The Aquila School

The Aquila School, recently established in September 2018 in Dubailand, is a British curricular school. One of the prominent features of this school is its campus which houses ultra-modern facilities. It follows the National Curriculum of England and provides education from Kindergarten to Year 10. The school is planning to add a year group each year, offering up to Year 13.

The school ensures high-quality education by offering top-notch facilities to students. It has a campus that has won several local awards. A prominent feature of this campus is the space reserved for hydroponic plants and animals. It is a flagship school of the International Schools Partnership (ISP), which has over 50 schools in different parts of the world.

Currently, the school has over 850 students supported by a staff of 56 teachers and 21 teaching assistants. Students at this school are from over 45 nationalities. It is an international school that offers quality education based on an international context. The British School Overseas (BSO) accredited and rated it as an outstanding school across all areas of assessments in 2018. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) will rate it for the first time in the year 2021-2022.

Read this guide by Bayut to know the quality of education, amenities and other facts about The Aquila School.

The Aquila School is located at the junction of Al Ain Road and Emirates Road in Dubailand. The surrounding nearby residential areas are:

• The Centro
• Academic City
• Nad Al Sheba
• Dubai Silicon Oasis
• The Villa
• Villanova

The Centro, located in The Villa Dubai, is the nearest residential community to the Aquila School. It is a relatively newer community popular for buying villas. This freehold community offers a peaceful and relatively secluded living environment. Those living far from the school will certainly enjoy this quiet and serene community.

• Apartments for rent near The Aquila School
• Apartments for sale near The Aquila School
• Villas for rent near The Aquila School
• Villas for sale near The Aquila School
• Townhouses for rent near The Aquila School
• Townhouses for sale near The Aquila School

The Aquila School Dubailand is housed in a spacious piece of land that offers incredible and ultra-modern features to students and staff. The main entrance of the building has a curved steel structure. The rest of the building is sleek in design. All the buildings are meticulously linked to allow easy access. The school has won The Best Design Education Project at the Design Middle East Awards 2018.

It is a purpose-built campus, specifically designed for sports and performance. Various academic and non-academic facilities are available to students and staff, which include:

Classrooms

Classrooms at this ultra-modern campus are bright and spacious. These are designed to ensure a proper learning environment for students. All the technical support is available and is used by the staff to improve the teaching and learning experience. The outdoor areas of the foundation stage classrooms open to the parking space. This allows them to timely move the children to school buses.

Dedicated Arts and Music Rooms

Art and music are vital components of the educational programme at The Aquila School. It ensures that every student develops skills in arts and music. For this purpose, it added well-equipped music and arts facilities at the campus.

There is a school auditorium with high-end equipment for sound and lighting. Areas like these provide, students space to develop self-confidence, creative skills and independence.

Hyrdoponic Farms

Sustainability is an important part of the curriculum followed at The Aquila School. The school aims to foster environmental awareness in students by allowing them to grow vegetables and take care of animals. For this purpose, the school has a hydroponic garden that promotes sustainable and sensible gardening practices.

Library and Information Communication Technology (ICT) Lab

Three well-stocked libraries are available for students. The reading material includes academic and fiction books, journals, periodicals and newspapers. There is a learning hub for secondary students where they can learn, relax or study together.

The school provides all children with access to Chromebooks, iPads, laptops and Chromepads whilst in school. All classrooms and teaching areas are equipped with interactive whiteboards.

The school also has a specialist computer lab for students.

Sports facilities

The school encourages students to take part in physical and sports-related activities. For this purpose, it offers numerous sports facilities where they can take part in their PE sessions and or after-school activities. It has two indoor sports halls: a primary sports hall on the first floor and a secondary sports hall on the second floor. Here, students can play indoor games, such as badminton, netball and volleyball.

Students interested in swimming do not need to worry as the campus also has two temperature-controlled swimming pools: a learning and a 25-metre swimming pool. Both are located just outside the sports hall area. The outdoor sports facilities include a full-size astro pitch for football and a multi-sports court.

In addition, the campus has free-flowing outdoor and indoor areas for EYFS children, and a play field and covered courtyard play area for primary and secondary students.

Other Facilities

Students’ health is one of the primary interests of The Aquila School management. Therefore, it has an in-school clinic that caters to the medical needs of children.

Other facilities at the school include:

• Uniform shop
• School canteen
• Green outdoor spaces
• Sound-proofed auditorium
• Car parking zone for staff members
• Reception at entrance
• CCTV cameras and stringent security check

The school will expand in the summer of 2022, to open a new building, with dedicated learning spaces for students. Areas will include; more classrooms, special common rooms, a canteen and specialist learning rooms, such as science labs and design workshops.

The school sits opposite Desert Sun Tower and Sky Court Towers, off the junction of Dubai Al Ain Road and Emirates Road, in Dubailand. It is surrounded by numerous residential towers, making it an accessible school for the nearby residents.

An attractive feature of The Aquila School is its purpose-built campus. It is one of the best campuses in Dubai due to its architecture and available facilities. Here, students can find high-end technical support, spacious classrooms and ample sports opportunities. However, the hydroponic farm is the main attraction of The Aquila School separating it from the other schools in Dubai. Students can prepare their food in organic settings that will later be used for their education.

