GEMS Royal Dubai School achieves IQM International Centre of Excellence status

September 22, 2026

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GEMS Royal Dubai School has achieved IQM International Centre of Excellence status in recognition of its outstanding inclusion provision and its commitment to ensuring that every student is supported to achieve, participate and feel a strong sense of belonging.

Inclusion at the heart of school life

RDS has a deep-rooted understanding of what it means to be inclusive, reflected in its vision and strategic plans. The school’s vision for inclusive education is ‘Achieving Excellence Together’, with RDShine Bright, Royal Standard, Linking Learning and Parents as Partners designed to embed the highest standards of education by ensuring all staff and students enact these values every day.

During the two-day assessment, it was clear to see the school’s commitment to personalising education, with staff supporting students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and focusing on strong relationships to ensure no child is overlooked. The Executive Leadership Team’s vision and focus of ensuring that all staff know students, personalise learning and forge strong relationships was very apparent in discussions with staff and students and throughout the school environment.

Personalised support and learning

There is a formidable Inclusion Team, also known as the Achievement Centre (ACe), at Royal Dubai, led by the Assistant Principal who is on the Executive Leadership Team. Together they have ensured that inclusion is a mindset and a part of everyday life for all stakeholders.

RDS has a fully inclusive curriculum which is meticulously designed by leaders and teachers as well as reviewed to ensure it includes the latest research on pedagogical practice such as adaptive teaching. The curriculum is ambitious, dynamic and forward thinking. It builds in the core values of empathy and compassion as well as critical thinking and curiosity, while providing students with a plethora of opportunities to express themselves through leadership, sports, academics and enhanced extracurricular activities.

The learning environment inside and out at RDS provides a variety of pull-out and sensory spaces to support neurodiverse learners, staffed by trained Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) and Teaching Assistants (TAs) who provide targeted and personalised intervention. One space called ‘The Physical Room’ offers occupational therapy, whilst Zones of Regulation throughout the school help students express and manage their emotions using images or drawings.

Leadership, teaching and student voice

Inclusion is at the heart of all strategic planning, and this is evident with a senior leader role designated to inclusion on the ELT. The school’s distributed leadership model ensures accountability at every level and consistent, effective teaching for students with special needs who also have access to a wide range of extracurricular activities.

RDS has aligned its teaching method with the Cluster’s Teach Like a GEM (TLAG) directive, adopting the ‘I do, We do, You do’ model. During joint learning walks, the assessor observed effective Adaptive Teaching implementation, strong teacher planning, vibrant classroom environments, rich resources, and high student engagement.

Student leadership is highly valued at RDS, with a wide range of roles such as Year 5 Senior School Leaders, House Captains, Year 3 Primary Subject Leaders in areas like ECO, Sports, Digital, and Recreation, as well as Year 7 and 8 Prefects who lead and run committees for Healthy Lifestyles and Wellbeing.

Parents as partners

RDS’s engagement with parents is exceptional and their strategic vision of ‘Parents as Partners’ has been realised through the analysis of parent surveys and discussions with families. Parents highlighted the school’s support for their children, its regular opportunities for social and emotional development outside school, and its diverse SEND workshops.

A strong foundation for the future

External validation has also recognised RDS’s inclusive approach. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has rated RDS as Very Good, with Inclusion rated as Outstanding, while the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection is rated Outstanding. The KHDA report mentions that student wellbeing and an ethos of inclusion are at the forefront of RDS strategic planning and commends the school leadership on its “inspirational vision for inclusion”.

As RDS expands its secondary provision, the assessor identified the importance of ensuring that RDS’s vision and values, as well as the school’s warm and inviting culture and ethos, become part of the new secondary school.

Find Out More About IQM

If your school is interested in achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award, contact the IQM team on 028 7127 7857 or email admin@iqmaward.com.

To find out more about IQM and request a free information pack, visit www.iqmaward.com.