Star International School, Mirdif, Dubai | International Schools Guide

Star International School Mirdif is a British all-through school founded in 2008 and rebuilt under ISP from 2022, teaching around 650 pupils aged 3–18 towards Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge qualifications. Neal Oates, principal since 2021, steered the move from primary-only into a full through-school, and the first full A Level cohort in 2025 posted 41 per cent A*/A and a 100 per cent pass rate. Summer 2025 IGCSEs came in at 90 per cent at grades 9 to 4.

Parents describe a small-school, family atmosphere, with senior leaders visible at drop-off and pick-up and a mix of over seventy nationalities. The management, staffing and resources strand drew a Very Good in the most recent KHDA cycle, and fees of AED 34,179–73,508 sit below the Mirdif area's premium British options.

Arabic has sat at Acceptable across all phases through successive inspection cycles and remains its standing improvement priority, and inspectors flag variable differentiation between classrooms. A secondary expansion adding science labs, art studios and a STEAM makerspace completes in August 2026; until then the sixth form sits in interim space.

Year level	Age	Fee
FS1	3	AED 34,179
FS2	4	AED 35,014
Year 1	5	AED 40,193
Year 2	6	AED 40,193
Year 3	7	AED 45,864
Year 4	8	AED 45,864
Year 5	9	AED 52,706
Year 6	10	AED 52,706
Year 7	11	AED 57,325
Year 8	12	AED 57,325
Year 9	13	AED 59,489
Year 10	14	AED 59,489
Year 11	15	AED 68,142
Year 12	16	AED 73,508
Year 13	17	AED 73,508

Year level

Age

Fee

FS1

AED 34,179

FS2

AED 35,014

Year 1

AED 40,193

Year 2

AED 40,193

Year 3

AED 45,864

Year 4

AED 45,864

Year 5

AED 52,706

Year 6

AED 52,706

Year 7

AED 57,325

Year 8

AED 57,325

Year 9

AED 59,489

Year 10

AED 59,489

Year 11

AED 68,142

Year 12

AED 73,508

Year 13

AED 73,508

Item	Age	Fee
Medical Fee		AED 500

Item

Age

Fee

Medical Fee

AED 500

Pastoral care and community. Parents talk about a small-school, family atmosphere. Senior leaders visible at drop-off and pick-up, teachers described as approachable, and pupils as confident and articulate. The over-seventy-nationality mix and growing Emirati cohort are part of why families stick.

Leadership and direction. Neal Oates has been principal since 2021 and steered the move from primary-only into a full through-school with sixth form. Inspectors flag strong leadership and very good relationships; the management, staffing and resources strand drew a Very Good in the most recent KHDA cycle.

Academic results. Summer 2025 IGCSEs came in at 90 percent 9 to 4 and 33 percent 9 to 7. The first full A Level cohort posted 41 percent A*/A and 82 percent A*/C, with 100 percent pass. BTEC Level 2 results were all Merit or Distinction in 2024. Solid, not headline-grabbing, for the fee point.

Fees and value. Annual fees run from roughly AED 31,000 in early years to around AED 55,000 in the upper school for 2025-26. Cheaper than the Mirdif-area premium British options and a meaningful step below the GEMS and Nord Anglia flagships.

Arabic outcomes. Arabic has sat at Acceptable across all phases through successive inspection cycles. It is the school's standing improvement priority and one that the latest reports say still needs more consistent phonics teaching and stronger outcomes.

Teaching consistency. Inspectors keep flagging variable differentiation across classrooms and uneven implementation of the wellbeing programme phase to phase. Foundation Stage attendance has also been called out as below target.

Secondary build-out and facilities. Secondary expansion adding science labs, art studios and a STEAM makerspace is due to complete in August 2026. Until then sixth form sits in interim space. Families joining now are buying into a campus that is still mid-build.

Parent communication. Most parents describe leadership as accessible and channels as plentiful, from the diary and D6 app to a PTFA. Some flag that wellbeing-side partnership communication is patchier than the day-to-day relationship suggests, and inspectors echo this.