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GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, Al Safa 1 – The Review
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“Our school is a very special place to be.

“It is located in a vibrant part of the neighbourhood of Jumeriah and very much a ‘landmark’ in the local area.

“The families that make up JPS come from all over the world and, no doubt, you will meet a fellow countryman among our families.

“We celebrate this great richness of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds and are very proud that in this multi-cultural setting we are able to offer a friendly, stable and caring community for all of our children.

“We work to provide our children with the best possible education in the fullest sense of the word; academically, culturally and emotionally.”

Rachel Higgins, Principal, GEMS Jumeirah Primary School.

Opened in 1996 GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, known within the school as “JPS”, provides an exceptionally high standard of primary education, based on the English National Curriculum, for around 1450 students from FS1 to Grade 6. One of the most sought after primary schools in the Emirate, the school is over-subscribed and operates a waiting list. Across all school types, GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, operates within Tier 1 of school provision within the Emirate and has secured an Outstanding rating from the KHDA for the last eleven consecutive years. The school offers a highly valued by parents slipstream to the outstanding GEMS Jumeirah College.

Children playing at GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai

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Over 70 nationalities are represented within GEMS Jumeirah Primary School – although British children predominate. Notwithstanding the size of the school, large by any British “competitor” standards, in operation the school actively nurtures “a small school atmosphere” – and it is successful, as attested to by a recent (sister site) WhichSchoolAdvisor unannounced walk-in inspection of GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in which the school achieved an unsurpassed top A grade in all four areas of review.

Whilst the school plays down its ability and space to manage large numbers of children with Special Educational Needs [SEN], and specifically says that “it does not have provision for children with severe or complex special educational needs,” the reality is that the school performs exceptionally well in this area. Provision for the Gifted and Talented [G&T] at GEMS Jumeirah primary School is equally strong.

SATs at GEMS Jumeirah Primary School are taken at the end of Years 2 and 6 and we particularly praise the school in its transparent publication of these as well as advising parents of the enhanced requirement of the tests introduced in 2016 and the impossibility, as a result, of comparing results from previous years.

Level 5 and 6 SAT scores border on the extraordinary, out-performing the UK benchmarks in some cases by a doubling of attainment levels.

Facilities at GEMS Jumeirah Primary School are very impressive including a library and discovery centre, a multi-purpose sports hall, a large, temperature controlled Gymnasium, an all weather synthetic turf pitch, dedicated ICT facility, a “Quiet Garden,” mosque; fabulous Foundation Stage ‘Free flow areas that effectively (and inspirationally) integrate play-based learning in the curriculum, partly shaded 25-metre swimming pool and an infant learning pool.

Child swimming at GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai

GEMS Jumeirah Primary School fees, which hover at the AED 53,000 mark (2023-24), are increasingly mid-range for a premium, high achieving school, particularly in the context of Dubai’s new shiny ‘elite’ schools with fees to match. ROI is in our view off-the-scale.

An overwhelming majority of parents recommended the school to others in

EDSTATICATM parent surveys (which link link and certify feedback to both SchoolsCompared.com, WhichSchoolAdvisor.com, as well as direct contact from parents) has been uniformly (and overwhelmingly) positive – and particularly so for the high calibre of teachers and care for children.

Staff turnover is low by UAE standards at just 10% in the current year.

GEMS Jumeirah Primary School bottom line? The SchoolsCompared.com Verdict 2023 – 2024

Children smiling at GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai

GEMS Jumeirah Primary School comes highly recommended, not only for being an academic heavyweight, but also for creating such a genuinely happy, nurturing and inspirational school for its children – an achievement not often given the weighting it deserves within the increasingly harsh pressures on schools and to concentrate on examination performance to measure their performance. One thing GEMS Jumeirah Primary School is resolutely not is a SAT factory.

School Principal Rachel Higgins more than justifiably secures shortlisting for the Best Principal in the UAE in the Top School Awards. She is in the view of everyone she meets no less than a tour de force.

If you can secure a place – and that is no small easy accomplishment, hold on to it for dear life.

Bottom line – this school absolutely shines.

