The Best Early Childhood Centre and Nursery School in the United Arab Emirates 2023 – 2024 Revealed. Top Schools Award Winner. Official.
The Winner
The SchoolsCompared.com Top Schools Awards for
The Best Early Childhood Centre and Nursery School in the United Arab Emirates 2023 – 2024
is awarded to:
Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery Al Safa
Our view of Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery Al Safa
Web: http://www.homegrownnursery.ae
Review: https://whichschooladvisor.com/uae/school–review/home–grown–nursery
The warmest of the nursery schools we have visited in recent memory, Home Grown matches an exceptional investment in provision with stand-out investment in teachers – it’s more than telling that Homegrown was recipient of our top teaching Award in nursery education in 2020-21.
It’s some times easy to forget in the UAE how fortunate we are, notwithstanding the cost of living challenges that are pushing many of us to our limits. Home Grown’s Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] is creditable in itself – but it is there for a reason: to provide role models for children in understanding the importance of giving back, and creating an understanding in them of the complexities of a deeply unequal world. It is this sort of thoughtful, 360 degree investment in little ones, that brings to life for them how they can each make a difference in the world, and learn to appreciate the beauty of values, and compassion.
The focus on ecology and Environmental Science sets up links for children that are hugely valuable for their later education on graduation. It’s not about being “worthy”, but, rather, about delivering an important academically and ethically driven lens to shine light on one of the “industries of the future”, one driven by the most pressing needs of our time.
Facilities are outstanding plus – and beautiful. Outdoor areas in particular are a feast for the soul, heart and mind. At Home Grown they create excitement and innovation a plenty as little ones explore and create an infinity of make-believe stories and adventures to be journeyed. Leadership and teaching is stellar.
Home Grown Children’s Eco nursery is a ‘green-thinking’ nursery for children aged 12 months to 4 years.
Committed to a holistic way of learning, children are taught a unique curriculum known as The Green Engagement Programme, which overlays the learning-through-play framework and areas of learning of the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) with an emphasis on eco-awareness and the natural world.
This nursery is one of the few truly independent nurseries left in Dubai and stands out for being authentically ‘purpose over profit’; committed to making a positive difference in the world through both its teaching and its practices. Parents rave about its warm, home-from-home feeling, first-rate teachers, excellent communication, and nurturing community that involves both children and their families.
Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery Al Safa stands out for being one of the UAE’s first green, purpose-over-profit nurseries. Having pioneered an environmentally passionate approach long before it was fashionable in Dubai, its practices now serve as an example for other schools and nurseries to follow, with sustainability becoming ever more relevant in the wake of the UAE’s hosting of COP28 and growing awareness of the climate crisis. It stands out for remaining steadfastly independent and true to its sustainable values, with even a portion of nursery fees supporting an Indian orphanage. The unique ‘The Green Programme’ curriculum combines EYFS framework with environmental mission, while the close communication with parents and open-door policy ensures both children and parents feel welcome, nurtured and well looked after.
Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery Al Safa offers a stellar and grounded education for younger children, scaffolds every possible linkage needed for graduation to “big school”, protects all the innocence of childhood – and is a quite exceptionally happy place for children. Well-being is best in class (Source: EDSTATICATM]
This is an Early Childhood Centre that we know exceptionally well, with one of our team having direct experience of its provision over many years. Our depth of understanding here is significant. The nursery school is unique in the UAE in its approach, curriculum, investment and leadership. The result might well be described as what Utopia looks like if you were designing a nursery based on the well-being of children. The attainment and progress that every child makes here is built on that foundation, and follows from it, in that order. CSR, and the teaching of altruism here, is both inspiring and moving.
A to Z the most high achieving nursery school of 2023 – 2024, absolutely beautiful in every possible way, extraordinarily insightful in its curriculum, and a treasure trove of adventures for our youngest children, Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery is very, very powerful reminder of just how important, and valuable, Early Years education is for our children.
Award Presentation
Best-Early-Childhood-Centre-Home-Grown-Childrens-Eco-Nursery-Winner-Certificate-portrait (1)The Top Schools Award for Best Early Learning Centre and Nursery School in the United Arab Emirates 2023 – 2024 will be presented to Home Grown Children’s Eco Nursery at a special Breakfast Celebration at The Emirates Golf Club on the morning of 16th November 2023. At the event the recipient of The Top Schools Awards 2023 – 2024 for Outstanding Contribution to Education will be revealed.
Historic winners of the Outstanding Contribution to Education in the UAE Award include H.E. Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, recognised for his era defining leadership of Education in Dubai as a force for good; and the Varkey Family, for their instrumental role in shaping education in the UAE, and ensuring the life chances for generations of children, following the founding of GEMS Education in 1959.
Our Finalists.
Our extraordinary Finalists and those schools which have achieved outstandingly in so many ways for children in the Best Early Learning Centre and Nursery School category follow. Each of the following schools are recognised for their profound contribution to Early Learning education in the UAE:
Creative Nest Nursery
Web: https://creativenestnursery.com
KHDA: NA
Review: https://whichschooladvisor.com/uae/school–review/creative–nest–nursery
“Quite spectacular Early Years Centre, Creative Nursery Years was established from Day One to do everything to an outstanding plus standard. Purpose built to an uncompromising Tier 1 brief, the Reggio Emilia philosophy is read backwards into extraordinarily thoughtful and strategic learning spaces flooded with light and a mix of functionality and beauty that fires the senses and intellect of little ones. Faculty are all qualified and educationalists to the core. Leadership is stellar and Creative Nest a life project and vocation not a business. CPD for staff is ongoing, stretching and meaningful – already phenomenal educators just get better and better in a nursery offering careers not part-time gap fillers. Indoor and outdoor facilities are above and beyond and it’s hard to see how they could be bettered. Mud Kitchen, Splash Pad, Working Kitchen, Sensory Room, build-up, build-down themed experiential areas, performance spaces and classrooms populated with proven Reggio “tech”, the journeys little ones make as they grow with the school are unlimited in their innovation, breadth and tailoring to the fascinations and needs of each child. Arabic learning too is integrated seamlessly as part of living, picked up by little ones naturally and never by rote. The professionalism and commitment to Early Years learning here is beyond-standout and its
implementation rich, inventive, tireless and… exciting. It’s no wonder that parents are as adoring as the little ones.”
