Our History & Heritage

Repton School in Derbyshire, UK was founded in 1557, the year before Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne. The founder of the school, Sir John Port was a Member of Parliament and knighted by King Edward VI. John Port was an enlightened and generous benefactor who provided for the formation of Repton School, by a considerate legacy. Little did he know that his generosity would provide a world class education for generations of student, and lead to the formation of a ‘family’ of international schools, including Repton Abu Dhabi founded in 2013. The Chairman and founder, Mr Khaled Al Mheiri, wanted to found a world class school in his home country, the UAE, based on the Repton UK model, and he is following in the proud footsteps of Sir John Port.

Repton Abu Dhabi cherishes its strong links to Repton UK, embracing shared values and a unified identity. A key tradition we uphold is the House system, where student and staff passionately support their house communities. Inter-house rivalry and competition are among the most distinctive and celebrated aspects of life at Repton Abu Dhabi.

We proudly honour our heritage through our campus names: the Foundation School (Rose Campus) is named after Sir Christopher Rose, and the Junior and Senior School (Fry Campus) is named after C.B. Fry, both distinguished alumni. As we celebrate our past, we also encourage student to consider the legacy they will create.

Repton’s heritage now extends globally through a growing family of schools, providing all Reptonians with a truly international perspective in their education. Old Reptonians remain closely connected to one another and the School through the OR Society, fostering lifelong bonds.