Grade 1 to grade 9School tests in the Gulf states
Each Gulf state runs its own school system, and many families choose a private school with a British, American, IB or Indian curriculum. Saudi Arabia tests every child in grades 3, 6 and 9 with its national assessments, NAFS. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, private schools must use international benchmark tests, such as CAT4 and reading tests, every year.
Which test in which grade?
Pick a system. British-curriculum schools use Years: Year 2 is grade 1.
- NAFS: reading and maths
Every grade 3 student, in the spring.
grade 3 8–9 - NAFS: reading, maths and science
Every grade 6 and grade 9 student, in the spring.
grade 6 11–12; grade 9 14–15 - School exams and reports
Set by the school, through the year.
grade 1 age 6–7; grade 2 7–8; grade 3 8–9; grade 4 9–10; grade 5 10–11; grade 6 11–12; grade 7 12–13; grade 8 13–14; grade 9 14–15
The 2026–2027 school year
Typical windows. Each school sets its own dates within them. Exact dates are shown only where checked against the official timetable; other periods are indicative. Confirm local arrangements with your school.
Changing schools in the Gulf
Families often move between schools and countries. Private schools set their own admissions.
Same curriculum
- Reports and test results
- Assessment
Then: Place in the matching year
Bring recent reports and any benchmark results, such as CAT4 or MAP Growth.
New curriculum
- Entrance assessment
- Year placement
Then: Set by the school
Moving between British Years and American or IB grades can change the year your child joins.
Sources
- ETEC: school guide for the National Assessments (NAFS) 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- GL Education: testing in the UAE (opens in a new tab)
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai (opens in a new tab)
- Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) (opens in a new tab)
Updated on 12 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.