Al Dhafra Private School, Al Ain

Al Dhafra Private School is a private K-12 school providing standard quality education to students in Al Manaseer, Al Ain. It is a co-educational school where boys and girls study together until Year 3. The school predominantly follows the National Curriculum of the United Kingdom. It offers an opportunity for students in Year 9 and above to study the US curriculum. The school has plans to change its entire educational programme based on the US curriculum. Its sister campus is in Mohammed Bin Zayed City Abu Dhabi, which is a US curriculum only school.

Currently, the school has around 2,800 students belonging to 39 nationalities. Most students at this school are local Emiratis, followed by Jordanians, Egyptians and Syrians. 44% of the total student force of Al Dhafra Private School is in the primary stage. 29% of students are in the intermediate (middle school) phase, 14% in the secondary phase and 13% in the foundation phase. Their experienced teaching staff consists of 161 full-time teachers and 36 teaching assistants. The teacher to student ratio in most phases of this school is 1:17, showing ample individual attention and care. Most teachers are from Canada, the UK, US and some Arab countries.

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain offers a satisfactory range of school facilities that support the academic and non-academic needs of students. The school also has a comprehensive after-school care programme based on interesting and relevant extracurricular activities.

Read this comprehensive guide by Bayut to learn more about education, admission and fees, school facilities and other key information.

• Location: Al MuwaijI
• School fees: AED 12,240 to AED 23,870
• Curriculum: British and American Curricula
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• ADEK rating: Good
• Years Offered: KG1 to Grade 12

Al Dhafra Private School is located at the edge of Al MuwaijI, Al Ain. Al Muwaiji is a family-friendly community consisting of apartments and villas. Its location makes it easily accessible to the following nearby residential communities:

• Falaj Hazzaa
• Central District
• Al Mutawaa
• Al Murabaa

Falaj Hazzaa, a residential community in Al Ain, is the nearest residential community to the school. Those interested in moving close to the school can rent or buy apartments or villas in Al Muwaij’i:

• Apartments for rent near Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain
• Villas for rent near Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain

It has two separate buildings for Kindergarten (KG) to Grade 4 and Grades 5 to 12. Classrooms at Al Ain campus are bright and spacious. Classrooms for foundation stage students are meticulously planned, with incredible physical and sensory resources. These resources play an important role in the overall development of young learners.

The school has well-developed arts and music facilities that complement the school’s syllabus. Moreover, these facilities are well equipped with musical instruments, such as keyboards, guitars and violins, to support extra-curricular activities. The limited space available at the campus restricts the school to develop a separate arts-related facility for students. However, the school’s management has collaborated with external service providers to meet students’ artistic needs. It also has a spacious library with over 10,000 books on different topics to assist students in learning. Students also have access to an e-library with a range of academic books, non-academic books and magazines.

Other noteworthy facilities at the school include a canteen and a school clinic. The school also has a limited range of sports facilities.

Al Dhafra Private School is near the intersection of Khalid Bin Sultan Street and Saeed Ibn Shakhboot Al Awwal Street at the southern part of Our Own English High School, Al Muwaij’I. Many popular schools, such as Al Manahil Private School, Darul Huda Islamic School and Baraem Private School, are located near this school. Those interested in visiting this school can access it via Saeed Ibn Shakhboot Al Awwal Street and 130th Street. These streets connect the school to most parts of Al Ain.

Several features make Al Dhafra Private School an ideal education institute for students in Al Ain. Some of these are as follows:

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain offers quality education to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. It is one of the top schools in Al Ain, offering dual curriculum options to its students. From kindergarten to Grade 8, the school follows the National Curriculum of the UK. Afterwards, students have the option to either continue with the English curriculum or pursue a high school diploma following the US Common Core Curriculum. Both curricula are well known in the world because of their academic rigour and updated education. Top colleges and universities accept students completing their high school education following British and US curricula.

Another alluring feature of this school is its inclusive admission policy. It accepts admission applications from all, irrespective of nationalities or ethnic origins. This is evident from the fact that students from 39 nationalities coexist in this educational institute. This creates an environment for students where they learn to understand differences and embrace people from different backgrounds.

The school hired an experienced pool of teachers with relevant educational and professional experiences. These teachers have previously taught in many top schools in the UAE and act as role models for students. The benefits of hiring highly qualified teachers are exhibited by the fact that students perform exceptionally well in their examinations. Moreover, the school mentioned on its website that it has a 100% university placement record.

Besides academic activities, students of Al Dhafra Private School have access to a plethora of extra-curricular activities. The school has meticulously planned the extra-curricular programme that meets the needs of students with different interests. These activities include sports, creative arts, fine arts, school clubs and much more.

