The Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) has awarded the local Al-Tafseer Contracting and General Maintenance Company the main contract to build Cranleigh Abu Dhabi school on Saadiyat Island.

TDIC said Al-Tafseer will deliver the first phase of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi in time for the start of the next academic school year, which includes building of the junior and senior schools, the dining halls, and the sports and swimming facilities by the end of July 2014.

This comes following the completion of all piling and enabling works on site of the development.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which is based on the ethos and curriculum of Cranleigh School, a leading UK independent school founded in 1865, will be the first school campus on Saadiyat. Built over seven hectares of land, it will have a capacity to accommodate more than 1,600 students.

“I am delighted that our ground works are completed and that we are now building what will undoubtedly be one of the most impressive school campuses in the country,” said Brendan Law, TDIC’s director of education. “Admissions will open in November 2013 for children aged three to 14 and we are looking forward to opening our doors to them in September 2014 as scheduled.”