GEMS Cambridge International Private School

GEMS Cambridge International Private School Sharjah (GCS) is a new addition to GEMS schools, located in the School Zone of Muwailih Commercial area, Sharjah. It follows the British curriculum and blends the academically renowned National Curriculum for England with high GEMS Education excellence standards. Students of Pre-KG (FS1) to Year 13 can currently enrol at GEMS Cambridge International School Sharjah.

GCS is established to provide the best education to students and families across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Teachers aim to prepare students for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) course, the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and A Level Examinations.

Like other GEMS schools in the United Arab Emirates, GCS wants students to realise their full potential and study in a multicultural, caring and positive learning environment. In January 2021, Pearson / Edexcel accredited GCS making it an officially approved examination centre. GCS won the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood Bullying Prevent in Schools Award in 2020.

• Location: Muwailih Commercial, Sharjah
• School fees: AED 21,373 - AED 33,200
• Curriculum: British Curriculum
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• Years offered: Pre-KG - Grade 12
• SPEA rating: Very Good

Residential areas close to GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah are:

• Oud Al Muteena
• Al Khezamia
• Al Gharayen

While Oud Al Muteena is a residential community in eastern Dubai, it isn’t far from the GEMS Cambridge Private School Sharjah campus. One can find apartments and villas for rent in the district. Al Gharayen, also known as Qarayen, is a popular residential district in Sharjah.

Closeness to Dubai makes GCS easily accessible from both emirates. Parents looking to settle down near GEMS Cambridge International School can check out:

• Apartments for rent near GEMS Cambridge International Private School
• Apartments for sale near GEMS Cambridge International Private School

GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah campus features state-of-the-art facilities, including a spacious library offering panoramic views of Sharjah University, a multipurpose hall and prayer rooms, a hygienic cafeteria, clinics, and a parent café.

Academics-related amenities include a Science lab, a robotics lab, a STEAM lab, an art and music room and ICT laboratories. KG students can also use indoor and outdoor play areas. The campus also has an impressive range of sports facilities such as a well-equipped PE department, astroturf pitches and basketball areas.

The school is situated in the School Zone, Muwailih Commercial area, Sharjah. It is located close to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road and thus ensures easy access for families and students living in Dubai, Ajman and Sharjah.

Like other GEMS schools, GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah believes in innovation excellence. It aims to help students achieve excellent results in A-level examinations.

The school claims to implement the best learning practices and create a unique, nurturing environment to enhance academic achievements. GCS also pays attention to staff training and development. The management ensures that the faculty keeps pace with the latest study programs and teaching methods.

GEMS Cambridge Private School enables students to reach their full potential in a caring and multicultural environment. The school develops students’ skills as lifelong learners and makes them realise their self-worth.

GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah’s ultimate goal is to develop global citizens who are productive members of society. It also believes in building a solid and effective partnership with parents. The school fosters an environment of respect and trust. Every child is treated as an individual and is given a personalised approach to learning. GEMS Cambridge School builds confidence and develops initiative in students.

From KG years to middle school, GCS focuses on Design Thinking to help students develop innovative solutions to address problems related to their learning environment.

All classes at GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah are divided into Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School and Sixth Form. Presently, the school offers Pre-KG (FS1) classes to Year 13 (Grade 12).

As stated earlier, GEMS Cambridge International School Sharjah follows the widely recognised National Curriculum of England (NCfE). This curriculum is a detailed, well-planned, and well-recognised education system worldwide. At GCS, the curriculum aims to achieve high academic standards, but the focus is the well-rounded development of each child across all grades.

At GCS, The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) is followed by Pre-KG (FS 1) and KG1 (FS2). The goal is the emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of students at an early age. The EYFS curriculum is further broken down into seven areas of development. Please note that three of these elements are prime areas, while the remaining four are specific.

Prime Areas include:

• Communication and Language Development
• Personal, Social, and Emotional Development
• Physical Development

Specific areas include:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

The school’s qualified teachers plan each category, and academics at this level involve a mixture of explicit teaching sessions and play-based learning opportunities within the classroom. Teachers and teaching assistants encourage learning through a combination of play partnering, observing, questioning, modelling and explicit teaching. This helps the teacher assess where exactly children are at their development stage to plan the next step for learning.

Students learn to speak sentences, play with fellow students, hold a pencil and write their names and simple words. They also learn to count, subtract and add numbers. Studies show that young children learn best when active, engaged and interested. When following the EYFS, kids also acquire skills to create and build models using simple tablets and iPads.

Parents with toddlers would be pleased to know that GCS has excellent facilities and resources for the KG section to nurture young children’s gross motor skills and knowledge base. Besides the large library and free-flow room, kids can use the latest BENQ screens for an interactive and engaging lesson in the classroom.

The British curriculum is also implemented in Primary School at GEMS Cambridge School Sharjah. It is divided into core and foundation subjects.

Core subjects include:

• English
• Maths
• Science
• Arabic
• Islamic Studies
• UAE Social Studies
• Moral Education

Foundation subjects at the Primary level are:

• Music
• History
• Geography
• Physical Education
• Art
• Computing

Teachers use a collaborative learning and teaching style and encourage students to discuss their thoughts and ideas with their peers.

