Al Nahda National School for Girls, Abu Dhabi

Al Nahda National School for Girls opened its door for students in 1983. It is not specifically a girls’ only school as both boys and girls study together in this branch until Grade 3. Afterwards, boys and girls study in their separate sections.

The girls’ school follows both British and American Curriculum from Kindergarten to High School stages. From Grade 9 onwards, students can opt for a curriculum of their choice as their career path. Besides academic brilliance, the school attempts to develop modern-day skills among students by exposing them to extra-curricular activities. The non-academic programme at the girls’ school is comprehensive and relevant to today’s world. The facilities available at the campus are satisfactory and support the academic and non-academic activities for students.

Currently, both campuses have around 6,000 students with a majority of them enrolled in the girls’ campus. It is an inclusive school where students from different nationalities co-exist. As per the latest inspection report issued by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), the girls’ campus has 5,080 students, mostly local Emiratis. They are followed by Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian students. About 1% of students at this school require special education support.

In terms of the teaching force, the school has 254 teachers and 14 teaching assistants. A concern for parents is the high teacher-to-student ratio of 1:20 that hampers individual attention and care. ADEK rated the performance of the school as acceptable.

Read this comprehensive guide by Bayut to find out more about the school.

• Location: Al Mushrif
• School Fees: AED 14,120 - AED 27,930
• Curriculum: US and UK Curriculum
• Co-Ed or Segregate: Segregated Model - Girls Only
• ADEK Rating: Acceptable
• Years Offered: KG1 - Year 12

Al Nahda National School is an alluring option for the residents living in the centre of the capital. Situated in Al Mushrif, residents of the following nearby communities may find the school as an incredible option for their daughters:

• Al Nahyan
• Capital Centre
• Al Bateen
• Al Khalidiyah

Al Nahyan, a central residential community in Abu Dhabi, is nearest to the school. Al Nahyan is a popular residential community for renting apartments. Its strategic location allows easy access to amenities and surrounding communities. One can find many schools, hospitals, supermarkets and malls near their residence.

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Al Nahda National School for Girls is housed on a spacious piece of land. The sheer size allows for a wide range of academic and non-academic activities. Well-designed architecture with tinted glasses and marbles add aesthetic appeal to the campus.

There lies a parking spot outside the campus where faculty members can park their vehicles. Students and staff enter through a security check at Gate A. Inside the school building, there is a spacious corridor from where students access different school facilities. Inside the campus, corridors are beautifully decorated with blue tiles to give a relaxing and calm environment to students and staff.

Students spend most of their time in spacious classrooms. Each classroom is well lit and has proper ventilation. Classrooms are provided with age-appropriate furniture for a comfortable learning environment.

The campus also has a library where students can find a range of academic and non-academic books. All the reading materials are properly labelled and shelved appropriately to help children find their favourite books.

To support science-based subjects, there is a spacious science lab with different equipment. Other facilities at the campus include a covered outdoor area, well-equipped play area, swimming pool, indoor basketball court and indoor multipurpose hall.

Al Nahda National School Girls campus is situated slightly off the Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street near the intersection of Al Dhabi Street and Al Ward Street. The front of the school faces Emirates Post on Makkah Street.

Those interested in visiting the school from the nearby communities can access it through Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street and Salama Bint Butti Street. Those coming from the Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street can access the school by turning left into Al Dhabi Street while those coming from the later street need to turn left into Al Ward Street to reach their destination. It is a 3-minute drive from the Embassy of Angola.

Established in 1983, Al Nahda International School for Girls is one of the oldest educational institutes in Abu Dhabi. With an experience of over 35 years in educating children, the school has made a name for itself. Moreover, separate campuses for boys and girls make it an attractive option for many families in the UAE weary to enrol their kids in co-curricular education.

The educational programme followed at this school is academically rich and extensive. The school follows both British and American curricula with the option of IGCSE followed by A-Levels or US High School diploma in the high school stage. The syllabus is modern and inculcates updated knowledge in students. Students completing their schooling from either American or British programmes are well accepted in top colleges and universities across the globe.

Another strength of Al Nahda National School for Girls is that top educational bodies in the world accredit the school. It is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS). CIS is a premier organisation for accrediting international educational institutes, mostly K-12 schools in more than 100 countries. The European Council of International Schools (ECIS), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and Cambridge International Examinations Syndicate also accredit the school. Other important accreditations include Edexcel, SAT Centre and Association Schools Project Network (ASPNET).

