GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai

What GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai does

GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai is a private K-12 educational institution founded in 1968 and operating as the flagship school of GEMS Education, founded by Sunny Varkey. Located in Al Warqa'a 3, Dubai, the school delivers the Indian CBSE curriculum following the NCERT framework from Kindergarten (KG1-KG2) through Grade 12, with co-educational early years and primary phases (KG1-Grade 4) and a girls-only secondary phase (Grades 5-12) culminating in the All India Secondary School Examination (Grade 10) and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Grade 12). It is one of the largest girls' schools globally, with over 10,000 students and nearly 500 teachers on roll across a four-storeyed campus.

The core academic offering is structured into four modular programmes (Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, Senior School) with Science, Commerce, and Humanities streams in Grades 11-12. Supporting services include career counselling with psychometric assessments, an inclusion programme for Students of Determination aligned with the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework 2017, ISO-certified school transport via STS covering six Dubai route zones, and a comprehensive extra-curricular programme (sports, music, dance, Girl Guides, Model UN, EPWS internships). Technology infrastructure is built on the Phoenix Classroom learning management system, Microsoft education tools (with all teachers certified as Microsoft Innovative Educators), smart boards across all classrooms, a dedicated Research and Design Lab, and the Common Sense Digital Citizenship curriculum.

The business model is direct-to-consumer tuition-driven. Annual tuition ranges from AED 7,828 (KG1-KG2) to AED 16,562 (Grade 11-12 Science), billed across 10 monthly instalments (no collection in July and August), with a separate one-time AED 525 application fee and a 10% non-refundable registration deposit at admission. Ancillary revenue streams include transport fees, uniform sales via third-party provider THREADS, and the GEMS Rewards loyalty programme (AED 108M+ saved by families to date). Admissions are processed online through the school website, with registration opening annually in October for the following academic year, supported by referral programmes and FAB GEMS World Credit Card partnerships. KHDA regulates fee structures, and the school has retained DSIB 'Very Good' status for 8 consecutive years.

Name

GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai

Legal name

GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai

Website

https://gemsoo-dubai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai is a private K-12 institution founded in 1968 and the flagship school of GEMS Education, delivering the Indian CBSE curriculum to over 10,000 students from KG1 through Grade 12 in Dubai, with co-ed early years and a girls-only secondary phase.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Academic/School-Readiness Preschools (EDACABAB)

Keywords

• K-12 education services
• CBSE curriculum school
• Primary secondary education
• Kindergarten senior schooling
• Dubai school education

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai, Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Monthly tuition fees collected across 10 installments (not collected in July and August). Annual tuition ranges from AED 7,828 (KG1-KG2) to AED 16,562 (Grade 11-12 Science). Primary revenue stream.
2. Application Fee: AED 525 (VAT inclusive) charged upon completion of online registration. Non-refundable, non-transferable, non-adjustable.
3. Registration Deposit: 10% of annual tuition charged at admission. Non-refundable and non-transferable but adjustable against total tuition fee.
4. School Transport Services: STS (School Transport Services) provides bus service to students. Transport fees charged separately. Covers multiple routes across Dubai.
5. School Uniforms: Uniforms available through third-party provider (THREADS). School facilitates uniform sales through uniform store on campus.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The school provides a CBSE K-12 academic programme from kindergarten through Grade 12. It is structured into kindergarten, primary, middle, and senior school stages, forming one continuous school education offering.

Product overview

GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai operates as a comprehensive K-12 educational institution offering the CBSE (Indian) curriculum from Kindergarten (KG1-KG2) through Grade 12. The school follows a modular programme structure comprising distinct phases: Kindergarten Programme, Primary School (Grade 1-4), Middle School (Grade 5-8), and Senior School (Grade 9-12) with Science, Commerce, and Humanities streams. These core academic programmes are supplemented by the Extra-Curricular Activities Programme, School Transport Service, Career Counselling Services, Inclusion Programme for Students of Determination, and the GEMS Rewards Programme. The school also provides access to the GEMS Connect Portal for parent communication and an Online Registration System for admissions. With over 10,000 students, it is one of the largest girls' schools in the world and the flagship institution of GEMS Education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBSE K-12 Academic Programme A school education programme following the CBSE curriculum from kindergarten through Grade 12, with primary, middle, and senior school stages.

Quantifiable outcome

• DSIB 'Very Good' rating for 8 consecutive years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STS (School Transport Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTS is the only ISO certified school transport provider in Dubai, providing reliable and secure bus service to over 10,000 students. All vehicles have seats with seat belts, video surveillance, GPS, safety devices and scanners. Drivers and female bus conductors are RTA certified. Covers 6 major route zones across Dubai.
• FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank) - GEMS World Credit CardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFAB GEMS World Credit Card allows parents to pay annual tuition fees in advance and save up to 3%. Offers 12-month easy payment plan with 0% interest and no processing fee. Card provides education protection cover of up to AED 500,000 per child. Earns FAB Rewards points per transaction redeemable towards future tuition payments.
• New Dubai NurseryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Dubai Nursery offers pre-school education for young children. Students who attend the nursery for a full academic year receive priority placement status for enrolments at GEMS Our Own Dubai. Part of GEMS Education's early childhood education pipeline.
• GEMS Rewards PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHundreds of exclusive offers across dining, retail, travel, wellness, entertainment and essential services. Partners include lifestyle benefits, savings and education support merchants accessible through GEMS Rewards app.
• GEMS Rewards - Smiles, Air Miles, Bounz, Yes RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPoints exchange partnerships allowing members to exchange loyalty points from these programmes into GEMS Points for redemption against school fees.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• JSS International School Dubai: CBSE-affiliated private K-12 school in Dubai with similar Indian-expatriate focus. Comparable curriculum, fee structure, and regulatory environment.
• The Indian High School Dubai: Long-established Indian curriculum K-12 school in Dubai operating under a similar CBSE framework. Comparable in target market, regulatory exposure, and curriculum choice, with a similarly large student base.
• Delhi Private School Dubai: A leading CBSE-affiliated K-12 school in Dubai serving the Indian expatriate community. Directly comparable as a private Indian-curriculum school competing for the same parent segment with tiered tuition and a similar regulatory profile under KHDA.
• Amity School Dubai: CBSE-affiliated K-12 school in Dubai from the Amity Education Group. Direct competitor offering the same Indian curriculum with comparable fee structure and KHDA regulatory positioning.
• Dubai Modern High School: Private K-12 school in Dubai with strong Indian curriculum heritage. Comparable in serving Indian expatriate families and competing on CBSE outcomes and university placements.
• GEMS World Academy Dubai: Sister flagship school within GEMS Education offering IB curriculum instead of CBSE. Comparable in scale, brand, parent demographic, and group-level resources, but competes on different curriculum.

Emerging players

• Dubai International Academy: Premium international K-12 school in Dubai offering IB curriculum. Comparable premium positioning and parent demographic but addresses non-Indian curriculum families.

Broad incumbents

• Universal American School Dubai: Established premium K-12 school in Dubai offering American curriculum. Comparable in scale, KHDA regulatory positioning, and premium fee tier, though serves a different curriculum segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ourowndubai?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbTi05Pw9aiD_KV5rWapItA
• Facebookfacebook.com/GEMSOurOwnEnglishHighSchoolDubai
• Instagraminstagram.com/ourowndubai?igshid=14gsqidc3s62o
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gems-our-own-english-high-school-dubai

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai