Dubai (UAE) – With the 2025-2026 academic year kicking off in the UAE, all eight ISP schools, comprising The Aquila School, Nibras International School, Star International School, Mirdif, Star International School, Al Twar, The English College, Aspen Heights British School, Reach British School and Smart Vision School opened their doors to students following the long summer break.

Following months of preparation, ISP campuses across Dubai embraced its diverse student body. From vibrant classroom displays designed to spark curiosity, to carefully curated orientation sessions, the focus was on fostering a seamless transition to ensure every child feels comfortable, secure and excited to learn.

Beyond the classrooms, dedicated staff worked tirelessly to ensure families felt supported after the summer break, providing a nurturing open-door policy where parents could connect, ask questions, and feel confident that their children were stepping into a community poised for growth and success.

Many ISP schools reopened with enhanced learning areas which included new classrooms, labs, playgrounds, sport facilities, and even a new STEAM Centre at The English College. All the additions are designed to optimise curriculum learning while at the same time create inviting spaces for pupils to learn and thrive.

“You can feel the excitement at The English College as we welcome our students and families back for an inspiring new academic year. With the opening of our state-of-the-art STEAM building, every student will benefit from world-class facilities in Design Technology, Robotics, Graphics, and STEAM. Our dedicated new teachers, aligned with our vision for students to learn, thrive and make a difference, bring fresh energy and expertise to our community. Following a record-breaking year of A Level results, the stage is set for even greater achievements and opportunities for every learner,” said Emily Hopkinson, Principal at The English College.

Other ISP School leaders had this to share about welcoming their community back to school:

Craig Halsall, Principal of Reach British School, “We are delighted to welcome our families back. Our team of dedicated teachers are ready to inspire our students with amazing learning experiences. Our new Head of Primary, Mrs Nadia Orgil, has been welcoming our families in primary, while our secondary team has continued to celebrate our best ever exam results, with A level students achieving outstanding grades above national averages. It has been great seeing the enthusiastic reactions of our students as they see the updates we have made to outdoor play areas, and new canteen and Zen Garden we have. It has also been very warming to see that our families have embraced our no phones policy.”

Wayne Howsen, Principal of The Aquila School shared: " I always love the start of a new school year. This is the start of my 27th year of being a school Principal - and despite this the excitement is still there. From welcoming our new teachers with their broad experiences from all over the world - to seeing how quickly our new pupils settle in to having amazing learning every day here at The Aquila School - to simple things like seeing our newly repaired building and rooms and resources ready to welcome back the children. This year I am especially excited as we welcome Mrs Yasmine Dannawy as our new Head of Secondary who will bring her wealth of experience to ensure that we offer the very highest standards of learning throughout the secondary department. "

Lisa Passante, Principal of Star International School, Al Twar said: “We are thrilled to welcome our families and wider community back for an exciting year ahead at Star International School, Al Twar. This year marks not only the introduction of French into our curriculum beginning with years 5 to 9 but also a period of transformation for our secondary school, with major enhancements to learning spaces, facilities, and shared areas. It promises to be a year of growth, innovation, and opportunity for every student.”

Ensuring students are successful now and in the future is at the core of ISP's philosophy, driven by its Learning First™ framework. This framework seamlessly integrates with ISP's five educational pillars that include academic achievement, multilingualism, life competencies, international opportunities, and future pathways. ISP specifically focuses on international learning, cultivates a strong commitment to multilingualism, and provides a clear spotlight on future university and career pathways.

This comprehensive approach ensures students not only excel academically but also build resilience, cultural fluency, practical skills, and a clear sense of direction.

About International Schools Partnership: 

Moved by curiosity and empowered by self-confidence, students from ISP Schools thrive throughout their lifetime.  International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a global community of over 100 international schools across over 25 countries. We champion a transformative approach to learning that goes beyond the classroom. By igniting our students' curiosity and growing their self-confidence, we empower them to become the next generation of changemakers. Our unique approach to learning recognises our students as collaborators in the learning process. We focus on developing the knowledge and lifelong skills that help them thrive beyond their time at school.  ISP students benefit from teaching excellence, international opportunities, and careers guidance. Our schools have access to a global network of experts and our teachers and leaders are supported to continuously improve through extensive professional development programmes.  

ISP. Where confidence grows.  

For media enquiries, please contact:  
Janine Alamir 
janine.alamir@bursonglobal.com