Owned by Interstar Education, the organisation behind well regarded Victory Heights Primary School and Delhi Private Schools, South View School certainly has the backers to make its mark in Dubai.

The story so far...

South View School (SVS) opened successfully in the Remraan Community on a purpose-designed and built campus in September 2018, offering FS1 to Year 8.  It is currently open to Year 13 having opened the final year group in September 2024.

SVS is the fifth school in the UAE currently to be operated by Interstar Advisory Services DMCC (IAS); other schools in the group include Victory Heights Primary School and Delhi Private School (Ras Al  Khaimah, Sharjah and Dubai).

In mid-2024, Interstar announced plans for a second branch of much loved Victory Heights Primary School, this time in the City of Arabia development, which is set to open in time for the 2025-26 academic year.

This clearly offers further opportunity for the expansion of South View School, which will offer a full FS1 to Year 13 education at that point in time, providing access to its Secondary section potentially for students at the new school. 

Interstar may not be a well known name in the UAE education scene, and to an extent this is deliberate.  The company wants each of its schools to be seen as independent with their own culture, ethos and community - the antithesis of the "cookie cutter" approach.

Delhi Private School Sharjah has already been operating for over 25 years, and between each of the DPS schools, Victory Heights Primary Sports City and South View School, over 12,000 students attend Interstar schools in the UAE.  There are further 16,500 students who attend the Interstar schools in India.

The connection between Victory Heights Primary School (VHPS) and South View remains a strong one. Many students from VHPS move on to South View for their Secondary education, and Principal Sasha Crabb at VHPS, has had strong input to the development of "her students'" Secondary school.  Ms. Crabb is a Board Member of South View School.  

In 2021, David Flint, formerly Principal at Taylor's International School (a large British school in Malaysia), Head of Senior School at Repton School Dubai and, latterly, Founding Principal at PACE British School in Sharjah, took over the leadership of the school.  In April 2025, it was announced by the school that Mr. Flint was leaving SVS.

The role of Principal, from term 3, 2025, is now in the hands of Mrs. Naomi Williams who joined the school in September 2022 as Vice Principal. Mrs. Williams had previously held senior positions at Repton School Dubai and Repton School Al Barsha (the latter as Principal), prior to returning to the UK, where she completed a Masters' degree in Psychology, followed by a Headship position before her return to the UAE.

Mrs. Williams was initially supported by Laura Stokes, who joined that schools as Head of Primary in 2024, and by Teresa Woulfe as the Head of Secondary, who joined SVS in January 2025 . However, in July 2025, it was announced that Ms. Woulfe would be leaving the school due to personal reasons.  

Feedback from parents to WhichSchoolAdvisor.com has been positive. A sizable number of parents - over 360 thus far - have participated in our Parent Survey.

The following comments are reflective of many that parents provided.

"An excellent community feel where all students feel at home. Medium classroom sizes which caters for individual needs. The parent body voices are heard and are involved in the day to day running of the school. SLT is very engaged and communication is of the utmost importance. Excellent after school activities are on offer. My child is always happy to go to school and feels that she is important and makes a difference in other student's lives."

"South View provides a strong community feel - it feels like family. All of the leadership team are approachable, and genuinely care about the students. Any concerns that arise are dealt with immediately, and even when my son struggled with his reading and writing skills, they quickly offered him learning support and helped him improve tremendously - with no extra cost or effort on the parents part. The extra-curricular options offer something for everyone, and the sports are available for all levels - so my son who is sporty gets to play advanced, and the one who likes to play for fun can still participate in another team that is less competitive."

"Very Happy School. My child is very happy there and he is running fast every morning to reach school! For every my question I always getting answers and always all staff very friendly and very helpful. I feel they are taking care of each child to make them happy and confident."

