The Westminster School

The Westminster School Dubai, founded in 1995, is a primary and secondary school owned by the GEMS Education Group. It is one of the largest international schools in Dubai, with over 5,000 students. The school follows the National Curriculum of England and offers A-level education to Year 13 students. It is one of the best schools in Al Qusais, known for its outstanding campus facility and quality of education.

The school has students from over 70 different nationalities, with a majority of them holding Pakistani, Egyptian and Indian passports. Additionally, The Westminister has seen a surge in Emirati students, which is positive for any international school. To support the educational needs of students, they have a teaching force of almost 300 teachers. The teacher to student ratio is 1:23 in the foundation stage and 1:18 in the advanced stages. The facilities available at The Westminster School support students’ academic and non-academic needs.

Due to financial constraints, GEMS decided to shut the school in 2013. Ultimately, they reversed their decision, and since then, the school has progressed in all aspects. The educational institution strives to improve students’ experience by adding new features. This guide provides an overview of the details, admission and fees, facilities and other vital aspects of The Westminster School Al Qusais.

• Location: Al Qusais
• Tuition Fees: AED 8,965.5 - AED 16,895.5
• Curriculum: British
• Co-Education/Segregated: Co-ed
• KHDA Rating: Good
• Grades: Pre-K - Grade 12

Located in Al Quasis, The Westminster School is close to many residential areas. Some of these are:

• Al Nahda (Dubai)
• Al Twar 1
• Muhaisnah 4

Al Nahda, Dubai, is the nearest residential community to The Westminster School. It is one of the affordable living communities in Dubai that borders the Emirate of Sharjah. With the availability of all the amenities, it is one of the most sought-after communities to rent apartments. Those looking to move close to the school will find this place ideal to live.

• Apartments for rent near The Westminster School
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GEMS Westminster School Dubai has a purpose-built campus with many facilities. It has 180 classrooms from Foundation Stage 1 (FS1) to Year 13. Classrooms are bright, spacious and comfortable. Besides classrooms, other facilities are:

Activity Room

To support the extra-curricular programme offered at The Westminster School, the school has an activity room and an audio-visual room. The audio-visual room has high-end multimedia facilities, which allows the school to conduct recreation and learning activities for young children.

Covered Play Area

The school has a covered play area equipped with necessary play material for kindergarten students. A safe and secure environment stimulates students’ learning through play and learn activities. They also have a separate recreation area for senior students.

Science laboratories

The Westminster School has six well-equipped laboratories for physics, biology, and chemistry to support science education.

Library

The Westminster School has three libraries to provide suitable learning material for different age groups. They have an abundance of books, magazines and other academic and non-academic resources to promote learning skills among students. They also serve as spots for students to study alone or in groups.

Art, Craft and Music Room

Students interested in music, art and crafts are not left behind as the school offers well-equipped rooms for these activities. Here, students can practice their artistic skills as part of the curriculum.

Other Facilities

Considering the increasing use of technology in schools, Westminister provides five computer laboratories with high-speed internet and multimedia facilities. During the lunch break, students can access the school’s canteen. The school also has sports and medical facilities.

The Westminster School is at the intersection of 6 Street and 21a Street in the famous school zone of Al Qusais. It is surrounded by many renowned schools, including Woodlem Park School, Capital School and American International School.

The Westminster school is the largest UK curriculum school in Dubai which educates over 5,000 students. It follows the syllabus based on value-based education, which focuses on building academic skills,  strong personality and character-building skills. Moreover, the dedicated teaching staff ensures a smooth implementation of child-centric programmes.

All this leads The Westminster School to offer high-quality education to its students. The National Curriculum of England is an internationally recognised education programme, providing ample opportunities for students to enrol in top universities around the globe. It offers a high-quality education at affordable fees, making it an attractive option for many parents.

As a part of the GEMS Education group, students and their parents enjoy exceptional benefits. All schools owned by GEMS education, including The Westminster School, follow the core values of growing by learning, leading through innovation, pursuing excellence and global citizenship. The global network of schools allows them to share the best practices and norms, resulting in implementing the best procedures and teaching skills.