Besides academics, Al Nahda National School for Girls also focuses on the provision of non-academic extracurricular activities. This ensures that students are both academically sound and have modern-day skills to combat today’s challenges. These activities are available during and after regular schooling hours.

Inclusivity is another crucial aspect of Al Nahda National School for Girls. Students from different nationalities co-exist at school, including locals, Jordanian, Egyptian and Palestinian in large numbers. Students from other nationalities, such as Pakistani, Indians, Bangladeshi, also co-exist in substantial numbers.

The girls’ campus of Al Nahda National School in Al Mushrif is a private K-12 school. It meets the educational needs of students aged 4 to 18 years of age. One can find the following phases of education at Al Nahda National School for Girls:

Please note that boys and girls study together till grade 3. Afterwards, girls continue to study on the same campus while boys move to the other dedicated campus.

As stated above, the school offers dual curricular options to its students at different phases of education. Students have the choice to either enrol for the National Curriculum of England or opt for the American National Curriculum. Students then have the option of either continuing with the curriculum or switching to the other curriculum in Grade 9. Most students before Grade 9 opt for British National Curriculum. Afterwards, the majority of students migrate to the US National Curriculum to pursue a US High School diploma. The specifics for both curricula are provided below:

British Curriculum

One of the options available for education at Al Nahda National School Boys and Girls is the British National Curriculum. This framework of education is available from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Students enrolling in the kindergarten stage are taught by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. After the kindergarten stage, students are introduced to more formal teaching pedagogies.

After middle school, students can continue their education following the British Curriculum and opt for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in Grade 9 and Grade 10. The compulsory subjects for students sitting in IGCSE examinations are:

Islamic Studies and Arabic are compulsory as mandated by the Ministry of Education UAE.

Please note that Arabic and Islamic Education are taught as per the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education (MOE). Students can also choose from the range of subjects listed below:

Afterwards, they study for AS Level in Grade 11 and A-Levels in Grade 12. The selection of subjects in the AS Level and A-Levels depends on the academic performance in the IGCSE examinations. Grade 12 students sit for the common test for Islamic Studies and Arabic to equalise their certificates with the UAE Official Secondary Certificate.

American Curriculum

Another option of education at this school is the US National Curriculum that is also broad and sound academically. It offers a range of subjects to students out of which Arabic and Islamic Studies are taught as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Education (MOE). Subjects taught as per the guidelines of the US Curriculum are:

Students completing their education from Al Nahda National for Girls need to score at least 61 marks in iBT TOEFL and 400 marks in SAT1 (Mathematics). They should also sit a common test for Islamic Studies and Arabic conducted by the Ministry of Education.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a governmental entity to regulate the education sector of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra and Al Ain regions. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan established ADEK in 2005. It aims to improve the quality of education offered by the school, colleges and other educational institutes in Abu Dhabi. The Irtiqaa programme by the ADEK allows them to inspect the performance of schools every 18 to 24 months and issue a detailed report. ADEK inspects the following six performance standards to gauge the school’s performance:

• Leadership and Management
• Assessment and Teaching
• Curriculum
• Students’ achievements
• Students’ social and personal development and innovation skills
• Protection, guidance, care and support to children

The performance standards are rated by using the ADEK’s 6-point scale that ranges from outstanding to very weak. To get an idea about the ADEK’s ratings, here is the pictorial representation of each rating with its meaning:

ADEK last inspected the Al Nahda National School for the academic year 2017-2018. The inspection was carried out in April 2018 and was rated acceptable. The rating given by ADEK for each performance standard is as follows:

• Students’ Achievements – Acceptable
• Teaching and Assessment – Acceptable
• Students’ personal and social development and innovation skills – Good
• Curriculum – Acceptable
• Protection, care, guidance and support to students – Good
• Leadership and Management – Acceptable

The following strengths of the Girls school were reported in the latest inspection report:

• High achievement by students in IGCSE examinations
• The outstanding development of Islamic and UAE values among students throughout the school
• Good health and personal safety of students due to the support and guidance offered to them

ADEK observed several weaknesses and shared the following suggestions to overcome them:

