International School of Arts and Sciences (ISAS)

Please note that the school will be closed at the end of the academic year 2020-2021.

Established in 2007, International School of Arts and Sciences (ISAS) is a well-renowned school by Academia Management Solutions International (AMSI). AMSI has a rich history of establishing and managing several high-quality educational institutes in the Middle East.

It is a private and co-educational K-12 school that follows the American Curriculum based on the State of California. ISAS is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The arts and science curriculum at ISAS has been specially designed to bring out the full potential of students. The International School of Arts and Sciences KHDA rating is Good.

Currently, the school has around 600 students with over 190 Emirati students. The school has 80 teachers, the teacher to student ratio is 1:8. Most of the teachers are Lebanese.

The main aim of the school is to ensure that students receive a safe and secure environment to pursue educational goals. The management of ISAS also aims to ensure that students grow as individuals, lead a successful life and approach adulthood with confidence.

This guide on the International School of Arts and Sciences Dubai reviews the education and facilities available at this school.

Located at Al Warqaa, the school is in proximity to other key residential communities in Dubai including the other division of Al Warqaa master community. The nearby residential communities are:

• Al Warqaa 2
• Al Warqaa 3
• Al Warqaa 4
• Mirdif

Al Warqaa 2 is the closest residential community to ISAS. This area consists of both residential apartments and villas, providing ample options for people interested in making it a home. Those living far from the school can opt for apartments on rent near ISAS.

•  Apartments for rent near ISAS
• Villas for rent near ISAS

Currently, ISAS has only one campus. This school boasts several state-of-the-art facilities that include:

Interactive classrooms

ISAS has 48 interactive classrooms from kindergarten to Grade 12. They equip these classrooms with multimedia capabilities, allowing teachers to access information on the school’s library and other online databases for effective teaching. The significant features of these classrooms are an interactive whiteboard, a wired computer server with the main database and high-end multimedia projectors. For students of Grade 9 and above, the classrooms also have Notebooks.

Laboratories

ISAS also has 4 state-of-the-art laboratories for Physics, Chemistry and General Science.

The physics lab has virtual experimentation facilities that allow students to visualise their experiments before performing them with their own hands.

The chemistry lab includes smart and custom-made furniture, allowing students to use computers and equipment simultaneously. In addition, the chemistry lab also has a dark room to store chemicals.

There is a separate general science lab for primary and secondary students. These labs include 3D models, interactive software and science kits for enhanced learning. The design of these labs further allows students to carry out their experiments in a safe environment.

ISAS also has pre-engineering and pre-medical labs for high school students.

Workshops

The school also has workshops to develop practical skills in its students. The workshops include 5 Technology Rooms with ultra-modern facilities that are used to explain processes in engineering and complex experiments. It also has an Art Workshop that supports all the needs of the meticulously planned art curriculum by ISAS.

Libraries

ISAS has a spacious wooden-styled library with a huge collection of academic resources. In addition, it is equipped with modern computers and has a seating capacity of 100 students. It also has a smaller library, which is ideal for lower classes.

Music Rooms and Recording Studios

To support the curriculum, ISAS has a large purpose-built music and choir room with soundproof cubicles for rehearsals and a well-equipped sound recording room.

Visual Arts and Science Centre

A unique facility available in ISAS is the Visual Arts and Science Centre consisting of 2 computer-controlled telescopes and high-speed computers to run high-end graphic designing applications. It is only accessible by students with exceptional academic records.

Other Facilities

Other major facilities in ISAS include wood and metal workshops, swimming pool and Document Management Centre.

The International School of Arts and Sciences is located near The Courtyard Al Warqaa in Al Warqaa. The school is located beside the Our Own Highschool Boys and is easily accessible through 13 street.

ISAS celebrates the uniqueness and allows students to progress at their own pace. The core curriculum is specially designed to make students want to learn new skills or improve their existing ones. Skills such as teamwork, independent learning, problem-solving and critical thinking are given priority. In addition, the school is accredited by NEASC, allowing students to enrol in any college and university in the US.

The curriculum and all school arranged activities also ensure that students are well prepared for exams at a global level or advance learning. The school’s positive and nurturing environment allows them to prepare well-rounded students with impeccable academic and social skills.

Another feature of ISAS that attracts parents’ attention is their state-of-the-art facilities. This ensures that students are exposed to the best educational experience and are fully developed to adjust to the expectations of higher education institutes in the later phase of their lives.

