Abu Dhabi, like other emirates in the UAE, is totally international in its ethos. Its economy is heavily reliant on a large number of ex-pat professionals and skilled workers who make it the vibrant and glitzy destination that it is internationally. Abu Dhabi in turn offers its ex-pat employees a fantastic lifestyle and a very high standard of living indeed. Also, the fact that it has a large number of nursery schools makes it possible for many young ex-pat professionals with families to think of relocating to Abu Dhabi in order to take up employment there. Let us take a look at some of the best schools in Abu Dhabi- both nursery and high school-
Best nursery schools and high schools in Abu Dhabi
1. Global Indian International School Abu Dhabi
Global Indian International School is one of the premier international preschools in Abu Dhabi providing a world-class education to students from pre-nursery to grade 12. Run by the internationally renowned GIIS network of schools it offers its students access to the Global Montessori Plus and CBSE curricula.
The school has some of the best infrastructures in terms of its facilities and amenities provided on its sprawling campus. The teaching staff are out of the top drawer and this gets reflected in the kind of results its students obtain. It is also reflected by the fact that its students get placed in the best colleges and universities around the world.
The school is extremely popular not just with the ex-pat Indian population living in Abu Dhabi, but also with other ex-pat communities living there.
2. Reach British School
Reach British School in Abu Dhabi is one of the most popular international schools in the region offering a typical British education to children in the 3 to 18 years age group. This encompasses Early Years (EYFS), Primary and UK Secondary (IGCSE) and A-levels. The school has native English speakers with years of UK and international experience on its teaching staff. Its facilities are amongst the best anywhere.
There is a great deal of stress on academics in the school. At the same time, the behavioural expectations from the students are also quite high. The school also believes in consistent communication between school and home as a means of keeping all the stakeholders in a child’s education in the loop. The school is quite a favourite with the ex-pats living in the region.
3. American International School Abu Dhabi
American International School Abu Dhabi was founded in 1995 with the intention of providing the children of American and other ex-pats living in Abu Dhabi access to quality American education. It offers classes from kindergarten to grade 12 and has the unique distinction of being the first school to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the UAE. It is also the first school in Abu Dhabi to offer the IB Primary Years Programme.
It is not surprising that the school has more than 1400 students hailing from more than 75 nations. The school provides a holistic education to its students ensuring that they are involved in a plethora of extracurricular activities alongside their academic ones.
4. Horizon Private School-Branch Khalifa City
Horizon Private School Khalifa City is another premier Abu Dhabi school providing an American education. The school was founded in 2008 and adheres to the Common Core State Standards. It has more than 1700 students studying in classes that range from KG 1 to grade 12. The school boasts excellent infrastructure and provides every facility to ensure that the students learn and develop in the best possible manner. It is no surprise, therefore, that the school has received the much coveted very good rating from ADEK.
The school believes in providing a comprehensive education that lays equal stress on academics and extracurricular activities to ensure all-round development.
Conclusion
The best schools in Abu Dhabi play a vital role in not just educating the young of the emirate, but also in ensuring that the large numbers of ex-pats working there are assured of great schooling for their children. The large number of world-class international schools in Abu Dhabi has, in fact, made the emirate quite a hub of education in the region.
Going forward one can continue to expect these to contribute to the economy of Abu Dhabi by providing the appropriate educational facilities to the children of the large number of ex-pat workers who are such an integral part of the nation’s productive workforce. Besides, the high standards followed by these schools also ensure that the young of Abu Dhabi and the neighbouring regions get an education that is second to none. The future of the region depends on its youth and giving them the head start of a great education that these schools provide will augur very well for the future of the whole region.