Moreover, the school has a GEMS Reward programme, which rewards parents for their continued support of GEMS Education. Students feel safe and secure thanks to a warm and caring environment. All the staff helps the school offer the best schooling experience to students. It is an inclusive school with students belonging to over 70 nationalities. They also provide additional learning support and Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) support to over 200 students. All this results in developing an atmosphere encouraging children to learn and prosper.

The school provides education to children aged 3 to 17 years old. It splits the education system into the following age-group categories:

The syllabus followed at The Westminster School is based on the British style of education. Following the National Curriculum of the UK, the school prepares its students for the  International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) at the secondary stage and AS Level and A Level at the Sixth form stage.

The educational programme followed at the school results in the development of skills and expertise necessary to compete in the 21st century. Furthermore, the school’s syllabus fosters students’ critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, and planning skills. The school adjusts the curriculum for each age group based on the specific needs of children.

Infant School Curriculum

The school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework in the foundation stages. It is a popular education framework to develop skills among young learners. The school enforces a positive attitude at the foundation stage by providing individual support and encouragement, developing basic cognitive and motor skills. Besides these, it also fosters social and interactive skills and self-esteem. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and phonic methods are prevalent in the Kindergarten stage.

From Year 1, the school follows a more formal teaching approach as per the guidelines of the National Curriculum of England. The core subjects for Year 1 and Year 2 are:

Junior School Curriculum

In this stage, the school focuses on students’ intellectual and emotional development. For this purpose, the school offers an academically rigorous curriculum that challenges students on different fronts. Students study a range of core and foundation subjects that prepare them for further education. Besides academic skills, the school also builds socially acceptable behaviour and etiquette among junior school students.

The following are the core subjects taught in junior school:

The second language can be Hindi or French or Urdu.

Additionally, the foundation subjects offered to junior school students are:

Secondary School Curriculum

In the starting years of secondary school, The Westminster School follows an integrated academic programme that covers a range of subjects that are also a part of the IGCSE syllabus. From Grade 9, the school prepares students for IGCSE examinations. The school assesses students’ performance by following a grade point scale ranging from A to G. The curriculum followed in this stage results in building research, resource collecting, independent thinking and effective communication skills. The subjects offered in this stage are split into core and electives. the core subjects are:

• Students can either choose from one subject from Computer Science or ICT.

The elective courses in this stage are:

Sixth Form Curriculum

In senior School, The Winchester School offers Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS Level) in Year 12 and Advanced Level (A-Level) in Year 13. To increase the breadth of the curriculum, the school offers AS Level as a separate qualification. However, in other schools, AS Level is a part of A-Level. The subjects offered to senior school students are:

Please note that Islamic Education A is for Muslim Arab students and Islamic Education B is for non-Arabic Muslim students.

KHDA, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, is a governmental body that ensures the quality of education by private schools in Dubai remains high. KHDA attempts to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of schools through annual inspections to ensure that they meet the highest quality standards. KHDA rates schools based on a six-point scale: outstanding, very good, good, acceptable, weak and very weak.

In the latest inspection report by KHDA for 2019-2020, The Westminster School maintained its streak of a good rating for the sixth consecutive year. Before the inspection for 2014-15, KHDA rated it as an acceptable school. Here is a 10-year history of KHDA rating for The Westminster School:

In the latest report, KHDA reported the following strengths of The Westminster School:

• Quality teaching and support to students in the post-16 stage results in very good progress in science, mathematics and English
• Students’ appreciation of the UAE’s culture and understanding of Islamic values
• The school’s attention to students in building the understanding of social and environmental responsibility
• Health and safety system for students and staff
• Effective communication with parents resulting in full support to students’ education

Though, The Westminster School can obtain a better rating by working on the following recommendations:

• Strengthen teaching and make use of assessment, especially in junior and middle school to ensure at least good progress in all subjects.
• Increase the rigour and accuracy of the students’ assessment system to improve self-evaluation.
• Enhance the school resources for effective learning and teaching by hiring staff for students of determination and ensure students in FS and primary stages have access to high-quality resources

The academic year at The Westminster 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. Students then go on a three-week winter break. Spring term begins in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March. Followed by a spring break, the final summer term starts in the second week of April and concludes in the last week of June.