Future International Nursery Dubai
Web: http://www.futureinternationalnursery.com
KHDA: NA
Review: https://whichschooladvisor.com/uae/school–review/future–international–nursery
Review: https://schoolscompared.com/nursery-schools-in-uae/dubai-nursery-schools/future-international-nurserydubai-al-warqa-2-the-review/
“The care for Mums here is stand-out with a 360-degree understanding that the role of a nursery extends to the whole family. Every member of staff is conviction-led, and nothing is ever too much for leadership and faculty that have unmatched depth of understanding of the Early Years matched by compassion, talent and unwavering commitment to each and every child. The bi-lingual English-Arabic programme is second-tonone in the Emirates. Indoor and outdoor spaces are alive with learning, with beautiful forest school gardens meeting indoor spaces with staggering breadth of facility provision and themed spaces that are constructed by educators in lesson plans and delivery that are inventive, tailored and richly and individually child focused. Facilities are quite magical, this captured best in the giant fairy toadstools holding the changing areas for the flowing splash play and streams that run through the abundant and lush flower garden. The outdoor learning areas take the breath away. These flow indoors in themed lessons and wildlife discovery including the much-loved school rabbit to interactive aquarium. From a dedicated Theatre to one of the best working kitchens we have seen in any nursery in the UAE, from themed build-up, build-down spaces to a stunning Sensory Room, facilities stretch the plus in Tier 1 plus. The core curriculum is British/International with significant structure to ensure that every child meets key milestones to prepare them for “big school.” This sort of approach requires gifted teaching from very talented and committed faculty. At Future the end result is a nursery that delivers above and above for children, but also delivers the sorts of community and adoration from families that is rare and moving in equal measure.”
Ladybird Nursery, Al Barsha
Web: https://ladybirdnursery.ae
KHDA: NA
Review: https://whichschooladvisor.com/uae/school–review/ladybird–nursery–al–barsha
“Designed by Godwin, Austen Johnson (GAJ), arguably the best architectural firm in the UAE, Ladybird Al Barsha sets an exceptionally high standard and bar for what parents can now expect from a Tier 1 nursery. It’s hard to capture in words just how phenomenal and impressive what has been achieved here is for children and the clear labour of love, sheer force of innovation, thoughtfulness and functionality of its design is given life at every turn in the expressions of “Wow!” from little ones and their families. It’s nothing short of the most beautifully executed nursery design and build of any nursery we have seen in the UAE – and it pays dividends for the learning of students. This may be the youngest of the Ladybird nurseries, but the investment in faculty carries in it the more than twenty five years of history and expertise in Dubai early learning provision garnered since the first Jumeirah 1 based Ladybird Nursery opened in 1996. The solid EYFS foundations are definitive and delivered with great expertise and the Montessori over-coding adds warmth and humanity in spades. The combination is uniquely Ladybird’s own in a tried and test formulae that cannot be learned in books. Facility provision is outstanding plus.”
Little Land Nursery
Web: https://www.littlelandnursery.com
KHDA: NA
Review: https://whichschooladvisor.com/uae/school–review/little–land–nursery
Review: https://schoolscompared.com/events/top–schools–awards–2021–results–live–little–land–awarded–theschoolscompared–com–top–schools–award–for–best–early–learning–centre–in–the–uae–2021–22/
Multi-award winning Early Learning Centre, Little Land Nursery created fireworks of appreciation with our Judges in 2021-2022 – and its beautiful, inclusive delivery of an outstanding nursery school education for little ones continues with, if anything, an even more greater investment in personalised education and inspirational learning paths that inspires its adoring parents as much as the endlessly inspired and fascinated children. Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary since its founding in 1994 next year, Little Land has secured a deeply respected place in the landscape of Dubai Early Years Education, with a history of innovation and care for children tried and tested over generations of little ones. The approach is British EYFS for structure with layered and compassionate Montessori over-coded to provide the inspiration and found a care for children second-to-none. It’s not a bells and whistles nursery – imagine instead the dream of a perfect community village nursery, with all the warmth that conjures up, combined with heady investment in the teachers and facilities to deliver Tier 1 learning opportunity, practice and child achievement. To say that leadership is impassioned is an understatement: what takes place here is a life’s work and mission to deliver a future for its children. Caring and humanity cascade through the nursery with abundance and this stands as one of the very finest and special nursery schools in the Emirates.”
A final note.
The Top Schools Awards takes over a year to produce. It engages with parents, students educators and educationalists over countless months, and the work invested in these Awards is the stuff of sleepless nights and deeply felt responsibility. We produce these Awards to celebrate our amazing schools, our magnificent teachers – who are the centre of the universe, our school leaders, whose lives will be judged by their impact on children, and the amazing students that they build a future for. These Awards are only about recognising this – in a world in which our schools and educators have far, far too little recognition. If on exploring these Awards you do one single thing, it should be to reach out to each and every one and thank them for all they do, each and every one of our schools, teachers and school leaders. You have absolutely no idea how much that would mean.
© SchoolsCompared.com. A WhichMedia Group publication. 2023 – 2024. All rights reserved.
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