8 nurseries and schools to consider in Dubai Marina

Finding a nursery and school when you shift to a new area can be a difficult task. There aren't many schools located inside Dubai Marina, but there are well-reputed schools nearby. However, wonderful nurseries can be found within the area and conveniently, all the schools offer their own transport. Some even may be metres from your apartment!

Nurseries

1. British Orchard Nursery, Jumeirah Beach Residences (Jbr)

British Orchard Nursery is located within convenient access to the individuals and families that reside in the Dubai Marina. The staff  strives to mould their children into young, fine adults. The Principal, Nicola Rutherford, focuses on helping kids find their passion and get their creative juices flowing. They offer convenient options that include late or early pickup, at the comfort of the working parents. Abiding by the British EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) curriculum, the nursery has been awarded ISO certification for their quality, environment, health and safety. They also have a fun gym for kids called GymJuniorz and offer courses in a teacher academy for anyone willing to learn. A mum from Marina Mums community website stated, when asked about the nursery, "A great nursery with an added bonus of convenient pick up times for working parents!"

Location: Shams 2, Plaza Level, JBR.

Contact: +971 4 447 5881

2. Marina Village Nursery, Jbr

Marina Village Nursery, or Jebel Ali Nursery, is located in the heart of JBR located close to Dubai Marina. It offers convenience to those that have opted to lease out an apartment in the vicinity. The private nursery that follows the British curriculum. It was setup in 2008 and the annual fee concludes to AED15,000-AED24,000 per year. Any child between the ages of sixteen months to four years can attend the nursery during the hours of 8AM to 5:30PM. They have clinics within the nursery and a registered nursing staff perform regular checkups on the students to ensure good health. As stated by a Marina Mum, "Our kids would always be so excited about going to the nursery everyday. For babies and toddlers it is a lovely environment."

Location: Al Bahar tower 1, Plaza Level, JBR.

Contact: +971 4 424 3791

3. Kidville, Jbr

Kidville Nursery started as a bunch of pre-school and after school Mummy and Me classes, and are now a fully-operating nursery. They indulge their children in music, arts and craft programs, and even have fun dance sessions for babies with their mums. Following the U.S. curriculum, the nursery has large indoor and outdoor spaces that they use to play out birthday celebrations and theme parties for children over the weekend. It is a private nursery that costs approximately AED9,500-AED30,000 per year. Infants and toddlers as old as six and as young as newborns are accepted, and they still offer Mummy and Me classes before and after the nursery timings. Parking can be a hassle, so it is best to walk there if you have invested in a villa nearby. "Kidville is not a nursery or a day care. We're an early childhood development center offering classes for children from newborn to six years old." - Monica Malhotra, owner of Kidville.

Location: Plaza Level, Rimal 5 in The Walk at JBR.

Contact: +971 4 440 1220

4. Toddler Town Nursery, Jbr

Toddler Town Nursery is a favourite amongst many because they also cater to the kids who require SEN (Special Educational Needs). It was founded in 2012 by a mother living in Dubai Marina, Ziham Moopen, and her main goal is to consider the needs of every child and help out the working mothers. They offer morning and afternoon sessions, summer camp and crèche facilities for children from the ages of six months up to the age of five.  It is a private nursery that follows the British EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) Curriculum. Their annual fees concludes to AED18,500-AED52,500. "I feel so comfortable leaving him there. I know next to me they are the best at caring for him." - Marina Mum from their community website.

Location: Amwaj 5, Plaza Level, JBR.

Contact: +971 4 452 8080

Schools

1. Dubai British School

Dubai British School follows the British Curriculum (i.e. IGCSE, GCSE and A-levels) and is a private establishment. It was started in 2005 and currently retains 1,085 students. The annual fees amounts to approximately AED41,000-AED62,000 per year. It has been rated as 'very good' by the private educational authority in Dubai, KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority). An admission form is to be filled well in advance because of the long waiting lists, and the guidelines for applying can be found here. The school offers their students a swimming pool, a large multi-purpose sports hall, two libraries, an art and design studio, a pottery studio, a design and technology workshop, two music rooms, three ICT suites, six science labs, a tennis/basketball court, a football pitch, a gym, an auditorium with stadium seating, common and study rooms, foundation and primary play areas, a cafeteria and WiFi throughout the school campus.

Location: Springs 4; street 3, villa 23 - Al Asayel St - Dubai.

Contact: +971 4 361 9361

2. Emirates International School

Awarded 'good' by the KHDA, Emirates International School is one of the oldest schools in Dubai, having started their first year back in 1991. The fees amounts to AED30,000-AED64,000 annually. The school is privately owned by Al Habtoor Group and is located in the end of Jumeirah that is conveniently near to Dubai Marina. The campus is spread out over an area of 12-acres, and they offer a lot of facilities that can be accessed here. They offer their students the US educational system that follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum.

Location: Al Thanya Road, Jumeirah - Dubai.

Contact: +971 4 3489804

3. Gems Wellington Academy, Al Khail

Wellington Academy located on Al-Khail Road is owned by the popular education groups in the U.A.E., GEMS Education. Awarded 'good' by the KHDA, they also offer their students the British curriculum.  It is a relatively new school as it was opened only four years ago. AED52,000-AED85,000 is their annual fees and they claim to be an international world class school. They cater to diverse cultures, backgrounds, abilities and skills, and promote independence and effectiveness. Students have their pick of extra curricular activities given the infrastructure, which includes - science labs and sports fields, along with three pools, and are especially inclined toward the arts. Medical centers are easily accessible on campus and there are cafeterias to provide for the students. An application can be filled out online. 

Location: Al Arabia St, Al Khail Road - Dubai.

Contact: +971 4 512 9100

4. Dubai International Academy

Dubai International Academy follows the IB (International Baccalaureate) System. They host 2,000 students and are known to be a private school. They have been rated as 'outstanding' by the KHDA. The annual fees amounts to AED33,500-AED60,000 per year and are known for their multinational students and staff members. Spread out over 350,000-square feet of land; they offer their children top of the line facilities that can be found on their website here.

Location:  First Al Khail Street, Emirates Hills - Dubai.

Contact: +971 4 368 4111