The school promises to deliver high-quality education to its pupils. It encourages inquiry-based learning approaches where students are expected to ask questions. The educational syllabus of this school revolves around the National Curriculum for England. Education in terms of international context is delivered to students, making them aware of the local and international situations.

Music, arts and sports are at the core of The Aquila School’s educational programme. It ensures that students have access to the music studio, art studio and sports facilities. Every child at this school has the opportunity to sing and learn to play musical instruments.

Another strong point of this school is its experienced teaching staff and senior leadership. All class teachers are from the UK and hold QTS in the UK. They have relevant qualifications and ample experience in the education sector. Also, the senior leadership at the school has the necessary local and global experience to run successful schools. Moreover, teachers play an important role in guiding students. Their teachers are more than happy to guide students in different facets of life.

Lastly, the International Schools Partnership (ISP) operates The Aquila School. It is an internationally recognised educational entity operating over 50 schools worldwide. This large nexus of schools shares the best practices.

The Aquila School educates children aged 3 to 13 years old. The educational system at this school is:

The school is planning to add a year group each year, offering up to Year 13.

The educational programme at The Aquila School, based on the National Curriculum for England, is creative and engaging. Its meticulously designed syllabus ensures relevant education for different age-group students. All the subjects are linked to make learning meaningful.

It follows an inquiry-based learning that relies less on textbooks and more on practical learning. As a result, students learn independently and collaborate by actively participating in activities of their choice.

It encourages problem-solving through collaborative learning. Students demonstrate exceptional critical thinking and communications skills to combat 21st-century challenges. Despite following an International curriculum, the school pays equal attention to Islamic Education, Arabic, UAE Social Studies and other subjects mandated by the Ministry of Education UAE.

The specifics for each phase of education are:

Foundation Stage Curriculum (FS1 – FS2)

In the foundation stage, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework is adopted. It is a popular educational framework for young learners that focuses on ‘play and learn’ approaches. Students participate in weekly swimming, PE and music lessons from FS1 delivered by specialists. The school does not confine FS students’ learning within the classroom walls. It arranges outdoor activities, educational field trips and other non-conventional activities. The areas of learning targeted in the early years education are:

• Communication and language
• Expressive arts and design
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
• Understanding of the world

By the end of the FS2, students have the foundation skills for all the learning areas in the EYFS framework.

Primary Stage Curriculum (Year 1 – Year 6)

In the primary stage, it follows formal learning approaches as per the British curriculum. The curriculum for KS1 ensures a smooth transition from informal learning to formal learning. In KS2, the foundations laid in the previous stage are expanded for a deeper understanding of concepts. Teachers group certain areas of learning together to create engaging and entertaining teaching lessons. Besides the core subjects, Arabic, UAE Moral, Social and Cultural Studies and Islamic Education are delivered as per the Ministry of Education (MOE) guidelines. The subjects taught in the primary stage are:

Please note that Islamic Studies is for Muslim students and Spanish is mandatory for all students from Year 3.

Secondary Stage Curriculum (Year 7 to year 13)

The educational programme for the secondary stage also follows the National Curriculum of the UK. In the KS3, it focuses on cultivating resilience and collaborative learning skills among learners. Students are challenged to contribute positively to society. The following subjects are part of the KS3:

In KS4, students have to select from a wide range of subjects to appear in GCSE and IGCSE examinations. KS4 will be launched in 2022. GCSE options can be found on the school’s website.

KHDA is a governmental education regulatory body in Dubai established in 2006. It plays a key role in ensuring the quality and standards of education offered by educational institutes. It annually inspects the performance of schools in Dubai and issues a detailed report. The performance review of schools is based on a six-point scale varying from ‘outstanding’ to ‘very weak’.

The school will receive its first inspection review by the KHDA for the academic year 2021-2022.

The new academic year at Aquila School commences in late August and early September and concludes in early July.

• For new and existing students, the first term starts in the last week of August. They go on a mid-term break in the last week of October. The term ends in the second week of December.
• After the end of the first week, students enjoy a three-week winter holiday. The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March. It is followed by spring break which ends in the first week of April.
• The third term commences in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July.

For more information, view the academic calendar of the Aquila School.

The Aquila School understands that it is one of the most challenging decisions for parents to choose a perfect school for their child. The school has a well-experienced admission team that helps parents throughout the admission process.

If interested, you can start the admission process on its official website. You may have to fill out the online form with relevant details. After applying, the school encourages parents for a school tour to check out the facilities by themselves. The school tours are available every Monday to Thursday from 3pm to 4:30pm and on Fridays from 12pm to 3:30pm. It offers multiple Sunday open days throughout the year to cater for families who cannot visit during the week.

Book a tour by speaking with the admissions office or call at +971 0 4 586 2700. Booking is required by the school to visit.

The age-grade guideline is given below:

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

*Please note that if your child is coming from another school within Dubai, the school will follow your child’s previous school’s leaving certificate.

