Metropole versus Ambassador

Comparing2Items

	Ambassador School, Al Mankhool, Bur Dubai – The Review	GEMS Metropole School, Motor City – The Review

Overview
Strengths	• Stabilised, much improved school since significant teething problems over first years following launch • KHDA Good school rating – with provision at the minimum expected standard for any school operating in Dubai • Very good relationships with parents and broader community • Smaller school intimacy • Low teacher:student ratio • Solid performance in core subject attainment • One of the best teacher-student ratios in the Emirates (1:8) • One of very few ICSE schools • Some capacity to improve and on-going gradual year-on-year improvement • New school campus coming in stream at Al Khail Gate September 2018 • Potential dual-stream ICSE-International Baccalaureate (Diploma) provision under strategic review • Investment in STEM • ICSE	• GEMS backing • Academically focused British education with relatively low fees • Outward focus • Facilities • Experienced leadership • Outstanding, class best Small Steps Centre for Inclusion – but at a price
Weaknesses	• Very limited facilities with many activities delivered off-site • Older school buildings with few bells and whistles • Relatively young parent organisation • Drastic cuts to the number of children admitted with SEND • Growth to expand limited by the size of campus • Limited subject choice, particularly for the ISC in Grades 11 and 12.	• Large class sizes for a GEMS school targeting academic excellence • Relatively basic finishing leaves external spaces lacking warmth • Very large school with a 4000 plus capacity role on full phased launch • The school will be disappointed with its first inspection results – although parents should note that this is a first inspection and the school has launched to capacity at exceptional speed • Relatively high teacher turnover running at 37% – even to allow for its being a new school undergoing phased launch to all-through provision • Very poor school transparency • A school operating as of 2018 without the support of its governing body. • Very limited signs of school investment
Opportunities	• For parents set on an ICSE school within this class of fee structure, Ambassador School is one of only two options for prospective parents. On its own terms, the school dos deliver for its children and innovates to make the best of the limitations of its offer. A school that is worth visiting within a very limited potential shortlist. Its current investment of a new campus in A Khail Gate, together with a mooted dual stream ICSE-IB curriculum to come, has the potential to create a game-changing Indian curriculum school in the Emirates.	• Remains too early to make a secure recommendation to parents • Some important positives including an experienced new school Principal since 2016 very well matched by GEMS to the demands of the school and in particularly its launch of Sixth Form provision in 2018-20 • A school that parents must visit before making any decision • If small class sizes, or a small school atmosphere are criteria, Metropole cannot be recommended • For a new GEMS academic school, given the low price point, excellent facilities and a British education, there is significant potential
Badges
Rating
	Editor User	Editor User
Academic	A- B+	C- C
Value	B+ B+	C C-
ExtraCurricula	B- B	C C-
Languages	B- B	C- C
Sports	C B-	C D+
Arts & Drama	B- B	C D+
Teaching	B B+	C- D+
Communications	B B+	C- D+
Warmth	A+ A-	B+ C-
Differentiation	C+ B	C- C+
SEND Provision	C+ B	A C-
Scl Community	A B+	A- C-
Scl Facilities	D+ B-	C+ C-
Total	B B+	C C-
Details
2018/19 Overall ADEK / KHDA Rating	Good with Very Good and Outstanding features
2017/18 Overall ADEC / KHDA Rating	Good with Very Good and Outstanding features
2016/17 Overall ADEC / KHDA Rating	Good with Very Good and Outstanding features	Acceptable with “Weak”, “Good” and “Very Good” features Notes (1) This is the school’s first inspection
2015/16 Overall KHDA / ADEC Rating	Good with Very Good and Outstanding features	NA
Rating FS	NA
Rating Primary / Elementary	Very Good
Rating Secondary / Middle	Very Good
Rating Post 16 / High	Very Good
