Collegiate International School

Collegiate American School, now known as Collegiate International School (CIS), is a primary, middle and secondary International Baccalaureate (IB) school established in 2011. It educates children aged 3 to 18 years old. Initially, Emaar Properties owned and managed the construction of the school’s campus. But in 2007, Innoventures Education took over the management of the school.

Collegiate International School is an IB world school that offers complete IB curricular support to students from elementary to high school stages. Students completing their high school education with an IB Diploma are accepted into renowned colleges and universities. Besides the IB curriculum, students can also opt for the US High School Diploma in the high school stage. This programme is also well-recognised around the world. Collegiate International School's KHDA rating is good.

Currently, the school only has under 400 students, 66 full-time teachers and nine teaching assistants. The majority of the students and teachers at this educational institute are Americans.

Facilities and educational programmes make this school an automatic choice for many parents. This Collegiate International School Dubai review guide provides a comprehensive overview of the facilities and education offered.

Located in Umm Suqeim, one of the traditional residential communities in Dubai, the school is near many residential communities and projects. Students living in nearby communities travel to and from school on their bicycles. Those living far from the school may find the following communities ideal for living:

• Umm Suqeim 1
• Al Safa 2
• Al Manara
• Umm Suqeim 3

Umm Suqeim 1 is the nearest residential community to CIS. This neighbourhood consists of a mixture of old and new residential options. It has a gated villa community, making it an alluring option for larger families.

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Sprawling over a massive piece of land, CIS is equipped with world-class facilities. The buildings at CIS depict the Singaporean style of construction. The three-story buildings form two quadrangles and ballustrades face the centre of the campus.

The indoor facilities for students include spacious classrooms with modern audio-visual facilities. Teachers at CIS use smart boards, LCD projectors, sound systems, visualisers and sound systems to aid learning.

The buildings also have computer laboratories, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) laboratory, prayer rooms, art rooms, music rooms, a library, a dance room and a cafeteria.

The school also has exceptional sports facilities, including a range of indoor and outdoor courts and fields.

Other notable facilities available at CIS are learning centres for early years students, free-flowing play zones, conference rooms, lecture halls, a medical clinic, a therapy room and a discovery room. The entire campus is connected with high-speed Wi-Fi connections.

Collegiate International School is adjacent to DuGym Rhythmic Gymnastics on 34th Street in Umm Suqeim 2. The school faces Villa 51 and is easily accessible through Al Wasl Road.

Collegiate International School Dubai is a not-for-profit school governed by a group of owners and independent members. KHDA defines not-for-profit schools as those established purely for educational purposes. The owners or any other stakeholders do not gain any financial benefit from the school. CIS reinvests any profit generated by the school to attain its long-term goals.

The school offers a rigorous academic programme based on the US State Core Standards. The implemented standards help CIS in optimising the syllabus taught for different subjects. The amenities available at the school, such as audio-video facilities, STEM labs and computer labs, further assist students learning. All this makes it one of the top American Schools in Dubai.

Students enjoy a warm and caring environment at CIS. Teachers offer individual attention and care as the school has a low student-to-teacher ratio of 1:6. In this way, the school ensures that no student is left behind.

Another attractive feature for parents at CIS is its support for multiculturalism and diversity. The aforementioned is evident from the fact that it currently has students belonging to over 70 nationalities, with a majority of them from an American background. The school meets the needs of non-native English-speaking children by providing intensive support programmes to build their English speaking and understanding skills.

The school also enrols children with specific educational needs. As per the latest KHDA inspection report, the school has over 60 students requiring special educational needs, such as Asperger’s syndrome, dyspraxia and dyslexia. Teachers at CIS are experienced in working with SEND students.

Besides strong curricular activities, the school also offers a plethora of non-curricular activities. The extra-curricular programme at Collegiate International School has a wide range of activities ranging from competitive sports to learning foreign languages and from arts to technology.

Collegiate International School offers pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 education to children. CIS splits the education system into the following stages:

Collegiate International School (CIS) follows the IB curriculum from the primary to high school stages. CIS strongly emphasises supporting the academic needs of each individual. The IB curriculum programme allows the school to achieve the aforementioned mission. The school is authorised to offer the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and IB Diploma Programme (DP) for secondary and high school students.

The syllabus allows students to develop analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The NY Common Core Standards and NY state standards result in the development of a rigorous educational framework that meets the educational needs of children.

Primary School

In the primary stage, the school follows the IB PYP programme. It is a suitable academic programme for students aged 3 to 12 years old. The curriculum specifically focuses on developing curiosity and inquisitiveness. This approach is defined by six trans-disciplinary approaches, which are as follows:

Secondary School (Middle and High School)

The curriculum followed at the middle and high school at CIS is the extension of the NY State Standard of Education.

