About

History

The St. Mary’s Group of Schools in the United Arab Emirates has a rich history spanning several decades, marked by a commitment to providing quality education rooted in Catholic values.

It all began in 1967 when St. Joseph’s School was established in Abu Dhabi, offering a solid educational foundation to the community. The following year, in 1968, St. Mary’s Catholic High School Dubai was founded, becoming a beacon of academic excellence in the region.

In 1990, the School of Knowledge was inaugurated in Sharjah, offering comprehensive educational programs. This institution joined the St. Mary’s Group of Schools in 2012.  In 2002, St. Mary’s Catholic High School Fujairah opened its doors, extending the reach of quality education to another emirate in the UAE. This expansion demonstrated the commitment of the group to serve various communities across the country.

The legacy continued with the opening of SMM High School (St. Mary’s Muhaisnah) in Dubai in 2015, marking another milestone in the group’s journey towards shaping the minds and futures of generations to come.

In 2019, St. Mary’s Private School in Ras Al Khaimah was established, further solidifying the group’s presence and dedication to providing educational opportunities to students across the UAE.

Throughout the years, the St. Mary’s Group of Schools has remained steadfast in its mission to nurture well-rounded individuals, instilling in them values of integrity, compassion, and excellence, thereby contributing to the development and progress of society.

Mission

The mission of the St. Mary’s Group of Schools is to ensure academic excellence by providing a high quality, affordable, and value based education.  We endeavor to holistically develop every student to their full spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical and artistic potential.  We strive to develop a community of collaborative learners, and produce independent, critical thinkers who are responsible global citizens, capable of leading productive and meaningful lives.  

Core Values

The core values of the catholic schools in the UAE are as follows:

We believe:

  •  in the uniqueness of each student and supporting them in achieving their dream
  • in encouraging an atmosphere of compassion, equality, tolerance and respect for human dignity
  •  in safe and caring relationships built on a foundation of honesty, integrity, trust and forgiveness
  •  in fostering charity, justice and service to others
  • in striving for excellence through a sense of responsibility and self-discipline
  •  in empowering critical and creative thinking
  •  in a collaborative learning environment with cooperation between students, teachers, school leaders and parents
  • in enabling students to become global citizens to face the challenges of the 21st century.