Find out more about what parents think of the school under The Buzz 

And it seems that not only parents are happy with South View School. In May 2022, the KHDA published the first DSIB inspection report for South View School.  The school achieved a Good rating, the highest rating that new schools have have historically received in their first inspection.  This was followed up with a second Good rating in March 2023 and a further Good rating in 2024.  As is so often the case, the overall rating fails to underline the improvement made in the previous year, with SVS now having achieved Very Good ratings across multiple key performance standards, and Outstanding ratings across the school for Child Protection and Safeguarding. 

Find full details of What the Inspectors Say here.

In May 2024, SVS announced that it had received accreditation from the Council of International Schools, a membership organisation that works with schools internationally to improve standards and provide professional development.  The school was also inspected by a team from British Schools Overseas in March 2024, which assesses schools based on the OFSTED inspection process on behalf of the UK Government's Department of Education.  SVS was awarded a Good rating, and has applied for a reinspection in February 2026 where it anticipates a positive outcome.  

The school's stated mission is to "provide students with a high-quality, authentic British education that will truly add value and enable them to access the global opportunities around them". It offers an inquiry-based and "student-led" curriculum designed to encourage students to be aspirational, creative and entrepreneurial.

"Our aim is for every South View student to achieve their full potential by equipping them with the life skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century world into which they will graduate. The happiness, well-being and success of all our South View family members is our ultimate goal."

On the happiness front, the school has clearly made a positive start, having been rated Very Good by the KHDA for its Well-being provision and outcomes. 

South View School has grown significantly from its initial intake of 724 students in 2021 to over 1,360 students in 2025 and is open to Year 12.  Having opened the Secondary school with two classes in Year 7, and one each in Years 8 and 9, these have now grown to five classes in Years 7 and 8 and four each in Years 9,  10 and 11. The majority of students attending the school live within the local area, making it a true community school.

At capacity, South View School will accommodate 2,000 students with six classes in the Foundation Stage and four classes in each year group from Year 1 upwards. With a teacher to student ratio of 1:11, children should receive individual attention, ensuring that the curriculum and teaching is adapted to their specific abilities and needs. 

In common with most international schools in Dubai, children come from a wide range of 89 nationalities with students from a range of Arabic countries making up the largest contingent.  There is a small number of Emirati students (13) and 92 students who had been identified with additional learning needs. 

South View School sees itself as British school with an international cohort, providing an excellent boutique-style education in the context of its community. 

In the 2023-24 academic year, students were supported by a teaching team of 103, the majority of whom are British or Irish nationals. Other native English speakers include teachers from South Africa, Australia and the USA, with further teachers from European and Arab countries.  All are degree holders either in Education or in position of a post-graduate teaching qualification. The school also has a School Counsellor and 32 classroom assistants to further support students.

SVS says it has a good mix of teaching experience among its staff members; a mix of more senior staff with confidence and experience on the one hand, together with ambitious mid-level staff, and newer teachers with the energy and enthusiasm that comes at the start of their careers. All teaching staff in Dubai must have a minimum two years teaching experience based on local regulatory requirements. On average, teachers have 8 years of teaching experience. 

The school has introduced a Teaching and Learning Framework which is used across the school from Year 3 onwards.  This ensures common processes are in place across all year groups, providing teachers with an opportunity to innovate, but with consistency. Teachers are encouraged to be life-long learners and participate in regular Professional Development. The school also has a link to the University of Birmingham and teachers may be part-funded by SVS to enable them to further their own education.

Find out more about the design and facilities of South View School by reading our Experience visit here.

What about the Curriculum?

The school follows the National Curriculum for England.  In early 2021, following the arrival of Mr. Flint, it was announced that South View would offer the IGCSE/GCSE curricula (together with BTEC qualifications) from August 2022 for students in Years 10,  followed by A Levels for students in Year 12 in August 2024.

The school aims to "provide students with a world-class education that will challenge and extend them, preparing them for life in the 21st century, where the ability to access global opportunities will be paramount."

In order to achieve these goals, SVS has implemented a student-led, inquiry-based curriculum. We asked Mr. Flint explain the benefits of this approach to delivery of the curriculum.

