Compare Catholic International Schools in United arab emirates

St. Mary's Catholic High School is located in Dubai's Umm Hurair 2 district along Oud Metha Road. The commonly listed street address is 247 Oud Metha Road, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the P.O. Box is 52232. The campus is accessible by the Dubai Metro (Oud Metha Metro Station) and is served by multiple RTA bus routes in the Oud Metha area.

The school operates a two-tier structure: Primary (Year 1–Year 6) and Senior School (Year 7–Year 13). Arabic is compulsory from Grade 1 to Grade 10, and French is offered from Junior 5. In the Senior School, students prepare for GCSE/IGCSE under Edexcel, and there is a two-year A-Level program.

Private, co-educational. The school functions as a private, mixed-gender institution.

The school maintains a highly international student body. The largest nationality group is Indian, and UAE local students form a very small share; international students represent the vast majority. The Muhaisnah campus is described as hosting around 50 nationalities, with India commonly identified as the largest group.

Additional Learning Needs (SEN) support is available through the SEND department and a dedicated Student Support Service. The SEND contact is samantha-smchs@smgeducation.org, and the Student Support Service is listed among the school's wellbeing and support provisions.

The school is located in the United Arab Emirates and follows UK-derived examination frameworks (GCSE/IGCSE and A-Levels) for secondary progression, indicating a UK curriculum orientation rather than a country-specific affiliation.

Catholic. The school is explicitly Catholic and operates within a UAE context as St. Mary's Catholic High School Dubai.

School day typically starts around 7:10 AM. On Mondays to Thursdays, the day runs until about 1:50 PM, with a shorter schedule on Fridays (ending around 11:15 AM). Details are published in the school timings sections.

The school does not operate its own buses and instead contracts with STS (School Transport Services) to provide student transport. Enquiries should be directed to STS, with contacts including sde-sms@sts-group.com and Jean Arango (+971 55 22 074 79). STS registration links for new admissions (Academic Year 2025–2026) are provided by the school.

St. Mary's Catholic High School Dubai does not offer boarding. It operates as a day school. The school does not own buses; transport for students is provided by a contracted service (STS). There is no on-site boarding facility.

Girls wear a light blue blouse with the school logo and a grey skirt; boys wear a white T‑shirt with the logo and navy trousers. The sports uniform consists of a navy track suit and a house-coloured T‑shirt with the house logo on the back. There is an on-site uniform shop with scheduled sale/collection windows for the 2025–2026 academic year.

The school has an on-site canteen that will be operational from August 26, 2024. Primary students are discouraged from buying from the canteen, and parents are advised to send healthy snacks from home when appropriate.

The school uses a house system, as indicated by house logos on the back of the PE uniform. Names and details of the houses are not listed on the site.

The school is governed by a Management Board chaired by Bishop Paul Hinder and is part of the St. Mary's Group of Schools (SMG Education). It is owned and managed by the Catholic Church in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, with SMG Education overseeing multiple schools in the UAE.

St. Mary's Catholic High School Dubai follows the UK National Curriculum. Primary students are prepared for Edexcel London Board examinations at the end of Grade 6, while Secondary students sit GCSE/IGCSE/GCE examinations at the end of Grade 11 and Grade 12. Arabic is compulsory from Grade 1 to Grade 10; French is offered from Junior 5; religious studies (Qur'an or Bible) are studied according to faith, with GCSE examinations available in these subjects. In the Senior School, pupils begin preparation for GCSE/IGCSE across a broad range of subjects, and the Long Term Plan lists English Language, English Literature, PSHE, Geography, UAE Social Studies, Citizenship, Psychology, plus GCSE options in Business Studies, Accounting, Economics, Psychology, Computing, History, Religious Studies, and ICT. Students may select a concentration in Science, Art/Commerce, or a combination from Senior 3, with the choice made at the end of Senior 2 and subject to approval. Advanced Level studies are available through Edexcel, including Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

St. Mary's Catholic High School offers a structured wellbeing program with a dedicated SEL focus. The Wellbeing section provides a Wellbeing Booklet and a range of resources such as Boosting Positive Emotions and a Mindfulness Calendar (Daily 5 minute activities). Other materials include First Aid For Feelings, Being An Overcomer, and strategies for managing stress, including during distance learning. The school supports SEL through the Student Support Service, including a SEND / Inclusion Policy and access to Counsellors as part of its supportive framework. The Head of Pastoral Care leads the pastoral support, reflecting the school's emphasis on holistic growth within a caring community. {turn2view0}{turn4view1}{turn0search0}{turn1view0}

St. Mary's Catholic High School has a SEND / Inclusion Policy that sets out how the school identifies and supports students with special educational needs. A senior leader leads SEND provision, and the school has a designated SENCO, Special Educators and Counsellors involved in delivering support. There is an Inclusion Governor and an Inclusion Champion to promote inclusion across the school. When a student is identified as having SEN, an Individual Education Plan is drawn up tailored to the student's needs, with targets set and progress reviewed in collaboration with the student, parents and teachers. The school recognises categories of SEN and disabilities including Cognition and Learning; Physical, Sensory and Medical; Communication and Interaction; and Social, Emotional and Mental Health, and provides intensive one-to-one tutoring within a general school setting rather than a specialist SEN institution. {turn4view1}{turn6view0}{turn6view0}{turn6view0}{turn6view0}

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision. The SEND / Inclusion Policy and the Wellbeing resources do not describe a separate EAL program. The language of instruction is English (as reflected in general descriptions of the school and its international context). No explicit EAL policy or programme is described in the publicly available materials reviewed. {turn4view1}{turn2view0}{turn0search12}

Mental wellbeing is addressed through the Wellbeing resources, including a Mindfulness Calendar and materials such as Mindfulness Beginners and Mindfulness-based activity booklets. The Wellbeing Booklet and related resources aim to boost resilience and emotional regulation, including guidance for coping with stress and distance learning. The school also references mental health within the SEND framework under the Social, Emotional and Mental Health category, highlighting a holistic approach to wellbeing. A Head of Pastoral Care leads pastoral support, reinforcing the school's commitment to student wellbeing. {turn2view0}{turn6view0}{turn6view0}{turn0search0}

A Safeguarding Policy is published under the Students Support Service section and outlines child protection procedures. The Health & Safety Policy is also listed as part of safeguarding-related resources. KHDA-aligned policy language reinforces safeguarding through a framework that includes clear student affairs guidance and rights protections for vulnerable groups. St. Mary's emphasises safeguarding across governance, pastoral care and partnerships with families and external agencies. {turn3view0}{turn9view0}{turn6view0}{turn4view2}

The school offers admission to Year Eleven into a two-year A-Level GCE programme. The application fee for new students is AED 500. New students pay Enrolment Fees up to 10% of the tuition fees, non-refundable and deductible from the first term fees. The 2025-2026 fee structure follows KHDA guidelines with a 6% increase. The payment windows for term fees are 15 August–5 September 2025 for the first term and 1 December 2025–5 January 2026 for the second term. Fee payments are to The National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah, with IBAN AE490400000183378610001 and SWIFT NRAKAEAKXXX. The curriculum is delivered in English; Arabic is compulsory from Grade 1–10, and French will be offered from Junior 5. English is the medium of instruction according to the English Department page. In the Senior School, pupils prepare for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE/IGCSE) in subjects including English, Mathematics, Science and more, with Edexcel as the examination framework. The school was founded in 1968 by Fr. Eusebius Daveri. The school is located in Dubai, P.O. Box 52232.

Discount schemes include Corporate 50% and School Employees 50%.