Making history: Queen Elizabeth’s Schools open in India and Dubai

Under its pioneering Global Schools initiative, QE Barnet has successfully opened new schools in India and UAE – the first to bear the proud Queen Elizabeth’s name overseas.

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Gurugram, and Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, welcomed their founding families in colourful, joy-filled ceremonies.

Pupils explored their new schools, met their classmates, and received the warmest of welcomes: from teachers and other staff; from leaders of QE’s partner organisation, Global Education (GEDU) – and even from a couple of robots!

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “This is a tremendously significant milestone for QE Global Schools – the first time that a UK state school has ever opened affiliate schools abroad.

“I welcome and thank all the parents in Gurugram and Dubai who have entrusted us with providing a first-class, modern education for their children rooted in the mission, ethos and traditions of QE Barnet.

“I also offer my sincere congratulations to my colleagues both here and in Dubai and India: it is very exciting to see their hard work and preparations over many months coming to fruition.

“At a stroke, these openings create a new, worldwide family of QE schools. In the years to come, we look forward to many exciting collaborative, educational and networking opportunities for current pupils, alumni and staff alike.”

The two new schools are both fee-paying, co-educational schools open to children of nursery age onwards. They will eventually educate pupils up to and including Year 13. QE Gurugram will offer boarding, in addition to day places.

QE, Dubai Sports City, welcomed more than 500 pupils and staff for the start of the 2026–2027 academic year. Families joined together in the Founding Families’ Hub, where Arabic calligraphy, a majlis (a special gathering), and time together over coffee created a welcoming start to the morning. Across the campus, students explored their new surroundings with their QE Passports, visiting classrooms, sports facilities and the e-sports lab, before coming together for their first assemblies and team-building activities. The day also brought some memorable surprises, with a humanoid robot greeting families on arrival and a robot dog delivering House invitations to students as they discovered their House colours for the first time.

Dan Clark, Founding Principal of QE, Dubai Sports City, said: “The opening marked the beginning of an exciting journey, and we were delighted to welcome our founding students, families and staff.

“From the outset, our ambition has been to provide an outstanding academic education, framed around a simple mission: to nurture confident, able and responsible young men and women. This will be achieved by translating the deep culture of scholarship, the focus on character and the commitment to belonging that are the hallmarks of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet.

“We are excited for our students to experience our exceptionally broad offering, enhanced through unique partnerships in sport, creative arts, innovation and entrepreneurship. Each Elizabethan will have the opportunity to discover their strengths, develop their confidence and feel a genuine sense of belonging through our tailored signature programmes,” Mr Clark added.

At QE Gurugram, the inaugural cohort of students and their families were welcomed by the school leadership and introduced to the school’s vision and values through a special assembly and Bell Ceremony. The day included a Tree-Planting Ceremony, symbolising the beginning of a new community taking root in Gurugram, while families were invited to sign the school’s Legacy Book as part of its founding history. Gurugram, also known as Gurgaon, is a major satellite city of Delhi.

Dr Craig Cook, Founding Principal of QE Gurugram, said: “These children will always be the first chapter of Queen Elizabeth’s School in Gurugram. We want them to feel that this is a school where they are known, valued and challenged to discover what they can achieve. Academic excellence is important, but so are confidence, curiosity, relationships, creativity and character. Our responsibility is to give every child the opportunity to flourish.”

Caroline Pendleton-Nash, CEO of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools, said: “For our founding students, the year ahead will be filled with firsts: lessons, friendships, teams, competitions, celebrations and traditions. These are the moments that will begin to define our schools and, in years to come, become part of their history. There is something incredibly special about being part of a founding community. Our students and families will not simply join the story of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools; they will help shape it.”

Mr Enright and his senior staff in Barnet are playing a key role in shaping and guiding the new schools to ensure that they reflect the name and reputation of Queen Elizabeth’s School. For its part, GEDU – a hugely experienced organisation already educating 60,000 students across 12 countries – is shouldering much of the administrative burden of managing the new schools. Revenues from the initiative received by FQE International Enterprises will be invested into further improving educational opportunities at QE Barnet.

Click on the gallery of images below for more. You can see a short video from the opening of QE Dubai Sports City here.