He told us;

"The transition from a manufacturing industrial base, particularly in the UK and western Europe over the last 45 years or so, has brought with it the need for very different skill-sets in the workplace. Supporting and encouraging this transition has been the exponential growth in information availability, both in terms of quantity and the ability to share it raw and in analysed form. As a result, education has seen a move away from a focus dominated by memorising data and information.  

"Inquiry based learning is a proven and powerful approach to learning that capitalises on natural human inquisitiveness as well as positive trial and error.  It not only promotes retention of knowledge, concepts, and skills in long term memory, it also highlights the importance of context, leading to a wider and deeper of understanding of a concept and how it fits into the wider world.  This enables students to transfer knowledge and apply it in unfamiliar circumstances giving them greater confidence to tackle new situations and problems, especially when doing so for the first time. 

"Inquiry-based learning fuels motivation as well as providing context, developing higher order learning skills and critical thinking. At South View, we will start lessons with “the big question” and use this as a basis to explore the lesson focus.  Students can then develop their learning through exploration and further hone their thinking through sharing and discussion." 

In terms of subjects, in addition to the core curriculum of English, Arabic and Islamic Studies, South View provides Science and Mathematics integrated into a STEAM approach, together with ICT through an integrated cross-curricular approach to learning. The school leadership is keen to see Design Technology flourish in the school and "bring together learning from other STEAM subjects".

Students from Year 3 onwards have a choice of French and Spanish as Modern Foreign Languages taught by specialist teachers.  Music and Art as well as Physical Education are offered as part of the core curriculum. Students will participate in external visits both within the UAE and overseas to provide real world experience to support their learning.

For students in Years 10 and 11, SVS offers a wide range of IGCSE/GCSE options, together with BTEC Level 2 subjects. 

Compulsory subjects include English Language (also as a second language), English Literature, Mathematics, Science: Double Award, Arabic A and B, Islamic (non-IGCSE examation - compulsory for Muslim students), and Moral, Social, and Cultural Studies (non-examination). 

In addition, students choose four Option Subjects from IGCSE Art and Design, Business, Economics, French, Geography, Global Perspectives,
History, Drama, Music, and Physical Education.  Psychology, Science: Triple Award and Spanish are offered as GCSE subjects only. Two BTEC options are also included, in Business and Travel and Tourism.

As students move on to the Sixth Form, they are again offered a range of A Level and also BTEC Level 3 options. The school has deliberately chosen to follow the International A Level curriculum which offers a modular approach to examinations.  A Level subjects include English, Mathematics, Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Humanities (History, Geography), Arts (Art, Drama & Theatre), Business Studies, Economics, Computer Science, Media Studies, Psychology and Languages (French, Spanish).

Increasingly popular, vocationally-based BTEC Level 3 options include Business, Media, Sport, Travel and Tourism and, from September 2025, Executive Hospitality and Culinary Arts, which has exclusively been enhanced and customised for SVS. Year 12 students will attend the International Institute of Culinary Arts operated by the Jumeirah Group. One of the aims of the course is to break the male dominance and stereotypes within the culinary profession, where the vast majority of acclaimed chefs are men. 

With the growing acceptance of the BTEC qualification  it is now recognised by the UAE Ministry of Education for equivalency), there are only a handful of UK universities (Cambridge and the London School of Economics) that do not yet recognise this increasingly popular pathway. 

South View School aspires to support students in their native language, believing that high levels of language competence are the foundation for success in the global world. With this in mind, the school provides opportunities for students to attend mother-tongue instruction both within and outside of the school day.

Provision for students who are non-native English speakers is also available, both within lessons and as part of a withdrawal programme where required, to ensure that the students can access their learning and make great progress on their learning journey. English Language Extracurricular Activities are also be available to students to support them in their learning of English.

A relationship has been established with the Headway Group for English as an Additional Language support, more recently, particularly, for Russian and Ukrainian students who have joined the school.   Word of mouth from within these communities, with regard to the academic excellence that parents see provided to their children, has resulted in further interest in SVS.

