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Dove Green Private School, Dubai Investments Park – The Review 2022
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Updated May 2022 – SchoolsCompared.com exclusive – Dove Green Private School KHDA, SchoolsCompared.com 2022 rating, opening of secondary School.

https://youtu.be/JN_5HNoupL0

“Dove Green School is a wonderful, safe community school based in Dubai Investment Park.

Our school prides itself on developing the whole child and creating an atmosphere where all children can learn, innovate and create in a warm, safe, happy environment.

All of our pupils are taught strong values and ways in which to think for themselves, collaborate with others and learn about the world around them.

At Dove Green School we use a large number of thinking tools that children can use in their learning, so that they can become resourceful independent learners.

Our staff are very friendly and approachable and we adopt an ‘Open door policy’ where parents can meet staff members regularly – and this approach leads to transparency, trust and a strong parent partnership.”

Historically Dove Green Private School has enjoyed a strong historic relationship with a number of slipstream schools, including Repton and Foremarke schools, through the British Schools in Dubai ( BSID ) (BSME) network.

Kings_Interhigh_InArticle

Already open to Year 8, we are, today, now moving forward with KHDA approval for all-through British curriculum provision to IGCSE, A Level and BTEC.  Our parents have asked for their students to be able to stay with us through to Sixth Form and we will now achieve this, whilst maintaining the warm, British community village school dynamics for which we are celebrated.

Patrick Affley. Headmaster. Dove Green Primary School

 

Background

Dove Green School is currently a primary and senior, FS to Year 9 British curriculum preparatory school. Historically a slipstream school for Repton Dubai and other big names amongst Dubai’s Tier 1 British schools, Dove Green School offers an English National Curriculum based education to Key Stage 3 for around 411 children aged between 3 and 13 years of age. In June 2019 the school changed its name from Dovecote Green Primary School to Dove Green Private School in preparation for its planned move to all-through schooling. The school has to date (November 2020) phased launch to Year 8.

Dove Green Private School is situated within the Green Community, Dubai Investments Park One, and is physically linked to the Green Community West residential area. This gives the school direct access for the community’s families to walk or cycle to school:

Map showing location of and directions to Dove Green Private School in Dubai

Dove Green Private School remains the first, and most established, British school in Dubai Investments Park and attracts families from:

  • The Green Community
  • Dubai Investment Park 1
  • Dubai Investment Park 2
  • Jumeirah Village Circle
  • Jumeriah Village Triangle
  • Jumeriah Golf Estate
  • IMPZ
  • Mira
  • Rem Raam
  • Mudon
  • Sports City
  • Town Square
  • Springs
  • Jumeirah Beach Residence
  • Jumeirah Lakes Tower
  • Jumeriah Park
  • Discovery Gardens
  • The Gardens
  • Al Badra
  • Al Furjan
  • Dubai Marina
  • Veneto Residence
  • Greens
  • Al Ghadeer
  • Dubai South
  • Emaar South
  • TECOM
  • Arabian Ranches
  • Arjaan
  • Sports City
  • Motor City
  • DAMAC Hills
  • Barsha Heights
  • Dubai Hills
  • Jabel Ali
  • Dubai Land
  • Springs
  • Emirates Hills
  • Jumeriah Islands

A key draw for parents is the combination of a British education with very small school dynamics. Parents describe the school as an oasis of British village community schooling.

 

History

Image of children climbing at Dovecote Green Primary School in Dubai

Following its original management by EKI (best known for Repton and Foremarke), Dove Green Private School is today part of the Study World Education group which runs the sister to De Montfort University (DMU) in Dubai. DMU is ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework and its faculty have a reputation for innovation that makes a difference in the world – for example, Dr Karthikeyan Kandan, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, repurposed plastic bottles to make prosthetic limb sockets. DMU has ranked in the top 20 universities for graduate prospects in The Sunday Times Good University Guide and previous DMU graduates have gone on to win Oscars and work with organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Nike and BMW.

Dove Green School opened with surprisingly little fanfare in 2015. The result has been much smaller class sizes than anticipated in a school already committed to a high ratio of teacher:student provision. The current size of role, set against its capacity of just 800 children, offers a very rare opportunity for parents and students to make a genuine impact on the development of the school. For many parents, the intimate, community driven feel of the school remains a significant plus – and a stand-out feature of Dovecote Green is the warmth and child-centred learning that comes with a school in which every child is known to every teacher. There is absolutely none of the “children being lost in the crowd” found inevitably in so many of Dubai’s larger schools.

