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Begin with our international schools in Abu Dhabi directory for the full list by curriculum and stage. Under UAE law and the rules of the emirate's regulator, ADEK, private and international schools must make reasonable adjustments for pupils with additional needs, so most mainstream schools offer some inclusion support. The schools below stand out because they publish a dedicated learning support or inclusion team and describe how they assess and support pupils individually. This is a shortlist to research and visit, not a ranking, and the right placement depends on your child's profile.
Where a child needs a specialist programme rather than mainstream inclusion, a dedicated centre may be the better route, and an educational assessment will help you decide. To narrow the field around your child's needs, the school finder filters Abu Dhabi schools by stage, curriculum and priorities.
The shortlist
The British International School Abu Dhabi
The British International School Abu Dhabi, part of the Nord Anglia group, runs one of the city's more substantial inclusion departments, supporting pupils with additional learning needs alongside English as an additional language and more able learners. The school describes provision as assessed and tailored on an individual basis, with an experienced special educational needs team working across the primary and secondary years, which suits families who want inclusion embedded through the whole school.
Abu Dhabi International School
Abu Dhabi International School publishes dedicated inclusion and student support services, with a learning support team that identifies needs and works closely with individual pupils and their families. Provision is structured around clear identification and ongoing review, and the school has a long record of supporting pupils towards their learning goals, making it a sound shortlist entry for families who want a settled, established support structure.
The British School Al Khubairat
The British School Al Khubairat, or BSAK, describes inclusion as actively practised and valued across the school, with a learning support team that helps pupils with additional needs take a full part in school life through to the sixth form. For families who want a long established British school where inclusion runs alongside a strong academic programme, BSAK is worth shortlisting and visiting to discuss your child's specific needs.
Reach British School
Reach British School operates a named achievement team that brings together learning support, English as an additional language and more able provision under one structure, so additional needs are addressed as part of everyday teaching. It is a useful shortlist option for families looking for a British curriculum school with a clearly defined, joined-up approach to inclusion.
How we chose
We included only Abu Dhabi schools that publish a learning support or inclusion team and describe individualised assessment and support, and we confirmed each is a real, operating international school in the city. We did not rank or score them and we attach no ratings, because the right school for a child with special educational needs depends entirely on the child's profile, the level of support required and the fit of the setting. Always meet the inclusion lead, ask about ratios and any additional support fees, and share existing reports early, as provision and capacity change year to year and are reviewed by ADEK.
Find an inclusive school in Abu Dhabi
Tell us your child's stage and support needs and the school finder returns a matched Abu Dhabi shortlist to visit.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
Some Abu Dhabi schools include moderate learning support within standard tuition, while others charge separately for one-to-one assistants or specialist programmes, so always confirm any additional learning support fees in writing. Tuition is reviewed annually by ADEK, so rather than quote figures that date quickly we keep the live bands in our guide to international school fees in Abu Dhabi. From there, use the school finder to shortlist, browse the full Abu Dhabi schools directory, or compare related shortlists for sixth form and university preparation in Abu Dhabi.
Common questions
Yes. UAE law mandates inclusive education and ADEK, the Abu Dhabi regulator, requires private and international schools to make reasonable adjustments for pupils described in the UAE as People of Determination. Provision still varies by school, so confirm the specific support a school offers for your child's profile.
The British International School Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi International School, The British School Al Khubairat and Reach British School all publish inclusion or learning support provision with dedicated staff. Each assesses needs individually, so ask to meet the inclusion lead before you apply.
An inclusive mainstream school teaches pupils with additional needs alongside their peers with in-class and small-group support, while a dedicated special needs centre offers a specialist programme and therapy. The right setting depends on the level of support your child needs, which an assessment will clarify.
Share any existing reports or diagnoses early, ask about the inclusion team, ratios and any additional learning support fees, and request to see how pupils with similar needs are supported day to day. Use the school finder to build a shortlist, then visit and speak to the inclusion lead at each one.
Some schools include moderate support in standard tuition while others charge for one-to-one assistants or specialist programmes. Fees are reviewed by ADEK and change annually, so confirm any additional learning support charges in writing and see our international school fees in Abu Dhabi guide for the wider fee picture.