SVS also appreciates the need for students to have a focus away from the academic and to develop their interests through extra-curricular activities.  The school offers a full range of teacher-led extra-curricular activities, running throughout the week from Year 1 upwards. A range of sporting, academic, language and creative activities are available to South View students with sports squads additional to these ECAs. SVS squads participate in football, swimming, netball, cross-country, and basketball among other team sport options.

The school also offers a range of paid additional extra-curricular activities by external providers including Los Atletas Tennis Academy, Hamilton Aquatics, Just Play, Chess Knowledge, Musical Expressions and Premier Genie.

What about students of Determination and those with Gifts and Talents?

With the emphasis on inclusion and support for students of determination in line with the KHDA's Inclusive Education policy, the Inclusion Department is positioned in the heart of the school to reflect South View's inclusive philosophy and approach.  A dedicated team of the Head of Inclusion, two Special Educational Needs Coordinators, four teachers, and additional Learning Support Assistants are responsible for the provision of tailored support.  

All lessons are differentiated to support the needs of all learners; this includes students who are more able, gifted and/or talented, as well as those for whom learning presents some challenges.

The overall purpose of The Inclusion Department is to develop, in students, the learning skills necessary to access the wider curriculum, to help extend the most able and to raise each student’s confidence and self-esteem.  Interestingly - and very positively - South View School does not make any additional charges for its support of students with additional needs.

At the time of the second DSIB inspection in March 2024, SVS had 92 students registered as students of Determination.  The provision and outcomes for such students was rated Good. 

The inspection report notes that "Leaders promote a strong commitment to inclusion in the school. The dedicated inclusion team are held accountable for the implementation of a supportive inclusion policy which consistently directs positive, provision and student outcomes.  Well-developed assessment procedures carefully consider barriers to learning and strongly inform specific assessments and modifications for further planning. Comprehensive knowledge of students’ needs is helping to support the team and class teachers to improve students’ learning and their outcomes.

The careful monitoring of students’ wellbeing and personal development results in a variety of thoughtful initiatives. Career guidance, provision for those with gifts and talents and support for students for whom English, is not their first language, are features in enhancing students’ personal and academic growth."

What about the facilities?

South View School boasts some exceptional facilities, with specialist areas being provided for every Key Stage; the design of the school will meet all students' academic needs. Premium facilities include separate and dedicated specialist science and athletic facilities for Foundation Stage, Primary and Secondary, in addition to separate playgrounds, break-out areas and social spaces for each of age group. Plans in place for for a dedicated outdoor learning space for Early Years students.

Since opening additional facilities and resources have been added including a dedicating learning support facility, “The Base” for secondary students, creation of an expanded dining space with a full AV, fit for parent and student events, and creation of specialist rooms for STEAM, Arabic and Music.

The most recent addition has been "The Loft", a dedicated space for Sixth Form students.

With the expansion of the school to incorporate Sixth Form facilities and the overall growth in student numbers, SVS has planned further facilities to include a dedicated Sixth Form suite comprising tutorial rooms, break out areas, reading rooms, recreation space, universities and careers support as well as office space. This area will be further expanded over the 2025 summer vacation period.

Outdoor spaces for sports, recreation and socialisation have also not been forgotten. 

Plans for an upgrade of the sports field and roof court provision are currently in process ahead of the 2025-26 academic year.

South View’s sports facilities include a full secondary school-sized football field, a competition-sized, temperature-controlled swimming pool as well as a smaller training pool for younger children, three Multi-Purpose Halls for a range of athletics, a dance studio, multiple outdoor roof courts and access to three dedicated tennis courts. 

What about academic achievement?

SVS did not share its I/GCSE, Level 2 BTEC and AS level results with WhichSchoolAdvisor.com in 2023-24, something we hope will change for 2024-25.

For a round up of 2024's UAE-wide IGCSE results, go here.

The school did, however, share some details of its TIMMS results for 2023, which were published in December 2024.  Trends in International Mathematics and Science is a global study that takes place every three years. Students from Year 5 and Year 9 at schools across the UAE participated in the last round.  Find more details of UAE results here.