Children are asked to implement different strategies to solve a problem through explicit modelling, questioning and teaching. In Mathematics, the mastery approach is used along with the Power Maths scheme of work. No textbooks are used at the primary level, limiting the learning process. There are no tests because the curriculum is designed to assess learning in real time against the set learning objectives. The End-of-unit quizzes are scheduled to gauge progress and help teachers modify their planning and meet the child’s needs.

Core subjects at the Secondary level are:

• Science
• Mathematics
• Islamic Studies
• English
• UAE
• Moral Education

Specialist subjects include these:

• Music
• French
• Art
• Physical Education
• Computing
• Humanities
• (PSHE) Personal, Social and Health Education – for Non-Muslim students.

The secondary school curriculum is designed to help students grow independently and improve their thinking approach. Core and specialist subjects are also linked to GCSE standards and help prepare students to choose their higher education options.

During A-levels, students specialise in four subjects in Grade 11 (Year 12). Later, they can focus on their best three subjects in Grade 12 (Year 13).

In Sixth Form, optional subjects are:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• English Language
• Geography
• Psychology
• IT
• French
• Math
• Business
• English Literature

GEMS Cambridge International Private School SPEA rating is 'Very Good'.

The GCS academic calendar is 10-month long and is divided into three terms.

• Term 1 starts on 28th August 2023 and ends on 14th December 2023.
• Term 2 begins on 2nd January 2024 and ends on 28th March 2024.
• Term 3 is the last, and it begins on the 15th of April and ends on the 4th of July 2024.

The detailed academic calendar of GEMS International Private School is available on the official website.

The four-step GEMS Cambridge International Private School admission process is a simple procedure.

• Step 1 – Online application
• Step 2 – Registration
• Step 3 – Assessment
• Step 4 – Registration deposit

The school schedules screening/assessment to ensure the right placement for students. The admission committee makes a decision and completes the registration process. After the decision has been made, successful students are offered a seat or placed on the waiting list.

Interested parents can submit an inquiry form through the GEMS online student inquiry and Registration page. After completing the online application process, parents receive an inquiry number. Parents are requested to print a copy of this receipt for the record. Without the inquiry number, the school cannot verify the inquiry submission. The school sends further process updates via email. When the online application process is completed successfully, the school invites parents to visit the school for assessment.

All successful candidates will be offered a seat subject to availability. The seat confirmation fee is AED 1000, which must be paid within 3 days and is non-refundable.

KG-1 (FS2) students must be four years of age by August 31st at the time of admission.

Parents should submit these documents along with the application form:

• Copy of student’s passport with a valid UAE residence visa
• Copy of the birth certificate (Arabic or English)
• Copy of the ID card (both sides)
• Copy of Emirates ID card (both parents, both sides)
• Copy of passport and valid visa (both parents)
• Copy of final school report (for all students entering KG-2 and above (in English)
• Original transfer certificate from the previous school (only after confirmation of admission)

For students coming from schools outside Sharjah, the transfer certificate must be attested by the respective emirate’s educational authority.

Except for students coming from the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Europe, or New Zealand, all overseas candidates must have their transfer certificate attested by the following:

• District Educational Officer/ Ministry of Education ( the country of origin)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in the country of origin) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs UAE.
• UAE Embassy/Consulate (in the country of origin).

GEMS Cambridge International Private School fee is mentioned below:

Parents can also check out the GEMS Rewards program and earn valuable points and discounts.

GCS has a cafeteria where students can have their lunch.

Transportation service is available for students. The transportation fee for different areas is mentioned below.

The school has dedicated sports areas, including outdoor and indoor playgrounds.

GEMS Cambridge School has a dedicated art and music room. KG Students can use indoor and outdoor play areas.

The school organises several age-appropriate field trips for students.

The school has HAAD-qualified school doctors and a nurse responsible for handling students’ health-related issues during school hours. Required medical records are submitted to the nurse. Parents are notified if their children visit the clinic. If any student is unwell, parents are asked to pick their child up from the school clinic.

The school believes in maintaining effective communication with parents as research shows the positive impact of parental engagement in a child’s academic journey. GEMS Cambridge International School has an open-door policy to ensure parents can speak with the school at any stage. The school engages with parents through consultation evenings and written reports. Parents can also make an appointment to speak one-on-one with any teaching staff member.

The school suggests parents use the 3-a-day mobile app to get involved in their child’s education. They can also check out the official GCS Newsletters for announcements and other updates.

Parents can also join the GCS Parents’ Association for a fruitful partnership with the school and play their part in their children’s success.

• Phone number: +971-6-502-4800
• Email: registrar_gcs@gemsedu.com

GENERAL INFORMATION

• GEMS Cambridge International Private School Sharjah Website
• GEMS Cambridge International Private School Sharjah Facebook
• GEMS Cambridge International Private School Sharjah Instagram

Note that the featured image belongs to GEMS Cambridge International Private School.

WHAT ARE THE YEARS OFFERED?

GEMS Cambridge International Private School offers classes from Pre-KG to Grade 12.

DOES THE SCHOOL FOLLOW A CO-EDUCATION MODEL?

GEMS Cambridge International Private School has a co-education model.

WHAT TUITION FEE IS CHARGED BY THE SCHOOL?

The tuition fee ranges from AED 21,373 to AED 33,200.

DOES THE SCHOOL HAVE A CAFETERIA OR A CANTEEN ON CAMPUS?

Yes, GEMS Cambridge International Private School has a canteen.