The Indian Academy Dubai

The Indian Academy Dubai (TIA) provides the Indian curriculum (CBSE) to students enrolled from Pre KG to Grade 12. The school has been operational since 2012 and now accommodates over 1000 students. The faculty is well-qualified and dedicated to the progress of children. The Indian Academy is a part of LEAMS Education, an education management company based in the UAE. The school is in Muhaisnah 4, close to Al Qusais area in. Despite being in operation for a limited period of time, The Indian Academy has acquired a rating of ‘good’ from the KHDA.

LEAMS (Leading Education And Management Solutions) also known as Iqra Education is an education management company under Gamma Holdings. LEAMS has been administering schools and nurseries across Dubai and Sharjah for over three decades.

Currently, there are five schools in Dubai managed by LEAMS. All its campuses deliver diverse educational programs whilst offering stimulating multicultural learning environments for students.

• Location: Al Muhaisnah
• School Fee: AED 9,355 - AED 18,675
• Curriculum: CBSE
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• KHDA Rating: Good
• Years offered: KG 1 - Grade 12

The Indian Academy, which is located in Muhaisnah is easily reachable from numerous residential communities including:

• Al Qusais
• Al Twar 1
• Al Mizhar
• Oud Al Muteena 1

Al Qusais is the closest residential community near the Indian Academy school. It has a variety of apartments available for rent and sale.

Parents wanting to stay close to the Indian Academy Dubai can consider looking at the properties for rent and sale in Muhaisnah.

• Apartments for rent near Indian Academy Dubai
• Villas for rent near Indian Academy Dubai

Located in Muhaisnah 4, behind Madina Mall, the school comprises a main four-storey building that sits on a large rectangular plot. A low-rise building towards the far end of the school functions as the reception and administration area.

The KG classrooms are located in a separate block with its own outdoor covered play area. The remaining classrooms are spread across the main building. The Indian Academy campus comes with the following facilities:

• Library
• Canteen
• ICT lab
• Science laboratories
• Clinic
• Covered play area
• Interactive whiteboards

The Indian Academy Dubai is behind Madina Mall in Al Muhaisnah 4. This area is a prime residential neighbourhood with a lot of amenities like hospitals, supermarkets and community parks  nearby.

Though The Indian Academy Dubai is an Indian curriculum school, the management promotes the adoption of best practises from different boards for a more holistic approach to education. The school follows an experiential and activity-based approach, so students are more proactive learners. The school fosters a fun and enjoyable environment for students so that they are excited to come to school every day.

At TIA, the learning is supported by field trips, project work, and other extracurricular activities. Such initiatives help to enhance the skills and knowledge of students and create inquisitive learners.

The school has also been able to secure many academic achievements including impressive performances in the English Olympiad, Ignited Minds, Royal Spelling Bee and the Star Quiz Challenge. These events held by external institutions provide additional exposure to students.

In 2019, becoming a sustainable educational institution supporting Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy, TIA installed a rooftop solar plant, spread across three of the school’s buildings, helping to offset 70 percent of its electricity needs through solar energy.

Since The Indian Academy Dubai follows the CBSE curriculum, a high degree of emphasis is placed on the Grade 10 board examinations. Students appearing for the All Indian Secondary School Examinations in the tenth standard are given special attention to ensure they pass with flying colours.

The Indian Academy curriculum is based on the CBSE curriculum. However, the management is keen on incorporating best practices from other popular educational systems including the British, American and International Baccalaureate curricula.

By doing this, the school ensures that children get the best outputs from all these well-designed systems. Having said that, the school does take considerable efforts to maintain the standards set by the CBSE curriculum. Textbooks are developed by the board approved NCERT, to ensure children are able to pick up key concepts in the best way possible.

Kindergarten Curriculum

The children in Kindergarten are taught based on the UK EYFS curriculum. This is a standard international curriculum based on age-specific learning goals.

Primary and Secondary School Curriculum

The main curriculum, which begins from Grade 1, includes core subjects such as English, Science, Mathematics, ICT, Social Science and a second language of the student’s choice. Students also undertake personal and social development activities such as gardening, swimming, music, cookery and PE, in addition to the academic program. Arabic, Islamic Studies and UAE Social Studies, are also included in the curriculum from the primary grades.