 

Leadership

Photograph of Patrick Affley Principal of Dove Green Private School in Dubai

Patrick Affley is an educationalist by training, graduating from the University of Wales as a specialist in Primary Education and Physical Education.  Mr Affley secured his Headship qualification from Cardiff University (NPQH) and is studying for a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. He brings to Dovecote Green Private School more than two decade’s experience in education, fourteen of which were in the UK where Mr Affley, prior to relocating to Dubai, worked for the Welsh Inspectorate of Schools (Estyn). In Dubai, Mr Affley was the Founding Head of Dovecote Green School, the forerunner to Dove Green School, where he worked for EKI, the owners of Repton and Foremarke. Mr Affley has a keen interest in Rugby and has coached with both the Dubai Exiles and Dubai Warriors.

Feedback to SchoolsCompared.com is of a compassionate, kind and ambitious Principal, deeply loyal to his school, parents and children and motivated by ensuring the academic and holistic development of children. His commitment to Dove Green School is evident in his tenure, having invested close to eight years in developing the school as it evolves towards providing an all-through British, English National Curriculum founded, education for its children. In our experience, the stability and knowledge of a school that comes from this level of commitment pays dividends.

 

Fees

Fees are on the affordable side of premium – we rank them as offering parents a very strong ROI.

AUTUMN TERM FEES
(SEPT-DEC)
SPRING TERM FEES
(JAN-MAR)
SUMMER TERM FEES
(APR-JUN)
TOTAL TUITION FEES
(ANNUAL)
FS 1 AED 16,800 AED 12,600 AED 12,600 AED 42,000
FS 2 AED 16,800 AED 12,600 AED 12,600 AED 42,000
Year 1 AED 17,600 AED 13,200 AED 13,200 AED 44,000
Year 2 AED 17,600 AED 13,200 AED 13,200 AED 44,000
Year 3 AED 18,400 AED 13,800 AED 13,800 AED 46,000
Year 4 AED 18,400 AED 13,800 AED 13,800 AED 46,000
Year 5 AED 19,200 AED 14,400 AED 14,400 AED 48,000
Year 6 AED 19,200 AED 14,400 AED 14,400 AED 48,000
Year 7 AED 22,000 AED 16,500 AED 16,500 AED 55,000
Year 8 AED 22,000 AED 16,500 AED 16,500 AED 55,000
Year 9 AED 22,000 AED 16,500 AED 16,500 AED 55,000

 

A very different school ….

When Dove Green Private School first launched it was established as an academically and SEND selective school.  The school was designed for parents seeking a rigorously academic education for their children. As a result it certainly did not suit all students, particularly those from three groups:

  • Those for whom English was an Additional Language without age appropriate abilities in written and spoken English
  • Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities who required, or would have benefited from, specialist intervention and dedicated learning support
  • Children who were likely to struggle with the pace and pressures of a curriculum designed ground-up to stretch children academically, both for entrance to Repton, but also with a view to their later IGCSE and stretching International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme [IB DP] study.

This approach has now been completely re-modelled and Dove Green Primary School is now fully inclusive:

“In line with the Inclusion Framework document launched in November 2017. Dove Green Private School has now changed its admissions policy.

All our assessments at Dove Green School are now based on an ‘Assessment of Educational need’.

Every effort to accept all pupils, including ‘students with determination’ is made.

The decision is made in conjunction with the parents, with the pupil’s needs and provision central to that decision.”

Patrick Affley, Headmaster. Dove Green Primary School

 

Prospectus

DGPS-Prospectus-NEW

 

Facilities and ECAs

Facilities are Tier 1 and we rate them as of a very good standard. Do not expect a formal, corporate school. Rather, this is a deeply rooted community school brimming with warmth and a sense of “soul.”

