Every list of the best schools in Sharjah is built on the same public evidence: SPEA inspection ratings, external accreditation, examination results and fees. This guide shows you how to read that evidence yourself, so you can build your own shortlist instead of relying on a ranking whose method you cannot see. We are a school, not a ranking site, so we do not rank other schools here. What we do is explain each criterion, show you where to verify it, and set out openly how Scholars International Academy (SIA) measures up on every one.
How schools in Sharjah are rated
The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) inspects every private school under the Itqan framework and publishes an overall rating: Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable or Weak. In the latest results, published in July 2026, Sharjah’s 127 private schools were rated as follows: one Outstanding, 19 Very Good, 77 Good and 30 Acceptable, with no school rated Weak. In practical terms, Good is the standard most schools meet, Very Good places a school in the top twenty, and Outstanding is currently a single school.
The overall grade is only the first line of the report. Each report also grades achievement in each phase, personal and social development, teaching and assessment, the curriculum, safeguarding and care, and leadership. Two schools with the same overall rating can look very different underneath, which is why our guide to school ratings in Sharjah walks through a full report section by section.
7 criteria that define the List of best schools in Sharjah
1. SPEA inspection rating and trend
Look at the current rating and the one before it. A school moving from Acceptable to Good is improving; a school holding Good across two cycles is stable. Ask the school directly for its latest report.
2. External accreditation
For British curriculum schools, British Schools Overseas (BSO) accreditation means the school has been inspected against the standards used for independent schools in England, and membership of British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) adds a second layer of peer review. Ask when the last accreditation visit took place and whether it is current.
3. External examination results
For a British school, compare the percentage of A* to C grades at IGCSE and A Level for the most recent year, and ask how many learners sat the exams. Results published without cohort sizes are hard to interpret.
4. Progress, not just attainment
Value added measures show how much progress learners make from their starting points. A school with a strong intake can post high results while adding little; a school that adds real value shows it in externally benchmarked progress data such as GL Assessment.
5. Fees and what they include
Compare the full annual cost: tuition, registration, resources, transport and external exam fees, and check sibling discounts and payment plans. Our guide to Sharjah private school fees explains typical ranges by curriculum.
6. Class size and support
Ask for the maximum class size in each phase, the number of teaching assistants in the Early Years, and how the school supports learners with additional needs and those who are ahead. Our guide to inclusive schools in Sharjah lists what to ask.
7. Sixth Form and university pathways
The best secondary schools give learners more than one route after Year 11. Check which A Level subjects are offered, whether BTEC or other applied qualifications are available, and where recent leavers have gone. Our comparison of BTEC vs A Levels explains how the two routes differ.
List of best schools in Sharjah by what you need
“Best” depends on your child and your circumstances. Use these guides to narrow the field:
By curriculum: British curriculum schools in Sharjah and how to choose a British school in Sharjah
By budget: affordable private schools in Sharjah
By area: schools in the Muwaileh school zone
By stage: the best nurseries in Sharjah and secondary schools in Sharjah
By support needs: inclusive schools in Sharjah
How Scholars International Academy measures against the 7 criteria
We apply the same test to ourselves. Every figure below links to the page where it is published.
| Criterion | Scholars International Academy |
| SPEA rating | Good in the most recent published inspection, with Very Good judgements for learners’ personal and social development and for safeguarding, care and guidance |
| Accreditation | Accredited by British Schools Overseas (BSO), member of BSME, and the first High Performance Learning accredited school in Sharjah (2021) (link) |
| Exam results 2025/26 | A Level: 27% A* to A and 73% A* to C. IGCSE: 25% A* to A and 64% A* to C. Top of the World in AS Level Psychology and Top in the UAE in IGCSE Coordinated Sciences (link) |
| Progress | GL Assessment value added score of 7.3, against UK and UAE averages of 0.5 and 1.85 (link) |
| Fees 2026/27 | AED 23,500 (FS1) to AED 35,875 (Years 11 to 13), paid in three terms, with a 10% sibling discount (link) |
| Class size and support | Maximum 24 in FS1 and FS2 and 28 from Year 1 to Year 13; teaching assistants from FS1 to Year 2; dedicated inclusion provision (link) |
| Sixth Form pathways | Pearson Edexcel International A Levels plus BTEC International Level 3 in Business, Applied Science, IT and Sport, with Sixth Form scholarships of 20% for learners with six or more A or A* grades at IGCSE (link) |
Questions to ask on a school tour
Take this list to every school on your shortlist:
1. May I see your latest SPEA report and your accreditation certificate?
2. What percentage of last year’s IGCSE and A Level grades were A* to C, and how many learners sat the exams?
3. What is the maximum class size in my child’s year group?
4. What does the annual fee include, and what is invoiced separately?
5. Which A Level and BTEC subjects run in the Sixth Form, and where did last year’s leavers go?
6. How do you support a learner who is falling behind, and one who is ahead?
SIA runs in person and virtual tours Monday to Thursday and at weekends (link). Bring the list and we will answer every question.
FAQ
How are the best schools in Sharjah ranked?
Published rankings draw on SPEA inspection ratings, accreditation, examination results, fees and parent surveys. The SPEA rating is the only one of these produced by the regulator, so start there and then check results and fees for yourself.
Which curriculum do most top rated schools in Sharjah follow?
Sharjah’s highly rated schools span British, Indian (CBSE), American, IB and Ministry curricula. A curriculum does not make a school good; teaching quality, leadership and learner progress do, and those are graded in every SPEA report whatever the curriculum.
Are there good schools in Sharjah with lower fees?
Yes. Many Good and Very Good rated schools charge well below the emirate’s premium tier. Compare the full annual cost, including resources, transport and exam fees, not tuition alone.
Where are most of Sharjah’s top schools located?
The Muwaileh school zone holds the largest concentration of private schools in the emirate, with others spread across the city’s residential districts. See our guide to schools in Muwaileh.
What is Scholars International Academy’s SPEA rating?
SIA’s most recent published SPEA rating is Good, alongside BSO accreditation and BSME membership. Details are on our accreditation page.