SVS has published its results for the Year 9 students who participated in the most recent round which were well above the average for Dubai, TIMMS participating schools internationally and the UK.

	SVS	Dubai	TIMMS	UK
Mathematics	586	561	478	525
Science	591	563	478	531

What the inspectors say

South View School was one of a number of schools whose first DSIB inspection was delayed as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. 

When the inspection did finally take place in early March 2022, the school was awarded an overall Good rating - the highest rating given to new schools on first inspection at that time.  In fact the school received a wide range of Good ratings with several key performance measures rated Very Good. 
The first inspection was followed, in March 2023, by the second inspection where the school was again awarded a Good rating.  The third inspection, which took place in February 2024, again resulted in a Good rating, although the FS and Primary sections of the school had a significant number of improved ratings to Very Good.

In some ways, it seems that SVS has been a victim of its own success, with its rapid growth to an almost fully formed all-through school, and the growth in student (and, therefore, teacher) numbers in the Secondary school, not quite having developed cohesively. 

The FS and Primary sections saw a range of improvements to Very Good from Good, for progress in English and Maths and for Science in FS. The`Secondary section saw Good ratings retained across the three core subjects with the exception of attainment in English which was rated Acceptable.

Arabic and Islamic Studies (inspected only in the Primary and Secondary were rated largely Good in Primary and Acceptable in Secondary.  These will inevitably continue to be an area of focus for the inspection team.

Students' personal and social development received improved Very Good ratings for the most part (Social development in post 16 was rated Good), whilst the Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures was rated Good across the school.

The two key performance standards of Teaching and Assessment, and the Curriculum, which have such a fundamental influence on Student Outcomes, were awarded Very Good ratings in the FS section, (with Primary receiving the same rating for the Curriculum). The other sections of the school were largely rated Good although, disappointingly, post-16 Teaching for effective learning was rated Acceptable. 

Health and Safety (including Child Protection) was rated Outstanding across the school, whilst Care and Support was rated Very Good. Lastly, Leadership and Management was awarded Good ratings for The effectiveness of leadership, School self-evaluation and improvement planning, and for Parents and the community. Governance and the Management, staffing, facilities and resources were found to be Very Good.

Overall, the strengths of South View School were identified as:

• The progress of children in FS as a result of high-quality teaching, learning and assessment

• Students’ strong personal development

• The protection, care, guidance and support of students

• The management of staffing, facilities and resources.

In terms of areas for improvement, the inspection team  recommended that South View School should:

• Provide high-quality teaching for effective learning across all subject areas and phases, but particularly in the upper two phases.

• Make effective use of the assessment information to implement lessons that challenge and support all groups of students.  

• Enhance leaders’ capacity and skills further so that they are able to address potential barriers associated with the school's demographic intake.

• Improve the school’s self-evaluation and improvement planning by incorporating quantifiable targets that can be regularly reviewed and amended to secure sustainable higher student outcomes.

If you would like to read the full inspection report - and we strongly suggest that you do so in order to understand the reasons behind the ratings and recommendations - you will find it here.

In a new evaluation introduced in the 2022-23 academic year, the inspection team again review 'the quality of wellbeing provision and outcome' which was found to be at a very good level in 2023-24.

The inspectors commented that:

• The school's vision focuses strongly on integrating wellbeing into its ethos and culture. The highly skilled leadership team consistently reviews wellbeing, resulting in the highly effective promotion and development of policies and practices. The collection of data, which includes feedback from stakeholders, and regular monitoring is the basis for very successful provision. Overall, the school’s commitment to wellbeing is having a very positive influence on the whole school community.  
• Stakeholder involvement is strong, and the school is highly successful in engaging with and increasingly supporting the wellbeing of students and staff. The specialist team provides very high levels of individual care, guidance and support. Parents praise the school for the manner in which it assists and supports their children. A wide range of wellbeing roles, undertaken by students from all levels, plays a very important role in developing the wellbeing agenda throughout the school.
• Members of staff implement a whole-school approach to the promotion and development of wellbeing to cater for an increasingly diverse range of needs. In-class activities, together with opportunities to engage in a wide variety of interesting extra-curricular activities, are key to enhancing the development of students’ social skills, their emotional intelligence, self-regulation and resilience. Students exhibit positive attitudes to each other and their teachers. They state that they feel cherished in their school.