The school itself is designed as an inverted “T”, with the main reception area located at the front of the building, the three teaching blocks located behind – and all areas of the school flooded with natural light. Provision itself includes:

  • Dedicated car parking
  • Main reception
  • Main Assembly Hall and Theatre located at the heart of the school
  • 30 purpose built classrooms with shaded outside access
  • Four astro-turfed areas including one dedicated only for FS children
  • A very spacious multipurpose gymnasium

  • Dedicated and independent Secondary School facility overlooking the Sports Hall.
  • Cafe
  • Parents meeting area
  • Two outdoor swimming pools (one learner/toddler, the other a 20M main pool)

Photograph of the two Swimming Pools at Dove Green Private School in Dubai

  • Science Suite
  • IT Centre
  • Specialist SEND Centre with Sensory Tent
  • Garden play spaces including two wooden climbing houses
  • Nature learning area
  • Library
  • Music rooms
  • Multipurpose outside football, rugby and athletics pitch
  • Both artificial and grass cricket nets

The new senior school facility, opening in March 2023, completes the site and will provide:

  • 26 further classrooms
  • 3 science labs
  • Drama room
  • 3 music rooms
  • Design and Technology room
  • Food technology room
  • Strength and conditioning suite
  • Eight lane 25 metre swimming pool
  • Additional Sports Hall with Performing Arts auditorium and stage

The school has a traditional British House System: Shakespeare, Morpurgo, Rowling and Dahl. The most recent, Morpurgo, has been named after the British writer Sir Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo OBE FRSAL FKC, a former teacher and today perhaps best-known as a children’s author of countless works including War Horse. His literature is beautifully inclusive and explores themes of the Outsider in life and succeeding against all obstacles. In 1976, Morpurgo and his wife Clare established the charity Farms for City Children in the UK which has as its primary ambition to provide children from inner city areas with experience of the countryside. More here. This sort of thoughtfulness is so telling, balancing a recognition of the traditional British canon of literature with its most outstanding modern exemplars of outstanding writing.

ECAs are extensive including the spectrum of sports, LEGO Robotics; etiquette, extra reading and mathematics, music classes (including drums, guitar, xylophone, violin, piano and recorders) and gymnastics. External providers include Fly High gymnastics and Elite Sports with its specialism in swimming and football.

The school, rarely, owns its own buses – an initiative to ensure that it can meet the needs of the broadest range of families. Given Dove Green School’s location in proximity with the Abu Dhabi border, the school attracts families from Al Ghadeer.

Sporting provision is a highlight of the school and Dove Green children regularly engage in the development and inter-school leagues across football, netball, swimming, athletics and rugby.

 

Curriculum

https://youtu.be/wgGNUpqDtaA

Academically, Dove Green School points to an overarching concern to develop each child’s core expertise in English/literacy and Mathematics/numeracy, this a core of the curriculum across Foundation, Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 3 phases. Impressively, however, this is developed by leveraging and weaving numeracy and literacy across every aspect of the creative curriculum, including play at younger ages and developed links between lesson, formal prep and co-curricular activities as students grow through the school.

Nor is the traditional concentration on the “three Rs” (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) a fall back on traditional learning – the school provides all children with access to an iPad to give core skills context – and broader enrichment is designed to bring the curriculum to life.

The emphasis is very much on the whole child, but one rooted in getting children to levels in the curriculum core in advance of expected levels for their peer groups. The approach is described by Dove Green School as one of a “thinking school” in which children learn independence of thought and action within a broader context of self-discipline, responsibility, innovation and reason.

The whole approach is one of compassion and balance. This is not a hothouse school. The commitment is, rather, primarily to child happiness and community rather than the original ideals of severe academic discipline. The guiding ethic is to prepare children for academic success, but at their own pace.

 

Community

We particularly like the school’s genuine place as a community hub, this focused on sharing its sporting facilities with the broader community (there is a footpath linking the school to Green Community West on its doorstep) after school as well as providing a broad range of community events and festivals.

The school also provides safe ‘drop off’ areas where students are escorted to their classes by school staff, thus catering for busy parents too.

The school also deserves significant praise for its extensive, hugely compassionate bursary provision, something called for both by the KHDA and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and offered by far too few schools.

 

KHDA 2018 -20

https://youtu.be/389zK_Tspbc

As of October 2020, Dove Green Primary School has secured its second consistent Good School with Very Good features rating from the KHDA. Those “Very Good” School features identified by the KHDA, include recognition for Dove Green’s achievements in whole child development, the school’s links with parents and the broader community and its care of children. The key criticism of the school, one common to many British schools, is in the school’s Arabic subjects provision which is being addressed.

On a positive note, we think that is worth quoting Patrick Affley, Headmaster. Dove Green Primary School, in full when he spoke with SchoolsCompared.com:

“Our systems are now facilitating the accelerated progress of all pupils.

We have worked extremely hard to identify each pupils starting point to give a clearer indication of progress over time.

