SCHOOLS REPORT UAE: WHAT MADE THE NEWS FOR SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN EDUCATION THIS WEEK?
The Schools Report brings you the SchoolsCompared.com official Weekly Briefing on the Hottest News in Education.
Every Friday we bring you the latest stories in education in the UAE and around the world in the last 7 days. Here’s what’s been happening this week…
This Week in Education. UAE Education News. First. Every Friday. Only from SchoolsCompared.com.
Private schools “gamed” covid rules to give their students more top A levels
Teachers at dozens of private schools at least doubled the proportion of A*s handed out to their A-level pupils last year compared with 2019, when children last sat public exams, a new analysis shows.
In 2019, 16.1 per cent of private school pupils had their A-levels graded A*. In 2021 — when teachers decided what marks to award their pupils — the proportion jumped to 39.5 per cent.
Research by The Sunday Times shows for the first time the extent of the grade inflation in individual schools. At North London Collegiate School, a girls’ school in Edgware whose senior fees are more than £21,000 a year, the proportion of A* grades soared from 33.8 per cent in 2019 to 90.2 per cent last summer. The 56.4 percentage point increase is the highest recorded in the investigation.
Horizon International School now a Cognita school
Cognita, the UK-based global education group – and one of the world’s major educational conglomerates running almost 90 schools across 12 countries worldwide – has followed its launch of the Tier 1 Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai, the acquisition of Ranches Primary School and the acquisition of the KHDA Outstanding Horizon English School in Dubai from Al Najah Education with the new acquisition of Horizon International School in Dubai. This makes Horizon International School Cognita’s fourth school in the UAE and its 88th school worldwide.
Founded in 2008, Horizon International School is a much-loved British curriculum FS to Year 13 all-through school ranked a “Good school with Very Good and Outstanding features” by the KHDA. In a move that many saw as inevitable, the acquisition now sees both Horizon schools transfer from Al Najah Education to Cognita, avoiding the potential confusion of two Horizon schools operating in the region under different ownership, values and cultures. Experts predict a rapid move to Outstanding school status following the acquisition and a strong focus on building on the key strengths of Horizon International, these focused on offering extremely high ROI and delivery from a relatively affordable fee structure.
Find out what Horizon parents had to say about the move.
UAE teens: it’s time to get a job
New UAE labour reforms that came into effect on 2 February mean that over-15s can now, for the first time in the country’s history, take a part-time job.
On a practical level, the reform has plenty of economic benefits: Young people can start earning and be exposed to workplaces earlier, preparing them for full-time employment down the line. For their part, employers will have access to an energetic, flexible labour force that can work in peak seasons at less cost than full-time, older workers. Young employees are expected to be particularly beneficial to the hospitality sector, given the fact they will often be working during the evening. This part of the economy was particularly hard hit by the pandemic, so it will welcome any help.
But entering the world of work is an education in itself. The exposure a young employee gets is to more than just a profession. It is to the entire experience and reality of working life, with all the opportunities and challenges it brings. The hope is that, even if a first job does not reveal a vocation, the first payslip, group of colleagues, appraisal or office party will be quite enough to make the experience educational. For many people, their first job is among the most memorable of their lives, if not the most. Read more.
New School: Fully Inclusive UK curriculum Citizens School Dubai Set to Open this September
UAE-based Al Zarooni Emirates Investments has announced the planned opening of Citizens School, a world class educational facility in Dubai, in September 2022.
Al Zarooni Emirates Investments said the school would focus “on the whole growth of a learner”, and be “built around each child’s unique requirements, empowering them with choices to explore themes, expand interests and determine the routes that they want to go on to reach their full potential.”
Citizens School will “provide an experience-based, inclusive curriculum bespoke to each child’s strengths and approach”.
The school will follow the UK National Curriculum, alongside Citizens’ custom-built curriculum, ‘Citizens’ Tapestry’.
According to the release, the Citizens School site will be double the size of other schools in the same catchment area, with a capacity for 2,600 children between ages 3-18. It will offer its students a 2,900-square-meter open playing and recreation area; lots of room for parking; a 1,250-square-meter multi-purpose performing arts and activity hall; six lane semi-covered swimming pool and learning pool, football and rugby pitches adhering to FIFA and World Rugby standards; as well as a dedicated dining area for primary school students
When, why and how to transfer schools mid-year in the UAE: The 2022 guide for parents
Changing your child’s school in Dubai is never a decision to be taken lightly. In a transient expat environment, a child’s place of education often forms the bedrock of their sense of stability, so moving from one to another requires careful thought. Deciding to transfer schools in the UAE during the course of the academic year can potentially be even more disruptive, considering that curricula modules are studied at different paces and friendship circles may already be set.
