Victory Heights Primary School – City of Arabia was founded with a simple but powerful conviction: that children thrive when they are truly known. Not as data points or cohort averages, but as individuals — each with their own story, strengths, and potential waiting to unfold.
A School Like No Other
Nestled in the heart of City of Arabia, our campus has been purpose-built to offer something larger schools simply cannot - a place where every child is truly known. Small class sizes, thoughtfully designed spaces, and generous outdoor areas create an environment where curiosity is nurtured, confidence grows naturally, and children feel a genuine sense of belonging.
From our earliest days, we set out to be different. Not different for the sake of it, but deliberately designed around what research tells us matters most: strong relationships, high expectations, and a genuine sense of belonging.
The earliest conversations about the school were centred on one question: what kind of environment would we want for our own children? From that question grew the name, the identity and the culture that define Victory Heights Primary today.
The uniform, the crest and the language we use were all shaped to reflect community, pride and high expectations. It is special to see that founding vision continue to guide the school’s journey.
Our Values
Everything we do is guided by three core values that permeate school life — from the classroom to the playground, from assemblies to after-school clubs.
- Nurture — We create a safe, supportive environment where every child feels valued and cared for. Our pastoral approach ensures no child is ever overlooked.
- Challenge — We believe children rise to meet high expectations. Our curriculum is rigorous, our teaching is excellent, and we push every learner to discover what they are truly capable of.
- Excel — We celebrate achievement in all its forms. Academic results matter, but so does character, creativity, resilience, and kindness.
The British Curriculum, Delivered With Care
We follow the National Curriculum for England from Foundation Stage 1 through to Year 6, adapted thoughtfully for our international context. Our teachers bring prior experience of working in the UK or within British curriculum schools in the UAE, combining strong subject knowledge with a genuine passion for primary education that is evident in every lesson.
Beyond the core subjects, our children benefit from specialist teaching in:
- Physical Education
- Music
- Arabic language and Islamic Studies
- Spanish (from Year 3)
- STEAM/SPARK (from Year 1)
- Computing (from Year 1)
- Art (from Year 1)
- Swimming
Mr Seldon has been amazing, his energy and the positive, fun, supportive environment he creates has made such a difference
Parent, Year 1 FamilySmall By Design
We are deliberately small. This is not a limitation — it is our greatest strength. In a school of our size, every teacher knows every child. Every child has a voice. Every family is part of a genuine community.
Our low student-to-teacher ratios mean that learning is personalised in a way that larger schools can only aspire to. When a child struggles, we notice immediately. When a child excels, we ensure they are stretched. When a child needs encouragement, they receive it — by name, with understanding, at just the right moment.
A Community That Cares
When you walk through our gates, you feel it immediately. Parents greeting teachers by first name, teachers responding in kind. Children running to show their work to the Principal. A warmth and openness that is unmistakably VHPS.
Our parent community is active and engaged, with a thriving PTA that organises events, fundraisers, and social gatherings throughout the year. We believe that the partnership between home and school is sacred, and we invest in it every single day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Victory Heights City of Arabia is a new campus built on the established heritage of the Victory Heights family of schools. We opened in September 2025. Our model, curriculum approach and leadership ethos are grounded in years of successful delivery within the Dubai education landscape.
City of Arabia is part of the same educational family, sharing leadership philosophy, academic standards and community values. There is also meaningful continuity across our senior leadership. Members of the central team — including our Director of Academics, who was the Founding Principal of the original campus, and our Director of Inclusion — work across the group. In addition, the Founding Principal of City of Arabia was part of the original Victory Heights school from its opening, ensuring deep alignment of ethos, expectations and culture.
While each campus develops its own character, both are united by a commitment to high-quality British education and strong pastoral care.
Victory Heights City of Arabia is led by Ben Rothwell, Founding Principal, who served as Headteacher at Victory Heights Sports City until July 2025 and has been part of the Victory Heights journey since its founding year in 2013. His experience in leading an established and highly regarded British primary school in Dubai provides continuity, clarity of vision and strong educational direction.
He is joined by an experienced senior leadership team including Rob McCall, Danielle Barratt-Duffy, Charlotte Brookson and Michelle Choytooa — all of whom bring significant middle and senior leadership experience from Victory Heights Sports City — as well as Natalie Doidge, Head of EYFS, who has considerable experience leading Outstanding Early Years provision in Dubai.
Together, the team combines proven leadership experience with the energy and ambition of a founding campus. Click here to learn more about our leadership team.
Visit Us
The best way to understand what makes Victory Heights special is to see it for yourself. We offer personalised tours throughout the academic year, where you will meet our leadership team, visit classrooms in action, and feel the warmth of our community first-hand.