The school also offers advanced placement programmes, providing opportunities to study university-level courses for college credits. ISAS current offers 10 advanced placement programmes in subjects like Arts, English, History and Social Science, Maths and Computer Science, world languages and culture and Sciences (Biology and Chemistry).

The International School of Arts and Sciences offers years in the following sections:

Kindergarten

The kindergarten section in ISAS consists of Kindergarten 1 (KG1) and Kindergarten 2 (KG2) and educates children aged 3 to 5 years old.

Primary

The primary section starts from grade 1 and ends on grade 5 and has children aged 6 to 10 years old.

Secondary school

The secondary school starts with the Middle/Junior High School consisting of grade 6 to grade 8. The students in junior high school are typically 11 to 13 years old. The secondary school ends with the High School consisting of grade 9 to grade 12. The High School has students aged 14 to 18 years old.

The basis of the curriculum followed in the International School of Arts and Sciences Dubai is the American Curriculum (California State Standards). However, to suit the needs of schools in UAE, the curriculum is fused with the values and subjects related to UAE culture.

The adopted and enriched curriculum encourages students to become creative and analytical thinkers. Both indoor and outdoor sessions are part of the teaching plan to broaden the students’ viewpoint.

ISAS wants all their students to be well-versed in all modern technological advancements. With that regard, Information & Communications Technology (ICT) is taught as a core subject in this school. Upper-level students also have the option to take advanced computing classes and acquire computer diplomas.

Subjects offered at ISAS

• Arabic
• Arts
• Computer Studies
• English
• Islamic Education
• Mathematics
• Moral Education
• Music
• Physical Education
• Sciences
• Social Studies

Kindergarten (KG1 – KG2)

Bilingual programs are introduced at this stage where young students learn the basics of English and Arabic. In their goal to make students into global citizens, the students also have to learn one of the optional world languages such as French, Mandarin and Spanish.

Primary (Gr 1 – 5)

This stage lays the foundation for more advanced courses. Students are taught to become independent for activities at the school and outside. Parents can also opt for their children to take Islamic Education in English from Grade 4.

Middle School (Gr 6 – 8)

The school designed the curriculum for the Middle School in such a way that it builds skills necessary for the Higher School. ISAS focuses on research and analysis by offering challenging tasks.

High School (Gr 9 – 12)

At this stage, students are encouraged to focus on subjects they would like to pursue at the university level or something that will help them with their chosen career path. Graduating students receive diplomas certified by KHDA. In addition, the school provides clear information on standardised tests for enrolling in universities.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was established in 2006. It is a governmental education regulatory body that manages the quality of education in Dubai. To maintain high-quality standards, it annually inspects the performances of educational institutes, such as schools. The performance of schools are then judged based on a specifically designed KHDA’s rating scale. The scale varies from outstanding to very weak.

For the academic year of 2019-20, KHDA rated International School of Arts and Sciences as good. They maintained their rating for the fourth consecutive year since 2016, after a series of acceptable ratings.

In its latest inspection report, the identified key strengths of ISAS are:

• Students show excellent behaviour and attitude towards a positive learning environment across all phases
• Students show a very good understanding of Emirati culture and Islamic values
• The high priority is given to students’ health and safety
• Improved quality of teaching and learning in high school resulting in improved progress in key subjects
• Excellent care and support offered to all students because of the inclusive ethos

ISAS could, however, could work on the following recommendations to improve their performance:

• The school needs to improve the quality of teaching and learning in kindergarten and elementary stage. They must provide opportunities for students to use practical materials and build concepts through different learning experiences.
• The school must strengthen the teaching plans and packages by elevating the expectations for students.
• ISAS must promote literacy and numeracy by implementing reading policy and implement the reading plan to assess students’ progress.
• ISAS needs to ensure the accuracy of the self-evaluation process.
• The school must ensure the strategic planning is based on short-term targets and measurable goals.

Like any other American school in Dubai, ISAS has three terms in its academic year which starts in August and ends in July.

• The first term starts in August and concludes in December.
• The second term starts in January and concludes in March.
• The third (and final) term starts in April and concludes in July.

For further information related to the specific dates, view the academic calendar of ISAS.

The admission process starts with submitting an online application along with the relevant documents to the registration office of ISAS. All the candidates will be assessed through an entrance test; however, the result will not be declared until all the required documents are submitted.

After the admission test, the candidates who pass are called for an interview and the documents are validated. Successful candidates are given admission after they pay the necessary fee. If the students do not join the school within the first three months of the academic year then the admission will be automatically cancelled and the fee will not be returned.