Are you looking for a place for your child, and want help from our school consultants? If so, click on the link below, and we will forward your request for information to the school or schools of the same type that we are confident have availability. This is a free service for our readers from SchoolsCompared in association with EDSTATICATM

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Details to consider
2018/19 Overall ADEK / KHDA Rating

Outstanding

2017/18 Overall ADEC / KHDA Rating

Outstanding

2016/17 Overall ADEC / KHDA Rating

Outstanding

2015/16 Overall KHDA / ADEC Rating

Outstanding

Rating FS

Outstanding

Rating Primary / Elementary

Outstanding

Rating Secondary / Middle

NA

Rating Post 16 / High

NA

Type of school

Private, for-profit

WSA Good School

Yes

Full WSA Review
Average Cost Per Year

FS1: 42,091
FS2: 53,056
YEAR 1: 53,056
YEAR 2: 53,056
YEAR 3: 53,056
YEAR 4: 53,056
YEAR 5: 53,056
YEAR 6: 53,056
YEAR 7: NA
YEAR 8: NA
YEAR 9: NA
YEAR 10: NA
YEAR 11: NA
YEAR 12: NA
YEAR 13: NA

Curriculum

National Curriculum of England

External Exam Boards

UK SATs

Selective

No

Waiting list

Yes

Value Added

Not published

Number of Students

1450

Teacher to Student Ratio

1:14

Largest nationality teachers

British

Teacher turnover

10% (2018) (Very low)

Year opened

1996

Location

Al Safa 1, Dubai

Student composition

British (largest nationality)
Emirati: 33
SEND: 99

Gender

Mixed co-educational

School canteen

No

Owner

GEMS

Admissions Telephone

+971 4 394 3500

Web Address
Attainment Nur SEM

100%

Attainment Pri SEM

100%

Attainment Sec SEM

NA

Attainment Post-16 SEM

NA

Progress Nur SEM

100%

Progress Pri SEM

100%

Progress Sec SEM

NA

Progress Post-16 SEM

NA

Arabic Native Primary Results (Native)

40%

Arabic Secondary Results (Native)

NA

Arabic Post-16 Results (Native)

NA

Arabic Primary Results (Add.)

50%

Arabic Secondary Results (Add.)

NA

Arabic Post-16 Results (Add.)

NA

Islamic St. Primary Results

50%

Islamic St. Secondary Results

NA

Islamic St. Post-16 Results

NA

Leadership

100%

Community

100%

Facilities

100%

Quality of teaching

100%

Student personal responsibility

100%

Quality of curriculum

100%

School Governance

80%

SEN Provision

100%

Strengths

• Outstanding achievements in English and Mathematics and Science in all phases
• The quality of the students’ personal and social development is exemplary
• The quality of teaching, (rich, challenging and imaginative) curriculum and care for and of children are exceptional
• Visionary leadership with a relentless pursuit for excellence
• Strong, effective partnerships with parents and the community
• Inspiring, determined and accomplished new Principal
• Excellent Head of Inclusion and management of Special Educational Needs
• Slipstream to Jumeirah College
• Low staff turnover low

Weaknesses

None

Rating
Our Rating
User Rating
Rate Here
Academic
A+
B+
Value
A+
A-
ExtraCurricula
A+
B+
Languages
B+
B+
Sports
A+
B+
Arts & Drama
A+
B+
Teaching
A+
B+
Communications
A+
A+
Warmth
A+
B+
Differentiation
A+
B+
SEND Provision
A-
B+
Scl Community
A+
A-
Scl Facilities
A-
A-
Opportunities

• Very High achieving school across all core Science, English and Mathematics core academic discipline areas, with broadly equivalent performance in weaker Arabic areas to other British schools
• Particularly high performing in the personal development of children against school benchmark provision at this age
• Striking school improvements under current leadership despite an already very high existing standard of educational provision
• A genuinely happy inspirational school
• Exceptionally good Special Educational Needs [SEN] provision despite online caution from the school that they offer only “limited space for children with additional learning needs” and “do not have provision for children with severe or complex special educational needs.”
• Extraordinary value fee structure for a school operating at this high level of whole school, cross-teaching, intra-discipline attainment
• (Very) highly recommended

A+
Our Rating
B+
User Rating
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About The Author
Jon Westley
Jon Westley is the Editor of SchoolsCompared.com and WhichSchoolAdvisor.com UK. You can email him at jonathanwestley [at] schoolscompared.com

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Academic
Value
ExtraCurricula
Languages
Sports
Arts & Drama
Teaching
Communications
Warmth
Differentiation
SEND Provision
Scl Community
Scl Facilities