Once your child reaches the right age, the urge to find the best schools for him is obvious. Especially if you are an ex-pat living in a foreign land, your concern about providing your child with premium quality education is understandable. You would want to provide international schooling standards, ensuring he is ready to face future competition. It is only possible if you choose the international secondary school for them!
Choosing an Abu Dhabi International private school can ensure that your child stays amongst people from different nationalities. Additionally, it will offer an excellent curriculum plan and sufficient extra-curricular activities for the holistic development of your child. However, the school selection has to be wise as it will impact your child’s career. Therefore, begin by educating yourself about the details regarding secondary education and schooling in Abu Dhabi, and move on to decide which school would be apt for your child.
Things you need to know about secondary schooling in Abu Dhabi
Managing Body
The ministry of education governs all the private and public schools in the United Arab Emirates. They manage the primary, secondary, and higher education levels. Additionally, they have local governing bodies like The knowledge and human development authority and the department of education and knowledge, which manage the slight variations in the education standards across the country.
Age of Schooling
The schools typically start at the age of four, with the secondary level starting when the child turns nine. The curriculum offered by the public schools is K-12, while the private international schools provide a variety of plans. You can research and decide which curriculum plan you want for your child and conveniently find a school offering that in Abu Dhabi.
Dress Code/ Uniforms
Uniforms are mandatory in every secondary school in UAE, whether public or private. The dress code varies for different schools. You will get informed about it at the time of admission. Every student has to follow the dress code as nothing else is allowed at schools.
Gender Segregation
The public schools in Abu Dhabi segregate children into single-gender classrooms. The school may provide co-education, but the girls and the boys have different classrooms. On the other hand, such is not the case with private international schools. These schools are completely co-educational, with girls and boys studying in the same class.
School Schedule
A school week in Abu Dhabi is from Sunday to Thursday, and an academic year gets divided into trimesters. There are exams at the end of each trimester, and the child’s performance in them will decide if he goes to the upper standard or not.
Holiday Calendar
Every school in Abu Dhabi follows almost the same holiday calendar. They remain closed on public holidays. There is a winter break in December and a spring break in March and April. Additionally, the schools remain closed during the hot summer months. The duration of these holidays can vary for different schools, so it is wise to confirm the pattern from the school where you enrol your child.
Application Process
The admission forms for every school start circulating online from December or January onwards. You can choose the school where you want to enrol your child and keep track of its admission dates. Once the form is available, you can file it online, providing all the relevant information it asks for. Then, submit the application form before time, without missing the last date. Once your application gets accepted, the school will inform you about the same.
These are the fundamental things every parent should know about secondary schooling in Abu Dhabi. The ideal way for every parent is to do thorough research on time before the schools start their admission processes. Then, take wise decisions on time and watch it direct your child towards a promising future.