The documents required for the registration process are:

• A copy of the applicant’s passport with valid residence Visa for UAE
• A copy of the applicant’s Emirates ID card (both sides) or a copy of application form ID (if under process)
• A copy of sponsor’s (parent/guardian) Emirates ID card (both sides)
• A copy of the applicant’s  birth certificate (either in Arabic or English)
• A copy of the child’s custody (if applicable)
• Most recent (last year and before) report cards
• A letter of good conduct by the previous school (for admission in grade 9 and above)
• Leaving certificate

For more information, read the admission process at ISAS Dubai.

The International School of Arts and Sciences fees are split into the following segments:

For more information, view the fees structure of the International School of Arts and Science Al Warqa.

Currently, ISAS does not offer any scholarships.

For the students of KG1 to Grade 2, the school does not provide any food item. Since the school’s cafeteria is for students of Grade 3 and above, ISAS expects parents of students in FS1 to Grade 2 to pack snacks and lunch. Food items such as sugary and carbonated drinks, candy, chocolate and cakes are not allowed. In addition, the school encourages children to bring their lunch in reusable containers to minimise waste.

For students of Grade 3 and above, the school cafeteria is available during break times. Nutritional snacks, salads and sandwiches are available. The only mode of payment accepted in the school is ‘Campus Key’. It is a non-cash payment method that uses a student’s ID card for transactions.

The International School of Arts & Sciences offers transportation services to its students. Their school buses cover most of the areas in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Their fleet includes buses from private transportation companies that are maintained as per the standards set by ISAS. To ensure the safety of the children, buses are equipped with GPS enabled technology, allowing parents to track the school bus on the school’s portal.

Transportation Fee Breakup

• One Way: AED 7,000
• Two Ways: AED 7,800
• Express One Way: AED 11,000
• Express Two Ways: AED 12,000

For more information contact the school at info@isas.sch.ae.

ISAS does not offer any boarding facilities.

Currently, the school does not offer any holiday camps.

The school offers several sports facilities which include three indoor playing areas, an indoor swimming pool area and shaded outside areas. In addition, students can also participate in numerous sports-related activities in the school operated Fitness Club. There is also a football training club where students can improve their skills and take them to the next level.

These facilities and opportunities allow students to learn the value of sportsmanship and teamwork. They also effectively promote healthy living.

ISAS believes that extra-curricular activities are equally important for their students to fulfil their vision and mission. For this purpose, they offer an exceptional range of extra-curricular activities including clubs that ignite students’ passion in different fields.

The extra-curricular activities available in the school pertain to arts, book, choir, puzzles, reading, sports, drama and Islamic Studies.

To facilitate extra-curricular activities, the school prepared several clubs including:

At ISAS, the chess program has been created to not just teach students the crux of the game but also to teach them the advanced strategies that help them in becoming grandmasters.

ISAS students are taken on various school trips throughout the year. Some of these trips include trips to the Astronomy Centre for Grade 5, a trip to Dubai Polo Club for Grade 1 and 2 and students are taken to Dubai Polo Club to learn about Arabian horses, camels and dates. Grade 6 students are taken on a bus tour of old Dubai, historic palaces and parks.  Grade 11 and 12 are taken to Mamzar Senior Happiness Centre. Another popular field trip for students of ISAS is the visit to Blu Chocolate Factory.

The school offers several educational and fun-filled trips to its students. Prominent field trips include visits to elderly homes and special needs centres. Such trips help the school in enforcing a positive feeling of generosity and giving back to the community among students.

Currently, ISAS only offers after-school care in the form of extra-curricular activities.

International School of Arts and Science Al Warqa has 2 medical centres in each section (primary and secondary) with a medical staff consisting of a full-time doctor and nurses. They are also responsible for keeping meticulous student records which allows them to act quickly in case of an emergency and notify parents/guardians.

ISAS considers parents as paramount for the success of their students. They believe that effective communication between parents and school is vital for their effective growth and education.

For this purpose, they offer several modes of communication between parents and teachers. The most prominent mode of communication is the school’s portal that interconnects parents with teachers for effective communication. The facilities available in the school’s portal include bus tracking, help desk, online lessons, report cards, timetables and much more.

Another mode of communication between students, parents and teachers is iCampus mobile app with exceptional features. It is available on Google Play and App Store.

WhatsApp groups for specific grades are also available where parents can contact teachers for urgent enquiries.

• Telephone: +971-4-280-0185 
• Email: info@isas.sch.ae
• Website International School of Arts and Sciences
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