• Al Nahda National School needs to improve students’ attainment in all subjects. For this purpose, teachers need to raise the expectation from students and align teachers’ planning with curriculum expectations and assessment. The school also needs to implement systems for tracking students’ progress and attainment. This would allow the school to monitor progress closely and take action at the earliest.
• They must improve the quality of teaching, specifically in the kindergarten and primary stages of education. This requires the management to implement a robust system of monitoring of teaching and learning processes. They should also link the continuous professional development programme with the outcomes of the monitoring systems. The school should also develop a clear understanding of ways through which junior students learn.
• The school should focus on developing independent learning skills among students. To achieve this, they must ensure that students understand the objectives of lessons and teachers provide them with timely feedback. Additionally, teachers can increase the use of technology by students and provide them with opportunities to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The academic year at Al Nahda Private School Girls campus starts in August and ends in July. There are three terms in the academic year of this school.

• The first term commences in the last week of August and continues till winter break which lasts from 12th to 30th December.
• The second term starts after the end of the winter break in the first week of January and ends in the last of March. This is followed by the spring break that ends in the first week of April.
• The third term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of June. The academic calendar is approved by the ADEK.

Please note that the school remain close on some religious, national and international events. The exact dates of these events are subjected to moon sightings and the government’s announcements.

Al Nahda National School for Girls is an inclusive school that accepts admission requests and registration from all. To apply, fill out the online application form and upload the following documents:

• A passport size photograph of the candidate (should be in JPEG format)
• Birth Certificate (if applying for KG1 or KG2)
• First-semester certificate issued by the previous school (for admission in Grade 1 to Grade 12)

After submitting the online application form with the required documents, the school provides an online application number to the candidates. Please note that the online application number is important for subsequent processes and must be recorded for further use. After the deadline, it usually takes 5 days for screening applications. Parents of the successful candidates receive an email with the date, time and location for assessment. The assessment includes a written test and interview. For admission in Grade 1 to Grade 12, parents must prepare their child for English, Arabic and Mathematics.

Once the admission is offered, parents need to pay the deposit and submit the following documents in colour copy:

• The candidate’s and his or her parents’ passports
• Residence visa of the candidate and parents (for non-UAE nationals)
• UAE family book (for UAE nationals)
• Birth certificate (must be attested if born outside the UAE)
• Vaccination record
• Emirates ID cards of the candidate and parents (both sides)
• Electricity Bill (for residential address)
• A passport-size photograph of the candidate
• Transfer certificate/school leaving certificate/continuing certificate (must have ESIS number if applying from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi Island and Western Abu Dhabi)
• Previous report card

For more information, view the admission details provided by the Al Nahda National School.

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)

The tuition fee charged by the girls’ campus is less than many international schools with similar curricular options in the UAE. Al Nahda National School fee is provided below:

UK Curriculum

US Curriculum

Please note that the tuition fee is approved by the ADEK.

Other charges

For more information, check out the fee structure of Al Nahda National School for Girls.

Currently, there are no scholarship programmes for students at Al Nahda National School for Girls.

Al Nahda Girls School has a secure transport service for picking up and dropping off to and from the school. The buses are well maintained and complies with the Department of Transport (DOT) Abu Dhabi. They cover a wide range of areas including Dubai and Ajman. The transportation charges for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 (US or UK curriculum) is AED 4,500 per annum.

Al Nahda School for Girls is a day-only school and does not offer any boarding or hostelling facility to its students. Those living far from the school can use the school transport service. This allows students to reach and leave school on time. Other options include relocating close to the school. If you are looking for any residential options in the vicinity of the school, read the residential communities near Al Nahda National School for Girls section at the beginning of the guide.

Currently, the school does not offer any holiday camps to its students. To keep their child busy, parents can opt for external holiday camp providers in Abu Dhabi.

There are ample sporting opportunities for girls at Al Nahda National School. The campus has a covered outdoor area where girls can play games of their choice. There also exists an outdoor playground with playing equipment for students in kindergarten and primary stage. Major sports facilities at the campus include an indoor multipurpose hall that is used for freestyle football sessions, physical education and other indoor sports and activities. There also exists a separate indoor basketball court where girls can practise their basketball skills. Other sports facilities at the campus include an indoor swimming pool that is regularly cleaned.

An incredible feature of this school is its extensive extra-curricular programme that prepares girls to tackle the challenges of the modern-day world. Al Nahda National School for Girls ensures that students find multiple activities of their choice. These activities are designed to develop modern-day skills among students. Some noteworthy extra-curricular activities at the girls’ campus are:

Emirates Red Crescent

One of the popular extra-curricular activities at the girls’ campus is participation in the Emirates Red Crescent. It is a volunteering organisation supporting the social, cultural and economic needs of society through volunteering. Each year, students of Al Nahda National School for Girls take part in Emirates Red Crescent and play a role in improving society.