*If your child is coming from overseas, with an academic year ending in December, admissions will be based on the year your child has completed in the origin country. CAT assessment may be required by the school if needed.

To secure a seat for your child, parents need to complete the registration process. This may require parents to provide their and the candidate’s Emirates ID. The registration fee is AED 2,000 and is adjustable in the tuition fee for the first term. For more information, read the admission process at Aquila School.

The Aquila School fee is as follow:

For Academic Year 2021-22

For Academic Year 2022-23

The opening of Year 10 is in 2022.

The annual tuition fees for the aforementioned academic years are a discounted version of the KHDA-approved fee. Besides this, the school offers sibling and corporate discounts. The Aquila School offers a multi-year discount scheme that offers the following discounts:

• Academic year 2021-2022 – 20% off on KHDA-approved tuition fee
• Academic year 2022-2023 – 15% off on KHDA-approved tuition fee

 For more information, view the fee structure of The Aquila School.

The school does not offer any form of scholarships at this time.

The school has a canteen that provides a wide variety of quality hot and cold food items. A catering company provides these food items to the canteen. There is a small café available for staff, parents and the wider community. Children can also bring home-packed snacks or lunch. Please note that food containing nuts is prohibited.

The school also offers a safe and reliable transport facility to its students. The transport service by The Aquila School involves a fleet of buses that are of international standards. The transport staff, including the bus drivers and attendants, are trained to ensure that they comply with the regulations laid by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The available routes and their respective annual transport charges are:

For further details, view the transport service by The Aquila School.

The Aquila School does not offer any boarding facility.

The Aquila School collaborates with the International Football Academy (IFA) to offer holiday camps to children. Established in 2004, IFA is one of the popular grass-root sports providers in the UAE. It has an experienced pool of qualified coaches that train children in football.

This purpose-built campus has outstanding academic and non-academic facilities for students. One of the main features of this school is the availability of high-end sports facilities. A wide range of sports facilities are housed inside the campus that are:

Extra-curricular activities provide an opportunity for students to discover their hidden talents and polish their skills to combat modern-day challenges. The Aquila School also aims to offer extra-curricular activities to cultivate non-academic skills. However, the school has amalgamated the concepts of extra-curricular activities, after-school programmes and school clubs together. The cumulative programme named Community, Action and Service (CAS) activities is an important part of the lives of students. Students from Year 1 onwards can take part in CAS activities that happen thrice a week. Parents do not need to pay for the school-led activities.

Numerous creative, educational and cultural activities are part of the CAS programme. These activities include:

One of the most-anticipated enrichment activities at this school is the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Students have to be 14 years old to participate in it. However, younger students can opt for mini and junior Duke awards. The Mini Duke Silver Award is available to students in Year 1, while Year 2 students can earn the Mini Duke Gold Award. The junior Duke awards are for students in Year 3 to Year 6.

Students can also take part in the paid sports-related activities arranged by IFA.

The Aquila School believes that outside the classroom learning is essential for young learners. Therefore, the school arranges several field trips throughout the year to expose students to different opportunities.

Students in Year 7 were taken on a trip to Oman where they spent a wonderful time kayaking and camping. Also, Year 4 students were taken on a trip to Burj Khalifa and Year 6 students visited The Wonder Maze Dubai.

FS After School Care

To make life easier for families with children in FS1 and FS2 the school offers an after-school care service for one hour every Monday to Wednesday (1:45 pm – 2:45 pm).

Whole School Breakfast and After School Club

Since September 2019, The Aquila School has introduced additional options to support our working families. It offers breakfast and after school clubs. These run on a paid basis with discounted rates for booking bulk in advance.

• Breakfast club: 6:45 am to 7:30 am (Monday to Thursday)
• After school club: 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm (Monday to Thursday), 2:45 pm to 3:15pm (Friday)

During both breakfast and after-school club, the children receive light refreshments and take part in a range of fun activities. For all of the above, the children are supervised by school staff.

For details on rates, please speak to the finance team or refer to the family handbook.

There is a medical clinic at the premises with the necessary equipment. The medical staff at the school provides medical attention to students and staff in need.

Communication with parents is vital for the success of any school. To establish a strong relationship between parents and the school, there is a parent representation in the school’s governing board. There are several modes of communication between teachers and parents. The Aquila School arranges regular family workshops where parents and teachers discuss the performance of their children. Additionally, the school organises formal family conferences thrice an academic year. These conferences occur at the end of each term. Nevertheless, parents who are willing to discuss the performance of their children with teachers can make an appointment.

Moreover, parents can access the school’s official website to check out the latest information, such as news, newsletter, upcoming events and gallery. Other modes of communication include social media pages and WhatsApp groups.

Location: Opposite Sky Court Towers, Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Telephone Numbers

• For all enquiries: +971 4 586 2700

Email Addresses

• General email: info@theaquilaschool.com
• Admissions: admissions@theaquilaschool.com
• Principal: principal@theaquilaschool.com

Official Website and Social Media

• The Aquila School Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Note that the cover image belongs to The Aquila School