Students have the option to choose between Hindi and French as their second language while studying in The Indian Academy Dubai.  Primary, Middle and Secondary School students have access to Arts and Crafts, Music and Dance, Drama and Role Play and Physical Education which are included within the timetable.

The students undergo external examinations including the following

• IBT-ACER/ ASSET– The International Benchmark Test (IBT) is an international assessment program that students can use to compare their performance globally.  The tests cover English, Mathematics, Science, Arabic Language and Reasoning.
• Spelling Bee – The Spelling Bee is a competition where students are asked to spell a broad selection of words with varying degrees of difficulty.
• Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) – This is an international assessment that is used to compare a student’s performance in Mathematics and Science against certain established global standards.
• Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) -This is a global test held for 15-year-olds in Reading, Mathematics and Science

Assessment

At the commencement of the academic year, a base-line test is used to set targets for each subject. This test is based on the skills required in the current grade. The other assessments and evaluations are based on the academic curriculum. This is reflected in the mid-term review report and the end of term evaluation report cards.

Assessments are usually spread over both formative and summative assessments. Non-scholastic attainment includes – Physical Education, Art, Music and other activities.

Formative assessments are done through a series of assignments, workshops, quizzes, seminars and more.

Summative Assessments are conducted at the end of each academic term. These are conceptualised with a more formal design. Students are evaluated using detailed question papers that focus on specific portions covered during the course of the term or year.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is responsible for the growth and quality of private education in Dubai. They inspect the performance of private schools in Dubai with judgments made on a six-point scale of:

Here is a history of school inspection by KHDA:

KHDA inspected Indian Academy from 16th to 20th October 2022 and rated it as “Good.”

Students have very good learning skills, progress and attainment in English, Mathematics and Science in KG but in other sections, it is at least good in core subjects. Students show a positive attitude towards their learning and school. They are self-disciplined and follow rules. Secondary section students take critical feedback well. Students show clear knowledge and understanding of Islamic values and life in the UAE.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and they create motivating learning environments. Appropriate challenges and support are given by teachers in the best lessons. Arabis and Islamic Education teachers should develop strategies to make students know, remember and do more.

The curriculum is fully compliant; it is focused on the development of skills and knowledge. Students are determination get Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to achieve set targets. The curriculum is partially successful in meeting the needs of gifted and talented students.

The school’s priority includes the well-being of students, staff and parents. It is evident in all aspects of school life. Protocols to safeguard students are clearly communicated to stakeholders and are rigorously followed.  School principal and leadership have a clear strategic vision and direction that align well with the UAE’s national priorities.

The best features of the school are:

• The very good quality of achievement in Mathematics, Science and English in Kindergarten
• The social and personal development of students across all phases
• School’s student protection process, health and safeguarding of children
• The support of parents and their trust in the school’s ethos, mission and vision

Key recommendations made by the KHDA are:

• Improve teaching quality for effective learning and use of assessment in Islamic Education and Arabic to make students achieve well
• Make quality of teaching consistent within subject areas and phases to make students experience high quality learning
• Develop leadership skills in middle leaders especially in Arabic and Islamic Education
• Ensure the school offers proper opportunities for extra-curricular activities to enrich students’ lives

• The academic year starts in the first week of April. Students go on a two-month summer vacation from July to August.
• School commences again in late August and ends in the second week of December followed by a winter break of three weeks
• The last term starts from January and concludes in mid-March.

The Indian Academy admissions start by filling the inquiry registration form available on the official website. After submitting the inquiry registration form, parents receive an acknowledgment email and a reference number required for further processing.

Parents must also pay a non-refundable application fee of AED 300 online or by visiting the school campus. Online payments require a login ID and password. However, the school encourages parents to pay the fee online to avoid the long queue. After reviewing the mandatory documents and previous school reports, the admission team contacts parents via email or by phone to schedule the entrance exam or interview.

Once a seat is allotted and the admission is confirmed, parents must pay an admission fee of AED 500 with a 10% seat confirmation fee. This fee is deductible from the tuition fee. Parents must pay the fee to confirm the seat within 10 working days after receiving the seat confirmation email. If parents don’t pay the admission fee at the given time, the applicant is placed on the waiting list.

