Choosing a school is a big decision for any family in Dubai. When your child has additional learning needs, there are extra questions to ask about assessment, support, staffing and how a school works with parents day to day. Needs vary widely, and the right setting for one child may not suit another. This guide helps you organise your search, understand what schools may ask for, and judge support on evidence rather than brochures. Always check current requirements with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, known as KHDA, which regulates private schools in Dubai.
Start With Your Child, Not the School List
Before visiting schools, write a short, honest picture of your child: strengths, interests, what helps them learn, what they find hard, and any situations that cause anxiety or tiredness. Note any diagnoses, previous assessments, therapy, or support that has worked well before, as well as things that did not help.
This profile helps you ask focused questions and helps a school judge whether it can meet need.
Assessments and What Schools May Ask For
Many schools will ask to see previous school reports and any formal assessment reports from educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or other specialists. Some will carry out their own screening or observation, or invite your child for an assessment visit, so they can understand learning needs in a classroom setting.
Assessment arrangements and any fees vary by school and can change, so ask in advance what is involved, who carries it out, how long it takes, and what it costs, approximately.
Dubai promotes inclusive education, and KHDA publishes frameworks and inspection information about inclusion in private schools. Reading a school’s inclusion policy and its recent KHDA inspection report, alongside a visit, gives a fuller picture than marketing material. Policies should explain identification, support planning and how progress is reviewed.
- Ask who leads inclusion and what training staff receive
- Ask how individual support plans are written and reviewed
- Check class sizes and adult support in your child’s year group
- Ask how the school communicates with parents between reviews
Understanding the Support on Offer
Support can take different forms. For some children it means classroom adjustments, such as seating, visual timetables, extra time or help with organisation. Others may have small-group teaching, one-to-one support for part of the day, or sessions with a specialist teacher or therapist working with the school.
Be clear about what is included in standard fees and what is charged separately. In Dubai, some additional support, particularly a dedicated individual support assistant or external therapy arranged through school, may involve extra costs that vary widely. Ask for an approximate, written breakdown before you accept a place, and check KHDA guidance on what schools may and may not charge for, as rules are updated.
Also ask practical questions: where does support happen, how much class time might your child miss, and how does the school help friendships and inclusion at break times, on trips and in clubs, not just in lessons?
Visiting and Judging the Fit
Visit during a normal school day if you can. Look for calm classrooms, staff who know children’s names, and children with different needs taking part alongside classmates.
Meet the inclusion lead as well as the admissions team. Good signs include straight answers, a willingness to say what the school cannot provide, and examples of how support was adapted when a plan was not working. Be cautious if every question is answered with a general promise and no detail.
- Can the school describe support for a need like your child’s?
- How are new teachers told about your child’s plan?
- What happens if support needs increase or change?
- How are transitions between year groups handled?
Making Your Decision and Planning Ahead
Compare a small shortlist against the same criteria: understanding of need, quality and cost of support, communication, location and travel time, and your child’s own reaction to the visit. A long, tiring journey can undo the benefit of otherwise good support, especially for younger children.
Once you choose, agree an early review date, keep copies of assessments and plans, and stay in regular contact. Children change, and a good plan changes with them. Choosing carefully, asking direct questions and using KHDA information will help you find a school where your child is known, supported and able to do their best.