Please note that the dates for Islamic holidays depend on moon sightings. For more information, view the academic calendar for the Westminster School.

The admission process at The Winchester School is a straightforward task. Those willing to apply to the school must fill out an online enrolment form. Please note that the school strongly emphasises selecting the appropriate year for their child. The age-year guidelines for Westminster School are:

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

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

After submitting the online enrolment form, the school contacts the parents to bring their child for an assessment test. Through assessment, the school evaluates the candidate’s skills in English and mathematics.

After clearing the entrance test, the school extends an admission offer to the parents. At this time, parents need to submit the following documents:

• Two copies of the candidate’s birth certificate (translated into English or Arabic)
• Two copies of the candidate’s passport with a valid UAE residence visa
• Two copies of the candidate’s Emirates ID (both sides)
• Two copies of the candidate’s immunisation record (in English)
• Two copies of the candidate’s previous report card (in English)
• Two copies of the parents’ passport with a valid UAE residence visa
• Original Emirate ID cards of the candidate and any one of the parents (if applying from schools outside Dubai)
• Three recent passport-size photographs (white background)
• Transfer certificate/school leaving certificate (original)

Please note that the school immediately returns the original Emirate ID cards after scanning the Emirates ID card reader.

Transfer certificate requirements

The transfer certificate guidelines set by the KHDA are:

• Students applying from Emirates other than Dubai must get their transfer certificate attested by the education authority of that Emirate.
• Students applying from countries other than the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe must get their certificate attested by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the UAE Embassy of that country.
• Those applying from Dubai does not need to get their certificate attested by any authority.

The fees charged by The Westminster School is as follows:

Besides tuition fees, miscellaneous charges at The Westminster School are:

• Annual fees – AED 367.5 per annum
• Computer fees – AED 200 per annum
• Registration fee – AED 525 at the time of admission

To know further details, view the fees structure of The Westminster School.

The school itself does not offer scholarships to its students. However, as a part of GEMS Education, students are eligible for the GEMS Scholarship Award. It is a merit-based scholarship rewarding students excelling in creative and performing arts, innovation and design technology, academics, arts and Arabic studies. GEMS Education offers a fee concession ranging from 25% to 100% of the tuition fee for an academic year as a reward. The candidates have to reapply for the scholarship in the following academic year.

Several healthy and nutritious lunch and snack options are available for students of The Westminster School. Slices is the official catering company for all GEMS schools. The school canteen offers food prepared in a hygienic environment with quality ingredients. The school ensures that all the food items are available at a reasonable price.

 To provide a comfortable, safe and reliable commute to children, The Westminster School outsourced its transport service to School Transportation Service (STS) LLC. STS is a reputable transport service provider in the UAE trusted by schools in the UAE. The school ensures the best safety and security features, including a video surveillance system, Global Positioning System (GPS) and electronic attendance system.

To apply for the transportation service, please contact the STS counter at The Westminster School or visit their website. Once the transport request form is submitted, the STS representative checks the available routes and timing of buses and informs the parents. The available routes and annual transportation charges are as follows:

• Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, – AED 4,500
• Al Warqa 1, Al Warqa 2, International City, Mirdif, Ras Al Khor, Al Rashidiya,  – AED 4,750
• Al Garhoud, Al Shaab, Al Hamriya, Deira, Hor Al Anz, Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2 and Jumeirah 3, Al Barsha 1, Al Safa – AED 4,900
• Al Warqa 4, Bur Dubai, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Jafiliya, Al Karama, Satwa, Sky Court – AED 5,250
• Sharjah – AED 5,450
• Ajman – AED 5,450
• Umm Al Quwain – AED 5,450

For further information, contact an STS care executive at +971 55 2207488 or cce-tws@stss.ae.

Currently, the school does not offer any boarding facility to its students.

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

The following sports facilities are available At The Westminster School:

The multipurpose indoor sports hall provides an extensive range of indoor game options such as badminton, chess, carom, gymnastics and table tennis. All the indoor and outdoor sports facilities at The Winchester School are in excellent condition. These facilities are the primary source of producing athletes that compete in intra-school and national school sports competitions.