Parents are requested to submit the following documents at the time of admission:

• Passport copies of parents’ and student’s
• Residence visa page copies of parents and student
• Emirates ID cards of parents’ and student’s (front and back)
• Birth certificate of student preferably in English
• Recent passport size photographs of student
• Copies of student’s previous two years school reports (for Grade 1 and above)
• Last two years reports or CAT 4 report (for Grade 3 and above)
• Children with special needs must submit a medical or a therapy report which should be valid for 6 months
• Copy of vaccination record
• Transfer certificate or last school leaving certificate. (Original will be required on or before the child’s first day of school if the child is accepted into Indian Academy Dubai.)
• Due to a large number of applications, the school requests parents to submit the documents mentioned above online.

The school follows this age criterion for admission:

The Indian Academy Dubai Fees is as follows:

Method of Payment: Online fee payment/ Cash or Cheque payment/Bank transfer payment/ Credit cards

The school offers the following sibling discount:

Additional Fees:

The Indian Academy of Dubai has an attractive scholarship plan for eligible students. This is to recognise their academic excellence and non-academic achievements. The scholarships are based on the submission of necessary documents and approval by the school management.

Indian Academy School Dubai has a canteen available in its premises that provides nutritious snacks to students.

The school offers safe and reliable commuting services to students. The annual two-way bus transport fees are as follows:

Currently, The Indian Academy school has no boarding facilities.

The school offers summer camps in collaboration with the Eduscan Group. Details of activities offered as part of the holiday camps conducted by Eduscan will be communicated to parents a few weeks before the end of the term. Generally, children can be enrolled in leadership training classes, skill-based courses including swimming, aerobics, arts and crafts and more.

The school has a large indoor sports hall, cricket nets, main swimming pool and outdoor (paved) space for PE and sports activities. Children usually engage in sports such as basketball, tennis, badminton, football and more.

TIA offers various extra-curricular activities for its students. These include:

Moreover, one afternoon per week is also devoted to curriculum extension activities that provide ample opportunities for students to develop their innate interests and talents.

Students of TIA visit different places across their neighbourhood. They also interact with other local communities to experience multiple ideologies and develop an understanding of cultural sensibilities.

At TIA there is no provision for after school care for students in Pre KG to KG 2. The school offers extracurricular activities for older students at an added cost.

The school has a clinic facility with a registered nurse to administer first aid. Parents are contacted when children have any medical emergencies so that their well-being is looked after.

The parents’ portal of The Indian Academy keeps the parents updated regarding the events and happenings in the school. TIA advocates the role of parents in becoming an essential part of the growth and development of students. Parent-teacher meetings are held every term. During the meetings, suggestions are received and addressed. Term meetings also help to make sure that decisions taken have been followed up.

The official website is another source used by TIA to keep parents updated. Here, parents can access circulars, policies and newsletter. Not only this, teachers and parents can also contact one another via the school’s designated WhatsApp groups.

• Telephone: +971-4-264-6733|+971-4-264-6746 Ext. 109
• Email: info@indianacademydubai.com
• The Indian Academy Dubai Website
• The Indian Academy Dubai Facebook
• The Indian Academy Dubai Instagram

Please note that the cover image belongs to The Indian Academy Dubai.

What are the timings of the school?

 The school is operational from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.

How many grades/years are there in the school?

KG to Grade 12.

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Yes, Indian Academy, Dubai has a co-education model.

How many students are currently studying in the school? How many nationalities are represented?

The school has 1,184 students and most of them Indian.  

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The school year starts in April and ends in March.

Please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by the school.

AED 9,355 - AED 18,675

Does the school offer scholarship programmes to needy and deserving students?

Yes, there is a scholarship programme based on academic excellence and non-academic achievements.

How does the school communicate with parents?

For smooth communication with parent, Indian Academy Dubai organises parent-teacher meetings. Other sources of information for parents are the parents’ portal, school’s official website, circulars and newsletters.

Does the school have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

Yes, the school has a cafeteria that provides healthy and nutritious snacks to students.

Does the school have any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

Yes, Indian Academy has a dedicated team of professional who ensure students with special educational needs have customised but equal learning experiences as other students.

Does the school arrange field trips?

Yes, the school takes students on field trips.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

The school has 84 teachers and 19 teaching assistants. Most of the teachers are from India.