The school’s new move to Saadiyat Island meets the aspirations of students and families alike
PARTNER CONTENT: When Muna British Academy opened the doors to its new, purpose-built campus, it marked far more than a change of address.
The move represented a natural progression in a carefully considered journey – one shaped by parent trust, sustained quality and a clear sense of purpose.
“What I love about Muna is that it’s a family school. We have real connection with everyone in our community,” says Graeme Kinkead, Principal of Muna British Academy.
“That visibility – being able to move through the school and speak to families every day – is incredibly important. It’s part of who we are.”
A new environment, the same values
The Saadiyat campus has transformed what learning feels like day to day, without altering the school’s ethos.
Designed as a single, connected building rather than a series of separate blocks, the campus deliberately preserves Muna’s sense of togetherness.
Students of different ages share spaces, and the school continues to feel intimate despite its now more spacious surroundings.
Crucially, the new facilities unlock opportunities that were no longer possible at the former site.
The previous campus had proudly served our community well, reaching full capacity as demand grew steadily.
At the same time, families were increasingly asking for more: seamless continuity across year groups, and the opportunity for students to continue their journey at Muna as they approached secondary age.
“We were producing something really special educationally, but the building no longer supported our growing aspirations”, Kinkead explains.
“Parents recognised the school’s excellence and were keen to see an environment that reflected and supported the exceptional progress their children were making.”
The new location, set within Abu Dhabi’s distinguished cultural district, also brings learning closer to the wider world.
With museums, public spaces and cultural landmarks on the doorstep, Saadiyat offers rich opportunities for contextual learning, while its growing residential network allows many families to walk or cycle to school – strengthening the sense of Muna as part of everyday life.
Sustaining ‘Outstanding’ through change
Muna’s consistent ADEK Outstanding rating has been maintained through years of growth and transition. According to Kinkead, this rests on clarity of values and consistency of practice.
Muna is proudly diverse, welcoming families of many nationalities and a wide range of academic abilities.
What unites the Muna family are shared values: perseverance, kindness, strength of character and mutual respect.
“All are welcome and accepted here,” Kinkead says. “That’s not a slogan – it’s how the school operates every day.”
This commitment has meant that, even through periods of growth and change, the quality of teaching, care and relationships at Muna has remained consistent.
That stability shows in the results. In international assessments such as PIRLS and TIMSS, Muna’s students perform at, and in some areas above, the level of the world’s highest-performing education systems, exceeding ADEK targets and reaching the High International Benchmark.
For families, it offers reassurance that children are thriving and progressing well at every stage.
Expansion shaped by families
The gradual expansion to a full K-12 provision has been driven directly by parental demand.
For years, families had been asking for a Year 7 provision, and beyond – keen to keep siblings together and allow children to grow within a school culture and cohort they trusted.
“We were saying goodbye to our wonderful Year 6 graduates as they prepared for the next exciting chapter in their education,” Kinkead reflects.
“In many cases, their younger siblings would also move on to join them at their new secondary schools.
This year marks the introduction of Year 7, with Year 8 opening next year and further expansion planned in phases. Growth is intentionally measured. “It’s not a race,” Kinkead stresses.
“It’s about doing it well, with the right staff in place and a senior leadership team that remains prepared and forward-looking at every stage.”
Building secondary together
One of the most distinctive aspects of Muna’s expansion is its collaborative approach to secondary education.
In addition to our world-class British education, outstanding holistic development, and nurturing environment, we co-create models designed hand-in-hand with students, families, and educators.
Policies around devices, routines and expectations are shaped through dialogue, ensuring students have ownership over the culture they are part of.
The long-term vision includes a Sixth Form – space for which already exists but again, timing is guided by readiness, not pressure.
Aligned with Abu Dhabi’s vision
Muna’s evolution aligns closely with Abu Dhabi’s ambition for world-class, community-focused education.
Situated at the heart of Saadiyat’s cultural growth, the school sees itself as both a contributor to, and beneficiary of, the area’s vibrancy.
“A school and its surroundings shape one another. That shared relationship is what gives both their sense of purpose,” shares Kinkead.
As Muna continues its journey – shaped by families and guided by thoughtful leadership, it remains, at its heart, a school growing carefully with its community, preparing confident, capable young people.
Muna British Academy’s evolution is a reminder that the strongest schools are built not on scale, but on trust, people and purpose.
Find out more at munabritishacademy.ae
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