The school considers non-academic activities essential for the development of children. Through extra-curricular activities, the school discovers students’ hidden talents. At The Westminster School, the extra-curricular activities include field trips, educational trips, projects, leadership camps, interest related clubs and sports. The specialist teachers lead most extra-curricular activities, providing all the necessary training to develop skills required to compete in the 21st century.

The extra-curricular activities at the school are not limited to:

One of the critical extra-curricular activities at The Westminster School is the TEDx Youth. At TEDx Youth, the students have an opportunity to talk about different ideas. The recorded versions of these talks are available on their official website.

Some of the prominent school clubs at The Westminster School are:

Field trips are an essential part of the extra-curricular programme at The Westminster School. The school takes students on several educational, recreational and reward-based field trips. Recently, it took secondary school girls to Dubai Club on a reward field trip. Another popular field trip was the primary students’ visit to Louvre Abu Dhabi. Here students aged 9 to 12 years old visited the museum to seek inspiration from historic art pieces.

Currently, the school provides after-school care as extra-curricular activities. The sports club at The Westminster School usually operates after-school timing. The school has collaborated with East Sports Management (ESM) to provide specialist sports training to its students for these activities.

In medical emergencies, the school has two well-equipped medical rooms within the campus. The medical staff includes two experienced doctors and three full-time nurses. The medical practices at The Westminster School align with the regulations set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The school clinic also works with the government of Dubai and other health-related bodies for vaccinations and other mandatory inspections.

The Westminster Primary School considers communication between school and parent as imperative for its progress. The school follows an open-door policy allowing parents to talk with teachers and the school’s leadership.

There are several modes of communication to facilitate communication between school/teacher and parents. One key source of communication is the 3-a-day mobile app. As the name suggests, this app contains three main features that keep parents engaged in students’ learning. These three features are:

• Activities to share
• Something to talk about
• Guidance to encourage children

The app offers practical advice to help teachers and parents engage in children’s learning. This mobile application is available for Android and iPhone devices.

GEMS Parent Portal is another source of communication used by parents to obtain necessary information. These include attendance records, examination schedules, notifications for current and upcoming events, photographs and news.

The school also offers several programmes, such as GEMS Reward Programme and GEMS Ambassador Programme. In addition, parents and teachers can also contact the school through the designated WhatsApp groups.

• Address: 10th Street, Al Qusais, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Telephone: +971-4-2988333
• General email: [reception_tws@gemsedu.com](mailto: reception_tws@gemsedu.com)
• Email for general enquiries: socialmedia_tws@gemsedu.com
• Email for registration: registrar_tws@gemsedu.com

Official Website and Social Media

• Official Website
• Twitter
• Facebook

How many grades are there in school?

The school is open for children from Pre-K to Grade 12

How many students are currently studying at this school?

The Westminster School Dubai currently has over 5,000 students belonging from 50 nationalities.

What's the academic calendar of The Westminster School?

The academic calendar of The Westminster School starts in August and ends in June.

What's the tuition fee charged at this school?

The Westminster School's annual tuition fee ranges between AED 8,965 to AED 16,895.

Does the school have any scholarship programmes for students?

Being part of the GEMS global network of schools, the school offers students the opportunity to apply for GEMS Scholarships, which cover between 25% and 100% of tuition fees, and are awarded to students who excel in academic, creative and innovative fields.

How to communicate with parents?

The school has an open door policy for parents to come to school and talk to the principal and teachers.

Does the school have any electric parent portal for communication?

The Parents Portal provides parents of students with the opportunity to view many data related to their children, including attendance records and examination schedules, in addition to receiving regular notifications of the most important current and future events held by the school.

Does The Westminster School have any cafeteria or canteen?

Yes, The Westminster School has a canteen that provides healthy food to students at affordable prices.

How many field trips does the school arrange for students?

Yes, the school arranges field trips throughout the year to expose students to outdoor environments.

How many teachers are currently part of this school?

Currently, the school has over 300 teachers, most of which are Indian.

Note that the cover image belongs to The Westminster School.