But there are plenty of solid reasons why parents choose to switch their children’s school mid-year in the UAE. From the changing circumstances of expat life, to the temptation of new educational opportunities, or dissatisfaction with a current school, all are valid reasons and all can be the catalyst for a positive change and exciting new beginning.
“Changing schools has been the best thing I ever did for my son,” says Shelly Rosa, a Dubai-based mum who transferred her eight-year-old from one Dubai primary school to another after the 2021/22 Winter Break:
“I was so unhappy with my son’s previous school’s communication and how they handled online learning over COVID. It’s sad because it caused a lot of stress for my son. But now his new school is like a second home. He comes out every day full of smiles and beaming with joy. His education is blossoming and the staff and the whole school are all amazing.”
Here we look at when, why and how to transfer school mid-year in the UAE…
One of the UK’s oldest schools to open in Riyadh under education partnership
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City has announced a partnership with the Aldenham Education Group to open a site in Riyadh this year.
Aldenham will be the third school to be established under the commission’s International Schools Attraction Program, which was launched with two Saudi government ministries and aims to transform the capital into one of the world’s most competitive cities by 2030.
Aldenham School, which was founded in 1597, is located in the UK county of Hertfordshire. The Saudi capital will be its second global location.
The Riyadh school will open its doors this September and is for children aged three to 11.
Mazen Tammar, RCRC head of education sector, said: “Riyadh is building a future filled with possibility for all, by welcoming families to come build with us. With its prestigious heritage and commitment to best practices in teaching and learning, Aldenham joins the growing network of globally-respected educational institutions RCRC is building to offer world-class educational opportunities to citizens and expatriates alike.”
One of the UK’s oldest schools to open in Riyadh under education partnership – Arabian Business
Teachers and too much homework contribute to maths anxiety – study
Maths anxiety – a negative emotional reaction to Mathematics – is a global phenomenon, hampering maths achievement regardless of where people live, research has found.
It’s not only a child’s own maths anxiety that affects their performance but that of their peers: the largest and most culturally diverse study to date shows that in about half of countries, including England, the average level of maths anxiety within the same school or classroom predicts individual students’ maths achievement, independently of their own anxiety levels.
“Having found that the emotional state of one’s peer group may have an effect on children’s maths achievement, it is important for teachers, parents and policymakers to not only be mindful of a child’s own ability or emotional state, but the context in which they’re studying,” said Dr Nathan Lau, of the University of Western Ontario, who led the research.
Aldar to open three schools in Abu Dhabi in the next three years
The education provider will also add thousands of seats to existing schools amid expansion plans
Aldar Education will open three schools in Abu Dhabi in areas that have recorded population growth over the past few years. These include Khalifa City, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island.
The education group, owned by Aldar Properties, said it will invest Dh1 billion to diversify its schools’ portfolio. Under the investment plan, thousands of additional seats will be added to schools in Abu Dhabi over the next three years.
Through this investment, Aldar aims to increase the number of pupils in its schools to more than 40,000 by the 2024-2025 academic year.
GCSEs and A-level exams in 2022 will be graded more generously
Pupils’ GCSE and A-level exams in the UK will be graded more generously than in pre-pandemic years – to make up for the disruption Covid has had on learning.
National exams are going ahead this year across the UK, for the first time since the pandemic began.
Grade boundaries are likely to be lower than in previous years, England’s exams regulator Ofqual says. But it does not expect grade inflation from last year.
In 2020 and 2021, students were given marks based on assessments by their teachers, instead of sitting exams, to reduce the spread of Covid.
Under teacher assessment, more students passed exams and achieved higher marks, including record numbers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland securing top A-level grades.
Although grades will be awarded normally this time around, grade boundaries will be more lenient in England, Scotland and Wales.
They will be set at a “mid-point” between the 2019 pre-pandemic boundaries and the grade levels used in teacher assessments in 2021.
Ofqual chief regulator Dr Jo Saxton said this would provide a “safety net” for students.
Pearson and Parallel Histories partner up to encourage more schools to teach Middle East history
Exam board Pearson is partnering with the specialist educational charity, Parallel Histories, to introduce a new way for young people to learn about Middle East history at GCSE level.
The idea, which was conceived following input from leading historians, teachers and advocacy groups, will provide teachers and schools with a package of dynamic digital learning resources for the topic, consisting of primary source materials, videos and digital resources.
