Schools Compared – 13 June 2022
Durham School Dubai has announced an offer to recognise founding families for supporting the school in its opening year.
Durham School Dubai is the third international branch of one of England’s longest established day and boarding schools, Durham School. The original school was founded in 1414 and re-founded in 1541 by King Henry VIII. Amongst the who’s who of alumni, Dominic Cummins, former Chief of Staff to Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, stands out as the most notable.
Founding parents joining in Durham’s first academic term will now have the option to either:
(1) take a further 10% discount on the first year’s fees; or,
(2) enjoy a fixed discounted fee structure for three years.
This means that, for parents who opt to take the additional 10% discount, annual fees will start as low as AED 38,340 for FS1 and FS2.
Taken together, the new launch fee structure see FS1 school fees reduce from KHDA approved fees of AED 54,000 to AED 38,340, a reduction of some AED 15,660. In Year 8, the KHDA approved fees of AED 87,000 are reduced to AED 51,300, a saving of AED 35,700. The term 1 fees, too, includes the 10% Registration deposit. A further 5% discount is extended to the third and every subsequent child. A further 5% discount is extended to all families who pay the annual tuition fees in full in advance of the first day of the academic year.
Taken together, these are some of the most competitive launch fees of any new Tier 1 premium British school to have opened in Dubai to date. We rate ROI for parents as outstanding.
Option 1: Durham School Dubai revised fees structure including Found Family Discounts 2022-23 – 1 YEAR FIXED
| Year Group | Application fee | Registration Deposit | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Total |
| FS1 | 500 | 3,834 | 11,502 | 11,502 | 11,502 | 38,340 |
| FS 2 | 500 | 3,834 | 11,502 | 11,502 | 11,502 | 38,340 |
| Year 1 | 500 | 4,104 | 12,312 | 12,312 | 12,312 | 41,040 |
| Year 2 | 500 | 4,104 | 12,312 | 12,312 | 12,312 | 41,040 |
| Year 3 | 500 | 4,590 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 45,900 |
| Year 4 | 500 | 4,590 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 45,900 |
| Year 5 | 500 | 4,590 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 45,900 |
| Year 6 | 500 | 4,590 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 13,770 | 45,900 |
| Year 7 | 500 | 5,130 | 15,390 | 15,390 | 15,390 | 51,300 |
| Year 8 | 500 | 5,130 | 15,390 | 15,390 | 15,390 | 51,300 |
For families who would prefer the security of a fixed founders fees structure, fees are still reduced on a scale from AED 42,600 in FS1 (from KHDA approved fees of AED 54,00) to AED 66,000 in Year 8 (from KHDA approved fees of AED 87,000). Full details of the fixed 3-year launch fee offer can be found in the table below:
Option 2: Durham School Dubai revised fees structure including Found Family Discounts 2022-23 – 3 YEAR FIXED
| Year | Age | Key Stage | KHDA Approved Fees | 2022/23 Discounted Fees AED | 2023/24 Discounted Fees AED |
| FS 1 | 3-4 | EYFS | 54,000 | 42,600 | 42,600 |
| FS 2 | 4-5 | EYFS | 54,000 | 42,600 | 42,600 |
| Year 1 | 5-6 | KS 1 | 69,000 | 45,600 | 45,600 |
| Year 2 | 6-7 | KS 1 | 69,000 | 45,600 | 45,600 |
| Year 3 | 7-8 | KS 2 | 75,000 | 51,000 | 51,000 |
| Year 4 | 8-9 | KS 2 | 75,000 | 51,000 | 51,000 |
| Year 5 | 9-10 | KS 2 | 75,000 | 51,000 | 51,000 |
| Year 6 | 10-11 | KS 2 | 75,000 | 51,000 | 51,000 |
| Year 7 | 11-12 | KS 3 | 87,000 | 57,000 | 57,000 |
| Year 8 | 12-13 | KS 3 | 87,000 | 57,000 | 57,000 |
| Year 9* | 13-14 | KS 4 | 93,000 | – | 66,000 |
Mark Atkins, Headmaster, Durham School Dubai, explained the founding family discounts to SchoolsCompared.com as follows:
“I am delighted that we can reward those families who have placed their faith in us at the start of this exciting journey.
Offering such competitive fees for a prestigious 600 year old branch school underlines Durham’s intent to make high quality traditional British education as affordable and accessible as possible.”
The decision to offer generous Founding discounts also reflects growing concerns at the rising costs of living and inflation facing parents – and evidence a school set on being responsive to parents from ‘Day One.” More on rising costs against a background of some not-for-profit schools actually raising fees this year can be found here and here.
For further information on founding school fee options at Durham, parents can contact the Durham School Dubai dedicated Parent Hotline on 050 164 2122. Alternatively, arrangements to visit the school can be made by email to admissions@durhamdubai.com. Drop in visits (without appointment) to meet the Headmaster are available every Tuesday morning between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and on Saturday mornings between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.