The subjects offered to students in Grade 6 to Grade 8 are:

Students can opt for French, Spanish or English as a second language.

The elective courses offered are as follows:

Multiple pathways are available to students in the middle and high school stages. These pathways are:

• A US High School diploma
• An IB Diploma plus a US High School diploma
• IB Diploma courses plus a US High School diploma
• An IB Career-Related program plus a US High School diploma

Read the curricular pathway for Collegiate International School to learn more.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a governmental body regulating the educational sector. KHDA aims to improve the quality of education by private institutions in Dubai. For this, KHDA inspects the schools annually and rates their performance based on a six-point scale. The scale varies in rating ranging from outstanding to very weak.

In the latest inspection for the year 2018-19, KHDA rated Collegiate International School as “Good”. They have maintained their good rating for the last five years. Here is the history of the KHDA rating for CIS from its first inspection in 2012-13.

With an overall rating of good, KHDA identified the following positives of Collegiate International School:

• Role of teachers and leadership in good progress of students in all subjects
• Demonstration of socially responsible actions, respect for Islamic values and display of positive behaviour and attitude by students
• The inclusive attitude of the school resulting in a caring and well-supported environment for students
• Outstanding provision for students’ safety at school
• The positive and supportive atmosphere for kindergarten children resulting in excellent emotional and academic growth

Collegiate International School, nevertheless, can improve its rating for future inspections by:

• Improving the quality of Arabic education by allowing students access to Arabic books and learning resources
• Improving the progress of students in all subjects and providing equal opportunities to students of all age group
• Monitoring of improved priorities in the school’s self-evaluation process

The academic year at Collegiate International School starts in August and ends in July. There are three terms in an academic year with the following important dates and events:

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December. The winter break starts right after the end of the first term and 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 (last) term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July.

Besides the aforementioned, the school remains closed on many religious, national and international events. The exact dates of these events are subjected to moonsighting and the government’s announcement. For more information, contact the school’s administration.

Collegiate International School understands that selecting the best school for children is an important decision for parents. Parents have many questions and queries that help them in making an informed decision. CIS Dubai has a responsive admission team that offers quick responses to parents queries. The school also encourages parents to visit the school to check out the facilities and environment. School tours are offered every Sunday to Thursday. You can book a tour by filling out the form or reaching out to the school on admissions@collegiate.sch.ae and +971 4 4271402 or +971 4 4271403.

Once satisfied with the facilities and environment, you can start the admission process by filling out the online registration form. Please note that the school only accepts admission applications submitted online. The school will contact the parents if a vacancy arrives. If there is no vacancy, the school will keep the name of the candidate on the waiting list.

In case of a vacancy, students have to sit an assessment test. The assessment includes age-appropriate questions related to the core subjects. It helps the school to understand the skill level of candidates. The school will assess English and mathematics for admissions in Grade 2 and above. For admissions in Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten 2, the admission team assesses the student’s readiness to school. The assessment test includes questions related to verbal and non-verbal reasoning, spatial ability and quantitative tasks. The documents required at the time of assessment are:

• Two copies of the candidate’s birth certificate
• Two copies of passport, Emirates ID and valid UAE visa of the candidate and his or her parents
• Transcripts of report cards for the last two academic years

Students that successfully clear the entrance test and are eligible as per the selection criteria are given admission offers. The school also required a transfer certificate issued by the previous school to grant admission as per KHDA’s policy. Contact the school for attestation requirements.

Please note that it may take one to two working days for the school to respond to your application form. The school announces their decision after the assessment in five working days. CIS charges AED 500 as the assessment fee.

The age-grade guideline followed at CIS Dubai is as follows:

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

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

For further information, read the admission process of Collegiate International School.

The tuition fee charged by Collegiate International School (CIS) Dubai is as follows:

Other charges at the school include the assessment fee of AED 500 (exclusive of VAT). A 10% sibling discount on the annual tuition fee is also available at CIS.

The banking details are as follows:

• Bank: Mashreq Bank
• Branch: DIC, Dubai
• Account Name: Collegiate American School
• Account Number: 010496848711
• IBAN: AE670330000010496848711
• Swift Code: BOMLAEAD

For more information, view the Collegiate International School fees structure.

Collegiate International School rewards students for their athletic and academic hard work through its scholarship programme. This scholarship is offered by Innoventures Education and has three categories:

• Emirati Distinction
• Academic Excellence
• Sports

Each category of scholarship has a separate form and a student can only apply for one category. The scholarship is available for both existing and new students.