Celebration of His Highness Sheikh Zayed and His Achievements

As one of the prestigious personalities in UAE, the school celebrates the achievements of His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Zayed in the development of the UAE. Students of the school prepare various colourful acts and play to enlighten his achievements.

Cambridge Outstanding Awards

The Cambridge outstanding awards were conducted to reward students achieving academic success in the Cambridge examinations.

Other noteworthy extra-curricular activities at the girls’ campus are:

Field Trips are an important part of the extra-curricular activity at Al Nahda National School. It allows an opportunity for the school to expose students to the practical environment. With the support of teachers, students can co-relate their experiences with the lectures taught in the classrooms. This helps students in grasping the idea of how the world operates. Some noteworthy field trips arranged by the school are:

Al Yah Satellite Communication Company

Students in Grade 4 were taken on an educational trip to Al Yah Satellite Communication Company. Here, students see the latest communication technologies before their eyes and learn about the latest scientific updates.

Al Rahba Farm

Students of Al Nahda National School were also taken on a recreational trip to organic farms in Abu Dhabi. Al Rahba Farm is an organic farm in Abu Dhabi, an ideal location for children to learn how the food they consume grows. Here students spend quality time in a natural setting riding a horse and exploring organic vegetable farms.

Currently, the only after-school care given to students at the girls’ campus of Al Nahda National School is in the form of extra-curricular activities.

Several modes of communication are available for teachers and parents to communicate at Al Nahda National School for Girls. The most common source of communication is the parent portal. Both parents and teachers have access to the portal where they can access valuable information. By logging into the portal, parents can find attendance records, academic performance, news, circulars, ADEK news and much more.

Parents can also visit the official school website where they can access information for boys and girls campuses separately. All the key information such as curriculum, admission details, fees structure, extra-curricular activities and much more are easily available.

The school also arranges parent-teacher meetings where they can discuss the progress made by the child. These meetings are important as it allows both parents and teachers to learn from each other which contributes directly to improving the students’ learning experience.

Other modes of communication used by the school to convey information are official social media profiles and WhatsApp groups. Teachers and parents of students studying in the same grades are added to a WhatsApp group to facilitate communication between teachers and parents.

• Girls’ Campus Primary Section Number: +971-2-201-1800 | +971-2-201-1801
• Girls’ Campus Secondary Section Number: +971-2-204-1900 | +971-2-204-1901
• For general enquiry: annsg@nahdaschools.com
• General Administration: generaladmin@nahdaschools.com
• Al Nahda National School for Girls Website
• Al Nahda National School for Girls Facebook
• Al Nahda National School for Girls Twitter
• Al Nahda National School for Girls Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Al Nahda National School for Girls

What are the timings of the school?

8:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Does the school conduct after-school activities?

Yes, the school organises after-school activities.

How many grades/years are there in the school?

The school offers classes from KG to Grade 12.

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Students study in a co-education model till Grade 3 after which they attend classes on different campuses.

How many students are currently studying in the school? How many nationalities are represented?

The school currently has around 5,080 students most of whom are Emirati while others are Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian nationalities.

Does Al Nahda National School for Girls have any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

The staff at Al Nahda School identifies students with special needs and takes necessary steps for their well-being. 

What is the academic calendar of the school?

The academic year at Al Nahda National Private School for Girls begins in August and ends in June. 

Does Al Nahda National School conduct mid-term examinations? If yes, please mention the tentative dates.

Al Nahda National School has scheduled mid-term exams for the academic year 2022-2023.

• Semester 1: 5th December 2022 – 9th December 2022
• Semester 2: 6th March 2023 – 10th March 2023
• Semester 3: 12th June 2023 – 21s June 2023

What is the tuition fee charged by the school?

Annual school fees range from AED 14,120 - AED 27,930.

How does the school communicate with parents?

Parents get the latest information through the school website, official social media platforms and grade-specific Whatsapp groups. Al Nahda National School also organises period parent-teacher meetings for smooth communication between parents and school.

How often does the school arrange field trips?

The school organises annual field trips.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

The faculty includes 254 teachers and 14 assistant teachers.