Choosing a school – What Makes A School The Right One for my Child?

Accreditation

Although schools are well regulated in the UAE, there are several other organisations with which most schools will have relationships, that can provide you with more information and the reassurance of quality. These organisations generally act as independent verifiers of the quality and standard of the curriculum being offered.

Whichever curriculum you choose, it is wise to ensure that the school has the appropriate accreditation to guarantee that they are delivering a curriculum and Leaving Certificates and/or Exam Certificates that are recognised for studies at College or University level.

For more detailed guidance on accreditation and its importance, read our guide UAE School Accreditation – what to look for and why.  This is an area of increasing focus for the regulators throughout the UAE and may potentially have serious consequences for schools (and their students) if the correct accreditation is not in place or in process.

Assuming that you have established that the schools you are considering fulfil the accreditation requirements, another factor to look at will be the choice between New schools (which are more likely to have places available) versus the Established schools who may well not!

New versus Established schools

In recent years, a significant number of new schools have opened, particularly in Dubai, to meet the increasing demand from families relocating to the UAE. This trend is now being seen in the other emirates, and whilst a welcome relief for parents who have struggled to find places for their children in the past, there is often some concern as to whether these new schools can match up to the long-established schools.

Whilst certain particularly well-known, long-established and highly rated schools will always be high on parents’ priority list, they are also most likely the ones that are going to be among the most difficult to access. If you find yourself struggling to obtain a place in these schools, we would strongly advise you to consider new schools as an option. You can find out more about why we believe new schools can often be an excellent choice by reading The Choice between New and Established schools. https://schoolscompared.com/guides/choice-new-established-schools/

So far, our criteria have tended to focus on factors that are important, but with which your child/ren is unlikely to feel impacted.  The most important factor for him/her directly, will be the staff with whom s/he will interact daily. If a school gets this element wrong, everything else pales into insignificance.

Index
Overview – your framework to choose
Acceptable fees – what does that mean?
Reputation and school ratings
Accreditation, why that matters
New versus established schools
NEXT: Teachers and staffing
Facilities
Specialist subjects
Additional Language, or Learning Needs