Crucially, this will allow the students to engage with this highly contested and ‘live’ period in history in a balanced way, while also developing their critical thinking skills.
Sharon Hague, Managing Director of Pearson School Qualifications, said: “We are the only exam board to support the teaching of this topic at GCSE level and we want to encourage more young people to learn about this important period of history.” Read more.
UAE institutions can now apply to win Dh1 million World’s Best School Prize
An inaugural grand prize of nearly Dh1 million ($250,000) has been introduced for the world’s best school.
UAE businessman and social entrepreneur Badr Jafar is calling on trailblazing schools in the country and across the world to make their entries for this coveted award.
This award is meant to celebrate schools everywhere for the pivotal role they play in developing the next generation of learners, especially during Covid times. It is launched by T4 Education in partnership with Accenture.
The World’s Best School Prizes have been launched this year to create a new platform to showcase the unique stories of schools that are transforming the lives of their students and making a significant difference in their communities.
The five categories for which schools can apply are – The World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration; The World’s Best School Prize for Environmental Action; The World’s Best School Prize for Innovation; The World’s Best School Prize for Overcoming Adversity and The World’s Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives.
A prize of nearly one million dirhams (US$250,000) will be equally shared among the winners of the five prizes, with each receiving an award of over 180,000 thousand dirhams (US$50,000).
Advance information about this year’s GCSEs and A-levels provided to students
Advance information about this year’s exams in England and Wales has been published.
It’s part of measures agreed between national governments and exams regulators to compensate candidates for lost learning, and to allow their work to be fairly assessed.
Exam boards Pearson, OCR, AQA and Eduqas have published information for most A-level, AS-level and GCSE subjects.
The idea is to give candidates a better sense of what to revise after the spring half term, instead of cutting the breadth of courses.
They list the topics that will be the main focus of assessments, but do not cover everything which will be covered in the exams.
So candidates are still being advised to revise the whole course, and teachers will liaise with students to help them prepare.
University of Birmingham Dubai launches UK government-backed teacher training programme
A university branch campus in Dubai has been selected as one of six globally to offer an international teaching qualification to develop high-quality teachers.
The UK government announced the University of Birmingham Dubai’s School of Education will be part of the global pilot programme.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Primary (iQTS) programme will be offered at the campus in Academic City from September.
Recognised by the UK’s Department for Education as equivalent to English Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), iQTS will be delivered by accredited English Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers to trainees all over the world.
The programme has been launched to make high-quality teacher training more accessible, especially in countries like the UAE, which boasts a high expatriate population. Read more.
Cyber-bullying has spiked since COVID – here’s how to protect your kid
UAE parents leaving children alone or unmonitored with digital devices during the pandemic has led to a sharp uptick in cyber-bullying and online harassment, according to a leading Middle East doctor. “I’m now seeing significantly more cases where a child has experienced cyber-bullying, harassment and even blackmail,” says Dr Ateeq Qureshi, psychiatrist at the Priory Wellbeing Centre, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. “The starting point of safer internet use is always parental awareness about their children’s online activities and non-judgmental communication with the individual child or teenager.”
Research across the world shows how common it is for children under 12 to use social media, while a 2020 study found that there was a 70% increase in hate between children and teens in online chats, and a 40% increase in toxicity on popular gaming platforms during the pandemic. Unlike in-person bullying, cyberbullying can occur 24/7 and has a stronger association with suicidal ideation. Victims of cyberbullying are also more than twice as likely to engage in self-harming behaviours than non-victims.
This ‘Safer Internet Day’ on 8 February, Dr Qureshi and other internet-safety experts told SchoolsCompared.com how they wish UAE parents would pay more attention to their children’s online activities to protect kids from cyber-bullying. “It’s crucial parents have some level of awareness and oversight in an age-appropriate manner to be able to support their children’s safety.”
Read 11 Things parents can do now to protect their children from online bullying.
CBSE Term 2 exams ‘start on April 26’ offline
Term 2 exams for Class 10 and 12 under India’s CBSE school board will be held from April 26 onwards in person, media reports in India said on Wednesday evening, citing CBSE exam controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.
There was no immediate confirmation on CBSE’s official Twitter page. CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) is India’s largest school board that administers standardised exams for Class 10 and 12 in India and affiliated schools abroad, included dozens in the UAE.
India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati News Services also tweeted the April 26 date, showing a CBSE circular. The exam date sheet is expected “soon”. Read more.
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