Type of school	Private, for-profit	Private for-profit
Full WSA Review	Go	Go
Average Cost Per Year	Pre-K: 20,924 (slipstream fees at the Ambassador Nursery and Kindergarten) FS1: 20,924 (slipstream fees at the Ambassador Nursery and Kindergarten) FS2: 20,924 (slipstream fees at the Ambassador Nursery and Kindergarten) YEAR 1: 21,123 YEAR 2: 22,283 YEAR 3: 23,442 YEAR 4: 23,442 YEAR 5: 24,605 YEAR 6: 24,605 YEAR 7: 29,247 YEAR 8: 32,729 YEAR 9: 35,398 YEAR 10: KHDA 39,355 Discounted 37,042 YEAR 11: KHDA 41,564 Discounted 39,528 YEAR 12: KHDA 42,298 Discounted 39,812 YEAR 13: NA	FS1: 33,792 FS2: 36,864 YEAR 1: 39,936 YEAR 2: 39,936 YEAR 3: 39,936 YEAR 4: 39,936 YEAR 5: 39,936 YEAR 6: 39,936 YEAR 7: 45,056 YEAR 8: 45,056 YEAR 9: 45,056 YEAR 10: 45,056 YEAR 11: 45,056 YEAR 12: 45,056 YEAR 13: 45,056 – phased launch 2019
Curriculum	Indian Notes: (1) CISCE (2) Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)	National Curriculum of England
External Exam Boards	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)	Cambridge
Selective	Inclusive Notes: (1) Grades 1 – 5: written assessment in English and Mathematics (2) Grade 6+: written assessment in English, Mathematics and Science. (3) KG: Automatic entry from slipstream Ambassador Nursery and Kindergarten	Yes
Waiting list	Yes.
Value Added	Not published	Not published
Number of Students	779 (2019) 748 (2018)	4200 capacity
Teacher to Student Ratio	1:8 (2019 1:10 (2018)	1:25 FS1/FS2 1:30 Year 1 – Year 13
Largest nationality teachers	Indian	British
Teacher turnover	10% (2019) 13% (2018)	37%
Year opened	2010 (2013 re-launched independently) Notes (1) Formerly known as the Global Indian International School – Dubai (GIIS Dubai) (2) In 2013 the school re-launched as The Ambassador School independent from the original GIIS parent company/brand (3) Separate feeder nursery/KG phase school (Ambassador Nursery and Kindergarten, Al Mankhool)	September 2014
Location	Al Mankhool, Bur Dubai, Dubai	Motor City, Dubai
Student composition	Indian (largest nationality) Notes: (1) SEND: 50 (2) Emirati: 0 (3) KG: 0 (Separate slipstream KG)	Arabic (largest nationality) Notes: (1) International role (2) Emirati: 29 students (3) SEND: 89 students
Gender	Mixed, co-educational	Mixed co-educational
School canteen	Yes	Yes
Owner	Ambassador Education Notes: (1) Hukumat Kalwani, Founder and Chairman (2) Kamal Kalwani, Vice-Chairman	GEMS Education
Admissions Telephone	+971 (0)4 398 3535	+971 4 550 7200
Web Address	Go	Go
Attainment Nur SEM	60% (at Feeder school Nursery/KG)	20%
Attainment Pri SEM	73.3%	26.6%
Attainment Sec SEM	73.3%	33.3%
Attainment Post-16 SEM	80%	NA – phased launch 2018-2020
Progress Nur SEM	66.6% (at Feeder school Nursery/KG)	40%
Progress Pri SEM	73.3%	40%
Progress Sec SEM	73.3%	46.6%
Progress Post-16 SEM	80%	NA – phased launch 2018-2020
Arabic Native Primary Results (Native)	NA	30%
Arabic Secondary Results (Native)	NA	40%
Arabic Post-16 Results (Native)	NA	NA – phased launch 2018-2020
Arabic Primary Results (Add.)	60%	40%
Arabic Secondary Results (Add.)	40%	20%
Arabic Post-16 Results (Add.)	40%	NA – phased launch 2018-2020
Islamic St. Primary Results	60%	40%
Islamic St. Secondary Results	60%	40%
Islamic St. Post-16 Results	60%	NA – phased launch 2018-2020
Leadership	60%	40%
Community	80%	80%
Facilities	60%	60%
Quality of teaching	66.6%	40%
Student personal responsibility	73.3%	55.5%
Quality of curriculum	66.6%	40%
School Governance	60%	20%
SEN Provision	60%	40%
Number of A Levels offered		Not published
A Levels offered		Not published
Number of I/GCSEs Offered		Not published
I/GCSEs offered		Not published
Meta
Heat Index	13403	5735
Views	6783	3855
Likes	59	14
Comments	0	0
Categories	All Through, Dubai Through, IB DipM, ICSE, Indian, International Baccalaureate	(I)GCSE, A Levels, Acceptable, British, Dubai, Dubai Through, Mid-Range, New School
Tags	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, Hukumat Kalwani, ICSCE, ICSE, Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, International Baccalaureate, Kamal Kalwani, KHDA Good School, LEGO Robotics	A’ Level, Anthony Cashin, Editor’s Pick, English National Curriculum, GCSE, GEMS Education, Ian Jones, IGCSE, New Schools, Small Steps