Being an Inclusive school can mean that the attainment levels of groups of pupils can be low.

Our focus is to challenge all pupils to make good progress that will ensure that most pupils are at or above curriculum standards for their age group by the end of each Academic year.

Our governing body has been developed and is a much more strategic group embedded powerfully in the strategic vision of the school.

The very positive and constructive feedback from the KHDA over time has given us clear guidance as we develop towards outstanding school status. In order to achieve this we are aiming for all performance indicators to rise at least one level each year.

Our aim is to be classed as Outstanding within the next 5 years.

Patrick Affley, Headmaster. Dove Green Primary School

In 2020 the KHDA identified the following core strengths of the school:

  • Exceptionally strong and close relationships with parents and the broader community
  • Genuinely inclusive school dynamics with a genuine welcome to all children
  • Good progress scoring across English, Mathematics and Science
  • Very Good personal development of children and their whole child education
  • Good school leadership
  • A Good standard of school facilities and investment
  • Committed passionate teachers with high morale and investment in the care of children

 

Bottom line? The SchoolsCompared.com verdict 2022

Photograph of the entrance to Dove Green School in Dubai taken in November 2020

 

We like Dove Green Private School. The ambition for outstanding school status is here and creditable. Much still needs to be done if the school is to attain it, but planing and investment are both in place. Many of the changes required fall into the area of managing data better, and these should be relatively easy wins. Securing improvement in Arabic subjects may well prove more difficult as it does for so many international schools.

The key metrics by which we judge the school here, however, is in child progress and happy school dynamics. The former measures how well a school is securing each child’s knowledge against their predicted flight paths on joining a school. Dove Green Private School holds a secure rating across child progress in all core subjects.

On our last visit we attended with parents on a school open day. Parents were exceptionally positive about the school with comments including “there is not a school like this anywhere else in Dubai,” “it’s like being back back in the UK”, “It is like a school at home.” Happy school dynamics are entrenched and substantively evident.

Good school status is not an easy win. The Dubai Inspectorate of Schools is serious and demanding – it requires schools to be high achieving to meet its minimum standards. Dove Green  Headmaster, Patrick Affley, in our discussions with him, is clearly on a mission to deliver a top tier education for Dove Green children – and quickly. Ambition and the practicalities of delivering on it are being married up.

Fees too have remained low for a school of this scale and quality.  Worth noting that Dove Green has strong ties with families of Emirates and Etihad staff for whom corporate discounts are offered on an individual basis.

As the schools now embarks on its new and physically independent Secondary school for students, Dove Green has now absolutely everything in place to set benchmarks and provide a thoughtful and gradual phased opening to full British Sixth Form. The new Secondary School is currently being built within the school’s grounds.

Photograph of students at Dove Green School in Dubai at the breaking of ground for the Senior School being built in 2022

Bottom line? Measured on its own terms, as a traditional British village school, it’s hard to think of a school that it competes with. Intimate, kind, compassionate and happy, for many parents this is the picture of a perfect education they never dreamed they would find in Dubai.

Worth noting too, that the EDSTATICATM Parents Survey ranks Dove Green School in the top five of premium British schools in Dubai based on independent parental feedback.

Very highly recommended.

Are you looking for a place for your child, and want help from our school consultants? If so, click on the link below, and we will forward your request for information to the school or schools of the same type that we are confident have availability. This is a free service for our readers from SchoolsCompared.com in association with our sister site WhichSchoolAdvisor.
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Details to consider
2018/19 Overall ADEK / KHDA Rating

Good with Very Good features 2020
Good with Very Good features 2019

2016/17 Overall ADEC / KHDA Rating

NA

2015/16 Overall KHDA / ADEC Rating

NA

Rating FS

Good

Rating Primary / Elementary

Good

Rating Secondary / Middle

NA

Rating Post 16 / High

NA

Type of school

Private, for profit

Full WSA Review
Average Cost Per Year

FS1: 42,000
FS2: 42,000
YEAR 1: 44,000
YEAR 2: 44,000
YEAR 3: 46,000
YEAR 4: 46,000
YEAR 5: 48,000
YEAR 6: 48,000
YEAR 7: 55,000
YEAR 8: 55,000
YEAR 9: 55,000
YEAR 10: Phased launch
YEAR 11: Phased launch
YEAR 12: Phased launch
YEAR 13: Phased launch