In terms of areas for development, the inspectors recommended that SVS should:

• Consider increasing the intervals at which all members of staff have opportunities to participate in wellbeing data-gathering exercises so that effective steps can be taken to respond to any emerging issues.

According to Vice Principal, Naomi Williams, SVS has a particular focus on Well-being within the school, which is led by a Head of Well-being/Mental Health. The school surveys students from Years 5 to 13 every two weeks on their current Well-being status, together with staff who are surveyed anonymously on a monthly basis.  SVS is developing a positive grip on its understanding of Well-being across the school, not as it may be on a single day, but by encouraging the school community to live it every day.

The Buzz

A significant number of parents - 360 so far - have responded to the WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Parent Survey.  Parents seem for the most part to be very positive about the school, rating it 4.3/5 or a positivity rating of 86%.   

Almost 3/4 of students have a 'tremendous' sense of belonging and enjoyment of their school. 60% of parents had switched their child(ren) to South View from another UAE school, so have experience of alternative options.  Having chosen South View, 86% of respondents had not considered moving their child(ren) elsewhere - well above the UAE average of 75%.  Close to same percentage (87%) are satisfied with the Academic Performance of the school, with only 2% dissatisfied.   

84% of respondents are satisfied with communication with the school.  The highest overall rating of 89% satisfaction was given to the school's disciplinary policy and its implementation. A huge 93% of parents would unreservedly recommend South View School to other parents.

If there is a niggle, it is the usual one of value for money in relation to fees. Whilst 61% of parents feel that fees do represent value for money, 35% only partially agree with this statement although only 4% totally disagree. 

The overall rating of the school also appears to be brought down by some below-average ratings on specific activities within the school, including competitive sport (mentioned as an issue by Secondary school parents), performing arts and presentation skills.  As the school grows through its Senior school, so these issues are more likely to reduce in their impact.

 If you are a parent, teacher or older student at South View School, please share your experience with other potential members of your community by completing our Survey here.

Although the KHDA no longer publishes the outcomes of its surveys, the inspectors do continue to comment on the partnership between the school, parents and the community.

The latest inspection report notes that:

"The school effectively involves all parents in their children's learning. Various communication channels, including social media, enable regular parental updates for parents on their children’s learning...Parents value the weekly newsletter and termly academic reports in the lower two phases. The school's partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally contribute to enhancing students' cultural awareness."

Our View

Certainly South View School seems to have the right mix in terms of the Owners', the facilities and the commitment to succeed.  Having opened with just 150 children in the pre-Covid UAE economic environment was an achievement in itself, particularly given the school's somewhat outlying location off the Emirates Road at Remraam and with the long-established Jebel Ali School as a neighbour. 

To have increased that number eight-fold in the space of six years is a major achievement, but there has been a need for the leadership to place considerable focus on ensuring that the school retains and improves upon the quality of education provided in the face of such rapid growth.  The recent announcement of the appointment of an exceptionally experienced and qualified Secondary Head clearly indicates the recognition of development in this section of the school in particular.

What about the Fees?

Fees including discounts in some year groups start at AED 44,452 for FS1 and AED 45,970 for FS2 and AED 64,992 for Year 13.

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

South View School is a Best of school, a ranking determined by parent surveys on the site. It can be found in the following Best of rankings:

• #82 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #34 in Best Premium Schools in Dubai
• #27 in Best Premium British Schools in Dubai
• #20 in Best A Level Schools in Dubai
• #42 in Best British Schools in Dubai
• #25 in Best BTEC Schools in Dubai
• #57 in Best Schools in Dubai

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