
About Us
FROM DUBAI TO THE WORLD
About Our School
Honouring a Visionary Foundation
Rashid and Latifa Schools (RLS) traces its origins to the 1980s, when the late His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum established Latifa School for Girls and Rashid School for Boys with a bold vision and that is to cultivate academic excellence and holistic student development in service of the nation’s future.
Over the decades, both schools became renowned for their commitment to educational distinction, shaping generations of leaders across government, business and public life, including His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Recently, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum initiated a transformative new chapter by unifying the two institutions under one shared identity.
This visionary move modernised the schools’ educational model to meet the evolving needs of 21st-century learners, while preserving the values, excellence and national pride that defined their legacy.
Today, RLS stands as a unified, future-focused learning community; rooted in heritage, guided by leadership and committed to shaping minds with purpose.
Our Purpose
Leading Possibility
To nurture futurists and visionaries who contribute globally as courageous and empathetic leaders, igniting a mindset of possibility.

Our Values
Kindness | Curiosity | Perseverance | Bravery | Wisdom
Our values are the compass that guides every learner’s journey. We lead with kindness, nurturing a culture of empathy and respect that binds our community together. Through curiosity, we spark creativity and inspire bold ideas that shape the future.
Our students embody perseverance, embracing challenges with resilience and a commitment to excellence. With bravery, they step into the unknown, unafraid to question, explore and lead. And through wisdom, they learn to act with integrity, insight and purpose; honouring tradition while shaping a world of possibility.
Our Principles
The 5 core Principles that drive us
Our School CEO
Turning Dubai’s Vision into Educational Impact
Dr. Rabaa Al Sumaiti
CEO, Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment
Dr. Rabaa Al Sumaiti is an Emirati education leader whose career spans over two decades of shaping national education policy, elevating school systems and contributing to the management of school operations across the UAE. She holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) in International Management of Education from the British University in Dubai, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, UK; a Master of Education (MEd) in Special Education from the University of Bristol, UK; and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Zayed University, UAE.
Her efforts have been instrumental across the UAE’s most influential education entities; including the Ministry of Education, Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE), the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Zayed University and the Dubai Autism Centre.
Throughout her career, Dr. Rabaa has worked at the forefront of designing national education strategies, leading large-scale educational transformational projects and contributing to launching new education institutions. She has overseen the operational rollout of school systems, aligned school quality frameworks with global benchmarks and contributed to advancing the UAE National Agenda for education.
Her foundational experiences as a faculty member at Zayed University and early intervention therapist at the Dubai Autism Centre shaped her deep-rooted commitment to inclusion and child development. She supported students with special needs, trained future educators, contributed to academic accreditation processes and directly supported families through early intervention therapies.
Dr. Rabaa also represented the UAE on leading international education platforms. She serves as the UAE’s official delegate to both the OECD PISA Governing Board and the IEA General Assembly and has shared her expertise at global forums including Qudwa, Expo 2020, BELMAS International Conference and the Gulf Research Meeting. She also served as a Board Member of the Queen Rania Teacher Academy and was a member of the UAE National Council for the Arabic Language.
Committed to continuous growth and learning, Dr. Rabaa is a graduate of the UAE Government Leaders Program, the Young Leaders Program, in addition to executive education programmes at the Harvard Kennedy School and University of Chicago. Her published research spans themes of national identity, parental involvement, school inspection frameworks and the global leadership potential of Emirati students.
Our School Principals
Inspiring Every Learner
Our school will foster deep engagement by inspiring and empowering our young people to see themselves as future leaders; leaders who will inspire and uplift others.

Claire Crew
Founding Principal
Rashid and Latifa School - Girls
BSc (Hons) Human Biosciences, PGCE,
MA (Educational Leadership), NPQH
Claire Crew brings nearly two decades of experience in the UK and UAE, leading high-performing British curriculum schools through digital transformation, STEAM integration, curriculum design, and data-driven improvement. At RLS, she is creating a digitally enriched, wellbeing-centered environment that advances academic excellence and empowers girls to thrive as confident, future-ready leaders.
Read Claire’s Full Profile
Jodie Drew
Founding Principal
Rashid and Latifa School - Boys
BSc (Hons), PGCE, MA Education, NPQH
Jodie Drew brings nearly two decades of experience in the UK and UAE, leading British curriculum schools through innovation, curriculum reform, and whole-school improvement. Holding a BSc (Hons), PGCE, Master’s in Education, the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), a Level 7 Coaching Award (ILM), and Level 3 Inspector Training, she is dedicated to creating a rigorous, wellbeing-focused learning environment that fosters academic excellence, creativity, and leadership; preparing boys to thrive as confident, future-ready leaders.
Read Jodie’s Full ProfileOur Learning Spaces
Designed to reflect our purpose and values
Our purpose-built campus is currently under
development and will open soon
Every space is intentionally designed to nurture student wellbeing, support learning at every stage, and inspire academic excellence through environments that are purposeful, dynamic, and deeply connected to our values.
RLS operates two distinct sites; one for girls and one for boys, each thoughtfully designed to offer a tailored learning experience, while maintaining a unified culture rooted in excellence, respect, and shared values.
Our Community
Purposeful and values-driven
Our students and graduates become part of a purposeful and values-driven community. We seek students who reflect the spirit of Dubai: curious, ambitious, grounded in identity, and eager to contribute.
Our community is built on strong partnerships; with parents as essential collaborators in shaping each child’s journey. Together, we nurture character, wellbeing, and purpose through open dialogue and shared responsibility.
Beyond the classroom, students benefit from a growing network of like-minded peers and mentors, with opportunities to connect to RLS alumni, engage in community initiatives, and participate in enrichment programmes that foster long-term growth, belonging, and leadership.
