within an inclusive culture. It offers tailored support through Individualised Support, Inclusive Community & Culture, and Tailored Programmes & Accessibility to remove barriers to learning. The school presents its provision as a flexible, bespoke approach rather than listing specific SEN categories or a dedicated SEN unit. The Inclusion and EAL framework explicitly notes support for diverse learning needs and the importance of accessibility in teaching and learning. Specific SEN categories or a specialist SEN designation are not publicly listed in the available materials.

English as an Additional Language support is structured around assessment during admissions to determine current English proficiency, followed by targeted placement. The school provides Dedicated EAL Specialists who deliver in-class support and sessions outside the classroom to help pupils achieve English proficiency. A Fully Individualised Approach ensures personalised instruction tailored to each pupil's daily learning needs, with an immersive and inclusive environment that supports language development through practice and peer interaction. The EAL provision includes an Inclusive Environment and Tailored Programmes to help learners access the curriculum and participate fully.

Pupil wellbeing is at the heart of Brighton College Abu Dhabi; happiness and well-being are prioritised as foundations for learning. In Pre-Prep, pupil wellbeing is explicitly described as central, with emphasis on emotional development, PSHE, and the Pelican Pathway of values. Wellbeing is overseen by the Head of Early Years and the Deputy Head (Pastoral) in the early years, indicating a clear leadership structure for wellbeing. A Local Advisory Board member is the Lead Counsellor, illustrating formal staff involvement in pupil mental health and wellbeing matters. The school also indicates a commitment to emotional development and personal growth through its curriculum and pastoral structures.

Safeguarding and Child Protection is addressed in the Brighton College Abu Dhabi School Policies, where the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is listed alongside other policies such as Safer Recruitment and Health and Safety. The policy is part of the downloadable policy suite available to families and staff. The Wellbeing Policy is also listed among the policies, signaling an integrated approach to pupil welfare within safeguarding practices. The school provides explicit safeguarding documentation for review and reference. Engagement with safeguarding procedures is supported by the policy framework described on the policies page.

0. Year Group Calculator and entry points. Enter your child's date of birth to see the main entry points for each year group. Entry points are aligned with the Abu Dhabi education framework. The language of instruction is English, with language support available for pupils for whom English is an additional language. The academic year runs from August to July, and term dates are confirmed by ADEK.

1. Step 1: Application Form. Submit an online application for your child via the online portal. The application is completed by following the Apply Now flow. This starts the admissions process.

2. Step 2: Documentation. Supply the child's most recent school report and a clear coloured photo of the child. Provide copies of the child's, mother's and father's visas, Emirates IDs and passports. If documents are not yet available, upload a note stating documents are pending to allow submission. ADEK eSIS registration is required after deposit; attestation requirements depend on country of origin.

3. Step 3: Entry appointment with Admissions. After submitting the online application, Admissions will contact within 1-2 school days to arrange the child's entry appointment or advise the next step. Year 2–Year 13 CAT4 entry appointments are on Tuesdays at 9.00am on campus or online on Mondays at 12.00pm UAE time for overseas applicants, including a written piece and an interview with the Head of School. Year 1 entry sessions are on Thursdays 8.50am–9.20am with Pre-Prep Teachers on site. Nursery to FS2 play sessions are on Wednesdays 2.00pm–2.20pm on campus, with video submissions for overseas pre-prep applicants possible.

4. Step 4: Offers and decisions. At the end of the CAT4 or play-session week, a decision is emailed on Friday. An offer letter includes the admission handbook and how to accept by deposit payment; deposit instructions and ADEK eSIS registration are included. On completion of payment and eSIS registration, a start date and class assignment email is issued.