Al Dhafra Primary School is a K-12 school that caters to the educational needs of students aged 3 to 18 years old. It classifies the educational system into the following phases:

The educational programme of this educational institute is broad and based on international context education. It prepares students for real-life challenges and develops modern-day skills. It offers two curricular options to students at the high school stage, which provides multiple opportunities for them to select the field and curriculum of their choice.

Kindergarten Stage Curriculum

The teaching sessions at the kindergarten section of Al Dhafra Private School are based on play and learn strategies. Besides classroom learning, students are provided ample outdoor learning opportunities in the form of field trips and playground activities. Students completing early years’ education are ready to enter the primary stage.

In the kindergarten stage, the school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. It is an informal education model practised all over the world, including nurseries and preschools in the UAE.

Primary Stage Curriculum

The education programme for the primary stage at the Al Ain campus revolves around the National Curriculum of England. It adopts the more formal learning methodologies to prepare students for formal learning. The primary stage curriculum is split into two stages: KS1 and KS2.

In KS1, the school ensures that students smoothly transfer from play-based early years’ education to primary education. Teachers build upon the concepts taught in the kindergarten stage to develop a deep understanding of core subjects. From KS2 onwards, the complexity of concepts increases. Teachers establish cross-curricular links and provide outdoor learning opportunities for students to relate theoretical education with practical environments. Students in the primary stage take part in GL testing – a formative assessment of students in UK curriculum schools.

Intermediate Stage Curriculum

Al Dhafra Private School adopts the KS3 of the National Curriculum of England for the intermediate stage. At this stage, the school prepares students for high school education by increasing the complexity of core concepts. Students at the intermediate stage also participate in GL Testing.

Secondary Stage Curriculum

In the secondary stage, students have the option to either continue their school journey following the UK curriculum or opt for a new pathway based on the US curriculum.

UK Curriculum

Students opting for UK curriculum education prepare for IGCSE examinations, AS Levels and A levels throughout secondary school. Cambridge International Examinations Board allows the students of Grade 10 to participate in the IGCSE examination for secondary certification. Afterwards, students prepare for AS Levels in Year 11 and A-Levels in Year 12. The current equalisation for students following the English national curriculum requires students to clear the examinations with at least 60% marks. For IGCSE examinations, students need to study five subjects, including three compulsory subjects: mathematics, science (Chemistry/biology/physics) and English (language and literature). The four-year secondary school programme includes the following stages:

• First Stage (Grade 9 and Grade 10) – Students appear for an internal examination in Grade 9 and ISCSE external examination in Grade 10.
• Second Stage (Year 11) – Students study three to four subjects. At the end of this year, students must apply for at least two AS subjects for external examination.
• Third Stage (Year 12) – In the third stage, the students study and appear for the assessment of two A-Level subjects.

The subjects taught for the IGCSE examination are:

Students study the following subjects for AS Level:

The following options are available for students at A-Level

US Curriculum

The school also offers the opportunity for students to earn a US High School diploma accredited by AdvancED. For this purpose, it follows the US Common Core State Standard. It is a reputable US educational standard followed by American schools throughout the world. It uses Measure of Academic Performance (MAP) testing for assessment in Grade 9 to Grade 12.

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain also offers the SAT1 and TOEFL courses in Grade 11 and Grade 12. For Islamic Studies, Social Studies and Arabic, the school follows the Ministry of education (MOE) guidelines. The current equalisation for the American system requires students to clear Arabic Ministry Examinations and Islamic Ministry Examinations by at least 60% marks. For mathematics, students need to attain 450 marks in SAT or 500 marks in Emirates Standard Test (EmSAT).

The following are the streams available for students opting for the American curriculum:

• General Stream – In this stream, students need to study five subjects along with the compulsory ministry subjects.
• Advanced Stream – For this stream, students need to meet the general requirements along with AP Calculus AB, Physics C in Mechanics and optional subjects. The optional subject can be either AP Biology or AP Chemistry.
• Elite Stream – The subjects taught in the elite stream are Advanced Subjects, AP Physics C in Electromagnetics and an additional AP Course.

Please note that the aforementioned streams are available from the academic year 2022-2023.

The compulsory subjects available for students in the secondary students are:

• Mathematics – 4 credit hours
• Humanities or Social Studies – 3 credit hours
• English – 4 credit hours
• Science (must include Physics) – 4 credit hours

The ministry subjects offered to students are:

• Islamic Studies – 4 credit hours
• UAE Social Studies – 1 credit hour
• Islamic Studies – 4 credit hours
• Moral Education – 4 credit hours

• Physical Education – 4 credit hours
• Computer Studies – 4 credit hours

Additional compulsory subjects at Al Dhafra Private School are:

Students can select from the following elective courses:

• Business – 2 credit hours
• French – 4 credit hours

Furthermore, the school offers Advanced Placement classes. For more information, view the secondary school curriculum for Al Dhafra Private School.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a governmental regulatory body for education. By the order of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ADEK was established in 2006. It aims to improve and sustain the quality of education offered by educational institutes in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Through the Irtiqaa Programme, it inspects the performance of schools every 18 to 24 months and issues a report with a detailed overview of the performance. ADEK inspects the performances of schools in terms of the following six performance standards:

• Curriculum
• Assessment and Teaching
• Students’ Achievement
• Students’ Personal and Social Development and Innovation Skills
• Leadership and Management
• Protection, Care, Support and Guidance to students

The performance of schools is inspected based on the following six-point scale:

• Outstanding
• Very Good
• Good
• Acceptable
• Weak
• Very Weak

A brief explanation of these ratings are provided below:

ADEK last inspected the performance of Al Dhafra School Al Ain for the academic year 2018-2019. The performance of the school was rated good. Previously, the school got the same rating in the inspection report for the year 2017-2018.

ADEK highlighted the following positives of Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain:

• Improved achievements by students in high school and Arabic as a subject.
• The protection, care, support and guidance for students has also improved
• The school has constantly improved the personal development of students and their understanding of Islamic values and UAE culture
• Improvements were also seen in parent-school communication
• Students have also shown positive attitude and behaviour towards learning

On the other hand, ADEK also recommended the following to improve the performance and obtain a better rating in future inspections:

• The school must continue to improve students’ progress in all subjects by extending English and Arabic writing skills in primary and middle school, enhancing students’ investigative skills in middle school and creating more opportunities for children to participate in self and peer assessments.
• Al Dhafra Private School must also work on improving the educational and social opportunities for SEND students by increasing the number of teachers and support staff and providing a resourced facility.
• The school must continue to improve the effectiveness and consistency of middle leadership by ensuring that the monitoring is more focused on students’ outcomes.

The academic calendar at Al Dhafra Private School starts in the last week of August and ends in the last week of June.

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December. This is followed by the winter break that ends in the last week of December.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March. Students then go on a spring break that ends in the first week of April.
• The third term starts in the second week of April and ends in the last week of June.

For more information, contact the school.

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain is an inclusive educational institute that accepts admission requests from all. To apply, fill the online registration form with the necessary details. Those students unable to apply for the re-registration process will not be placed on the priority list. They will be placed on the waiting list.

After applying, the school informs parents about the date of assessment and other relevant information. The assessment test gauges students’ skills in English and mathematics. Students applying from outside the UAE must get their birth certificate, transfer certificate and report card attested by the Ministry of Exterior and the UAE Embassy.

The age-grade guideline adopted by the school is:

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: ADEK

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Students then have to sit for English and mathematics placement tests. Those clearing these tests have to submit the following:

• Birth Certificate (two Copies)
• Two copies of National ID card
• Copy of immunisation card
• Copies of Emirates ID of father and mother
• National ID card of new students
• Valid passport with a valid UAE residence visa (two copies)
• One copy of valid UAE passport and visa of mother and father
• Four passport size photographs
• Transfer certificate (for admission in Grade 2 to Grade 12)
• Copies of report card after ratification
• Behaviour report from the previous school
• Medical record form
• Transportation form

New and existing students have to pay 5% of the annual tuition fee to confirm their registration. The registration deposit will be adjusted in the tuition fee for the third term. For more information, read the admission policy of Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain.

The Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain fees are as follows:

Tuition Fee

The tuition fee charged by the school is as follows:

Please note that the tuition fee is exclusive of the uniform, books and extra-curricular charges. The tuition fee is payable in the following three instalments:

• First instalment – August
• Second Instalment – December
• Third instalment – March

Mandatory Charges

Books

Re-registration or Registration Fee

Modes of Payment

Parents can pay the tuition fee and other mandatory charges in cash, wire transfer or cheques. For bank related information, contact the accounts department of this school. Cheques should be made in favour of “Al Dhafra Private Schools”. If the cheque returns for any reason, parents need to settle the payment in cash and pay an additional AED 250 as a penalty.

For more information, view the fee structure of Al Dhafra Private School.

Currently, there are no scholarship programmes for needy or gifted and talented students at Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain.

There is a school canteen providing healthy and nutritious snacks and lunch items to students at affordable prices. The school ensures that all the food items available on campus are prepared from fresh raw materials in a hygienic environment. A range of both hot and cold food items and beverages are available to students during breaks. Some of them are listed below:

For more information, view the detailed canteen menu of Al Dhafra Private School.

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain has collaborated with a third party transport provider that offers a safe and reliable transport facility from the start of the academic year 2021-2022. The buses will be used for pickup and drop off services and field trips. The transportation fee is AED 3,841 for all areas as approved by ADEK. For more information, contact the school.

Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain is a day-only school and does not offer any hotel-related or boarding facilities to its students. Those living far from the school can relocate to nearby residential areas to cut down the travelling distance.

Currently, the school does not offer holiday camps to its students.

Numerous sports facilities are available at the school, including the following:

The school focuses extensively on building well-rounded students. It has a well developed extra-curricular programme that covers a wide range of activities. Al Dhafra Private School encourages students to participate in these activities and showcase their skills in sports, drama, music and academic disciplines. Some noteworthy activities offered to students are:

One of the popular extra-curricular activities at this school is the science fair. Senior secondary students of Al Dhafra Private School took part in a physics exhibition where they displayed their skills and knowledge in physics in front of the school.

Field trips are an important extracurricular activity at the school. It allows the school to help students learn beyond the walls of the classroom. The school arranges several visits to museums and parks in Al Ain. Popular school trips by Al Dhafra Private School are the visit to:

• Zayed Library
• Green Mubazzarah
• Abu Dhabi International Book Fair
• Expo 2020
• Qasr Al Muwaiji

Currently, the only after-school care provided to the students is in the form of extra-curricular activities.

There is a school clinic equipped with professional nurses that cater to the needs of students. They not only provide medical assistance to students but also play a role in providing case management services, developing health awareness programmes and collaborating with governmental officials for healthcare programmes.

Several modes of communication are available at Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain. Al Dhafra Mobile App is the primary mode of communication used by parents, teachers and the school to communicate with each other. It is a mobile-based application available on popular mobile platforms, such as Android and iPhone, where parents can access crucial information. It acts as a portal for parents to access attendance records, news, notifications and much more.

Other popular modes of communication at this educational institute include the official website, D6 Communicator app, social media pages and WhatsApp Group. D6 Communicator App is another mobile application that provides information to parents on their smartphones. Various schools in the UAE, including Al Dhafra Private School Al Ain, are registered on this app, where parents can gain valuable information for different schools.

Address: Near the intersection of Khalid Bin Sultan Street and Saeed Bin Shakboot Al Awal Street, Al Muwaij’i, Manaseer Area, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

For General Information

• Telephone Number: +971 37013999 to 998
• Email: info.al@dhafraschools.com

Principal

• Email: principalpa.al@dhafraschools.com

AP Coordinator

• Email: christine.sharon@dhafraschools.com

Parent Communication Office (PCO)

• Email: parents.communication.al@dhafraschools.com

HR

• Email: hr@dhafraschools.com

Registrar

• Email: registrar.al@dhafraschools.com

Official Website and Social Media Pages:

• Official Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Al Dhafra Private School

What are the timings of your school?

The school is open every Monday to Friday as per the dates mentioned in the academic calendar.

Mondays to Thursdays are full days whereas Fridays are half-days. On Mondays to Thursdays, the school opens at 7:15 am and closes at 2:15 pm. On Fridays, the school opens at 7:50 am and ends at 11:30.

Do you conduct after-school activities?

Yes,  the school conducts extracurricular activities after regular school hours.

How many grades/years are there in your school? Is there any waiting list? If yes, for which grades/years do you maintain such a list?

The  school includes KG1 to Grade 12 classes. Yes, there is a waiting list for those who have lost their place on the priority list. These students are considered for a seat in case of a vacancy.

Does your school follow a co-education model? If yes, from which grade do boys and girls study in separate sections or classrooms? Also, can you please mention different educational stages and corresponding grades/years?

Yes, the school follows a co-ed model but only till Grade 2 (Year 3). After that, boys and girls study in separate classrooms.

How many students are currently studying in your school? How many nationalities are represented?  Do you have any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

Currently, there are 2,800 students belonging to 39 nationalities, with Emiratis in majority. Students from Jordan, Egypt and Syria are also in great numbers.

The school provides a section for People of Determination and Special Educational Needs (SENCO) under the direction of a competent and qualified coordinator to assist and support this category. The policy of this section is to integrate students of this category as well as provide a comprehensive and balanced curriculum in an inclusive learning environment through employing a wide range of teaching methods and necessary technologies and tools.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

The academic calendar at this school starts in the last week of August and ends in the last week of June. For detailed information, check out the academic calendar section in this guide.

Can you please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by your school?

The tuition fee here ranges between AED 12,240 to AED 23,870.

How do you communicate with parents? Do you have a parent portal or any mobile application for communication?

The school provides several means of communication with parents, including the Al Dhafra mobile application, the school's official website, the D6 School Communicator application, social networking sites and the WhatsApp group.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

Yes, the school has a canteen where healthy food items are available at affordable prices.

How often does your school arrange field trips?

The school arranges field trips regularly. Students have visited many interesting places in the UAE, including EXPO 2020 and Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

How many teachers are currently teaching in your school?

The school currently has 161 experienced and qualified teachers from the US, Canada and Middle East.