ABU DHABI // Almost 20,000 teaching, administrative and technical staff will return to school today for the start of the academic year, to work with upgraded facilities and new colleagues.
Brendan Law, headmaster at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which is about to enter its third academic year, said 30 teachers and 250 pupils would join the school today.
“Academic staff have been working with the new team members all week as part of an induction programme and the dynamism has been palpable,” Mr Law said.
The school will have it first group of pupils for its Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, which he called a “significant milestone”.
Mr Law said the start of school was one of his “favourite times of the year”.
“The buildings that have been so quiet start to come alive again,” he said.
He said demand for school slots was high, with registration for enrolments in the 2017-2018 year closing within 36 hours.
Peter Carpenter, Aldar Academies’ director of education, said two new academies would be launched this year – Al Mamoura, a mixed primary and girls-only secondary school, and West Yas, the first school in Abu Dhabi to teach the curriculum of the US state of Massachusetts.
With a new curriculum and improved facilities at the school, Mr Carpenter believed the next academic year would be special for pupils, staff and parents.
“We are always looking to the future and how our children can shape it but this is a year where so many past plans have finally materialised,” Mr Carpenter said.
“Our students will study for the new IGCSE examinations this year, and we are encouraging more pupils to take their IGCSEs a year earlier so they can develop at a faster pace.
“We’ve added new course content to give our pupils a much broader and more personally relevant education.”
Sixth-form pupils at Al Bateen and Al Yasmina will also have a new common room and study areas. Aldar Academies has also recruited more teachers from overseas.
“This year we have recruited teachers directly from the UK, but have also seen more interest from those based in the UAE and across the world,” said Mr Carpenter.
He said he hoped that the opening of the two schools would help to meet demand, which is particularly high for early years and primary classes.
The back-to-school buzz is also in the air at Dubai British School.
“This year our students will be surprised by the significant upgrades and alterations that have taken place during the holidays,” said principal Brendon Fulton.
“The school will look very different but those arriving will still be greeted by the same dedicated and caring staff who have nurtured DBS students for many years, complemented by an excited and enthusiastic group of new staff who have come over from the UK.”
newsdesk@thenational.ae