A timeline of growth and progress from QE Barnet to QE Dubai Sports Cityv

The story of Queen Elizabeth’s School is not defined by a single place or moment. It is shaped by time, purpose, and continuity. From its origins in 16th-century England to its presence today in Dubai Sports City, the journey reflects a steady commitment to scholarship, character and educational excellence.

This timeline of growth traces the journey from Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet to Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, highlighting key educational milestones that define the School’s global education journey.

I am writing this blog at 40,000 feet, somewhere over Munich, as I return to Dubai following an inspirational few days in the UK. Along with Louise, our Head of Admissions, and Anna from her team, we hosted an event for founding and prospective families currently based in the UK. Guests heard directly from the Headmaster, as well as from an Old Elizabethan who has been at the forefront of Queen Elizabeth’s international expansion.

A strong school is built on more than classrooms and curriculum. It is built on relationships, shared values and a sense of belonging. Within the British education system, the house system plays a central role in creating this foundation.

At Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, the house system is an integral part of school life. Rooted in British tradition, the QE House Programme supports students across K-12 by nurturing confidence, responsibility, and leadership skills. It strengthens wellbeing, encourages engagement, and builds a thriving school community where every child feels known and valued.

This guide explains how the house system works, why it matters, and how it supports holistic development beyond academics.

This weekend I had the chance to watch a recently released documentary that explores the rapid development of AI, and which painted (an at times alarming!) picture of the world that we are about to step into. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, is framed around the director’s reflections as he prepares to become a parent and the film repeatedly returns to a simple but profound question: what kind of world are we creating for the next generation? The answers to that question were in parts inspiring, and in others terrifying, but throughout, there was a sense that certain human attributes will increase in importance, like good judgement, empathy, resilience, ethical reasoning, and the ability to collaborate with others.

One of the great joys of recent weeks has been seeing just how excited my senior team have been in discussions about our curriculum; teachers very rarely get the chance to design a whole-school curriculum from the ground up, so we are jumping at this chance. Our conversations with families have been similar energising, as we have been able to talk with passion about not only what children will study, but how their learning is designed, sequenced, and brought to life over time, and supports or core mission of developing Confident, Able and Responsible young people. 

When founding a new school, a few fundamental questions surface again and again: why does this school need to exist, and what will genuinely make it different? In a city as educationally ambitious and increasingly mature as Dubai, many schools are well led, well resourced, and staffed by talented professionals, something demonstrated clearly in the sector’s response to remote learning and again this week in schools’ handling of the cancellation of GCSE, A Level, and IB examinations.

I've recently fallen into a podcast habit, keeping up to date with nearly ten different shows every week. By complete accident, I discovered last week that one of my teachers from my own school days has launched a podcast, reflecting on a long career in education that culminated in him leading one of Scotland's most successful schools. Listening to a few episodes filled me with nostalgia - and more than a little pride.

Last week marked an important milestone in our project, when I visited our site with the Heads of Senior and Prep Schools. We took delivery of the first two classrooms, on time, and we are delighted with what we have seen. We are deeply grateful to the projects team who, working strictly in line with the best safety advice and government guidance, have kept the project on track in recent weeks.