Cities / Dubai / Star International School, Al Twar
Star International School, Al Twar
Operating as a British curriculum institution in Al Twar, Star International School follows traditional UK educational pathways though specific details about facilities, leadership structure, or academic outcomes remain extremely limited in public discussions.
In brief
Star International School is a mid-fee British school in Al Twar with a steady Good rating from KHDA. Founded in 2005, it teaches around 650 pupils aged 3–18 through Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA pathways, with BSME and BSO accreditation. Part of International Schools Partnership since 2022, it appointed Lisa Passante as principal in March 2024 after fifteen years of stability under the previous head.
Feedback leads with the community: inclusive and family-flavoured, with sixty-plus nationalities, a notable Egyptian cohort, and a long-standing willingness to take students of determination. Secondary is the stronger end, with Very Good teaching and purpose-built facilities at the Al Qusais secondary site, opened in 2021. The school reports 91 per cent achieving grades 9–4 at GCSE in 2024, and 46 per cent at 9–7.
Foundation and Primary sit a step behind at Good, with primary English, maths and science flagged for improvement, and Arabic and Islamic Education have stayed at Acceptable across several inspection cycles. Teacher turnover ran at around a third in the most recent published figures, common across Dubai's mid-fee schools.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS 1 | 3 | AED 21,520 |
| FS 2 | 3 | AED 25,320 |
| Year 1 | 5 | AED 25,320 |
| Year 2 | 6 | AED 29,120 |
| Year 3 | 7 | AED 29,120 |
| Year 4 | 8 | AED 32,915 |
| Year 5 | 9 | AED 32,915 |
| Year 6 | 10 | AED 32,915 |
| Year 7 | 11 | AED 35,280 |
| Year 8 | 12 | AED 41,510 |
| Year 9 | 13 | AED 41,510 |
| Year 10 | 14 | AED 39,220 |
| Year 11 | 15 | AED 46,140 |
| Year 12 | 16 | AED 39,220 |
| Year 13 | 17 | AED 46,140 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Fee | AED 500 | |
| Registration Fee | AED 500 |
Reviews
A mid-fee British school in Al Twar 2 that has settled into a steady Good rating with KHDA. The community feel is what comes up first: inclusive, family-flavoured, a big spread of nationalities with a notable Egyptian cohort, and a long-standing willingness to take students of determination. Secondary is the stronger end of the school, both in teaching and in facilities at the Al Qusais secondary site. Foundation and Primary sit a step behind, and Arabic and Islamic Education have stayed at Acceptable across several inspection cycles. New principal Lisa Passante took over in March 2024 after fifteen years of leadership stability under the previous head.
Positives
- Community and inclusion. Warm, family-feel ethos comes through strongly. Sixty-plus nationalities on roll and a sizeable cohort of students of determination who are visibly supported rather than tucked away.
- Secondary phase. Teaching quality in Secondary sits at Very Good, ahead of the other phases. Purpose-built secondary facilities at the Al Qusais site opened in 2021 and remain a stand-out.
- British teaching staff. Roughly sixty full-time teachers across the campuses, most recruited from the UK. Class ratios sit around one teacher to eleven students.
- Parent communication. Weekly curriculum overviews and WhatsApp class groups keep families in the loop on what's being taught and on day-to-day updates.
Considerations
- Foundation and Primary teaching. Teaching in FS and Primary sits at Good rather than the Very Good seen in Secondary. English, maths and science at Primary are flagged as the areas the school still needs to lift.
- Arabic and Islamic Education. Progress in Arabic as a first language and in Islamic Education has stayed at Acceptable across several inspection cycles, the most persistent academic gap on the report card.
- Teacher turnover. Turnover ran at around a third of teachers in the most recent published figures. Common across mid-fee Dubai schools, but worth factoring into a year-on-year continuity picture.
- Ownership. Part of International Schools Partnership (ISP) since 2022. The group brings operational backing and cross-campus resourcing; how much of that is visible to parents day to day varies.
- Leadership transition. New principal arrived in March 2024 after the long-serving previous head retired. Carries senior leadership experience from Abu Dhabi and another Dubai British school. Still early to read the imprint on outcomes.
Leadership
Lisa Passante
Lisa Passante is an experienced school leader with over 24 years in education, holding a BA in Media Arts and English, MSc in Educational Leadership, PGCE, and NPQH.
Accreditations
- British Schools in the Middle East accreditation 01
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 02
Academic results
- GCSE 2024 average 91% achieved 9 – 4 (A* to C)
- GCSE 2024 average 67% achieved 9 – 6 (A* to B)
- GCSE 2024 average 46% achieved 9 – 7 (A* to A)