Curriculum

National Curriculum for England:
EYFS
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
GCSE (phased launch)
A Level (phased launch)
BTEC (phased launch)

Selective

Full inclusive

Waiting list

No

Value Added

Not published

Number of Students

Capacity 800
Current role: 411 (2020)

Teacher to Student Ratio

1:13
Notes:
(1) Maximum class size: 20 children
(2) 17 teachers with 7 Teaching Assistants
(3) 0 Guidance Counsellors

Largest nationality teachers

British

Teacher turnover

20% (2020) - below average

Year opened

2015

Location

Green Community, Dubai Investments Park, Dubai

Student composition

British (largest nationality)
Emirati: 4
SEND: 28

Gender

Mixed co-educatiional

School canteen

No
Notes:
(1) External provider delivers hot meals as required

Owner

Westside Investments
Marketed by Study World Education Holding Group
Notes
(1) Dr. Vidhya Vinod, President & Group CEO
(2) Raymi Van der Spek, Chief Operating Officer
(3) Formerly owned by Evolvence Knowledge Investments Limited (EKI) / Evolvence Capital Limited

Admissions Telephone

+971 (0)4 883 7474

Web Address
Attainment Nur SEM

40%

Attainment Pri SEM

26.6%

Attainment Sec SEM

NA

Attainment Post-16 SEM

NA

Progress Nur SEM

60%

Progress Pri SEM

60%

Progress Sec SEM

NA

Progress Post-16 SEM

NA

Arabic Native Primary Results (Native)

30%

Arabic Secondary Results (Native)

NA

Arabic Post-16 Results (Native)

NA

Arabic Primary Results (Add.)

20%

Arabic Secondary Results (Add.)

NA

Arabic Post-16 Results (Add.)

NA

Islamic St. Primary Results

40%

Islamic St. Secondary Results

NA

Islamic St. Post-16 Results

NA

Leadership

60%

Community

80%

Facilities

60%

Quality of teaching

60%

Student personal responsibility

80%

Quality of curriculum

60%

School Governance

40%

SEN Provision

60%

Strengths

• Tier 1 facility provision
• British teacher provision
• Small class sizes and low teacher:student ratio
• Commitment to community
• Whole child focus founded on traditional development of advanced numeracy and literacy
• Opportunity for founding parents to shape a small school in phased launch
• Capacity to deliver a very high standard of education and whole child development for children in future years
• Small school intimacy and strong community ideals
• Highly creditable progress secured by children at FS phases
• Advanced planning for through school opening to Sixth Form with commitment to extensive subject choice across IGCSE, A' Level and BTEC.
• New secondary school in build phase

Weaknesses

• Arabic subjects - but being addressed

Rating
Our Rating
User Rating
Rate Here
Academic
B-
B
Value
B
B+
ExtraCurricula
B
B+
Languages
B-
B
Sports
A-
B+
Arts & Drama
B+
B+
Teaching
B+
B-
Communications
A+
B
Warmth
A+
B+
Differentiation
A-
B
SEND Provision
A-
C+
Scl Community
A+
B+
Scl Facilities
A-
B+
Opportunities

A school with significant potential. As it stands, Dove Green Private School offers an oasis of small scale typical British village schooling. Brimming with kindness and an ethic of care, its something that many believed would simply not be possible in the rush of Dubai's big city dynamics and pace. Very highly recommended.

A-
Our Rating
B
User Rating
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Top of shortlist
56%
In my Top 5
17%
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8%
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3%
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17%
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6%
About The Author
Jon Westley
Jon Westley is the Editor of SchoolsCompared.com and WhichSchoolAdvisor.com UK. You can email him at jonathanwestley [at] schoolscompared.com
2 Comments
  • Mrs Jack
    January 22, 2017 at 2:37 pm
    Strengths

    The academic and administration staff are excellent. Such a lovely community school.

    Weaknesses

    None that I have withnessed

    This is a lovely community school with fantastic staff that are willing to assist whenever required. My children are very happy and love going to school DGPS

  • Nicola
    April 25, 2017 at 9:55 am

    We chose Dovecote over 4 other school we looked at for our daughter.
    The best decision we have made since coming to Dubai. She is so happy and cant wait to go to school each day.

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Academic
Value
ExtraCurricula
Languages
Sports
Arts & Drama
Teaching
Communications
Warmth
Differentiation
SEND Provision
Scl Community
Scl Facilities