For more information, read about the scholarship programme at Collegiate International School Dubai.

The school has a cafeteria that offers a hygienic environment for the children to eat their lunch. They can either purchase the food from the canteen or bring home-packed food. Abela & Co, one of the leading food service providers in the UAE, manages the canteen and catering operations. They have over 50 years of experience in meeting the needs of a diverse range of clientele.

CIS offers an impressive school transport service to its students. They understand the need for a safe and comfortable transportation service for children. Therefore, they contracted Arab Falcon Bus Rental LLC services. Arab Falcon is a renowned transport service provider in the UAE that also extends its services to schools.

With top-notch security and safety features installed in their buses, they offer a reliable commute to children at an affordable price. To apply for the school transport, submit the transport form to the transport office in school or email at csr.cas@arabfalcondubai.ae.

For general enquiries, contact Mr Shaikh Jubran at +971-55-4591028 or +971-4-3976490.

Collegiate International School, currently, does not provide any boarding facility to its children.

The school understands that holidays are an opportunity for students to learn new skills. Therefore, it offers a plethora of holiday camps to its children with exciting activities to keep them entertained.

Most of the holiday camps are organised by CIS and other Innoventures Education schools in Dubai. However, the school also contacts third-party organisations to arrange summer and winter camps for their students.

This includes a sports hall, basketball court, gymnasium, tennis court, badminton courts, an outdoor field for soccer and a multipurpose outdoor playground. The school also has a swimming pool for older students and an early-year swimming pool for learners.

Other facilities also include free-flowing play zones for early years students.

To expand the horizons of the educational programme, the school offers a wide range of co-curricular activities. CIS considers participation in extra-curricular activities as imperative for developing well-rounded students. Middle and High School students need to participate in at least one co-curricular activity per year.

The school charges extra for these activities led by teachers. To apply for such activities, send an email to cca@casdubai.com.

The extra-curricular activities available at CIS Dubai include the following:

Please note that the non-scholastic activities at CIS take place after school timings. School transportation is available for students taking part in extracurricular activities.

For more information, email helpdesk@casdubai.com.

Field trips at CIS are an important part of the educational programme. The school provides every opportunity for children to learn beyond the walls of their classrooms. For this purpose, they arrange several field trips throughout the academic year for pre-KG to Grade 12 students.

Students often visit museums, factories and recreational spots to learn new things. They offer International trips to students in upper grades where they learn community service, Islamic education, arts and politics. The popular international visits include trips to Saudi Arabia, Nepal and South Africa. One popular field trip was the visit to Kite Beach Dubai where students of CIS participated in the Dubai Fitness Challenge 2019.

Presently, the only after-school care at Collegiate International School is in the form of extra-curricular activities. The timings of these activities for the specific age groups are:

• Pre-KG to KG1: 1:20 pm to 2:20 pm
• KG 2 to Grade 12: 2:40 pm to 3:20 pm

Parents do not need to worry as the school provides transportation to students participating in after-school activities. However, parents are advised to remain in contact with the Arab Falcon for proper arrangements.

In case of minor emergencies and medical check-ups, CIS has a well-equipped medical centre with the necessary equipment. The medical staff has an experienced doctor and two certified nurses who take care of the students. Besides injuries and illness, the school also conducts a general medical examination of children in KG1, Grade 1, Grade 5, Grade 9 and Grade 12 students.

The school also has a therapy room for students where external healthcare providers help the students.

Please note that parents of new students need to submit a medical declaration form at the time of enrolment. This allows the medical staff at the school to take necessary actions in cases of emergency.

The role of parents is pivotal in the all-round development of their children. The school understands the role of parents and incorporates their suggestions for improvement. CIS believes that parents can be an integral part of the school. Therefore, they developed the Collegiate International School Parents Association to ensure the school provides world-class education. The members conduct several humanitarian and educational projects in school.

Besides the parents’ association, the school often communicates with the parents to keep them updated about the child’s progress. For this purpose, several communication modes are available for parents and teachers to coordinate with each other. The parent portal is the main source of communication between parents and teachers. On this platform, parents can access key information such as academic syllabi, feedback, examination dates and updates on ongoing and upcoming events. Parents and teachers can also contact each other through the school’s designated WhatsApp groups.

• Physical address: Collegiate International School, 50 Al Maydar Street (Formerly Street 34), Umm Suqeim 2, Dubai, U.A.E
• Telephone for general enquiry: +971 4 427 1400
• Telephone contact of admission office: +971 4 427 1402 – 1403
• For admissions: admissions@collegiate.sch.ae

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